My Chocomallows Cake by ARIE78 (on hold)

Chapter 29

There was a half-burned salmon on the table. With orange juice and an 'Thanks' inscribed on the burnt fish with sauce.

Forth picked up his chopsticks and prodded the charred thing.

"Uhhh..." Beam trailed beside him. "I'm sorry I messed up again. I'll go make another one-" he whipped around to head for the kitchen. He'd taken hardly a step forward when a hand caught his wrist and pulled him down.

Pause.

"P..phi?"

Beam was staring at the hand on his wrist.

Forth forced him to sit and shrugged mildly. Picking the fish, he fought hard to keep himself from wincing at the sight of it.

"It's... not that bad."

"You haven't even TASTED it!" Beam bellowed.

To defend his opinion, Forth cut a piece and slipped it past his lips, praying to live till tomorrow. He chewed it slowly, trying to get past the... well, burnt taste and tried to find something nice to say. He swallowed it down painfully and grabbed the glass of orange juice.

"It's... delicious!"

At Beam's dubious expression, he took another bite and forced it down. "No-swallow- really!"

"You're lying!"

"No..."

'You look constipated! Give it back!"
"I SAID GIVE IT BACK!" Beam could not get the plate from Forth's hand so he just resorted to throwing it out of it.

The plate crashed to the ground, the loud sound stunning Forth into silence while splinters scattered across the floor decorated with bits of burned salmon in between.

Beam just stood there glaring at Forth and panting with fists closed as the anger consumed him. He did NOT want anymore of this kindness. What is WITH this guy going out of his way to be nice? If Forth would have JUST left him alone then maybe it would not hurt leaving so much.

When the anger died down a little he took in his surroundings and realized what he had done. "I'm sorry! I'm really really sorry." He bowed low a few good times, "I'll clean everything everything! I'm sorry!"

Beam started picking up the big pieces of glass from the floor, "I'm sorry. So sorry." He repeated as he picked up a piece that had landed right beside Forth's foot. What if he had hurt Forth? Why does everything he does cause a problem. Useless. For the second time that day Beam realized his father was right.

If there was one thing he always looked forward to, at the end of every exhaustive day... it was that idiot's smile. Not his confused frustration, not his shivering as he stood, not his string of apologies. Had he scared the boy so much that he now sputtered 'sorry's for every random mistake?

Forth wordlessly dropped down next to him and started cleaning up. Beam stared at him, astounded, brown eyes already on the verge of tears.

"Why... do you keep doing this?" the younger asked, face still buried under his bangs as quivering hands fetched a rag.

"Doing what?" Forth questioned. "Trying to make sure you don't hurt yourself? Seriously, Beam, you're so clumsy-"

"Not just this... everything."

Forth paused in his movements and glanced at him.

Beam quirked a sloppy smile, still avoiding his gaze. "I'm just a stranger, aren't I? You don't have to serve me because I'm your boss's son. He hardly remembers that I exist. Hell, you won't even get a promotion for being nice. And I don't even know what comes after a head chef. You pretty much hit a road black, huh? I say, you should go to Italy. And then, I'd see you on tv and I can brag to others 'Hey, I know Mr Forth Jaturapom!-"

Forth flicked his forehead and smirked.

"Stop rambling, stupid. I'm not going anywhere."

Beam scowled, rubbing his head.

And the smile on his face slowly vanished.

"No, you're not the one going anywhere..." he murmured, low enough to keep it to himself.
"Did you say something?"

Beam quickly shook his head. "Not really."

"Ah okay. Would you mind if I went to bed, then?"

Beam shook his head again, "Go ahead Phi."

Forth bowed slightly before grabbing his discarded coat.

"hmm..." Forrth turned to look at him.

"Would you like to eat Chocomallow cake? Together?" Beam asked him hopeful.

"I'm not very hungry. Some other day, okay?"

Beam tried to hide his disappointment, "Okay. No problem."

When Forth left Beam dropped into his blanket with a sigh. Failing to have made any memories on what is probably the last time he'd see Forth Jaturapom. Beam sighed again before finally closing his eyes.

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

He'd have liked to have slept till noon.

Wasn't that how he spent his usual Sundays?

Brush teeth, cook breakfast, do laundry and nap the entire day.

Sure, there had been a slight change in the routine over the last few months... but he was still the same.

Wasn't he?

The bell rang loudly and insistently, cutting through his thoughts. Muttering a few choice curses, Forth forced himself out of bed, emerged out of his room and headed for the front door, taking his morning temper out on a poor laundry-hamper in the way. He unlatched the chain-lock and opened the door through a crack and found himself looking at the newspaper kid- Philip... who was still pushing the door bell with an unrivaled vigor.

The small kid stopped at the sight of him, and drew back in alarm.

"You again! What is it?" Forth asked hurriedly.

Philip looked up at the man towering above him. "Uhh, Mr Jaturapom, t-this... this is... last month's bill," he said and passed him the receipt.

Forth glanced at it narrowly and looked back at the kid.

Philip fidgeted, wondering whether he'd get scolded again. Everytime he visited the Jaturapom apartment to collect the dues, he'd get yelled at for coming at such odd hours and for creating a ruckus. And today, Mr Jaturapom looked aggravated as usual.

But much to his surprise, all Forth did was press his temples and shake his head.

He ventured back into his apartment, returned with his wallet and paid the amount.

The elated boy pocketed the money, still surprised by the change in Forth's manner. Deciding to push his luck, he lingered, looking up at Forth expectantly.

Forth sighed, pulled out 300 bath and gave it to the kid.

"That should suffice right? No more abusing my doorbell, ok?"

The kid nodded enthusiastically and disappeared, musing whether it would rain today.

Forth shook his head in disbelief. Closing the door after him, he slumped back into the living room, not noticing the empty mattress  or the note lying on the table. If he looked back, he wondered why he hadn't realized it sooner. There had been signs- signs he'd chosen to ignore. Like the silence of his home. Like the absence of a cheerful 'Good Morning' he'd grown so accustomed to. But he didn't. 

ARIE78: Hi guys, lucky i'm in da mood to write but seriously this is kinda hurting by making Beam suffer, can't do anything. My Forth is too dense lor. Will make it better but have to bear with it for now na 😉. Comment and vote as usual. Will see into it. Tks a lot for the support.