Claiming Our Rights

Chapter 20

Kongpob's POV:

We managed to come to an agreement. We're going to try make this work between us and I don't know why but I feel giddy just thinking and anticipating about how our days ahead would be like. One thing is for sure, it ain't gonna be boring.

We settled for noodles and P'Arthit is once again trying to force and coerce me into eating chilli and nagging my childlike diet. Our little bickering already make me feel like an old married couple. I don't want to put a name to this feeling but I like it. Just the way it is. I don't want a slight chance of ruining it just by trying to name it.

We finished our dinner in no time and went to a convenience store nearby to get some ice cream. I don't fancy sweet things much but I guess P'Arthit loves them seeing how excited he looks right now with a cone of vanilla caramel flavoured ice cream in his right hand.

We're walking side by side, our shoulders would occasionally bump and our hands grazed against one another a little. I looked down at his left hand and saw the red mark I left there. A surge of guilt attacked me as I reached for it and caress it. "I'm sorry P'. Does it still hurt?"

"It's ok. It doesn't hurt at all Kong. Do you think I'm that weak?" he rolled his eyes in annoyance. How adorable.

"I'm not saying you're weak P', I'm just saying I'm very strong. I don't know how to control it sometimes so I end up hurting others." I'm trying to hold back a chuckle looking at his expression like he can't believe there's anyone that could be as vain as me.

He snapped and countered back. He loosened my grip on his wrist and grabbed my hand. "You should worry about yourself. Look at this." He shoved my knuckles closer to my face and we both now noticed the red marks and small cut on my knuckles. How did I get these again?

"DAENG!!" we both shouted simultaneously before darting towards the hotel where we left the poor boy.

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Daeng's POV:

All the Gods out there, any God out there, please hear my prayers. Let me survive this day. I promise to be good, I'll stop giving Uncle Noi headaches. I'll eat my vegetables. Heck I'll even adopt a cat or two. Please just please let me get out of here alive.

I am now sitting at the middle of the banquet table. The moms left the room shortly after the event because P'Arthit's mom kept sobbing and apoloising for her ungrateful son's behaviour while P'Kong's mom comfort her and assure her that everything will be alright. It was chaotic for a moment and I took that chance to send Uncle Noi my distress signal. I doubt the two idiots would remember that they've left me deep in hell all by myself.

Four pair of eyes staring directly at me with different expressions and meaning behind them but their eyes all share one thing. Curiosity. I am sure they are eager to find out what's really going on. I gulped down my saliva for the umpteenth time and my throat still felt like sandpaper. Bpoo Ja looks amused as usual and P'Kong's dad looked stoic and calm as ever. But P'Oon's dad is sending daggers my way while Bpoo King was trying his best to school his expressions.

We've probably been like this for the past half an hour, possibly more and it's killing me. Should I say something? Maybe beg for mercy or blame it all on P'Oon. It is his stupid idea anyways but I have to face it all alone now. How unfair.

Just then the two moms came back into the room looking better composed than before. They settled next to their husbands and everyone settled down around me. They look like they're having a round table meeting with me as their subject matter.