Chapter 2 High Stakes... But Dad's Higher
The next morning, the refreshing aura of dawn did nothing to brighten Gun's mood. He begrudgingly put on his stiff school uniform and headed straight to the usual meeting spot at school, where his inner circle was already waiting.
"What's up with you, Gun? Your face looks sourer than overnight curry," Nathi, his closest friend, teased the moment he saw Gun stomp over and collapse onto the marble bench.
"My dad's exiling me to Suphan Buri..." Gun sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in total defeat.
"Well, that's what you get for skipping class the other day. Serves you right!" Jid, the only girl in the group and Nathi's girlfriend, chimed in. Despite her nagging tone, her eyes were full of sympathy.
"It's not just the skipping, Jid... This has been building up for a long time. Dad finally snapped," Gun replied gloomily, his usual playful spark nowhere to be found.
"So, what's the move? You're really just gonna go to the sticks?" Moss, another friend, asked worriedly. He knew Gun loved his comfort too much to survive a rough lifestyle.
The boy looked up, a sly glint returning to his eyes as he whispered,
"I've got a plan. Dad said he's driving me there himself, right? I'll use the moment he pulls over at a gas station to make a break for it and go into hiding somewhere else."
"Hey! Are you serious, Gun?" Jid gasped, covering her mouth.
"If your dad catches you, you're dead meat!"
"Relax... I've thought this through. Just keep your mouths shut and don't tell anyone," Gun insisted, trying to regain his confidence despite feeling a lingering fear of his father's stern gaze.
"Fine, fine. We won't say a word. Just don't get a missing person's report filed on you... Come on, let's get to class before the warden shows up to drag you away again."
Two days flew by. Despite Gun's best efforts squeezing out tears and putting on a dramatic "monkey show" for sympathy his father's resolve remained a fortress.
"Get in the car! Don't make me drag you," his father's voice rang out.
Gun reluctantly threw his backpack over his shoulder. His pitiful, dejected exterior masked a heart racing with adrenaline for his escape plan. As the luxury car sped out of Bangkok toward Suphan Buri, golden rice fields began to flank the road. Gun ignored the scenery, his eyes scouring the highway for one thing: a gas station sign.
"Dad... my stomach hurts. I need a bathroom. The car is shaking so much I think my intestines are going to fall out," Gun began Phase One, twisting his body and groaning as if in agony.
"You just went before we left. Why now?" Despite the grumbling, his father eventually turned the wheel into a large rest area.
The moment the car stopped, Gun shot out like an Olympic sprinter. "Back in a sec, Dad! It's about to explode!" He bolted toward the crowded restroom area, his eyes darting left and right for an exit or a vehicle that could take him back to civilization.
Just as he was about to duck into a corner to disappear...
GRAB!
"WAAAAAHHH!!!"
Gun let out a scream that echoed through the station as a hand, firm as an iron vice, clamped down on his shoulder. His heart nearly dropped to his toes.
"Stop yelling! It's me." The deep, familiar voice made the terrified boy let out a massive breath of relief.
"Dad!!! Man... you scared the life out of me! I almost had a heart attack!" Gun turned to complain, frustrated that his plan had been interrupted.
"Scared? Or was your head already planning a runaway?" His father asked sternly, his knowing eyes boring into Gun's shifty ones.
"C'mon, Dad... think better of me. I'm your son," Gun argued weakly, trying to play the innocent.
"I can't think better of you when the situation clearly says you're trying to bail!"
"Bail? I'm just going to the bathroom!" Gun snapped, trying to walk away in another direction.
"The bathroom is that way!" His father pointed accurately in the opposite direction.
"The way you're heading leads to the back of the station. Keep going and you'll end up in a thicket of bushes."
"Oh... really? I couldn't see. I must be dizzy from the stomach pain. My vision is blurry," Gun bluffed, clutching his stomach and shuffling toward the actual restrooms as directed.
His father watched his son's retreating back and shook his head. Shallow tricks, he thought. The brat is clever, but he forgot his father is cleverer. There was no way he was letting this monkey escape back into the jungle.
After finishing his business and accepting his fate Gun dragged his feet back to the car. The familiar scent of the car freshener now felt suffocating, knowing it was taking him to his new reality.
"Gun... honey, fix that face. When we get to your uncle's, he'll think you're angry at him," his mother said softly from the front seat, stroking his hair to soothe him.
"But I want to go back to Bangkok... I don't want to live in the countryside at all." He began to whine again, leaning his head against the window and watching the rice fields grow denser.
"I don't even know if they have malls or fast internet there."
"They do, sweetie. Suphan Buri isn't that far behind the times," his mother reassured him.
"Just behave yourself, Gun. Stop causing trouble. Stop skipping school. If I see that you've actually changed your attitude... then I'll come and pick you up," his father said firmly through the rearview mirror. Gun knew there was no room for negotiation.
"Promise?" Gun murmured, closing his eyes. From a city kid whose life revolved around neon lights and gaming, he was now stuck in a place where he knew no one.
Soon, the wheels rolled past a sign for Nong Luang Subdistrict. The busy highway transitioned into a vibrant community road filled with motorcycles and "mobile market" trucks blasting music. This was clearly the bustling economic heart of the area.
Gun opened his eyes, feeling a bit dazed but surprised by the scale of Voraseth Market standing tall in the center of the district. It was much more organized and cleaner than he had imagined. Seeing several men in dark uniforms patrolling the area gave the place an aura of authority.
'What kind of person owns this place to be able to control these tough-looking guys?'
Gun wondered, letting out a long sigh.
The car turned past the market into a side street and stopped in front of a large Thai-style wooden house. A dark teak fence with intricate carvings surrounded the elegant home, shaded by large, ancient trees. A kind-looking but sturdy middle-aged woman walked out to greet them at the stairs.
"You've finally arrived! Was the trip tiring?" Yai Thong (Grandma Thong) greeted her daughter and son-in-law warmly before turning her gaze to her grandson, who looked like a drenched puppy.
"Oh, look at Gun! You've grown into a young man, I almost didn't recognize you. Come on, come inside, grandson."
"Sawatdee krab, Grandma..." Gun bowed and let out a long sigh, walking toward the elderly woman with his head down.
"Do I really have to stay here? Nong Luang is so far from Siam Mall, Grandma."
"Staying here is good for you, boy. The air is fresh, the food is delicious. Stay a while and you won't even want to go back to Bangkok!" Yai Thong laughed heartily while talking to Gun's father, who was unloading luggage.
"By the way... Wan should be back from the pork stall soon. I heard they sold out early today."
"Right. Please tell Wan to keep a close eye on his new 'apprentice.' It might be a bit of a struggle to whip him into shape," his father joked, though his tone remained serious.
"Alright, alright. Go on, go upstairs and wash up. Once Wan gets here, there'll be plenty of work to do." Yai Thong patted her grandson's shoulder.
Gun followed the adults up into the polished wooden house. The faint
scent of agarwood and the cool breeze passing through the veranda made him feel a tiny bit more relaxed.