Chapter 1: Trust

The phone rang while Mayuree was collecting documents for patients being transferred from the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) to the General Ward. He sorted the documents into place and then went to pick up the phone.

"Surgical Intensive Care Unit, this is Mayuree."

"Mayuree, this is Ornanong," he says cheerfully at the end of the line. It was a voice that Mayuree was familiar with because before Ornanong went to work with Dr. Guntapat in the palliative care unit, thia senior nurse used to work in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit before.

Ornanong was a great nurse, calm and talented. He was able to accurately assess patients initial symptoms and has saved the lives of many critical ill patients. However, lately Ornanong often complained to Mayuree that he felt sorry for many patients who had to die alone in this ward with tubes connected to them and without family nearby or time to say goodbye to anyone.

In Mayuree's opinions, Ornanong's decision to work with Dr. Guntapat was the most appropriate.

"Yes, Nong. How can I help you?"

"Dr. Guntapat asked me to ask you whether Dr. Somsak will be transferred out of the ICU today or not. He wants to check Dr. Somsak's symptoms tomorrow and wants to know which building he needs to go to "

"You called at the right time. I'm about to make a call to the General Room to make the transfer and ask Oui to call and inform the police."

"Oh, so you're going to ask for a stretcher right?"

"Yes, you can tell the handsome Doctor that he doesn't have to walk so far here anymore.* Mayuree suddenly became curious about something.

"By the way, why does Dr. Gunn want to visit Dr. Somsak?"

They almost killed each other."

"May you want to know your symptoms because you're curious as a doctor," the younger boy laughed a little.

"Thank you very much, Mayuree."

"You're welcome," the nurse hi g up the phone and turned to continue working on the documents without thinking too much about it and after helping with the transfer of the patient yuree said to Oui, "I've never seen a transfer staff."

"We have quite a fer new staff these days. In fact, the one we just saw now looks good, muscular and tall. He looks like he can lift patients easily."

"You can not see anyone who's in shape, can you?" The two nurses laughed before dispersing to each continue with their jobs.

Tao woke up and opened his eyes to find himself laying on the ground with the shadow of the building cast over him. He blinked, looking at the moonlight shinning on his face. Where is it?

How did it come to be here on the ground ? The effort due to the nausea that suddenly attacked him soon as he moved his body. He crawled on the floor trying to find his glasses and called for help.

"Help...... Is there anyone nearby?"

Suddenly he felt blinded because a car stopped infront of him with its lights on and shining directly into his face. She raised her hand to cover her light and screamed and fear. The car on the ground in rhythm. Tao could not see the appng person clearly due to the boached him as knelt down.

"The dose really has to be  higher if it's a man," said the soft female voice.

Tao squinted so he could see her face better.

"H.......help me. I........I don't know how I got here,"

The young man tried to grab the woman infront of him so he could get up.

" I'm the stretcher staff at yhe hospital....... I have to go to my shift. Can you please......take me back there?"

"Yeah, that's fine," and the next thing he felt was the pain in his legs caused by a needle injecting something forcefully through his pants. He screamed as the drug was injected into his muscle and tried to merely ignore the invasion to no avail. The woman removed the needle and stood up. Tao felt the strength in his body slowly leaving him. His head feel to the ground and hia eyes became blurry. The last thing he saw was a pair of white heels approaching him and a bottle of alcohol placed sideways in his hand so that some of the alcohol spiller onto the floor as well as his sleeves and body. The stinking smell of alcohol surrounded the area amd at that moment, he completely lost consciousness.

The young man opened his eyes to see an angelic face. The more he said it, the more people would think that he had a bias in favor of his beloved. However, thia is the most handsomean Wasan has ever had a relationship with. The soft ray of the morning sun reflected on his pale, shiny skin, inviting him to reach out to touch him. When his hand touched the other person's face, hia eyes opened to look at him warmly with a smile. Wasan withdrew his hand.amd frowned, "You were pretending to sleep again."

Gunn laughed and hugged Wasan so that their bare skin under the blanket was touching. The doctor kissed the police man's short hair.

