The sun wasn't out yet, but the birds were chirping and small wild animals were playing.
Raindrops were slowly dripping from the trees as everything slowly woke up.
Daeng's shirt and both their pants hung on the branches of a tree.
They were soaked with water and almost dry, but they were still cold.
The sound of their breathing could be heard.
Daeng was sleeping, but Kiat had never slept.
Kiat sat leaning against the wall of the hut while Daeng slept, lying on his chest and wearing Kiat's oversized shirt.
Kiat was thinking about something while he admired Daeng.
He slowly kissed Daeng's shoulder and collarbone, as that was the only spot left with no red marks.
Daeng slowly opened his eyes. They felt heavy and burned.
Daeng tried to roll his eyes, but Kiat stopped him and said, "Don't; it will make it worse."
Daeng started to sneeze, and Kiat used his own hands to wipe Daeng's nose.
"It's really cold," Kiat said as he kissed Daeng's hair. "Can we go back?"
Daeng nodded. His voice was cracking because he had made so much noise the night before.
With a flustered face, he whispered, "Khun... you need to take it out first... it's still inside..."
Kiat replied, "This is the last time..."
Daeng looked back at Kiat. "Aren't you hurt because of the floor? I am the only one wearing a shirt," Daeng worried.
"I am strong; this is nothing," Kiat said.
Daeng unbuttoned the shirt and pulled Kiat's cold hand inside.
Daeng looked back as Kiat held him in his arms to protect him.
As Daeng leaned in closer, he whispered, 'Don't be hurt,' and they held each other.
They both stayed there together before the sun came up.
Daeng stood there, still half-asleep, trying to blink his eyes open while wearing Kiat's oversized shirt.
Kiat watched him; the more he looked, the more mesmerized he became.
He leaned in and started sniffing all around Daeng's body, and all Daeng could do was smile back at him.
Slowly, Kiat took his shirt back from Daeng and helped him dress in his own clothes.
Kiat put his own shirt back on, even though it was still stained and dirty, just so he could keep Daeng's smell on him.
Kiat picked Daeng up and held him close.
Daeng fell back asleep in his arms, his teeth lightly biting Kiat's collarbone.
As Kiat walked, Daeng began to shiver from the cold.
Even though Kiat was cold too, he held Daeng tighter to share his body heat.
Water dripped from the leaves and soaked into Kiat's legs. His wet pants felt even colder against his skin as he walked, but Kiat didn't care.
After Kiat made sure Daeng was inside his room, he went back toward the main mansion.
He exited through the secret hideout, and once outside, he touched his lips and collarbone where Daeng had bitten and smiled.
Niran was waiting there for him with a fresh pair of clothes.
Surprised, Kiat asked, "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you not to come?"
Niran was sweating from head to toe.
Clenching his hands, he said, "When you didn't come back, I knew you were with him. I prepared some clothes just in case. They are waiting for us... we need to go back, Second Prince."
Niran was breathing hard as he spoke.
Kiat looked around, then leaned close to Niran's ear. "If I told you to act like a friend, you should at least do that," he whispered.
"Why are you pretending to be my past lover? Oh... do you like sleeping with me so much that you forgot your place?"
Kiat lifted Niran's chin while Niran was breathless. "Don't forget, you are just a slave." Kiat smirked as he spoke playfully.
Kiat looked back at the forest, then toward the third mansion. "You are making me crazy, my dear," he whispered to himself.
"Let's go," Kiat said with a dominating voice.
Niran bowed his head.
From the cold morning into a haunted, dark place where the sun was barely catching.
It was a market that was already shut down; everything was empty and dusty.
It looked like a haunted and disturbing place.
From the middle of the market, Kiat and Niran walked through a long alley.
They entered a small, dark alley leading to a secret place—a place that gave off a scary feeling.
Only a single lamp provided light.
Two shadows were standing there, expecting someone. They watched the entrance.
Upon seeing Kiat, one shadow became frightened with fear; he kneeled on the floor and bowed his head with respect and terror.
The other shadow wondered what was going on.
Just before Kiat walked into the room, a woman's voice whispered from the shadows, angry and disappointed.
"Uncle, do you think he can do this? It's been weeks since he came to the main mansion of the Asawa family. He hasn't done a single thing except go to the third mansion."
By the slight light of the lamp, the other shadow—an aged man—retorted, "What I heard is that he is ruthless. There is even a bounty on him, but no one dares to touch his shadow. Didn't you see him? Did you see how he was?"
"Well, nothing special," she replied. "But there is something chilly around him. Even his eyes are saying something. I am wondering why he took our commission. He approached me and took the job; it's like he knows everything we are going to do next.
She took a deep breath, while the aged man beside her grew weak with nerves.
Kiat entered the room. The lamp was struggling to stay lit, but it still held on.
Heavy steps and cold air filled the space.
The elderly man shivered in fear as he sat on the floor. Dust and black dirt covered his hands as he looked at Kiat, thinking, "Why is this monster here?"
He knelt and bowed his head.
The woman, who was also sitting on the floor, asked, "Why are you doing this? Uncle, please get up!"
The elderly man said, "Bow your head! Bow your head with respect! We need to bow if we see a royal heir."
Upon hearing this, the woman was frightened.
Her face changed from angry and worried to pure fear.
It was fear. As a predator, his shadow was unpredictable; you never knew if it would swallow you a little bit or completely.
She bowed her head while the elderly man said, "It has been a while, Second Prince Thawin, the one and only legal heir to the throne."
Hearing his name and title, the woman thought: No way. The Second Prince... he is a monster. Why is he here? No way...don't tell me it was all his plan.
Kiat slowly walked close to the woman.
