While You Were Sleeping (Completed)

Why I Love You

Arthit can remember the exact moment he saw Khun M. He was sweating over a hot wok, waiting for the optimum moment to toss the boiled noodles into the bubbling tamarind sauce, when a beautiful man appeared like a vision through the steam.

He was tall and slim with a wide face and high cheekbones and he was talking into his mobile phone. As Arthit watched, a smile bloomed on the man's face and his eyes lit up - Arthit felt that he could fall instantly in love.

That first time, Khun M ordered Pad Thai with egg and Arthit undercharged him; he was so enamored with his porcelain skin and deep brown eyes. But as he passed over the dish, the man had thrust one hundred baht at him and smiled, then dashed away before Arthit could even offer him change.

Arthit was definitely in love!

M returned many times after the first one, always talking on his phone, always in a suit like he'd just come from the office. His presence never failed to cheer Arthit up. The truth is, Arthit lives a lonely life. He has some friends amongst the others who work on the intersection where he parks his cart, but he's never learnt to be social - blame his childhood - so he isn't the best at conversation. And he could never strike one up with such a dazzling gem as Khun M! So he simply served him his noodles and basked in the smiles he was gifted. In fact, Arthit only learnt his name by chance when a fellow customer recognised and greeted him.

"Khun M kap, it's a pleasure to see you feeling better after the surgery last month. Is your elbow healed now?"

"Yes, yes, Nong Jai, I'll be back to the squash court soon. The doctor said it was just a stress fracture from too much fishing! I can't wait to be back, I've missed playing, and I'm definitely ready to beat you again! Oh, I'm sorry, I must take this call,"

Then M had turned away after indicating to Arthit that he wanted two servings of noodles and Arthit's heart had thumped painfully as it practiced beating to the name of the man he loved: 'M, M, M, M'.

In his excitement, he had added far too many shrimps to the dish and he was surprised when Khun M addressed this as he paid.

"Khun P, it is not good business sense to give a customer too much. You must control your portion sizes and protect your profits, unless of course it's someone special.." then M had paused and glanced between the package and his own stomach, "However, even if they're special, you must protect their waistline too!"

Arthit's heart had skipped a beat at the compliment and the indication that M knew Arthit thought he was special. In fact, it had taken his next customer three attempts to get his attention as Arthit had watched M stride away, other shoppers moving aside for him.

Powerful and Complimentary. Arthit fell more deeply for the beautiful man.

It had been a long and tiring day! After his shift at the wok, Arthit had staggered to the market for supplies and as he arrived home, he found himself irritated by his neighbour's persistently yapping dog.

"Can't you keep that little beast quiet, Bright?" he yelled as he glared over at the young man who was seated on the tiny balcony that their two flats shared.

"Hey, he likes to talk to you. He never sees you, you're always at work. Oo are those for me?"

"Well work pays the bills.." Arthit grimaced, as he threw over a package of noodles, 'And let's me see Khun M' he finished in his head. He knew by now that there was no point sharing his fantasy with Bright. He was such a simple man. He didn't have a romantic bone in his body and he'd only tease Arthit. So Arthit stayed quiet, kept his secret fantasy to himself, closing his eyes and letting Khun M drag him away from his boring existence.

"Khun Arthit, you've been working too hard." M calls out as he arrives at Arthit's stall, riding an enormous silver motorbike.

Then, and this is Arthit's favourite part, he jumps off the bike, strides over and picks Arthit up bridal style, depositing him on the back of the Harley Davidson.

"I've come to take you away from all of this, my love. Let's ride!"

In Arthit's fantasy, he has no idea where they go, just that M takes care of him and loves him and that they end up getting married on a beach while the sun sets into the ocean.

It's a cheerful thought, he thinks, as he looks around his bare little room. His stall is doing well now, word of mouth bringing workers like Khun M for his Pad Thai, but he's careful with his money, saving as much as he can so that one day he will be able to make something more of himself. So that one day, he will be able to do whatever he wants and maybe even move closer to the sea, where he would truly love to live.

But for now, it's a hot wok, endless customers, Bright (and his dog) annoying him constantly and persistent daydreams about his fantasy life partner.

It's not such a terrible life, he thinks.