Marriage Contract

[5]

Within the study, three people sat with not a word exchanged between them.
In such a large room the only sounds that could be heard, were the trickling
of the poured tea, and the soft clicks of chess pieces against their board.
After a while, grandpa suddenly called, "child, come here and accompany this Old man for the next round."

Upon hearing his request, kongpob unconsciously stood up, but he did not
go over just yet.

"Why are you just standing there?" Arthit asked when he noticed kongpob just stood there, dumbfounded.

"Huh?" Kongpob softly exclaimed, lifting his head to look at Arthit who
was now standing beside him, then to grandpa who still sat where he was.

Could it be when he called for,child, he was actually referring to p'Arthit?
Arthit was very amused by his reaction, "Don't tell me you're thinking such a sily address as, "kiddo", was really intended for me?"

With a "Are you stupid or something" expression on his face, kongpob turned
a blind eye, then whispered, "He's your grandfather, why wouldn't he be
calling for you?"

Who could've known that the instant he finished those words, grandpa would
put down the chess piece onto the board with a clack, lifting his head ''How
could you say that? Since you're together with Arthit, why wouldn't I be your grandfather?"

"...." Kongpob stood awkwardly beside Arthit, in that moment, he was
unable to refute those words. Arthit on the other hand, as one would expect, looked delighted by his helplessness.

What is this? Your own grandson brings home a man, and says he wishes to
marry him. Shouldn't he face strong opposition from his family? Even though
the same-sex marriage law was passed, it's still new, and a good number of
families are still not truly accepting of it.

After all, as a cock[rooster] he was unable to lay eggs.

Um, please forgive him for that self-description, the situation was proving to be beyond his abilities to comprehend.

"Just get over there first." Seeing him still staring off blankly, Arthit just pulled him towards grandpa and sat him down directly across from the old man, then said indifferently, "Keep Grandad company in the next chess game."

Kongpob sat stiffly in his seat, with neither his hands nor feet quite knowing
where they should rest. Only after noting the gentle expression adorning grandpa's face, was he able to finally relax, if only just a little. Perhaps this
situation wasn't as bad as he thought, at least it was nothing like he had expected --him being cursed then driven out.

"Do you know how to play?" Grandpa disrupted his original game then began
separating the chess pieces. Seeing this, kongpob quickly started sorting the
pieces with him, politely replying, "Yes, a little."

"Relax a bit, I won't eat you. Just play a round with me." Grandpa said.
Suddenly, kongpob recalled the times when he and his Grandpa also sat
around playing chess. Simply thinking of that old man who loved him dearly
made him, little by little, unable to help the joy-filled expression that arose
on his face, allowing the restlessness within his heart to calm.

If he just regarded the old man who now sat before him as just an ordinary old man, it would probably be okay. With this new way of thinking, he nodded, "Okay."

"What's your name?" Grandpa casually asked as he arranged the chess
"Kongpob Sutthiluck" he replied.

Kongpob knew for certain grandpa definitely wouldn't have not known his
name beforehand. With that kind of family, he guessed from the moment
he and Arthit's relationship began, his entire past was thoroughly investigated and delivered to the old man.