"Khun Kaew, you are right. It is my plan." Kiat smiled and laughed.
His laugh echoed, making everyone scared.
Kaew looked at Kiat, her whole face covered in sweat.
"I took your commission, but I never knew you would be married into that family. What an interesting plan, right?" Kiat asked with a playful smile. "You think I don't know what your plan is? Even after your revenge, as the next Lady of the Asawa family, you will enjoy everything. It's actually a very cheap plan; even royals don't use it anymore. But don't worry, if I say I will do it, that's final. I never go back on my word."
Kaew asked, "Why did you take my commission? You don't need money. What is the use of using me?"
As Kaew spoke, her uncle tried to stop her, but she kept asking.
"Who said this was about your revenge? Well, the current Asawa family didn't do anything to me. But still, they are a wall for me to get my throne; well, they aren't that much of a threat," Kiat said while looking at the ceiling.
Kaew asked, "Then why?"
"It was fun. It was really fun to play with them. I want to see their pain... isn't that right?"
Kiat looked at Kaew and touched her lips.
He moved to her neck and pressed hard.
It made her breathless. She tried to fight, but it was no use. Kiat was so strong that killing with his hands was easy for him.
"How dare you question me?"
Kaew's uncle bowed his head and begged for mercy.
Kiat laughed at the elderly man, seeing the pain and fear in his eyes.
When Kiat let go, Kaew took a deep breath.
She had almost died; her eyes were red and her skin was pale.
"Get out... now," Kiat said. The uncle grabbed Kaew, and they left quickly.
Kiat stood there and took a deep breath.
He asked himself why, over and over, as his voice rang through the room. He looked up, a grin crossing his face as he remembered.
Childhood memories began to skim through his mind:
A sparkling room was filled with royalty and beautiful lamps. In royalty, lamps were a symbol of status.
Outside in the dark, only a few lamps were lit.
A few servants sat there, their shadows whispering to each other.
Their hands shivered and their voices cracked.
"He is a monster," one said. "When he was born, he never cried. We all thought it was normal."
"How can an eight-year-old try to kill someone?" another whispered.
"Can we just go back? It's better than dying," said one more.
"He doesn't have any emotions... How can this happen?"
On the other side of the large room, the sound of things breaking could be heard.
"How can this happen? Why my child? Why me?" a cracking voice cried out.
"You need to calm down, Lady Consort," a servant pleaded. "You need to stay calm. If His Highness heard you, it will become a bigger problem."
"Let them all hear! How can this happen to me? Why was a child like him born?"
Her voice cracked and her body was sweating. In a fury, she fell to the floor and broke into tears, crying, 'Why was that thing born in my womb?'
Inside the next room, the eight-year-old child (Kiat) heard everything. Everyone thought he was sleeping, but he heard the whispers of the servants and his mother's anger.
His face never changed; it remained cold and expressionless.
Again and again, the fear of Second Prince Thawin (Kiat) spread through different stories.
Rumors were spread and exaggerated, but everything was true. He had no fear and was scared of nothing.
Second Prince Thawin (Kiat) only changed after he met his mother's older brother's only son. His cousin made him human; he made him feel loved. He taught him how to smile and laugh. He was his first friend, his brother, and his whole world.
But Thawin's happy moments withered because of a power struggle.
It was the King's plan. The King killed everyone from Thawin's mother's family.
Those who were killed died at the hands of the Asawa family.
"Not my family! Please, dear, don't kill them!" All Thawin heard were his mother's pleas until she died herself.
Thawin didn't cry even after seeing his mother die in front of him, but he cried for the first time after his one and only friend died.
Even though he cried, it was only a single drop of tears—only a single one.
Back in the present, Kiat remembered everything. A grin crossed his face.
"It's getting interesting," he said to himself.
Niran, who was watching Kiat, was shivering with fear.
Kiat slowly walked toward him. He hadn't changed his clothes yet; they were still dirty, and now they were even messier.
As he got close, Niran already knew what to do.
He slowly took off Kiat's pants and tried to use his tongue while Kiat remained expressionless.
Niran was struggling, but he was used to it.
When Niran stood up and tried to take off Kiat's shirt, Kiat stopped him.
Kiat looked at Niran with a cold face and a domineering voice. "Who said you could touch this shirt?"
"But it's dirty..." Niran whispered, avoiding Kiat's eyes. "And you want to do it... isn't that why you asked me to come with you?"
Kiat replied, "You aren't even pretending to know the truth, right?"
"Didn't I tell you not to follow me?" Kiat said, looking at Niran with pity.
Kiat whispered into Niran's ear, 'Did you think I wouldn't see you?' Then, with fury, Kiat said, 'You dared to follow me.'
"You never love anyone! Even when I said I loved you, you never loved me back. You just used me. You can never love anyone!" Niran said, his voice trembling and his eyes filling with tears as he clenched his hands.
"Oh... my Niran. You forgot your place again," Kiat said with a playful smile. "When you slept with me, what did I say? Never... fall... in... love... with... me."
Kiat pressed Niran against the wall, his hand heavy on his shoulder. "Daeng is going to be your master," he added. No matter what happens—even if I need to kill or change things—I will make sure he is mine. He is going to be my wife."
Niran became breathless and furious.
He looked away, unable to meet Kiat's eyes after hearing those words.
Niran fell to the floor and started crying, but Kiat ignored him.
Niran wiped his tears and looked at his dirty hands. "You can't love anyone," he said, touching his chest. "You will be mine." He broke down, crying out, "Why did I love you? Why?"
Kiat walked outside.
He smelled the shirt he was wearing and mumbled, "His smell is almost gone. I need to see him."
Kiat walked, his mind filled with Daeng.
Darkness fell as everything began to change.