SOTUS 143

Chapter 2 FB:Between Life and Death

FB=flashback

<

It's been a year and they are still standing. Whatever qualms they had before Kongpob went to his study were quashed. Arthit's initial fear that they wouldn't survive the long distance was refuted. Dare they say that this physical separation made their relationship even stronger.

Uncharacteristically, Arthit was the clingier one of the two while Kongpob was abroad. He would always check up on his junior, asking if he was doing well or if he had taken his meals. However, he also knew to give Kongpob some space for his studies.

That's why Arthit was shocked when Kongpob came back to Thailand halfway his study. He was ready for Kongpob to hear it from him when the latter texted him to pick him up from the airport, but he can't deny he was happy they'll be reunited once again.

Turns out, Kongpob had a three week break before his finals that semester. He knew he had to study but he decided to study in Thailand, where his motivation was.

And truly, Kongpob was motivated to study. He'd wake up early and sleep late. But he didn't just study. His mornings included making sure Arthit was ready for work. His afternoons involved tidying up the apartment. His evenings were about ensuring Arthit had a nice dinner to welcome him home.

This was the daily life of Kongpob and he wasn't complaining. He was grateful that he is able to work on himself and their relationship concurrently.

Similarly, Arthit was grateful. He now had more time to focus on his work, albeit the many breaks taken to talk to Kongpob. He was excited for the work day to end not because he didn't like his work but because coming home means being able to spend time with Kongpob once again.

The two weeks they spent together, from rushed mornings to long passionate nights, felt oh so short. Next thing they knew, Kongpob had to go back to China to take his exams.

The night before Kongpob had to fly back, both of them had difficulty sleeping. Arthit can't help but remember when he was ready to break up with Kongpob before he left for China. The uncertainty if they will survive the distance was his main point back then. After one year it was manageable, but not without hiccups.

The first months were about learning how to cope with their new setup. The middle months were smooth sailing...more or less. The last few months, not so much.

With impending changes in the Procurement Department, Arthit had to readjust his work pace to meet the changes in the department. First, Todd has left the company for another endeavor. Earth was supportive of this but it doesn't change the fact the team is now down one man. To add to the pressure, Danai said he will be retiring soon now that Dae is about to graduate, leaving the team with just three members. Earth said that someone will be coming soon to help alleviate the workload but that newbie will have to undergo training first before he or she can fully help.

Kongpob, on the other hand, was feeling the pressure. At the start of the program, he basically had to learn economic concepts from scratch. As the semester progressed, the theories became more complex, and he had to work doubly hard to keep up with his peers. Not to mention the language and cultural barriers that made things alienating for him.

In the last few months, they had less and less time for each other. Shorter video calls, fewer memes sent, and no more random check ups. They didn't really talk about how it came to that point. There was just a mutual understanding that they both had their own shit to do.

That's why the two weeks they spent together was special. The time apart made them hungry for each other and the passion in their time together is a validation that the fire is still there. Now that they have to separate again, it felt like going through the uncertainty phase once again.