The secret of our true love between us and everything in the middle

Chapter 31

      The days went by as smoothly as possible as it could go. KongPob and San worked together, trying to bring some sort of normalcy between them. It had been two weeks since December started and the whole country was in preparation for the holiday coming up. The cafe had launched their annual Christmas Menu with additions of sweets and treats. They also dorned on new staff clothes with Christmas hats and red-white aprons. Trim had taken the initiative to decorate around the shop since the first day adding trimmings and little decking every now and then.
    KongPob hummed along a Christmas tune that was playing lowly behind the counter as he frosted the newly backed ginger bread cookies. P'Mun had introduced these new snacks as an experiment and had taught the rest how to make them as Christmas approached and business boomed to higher rates.
He smiled to himself as the cookies came out brilliantly and put them on the display front. The front door opened and a bubbly, elf like Trim burst through with much energy and Christmas spirit. She was decked out in a red outfit and had sparkling eye pieces around her face.
       “P'KongPob!! Merry Christmas ka!!” she shrieked as she smiled brightly at him.
       “Good morning Trim. I don't want to burst your bubble but Christmas is still far off. You seem very happy today, anything special?”
      “Oh, P'KongPob ka! It's Christmas season so it's Christmas day ever day and yes, there's a special occasion. Let me go get them.” she said turning serious as she stepped out. KongPob watched after her, trying to see what she was doing. A few minutes passed before the door dinged again and KongPob turned to see what was happening. Poor Trim was struggling with a big sack, trying to bring it in. KongPob immediately qlwent to help since she was causing foot traffic at the door.
     “What's all this Trim? What are you carrying there?” KongPob uttered aa they carried it to the back.
       “These are my presents for you. The ones I promised you and some for P'Mun and P'San even though I really didn't want to. Anyway, I brought enough for all of us.” She began unpacking the gifts from the bag and it was sure to say that KongPob was the biggest beneficiary from it. For P'Mun, she had gotten him a famy portrait and many dream catchers for his daughter. For San, she had simply made a fancy name bracelet and necklace. Not much for her least favourite guy. And for KongPob, he had a total of 4 gifts. A self-made lotus pot(she said if he and Arthit planted something in it together, good luck would come to them), a portrait of himself, an invitation ticket to a famous Chinese house(she really wanted to treat him to some fingerlicking hotpot) and lastly something special- a small painting of KongPob and Arthit. Trim had only seen him once but she had strong visual memory and wanted to give KongPob something personal and meaningful.
       KongPob felt immensely touched by the gesture, it was the perfect hand size and the picture depicted KongPob and Arthit leaning into each other, their heads touching each other with a bright flame between them. It was honestly the best thing ever in the world.
         “Thank you krap. This is beautiful. I honestly didn't even expect all of these. It is more 5han enough. You didn't have to do all of this.” KongPob replied as he held the picture close to him.
     “Oiiiiiiiii P'KongPob ka, it was more than my pleasure besides, I owe it to you for all the times you took over my shifts and for making this place an enjoyable space to work. I really can't imagine you not working here anymore after the holidays end but that's for another day. Besides, you are my favourite between P'San and P'Mun so it's natural to give you more. So, you have to accept them all because I am not taking no for an answer,” Trim sassily said back and KongPob smiled.
        “OK krap. Thank you. Now, let's get back to work.”
       “Yes sir!!”

   They resumed business as Trim took over the counter and KongPob joined San out to wait the tables. Things were still a bit frosty between them but KongPob was glad to see San keep his distance and try not to go after him as he intended. KongPob felt a bit guilty for doing that but he knew it was the only way to help San from hurting himself further by pining over him. It was much better this way.
      The cafe was much more busier than usual as the peak season kicked off and all three of them were on shift until the night. Their last customer finally left at 8 pm and the trio got the chance to sit and relax.
     “I had forgotten how busy it could be during Christmas. Ahhhhh, my feet hurt from standing up tooo much, my cheeks hurt from smiling tooo much and my whole body smells like a biscuit. I'm sooo tired,” Trim complained as she lay her head on the counter top and massaged her head.
  “It's been a busy day but we've made a good profit. I think that's worth celebrating.” KongPob commented as he finished wiping the tables and pulled the close sign over the door.
  “Mhh. Anyway, I should head home now. I have alot of dramas to catch up on especially these holiday specials. Kindly give P'San his and his brother's gifts and tell him I left. Goodnight P'KongPob ka.” Trim called out as she hurriedly grabbed her things and rushed out the door. KongPob waved in farewell as he also hurried to finish up and head home. P'Arthit was having a company dinner that day so KongPob wanted to get home as quickly as possible so that he would welcome P'Arthit when he arrived. He managed to get everything in record time and grabbed his things in record time and grabbed his things to leave as well. He only had one problem; these gifts that Trim had brought. The couple picture and invitation fitted in his back but this huge pot and self portrait were too big to fit and too heavy to carry alone. It didn't help that Trim had taken the sack that she had come with so KongPob had nothing to put them in. He stood there pondering what to do about his situation.
      “Need a little help?” KongPob heard as he turned and found San looking at him from the second floor. He looked down at his luggage then back up at San and reluctantly nodded his head.

     The walk back to the apartment complex was in tense silence with only the sound of the city surrounding them. KongPob was slightly ahead busying himself with his bag and portrait while San followed behind with the pot in hand. Few words were exchanged as they walked slowly in the direction of P'Arthit's condo. KongPob was uncomfortable but did not want to show it, choosing to be as natural as possible for the sake of both parties and show that they could be ok with each other. He wanted San to see that they could coexist without any complications and possibly even become friends even though his gut was twisting with a strong bad feeling that something would go down.
       KongPob tried to ignore it regardless and went on though there was much conflict in his mind. On the other side, San was in his own world. He had been at war with himself since he had been rejected for the second time. Sure, he had kept his distance from KongPob but his mind had been on him the whole time. This round full of questions and dark feelings.
Why did KongPob insist with Arthit? There was nothing special about him at all!! The man was a low ranking guy, had an off putting attitude and moreover incapable of loving KongPob the way he could. I mean, San could already tell that Arthit wasn't ready to be opne with his relationship and it would soon bother KongPob in one way or another. No one would stay in a hidden relationship for long no matter how much they loved each other. It was impossible and that's why San was the better choice. He could give KongPob that freedom because he wasn't shy of judgement and criticism from others and neither did KongPob seem like it. They would make the perfect pair of only KongPob could see that and stop hanging onto Arthit before it was too late. These were his thoughts as he walked KongPob home and thought of how he would properly talk to him.

    They were about 60 metres away when a taxi came to a halt in front of the apartment and Arthit got out. He was in a rushed state as he too had hurried to come home to his sweet boyfriend before it was too late. The dinner had taken too long for his liking and Arthit had politely excused himself stating that he had other commitments to attend to which his coworkers jested that he was going to meet his girlfriend, which was partially true. Anyway, he paid the driver as sok as he got out and turned to leave when he saw KongPob in the distance arriving as well though he wasn't alone. That bastard San was with him. The sight alone made his blood boil.
      KongPob had yet to see P'Arthit as San suddenly engaged him in conversation as they walked. It wasn't about 40 metres away that San noticed Arthit getting out of the car and a devious thought got into his head. He waited until Arthit noticed them and when he was sure that his eyes were on them, San did another unthinkable thing. He grabbed KongPob forcefully by his shoulders and smacked their lips together painfully. KongPob's body went to error mode, Arthit immediately saw red all over and the only thing heard was the shattering of the lotus flower pot as it hit the ground.