"I like it when you sneak up on me and I catch you red-handed."

"When did I harass you?"

Wasan tried to free himself from the tight hug.

"Let me go now . I need to take a shower and go to work."

"I also like it when you refuse even after I caught you red-handed. When you try to escape, but you never can."

Gunn got up and straddled Wasan's body. He pulled back the blanket to reveal the muscular naked body.

The doctor caressed Wasan's chest which was covered in red marks from the night before. No matter how many times they did it, it was never enough.

Gunn's lust was trying his patience. He bent down to suck on the sensitive spots on the cop's chest. The police man quickly grabbed Gunn by the shoulder by surprise.

"Hey, you...... It's morning."

"Can't we do it in the morning?"

Gunn looked at his boyfriend and licked hia lips to encourage Wasan to feel the same. When he leaned down to suck on the same spot again, the cop could only close his eyes and let out a low moan in his throat. He had both legs raised and spread apart to make room for the doctor's body. The longer they were in a relationship together, the deeper and simpler.yhe relationship between him and Gunn became. They both knew exactly the place that would make the other feel so good like they had gone to heaven.

They harmonize as well as if God created their bodies to synchronise with each other. Not to mention the excitement created by the doctor's dangerous aura that never disappeared. Wasan became more andore addicted. The doctor's lubricated fingers that slid expertly into Wasan's body never caused him pain, including what snuck in after that as well.

"Gun....."

Wasan spoke the name of the person moving over his body and ran his hand over the scare on Gunn's right shoulder. For the police officer, thia was a daily reminder of whose reason he was still alive.

Due to the morning exercise, both of them o shower, get dressed, an leave the house without having breakfast together. Wasan drove out of the house in his black SUV that Gunn brought his as a birthday gift. When he arrived at the provincial police station, the young police officer adjusted the collar of his uniform to cover that annoying marks before getting out of the car. Wasan was still smiling with his whole face. For him, this was a happy carefree life. A life where you were tired of working every day amd then cominghome to complain to someone else. This was a life without any more difficulties. Wasan hoped he could continue living like this forever.

"Wasan's phone noti he sat down to work for a while on a case file.

"Honey, I'll be home a little late tonight."

"There is a party for a medical organisation in a restaurant."

"Alright"

Wasan wrote a short response.

The police man trusted Gunn quite a bit because for the last six months the doctor's had not done anything to make him doubt him. Wasan stopped tracking Gunn's phone two months ago as only looked at it when he couldn't contact the doctor, which rarely happened.

"Your face seems to glow these days, Inspector."

Police Lieutenant Arsha came in and sat on the other side of the table.

"Work is not so hard now a days and you also have a good boyfriend, maybe that's the reason."

"You talk too much, Lieutenant. Get to the point. Why did you come to see me?"

Wasan continued writing the case file, pretending that he was not interested.

"Inspector Em just divorced his wife."

Wasan was surprised by Lieutenant Kong's information because Inspector Em was a good colleague of Wasan. As far as he knew, Inspector Em had been married only two years ago.

"Lieutenant, you know everyone's information."

"If I don't, I would be distracting my name of 'Thousand-Eyed Detective '," Lieutenant Kong in his police uniform raised his eyebrows.

"I'm keeping an eye on everyone. If Dr. Gunn tricks you, I'll know before you do for sure."

"If Dr. Gunn cheats on me, there's no need for me to wait u till he finds out. I will give permission to anyone who finds out to have his ass kicked immediately."

The young lieutenant laughed satisfactorily: "Cold-blooded, indeed. I like that ."

Wasan smiled gently,

"But he won't do that. He showed me these past few months tha he can be trusted. I trust the doctor as much as I trust myself."

Lieutenant Kong perused his lips slightly.

"I mean the big picture, not the doctor specifically. But you can't expect anyone's whole heart because you will be deeply hurt in case of disappointed."

The police man stood up and nodded towards Wasan as a farewell gesture"

"If you allow me, I  will go do field work with my boys. See you later."

Wasan's eyes followed the young police officer who spoke to provoke him but he quickly let him go from his head. He is too tried to doubt the person he loves.

