Your man

Eleven

* Arthit's POV from the past*

"Ai Arthit, what's with the long face?" Bright asked Arthit, seeing him deep in thought.

"I'm looking for a part-time job.  Since Mae  got sick it's hard for Poe to support me too," Arthit replied."  But none of the places I checked out so far is flexible with the university schedule."

Bright nodded, "Well... I could ask my Poe.  But Arthit, it's a bar, and it's not a regular kind of place.  Because you are my best friend I have to be honest with you," he said carefully.

"Will he pay me enough to pay for my food and rent?" Arthit asked, desperately.

Bright gave him a sly smile, "If you play your cards right he will pay you more than necessary."

Arthit didn't know what Bright meant by his father's business not being a regular place.  He was placed as a cashier.  Arthit didn't mind.  He had to work at night and he hardly got to sleep well.

But he enjoyed work. Bright's father was nice and friendly. The regular people who hung out at the bar did seem suspicious. It was none of his business. He just had to focus on his work and everything was fine.

When Arthit did realize what kind of a business Bright's father owned it had been a couple of months since he had been working there.

Arthit was serving his boss a couple of drinks when he heard their conversation.

One of the men whom Arthit didn't know by name was addressing Bright's father.

P', the cops are onto us.  We have to be careful with the delivery of the goods."

Bright's father scratched his head.   "How much?" he asked.

"About 5kg."

"The cops don't check sports cyclists.  A couple of them could easily deliver 5kg," Arthit answered without thinking.

Both men turned to stare at him.

"P'... why have you hidden this boy behind the register?  We can use him," the man said to his boss.

Bright's father smiled at him.

"I'm glad my idiot son has some smart friends.  N' Arthit, why don't you have a drink with us."

*************************

Whenever Bright's father was unable to carry out a task, he would ask Arthit for help and paid him handsomely.  Arthit was the mastermind behind a bank robbery and many drug deals.  Bright's father introduced him to many powerful people in the business.  Politicians, police officers, journalists.  People who needed his skilled planning.

Arthit told himself he was just the idea guy.  He never got involved in anything personally.   He would draw the plan and give it to the client who would pay him for it.

Arthit was never involved in the distributing either. Regardless of what his father says, Bright helped with the business in the strangest way possible.  When he had noticed Knott, he had tactfully approached him and made him join as well.

Knott was involved in distributing the drugs among students.  A job Arthit didn't want to get his hands on.  As time went by Arthit had stopped feeling guilty altogether.

He had a brain, and all he did was use it.  They kept Prem and Toota as a cover.  They were unaware of what Arthit, Knott, and Bright were involved in.

Arthit loved his life.  He liked what he did.  He was never bored.  He hated the idea of the regular life.

It had all changed when a certain freshman decided to challenge him.

************************

Arthit watched Kongpob walk around collecting signatures.

"Ai Arthit?  What are you smirking at?" Prem asked him.

Arthit nodded at the freshman's direction.

"It's been a while since university got interesting."

"0062 Kongpob."

The kid had managed to gain his attention from the first meeting, and Arthit secretly enjoyed it.

Toota leaned towards him.  "He is hot isn't he?" he whispered.

"Is he?" Arthit asked.

Toota raised an eyebrow at him.  Arthit winked at him.

"Hey 0062 let me see your signature book," he called loudly.

He was only getting started.

*************************

"Don't you think he looks a little too fit for a nineteen-year-old?" Knott asked Bright as the watched Kongpob play basketball for the fresher's games.

"Look who's talking.  Have you ever looked in a mirror?  He doesn't hold a candle to you," Arthit said in a bored voice.

"I've noticed you checking him out a lot Arthit.  Anything you have to say to us?" Toota asked nudging him on the arm.

"Fuck off Ai Toota.  I only think that he is interesting.  That's all."

*************************

Why couldn't he manage to know Kongpob's feelings?  Arthit thought, irritated. His mind went blank whenever he tried to come up with a way to confront Kongpob.

So much for being an idea guy for a bunch of criminals.

Instead, he picked on Kongpob and punished him to gain attention like a fourth grader.

*************************

Arthit decided to investigate more on Kongpob.  His behavior was of a typical rebel.  He seemed to like going against the system.

Kongpob was a hero among his peers.

There was nothing in the university Arthit couldn't get his hands on.  He had the charm and the wit.

According to the records Kongpob's father was deceased.  Arthit wondered what kind of a life Kongpob had after losing his father.  Did it happen when he was younger or was it recent?  Had Kongpob managed to get over it?  How was he now?

*************************

Arthit pretended not to know where Kongpob lived when they were heading home after the code members meeting.  Kongpob was behaving strangely.  Arthit caught Kongpob stare at him on multiple occasions throughout dinner.

Arthit liked Kongpob.  He had almost asked Kongpob out on a date that night but decided against it.

Kongpob was better off without him.  He was involved with dangerous people.

Nothing could happen between them.

Arthit secretly watched Kongpob from his balcony.

What would it feel like to hold Kongpob in his arms and not worry about anything?

Arthit smiled at his imagination.

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A/N - Arthit isn't completely innocent.  I decided not to write the same memories from Arthit's POV but to add new memories instead.