Self Rival • Completed

xxviii. the attempt

For a week, Kongpob, without having to live another life had a lot of free time in his everyday life. 

He allotted free time to watch over Arthit, which he could only do during lunch breaks and at night, bothering Arthit if he could drive him home but the older always rejected him with a resigned look at him and a slight shake of his head. Arthit loved walking alone, thinking to himself. 

Even so, with all the free time that Kongpob had, he's never been as stressed and exhausted as he was now of having to see Arthit looking the worse for wear. Then Kongpob realized how tight his grip was around Arthit that the older no longer bothered taking care of himself. 

Although Arthit still looked professional and presentable with his smart look, the look on his face was something Kongpob would never forget. It went from denial to sad to lonely to detached to unimpressed. 

It's the same look what his friends dubbed as his head hazer look. At that point Kongpob realized Arthit was the same cruel head hazer his friends were always ranting about. He didn't see it then because Arthit had toned down, and he always had the bright smile with Kong or annoyed look at K. 

Didn't Kongpob even wish to see the head hazer in Arthit? Yeah, but now that he saw it, Kongpob learned why one should be careful what they wish for. He'd rather see Arthit looking annoyed at him than this. 

If this was how Arthit looked like a head hazer, Kongpob could slowly understand how his friends had suffered under Arthit. Kongpob was a bit thankful he hadn't met Arthit at his prime as the head hazer. 

Although Arthit wasn't that hard on Kongpob, nor did he ask Kongpob to do push-ups out of the blue because of one wrong move as his friends have exaggerated, Arthit wasn't soft either. 

Arthit didn't care about him anymore. That's one way of saying it, and that hurt Kongpob more. 

Kongpob sighed before entering the place where Arthit and his friends usually eat. 

For a week, Bright had also invited him as his self-proclaimed best friend, but Kongpob had a theory that it's Bright's way of helping Arthit, to distract him from thinking about Kong, hoping Arthit would move on from the younger through Kongpob. Not that Kongpob affected Arthit. Not that Kongpob will help Arthit, but Kongpob wouldn't give up just yet. 

Contrary to his former reaction, this time, Arthit didn't care that Kongpob was slowly inserting himself into their group. Kongpob would rather have Arthit irritated and annoyed that he's with them than this version of Arthit. 

Kongpob straightened his suit and inserted his hands in his pocket, walking in the shop with the same aristocratic posture he always has. 

"K!" Bright perked up when he saw him. The guy happily waved at him. Kongpob threw him a small smile. "Come sit there beside Arthit!" 

Kongpob did as Bright told him. Arthit, like the past week, didn't bother looking at him nor acknowledging his presence with a grimace. Arthit was busy trying to eat and looking at his phone with the same desperate look he always has. 

"Hi, Arthit!" Kongpob happily greeted the older who only gave him a brief glance, no smile, frown, grimace, or anything, before focusing back on his food.

At least, Arthit's eating although he looked like he's only forcing himself. 

The others gave him a polite sad smile. Kongpob smiled back and shook the sadness slowly spreading in him. He needed to be happy for Arthit, he didn't need to feel sorry for himself since he's the one who caused this anyway. 

"So, what are you guys up to this weekend?"

"Well, we were thinking of trying out the new laser tag and that trampoline park, but-"