SOTUS: Make The Best Of It (The Graduation Series)

Opportunities

Arthit wishes someone could have prepped him for life after graduation. The routine of a 9 to 5 job, making the dreaded commute home during peak hour and barely having enough hours left to properly rest. It's been two and a half years since he's graduated from university, but Arthit still finds himself thinking about those memorable stress-free days as a student.  Now, the worries in life seem so much more prominent than before; whether his insurance premium was going to increase with each passing year, the higher cost of living, his aching joints each time he attempts a new sporting activity or when he wakes up with a sore neck from sleeping at a wrong angle....you get the drift.

Right, this was getting depressing.

The only prominent worry he had back then was to make sure that he graduated and found a job for himself.

Sure, he's got that part all checked out, but no one had warned him about the nights doing overtime and the massive burnt out that follows after. Considering that he's a senior executive now in a fairly recognized shipping company, Arthit is no longer a stranger to late nights and working on the weekends. He doesn't need anyone to tell him that it's not healthy, but that's the nature of his job. He tries his best to make time for himself, but even resting brings about feelings of guilt that he can't shake off. It's as if there's this pressing need to be productive even though he knows he doesn't have to.

Arthit notices Kongpob's shoes neatly arranged by the doorway as soon as he enters, glancing at his wrist watch with a grimace. He had texted Kongpob that it was likely he'd only be home by 9, and that the younger male should go ahead and eat first. Three nights in a row of not having dinner with his boyfriend. He wanders into the combined living-cum-dining room, finding that Kongpob had set aside some food for him. There was also a bowl of luk chup - a traditional dessert that Arthit's been obsessed with recently. He picks out a red-colored piece and pops it into his mouth, ''Kongpob, I'm home.''

He finds Kongpob in their bedroom; glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and a serious expression on his face that could only mean that he was reading something work-related. Arthit places his messenger bag on the bed and approaches the back of  Kongpob's chair, bending down and wrapping both arms around the younger male's shoulders.

''Sorry.'' Is the first thing that Arthit utters, guilt-ridden that he's missed dinner night.

Again.

He feels the touch of Kongpob's warm hand over his, comforted by the reassuring squeeze that comes after. They've come a long way from their university days that they can communicate their thoughts with just a simple touch. He doesn't bother hiding his smile when Kongpob presses a brief yet tender kiss against the corner of Arthit's lips.

''It's okay, P'. I'm actually more worried about you not getting enough rest actually.'' Arthit recognizes that worried tone that he's gotten so used to. ''You're even working on the weekends.''

''I know.'' Arthit muffles his groan against Kongpob's shoulder. ''But once I'm done with the current project, it should get better.''

''That's what you said the last project, remember?'' Kongpob affectionately ruffles Arthit's hair. ''As long as you don't overdo it, P'. Go and shower, and I'll heat up the food for you.''

''What will I do without you, huh?''

Years into the relationship and Kongpob still wins Arthit's heart with his little acts of service. It's the small things like them getting each other's favorite food on the way home, though Arthit's making at attempt at cutting down his consumption of pink milk. Diabetes and all that, you know. Or the way Kongpob makes sure that every pair of Arthit's socks are all balled up together so that he doesn't spend ten minutes of his time in the morning agonizing over mismatched socks and trying to find the other.