Single dad Arthit has always known Kongpob, a regular at his cafe, as a player. The latter brings in different partners every month and Arthit swears he'll stay away from him for good. However, life seems to have a different plan for him when Puimek...
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"W-what?!" Namtarn's chair topples behind her as she springs up abruptly, sending it crashing to the floor.
"Is this a joke?" asks Jay, bewildered, his forehead wrinkling as he shifts his eyes between the two men in front of him. He glances at his wife who's still staring at Arthit and Kongpob in shock with her hands over her mouth.
"Kong and I are dating," states barista, his voice lacking uncertainty this time. He pans to look at the younger man whose mouth is slightly agape in surprise before said lips curve up into a bashful smile.
Under the table, Kongpob weaves their fingers together tighter, bringing a faint blush to the older man's face.
"Arthit—" Namtarn gasps when she's finally come to her senses. "What do you mean b-boyfriend?"
She hasn't expected the shrug that's directed towards her.
"It means what it means," says Arthit, despite his heart still racing like a motor after its fifth lap on the track. His face, however, doesn't betray him of the brave leap on the bridge that he's just taken while holding onto Kongpob's hand.
"Excuse me, Khun Arthit. But—" begins Jay, still looking flabbergasted. "In this kind of situation, I really do think that it's better for Puimek to—"
"I know what you're trying to say, Khun Jay." Arthit steels his spine to look at the stepfather of his child in the eyes. "You're thinking that it's not suitable for a child to grow up with two fathers, isn't it?"
"No offence to the gay community but a child needs a healthy environment with normal parents to grow up in. I think—"
"Your thought is already an offence, Khun," interrupts Kongpob, smiling at Namtarn and her husband, quickly putting the man in his place. Jay's snaps his jaw shut, speechless at the host's reply.
"Are you sure about this, Arthit?" questions Namtarn softly, her eye darting between her ex-husband to his newly-declared partner. "Are you not afraid of people labelling you as—"
"Labels are for cans," quips Arthit, feeling a sense of pride wash over him for remembering the exact words that Kongpob has told him months ago, in the cafe when he's casually asked the regular customer the same question. "I'm still me. It doesn't really matter who I'm with... it still doesn't change the fact that I'm still Puimek's father and I love her."
"This is—" Jay jumps to his feet, getting agitated.
Ding dong.
Focuses are temporarily shifted towards the main door as another bell reverberates across the spacious house before Kongpob excuses himself to get it. Deafening silence fills up the place; the clock on the wall goes tick tock tick tock for a few tense seconds before footsteps shuffle in again.
