"Ow... You're supposed to be weak with a fever, but you're still too strong," Mok muttered, rubbing the back of his hand.
Toffee stared at Mok in disbelief.
Wearing grumpy expressions, the two completely forgot about the strange noise that had frightened them moments earlier.
Mok peered in the direction of the sound. "Toffee, I think it was..." His words trailed off.
Swallowing hard, Toffee gripped his friend's arm even tighter. "It was... what... what is that over there?"
A sharp pain shot through Mok's arm. "Toffee, stop. You know, I only have muscles on the outside. There's nothing inside."
Toffee gasped. "Didn't all this happen because you didn't answer my question?"
Sputtering, Mok replied, "It's a cat... Meow... meow..." He mimicked the sound to tease him.
"Just let this fever pass, then I'll get you back," Toffee rasped like an old man. Seeing him try to act tough despite being so sick made Mok smirk, which only made Toffee pout.
After checking their surroundings, they finally crept past the guards. Artit and the others had strictly forbidden Toffee from going outside.
Peeking from behind the main mansion's back door, the two shadows planned how to sneak out unnoticed.
"Hold my hand, Toffee. We need to move fast."
Toffee nodded, quietly following Mok into the garden.
"This is heaven!" Toffee cheered
They strolled among the flowers, running their fingers over the petals and breathing in the sweet air.
Toffee occasionally sniffled from his runny nose, but he insisted on exploring.
White lilies swayed beside clusters of jasmine, welcoming the morning.
Dew clung to the petals as a cool breeze rustled the leaves, filling the garden with a peaceful calm.
The cold seeped through Toffee's slippers and chilled his feet, but he stubbornly stood his ground.
A quiet melody escaped his mouth until Mok called his name. "Toffee, look, it's jasmine. Why is this one a different color?"
He stepped closer and took the flower Mok had plucked. "Don't you know? Jasmine comes in different varieties. I want to paint this garden."
Mok's lips curled into an amused smile. "Typical top student."
"Mok... stop teasing me!" Toffee complained. His eyes swept over Mok, tracking from his messy hair down to his neck, where faint red spots were barely visible. Finally, Toffee saw his chance to fire back. "I actually wanted to ask you something, Mok. Why are you wearing a uniform?"
Pretending not to hear, Mok cooled his hands against the leaves and cupped Toffee's face, which only made him more irritated.
The two bickered like children— honestly, children probably had better manners.
Suddenly, Toffee's words caught in his throat. "P... P'Kao..."
Mok spun around, meeting the direction of Toffee's stunned gaze. "Damn... Kao found us."
"Toffee, hide behind me..."
But it was already too late. Before either of them could react, Kao reached them, giving Toffee the chance to slip away unnoticed into the deeper parts of the garden.
Looking back, Mok caught sight of Toffee kneeling among the flowers, admiring them. He watched over his friend until Kao called his name.
"Mok..." Still catching his breath, Kao traced a thumb over Mok's cheek. "I can't look away from you." He nodded dismissively toward Toffee. "Go inside. Artit will be back soon." Then, his voice softened. "Mok... don't pout like that. We can visit the garden another day."
Mok jerked his chin back, breaking the contact. "Don't talk to me. I know exactly what you're doing. Toffee is tired of being cooped up in that room—he just wants some fresh air. Besides, do you really think I can't tell you're flirting with me?"
Kao almost laughed. "What? Am I not allowed to flirt with you?" He closed the distance until his breath fanned Mok's face.
Mok felt his cheeks burn, giving away his true feelings.
"You're mine," Kao said confidently. Pulling Mok against his hips, he buried his face in Mok's neck.
"Wait—it tickles!" Mok giggled, twisting free. "Kao... I said stop. Don't bite!" He nudged Kao back, instantly shielding his neck.
"I can't believe you bit me out here. No touching for a day."
"Mok... I won't do it again." Kao instantly became as clingy as a cat.
As Kao hovered close again, Mok gave his chest a light shove. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Toffee..." His voice dropped as he scanned the empty space. "It's all your fault. I forgot about him."
Mok searched the surroundings. "Kao... where is he?"
"Hm? Who?"
Panic flashed across Mok's face. "Toffee was right there..." He clutched Kao's shirt and gestured wildly at the grass.
Seeing how frightened Mok was, Kao gently held his shoulders. "Don't panic. Let's look for him."
"Toffee!" They called out together, their cries growing louder by the second.
Ignoring everything around him, Mok broke into a run.
