Single dad Arthit has always known Kongpob, a regular at his cafe, as a player. The latter brings in different partners every month and Arthit swears he'll stay away from him for good. However, life seems to have a different plan for him when Puimek...
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"P'Arthit, if I promise to be seriously devoted to you, will you be my boyfriend?"
The liquid in Arthit's cup sloshes lightly. Kongpob's dark eyes bore into his and for a split-second, he questions how sincere the younger man is.
Is he making fun of me? Arthit blinks, averting his gaze shyly.
"Um... when Puimek gets better, we'll be leaving," he says instead, completely missing out of the way the younger man's face falls a little due to the rejection.
"You can stay here as long as you like, you know?" Kongpob draws back with a tight smile. He ignores the little throb in the centre of his chest at how the older man tries to escape from him as soon as possible.
"Stop spewing nonsense, Kongpob." Arthit sighs into the porcelain, his hold on it tightens unconsciously. "If... Puimek and I stay, you won't be able to bring your partners over."
Kongpob gives him a weak laugh, an opposite display from the bitter taste that's bubbling within his throat. So, Arthit has just rejected him twice. Casually.
"Well... if you were to be my boyfriend, I promise I won't bring anyone else over," he tries again.
"Kongpob!"
"Or you can rent a room from me."
"I can't afford it." Arthit exhales tiredly, placing down his cup.
"You can come live in my heart and pay no rent," shrugs Kongpob, dodging a hard slap to his shoulder before a naughty grin appears on his face. "Okay, jokes aside. It's easier for you to live here, isn't it?"
The older man nods with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. Namtarn's reason for leaving him starts echoing deep in his mind. "It is. But I need to stop being selfish and cause inconvenience to people around me."
"P'Arthit, stop pushing yourself too hard." Kongpob stares at the side profile of the man beside him and wonders if he should say what he's about to say. "Don't mind me asking but have you ever thought of giving up Puimek at the orphanage?"
Arthit swallows hard at the question, eyes flitting up to lock with the other's. Of course, he's thought about it. He's thought about it once in the beginning when his ex-wife left but because it's Puimek — sweet and considerate Puimek — he couldn't bring himself to do it.
He might not be able to take care of everything and his daughter might need to hold back on a lot of things but— does it mean that I'm not capable of raising her?
