Days passed quickly for the employees at Niramai Holdings. That morning, Surithae entered the company donning her famed pin-straight hair. She smiled at the employees she crossed paths with, greeted everyone politely, and entered her office as if nothing were amiss.
No one realized that something was wrong, something was brewing in the air.
Surithae felt a thing relentlessly clawing deep inside her chest. Even her makeup couldn't conceal her pallor and tiredness. She hadn't slept well these past few nights.
Dreams, though fragmented, haunted her nights. It brought her back to three years ago.
Rain.
Sirens.
A figure in a white dress stained with something dark.
A hand slipping from hers.
Surithae snapped back to reality. She heavily heaves to catch her breath. Her long-forgotten memories resurfaced once again. She stood unsteadily and accidentally knocked the glass on her desk.
CRASH!
Phasuk heard the resounding crash of broken glass. She rushed her way inside Surithae's office. She just found Surithae clutching her chest, curled and backed on the corner wall.
"Miss Simueang!" She strides fast towards Surithae. She helps the young woman in her arms, trying to calm her.
"Miss, breathe."
Tears streamed down Surithae's face. Her pale lips quivered in fright. She couldn't even register what Phasuk was saying. All she felt at that moment was the comfortable arms that wrapped around her; they gave her space, separating her from the complexities of her surroundings. The two stayed in that position for how long?
The silence was broken when Surithae's phone buzzed.
Surithae felt slightly embarrassed having Phasuk witness a new side to her. She has never shown her vulnerable side to anyone other than Yothasira and Thanakorn before.
She slowly separated herself from her secretary and walked towards her desk. Phasuk followed her a few steps back.
[Have you eaten?]
Surithae stared at the message; it was from Thanakorn. He always knew from the signs whenever she was spiraling. It irritated her how transparent she was with him, but she was also grateful that he was always there whenever things went awry.
[I forgot. Busy.]
[That's not an answer,] he replied instantly
[I will eat later.] She gave a short response, turning her phone face down, signifying an end to the conversation.
From behind, Phasuk noticed that Surithae's emotions had finally settled. She slowly approached Surithae with the same concern as before.
"Miss Simueang, are you calm now? Is there anything I – ?" she asked softly.
"No, I'm good." Surithae cut in; there's calmness in her voice.
The interruption was abrupt but not sharp.
"Yes, Miss."
Phasuk took a step back, leaving a notice for Surithae.
"Miss Simueang, you have a meeting with the CEO in twenty minutes."
Surithae gave her a brief nod, as if to let her know she had heard.
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The meeting took place in the private conference hall, which is only used by the CEO.
Despite being an intern, Surithae was asked to attend these types of meetings with the department heads. Yothasira made sure to slowly expose Surithae to the ways of running a company. She wants to take this opportunity to train Surithae that might come in handy someday.
The meeting was uneventful for Surithae. All she did inside was listen, nod, and offer her brief input whenever her name was called. Her answers were short and quite methodical – her thoughts clearly elsewhere. The department heads failed to notice something out of place, but Yothasira, as sharp as ever, noticed everything.
Surithae was not properly engaging; she was just responding. Yothasira felt her chest tighten as she saw Surithae so lost in her thoughts.
She dismissed everyone except Surithae after the meeting.
"Su, come walk with me," she imposed like an imperial decree. Surithae complied without protest. Yothasira, like Thanakorn, knew her too well.
They walked side by side down the long corridor. Silence was with them aside from the clicking of heels on the marbled floor.
"Is there anything bothering you, Su? You seemed distracted."
Surithae just offered a small smile.
"Is this about your internship? Do you not want to work anymore?" Yothasira pressed.
Surithae stopped walking, smile dropped, and head bowed. A minute or so, she raised her head and faced Yothasira head-on.
"I told you I didn't want any of this." She smiled sweetly as she uttered the words.
"You told me you didn't want to be controlled. This isn't control, it's just protection." Yothasira gently explained.
Surithae laughed softly while her eyes dimmed.
