While You Were Sleeping (Completed)

Can I Confess?

The car ride is quiet. Only Arthit breaking the silence to direct Kongpob. He's decided to go straight home. A text from Aira who runs the pancake stall beside his has confirmed that she has tidied away his wares. So now, he just wants to be in his own space where he can truly relax and try to forget about what he's done (or completely over analyse every tiny action which is more likely.)

He has Kongpob pull in near his building but not right outside, he's not embarrassed of his home, but it's clear just how much higher up the social ranks the Sutthiluks are and he'd rather not go through any questions about how he and Khun M could have possibly met. In fact he just wants to forget about it altogether for a bit.

But when they pull in, Bright is just walking past and sees Arthit exiting the car, "ooo, new boyfriend Arthit?" He teases, stepping closer to the shiny BMW and circling it once.

Through the open window, Kongpob calls out, "New? No, he's still going out with my brother thank you."

"Well, well Arthit! You do love to keep the secrets don't you? Where are you hiding this boyfriend then?"

Arthit pushes Bright's shoulder and barks a small warning, then he turns back to the car and politely thanks Kongpob for the ride.

"Want me to collect you tomorrow? You can't ride the bus after all, Father would be most angry if he found out."

Arthit nods helplessly and then has to wait a beat while Kongpob adds his name and number to his phone book then sends him a message. Arthit doesn't take his phone out of his pocket, unwilling to let Kongpob see the state it's in and the lowly model number.

After Khun M's brother has whizzed away, Bright starts in on him immediately.

"Right then who was that? How do you know him? He's so rich with that car, where on earth would you meet someone like that Arthit? Come on, tell Bright everything!"

But Arthit chooses to ignore him, pushing him away as he heads to his room, thoughts tumbling around in his head.

He doesn't get a good night's sleep which he can only blame on his own stupid self. What was he thinking letting them all believe that he knows Khun M intimately, that he's engaged to him when he didn't even know his last name. Has he actually cracked? Has Arthit finally gone insane?

And what about that moment with Khun Kongpob. The sparks he had felt when they had touched were no laughing matter. He'd only felt that once before in his life, and that had been with Prem. And then he'd been too young to really know what it meant. But now.. he knows that those sparks show compatibility, sexual desire and the first seeds of a love affair.

It's terrible. He's pretending to be one brother's fiancé and has romantic sparks for the other! Arthit never imagined his life taking this turn. He wants to go back to his simple life and his wok and try to forget this ever happened.

Instead, his phone trills with a message and there's a picture of Tew and Maprang huddled at M's bedside, both wearing 'fake' sad expressions. 'We're waiting for you. Tell me when I can pick you up.'

Arthit face palms and then quickly responds, "I have to work. I'll be in touch." Before he rushes to prepare for the day.

He's cooking up a storm when a familiar face peers through the steam.

"So this is where you're hiding." Kongpob asks, stepping to one side as Arthit deftly plates the noodles and hands them to a man nearby, shaking his head as the man tries to hand him a 20 baht note.

"Not today, Khun Arrish, I know you don't get your pension til next week, you can pay for some noodles then."

He's aware that Kongpob is watching him, but he tries not to react to his intrusion. But then he can't help asking, "How on earth did you find me?"