Always You

11

Kongpob's POV

My hands stilled on the knob as a distinct voice floated to my ears. A voice I had heard only once but which stuck to my mind like fast glue, no matter how hard I struggled to banish it.

"Arthit! Mae told me what happened with Paa. Why didn't you call me? You know I would have been there."

"I know. I didn't want to bother you."

"Seriously Arthit? I thought we were family."

"Of course, we are. I am sorry, okay?"

Paa? Mae? Family? Her entitled words further sunk me into the cloud of despair I had consciously shut my eyes to.

"How are you holding up?"

"Oh, you know me. Perfectly fine."

"Of course, you're my strong baby." Her high-pitched giggles reverberated through the thick walls and into the bathroom, slapping me right across my face. Yep. It was time to leave, for good.

I opened the door and stepped out, glancing anywhere but at the entrance by which she stood, ruffling Arthit's hair. He was smiling as he turned my way. She widened her eyes in something that seemed like recognition.

"Kongpob meet Prae, one of my closest friends." He looked at me fondly before introducing me. "And this is Kongpob, my boss."

Right. A friend who calls him baby. Is he seriously going to lie to my face? I think I'd given more credit to his morals than what they deserved. Contempt curdled in me as he kept beaming.

"Hi! It's lovely to finally meet you. Arthit keeps talking about you." She grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously, as if she was genuinely happy to see me.

Prae. The pretty name suited her. She gave the impression of being vivacious and kind, and not a bitch I secretly hoped she would be.

The knot in my stomach became prominent and my darkened face turned towards Arthit. Had he dropped his conscience in a gutter somewhere? Or had he completely forgotten what had happened before his girlfriend arrived? He was talking to her animatedly, narrating a funny anecdote related to me while Prae was listened intently. I felt the morning's breakfast almost rise up to my mouth. I needed air, before I threw up the entire contents in my stomach.

"Kongpob. What's wrong?" Arthit came to my side and raised his palm to grasp my face. But I sidestepped his touch, gaping at him. I caught the confusion that laced his eyes before I turned to watch Prae. She appeared amused at something. Focusing my attention back to Arthit, I considered him as coldly as possible.

"I need to leave."

"Kongpob wai-

I had already walked out with my eyes firmly to the ground, deftly dodging Prae's gaze.

XXXXX

'Drinking is injurious to health', a warning I repeated mentally even as I was on my fourth glass of whiskey. The ice-cold liquid burned ironically as it descended down my oesophagus and settled into my stomach. Each sip of the golden liquid bringing me one step closer to a heart stroke.

Every time my shattered heart resorted to drinking, in futile hopes of cobbling itself together, the only consequence that followed was a toilet bowl full of purge and nauseated intestines the morning after. But since my drinking is deliberately restricted to Fridays and Saturdays, it wasn't a big issue.

This one night was an exception. The next day was a working day and I would have been screwed to my core if I drank any more than I already had. But on the brighter side I wouldn't have to face Arthit after ignoring all his calls and messages. So, I picked up the bottle to pour myself another peg.

At the exact moment, I got a call from dad, which I bitterly received. After the routine greetings and grumbles of rarely visiting home, he finally caught on to the fact that I was drunk. My mother's scream rang through the speaker and I had to hold the cell farther away from my ear drums lest they tore apart.

"It's a weekday Kongpob Sutthiluk, have some shame!"

"Mom, I am very much in my senses right now and far from drunk. Just tipsy."

"I never knew I raised a perpetually intoxicated workaholic." Well now you do.

"Mom please, I am really tired. Can we have this conversation tomorrow?"

"You need a girl in your life to keep you grounded."

Here we go again. Now I love my parents, a lot in fact, but all they did these days was complain about my work being over the top and how lucrative a girlfriend would be. They kept pushing daughters of family friends and acquaintances my way, practically begging me to go on dates.

"Oh, by the way. That reminds me...do you remember Fang, my best friend's daughter?" Smooth, mum.

"Yeah, what about her?"

"Her mother told me that she thinks you're handsome."

"Wow. The validation feels great." I couldn't be more enthusiastic than this.

"Would you then be interested in going out for coffee? With her?"

"No."

"She is really pretty and is a doctor. See? Smart too. So,why not?"

"Because..." I scrambled mentally through all plausible reasons, unable to find a single one to refuse a date with a beautiful girl. Yeah Kongpob, so why not?

"Okay."

"Really?"

"Yes Mom. I think I should start dating now. I am not any getting younger."

"Wow. I'll tell her mother and set up a date for you both to meet. I'll also send you Fang's number. It's better you talk to her prior to the date."

"Sure." I heard her squealing in delight just before she cut the call.

I didn't know what I did just then. I wasn't even sure if a rebound from a non-existent relationship is a good idea. But I was sure of one thing, I needed to date before I fall deeper into the abyss called Arthit. I maybe smitten but I wasn't about to lose my ethics over it.

And in the aftermath of this realisation, the fifth peg of alcohol that lay untouched since, was flushed down the drain.