Distant Signals: The Love Between Us

Chapter Five

For a moment, Arthit thought he'd fallen back asleep. The man standing in front of him—the one whose shock quickly gave way to desire as he took in the sight before him—couldn't be the real Kongpob. How could it be? No one except Dream-Kongpob had ever raked their eyes over his body with such blatant hunger, and he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the idea of it being real.

Kongpob licked his bottom lip and it made him weak. He flushed and tried to ignore the fluttering, nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Kongpob's lips moved and he watched them, entranced.

No matter how many times he told himself that night hadn't happened, he couldn't shake the vivid memory of kissing those lips. From the fervid need to touch Kongpob and be touched by him to the shameful way he whined when his junior pulled away from him that night—he couldn't escape it even in his dreams.

But he desperately wanted to forget. He wanted to escape what it meant, because a normal man wouldn't have kissed his male junior in the first place. A normal man wouldn't have enjoyed it. A normal man wouldn't fantasize about doing it again. And most of all, a normal man wouldn't have to worry about the implications, the consequences, of not being normal.

"P'?" A pause. "P'Arthit? Did you hear me?"

No. No, he hadn't but Arthit stayed silent, now frowning at Kongpob with apprehension.

"I asked if you were going to invite me inside. There's something we need to talk about."

Absolutely not. Absolutely fucking not. When Kongpob moved closer to him, Arthit automatically shifted back to maintain distance between them. "Kongpob," said Arthit, his voice as stern as he could manage. "This isn't a good time."

"But you're the one who said to come back Saturday to figure out a schedule."

"Schedule?" He had no idea what Kongpob was talking about, but ceased to matter when he spotted a familiar figure rounding the corner. His eyes widened in horror and his breath caught in his throat.

By some miracle, Prem hadn't seen Kongpob because he was too busy on his phone, but that wouldn't last long. He couldn't let Prem see Kongpob. Not here, not when he was dressed like this, not when it would lead to questions Arthit wasn't willing to answer.

Panicking, Arthit grabbed Kongpob's arm and unceremoniously yanked him inside, slamming the door behind them.

"P', what—"

Arthit clamped his hand over Kongpob's mouth and shushed him. After a second, he pulled him into the bathroom and said, "don't make a sound or I swear I'll punish you every single time I see you for the rest of the year."

"Why?" asked Kongpob. He raised an eyebrow at him like he didn't quite believe in his threat.

"Because I'm your senior and I order you to stay quiet." He turned to leave, but hesitated, his hand loosely holding the doorknob. He didn't want his friends to know about Kongpob. He didn't want anyone to know about Kongpob yet. Arthit swallowed thickly and looked back at his junior, suddenly feeling small and vulnerable. "Please," he said, quietly. "Kongpob, please."

"I understand, P'."

Uncomfortable, Arthit nodded and averted his gaze from the junior standing in front of him. He left, closing the door, and released the breath he barely knew he was holding. Kongpob would do as he asked—of that, Arthit was certain.

He leaned against the bathroom door and Prem, still busy on his phone, absentmindedly opened the front door, causing Arthit to jump up awkwardly. His friend glanced up from the screen to frown at him.