Roundabout Way to You

27. Chocolates.

"Oh? Phi, you are back already?" Anwit asked when he saw his brother return home just a few minutes after he went to deliver the breakfast to Mihit's place.

Ayut hummed in reply and directly headed to the kitchen.

Anwit felt that something wasn't right.

"How is your constipation?" Ayut asked as he scooped the Khao Soi into the bowls.

"It's better, phi. It's better." Anwit said with an awkward smile. He had lied to Ayut that he was having constipation and couldn't deliver the food for Sarth and Mihit. He did so to make Ayut make the delivery.

Sarth had already told him in secret that Mihit was a die-hard fan of RJ Spear, and it would be easier for them to set him up with Ayut. All they had to do now was to make opportunities for the other two to interact.

"This is what happens when you don't listen to what your elders say." Ayut walked out of the kitchen with two bowls of Khao Soi in his hands. "How many times have I told you that you should eat more vegetables and fruits instead of those junk food?" He set down the bowls on the dining table. "Those veggies and fruits have a lot of natural fibers. Those fibers not only help in digestion but also help in defecation. You wouldn't have gotten constipation if you had them."

"Ho, P' Yut, can you not talk about defecation right before we eat?" Anwit whined.

Ayut scoffed. "As if it is going to have any effect on you."

Anwit gave him a toothy smile.

"The food is hot. Blow it and cool it down before you eat. Don't gobble it down."

"Khrab," Anwit smiled cutely again.

As the brothers dug in, Anwit kept sneaking peeks at his elder brother, who was oddly quiet. It was so out of Ayut's character. Ayut was the kind that loved talking nonstop. Especially with the people he was comfortable with. 

The silence felt wrong to Anwit. He took his phone beneath the table and typed a message to Sarth. 'Did something happen there?'   

He sent the message and was waiting for Sarth's reply but didn't get one. He knew he had to make his brother tell him himself. "P' Yut?"

Ayut raised his gaze from the bowl and looked at Anwit.

"Is everything okay, phi?" Anwit asked in concern.

"Of course," Ayut answered. "Why did you ask?"

"Nothing, phi." Anwit shook his head. But he still had this nagging feeling that something was not right. "P' Yut?"

"Yes, baby."

"Phi, can I use your car today? I forgot to refuel mine." Anwit asked as he suddenly didn't know what else to ask.

"Sure. Do you even have to ask that?" Ayut gave him a small smile. "But where are you going? Didn't you say that you had no plans for today?"

"That... phi..." Anwit actually had no plans. "I am going to P' Sa's place!" He gave a random excuse.

"Sarth's place?"

"Khrab!"

"Isn't he staying at Mihit's place now? Why do you have to his place now?"

"Yes, phi. But he has his place too. Actually, he had put his place on sale, and we are going there to take a look."

"On sale? You want to buy his place?"

"No, Phi. I saw some pictures of P' Sa's house na. It's a really good house. The location is also really good. I felt that it would be a shame to sell that house just like that."

"Then tell him not to sell it."

"I did, phi. But he says that there are just too many memories of him with Kitty that he doesn't want to live there anymore."

"He is selling his house because of her? Seriously?" 

Anwit nodded sighing. Sometimes he really couldn't understand what was going on inside Sarth's head.

"Can't he just renovate the place instead of selling everything and moving away? It's not easy to find such a house at such a good location." Ayut already knew the details of Sarth's house. If not for the fact that he already had a place for himself, he would have definitely bought that house for himself.

"That is exactly what I said, Phi. Then he asked me if I could help. He is a bit tight on budget and can't afford to hire an interior designer."

"Alright, you may go. But be back early in the evening. Don't forget that we need to go back home to have dinner with Mom and Dad."

"Khrab."

After finishing their breakfast, Ayut picked up the bowls and took them to the kitchen, while Anwit went to his room to get ready.

Ding Dong

Ayut answered the door and saw that it was Mihit standing outside the door with his thermal container.

"Swadee Khrab, phi." Mihit was nervous as hell. Usually, he would address Ayut as Khun Ayut. Now addressing him as Phi made him more anxious.

"Swadee Khrab," Ayut replied the same way he always did in the office.

"Thank you for bringing us food," Mihit said as he handed the thermal container over.

"You are welcome," Ayut's replies were rather emotionless.

"And I am sorry about today morning. I didn't mean to shut the door like that. I was just~"

"It's okay, Mihit. I understand." Ayut didn't show any sign of hurt. 

When Mihit slammed the door in his face, he did feel bad, anyone in his place would. But he didn't want to let anyone else know of how he felt.

Just as he was about to close the door, a sound came from the container. The container was heavier than usual as well. "Did you put something inside this?"

"Khrab. Mom says that we should never return an empty container. So, I.... It's just some chocolates. P' Sa said that you like chocolates." Mihit had especially made a trip to the store to get chocolates for Ayut. He was feeling extremely guilty about his behavior and wanted to make up for it.

"Oh?" Ayut opened the container and saw a variety of chocolates in it.

"I didn't know what brand of chocolates you liked so I got you the ones I love," Mihit said nervously.

"That's really sweet of you. Thank you." Ayut thanked. He was really craving chocolate as he was in a bad mood.

"Anything for you, phi." Mihit was relieved. He smiled widely at Ayut.

Ayut found Mihit's behavior really confusing. He was a hundred percent sure that the latter was not fond of him but Mihit's current behavior was starting to make him think that he might be wrong. 

"Au, P' Hit. It's you!" Anwit saw Mihit and was thrilled. He hadn't gotten a reply from Sarth and was eager to know what happened at their place that his brother was suddenly so silent. "Why are you standing there at the door, phi? Come on in!"

Hearing Anwit invite Mihit into his apartment, Ayut had no option but to step aside and make way for Mihit. 

Mihit was over the moon to get the invitation. A second ago he thought that Ayut was going to shut him out of the apartment. He smiled from ear to ear as he entered the apartment.