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Rome stood at the grand window of his father’s mansion, his gaze lingering on the night in front of him like an endless ocean of darkness, contemplating the life tailored for him to live, while gently caressing the soulmate mark on his left wrist in the shape of a black star, always hidden under his watch. The vast garden’s lights of the estate glimmered like diamonds, but none of them shone as brightly as the single thought that consumed him all the time.
Mok.
The name echoed in his mind, and tugged at his heart with comfort and torment. He had known him for as long as he could remember. Since his brother Thee has moved to Bangkok, inevitably taking Mok with himself as his personal bodyguard, he was rarely seeing him. To Rome, Mok was much more than just his brother’s bodyguard, he was happiness embodied in something unattainable, far away from his reach and sight.
A gentle knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He turned, seeing a guard standing firmly in the doorway. "Khun Rome, your father urgently requests your presence." His first thoughts wandered to Bangkok to his brother and his bodyguard, but he quickly masked the worry with a calm expression. "Of course. I'll be right there. Is something wrong?” Rome asked. "Your father has news. He wants you to be there." Rome nodded, him stomach tightening with unease. He was used to his father’s unpredictability, but tonight, he had a bad feeling.
"Father," he greeted as he entered the study. His father sat behind his massive desk, waiting for him. "Rome, sit," he said firmly, waving toward the chair opposite him. Rome sat obediently, though his heart was racing in his chest. The air was heavy, like a quiet before a storm. "What's going on?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. His father finally looked up. "There’s been an attempt on your life." Rome froze. "What? When?" "Earlier tonight. One of my men intercepted it, but it wasn’t a random act. Someone is very insistent to see you dead, and I need you to be careful." His stomach twisted. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, the family had many enemies, but the imminent threat to his life was unsettling. “You are going to Bangkok to stay with your older brother until we fix the situation. Along with the guards I will send with you, I’m assigning Theerakit’s personal assistant to protect you from now on. Your brother can find other bodyguards.” Rome’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Mok. He wanted to protest, but him father’s gaze silenced him. He wasn’t asking. It was a command.
The flight was a pleasurable as it could possibly be, with all his favorite foods and tailored details by his taste. When he arrived, Thee and Mok was waiting for him in front of the mansion. “Good to see you, older brother.” He said hugging him. “How was your flight?” Rome inquired. “It was great, thanks to you. It was very thoughtful of you to ensure I have everything I need, and all my favorite food on board.” Rome looked at Mok with an almost smile. ”I didn’t do it, my little brother. Why do you think I have assistants?” Rome looked shyly at Mok, who was standing firmly, suppressing his smile. Thee continued “By father’s orders, I have to lend him to you while you are here. Don’t exhaust him, at least not too much.” he grinned and winked, leaving them. Rome’s eyes immediately softened when laid on Mok, and with a soft smile he said “I missed you so much.” Mok’s heart trembled, and he subtly smiled.
Days passed in quiet smiles and discreet teasing. By task, Mok was always in Rome’s orbit, always ready to protect him. His subtle glances when nobody was looking were not only proof that he is always alert; but that his heart had also wavered in Rome’s presence since a long time ago. He also missed Rome so much, even if he could never voice those words, never let his heart hope. Rome and Thee’s father had a strict rule, no love was allowed. Even if they ever found their soulmates, they would not be allowed to love and be weakened by it.
One unassuming night, on Rome’s birthday, after a good time spent on the beach with Mok, Thee and his newfound soulmate, Peach, he was already tucked in bed, with Mok lingering in the room. “You are still owing me my birthday gift” he said softly to Mok. “What do you want me to do, Khun Rome?” Mok asked, startled. “Hold my hand until I fall asleep. I want to feel your presence.” Mok smiled softly, but before he could respond, there was a loud crash from below - followed by a gunshot. They have found him. Rome stood up abruptly, Mok already in position to go after the assassins.
"Stay here," Mok ordered, but Rome couldn’t obey. Not when it was the man who had his heart that needed to go in the line of fire. He moved towards the door, Mok’s eyes looking directly at his “Khun Rome, please stay here” with eyes burning with intensity, and voice that almost wavered. But it was too late. The masked men busted through the door. Rome froze, his breath caught. Without hesitation, Mok pushed him to the side, stepping in front of him just as the first gunshot rang out. The bullet hit him in the shoulder, and he staggered but didn’t fall. "No!" Rome screamed, rushing toward him, but Mok pushed him again behind his body, and continued to shoot the masked men, but not before a bullet has grazed Rome’s arm. While fighting off the last masked man, another bullet has entered Mok's abdomen. He finally overtook the last assassin and collapsed on the floor. “Mok! Mok! Stay with me, Mok!” Rome, in pain and blood, rushed to his side, his hands trembling as he cradled Mok’s face. Mok’s breathing was shallow, his face pale from the loss of blood. The other guards arrived moments later, already too late.
