Roundabout Way to You

17. Dad

"Aww Dad, please don't be mad na" Anwit pouted, sitting beside his stepdad at the dinner table.

"Dad is not mad. Dad is just so sad," Keng looked like he was about to cry.

Ayut rolled his eyes seeing his father act cute and pitiful to his younger brother.

"Baby is so busy that baby doesn't have time to visit Dad," Keng wiped his invisible tears.

"P' Keng, please stop it," Mali couldn't take her husband's overacting anymore. She was really thankful to her husband and stepson for accepting her child into the family without questions.

But the problem was that both father and son loved to pamper her son which caused friction between them. As always, today's topic was also the same.

"What can I do? The youngest doesn't like to come home anymore" Keng lamented. It felt lonelier in the big house with just him and his wife.

"Dad, aren't I here, now?" Anwit wanted to coax his dad.

"That's only because this brat is staying here," Keng pointed at his biological son with a hint of mock disgust. "Or else would you have come here so often?"

Ayut smiled smugly as if he was bragging to his father how Anwit loved him more.

After having gotten his leg broken, Mali made Ayut move back into the family residence for the time being so that she could take care of him. She felt that it would be inconvenient for him to take care of himself.

Ayut agreed to her without objections as Anwit had insisted on taking care of him and had been taking days off work to do the same, which made him feel guilty. He didn't want to burden his younger brother.

"Dad, I will visit you more often," Anwit said apologetically.

But Keng didn't believe him at all. His stepson always said this when he visited the house but never kept his word even once. Until and unless a situation occurs that he has to visit them, he will never show up.

"P' Keng, let the kids be na. They will visit us when they get time," Even though Mali too wished that the two boys would visit them more often, she had to mediate between the father and sons.

"You all are ganging upon me!" Keng pulled a face at his wife's words. He just wanted his family to spend more time together.

Anwit took Keng's hand "Dad, I promise that we will visit home at least once a month. And I will make sure that P' Yut comes with me. Please don't be mad na."

Keng didn't say anything further even though he was not very satisfied with just once a month. They lived in the same city after all. Since neither of his sons was in a relationship yet, he wanted them to visit their family more often. He was sure that neither of them would have much time to do that once they found partners for themselves.

"Alright, now. Let's start eating our food before it turns cold," Mali urged the three men. Being the only woman in the family, it wasn't easy for her to deal with these three.

The dinner went forth with an amicable atmosphere. After the dinner Anwit bid goodbye to his parents and elder brother and headed back to his place.

Anwit groaned and massaged his shoulders as the elevator door opened to his floor. No matter how loving his parents were, dealing with them was exhausting. He never understood why his parents treat him like a baby most of the time.

He did love being babied, but only by his elder brother. It felt awkward when his parents did it.

Anwit's eyes fell on the huge suitcase that was on the hallway. He was surprised when he saw it as it was right in front of Mihit's door.

Frowning, he went over to check.

"Why are you sitting in the hallway?" Anwit asked recognizing the person sitting on the floor, next to the suitcase.

Sarth looked up at him as if he was a savior. "I came here to stay with Hit. But he is still in office and most probably wouldn't be able to come back tonight."

"Oh?" Anwit nodded in understanding. "Then, why didn't you go back?"

"Because I couldn't." Sarth bit his lips in embarrassment. He didn't know how to explain his situation to the younger guy.

Ever since the day he foolishly told his parents about his 'relationship with Anwit', they had been asking questions about the latter every day. As he was not familiar with Anwit, he had said random lies as answers. In the end, he just got himself deeper into the trouble than getting out of it.

He understood that it was no longer be a good idea to stay with his parents. So, he lied to them about some project and that he needed to move out for the same.

His plan was to stay with Mihit until he found a buyer for his place. He knew that Mihit wouldn't leave him in larch even though the taller guy was mad about him lying to his family about 'Mihit is seeing Ayut'.

"And why is that?" Anwit asked.

"I forgot my wallet at home and had a little accident that my phone broke," Sarth felt completely helpless. He couldn't even go to a hotel for the night.

"How about I help you call a cab? Don't worry about the cab fair, I will pay in advance?" Anwit suggested.

"No!" Going back home was out of question for Sarth. "I- I mean, I can't go back tonight. My place is a bit far away and it takes a while to get there. I need to get to the office early tomorrow morning. It would be inconvenient commuting back and forth. That's why I am stay with Hit." He lied.

"So? Are you going to sit in the hallway till tomorrow morning?" Anwit asked.

Sarth pressed his lips together. He didn't have any other choice. He wished that at least Ayut was here, then he could have crashed at his place for the night. 

Seeing the helpless look on the older guy's face, Anwit thought of an idea. "Get up. You can stay at my place for the night."

Even though he wasn't really fond of this person, he knew that the man was one of his brother's close friends. He couldn't just turn a blind eye towards him.

Sarth's eyes lit up like a thousand watts bulb. "I can?"

He was reluctant to ask Anwit for help as he knew that the younger guy didn't really like him. But hearing him make the offer, Sarth shamelessly took it.

"Grab your stuff," Anwit said before going to his door and punching in his passcode.

"Isn't your place the that one?" Sarth asked, gesturing at the door next to Anwit's. The last time he visited he was pretty sure that he left from the apartment next door.

"That's P' Yut's. This one is mine," Anwit answered pushing the door open.