Roundabout Way to You

32. Never dating

"Nineteen," Ayut said in a low voice.

"Huh?" Anwit lifted his head and looked at his elder brother who was sitting across the table. "What did you say, phi?"

"I was saying that this is the nineteenth time you have peeked at your phone ever since you sat down here."

"No, phi. I... I was just looking at the time. Erm... My watch is not working so..."

Ayut raised his brows listening to how Anwit was struggling to come up with a believable lie. He chuckled thinking how Anwit and Sarth were completely opposite versions of each other.

"Why are you laughing, phi?" Anwit asked with an angry pout.

"Nothing." Ayut smiled again. "What happened? Sa didn't call you today?"

"He didn't call me for the whole weekend, Phi! He doesn't even bother to text me back," Anwit pouted harder staring at the phone. "I don't even know what I did that pissed him off like that!"

Ayut leisurely took a sip of the fruit juice. "Are you sure that he is not calling you because he is pissed off at you?" He thought otherwise but didn't say it out loud.

"Of course, phi. Just the other day we were talking and he just walked out on me like that! I swear I didn't do anything, phi!" Anwit huffed.

He had tried getting in touch with Sarth several times. Since it was the weekend and day off, he even went to Sarth's place hoping to see him. But the latter was not there. He didn't know where Sarth's parents lived or else he would have gone there as well in search of him.

"What exactly were you two talking about?" Ayut set down his almost empty glass and leaned against the chair.

"Just some office stuff, phi. Like day-to-day stuff. He was telling me about this one guy in his office who was getting married to a colleague. That's when I asked how his girlfriend hunt was going and he got mad, phi."

Ayut rubbed his temples helplessly. His little brother was still so oblivious to the changes around him.

"No matter how bad it is, does he have to be so mad? I mean, after his transformation he looks really good na. I am sure that he would attract women just the way he wanted."

"He looks really good? You think that he looks really good?"

"Yes, phi. Don't you think so?" Anwit looked innocently at his elder brother.

"He has always been good-looking if you ask me. He always had a bunch of people following him. But that's not the question here." Ayut placed his elbows on the tabletop and leaned forward. "The question here is if you find him attractive."

"Phi, that~"

"No." Ayut shook his index finger. "I don't want any explanation or anything. I want an answer in one word. Tell me if you find him attractive or not. Tell me yes or no."

Anwit lowered his gaze and stayed silent for a second. "Yes."

"Yes?" Ayut was internally happy to get the response that he wanted. "Then, would you date him?"

"P' Yut, you~"

"Only in yes or no. Nothing else."

"No," Anwit replied.

The smile on Ayut's face dimmed a bit. "No? But why baby? "

"P' Yut, please stop acting like you don't know anything. I have told you before. I would never date anyone, nor will I ever fall in love with anyone. Not him. Not someone else. So, please. Stop. I don't want any more discussion about this."

Ayut felt his heart ache terribly for his little brother. He knew that Anwit was reluctant to give himself a chance in love because of his biological father. Though he didn't know much about Anwit's biological father, he knew that the man was someone who used to beat Anwit and his mother up. A drug addict who treated his wife as a source of income.

He understood Anwit fear of love after watching how his parents turned out, but he didn't want the younger one to end up all alone. He hoped that Anwit could give Sarth a chance.

"Baby, please don't be so hard on yourself," Ayut begged.

"P' Yut, I already told you that I don't want to talk about this. Period." Anwit declared.

BUZZ

The phone buzzed a notification. Anwit immediately grabbed his phone to check if it was a message from Sarth.

"It's not yours. It's mine." Ayut said unlocking his phone to check the message.

"Oh?" Anwit set down his phone in disappointment.

Ayut looked up from his phone and said. "I need to step out for a while. My friend is in this area."

"Okay." Anwit didn't even bother to ask who the friend was. 

"Are you going to be alright alone?" They were planning to spend time together and Ayut felt guilty for leaving like that, especially when he knew that Anwit was in a bad mood.

"Why would I be alright, phi? I am not a two-year-old that you are worrying like this. I can take care of myself."

"Then, I will go and come back as soon as I can, okay?" Ayut got up to leave.

"Take your time, phi. You don't have to spend all your free time with me. Go out. Hang out with your friends."

"Are you sure, baby?" Ayut was still worried.

"Of course, phi," Anwit assured. "I will just watch a movie and catch some sleep. Don't worry about me. Just go and relax yourself."

Ayut nodded and walked out of the house. He got in his car and drove off to his destination.

The destination for the meetup was a cafe that was just a few kilometers away. By the time he got there, the person who called him over was already waiting for him inside the cafe.

"Why on earth did you ask me to come here alone?" He asked settling on the seat opposite his friend. "Did you really have a fight with my baby?"

"Do I look like someone who can fight him?" Sarth snapped back.

"You are right. My baby is not the kind that would pick a fight with someone like you," Ayut gave his friend a disgusted look. "By the way, weren't you two supposed to go furniture shopping today? The dealer has been calling Anwit since yesterday, asking when you two would go over to finalize the furniture."

"Tell him to select it himself. He has a better taste in furniture than me."

"I am happy to know that you have some amount of self-awareness, but isn't the furniture for your home? You should be the one who picks it."

Suddenly, a tray of drinks arrived on the table. 

"I hadn't placed my order yet~" Ayut looked up and saw a familiar person holding the tray.

"Swadee Khrab, P' Yut," Mihit gave his best-dimpled smile. "Here is your caramel vanilla latte." He placed the latte in front of Ayut along with a piece of blueberry cheesecake, before seating himself in the space between Ayut and Sarth.

"Sa, didn't you say that you wanted to talk to me alone? Then why is he here?" Ayut questioned.

Mihit gleefully sipped his bubble tea with his straw. "I came here for his spiritual support, phi, and also to meet you."