Way Back Home

32. Unexpected

Arthit let himself into his condo and dropped the packets he was carrying. Heeding Ben's suggestion, Arthit decided to take charge, and for that, he needed to be prepared. Leaving office an hour early, he picked up all that he needed to prepare dinner.

Seeing a little girl sell long stem roses outside the 7-Eleven, he decided to buy one of them, and on a whim, bought a loaf of bread, a few packets of instant noodles, along with some snacks, chocolate, and water and handed it over to the little girl after buying the rose. Opening the bag and seeing the food, the little girl's eyes lit up, and she gave a toothy smile.

"Thank you, Khun."

Patting her head, he squatted down to speak to her at face level.

"You are working very hard for your age, Nong. Be careful. Do not trust strangers, and never accept OPEN food or drinks. And NEVER agree to go anywhere if someone asks you to go along with them. Okay?"

Confusion marred the little girl's face, but she nodded. Giving her a gentle smile, he asked, "Is your mom around?"

"No, Khun, she is at work."

"Who is with you now, then?"

"My P'. He works in that corner of the road," the girl pointed, and Arthit looked up to see a boy looking in their direction. He signaled the boy to come over.

"Nong, always look after your sister, keep an eye on her, okay?"

The little boy nodded a little sadly in understanding, and Arthit guessed that maybe the boy already had experienced something untoward. The boy looked around ten, and the girl was maybe 5-6 years old. Arthit's heart broke a little, seeing these little kids out on the streets, working to support themselves and their families.

"When you go home today, tell your mother what I told you. Okay? She will explain it better to you. Understand? And share this with your friends as well. Okay?" He said, looking at both of them.

She nodded cutely, and Arthit asked her to repeat his instructions, which she did. Convinced that she remembers, Arthit bid them goodbye and headed home.

After setting the food on the stove, he quickly cleaned the room of any litter, and when everything was ready, he showered and sat down on the bed with a comic book. He was hopeful about this evening, but he didn't want to look too excited or over-prepared, so he tried to relax by reading his favorite comic.

Surprisingly he calmed down very soon. His jitters calmed as he realized that there is nothing that they can't surmount together. It was a new feeling for Arthit. It was Kongpob who had shouldered the burdens of the relationship mostly, and he was always the one more sure, certain, and confident. But now, Arthit discovered this new, confident side to himself, and he loved this freedom that came with it.

Smiling, he closed his eyes to enjoy the peace of the moment. Humming, with his favorite songs playing in the background, and the cool air of the aircon, Arthit dozed off unaware, and that how Kongpob found him when he came in.

Kongpob noticed how the condo looked cleaner than usual, and the aroma of food hit him the minute he had entered. He smiled. Arthit was doing so much for him. Doing everything he could to assure him. If only he deserved it. Dropping his bag, he went into the bedroom to find Arthit dozing, with a comic in hand, and he stood there watching him as his chest rose and fell gently.

He looked so peaceful and serene like a baby. Tiptoeing, he crawled onto the bed, getting close to his face, looked at him before bending down and smiling, he screeched,

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNN!"

Arthit jumped out of his sleep and sat up, shocked, hitting Kongpob's nose in the process. Tears gathered in Kongpob's eyes as pain shot through his head, and he fell back laughing while he tried desperately to control the pain. Dazed, Arthit looked around, gathering his thoughts.