Simple

3. Condition

The next day Kongpob called Arthit on his cellphone and asked to meet at a cafeteria. It was the weekend, so Arthit accepted.

When he arrived, Kongpob was already waiting, fidgety, with a cup of coffee.

Arthit walked towards him and sat down on the empty chair in front of Kongpob.

"I'm sorry. I got the impression that you don't like me very much."

Blurted Kongpob as soon as the waiter left to prepare the elder's order.

"After I told you that yesterday, I immediately regretted it."

Arthit said nothing, so Kongpob kept talking.

"It is always like this. I try to make you like me, but you just sand still. I want to know more about you, but I always end up annoying you. I'm not that oblivious."

"What is that you don't like about me? I'm not that bad." Begged Kongpob.

"Don't answer; I know I just made you uncomfortable again. That is not professional at all. I'll just go back up and... leave you alone."

"It's better. Yes, it's better like that." It was like he was talking more to himself than to Arthit.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything. Just show me your project and get on our separate ways."

And as soon as he finished, Kongpob hurriedly got up and left. Bumping on his way out with a couple of customers, a waiter with a tray full of hot coffee barely missed him; and Kongpob tried to get through the glass door without it being open, resulting in a whole situation, but managed to get out of the building.

That left Arthit speechless. First how the younger hadn't let him talk, then how quickly and messily he had gone out, and finally how he had left his phone and wallet on the table. What was that?

Arthit apologised to the waiter and paid for everything before grabbing Kongpob's belongings and running after him. And thank god that he followed him because Kongpob was attempting to get through a crosswalk with the red light on, cars barely missing him. Arthit grabbed him by the arm and returned Kongpob to safety. He looked at the younger in disbelief.

Just then, Kongpob realised what he had just done and opened his eyes in realisation.

"Don't tell my brother! He won't let me out by myself if he hears about this!"

Confusion must have to be written all over Arthit's face because Konpob dragged him silently by the arm towards the S&A building, which was nearby. 

On their way there, Konpob almost went into traffic a couple of times again, but Arthit stopped him in time. He also kept making reckless decisions, and Arthit's confusion grew bigger.

Kongpob bit his lips the whole way there like he was trying with all his forces to shut himself up and concentrate.

They went in through a different door than the one Arthit was accustomed to; it wasn't through the parking or the main entrance, just through a pedestrian walkway. It was a straight hallway that only opened with Kongpobs magnetic key, and at the end, there was an elevator, but not the one that Arthit was accustomed. It was a bit different, but it also only had two buttons: up and down.

The one Arthit had been using for the past month was also weird: two buttons, up and down; but the down button for that one took you to the parking lot, and you could access it from any floor, or at least several that he had tried on.

After a few seconds they arrived to the top floor, and Arthit saw that it was just behind from where he had found Kongpob asleep the first time he met him.

Kongpob was now extremely fidgety and nervous, and guided Arthit to the couch.

"What would be the description that you would give of this place?"

Arthit was surprised by the question, but after a bit of thought he answered.

"A very aesthetic pleasing space, with smooth surfaces and edges; carefully designed and detailed. And the whole garden gives it a very calm... atmosphere."

"Just like it could be child proof, right?"

"Yes! With all the designed furniture and space it would be quite difficult even for a child to hurt himself!"

"I'm the child."

"What?"

"This space went under a huge renovation. To adapt to my... necessities."

"I'm impulsive, reckless, and most of the time I can't control it. My brain doesn't process danger like an adult should, the best comparison it would be that in that sense I act like a child. Lack of impulse control and I can't most of the time tell a person's true intentions, even if it's harmful. I will go along with whoever treats me right or I like. That type of person could make me do whatever they wanted, even if it hurts me, and I would trust them blindly."

Arthit was shocked by the sudden revelation. So many things made sense, and even if he was full with questions and curiosity, he listened attently to every word Kongpob was saying without interrupting. He could tell that this was a huge revelation that Kongpob had decided to let out and share with him. And by how heavy it was, it wasn't something that the younger shared.

"This... space was build to not let me harm myself. And I don't interact much with the exterior world. I'm always here or at home, where I'm constantly monitored because even if I've gotten better with the years, I'm not reliable..."

By then Kongpob couldn't hold the tears anymore. But he was feeling like the weight that was over his chest was becoming slightly less heavy, he wanted to keep going. Arthit  got closer to Kongpob and put one of his arms around him, trying to soothe him but without interfering with his train of thought.

"My driver always brings me here and takes me home, and wherever I go. I can't drive. I can't... so much. I have many mantras to remind myself of important security measures that I need to remember at all times. But too frequently, I just get caught up in the moment, and just... like what you saw earlier..."

"I try to be cheerful. I try to brush it off, and be as happy as I can with my situation."

"When you appeared, for the first time, over a long period, I believed that I could be more normal than I can be."

"I really liked you from the first time I met you. And the more I know about you, the more I feel myself drawn to you."

"So I flirted. And tried to be with you as much as possible."

"But I keep feeling like you abhorr being with me. That you have to stand me because you need my approval for your business with S&A. I thought that it was ok to keep you trapped, but you are too talented and I want you to be happy."

Kongpob looked directly into Arthit's eyes for the first time. Arthit saw fear, sadness and a bit of rage and deep shame, and he realised how wrong he had been this whole time. So, he left the frown behind and annoyed expression that he wore most of the time and smiled thinly while extending his right hand.

"Hi! I'm Arthit Ronjapat, nice to meet you. And you are?"