After rain comes the clear sky (Kaoearth)

66. Hospital

Kao tightly held Earth's hand, watching the little one sleep. The youngster's face was regaining its rosy colour. But that didn't ease Kao's heart. He didn't dare leave Earth's side for even once.

"Kao, son, you should take a break," Beau said walking into the room.

After discovering the incident, Beau exchanged her shift with another doctor to be on duty for the night. She was so worried about Earth's condition that she didn't want to take any risks by leaving him in the hands of some other doctors.

Kao looked up at the middle-aged lady whom he hadn't interacted much with in the past. He had only met her once or twice before. He stood waied at her.

Beau patted his head. Kao reminded him of her own son, Ja. From the way Kao was behaving she already figured out what was going on between him and Earth. Mothers always knew.

"Eat something, Kao. He will need someone to take care of him once he is awake." She said with a small encouraging smile.

Kao's gaze lingered on Earth's face. He wasn't hungry at all. He doubted that he would be able to digest any food he ate before Earth gained consciousness.

"Don't worry too much, son. He is just having a fever as a side effect of the panic attack. It is normal. Didn't the nurse just check the temperature? The fever is going done. You can relax now."

Beau could see a trace of unwillingness on Kao's face. "At least eat something, Kao. We are all here. The nurses are regularly checking on him and if something happens we will be able to handle it immediately."

" Khrab. " Kao agreed reluctantly. He did want to act rude to the lady doctor by declining her concern too many times.     

Beau had brought some food for Kao from home. Her husband had already informed her of Kao's presence in the hospital.

Kao gratefully took the food. He was very tired. The last few hours had been an emotional rollercoaster for him. The range of emotions that he had to go through in such a small time frame was huge.

He slumped down on the small sofa in the hospital room to finish the food. Even the warm food couldn't decrease his worries. He chewed on the food which felt completely tasteless in his mouth, and swallowed it.

Beau was satisfied that Kao was willing to follow her advice. She didn't want him to collapse worrying too much about Earth. She waited for Kao to finish the food.

Once he was done, she took the lunch box and headed to the washroom attached to the hospital room to wash it.

Kao felt awkward when Beau did that for him. Normally, other than himself, only maids had washed the plate he ate on.

"Khun Beau Khrab, " He called out.

"You can call me Pa, like how Earth calls me. " Beau smiled at the young man.

Kao mirrored the smile, suddenly feeling a bit less tense than a second ago. He was relieved that Beau actually considered Earth her nephew and treated him as a part of her family. "Pa, can I ask you something? "

" Go ahead, son. "

"The whole incident is quite big. Is it really okay for us to keep this from his family? I mean if we have to file a case, we would need their consent." Kao finally spoke about the problem that was bothering him.

" You don't have to worry about his family, Kao. We will handle that part. Anyway, I understand why you are reasoning. But we are unable to reach his family at the moment."

"Unable to reach them?"

"They have gone to a mountain villain in the borders and the communication is very difficult in those regions. We couldn't get hold of them" Beau said regretfully. She knew that Earth would want his mother next to him when he woke up.

"I understand," Kao said softly with his brows creased in the middle.

"I am glad that you are staying behind to take care of him, Kao. Or else Fluke nor Prem would have ever entrusted anyone else with Earth for tonight. The kids trust you so much."

Kao gave her a half-smile. He didn't know if he should be happy that Earth's friends had actually accepted him even though said otherwise.

"Do give them a call afterwards. I am sure that those two are waiting to hear from you." Beau smiled and left the room. 

Knock Knock.

"Come in." Kao gazed at the open door.

"Swadee Khrab, Khun Kao." Saint, the leader of the men working for Kao, waited respectfully.

Kao had asked him and his team to assemble in Chiang Mai after witnessing how the police were trying to cover up for the culprits.

"Did you get what I asked for?" Kao had a regal aura on him that made him several times colder than the one he usually showed to Earth and his friends.

"Khrab" Saint submitted the file.

Kao took the file and flipped through it with a stoic face.

"We have already gotten all the data on the names that Nong Prem had mentioned, Khrab," Saint spoke as Kao was going through the files.

He was instructed by Kao to dig out every single detail of the people whom Prem mentioned.

 "The information about their accomplices has also been collected, khrab."

Kao hummed in acknowledgement.

"The leader of the gang is Jayler. He goes by the nickname JJ as well. He is the son of the mayor of Chiang Mai province. That is why none of the police officers is willing to get their hands dirty by dealing with the case, khrab."

Kao continued going through the documents without a word.

"Most of them hail from wealthy families and are habitual offenders. The mayor and the parents had been burying the sachets for them for the past few years."

"You know what to do without me giving any further instructions, right?" Kao raised his gaze from the file and looked at Saint straight in his eyes.

"Khrab." Beads of sweat formed on Saint's forehead under Kao's fierce gaze.

"Good." Kao closed the file and put it on the coffee table in front of him. "Whatever you do make sure that Earth or his friends' names are not dragged into it. I don't want to hear any rumours or any stories with Earth's name on it. Keep an eye on the media."

"Khrab." Saint had been working for Kao for a decade. He was still not used to seeing the angry side of Kao. "There is one more thing I would like to report, khrab."

"What is it?"

"I just received the news that the drug squad just arrested most of those kids from the school premises. They had a variety of drugs on them and they were sent to the hospital to do a drug test. It was reported that a fight broke out between them after taking the drugs and one of them was stabbed. The one that got stabbed barely made it to the hospital."

Kao nodded. "Make sure that this matter blows up." 

"Khrab, Khun Kao." Saint left the room.

"Looks like I really will have to give you a call, Fluke."