Self Rival • Completed

xlvi. the conversation

"I like that tone of yours," Kongpob's father nodded. "It's refreshing to see you like this when you're usually polite and respectful to me. I miss that but I like this side of you more,"

"I can see why my son's very interested in you. You remind me of my wife."

Arthit gave the man a disgusted look and quickly stepped back from him. 

The man chuckled, very entertained at his reaction and shook his head. "I don't mean anything by that. I apologize if it sounded creepy to you... you're like a son to me," the man sighed and leaned on the railing where Arthit was earlier. "You're as feisty, spirited, and full of emotions as Kong's mother was. She died when he's 5. Cancer."

Of course. The reason why Kongpob had a self-imposed tradition on volunteering at the support center. Arthit felt bad for Kongpob, he could understand why Kongpob didn't have an easy childhood– with his mother dying and with a very strict and abusive father, Arthit could just imagine what hell Kongpob endured at his hands.

"I had to juggle managing our company and taking care of our 3 kids," the man nodded to himself. "I admit I was a bit strict towards my youngest than I was to his older sisters, it's because he's a guy and he's set on to inherit the company. He's the heir and he needed to be guided."

Arthit's eyebrows scrunched. A bit? Yeah right. This man's very delusional. Because what Arthit saw earlier was the definition of a bit strict. Slapping the hell out of his son. That's downright abusive. 

"Kongpob told me he didn't have a good childhood. I don't think that can be called a bit strict."

The man frowned. "And he told you you're the best part of his life?" The man smirked but shifted a second later into a grim expression. "Sure, I forced him to be perfect at different things but all those things were all for him."

That's batshit crazy. No wonder Kongpob looked very confident, he was forced to be because he needed to be and he was trained to be one since he's young. 

Arthit was proud of Kongpob that he was able to endure all those pressures and trainings in his life. If it were Arthit, he'd be insane and full of issues in life now... Kongpob's full of issues but the younger's still didn't look like he's stressed and that's something very commendable.

"Look at him now, a very respectable and a very smart young man deserving of his position. That's all because of me and he didn't have the right to tell everyone that living as Kong as was the best part of his life."

It seemed that the man still felt bitter at the subtle exposition Kongpob did of his personal the night he was announced as the new C.O.O.

"He just didn't understand the importance of everything I did for him but all those things would help in the future. He would understand everything when he had children of his own... unless," the man gave Arthit a deadpan look, the malice in his expression made Arthit's body shifted into a defensive posture. 

Unless Kongpob continued his 'non-sense relationship' with Arthit, then he won't have any children and he won't understand everything his father had done to him. 

Arthit felt a twinge in his heart. True, they won't have any children in the traditional sense but is that all what a relationship's about? And they can have children, it's the modern world. 

Despite his reasoning, Arthit still felt hurt at that realization. 

Arthit shook his head. "Kongpob will be a better father than you'll ever be. No real father can understand what you did to your own son. Por never did that to me."

The man shook his head at Arthit as if he's disappointed at the stupidity's Arthit's showing. "You and Kong are in two different worlds. He's different from you, he has lots of responsibilities on his shoulders while you're just..."