Roundabout Way to You

29. Confession

"P' Yut, how about we eat while they prepare the food for the parcel? Didn't they say that it is going to take a while?" Mihit probed as they stood inside the restaurant. He was pretty happy that he finally got the opportunity to spend some time with Ayut alone. 

Ayut felt weird seeing Mihit acting all friendly all of a sudden. In all their past encounters, Mihit's dislike of him had always been really apparent. He wondered what happened to Mihit and why he was being so nice to him.

"P' Yut?" Mihit called out again as he didn't get a reply from Ayut.

"Khrab?" Ayut snapped out of the daze. "I mean, yes. Let's eat," Ayut felt unsettled by the way Mihit kept calling P' Yut, it was as if they were close.

Mihit's smile grew even wider seeing Ayut agree with him. He led Ayut to the seat. The seat offered a scenic view of the beautiful garden within the restaurant. 

"Wadee N' Mihit," the waitress greeted him with familiarity. He was a regular in the restaurant. He and Sarth often ate there whenever they were too lazy to cook.

"Wadee, P' Pam. How have you been?" Mihit waied back at her.

"Oh, I am fine. By the way, who is this?" Pam gestured at Ayut. "Your Faen?" She asked with a teasing smile. 

Mihit grinned shyly.

"I am his neighbor, Khrab," Ayut corrected her.

"Okay." She chuckled eyeing Mihit secretly. "What would you like to have?"

"Regular for me, phi," Mihit replied while handing the menu card to Ayut. "Phi, look what you would like to eat?"

Ayut flipped through the menu card. "I would have Khao mu krop, Khrab." He closed the menu and handed it to Pam.

"Okay, Kha." She noted it down on her pad. "Would you like to have anything else?"

"No, Khrab. That would be all." Ayut replied.

Pam giggled as Ayut finished talking. "You both have the same taste na. Both of you are ordering Khao mu krop."

Ayut looked at Mihit in surprise. 

"I will get going na. The food will be here in a few minutes." Pam was all smiles as she walked away.

"P' Yut, the Khao Mu Krop here is really delicious na. It is the most delicious dish on the menu here, after Khanohm Jeen. I always order it when I come here." Mihit said excitedly.

Ayut nodded, flashing him a small smile. He was starting to have weird thoughts. He didn't want to encourage his brain to develop those trains of thought. 

If he hadn't interacted with Mihit in the past, he would have definitely thought that the latter was interested in him given the way he was behaving. The undisguised dislike Mihit had shown toward him till that day had already numbed his feelings towards the younger guy. 

He didn't want any misunderstandings to occur between them as he knew that he would be interacting with Mihit more often from now on.

In order to escape the awkward situation, he kept looking at the garden, avoiding Mihit's gaze.

"P' Yut?" Mihit sensed something.

"Huh?" Ayut tried to act as if everything was normal.

"P' Yut, are you still mad at me about today morning?" Mihit probed.

"No. I am not." Ayut denied.

"If you are not mad, then why do you look so uncomfortable being with me?"

"You are just thinking stuff up. I am not uncomfortable." Ayut said firmly.

"I am not just thinking. I saw it na, when Anwit asked me to take care of you, and I agreed, you were reluctant at first. Don't try to deny it."

"I wasn't reluctant, I just didn't want to bother you," Ayut lied. He didn't want to be around Mihit at all. If not for the fact that he wanted Anwit to be alone with Sarth, he would have definitely come up with an excuse to let Mihit stay behind.

"What bother, phi? I would love to drive you around," Mihit smiled so brightly that Ayut could practically count all his teeth.

"Aren't you being a little too sweet today?" Ayut asked.

"Coming, coming. Hot and tasty Khao Mo Krop is here!" Pam brought in two plates of the crispy pork on rice.

"Thank you, phi." Mihit thanked Pam as he passed a pair of spoons and a fork to Ayut.

Ayut too mirrored his actions. "Phi Khrab, how long more would it take to get the parcel ready?"

"That..." Pam looked in the direction of the kitchen. "I think it would take at least ten more minutes, Nong."

"Okay. Thank you, Khrab." Ayut replied feeling restless that he had to spend so much more time with Mihit alone.

"Just call me if you two need anything," Pam said before walking away.

"P' Yut, try it na. It is really delicious." Mihit hyped.

Ayut nodded and took a bite. "It's good." He acknowledged.

"See? I told you," Mihit beamed happily.

"You haven't answered my question, Mihit." Ayut asked as he ate.

"What question, phi?"

"Why are you being so sweet to me all of a sudden today?"

"I have always been sweet, phi. Maybe you only noticed it today," There was no way Mihit was going to admit that he knew of Ayut's identity. Ayut had always wanted to keep his identity a secret.

"If this is about your work and the project, then~"

"It is not, Phi! It is not!" Mihit denied thoroughly. "Phi, I think we have some misunderstanding between us. I am not homophobic na. In fact, recently I am starting to feel that I am into men myself."

"Don't say such things so casually." Ayut focused on eating.

"I am not saying it casually, phi. I am serious na. I think I am falling for a guy." Mihit insisted.

"Well, good luck then." Ayut tried not to sound jealous. But deep within him, he was envious of the guy who managed to attract the attention of a guy like Mihit.

Mihit was disheartened hearing Ayut's reply. "Thanks, phi. From the looks of it, I think I might need a lot of luck." He pouted.

They ate the food in silence.

"Are you not even a bit curious about the person I am interested in, phi?" Mihit broke the silence that had taken over their table.

"No. I don't think it is any of my business." Ayut shrugged. He did want to know but he wasn't sure how he would react if he found out who that person was.

"What if it is your business, phi?"

Ayut raised his brows at the question. "Is that person Anwit?" That was the only possibility he could think of.

"NO!" Mihit denied. 

The people around them turned to look at them hearing Mihit's voice. Mihit immediately apologized to everyone and turned to Ayut. "It's not Anwit, phi. It's someone else."

"If it is someone else, it is not my business."

"Phi, actually it's one of Anwit's colleagues na."

"Anwit's colleague?" Ayut was intrigued. He knew everyone in Anwit's office as he himself worked there.

"Khrab. His name is Spear. He is the RJ that hosts the radio show named 'Hear from Spear'. Do you by any chance know him, phi?" 

Ayut choked on his food when he heard Mihit.

Mihit smirked at the reaction. "Phi, have some water na." He handed a glass of water to the flustered Ayut.