Sotus AU Collection

Off the rails - Part 2

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Arthit rocked his weight from heels to toes, happily drinking his pink milk.

The subway would be arriving at any moment and he couldn't wait to tell Kongpob about the big project he was set to be a part of. It was his first time being included in such a big project and, although he was nervous, he was proud his superiors wanted him on their team.

It had been a month since the two men had begun their daily conversations. Every day Arthit would enter the last the carriage of the subway at the same time and everyday Kongpob would be waiting for him with a smile, the seat right by his reserved with the camera bag. In the beginning, Arthit had insisted for him not to occupy a seat for him as someone else might want to take that place, but the younger quickly convinced him that there weren't that many people at that hour and one seat wouldn't make a difference.

Arthit had always been a reserved person even with most of his friend, but he found that the young photographer was easy to talk to, to the point where he looked forward to taking the subway every day.

During those twenty minutes, Arthit would tell Kongpob about how his work was going or the dumbs things his friends had done, and the younger one would do the same. In fact, at this point Arthit believed he must have known every gossip at the Kongpob's workplace, even asking for updates on his co-worker and friend Aim, who apparently had been smitten by the receptionist May for over a year at this point.

It was clear Arthit and Kongpob got along really well, even with the junior teasing the other at least once every conversation, but there was still one thing gnawing at the older. They had never even exchanged phone numbers.

It was ridiculous. If considering their initial written chats, they had been conversing for over a month now and yet there hadn't been any reference of bringing that interaction outside.

Although it had taken a while for him to admit it to himself, Arthit knew he wanted to be able to talk with Kongpob elsewhere besides a dirty subway, but there was nothing he could do about it. At least not something he was brave enough to do.

Kongpob had shown to be straightforward, so Arthit had assumed that the younger would eventually ask him for his number. But he hadn't, leaving Arthit to do the best thing he did and overthink about it.

The defining sound of the subway approaching took over as it entered the station. As it happened every day, the doors opened and Arthit walked in. However, when he looked to the usual row, there was no one on those seats. He looked around, but his usual company was nowhere to be seen.

The subway went back to moving, and Arthit was still standing up. Just to be sure, he walked over to the middle of the carriage, expecting to spot Kongpob waiting for him, but nothing.

"He isn't here today."

Arthit looked to the source of the voice, seeing the loudmouthed woman looking at him, sat beside the man who read the newspaper out loud.

"Excuse me?"

"Your friend." She explained adjusting the purse on her lap. "He wasn't at the station today."

"Oh." he muttered. He wasn't expecting that the recurrent characters they would comment on every day had also taken notice to their interactions. Awkward under her knowing smile, he smiled ever so slightly and thanked her, before returning to his usual seat.

The rest of the trip was a bit dull, but he simply drank his pink milk and planned on asking Kongpob about his abstinence the following day.

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