Destined Mann-er - Part 2

Uncle Maran gulped. Last time Akat had touched alcohol, Prapit had been in a lousy mood. Though he didn't say the reason, he had banned Akat from touching it.

"Text Prapit your bar details, would you? Since he is in town, he may pick you up."

Akat nodded. He collected his jacket and phone and left.

Prapit and Chakri sat in a cafe. It was cheerful and quite busy for a remote town.

Chakri asked, "Boss, we have enough intel to prove Vin has been leaking our information for the last four years, ever since he joined."

"Our intel isn't good without illegal evidence. We can threaten, but we cannot sue. How about our own informant? Was he able to gather any information?" Prapit asked Chakri.

Chakri shook his head. "Not yet. But he has a useful tip. Tomorrow night, they have a deal with our neighboring country. Drugs. It's led by Vin's trusted aide. It is sure to cause trouble for his father, if we bust this deal."

Prapit nodded. "Speak to the Chief. If all goes well, this tip will help him with a promotion."

Chakri replied, "I want to make sure this isn't a bluff, though."

Prapit shook his head. "It will be too late. I won't risk my men's lives."

"But if it is a bluff, our credibility will be lost."

Prapit was quiet for a while. Then he replied, "Send a guy in with the Chief; I'll talk to him."

He took his phone to make the call. "Chief, we may have a drug bust tomorrow night. The source is reliable, but still unsure. While we'll try to validate it, I would say having a drink at Paradise Pub will benefit you one way or another."

"Thanks, boss. I will have my backup ready."

Prapit warned him, "But if it's a failure, I won't be held responsible."

"When have you failed?" he asked back, more confident in Prapit than Prapit himself.

Prapit smiled to himself. That was true.

As he ended the call, he noticed the message pop up from Akat.

"Bit nervous, going for a drink."

And another message...

"At a pub called Rainbow. Looks good."

The last message was sent thirty minutes ago.

All color drained from Prapit's face, and he swore to himself.

"Everything alright?" Chakri asked, concerned.

"Akat is at a pub. That just spells disaster."

Chakri giggled. He remembered Akat's episode on his twentieth birthday. He had asked permission to go out with his friends.

Prapit and Chakri had followed them into the bar.

Prapit had called Chakri for backup; in case he got spotted by Akat, he wanted an escape route.

But that was him being an unnecessary worrywart.

Prapit and Chakri found a spot right behind Akat.

"Boss, it looks more like we are spying on him. He is going to be very angry," Chakri whispered.

"Let's worry about it when he finds out."

They sat quietly as they sipped their drinks.

Akat took one sip of beer and spat it out. "Bitter!"

Everyone around him giggled. Prapit smiled to himself.

One of his friends dared him, "Chug down the whole drink in one breath, and I'll pay for whatever you have."

Akat's eyes sparkled. He chugged the whole thing in one shot.

It was after this that the horror started.

Everyone around Akat found out that he had zero tolerance for alcohol. He spoke utter nonsense, went about pinching people and calling them animals.

He looked at one of his fellow mates and said, "My cute little Labrador, you deserve a kiss, come here!"

He bent over to kiss the boy next to him, but a hand pulled him by the collar. Akat's friends looked stunned at the man in front of them.

He smiled jovially, "Sorry lads, my boy looks smashed; I'm taking him home."

They just nodded mutely. He had a terrifying aura.

Akat was oblivious to the tension around him. "You know what? You remind me of my Prapit," he hiccuped and spoke at the same time, poking Prapit's cheek.

Prapit dragged him to the car and pushed him into the back before sitting next to him.

Akat clambered onto Prapit's lap, taking him by surprise. He sat more comfortably on Prapit's lap as he coiled his arms around Prapit's neck.

"Your eyes are as beautiful as his." Akat giggled. "They are so like a kitten. You are a kitten. But Prapit is not, okay? He is human." Again, he hiccuped.

Prapit blushed a bit. Chakri couldn't help but giggle as he drove them to their house. No one had dared make his boss this uncomfortable. It was cute.

"Say, kitty," Akat continued, "why are you so quiet? You should be mewing. Am I not petting you enough?"

Akat pulled Prapit closer and rubbed his nose against Prapit's, catching Prapit unawares. He was at his wit's end.

"Behave!" Prapit snarled.

Akat giggled, "Wow! I think I can speak cat language. I can understand you!" He exclaimed excitedly.

Prapit sighed. This kid was a bit too much.

"Akat, pull yourself together," Prapit ordered.

Akat sulked. "Even my cat sounds like Prapit to me."

He then pinched Prapit's cheek and said, "Don't be mad, my angry little kitten. Come, let me make it up to you."

He then kissed him lightly on the lips.

Prapit turned to stone. His heart was beating so loud, he thought he was going to have a heart attack.

Akat, with a goofy smile, continued, "See, now you've calmed down. Let's play for some more time."

Chakri pretended not to have seen anything, but he was smiling widely. It was evident that his boss was indeed just a kitten in front of Akat.

As they got down, Akat still clinging to him like an orangutan, Prapit said gruffly, "Breathe a word of what happened here, and I will bury you alive."

Chakri laughed, "I didn't see anything, Akat's little kitten."

Before Prapit could respond, Chakri had left.

Prapit carried Akat to his bed and laid him down, as he quickly undressed him and changed his clothes.

He saw the peaceful kid in front of him and sighed, "From a little kid, you have become a man, huh? You should be careful. A kitten never allows its owner to touch another pet."

He bent down and placed a little kiss on Akat's forehead. He then walked out of the room.

Uncle Maran saw Prapit. "How did it go?"

Prapit replied, "He is banned from entering bars without me supervising him."

Uncle Maran, surprised, asked, "That bad?"

"It was a peg. I don't want to even think about vodka or whiskey."