Summer House

Chapter Five

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Chapter Five

"Someone who has replaced you."

Arthit felt like stomping on Kongpob's feet while he watched from a distance, beneath the invisibility spell. He wasn't there to be placed in a position where he could be used to hurt someone else. Clearly, Kongpob had said that due to his angered state, not because he actually meant it. And it was mean and childish. Arthit was there to protect Kongpob and he was making it awfully difficult for him.

He watched May run after Kongpob who was about to enter the house. May seized him by the arm to hold him back. "Kongpob, please," she begged with desperation showing through her eyes.

Kongpob still had his back turned on May when he slowly uncoiled her fingers off his arm, saying, "Leave, May."

"You have to hear me out first," she continued persistently.

"I don't want to hear it anymore," he told her in return, climbing the steps of the porch to enter the house, and shutting the door in her face as if she meant nothing to him.

May stood in front of the door, stunned and baffled at the same time. "I won't leave. I can't leave!" she said, with the tears flowing down her pretty face. "I ran away—" she choked back a sob, "...I ran away from him. I told him I couldn't do it anymore."

The door was still shut on her. The only sound that could be heard was her ceaseless sobbing.

Using his powers, Arthit decided to open the door for his sister, only to have it knock against Kongpob who had been leaning against it.

The sudden force took him back by surprise.

May pushed the door further in only to face Kongpob's back. Slowly wiping her tears away, she spoke, "I thought I could do it. I thought I could stay with him, but I couldn't. I ran away instead. I want to be here with you."

Arthit had the story all figured out now. His sister had chosen to be with someone she never loved. She had fallen for Kongpob while her loyalty remained with her fiancé. She felt guilty and decided to end her relationship with Kongpob but she couldn't do it.

Who was this man who held such a claim on her? Arthit wondered.

Kongpob was still silent when May continued. "I never loved him, Kongpob. I agreed to be with him because he gave me everything. He did more than my own father did. But I have never loved him."

Arthit felt like an idiot. He should have seen it coming. His sister ran away to be with a man who offered him hope while Arthit was suffering from depression and his own demons, his sister found a way out, or so it seems, until now.

May lowered her gaze, almost ashamed at her own confession. "I'm giving that up now. For you, I'd give it all up."

May was risking everything to be with Kongpob, the suicidal human.

She must really love him, Arthit thought wistfully, realizing he would never have the chance to experience love like May. The more he thought about it, watching May's tear-filled eyes staring at Kongpob with the type of adoring feeling he hadn't had the chance to experience in his life, the more envious he became, whether he admitted it or not. 

He was jealous.

Arthit released a disappointed sigh and then said to himself, "Such feelings shouldn't exist. You're no longer alive, Arthit. Remember that."

Kongpob finally gave in and turned around to face May. "I don't want us to keep our relationship a secret anymore."

"I'm older than you. It had to be a secret." May responded defiantly.

It was love. Almost like a forbidden one. Dangerous love, Arthit thought to himself.

Anger flashed in Kongpob's eyes as he balled his fists. "But you don't love him!"

"I don't, I love you," May admitted, taking another step to throw her arms around him.

Kongpob stood in stillness for several seconds before returning the embrace. He held her tightly to him. "He's not worth it anymore. You need me as much as I need you," he muttered.

May started to cry again when she said, "Yes, I do. I need you."

Arthit realized that if Kongpob did not keep May by his side, he would eventually lose everything, including his own life. May was his anchor. The anchor that balanced life and death for Kongpob Suthiluck.

Arthit admired the way they held onto each other, and the way they gazed into each other's eyes. He knew love was the only thing keeping Kongpob Suthiluck alive. However, their relationship was painful and complicated, to say the least. The same secret love for May was also one of the reasons pushing Kongpob over the edge.

May pulled away and Kongpob placed a hand against her cheek, wiping away her tears. She smiled and thought flickered across her mind as she placed her own hand over his. "That man..."

Kongpob lowered his gaze and gave her an apologetic smile. "He's the housekeeper here."

May raised her brow in curiosity. "Housekeeper?"

"Yes."

"You didn't mean what you said earlier, did you?"

"No," he admitted.