"You are enclosing me in your space, trapping me; it feels like I'm being watched all the time. How could you not see it as control?" she asked, her voice rising.
Yothasira's jaw tightened, her perfect brows furrowed. She fixed her eyes on Surithae. She did not realize that this was how the young woman had always seen her protection.
"I'm just trying to protect you."
"From what?" Surithae asked. "From myself?"
The words dropped like a bomb. Yothasira glanced at Surithae; the once-composed and formidable CEO vanished, replaced by a woman burdened with guilt and compassion.
"Su, you don't have to punish yourself anymore. It was never your fault to begin with. Please, let me carry the burden. I don't want to see you hurting anymore." Yothasira pleaded.
Surithae's smile faltered. Her face was devoid of human emotion. She looked at Yothasira straight in the eye.
"Ate Sira… you're the one still punishing yourself," she replied.
Surithae turned her back and walked away. Yothasira was left there watching the retreating figure of Surithae.
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Rain began to fall again that evening. Not a gentle and passing one, but heavy and relentless. The kind that seeps through clothes and memories alike.
Surithae sat down at the bus stop near the company building. She fixed her eyes on her heels; water began to seep through the soles.
Phasuk approached her hesitantly.
"Miss Simueang, it's raining hard. Do you want to go back to the office?" she gently asked.
"No," Surithae said coldly.
"Should I call a car for you?" Phasuk hesitated.
"Miss Thira – "
"I said no. Miss Woratanakul, please leave me alone," she replied in a dismissive tone.
Phasuk stepped back and simply watched Surithae. She was waiting for the young woman to change her mind. She glanced around her surroundings, the air getting colder as the rain grew and wouldn't seem to stop any time soon.
The scheduled bus arrived on time. With no hesitation, Surithae boarded the bus. She stopped Phasuk, who was about to go with her. As she steps inside, she feels a boring gaze on her.
Once she settled in her seat, she saw Yothasira standing under the building's awning, watching her. Their gazes met through the rain-blurred bus window.
Surithae raised her small hand in a small cold wave, but Yothasira didn't wave back.
The bus then started to drive away. As Phasuk turned her heels, she saw the CEO standing solemnly not far away. Unlike the usual sharp and steady aura, the CEO project's Phasuk could feel something new. It feels like the CEO is shrouded in sadness beneath the dark gloom.
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The bus route circled around the city.
Shops were already closing; other pedestrians rushed to catch a ride in this heavy downpour, as traffic worsened due to low visibility. Surithae sat by the window, watching the chaotic scenery outside.
Her phone buzzed. Thanakorn tried to reach out to her again.
[I'm near the company. Want to get dinner with me?]
Surithae read the message and typed a reply.
[Not tonight, kuya.]
She hadn't received the reply when suddenly her phone's battery ran out.
'What luck,' she thought.
When the bus stopped near her condominium, she didn't get off. She just stayed seated in her seat. Some passengers had already alighted the bus, and a few remained with Surithae. The door closed, and the bus continued on its way.
Surithae ran her fingers through her damp hair. She's starting to regret straying from the daily routine she is used to.
'I hate this.'
Surithae was the last one to get off, several stops later. She found herself in a part of the city far from home.
The rain intensified, prompting her to run aimlessly, her feet hurting from the high heels. She stumbled a few times due to poor visibility from the heavy rain.
After running for quite a time, Surithae found herself lost in oblivion.
By the time she entered a narrow alley district, she felt an immense tiredness and hunger she had never experienced before. It was something new for her.
The heavy rain intensified, drowning Surithae with sorrows. Thunder rumbled, and lightning struck overhead. Surithae stood there drenched and shivering from the cold. She doesn't know where to go.
Somewhere in the rain-drenched night, a small trembling sound could be heard. A soft, desperate whimper.
Surithae stopped, her eyes searching for the source. Despite the heavy rain, she turned toward the weakening sound. She crouched down to the torn and wet paper box trashed in the dark corner of the alley.
There she saw a small kitten huddled inside the box, shivering in the cold.
Surithae didn't expect to come across someone sharing her predicament.