Lullaby

Chapter Four

"Kongpob."

Arthit tapped on the younger boy's homework with his pen for the nth time in the half an hour they had started their study session together but got no response. The other freshman who was delegated to Bright, Aim was currently seated opposite Kongpob, looked utterly petrified. Arthit wondered why. He hadn't done anything, yet. But the boy who was currently seated next to him and dozing off while he was spending his free time trying to educate him was really pushing his last buttons.

"Phi.." came the soft whisper from Aim. "Maybe you should let him sleep."

Arthit shot him an angry look, causing Aim to positively wince. All Kongpob has ever done in his presence was sleep! He didn't get it! He was pretty sure he did his research right and the insomnia had indeed meant that the boy had trouble sleeping. But looking at the lopping head next to him that was about to hit the table, Arthit would definitely argue otherwise.

Kongpob seemed to have no trouble sleeping at all.

"P'Arthit.." Aim tried again, flinching slightly when Arthit glared at him once more. "Actually, Kong hasn't slept since the last time you saw him."

Arthit's eyes widened in shock as he took in the words his junior had just uttered. The last time they had met was during the SOTUS hazing session last week. Which meant that the boy hadn't slept in 5 days. How was he even still alive and walking? Arthit himself could barely climb out of bed on a daily basis. Just as he turned to stare at his slightly inhuman junior, he watched in horror as Kongpob's head fell forward in absolute slow motion.

Before Arthit could realise what he was doing, he had frantically reached his hands out to cushion the impact, catching the other's head. However, as Kongpob's head landed in his hands with a small thump, Arthit finally realised what he had done and he turned to look at Bright who was now choking back his laughter.

"Don't look at me," Bright chortled, "you did that on your own."

"Stop laughing, you ass!" Arthit hissed. "Now what am I supposed to do with this?"

"What do you mean 'this'? That's the poor Nong's head, what do you expect to do with it?" Bright answered, now positively laughing at Arthit's expense.

"You could put his head on your lap. Aim could help you adjust his whole body, right nong?"

Aim looked at Arthit, frozen to his spot. He wasn't sure he could take his other senior seriously seeing how his head hazer was positively seething in his seat.

"Don't you dare listen to him," Arthit growled.

Looking at the peaceful sleeping face in his hands, he groaned. What the hell was he thinking trying to save the boy? Now look where that got him.

"For goodness sake Arthit, just put the poor boy's head on your shoulder." Bright nagged, unable to take the sight in front of him anymore. His friend was behaving as if he had caught a baby in his arms and was totally thrown off guard.

Glaring at Bright, Arthit quietly heeded his words as he gently shifted the younger's face upwards to rest it upon his shoulder before he heaved a sigh of relief. Staring back down at the table, he finally realised he could have laid Kongpob's head against his books but it was now too late for that. The soft snoring that was now coming from the crook of his neck made him feel like he shouldn't even move a single inch. Afterall, he couldn't imagine not sleeping for just one day, let alone five.

Bright sniggered, slowly bringing up his phone to take a quick picture as Arthit attempted to kill him without actually moving in fear of waking the sleeping boy. Aim discreetly texted Bright, asking for a copy of the picture so that he could send it to Kongpob. He couldn't believe he was actually witnessing his childhood friend in actual deep sleep. Aim couldn't count how many camps and sleepovers he had been with the other where he had witnessed Kongpob lying wide awake from dusk to dawn.