Twisted immortality

XIX - Defeat

Henry

It was almost the end of January. Henry really did feel like the end of the year had relaxed him slightly. There had been an especially hard time when ajeossi called and told him about Songkarn coming to the estate. The phone call was short, but still, in these couple of sentences he said, Henry could tell how bad it had been.

It took a lot from him to not think of a way to get back to Bangkok. It would be like making all the effort he made to disappear from his life, a joke. Henry had been totally ready to lose any and all bet's to just see Songkarn for a minute. To comfort him. But how could he do that? It wasn't like he could stay with him. And to give him hope, without an actual chance. What a cruel act that would be. So, he managed to stay in London. And he walked and exercised. Basically, Henry did anything healthy to get himself tired enough to not go to Songkarn. He couldn't drink. Henry was sure that he'll probably lose it then and will find him on the plane on his way to him when he came back to consciousness.

It was another day at the office, as they say. Henry liked it. At 12 am there was supposed to be a meeting with his old company. The contracts had been drawn and the plans had been put to work based on his own vision. But they still had the last signing event. Henry was told that the vice president would come, so he wasn't worried. Though Henry had left the company, he still wanted what was good for them and also for his new company. It clearly was a win-win situation.

It came out that he had not prepared for one, only one situation. Why? Did his subconscious figure it out before he himself did? Was it a maneuver from himself or from him? If the latter, how did he figure it out?

As soon as they stepped into the room, Henry was done for. The air wasn't breathable anymore and the air-conditioning wasn't working. Was it supposed to be this hot in the middle of winter? Henry felt how the sweat was pouring down from the nape of his neck.

How could this happen? Did he usually glow like this? What was wrong with his eyes?

진짜로~ really~

Henry was over a millennium old, how could a boy of mere 29 years of age rattle him with such ease. All he had to do was step into the room. 'Just you dare to show any kind of emotion at all', henry warned himself. He'd been living for this long, with so many difficulties and in the end, he couldn't perish in the hands of a mere boy. He is just a guy who isn't even that important to Henry anymore.

'Don't forget! He will be ruined if you forget the reason! There won't be anything left for his friends to collect, later on, to hold up. If you let him get into your life again.'

"Hello gentlemen. I guess this is the time to introduce both counterparts." The meeting was commenced in a normal businesslike manner. Whoever at any time watches towards the two bosses on the opposite side of the conference table would have been miffed. The tension between the two CEO's seemed to be something one could sense. As if it was so hard one could cut it with a knife. Though as apparent strangers both were making their hardest to not notice one another, and they both failed miserably.

If looks could burn he'd be nothing but a pile of ash. One's eyes looked as cold as ice and the other's smoldering like fire. Nobody could understand what was going on with them. Henry thought they didn't even dare to look at them after this continued for an immeasurable span of time. Henry thought that his expression stayed calm though he knew how Songkarn looked at him. He was totally sure, that it was from the millennium of practice in any kind of situation that he was able to stay relatively calm. Though right at that moment he couldn't be sure whether if it looked the same to others.

Henry could see how big of an effort it was for Songkarn. His eyes were fuming with anger and betrayal and something else. Hope?

It felt like years, sitting behind this table. Watching him and having to answer the questions these morons were throwing their way. Henry knows he was a bit unfair. But let's be honest. This meeting was absolutely unimportant right at that moment. Why couldn't these kinds of signings be accomplished by the internet? Then this situation would have never occurred. In the pit of his icy feelings, there was a small fire that he couldn't put out. Henry wanted to reach for Songkarn and hold him in his arms. To relish and love the warmth. But alas, it was impossible. The part of him that was logical and calculating, told Henry to not show any emotion. To not let him have any chance for hope.