Pol and Arm were pleasantly surprised to see Vegas and Pete talking again, well kinda. Pete didn't appear angry at Vegas so that was good for a start but something tells Pol, Arm and Ken that things between Vegas and Pete just didn't feel right.

The 5 had their breakfast together at the hotel's restaurant when Arm suggested the group explore Chiang Mai together since they were all here on a holiday - the more the merrier he claims. Arm was expecting a protest from Pete, and so did Vegas, but Pete didn't seem to mind. He just nodded and kept eating in silence, and that made all of them, especially Vegas uncomfortable.

Ken whispered to Pol as his eyes darted nervously between Vegas and Pete. "What is going on?"

"I wish I knew." Pol muttered, eyeing Pete then back to Vegas. "It's weird though that Pete seems to be okay with Vegas after being so pissed off yesterday night."

"Maybe they made up?" Ken guessed, but Pol only shook his head gravely.

"I highly doubt so, judging by the way Pete looks - I think he's over Vegas already... but that means bad news for your best friend."

"No way." Ken lamented, then he glanced at his best friend worriedly. "I thought our plan was fool proof!"

"No plan's 100% perfect. Guess Vegas hurt him way too deep." Pol explained, looking disappointed. As much as he hated Vegas for treating Pete this way, it frustrated him even more that the two actually loved each other but things just weren't working out in their favor.

Despite the mishap, the 5 set forth for their trip in Chiang Mai. They headed for the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary and fortunately, there weren't many people by the time they had arrived since it was off peak season.

The sanctuary was beautiful. Elephants could be seen roaming freely on the grass, tall lush green trees surrounding the area, and crystal clear river streams glistening under the sun.

Their guide for the day greeted them enthusiastically as soon as the 5 arrived at the gate, before showing them around the sanctuary where they will be spending the next 3 hours or so. According to the guide, the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary houses rescued elephants who have retired from the commercial industry and aims to provide a safe haven for these animals.

Once the guide was done explaining about the sanctuary and the elephants under its care, the group then had some free time to explore the place, feed the elephants and even take pictures together with the animals.

Pol, Arm and Ken ran off before Pete could catch any of them so unsurprisingly, he was left with Vegas and the guide. Well, on the bright side, at least they weren't alone so Pete could manage or so he thinks. After all, he's getting over him...right?

"You two look so cute together na~" The guide exclaimed, as he clasped his hands together, his eyes swooning over the pair. "Great that you choose the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary for your date. We're very popular among couples."

That remark caught Pete off guard and his eyes widened in surprise. Dating? Pete's eyes caught Vegas coincidentally, but unlike him, Vegas appeared to be calm and collected. He didn't even flinch, not once. Was he uncomfortable? Pete wonders anxiously to himself, unconsciously nibbling his bottom lip out of worry.

"Thank you."

Pete heard Vegas respond to the guide with a small smile, and a bow as a thank you to the compliment they had received. This got Pete gawking as he froze in his tracks in disbelief that Vegas not only did not correct the guide, he had misled him into thinking they were truly a couple.

But Vegas didn't mind, not the least bit. In fact, he seemed rather pleased that the guide had thought of them so if Pete would say so himself for the latter appeared to be more energetic than before.

Pete chided himself internally as soon as the thought of Vegas actually liking him floated in his mind again. What was he thinking? He made a fool of himself once, and never again he had promised himself. Yet, the uneasiness he felt in his chest seemed to have suggested otherwise.

After the trip to the sanctuary, they had a quick lunch nearby and then they were off to their next location - Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Ratchaworawihan temple and it was gorgeous. It had an amazing view of downtown Chiang Mai, and the splendor of its architecture left everyone in awe: its gold plated walls and exquisite designs were astounding. This, coupled with a grand backdrop of a gleaming mountain was simply a sight to behold.

The 5 then went to a Botanic Garden for more nature exploration, and eventually ended up at the Chiang Mai night bazaar for their dinner and last activity of the day. The bazaar was extremely crowded, there were a lot of locals given that it was a weekend, and the group soon got lost in the crowd. Pete was fairly petite which proved to be a disadvantage in crowded places like these because it took him just 5 minutes into the bazaar to have strayed from the group.

