Just as the clock struck 7:30, the doorbell rang. Arthit, who had already shown signs of anxiety since arriving from work, ran to open the door where he found three people outside: Kongpob, whom Arthit recognized from the photo he received along with the letter, along with an older couple, who assumed to be Mr. and Mrs. Suthiluck.
Arthit flashed a huge smile as he looked at Kong, before starting to speak.
- Kongpob, Mr., Ms., nice to meet you. I am Arthit Rojnapat. Then, he made a wai (Thai bow that shows a sign of respect for older people) to the people in front of him.
After making a wai back, Kong couldn't contain himself and said:
- Nice to meet you, P'Arthit. But, I did not make my parents carry the bags with the gifts I prepared so I would not get a hug from you. And, opening his arms, he pulled Arthit into one of the best hugs of his life.
After drop Arthit, Kong spoke:
- Phi, these are Kerkkrai and Ankara Suthiluck, my parents.
- Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Suthiluck. Arthit spoke.
- Please, Arthit, just call us uncles. Something tells me that, from now on, we will be very close to you. Mrs. Suthiluck spoke with a beautiful smile on her face.
- Thank you, Uncle and Aunt. Now, please, let's go inside. My parents are also dying to meet you. Arthit said as he led them inside.
Inside the house, David and Jane Rojnapat were in the kitchen, preparing some trays of sweets and snacks to serve to Arthit's friends, who were sitting in the backyard, enjoying the pleasant January weather, when the new guests entered.
- Dad, Mom, I would like to introduce you to Uncle Kerkkrai, Aunt Ankara and Kongpob Suthiluck. Arthit spoke.
- Uncles, Kongpob, these are my parents: David and Jane Rojnapat.
- Nice to meet you. They both said at the same time, as they wai to the guests. Welcome to our home. Complemented Mr. David Rojnapat.
After the introductions, Arthit's parents also asked Kong to call them uncle and aunt, which he gladly accepted. Kong took the bags from his parents and placed them on the kitchen countertop. First, he offered the flowers he had brought to the family, while explaining their meaning, as per his sister's instructions. Then, he offered the necklace to Mrs. Jane and the wine to Mr. David. Finally, he gave Arthit the robot he had brought for his birthday. Everyone is grateful for the treats they received. The great sensation happened when he removed from the bag the bottle along with the message. Kong wanted everyone to be a witness to the object that made Arthit go back 15 years in time and gave them the opportunity to get to know each other. Excited, Arthit asked if he could hold the bottle and said he would like to show it to his friends. Looking at Kong's parents, he said:
- Uncles, I would like to introduce Kong to my friends. Would you like to come with us now or would you like to stay with my parents a little longer and join us in a little while?
- Oh... Feel free. We will stay here with our new friends and then we will join you. And do not worry about us. We are feeling at home. Mr. Kerkkrai spoke.
- So, let's go, Kong. I want to introduce you to my friends who are already settled in the backyard. Arthit said, and, acting like it was the most natural thing in the world, took Kong's hand and pulled him through the kitchen towards the back of the house, leaving the four adults smiling behind them.
Arriving in the backyard, still holding Kong's hand, Arthit asked for the attention of everyone present.
- Guys, I would like to introduce you to my friend Kongpob.
- And why have we never heard of him? Asked his friend Bright, while the others said words of welcome to Kongpob.
Looking into each other's eyes as they exchanged a silent smile, Arthit began to explain:
- Do you see this bottle?
- Yessss! His friends responded in chorus.
- So, when I turned 10, my parents took me to Phuket to celebrate my birthday. There, we took a boat ride and blah blah blah... message... blah blah blah... bottle... and at Christmas... blah blah blah... then we arranged everything by letter and here we are. Arthit smiled after explaining how it all happened.
The buzz was general. Some even shouted in excitement, others just smiled and others started asking for more details about Kong. Nobody wanted to believe that it all started with a message in a bottle. The rest of the night became a real festival of questions and games.
YOU ARE READING
Message in the bottle (English)
FanfictionA little boy throws a bottle overboard and, 15 years later, a man gets an answer. What changes can this make in a man's life? After all, it was just child's play. He just didn't know that fate had prepared some surprises for that answer. ****...