"Mok!" Kao shouted. "You'll trip! Slow down!" Kao quickly caught up and steadied him from behind.
The scent of Mok's damp shirt filled the air as they paced across the grounds together.
Then—
Mok froze.
Near the lotus pond, Toffee stood quietly right at the edge.
Morning dew sat heavy on the lotus leaves, the overhead branches swaying in the breeze.
Kao glanced at Mok before looking ahead at Toffee, who remained completely mesmerized by the water.
Snapping out of his daze at the sound, he pivoted around and came face-to-face with Mok.
Out of breath, Mok shouted, "Come back!" Then he turned to Kao. "I'll go to him."
Kao nodded without a word.
Mok approached Toffee, who took two small steps away from the edge.
Plunk!
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Toffee slipped into the pond.
Even as he fell, he kept his hand extended toward Mok, a smile on his face.
"Toffee!"
Without a second thought, Mok sprinted forward.
His shoes sank into the mud before he plunged straight into the freezing water.
He pushed through the dark pond, clawing his arms through the tangled roots beneath the surface. His shirt quickly soaked with mud, and his heavy shoes dragged him down. Bubbles escaped his mouth as he dove deeper, searching wildly.
He probed the murky water, but the boy was nowhere to be found.
The freezing water numbed his limbs until a flash of fabric snagged his attention. He swam toward it with everything he had.
"Hold on... Toffee..."
His heartbeat slowed.
At last, he saw Toffee sinking beneath the surface.
Mok lunged forward against the heavy current, his fingertips missing the fabric by mere inches before he locked his grip around it.
"Almost... Just a little farther... I can reach him..."
Suddenly, he couldn't move.
Every exertion only sent up more bubbles.
Beautiful green roots, far stronger than they seemed, snared his legs, while another coil pinned his wrists. Mok fought back, but he couldn't break free. The more he twisted, the tighter they held him.
His lungs burned.
The bubbles escaping his lips grew fewer and fewer.
A shadowy figure glided past, heading toward Toffee.
It stared directly at Mok.
The ghost had a pale wound on its neck, wore bloodstained clothes, and held a white thread in one hand and a broken red thread in the other.
"Who are you...?" Mok formed the question with the last of his energy, right before his focus shifted back toward Toffee.
"Toffee... I have to save him..."
White threads suddenly wrapped around Mok's neck as the figure smirked. Though the ghost parted its lips to speak, Mok could neither hear nor understand. His tears merged with the water. His fingers gradually went limp, and his eyelids shut.
"Mok... Mok..."
A pair of trembling arms pulled him into a warm embrace. "It's okay... I'm here. There's nothing here."
Mok's vision returned as he focused on an unfamiliar ceiling. "Kao..." He spoke in a weak, cracked tone.
Kao held Mok close, resting their foreheads together. "I almost lost you..." He collapsed into a tight embrace, refusing to let go.
"Kao... where am I?" Mok's voice was weak, his skin pale as he sat up on the large bed.
"It's my room."
"Are we at your house?"
"No. We're still at Artit's place. Mok, get some rest." Kao tried to ease him back onto the mattress.
Mok bolted upright and threw his legs over the edge, but a sharp pain shot through him the moment he stood. Catching him around the waist, Kao held him back. "Toffee is completely fine. Please, Mok... you need to rest." Mok fought against the hold.
He firmly but carefully guided him back to the pillows.
"I saw someone..." Mok murmured. "He'll take Toffee... Kao... let me see him..."
"... Kao..."
Ignoring his weak protests, Kao wiped away Mok's tears and gathered him close against his chest.
"Someone will take him... I want to see him... let... me... see..."
Kao kept silent, humming tenderly to comfort him until Mok finally fell asleep.
He stayed close to the feverish boy, gently undressing him as he slept.
He ran a damp towel over his flushed body, whispering soft reassurances to soothe his restless mind.
After carefully withdrawing his arms, Kao applied medicine to Mok's neck, wrists, and ankles.
A dark figure watched everything unfold from the gloom.
Freezing in place, Kao spoke without glancing back. "P'Nut... didn't you say nothing would happen? That everything was already solved?"
From just behind his back, a raspy tone answered. "I am sorry... The ritual will begin soon, so please stay inside. That's what the young master ordered."
After shutting the door, Nut leaned against the wall outside.
One of Mok's fingers faintly curled around Kao's thumb. His lips met Mok's as their breaths mingled, his palm moving up to stroke the boy's ear.
"Good night."
He lifted his eyes toward the window.
The moon had yet to appear. The night still had a long way to go.