The Journalist's Diary

Entry #3 : Kiwi

Arthit was blinded by the rays of sunlight that eventually woke him up. It's been 3 days since the incident with Kongpob. He hasn't seen the latter ever since. He tried to contact Aim but he said that he hasn't seen Kongpob too. Arthit knows it's a lie, he knows Kongpob instructed Aim for him not to tell any updates about him. 

Within those three days, he learned that Kongpob is a sideline teacher on the school. Well, he accidentally overheard some locals here admiring how adorable he is with kids. The information shaken him and tried to dug for more when he saw one of Kongpob's student sitting alone patiently waiting for his parent to fetch him he guessed, but the kid said to him "P'Kong told us not to talk to strangers" that leave him in puzzled. Kongpob thought them really well. He's pretty sure that the little interaction of him to his student already reached Kongpob. And now is the day that he'll cut this hide-and-seek game of the latter. 

He immediately jump from his bed and prepare himself for today. After he's done, he picks up camera, his wallet and other important necessities, he didn't forget the blue crease journal and place it in his bag. He dried the journal using a hair blower, some pages were torn because it was soaked on water but Arthit still manage to put it back into its pieces. 

He called Aim saying he'll be in the school, Aim told him that Kongpob prohibited him to give some information to Arthit. Arthit is not surprise to hear that. They talked for a while and Arthit ended the call saying he's going to eat his breakfast. But the truth is, he hides near rock, not too far from the school wherein Kongpob is currently teaching the kids, Arthit guess that he's lecturing about numbers.

The tan-skinned man is smiling and Arthit can't help to mesmerize in those carefree smile. He hasn't seen the latter smile like that. Arthit picks up his camera and secretly snaps some photos of the young man. He snaps for more, for future reference, he thinks. He wrote some on his journal.

The annoying 'Great Photographer' is a teacher.
How come that brat is smiling like a sunshine?

He frowns realizing what he wrote. He frustratingly scratch off the sunshine thingy then closes it and put it back again in his bag. He look again at the guy playing with the kids right now. The duality of this man, he shakes his head while smiling on that thought. He snaps back when feel himself smiling on the warm sight of Kongpob happily interacting with the kids. Oii Arthit! Don't let your emotions comes before you, he taps his cheeks and snaps some photos again.

Before stepping his feet in Phuket, Arthit conducted a research about Kongpob. He saw some of his photography and he must says that Kongpob has a great potential in this field. The amount of achievements he got from this career impressed Arthit too. Kongpob is so young but his skills is pretty near to a veteran. Now his interest to know more about Kongpob's story grow deeper. 

Why did he ends in this way?

He waits for more time before the class dismiss. Arthit is ready to sneak out of the right without getting notice by Kongpob. When he's about to go, the hem of his shirt was stuck in a pointed edge of the rock. His eyes widen then he look back and saw Kongpob confusingly looking at his direction. He hides back and try to pull away the edge of his cloth. He keeps on pulling it until it was all ripped.

"Fuck!"

It was one of his favorite shirt, he chews his lips while holding the torn hem of his. He looks back again at Kongpob's direction and saw no one. He seeks out from the rock and runs to the school. There's literally no one there and the school's door is already locked. 

"He's just here a while ago"

Arthit roams his eyes, hoping he could see the younger. Arthit sighs in defeat but, before he can marches his way back to his room, a figure of a tan-skinned man surprises him coming in front. In a speed of light, Kongpob lifts Arthit like a sack of rice that startled the hell out of Arthit.