Right Here Where You Left Me (KimPete)

Chapter 14

Pete couldn't pinpoint exactly where his feelings for Kim started to evolve into something romantic and vice versa. From what he can recall, Kim used to be an annoying kid who followed him around. But somewhere along those days, he noticed himself growing fond of the younger man. Despite his temper and brass attitude, Kim can be adorable at times. At first, Pete thought maybe he grew fond of Kim just like he did with Tankhun, a brotherly bond formed due to his longing to have a sibling. But it was different. The way his heart flutters when Kim tells him yet another lame pickup lines, when he sings to Pete a new love song he wrote, the way his eyes crinkled when he flashed him one of his private genuine smiles, and the way he buries his head in Pete's neck when he's too exhausted in the confines of his own room, Pete knew what he had for Kim was different. Yet he choose to ignore it and acted oblivious of Kim's every attempt to make his feelings known to Pete. He reasoned that Kim's still young and maybe he's just confused. As a child you grew up in the cruel mafia world where affection was frowned upon, getting attention and affection from Pete might had Kim thinking he's into him.

"You're not listening to me, Phi." Kim grumbled and Pete can almost hear him pouting which made him chuckled.

"Sorry, my mind was drifting somewhere else."

"Tsk. You're not allowed to think about something else when you're with me. That's an order!"

"Yes, Khun Kim." Pete answered, amusement is evident in his voice. He heard Kim huffed.

"As compensation for your misbehavior, you should go on a drink with me."

"Are you even allowed to drink?" Pete stared at him in disbelief to which Kim responded with a groan.

"Shut up, old man! I'm already 18!" Pete can't help but laugh at his scandalized face.

"Okay okay. But don't get drunk. Khun Korn is gonna kill me if he knows." Pete says in resignation.

"And hey, I'm only 3 years older than you. Stop calling me an old man!" It was Kim's turn to laugh. Later that day, they found themselves in a cozy and private bar downtown and let Kim drink to his heart's content. It had became their little ritual every time Kim was upset or stressed that they'd go out for a drink.

When Kim's music career took off, he left the mansion along with Pete as his personal bodyguard. Tankhun had wailed and thrashed but Korn was adamant on sending Pete with Kim as the he believe the head bodyguard was the most capable of guarding Kim. They later agreed that Pete would still attend Tankhun's movie nights every now and then.

"Do you really have to go, Phi?" Kim asks, arms clinging to Pete like a koala.

"Yes. Khun Noo's on a rampage and Arm's been having a hard time consoling him. I should go help." Pete explains as he tried to get ready, which is a bit difficult he might add, because Kim was clinging to him.

"Tsk. Always the favorite one." Kim plopped to the sofa, sulking. Pete couldn't help but laugh.

"I don't do favorites and you know that. It's just that Arm needs help right now." The younger man's face morphed into a frown.

"Am I not your favorite?" He asks, voice tinged with something Pete couldn't pinpoint. He halted and turned to face Kim.

"I told you, I don't play favorites Kim." He says again and Kim's frown deepened, eyes dropping toward the floor.

"But I want to be your favorite."

"Huh?" Pete couldn't quite hear what the other man was saying.

"Huh?" Kim mirrored and Pete couldn't help but laugh and ruffle the younger's hair.

"You're so cute when you're sulking, you know that?" He says and Kim felt his cheeks and ears heating up at Pete's words. To hide his blushing face, he swatted Pete's hand away from his hair and turned around, facing the wall. He can still hear him cackling and he huffed.

"Aren't you going to help your dearest Arm with Tankhun?" He asks, trying to divert Pete's attention to something else but he couldn't hide the sneer in his voice, a familiar unpleasant feeling bubbled in his chest every time Pete spends time with other people that Kim feels like a threat— not in a way that these people could and would harm him or Pete, no. Not like that. But Kim feels threatened in a way that they could take Pete away from him, his affection and attention. He didn't like the thought of that.

"Yeah. I should go. You'll be alright here when I'm gone, right?"

"Of course. I'm not a kid anymore, Phi." He replied but he sounded whiny even to his own ears. He cringed at that. What the heck was happening to him? Strangely, Kim was scared to know the answers to that.

"Okay then. See you later. Don't cause trouble. Take care!" Pete says and then he's out of the door. Kim was left in his room, trying to make sense why he was like that around Pete.

This isn't just a simple fascination, is it?