"Shit." Pete cussed, as he struggled to get out of the moving crowd and into a quiet corner where he had a little more breathing space. From where he was standing, he could only see nothing but people packed like sardines, some stopping by to buy a few things occasionally from the vendors, others with food in their hands. But Pol and Arm were nowhere in sight.

Pete was just about to get his phone out when he was suddenly approached by two tall men. Since he was near an alley, it wasn't surprising to see suspicious people lurking around hoping to get a bargain or two but it wasn't until he was being approached that he started to feel slightly anxious especially when he was alone - a great target for robbers.

But these two men had something else in mind. The way they had a sickening smile plastered on their faces, their eyes laced with malicious intent, made Pete step back instinctively. Pete still had his phone in his pocket, and the men seemed to have noticed it too because the next thing Pete knew he was being cornered to the back of the alley further away from the bazaar.

"I can give you money." Pete blurted, as he pulled out his wallet hastily from his pocket. If losing a few dollars could save his life - he'd very much rather.

The problem was, the two men weren't just interested in the money. One of the guys, the bulkier one, was looking at him lustfully, licking his lips deviously as he stared at Pete. The other guy had already snatched the wallet out of Pete's hand, but they didn't seem to have any intention of letting Pete go just yet.

"W-what else do you want?" Pete squeaked. "You have the money. Now let me go."

"Aw, come on. Let's have a little fun." The bulky guy said amusingly, as he pinned Pete against the wall when the latter tried to run, earning a scream from the boy. The man's grip was tight and painful and within just seconds, Pete's arm had already turned blue-black from the pressure. He was trapped.

"Shh..it's okay. We won't hurt you." The other guy assured, with a disgusting smirk before he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Leave me alone!" Pete screamed, as he tried his best to break free but to no use. The man's grip on him only tightened.

"Please!" Pete pleaded when the other man advanced towards him. Pete's eyes welled up in tears, resisting with every being but no one could hear him as they were far away from the bazaar and from the eyes of the masses.

Yet just when Pete thought he had run out of luck, the grip on him suddenly loosened and the next thing he knew - both the men were on the floor, punches were flying everywhere, and they had sustained serious bruises on their face. The guy had gotten a cut on his lip from the sudden force, and the other had a pretty bruised eye from the kick.

"V-vegas?" Pete's lower lip was trembling, still recovering from the shock. And that seemed to have angered Vegas further, because he was throwing faster and harder punches. The two men had practically no chance of fighting back, and even if they did, their attempts were futile.

"Please let us go! We're sorry!" One of the guys surrendered, kneeling on the group with his hands up and the other soon followed. The perpetrators were under the mercy of Vegas' murderous glare that even Pete too was afraid. It was the first time he had ever seen Vegas this angry - but then it did occur to him that the Theerapanyakul family was in the underground business so it wasn't surprising that Vegas knew a two about self-defense.

"Should I skin you alive?" Vegas asked, a pout forming in his lips as he titled his head to the side like he was genuinely asking a question. "Or...should I cut off an arm? I'm nice so you guys can pick whichever."

"Please, please no." The man with the gold chain begged but when he realized it didn't have any effect, he turned his attention to Pete. "Please, kind sir. Let us go."

Pete detested them but to go this far, he couldn't bear either. He never liked blood and gruesome fights. Both men had already been badly punished so he shot Vegas a reassuring look, telling him he was okay, and only then did Vegas let them go but not without a stern warning.

"If you touch him again, I will make sure I'll personally send you to your grave." Vegas warned, as the two men quickly fled at the opportunity they got, limping away as fast they could.

"Are you okay?" Then, the murderous glint in his eyes was replaced with concern as he approached Pete. "I'm sorry I lost you."

"I-it's okay." Pete stammered, his breath trembling and his arm throbbing painfully from the tight hold.

"Don't worry, no one else will hurt you again." Vegas comforted, as he brushed the tears off Pete's cheeks carefully. Then, he dropped to a low dangerous whisper that even caused shudders down Pete's spine the way his eyes had dimmed, and the streaks of blood on his cheeks.

"And if they do, they will pay a hefty price for touching what was mine."

Pete never knew Vegas could be this frightening yet charming at the same time.