The cupcake guy

Chapter 25 : Think about it

Oak was surprised to see his cousin, usually so imperturbable, be so much stressed. Indeed, Kongpob had never been the kind of person who easily show his weaknesses, but at the moment, he was as confused as a fish out of water.

"Don't make that face, Kong ! I won't tell anyone !"

"What are you talking about ? I didn't kiss anything !"

Oak rolled his eyes as he sighed. Even Kongpob's voice betrayed his confusion.

"Because I intervened in time ! You may be my favorite cousin, as long as this painting is mine, you will not put your lips on it without my permission ! Having said that, if you own it, you can kiss it all you want... But if you want my opinion, kissing this lovely young man would be much more interesting, wouldn't it ?"

At once, Kongpob gave him an incendiary look.

"Don't talk nonsense... I'm dating P'John, you know that, right ?"

"I know that... but you..."

This time, the student seemed angry. Since childhood, Oak had always enjoyed teasing his cousin, but he had never been as successful as today. Kongpob even seemed to want to leave to avoid other insinuations, when Oak asked.

"Do I understand that you don't want to buy it ? That means I can sell it to the guy who wrote me this cheque ?"

Kongpob's reaction was immediate. He moved forward to the painter's chair, ready to take the cheque he was holding in his hands. Oak, quick as a flash, hid the piece of paper in his jacket's inner pocket, like a child refusing to lend his toy.

"No, no, no ! I protect my potential buyers' anonymity !" He defended himself. "But know that even though he's not as rich as you, I was really willing to sell it to him... He was really under the spell, but I don't know if it was of my painting or the model... Anyway..."

"I buy it Oak. Give me your price." Kongpob's voice interrupted Oak like thunder. "I want to... offer it to P'Arthit when our relationship will be back to normal..."

By saying this, the young pastrycook had felt a deep sadness, because the more time passed, the more he had the unpleasant and unbearable feeling that he was moving away from Arthit. He felt that fate's hands were now trying to keep them apart. If he had approached his lips from those of his portrait, it was because he felt lost and abandoned, to the point that he no longer knew what he was doing. He missed Arthit. It was the only thing he knew for sure.

"What a sweet lie..." Oak whispered, without Kongpob hearing him. "One more baht than this will be enough." He added by writing the amount on his hand's palm. "But only because it's you. Otherwise, know that this pretty face really interested this man, so... don't take too long to ask yourself if you prefer him or his portrait, because you could be outdistanced faster than you think..."

Kongpob acted as if this remark didn't concern him. He forced himself to keep an impassive face. However, it was only a facade because in reality, he was furious without understanding why. Perhaps he was indeed jealous. He didn't want to share his lucky charm with other people. He didn't want Arthit to be friend with other people while he was clearly setting him aside.

"Ai'Kong !" Oak called him before he left his study. "Kissing a portrait may be less serious than kissing someone, but it's probably even more revealing..."

As his cousin was leaving, Oak shook his head. There was no more blind than someone who didn't want to see, and that was exactly Kongpob's case. Oak had also kissed one of his paintings and now, Prae was his wife. He did not think that this was a logical and obligatory sequel, but he doubted that his cousin was fully satisfied with his current love situation, if he was consumed by the desire to kiss someone else's portrait.