Forget Me Not

Chapter Eight

Coming home to find that Knock had taken all his things had felt like a swift kick to the gut. Korn couldn't breathe; he couldn't think. It took all the effort he could muster not to double over in pain. But he couldn't fault Knock for feeling betrayed. He had done that. The guilt made everything a thousand times worse.

Up until that moment, he'd believed with all his heart, they could work things out. That it wasn't the end; not if he could find the right words to explain himself. To make Knock understand that he hadn't intended to hurt him. Yet that had been the outcome; good intentions or not. The confirmation had come with finality when he was staring at the empty hangers and the bare cupboards. At that point, there had only been one decision left to make.

Would he stay and fight or would he go and lick his wounds in peace?

Keeping his job at ABT hadn't felt like an option. P'Pete was there and he couldn't force Knock to leave if he didn't want to. Korn had to be the one to go. The only one who actually could. But he hadn't known where to go. ABT had been his first choice and he actually liked the job—even if some of the people left a lot to be desired.

Finding something like it or close enough that Korn didn't feel like he'd wasted the last six months of his life didn't seem likely. But he kept looking. Sending out resumes and hoping someone was willing to hire him with so little, by way of qualifications, to recommend him. He gave notice with no idea where he was going except away.

The advert for a position at CYZ Fabricators caught his eye during his lunch break with two weeks left in his notice. He was familiar with the company. So many of his fellow students had applied there for their internships but none had made the cut. He didn't think he would meet their strict criteria but he was willing to try.

It was the first time he entertained the thought of moving to a new city and he hadn't been able to shake. Galvanized by the decision to cast his net further afield, he'd started looking for jobs outside Bangkok. He could cut all ties and start afresh. Leave behind the weight of shame and guilt for all the things he had and hadn't done.

All his reasons for staying were no longer relevant. His family didn't want to see him. His friends thought he was an asshole and their judgement was not wrong. It just hurt more than he could endure day in and day out. The love of his life was so angry and upset with him, that he didn't want anything to do with him. When they passed each other in the halls of ABT, Knock was silent and aloof. Nothing Korn tried—not even his profuse apologies—could bring him back from out in the cold.

It was over.

That's when he received an invitation to interview with CYZ Fabricators. At first, he hadn't believed it. A call to the number on the form response assured him that he was expected. Then he'd tried to talk himself out of it. Easy enough to do when he realized he had to ask P'Pete for the time off to go out of town.

In the end, it was Knock who'd made the decision for him. They had found themselves in line at the cafeteria at the same time. Korn was paying for his lunch when Knock tapped his elbow. Just that one piece of attention had sent his heart racing with anticipation. He was ready to do anything Knock wanted if he would just talk to him.

Instead, Knock had handed him his credit card.

"Sorry. I forgot I had this."

"That's okay."

"No...it isn't. I should never have taken it in the first place."

Korn had reached out to Knock but he'd moved out of reach. Korn could have insisted, maybe even made a scene. But he'd done enough to embarrass Knock. He had no right to insist Knock give him the time of day if he didn't want to.