While You Were Sleeping (Completed)

Meet the Family

It's only been ten minutes since Prae left and Arthit is beginning to wonder how he should go about leaving. Yes, he might be in love with the man in the hospital bed, but it isn't his place to be by his side when he needs his family with him. But he can't work up the courage to rise from his seat and leave Khun M alone. He feels like he would be abandoning him if he did that.

He's just made up his mind to walk away down the corridor and then if no-one shows up, to return, when a gaggle of people rush into the room all chattering excitedly and taking up all the space.

Arthit drops the milky white hand he's holding and rises to his feet.

Everyone freezes.

Then slowly, as though trying not to startle a frightened animal, Arthit bends his head and offers a wai.

"And who might you be?" An older woman asks, stepping to the other side of Khun M and bending her head to get a better look at the man in the bed.

"Why were you holding his hand?" Asks a young girl, voice curious as she too steps over to fuss at Khun M.

"Young man, who are you? And why are you in my son's room?" An older gentleman steps past Arthit to pick up the doctor's notes and starts to read them without waiting for a response.

"Leave him alone and focus on M, please," a younger man says as he offers Arthit a small smile, coming to stand beside him and giving him a once over, "I'm Tew," he says, "His youngest brother."

Before Arthit can even get one word out, the young girl starts to speak, "And I'm Maprang, his only sister! The best of all the Sutthiluk's, right silly Tew?!"

"You know you are, darling little sister, now stop teasing and see if you can wake our big brother up, I'll deal with our mystery guest."

Tew turns back to Arthit and offers him another grin, "So, really, you know who we are, but who are you?"

"I'm.." Arthit begins, looking between the handsome man who looks like he's just asleep and his younger brother who has an expectant look. "I'm no one," he says taking a step away and beginning to inch towards the open door. "No one special.."

"No one special?" Prae asks as she steps into the room, blocking Arthit's escape. "You must be kidding Khun Arthit, you're hardly no-one special! Sutthiluk family?"

All four of them turn to look at Prae, which of course means they are looking straight at Arthit too. He flinches away. "Everyone," Prae says, politely wai-ing, "Meet Arthit, your son's fiancé!"

It takes a long moment of everyone talking at once before Prae puts her fingers to her lips and lets out a shrill whistle. They all freeze. "Okay, okay! You have questions, so clearly you didn't know about Khun Arthit, but truly, it's best for your son if you all settle down and speak much more quietly. Now who is in charge of insurance? Because I need you to fill in some forms."

Khun M's father pushes past Arthit to follow Prae but his eyes stare deep into his soul and they are not very pleased. M's mother follows her husband, still shooting Arthit curious glances.

As they close the door behind them, Arthit sucks in a deep breath and then braces himself, hands on knees.

To be honest, he quite forgets Tew and Maprang are even in the room as he stumbles for the chair and rests his head back on the bed and says out loud, "So, M.. they hate me!"

A warm hand rests between his shoulder blades and Tew speaks quietly, "They're just surprised. Last we knew, he was going out with some harpy named May. She tried to steal all his money and run away with it. But father caught her and M hasn't mentioned anyone special since."