"Why did you do it?" he whispered, already crying. "You could die." Mok smiled faintly, whispering "Because you are worth it." In that moment, everything became clear to Rome. Despite the soulmate mark on his skin that was a proof that he has a soulmate that he might have not met yet, Mok had always been the man that his heart chose. “Stay with me”, Rome begged, tears slipping down his face. “Please.” After, everything went black.
Flashback
Rome had been seven years old the first time Mok patched him up. He had scraped his wrist climbing the iron fence at the edge of the garden, stubbornly determined to run away from the guards, thinking it a game. He remembered sitting on the steps, trying not to cry. Mok, a son of one of their maids, had grown up in the maids' chambers in the same house. He found Rome and crouched in front of him, quiet and patient, holding his wrist with surprising gentleness. “You should be more careful,” Mok said. He looked down at his wrist - at the black star he always had there - and frowned. Rome smiled in return “It doesn’t hurt anymore when you touch it.” Time stilled for Mok, just for a moment. “I have a mark too,” he’d said eventually, in passing. Rome hadn’t understood then. But he remembered the way Mok’s presence made him feel safe long after he walked away.
Rome slowly opened his eyes. He was in a hospital bed, with sharp pain coming from his arm. Thee and Peach immediately stood up “Little brother, you were lucky. The bullet has just grazed your arm. There was blood. I thought I lost you.” “Where is Mok? How is he? Bring me to him now” Rome begged, with panic in his eyes, already removing the wires and standing up from his bed. Seeing his unyielding determination, Thee helped him to sit in a wheelchair and brought him to Mok’s room.
Mok's hospital room was quiet except for the steady beep of a heart monitor. Mok lay unconscious on the bed, bandaged almost fully on his upper body, pale, his dark lashes unmoving against his cheeks. The bullet had narrowly missed anything vital, the doctors said, but he had lost a lot of blood. Rome was beside him, unwilling to leave, ignoring the pain in his own body. All he could see was Mok. He reached out, brushing him fingers over his knuckles, feeling the warmth of his skin. The moment he touched him, it was like his pain subsided, just like all those years ago in the garden. His gaze snapped down on Mok’s bare left wrist, always covered with bracelet or watch. Identical black star as the one on his wrist. His breath caught, finally realizing that their love not only chosen, but also destined.
He had loved Mok in silence for so long. For years his heart was with Mok, far away from his reach. Tears started falling down on his face again. At that moment, Mok stirred, his eyes opening slowly. “Rome…” His voice was rough, strained. “I am here. I’m not going anywhere, Mok. Please rest.” he said quickly, still not letting go of his hand. “You scared me to death.” As he moved his hand to wipe the tears, Mok’s gaze followed, and froze. His eyes, still barely focused, widened slightly, seeing Rome’s soulmate mark etched at his skin. His soulmate mark. “Rome…” His voice dropped, full with disbelief. “Your wrist.” Rome smiled. “It has always been you.” Mok stared at their marks for a long moment, with tears slipping on his face. “I tried to fight it,” he admitted quietly. “I felt the pull years ago. I knew what it meant, but I couldn’t love you openly, with the rule you must respect”. Rome reached for Mok’s face, wiping his tears. “I thought loving you was impossible”. He leaned into his touch, closing his eyes. “But fate is not written in rules.”
Rome’s father stood in the doorway, his imposing presence filling the room, expression unreadable. He saw their joined hands, the tears, the matching marks visible on both their wrists. For a long moment, he said nothing. Rome stiffened, fear in his bones. “Father” he began. His father raised a hand, silencing him. His gaze shifted to Mok, almost fully bandaged on the upper body, the paleness, the IV drip, the man who had taken two bullets for his younger son without hesitation. “I have already been informed what happened. You protected him well, almost at the cost of your life.” Mok replied "I would do it again, even if it means losing my life to protect him.” Silence stretched between them. “In my world,” he said, “loyalty is everything. Blood matters. But sacrifice… that matters even more.” He turned to Rome. “If fate has chosen him, then I will not stand in your way.” Rome’s breath caught, eyes widening in disbelief. “You… you accept him?” The father nodded once. “Thank you,” Mok said hoarsely. The father nodded slightly and while leaving the room, he added “Heal, both of you. You will need your strength.” When he left, the room was lighter, like heavy weight was lifted off their shoulders. Rome leaned forward, pressing his forehead gently to Mok’s. “We’re soulmates,” he whispered, smiling through his tears. Mok cried too. For the first time in their life, they knew that no matter what stood in the future, they would face it together - and no matter the cost, they would never let go of each other.