Dr. Somsak's case has been closed for a long time and since then there have been no abnormalities in any other terminally ill patients. Therefore, Wasan considered what Lieutenant Kong said as empty words and did not let it affect his strong conviction.

Guntapat made an appointment with the patient at 9:30 p.m.

The young man dressed all in black stared at the place that was already open to receive him. The leaves of the beautiful garden made a sound s the winter breeze passed. Some leaves fell on the pool that had its light on from under the water.

Gunn knew the plans of this house very well because he ahs already visited it three times, but this would be the last time he would treat this patient.

Mr. Wirat Saisamut, 83, was a millionaire who has been successful in the processed fruit industry.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago and has undergone many forms of treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but the malignant disease spread to his liver, brain and spine, causing Wirat immense pain.

When Gunn had the opportunity to care for this patient, the criterias for his considerations are as follows:

One, the patient has to have a terminal illness with no .kre than six months to live.

Second, the patient suffers intensely from an illness that cannot be relieved by medical treatment.

Three, the patient indicated a desire to end his own life without any lingering postmortem obligations and felt that he had already lived to the fullest.

Four, you have no history of depression or other psychiatric illnesses.

Five, fully conscious.

Six, Dr. Guntapat has to visit the house atleast three times and know the plans and details of the family members well.

Wirat met all the Gunn criteria.

The old man was waiting for him sitting in a rocking chair in the master bedroom on the ground floor.

Although the light in the room was dim, Gunn could see the delight in his eyes. An old song playing on a record player resonated in the room, creating a reto atmosphere like when Wirat was young.

"This song is called 'Hong-Hern.'

(Flying Swan in Thai) said the man's trembling voice.

He raised his weak hands to adjust the oxygen tubes in his nose.

"It's the song that my wife and I.... We dance together for the first time..... It's a waltz...... She was very beautiful....very beautiful."

Gunn approached Wirat and touched his arm.

"I've seen a photo of your wife. She was really beautiful."

"Today.....is the tenth anniversary......of her death."

The old man closed her eyes.

"Today ten years ago......at 9:22p.m"

Gunn looked at the time on his watch.

"We have five minutes left. Do you have anything else you want me to help you with?"

"Can I have.....one of my wife's dresses...?"

The old man used his trembling hand to point to the closet near the top of his bed.

Gun acknowledged the request with a nod before walking over to the closet and opening it.

He found women's clothing that had remained untouched for a long time. He chose one of them. It was a long-sleeved dress with a black and red floral print skirt. He placed it on the old man's lap.

"She looked beautiful when she wore this,"

The old man removed the oxygen tubes from his nose and hugged that dress close to his chest.

"Doctor.....I'm ready."

The doctor nodded bwgore kneeling next to his patient.

"You believe in Buddhist teaching about theast time on your mind before you die."

Gunn took the patient's right arm and placed it on the arm of the chair.

"Think of the good things. Think of your wife's face. Think of the good deeds you have always done. You told me you donated money to build a school for less fortunate children, right?"

The old man nodded.

"Those are the things that will lead you on a good path in your afterlife."

Gunn took off his gloves and tied the patient's arm to find the vein in the crook of his arm.

"Let me ask you again. Is this what you really want?"

"This is what..... I really want."

The old man closed his eyes and said

"I want nothing......more than......to undertake and journey......in the day, time and manner.....thatbus not painful...."

Gunn nodded, "You will get everything you want."

Tears ran down the old man's cheeks, "Thank you.....doctor......thank you very much."

Mr. Wirat Saisamut died at 9:22p.m.

Gunn stood looking at the patient's lifeless body with eyes as sti as deep water unaffected by the wind. His hand was still holding the syringe that used to contain the deadly liquid.

Gunn raised his head and looked out of the window. The moonlight shone with the cold winter air. The waltz continued repeating the same verse since the record had been scratched at the same time as the patient's last breath.

"Fly to the land of happiness."

To the happy Himavanta ( a mythical forest),

Fly to the land of happiness,

To the happy Himavanta....."