Ambivalent

21. The Payback

Akara

I was sitting in Panit's office, playing with my phone as that bastard ordered me to sit there. Although I was busy with the game I was playing, I didn't fail to catch the weird behaviour of Panit, who was sitting across the table. He was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently and checking the time constantly.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked after a while.

"No," he said with a smirk, "I am just waiting for a package."

I rolled my eyes inwardly in the face of his ignorance. "The courier isn't allowed into the managers' offices, so let me check the reception," I said, trying to use the opportunity to sneak out of the office.

"No need," Panit made my plan come to a nought, "the package is not for me, but for a nuisance."

A nuisance? That couldn't be good. As the office argument was on the previous day, the first name popped up in my mind was Rune.

"It is not for Rune, right?" I asked directly with an ominous feeling in my stomach.

"How did you guess that?!" Panit clapped his hands appreciatively and darted out of the room.

I ran to the accounting office so that I could get the package before Rune, but I was too late.

Poor Rune was on his knees, puking into the trash bin while an opened white box was resting on his table. After the initial shock, I rushed in and looked at the content in the box.

Dead chicken... a damn bloody chicken...

With shaky fingers, I put the lid back and carried the box out of the office. Then I went back and locked the office from inside before rushing to Rune. I slumped next to him and drew soothing circles on his trembling back while whispering 'it is okay' to his ear.

It took a long time, but eventually he calmed down. Hastily, I cleaned his mouth with tissues from the table and dried his tears, then I carried him to the sofa. Half spilling, I poured some water into the porcelain cup and helped him to drink it. By that time, Rune was still silent if I omitted his heart-wrenching sobs.

Though I didn't want to use the situation to my advantage, how could I leave him there in that condition? Softly, I sat next to him and pulled his trembling figure into my arms. He fidgeted slightly, but didn't attempt to break the hug, on the contrary, he leaned his head on my chest. Encouraged by him, I pulled him even closer, one hand hooked around his shoulder, one hand caressing his hair.

I know I was being a bastard, but I felt so happy to have him in my arms again, even for a minute. I missed him so much and my arms always felt so cold after that night we spent together for the first and the last time.

As it was not possible to freeze the time, before long, Rune recollected himself and pushed me away harshly.

"It was you... You even told them about it," he accused me with a hoarse voice and cold eyes.

"What?" I asked as I didn't understand what he meant.

With an angry outburst, he grabbed my collar, "you were the only one whom I told that I was afraid of chicken! There is no end of your betrayals!"

My eyes widened with shock, "I swear I didn't say it," I said, grabbing his hands.

"LIAR!" he shouted and saved his hands before standing up.

I followed his suit and stood in front of him. "How come you think I told it to someone like Panit?" I said, hurt lacing into my voice as if I had the right.

He quirked an eyebrow, "why? Didn't you sell me out before? You even made me a porn star!" he shouted with tears in his eyes and punched me on the chest.

I stumbled backwards but found my balance. Closing the distance again, I said "I know what I did is unforgivable, but I never wanted to hurt you, I swear. Everything you confided in me is still safe, I didn't tell anybody."

He frowned as though he was evaluating the probability of my words, then he sat back on the sofa with apparent exhaustion.

Being afraid of his reaction, I kept standing there silently until he talked again.

"It doesn't even matter if it was you or not, just leave me alone."

"No," I shook my head vigorously, "I will take you home."

"As if," he mumbled as he rubbed his temples, his eyes closed.

"If you don't let me, I will follow you like a pervert," I insisted. There was no way I would let him go home alone in that condition.

He opened his eyes and threw me a deadly glance, "who do you think you are?"

"Your pervert, obviously."

He let out an annoyed chuckle, "unbelievable..."

I just shrugged and continued to stand. The silence filled the room once again until my phone started to ring.

"It should be your owner," Rune snorted as he stood up and went back to his table.

Not bothering to say anything, I replied to the call.

"Panit is with me, you can go early today," Kamol said at the other end of the line and I almost kissed the phone. Putting the phone inside my pocket, I turned back to Rune who was getting ready to leave for the day. "It seems like the universe wants me to stick with you," I said in a pleased manner and Rune rolled his eyes.

He grabbed his bag and moved towards the door with tired steps. As the ominous box was right in front of the door, I pressed his head on my chest, blocking his line of vision and didn't let him go until we turned around the corner.