IT'S OK IF IT'S YOU

FIRST MEETING

Kong and his friends Korn, Knock, Bright, Prem, Aim & Wad were walking toward their usual hang out place after class, the big tree near the track field. They sat down heavily and languidly laughing as they ransacked the plastic bag containing the food they brought along. They waved to Kong who got left behind a little further back while talking to the phone. Kong saw them waving and waved back, hurrying over to them, still talking to the phone and fumbling with his plastic bags when he banged into someone. Two bodies fell onto each other, everything flying everywhere, the group on the bench stood up to look.

Kong looked down into the most mesmerizing eyes he had ever seen; surreal light brown eyes returned his look and blinked. Kong was lying right on top the most beautiful man he has ever seen and he was stunned unable to think or move. The other man tried to push him off but the big lion doesn't seem to budge. He frowned and gathered his strength and shoved the big man off.

"Sorry bro but I'm straight," he quipped at the muscular man who sat up blinking at him. The rest of the group reaches them before Kong could return the quip. It was Knock who recognizes the younger man.

"Arthit? God Oon, is it really you?" Knock gasped and rushed to the young man.

"P' Knock?" The younger man answered calling Knock as P' respectful of an older person, uncertainly then beams the most dazzling smile anyone had ever seen. Except for Knock who was hugging the younger guy and laughing joyfully the rest of the group actually stopped rooted on their feet, blinking at the effect of the smile. After gathering the scattered food items they returned to the bench with Knock helping Arthit and fussing over him.

"You sure Oon, you okay?" Knock was frowning seriously looking at Arthit up and down. He knelt at Arthit's feet and pulled his leg onto his knees examining it carefully. Kong, Korn, and the others were watching the familiar display quietly.

"P' I'm okay!" Arthit reassured Knock chuckling but didn't resist his touch.

"You're still training, right? Your ankle, really okay? You know how important your feet are, how could you be so careless?" Knock admonished Arthit who kept chuckling and shaking his head.

"You've never changed at all P' even after all these years, you would make someone a really good wife someday... or has someone claimed you already?" Knock put Arthit's feet down and stood up in front of him, he smacks the side of Arthit's head lightly and curses at him. The table exploded into laughter. Arthit snickered rubbing his slightly tingling head.

"Let me introduce you, to my friends, the one you run into is Kongpop. Kong this is an old friend of mine, Arthit. He's a year younger than us." Knock pointed at Kong who offered his hand to Arthit. Arthit raised his palms together giving the older man a wai a respectful greeting from the younger generation to the older ones before taking the hand and shook it firmly.

"Sorry about just now. I was kinda got distracted," Kong said apologetically returning the firm hands shake.

"It's okay, no harm done. I got distracted just now, too, P" Arthit answered in return and Knock continued the introduction to the rest of the group.

They sat down after the introduction and Knock offered Arthit to join them at the table, offering him food and drink. He frowned again at Arthit, skimming his eyes over Arthit's body.

"You've become so skinny Oon, you so busy training that you've been skipping meals?" Knock scrutinized him intently. Arthit gave him a reassuring smile.

"This is called a lean figure, P' not skinny." He pointed to his chest. Knock sneered and raised an eyebrow, not believing. Kong covertly glances over to the two of them not realizing why he felt inclined to listen to their conversation. Korn was doing the same unbeknownst to everyone.

Arthit raised his chest and offered Knock to test him. Kong stopped pretending to eat all together and stared at them openly. So did everyone else including Korn. Knock stood and went over to Arthit; he raised his hand and gingerly laid it on Arhit's chest then gaped open-mouthed. He ran his hand slowly along Arthit's chest to his flat muscular stomach.

"What did you eat, steel wire and iron plates?" Knock bemused. Arthit gurgle flexing the muscle under Knock's hand even more. Knock removed his hand perplexed. Arthit puts his palm on knock's shoulder near his neck and rises from his seat.

"You may be bigger P' but even with one hand I still can put you down," Arthit put pressure on Knock's shoulder making him wince slightly than pushed him backward. He moved even closer to Knock and kept pushing onto Knock until Knock had to bend over backward right on to the bench table. Knock grimaced at the pressure on his shoulders, his eyes looking straight into Arthit's. Kong stared at them unblinking, a sudden turmoil in his stomach at the scene in front of him. He looked at Arthit bending over knock and his stomach churned, holding his breath.

"Oi, Oon?" Knock said as he saw Arthit bending down closer to his face until he could feel Arthit's breath fanning his face.

"You couldn't win over me P' not then, not now. I still couldn't believe how a man like you could smell so delicious, you almost made me want to be gay," he gurgled and releases Knock who swore violently as he rubbed his shoulder sitting back down across the table. The guys were ohing and laughing at the scene they're making and continued eating.

Kong released his breath that he was holding and closed his eyes for a second. He frowned wondering what had just happened to him. He felt restless and he covertly shot glances at Arthit. Kong was very close to Knock, they were buddies, in fact, they even shared the same bed but sex doesn't come into the picture and his restlessness had nothing to do with Knock but it was Arthit that got him stirred. Kong was so into his mind that he didn't notice Korn watching his reaction intently.

Arthit got up and took his leave as he said goodbyes to the group after giving each of them a Wai. He walked away in such a graceful manner that all stopped talking to look at him walking away.

"Why were you so worried about his feet just now, Knock?" Kong asked after they disperse from their friends and walking together to the car park. Korn tagged along since they were living in the same dorm building in fact next door to them.

"Feet are more precious than gold to a dancer, Kong, that's why," Knock answered in a matter of fact manner. Kong stopped dead on his tracks.

'Arthit's a dancer?" Kong asked Knock totally surprise that his eyes were as wide as saucers. Knock stopped and turned to look at him, frowning. Korn too looks at Kong in a weird way.

"Not just a dancer, Kong, he will be performing in the National Art Exhibition at the City Hall in two days.' Kong actually gaped at him.

"He gave me tickets but I still don't know who to bring with me to watch the show." Knock continued shrugging his shoulders.

"I'll go with you.' Kong said spontaneously and Knock looked at his buddy incredulously. Korn's face was grim.

"You want to go and watch a dance?" Knock chuckled but he stopped when he saw Kong nodded quickly with a serious face.

"You sure?" Knock asked again to reconfirm. Tilting his head sensing something from Kong's reaction but not really sure what it is.

"Yes." Kong retorted and continue walking.

"Can I go, too?" Korn said suddenly surprising Knock even more. Korn's face was unreadable but determine.

Two of his best buddy that he had known since forever was suddenly doing something that was not the norm and it made Knock felt uneasy but then it was just a dance, after all.

Right?

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