ADDICTED: NICOTINE

CHAPTER 38

The three men were outside sitted around a table beside the pool. Two of them subtly eating breakfast while the other was practically dead from the amount of alcohol he drank that morning.

"At what hour will you be going?" Kong asked, slicing the piece of meat that was on his plate. Arthit sighed before answering.

"Maybe after lunch, somewhere around 3 or 4 pm."

Kong nodded. He wanted to act like as if it was just one ordinary day where Arthit had to go back to their house and spend his weekend with his 'family'. Just like when they were in college.

The same goes with Arthit, they talked about this somewhere the day before. Pretend like it wasn't a grudging day where the countdown to d-day started. How Arthit just wished that somehow his old man got a heart attack and died on the spot. But he knew that would be impossible, as the man is as healthy as a wild weed in a garden. Stealing all the nutrients from the soil, leaving nothing for the other good plants. He knew since childhood that his father has always been an awful man. Beneath those sophisticated clothes and fancy jewelries, his father was a real monster. Stealing fortunes, selling drugs, managing brothels as a business, beating and killing his men, beating his own wife and child. But Arthit was too young to understand anything at those times, back then, he thought that the brothels that he was brought into as a child were just like any other place, just with a lot of women wearing revealing clothes, some none at all. He thought the packets of drugs that he found with his father were just flour, he even asked his father once as a child if he could use it in baking. When he saw his father beating and kicking his own servants, he thought his father was just disciplining his men for being naughty boys and not following his orders, just like how his mother and himself got beaten when they didn't please the old man. Years passed, Arthit grew up and learned that everything he believed in as a child were all wrong. But he didn't hold any grudges against his father. Not until that day when he finally came out to his family and brought his lover, a boy. His mother didn't even try to defend him. Kongpob had been extremely patient that day. A little too patient at least. Arthit admired how Kong could control himself at that time. While his own blood boiled at his own father. Their friends thought that maybe their father reacted that way because he was basically 'the heir' to all the fortunes. But Arthit knew that his monster of a father was the epitome of greed and gluttony. The old man only thought of himself from the start.

A weird sound startled Arthit from his train of thoughts. Khai shifted on the chair he sat on. His head against the table, he was.. Crying?

The pale boy frowned as he furrowed his eyebrows, he looked at his lover who sat next to him. He saw how concern was written all over Kongpob's face. It hurted to see one of your strongest friends break down in front of you. Arthit brought down the utensils he held and reached out his right hand to rub on Khai's shoulder.

"Khai? Are you okay?" Arthit asked, but it only caused the other to sob more.

"D-do I not deserve l-love? A-am I reall-y that b-bad of a person to not d-deserve it ?" Khai asked in between his sobs. His head still against the table. Not wanting to raise his head. Not like he had the energy to do so anyways.

"Of course you do. You deserve more than just that Khai. How could you ask such a question?" Arthit replied. What happened to them?

"Then w-why did everyone I love say that I d-do not deserve it? I-is it because o-of my past? I-i can change right? I-is being a player an i-irreversible thing? W-why c-can't he t-trust me? W-why doesn't anyone trust m-me?"

Arthit frowned more. Kong stood up fron his seat and went to his friend.

Splash

"Kong!? Why did you do that??" Arthit exclaimed before making his way to his now drenched friend. Khai looked surprised and stared at Kong who had a stern look on his face.

"He needed to wake up. The one you were talking to a while ago, that wasn't Khai. The Khai I know doesn't let people's words creep into his mind. The Khai I know isn't weak and pathetic. And the Khai I know doesn't give up just because he couldn't get what he wanted witg the first few tries."

Arthit was dumbfounded but mentally agreed. He took a few strips of table napkin and handed it to Khai who was still too surprised to process everything. But he knew, Kong was right. He wasn't this weak, pathetic, and miserable. He was disowned by his own parents, but did he care? He got rumors all around him but does he give a fuck? What harm does people's words do to him? Nothing. Wounds hurt but that's just because they weren't treated yet.

"You know what? You're right. This is isn't me. And I need to wake up." he slowly got up from his seat and stood in front of the pool. Inhaling deeply the fresh air that prevailed from the open space and then..

SPLASHHHH

Right before their eyes, their friend was practically drowning.

"Since when did Khai learn how to swim?" Arthit questioned his lover whose eyes enlarged from surprise.

"STUPID FRIEND! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM!" Kong exclaimed before signing his servants to grab their friend who was obviously struggling to keep up at the deep parts of the pool. Arthit was laughing out loud. Damn, his friends are helpless. But he'll exchange years of his life just to be with these idiots.

Khai was brought up by the guards, servants came next to him, handing him a dry towel while Kong and Arthit stood right next to him. The tall man received a smack from each of his friends.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?!" Kong exclaimed angrily.

"Hehe, I forgot that I can't swim."

Arthit facepalmed as he laughed. They went back to their seats and continued to eat their breakfast.

"So what's your plan Khai?" Arthit asked before drinking his water.

"I'm getting Third no matter what."