Roundabout Way to You

26. Food

Mihit groaned as he covered his head with a pillow, hoping that it would block out the sound of the doorbell.

Ding Dong

Cursing under his breath, Mihit dragged his hungover body to answer the door.

As he opened the door, he saw Ayut standing outside the door. At the sight of Ayut, he suddenly realized how disheveled he looked at the moment.

His hair looked like a crow's nest. The tank t-shirt he was wearing was almost a decade old and had its colors faded to the extent that the once bright red tee was now a shade of pastel pink and even donned several stains and holes. The small shorts he was wearing were in no better condition. It had long forgotten its date of birth.

With the dried-out drool on his face and the pulp in the corner of his eyes accompanied by the stench of alcohol, he looked like shit. 

That was not how Mihit wanted Ayut to see him.

"I bou~" Ayut couldn't even finish talking before Mihit slammed the door shut in his face.

Mihit was freaking out. I ran to his room to wash his face and change.  

He had never brushed his teeth so quickly and thoroughly as he did today. He even went to the extent of using the expensive facewash his sister brought for him, to wash his face. He wanted to shave off the tiny sprouts of hair on his chin that had grown over two days but restrained himself from doing so as he knew that Ayut was just outside his door.

He opened his wardrobe and started looking at the clothes hanging inside. He couldn't figure out what he should wear. He grabbed a bunch of clothes that were better than the ones he had.

He dumped the clothes on the bed. After a moment of consideration, he picked up a full-sleeved t-shirt and stood in front of the mirror, putting it against his chest. It was his favorite t-shirt and his go-to style. "Nah, too casual."

He tossed the t-shirt to the side. He did the same for all the t-shirts he picked. He felt that none of them were good enough.

His eyes finally fell on the three-piece suit that he had brought for his cousin's wedding. "Yes! This will do!"

He picked it up and tried against his reflection in excitement. His excitement slowly faded away. "But this would be too formal!" He hung the suit back inside the wardrobe.

As he sulked, his gaze landed on the paper bag that was left in the corner of the wardrobe. It was the gift his mom had brought for him for his last birthday.

Mihit took the paper bag out of the wardrobe and opened it. Inside it was a white full-sleeved shirt. He had never worn it.

He was not a big fan of whites. He found it troublesome having to wash it every time to retain the 'whiteness' of the clothes. He preferred darker-colored clothing, the kind that others wouldn't notice even if it was reused unwashed.

Staring at the shirt in his hands he remembered what his mother said on the day she gave him the shirt. "White makes you look even more handsome, son."

Without a second thought, he slipped on the white shirt, pairing it with beige cargo trousers.

He was finally satisfied with his choice of clothes. He moved on to combing his unruly hair. 

Once his hair was done, he gave his reflection in the mirror a smile of satisfaction. 

"Ha Ha," He checked for bad breath. He was just making sure, even if he had just brushed a few minutes ago.

He strode out. Just as he was about to exit his room, he ran back to check his reflection again to make sure that he looked good.

Feeling pleased by his reflection, he ran to answer the door. The smile on his face turned into a look of disappointment when he saw the empty hallway.

He noticed the thermal food container that was hanging on the doorknob. He recalled that it was the one Ayut was holding when he opened the door earlier.

Setting it on the container on the dining table, he opened its lid. The delicious mouth-watering aroma of Khao Soi hit his nostrils. He realized that Ayut had brought breakfast for him.

He groaned out loud as he remembered how he had slammed the door shut in reflex when he saw that it was Ayut. "What would have he thought of me? He would have definitely thought that I was a rude person."

Mihit groaned again.

"Why are you groaning like a buffalo so early in the morning?" A yawning Sarth asked as he scratched his but.

He was the kind that could sleep through even the earthquakes. A doorbell could never wake him up.

Mihit ignored this human being and committed himself to sulking as he had left yet another bad impression on Ayut. He slumped on the chair with his hands crossed across his chest. 

"Oh? What is this?" Sarth asked as he noticed the cute thermal food container on the table. One look at it and he could say that it didn't belong to Mihit. "Did someone come over?"

"P' Ayut brought it over this morning," Mihit answered with a pout. He was very irritated by himself.

Sarth nodded in understanding and opened the lid. "Khao Soi? Woah!" He sniffed in the aroma wafting from the food. "It smells like heaven. So on point!" He sat down eagerly. "What can be better for a hangover than a hot bowl of Khao Soi?"

"Au?" He kicked Mihit under the table. "What are you doing? Go get the bowls. Hurry." He said as he rubbed his hands together, drooling over the food inside the container.

"Why should I be the one getting the bowls? Why can't you go get them?" Mihit questioned grumpily.

"Because I am the guest, and you are the host." Sarth could literally eat the food right off the container. "Stop wasting time and go get the bowls. Quick!"

"Since when have you known that you are a guest here?" Mihit mumbled under his breath as he headed to the kitchen to get the bowls. "Normally you would treat my place as your dad's property."

He returned with bowls and spoons for both of them. Sarth filled their bowls and started eating almost immediately, moaning with every sip he took of the broth.

"You are all dressed up. Are you going somewhere?" Sarth asked as he noticed that Mihit had groomed himself.

"Yes. To help your wife in labor. I will let you know if it's a girl or boy once I am done," Mihit huffed as he stood up. "I am going to my room." He picked up the bowl of soup with one hand and the thermal container with the other.

"What's with this kid?" Sarth frowned. "Do you really have to take the container with you as well?" He called out to Mihit. The Khao Soi was so yummy that he wanted seconds.

He was answered by the sound of the slamming door.