You're My Eclipse

Their first meeting

Four years ago.

Arthit tugged uncomfortably on his bowtie, ruining his father's neat work on it before they left the house. Maybe it was just his imagination but he swore he could feel it slowly tightening around his neck like a noose.

Arthit slipped out of the ballroom unnoticed by anyone halfway through the event. His father might have managed to force him to attend the party but he couldn't make him socialize. Unlike his father, Arthit was not a social butterfly.

Arthit breathed out a sigh in relief when he found that balcony empty. He leaned over the bannister looking out to the garden.

Just as Arthit thought that he was safe, the terrace door behind him opened. Arthit turned around in surprised to see a waiter holding a plateful of food smiling at him.

"Who- who are you?" Arthur spluttered.

"I'm Kong. Do you want some?" Kong offered the plate to Arthit with a smile. Arthit couldn't help but notice that it was a pretty smile. Arthit shook his head to get rid of that thought.

"No! Shouldn't you be in there?" Arthit pointed towards the ballroom.

Kong shrugged and moved to stand next to Arthit, placing the plate on the bannister between them.

"I've done my round for tonight," Kong said as he leaned forward, looking over the garden, his face closing off.

"Aren't you too young to work?" Arthit asked, his hand sneaking the food on the plate. He could see Kong smiling from the corner of his eyes.

"I have a responsibility." Kong turned around to face Arthit, leaning back against the bannister. Arthit understood him. Arthit himself didn't want to be here but he felt like he owed his father for everything he had done for Arthit.

"What about you, P'? What are you doing hiding here alone?"

"I don't know anyone in there. I don't even know what I'm doing here," Arthit sighed.

"You're here to meet me of course. It's destiny." Kong smiled.

"Yuck! So cheesy." Arthit couldn't help smiling at the boy's words.

They stood together in silence as Arthit finished the food on the plate. Arthit realised the time and quickly tried to wipe his mouth with his hand. Kong noticed this and offered Arthit his handkerchief. Arthit took it with a grateful smile.

"It's getting late. I should go back inside. Um... Thank you for the food." Arthit rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"You're welcome, P'." Kong gave Arthit another one of his wide smiles.

"Get back to work before you get fired," Arthit warned as he slipped back inside the ballroom. The party was winding down and only a small amount of people were left. Just his luck that his father spotted him as soon as he stepped inside.

"Arthit, there you are. Come with me. There's someone I want you to meet."

Arthit followed his father and saw a couple standing to the side, waving at them.

"This is my best friend, Khun Kerkkai and his wife. P', this is my son, I-Aoon."

"Nice to meet you, Khun." Arthit greeted them politely.

"Such a handsome boy. Obviously, he didn't take after you," Khun Kerkkai teased his father.

"You should know that I look exactly like him when I was his age."

"You two, stop arguing. Such a child. Oh! Kong, come here."

"Mae."

Arthit turned around and saw the waiter from earlier. He blushed red when he realised what the boy just called the woman. Apparently, he was not a waiter. Only now Arthit noticed the high-quality suit the younger was wearing.

"I-Aoon, meet my son, Kongpob Suthiluck."

Arthit swore inside his head.

Worse, he was a Suthiluck.

"Nice to meet you, P'."

"Y-you too..." Arthit mumbled.

Kongpob leaned closer and whispered into Arthit's ear. "I told you, you are here to meet me."

"Shit..."

With such a first meeting, Arthit was determined to avoid Kongpob which wasn't hard to do. Kongpob was two years younger than him and the only time they crossed paths was at parties.

Of course, Kongpob didn't make it easy. He always hung around Arthit as soon as he finished his round greetings everyone, just keeping Arthit fed and watered. Arthit used to be a wallflower but with someone like Kongpob around him, suddenly everyone was curious about him.

That was how Arthit discovered another use for Kongpob.

He became Arthit's mouthpiece.

Arthit was extremely shy normally. Being surrounded by rich strangers make it even harder for him. Luckily, Kongpob was there to redirect the questions to himself.

Arthit was secretly amused by how Kongpob easily manoeuvred around the questions. He appeared honest and open while never exactly answering anything. It was a beneficial skill to have when you were surrounded by the rich and famous.

During the rare time when they managed to escape the throng of people, they talked. Mostly about games and studies. But sometimes, they opened up.

Kongpob was the only person who saw Arthit cried when Jay and Namtan started dating. He encouraged Arthit to confess to her but Arthit refused. Arthit didn't want to make things awkward between them. Moreover, Arthit though he was already too late, Jay and Namtan were already dating. They never talked about her again after that but Arthit noticed that Kongpob kept feeding him more sweet food after that.

Arthit was the one who talked Kongpob out of running away from home during Kongpob's brief rebel phase. Until today, Arthit never knew why Kongpob showed at his house carrying a suitcase and declaring that he was staying with Arthit from now on. Their parents let Kongpob stayed there for a week before Arthit managed to convince Kongpob to go home.

And then Arthit started university.

They didn't exactly lose contact but Arthit got busy with new friends and studies. He rarely went home and stopped attending the parties where the two of them usually met.

Arthit forgot about Kong until his father brought him up again during his second-year break.