Fragments Of Us [Completed]

V-Vel?

Krit arrived at the office, the familiar buzz of activity around him, but he couldn’t shake off the weight pressing on his chest. The events of the past few days played on a loop in his mind, especially the encounter with Vel. He hadn’t seen him since their coffee shop conversation, and he couldn’t help but feel concerned about him.

He made his way to the HR department, hoping to catch Vel before he started the day. However, as he approached Vel's office, he noticed the curtains of the glass wall of office were shut. Krit knocked softly but received no answer. Frowning, he pushed the door slightly ajar, peering inside. The office was empty, and the absence of Vel's presence was palpable.

“Hey, do you know where Vel is?” Krit asked one of his colleagues, Sarah, who was passing by.

“Oh, he’s taken a leave for the week,” she replied, glancing up from her tablet. “I think he needed some time off for personal stuff.”

Krit’s heart sank at the news. A week? He had hoped to see Vel, maybe even check in on how he was handling everything since their last conversation. It felt like there was something unresolved between them, a connection he couldn’t quite place. Now, that opportunity felt lost.

“Did he say when he’d be back?” Krit pressed, his curiosity piqued.

“Not really. Just mentioned he needed a break. You know how he gets sometimes,” Sarah replied, shrugging.

Krit nodded, though he felt unsettled. He had been looking forward to running into Vel again, and the thought of him being away for an entire week filled him with concern. What was Vel dealing with? Did it have anything to do with their previous discussions?

Trying to push the anxiety aside, Krit decided to head back to his apartment. He entered the lobby of his building, hoping that maybe Vel would still be around, but as he stepped inside, he realized the place felt unusually quiet.

He made his way to the elevator, pressing the button for his floor, but his heart sank as he thought about Vel being alone, grappling with whatever was troubling him. Krit wanted to be there for him, to support him, but the boundaries of their professional relationship made it complicated. He couldn’t just knock on Vel’s door and ask him how he was feeling.

As he arrived at his apartment, Krit paused outside his door, contemplating whether to reach out to Vel. He finally decided against it, feeling the weight of uncertainty settle around him. He leaned against the door, closing his eyes for a moment, wishing he could figure out what was going on in Vel's mind.

With a sigh, Krit pushed himself off the door and headed to the gym. Maybe working out would help him clear his head. As he walked through the familiar space, he noticed the lively atmosphere and the familiar faces, but it felt different without Vel’s presence.

The connection he felt with Vel lingered in his thoughts, making the routine gym session feel heavier than usual. Krit grabbed a towel and moved toward the weights, but his mind drifted back to the last time they spoke. He remembered Vel’s laughter, the ease of their conversation, and how comfortable he felt around him.

With every rep, Krit fought to focus, but the absence of Vel weighed on him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them, leaving him restless and yearning for a conversation he was now afraid might never happen.

A month had slipped by since Krit last had a real conversation with Vel. Though Vel returned to his apartment after a week, he never came out. Krit would occasionally catch a glimpse of him through the window, but even that was rare. Vel hardly left his room, skipping the gym, ignoring the coffee shop in their building, and refusing to interact with anyone, including Krit.