Love you, Hate you

Chains of heart

Kongpob slumps in his chair, exhausted after 15 hours of shift. He usually covers evening shift at the 24 hour convenience store. However, last night he has to cover for late night as well as morning shift too as both of the part timers has taken off without information. He is super tired and sleepy and hungry and just wants to lie in his bed. He groans as the bell chimes, signalling arrival of new customer. Rolling his stiff shoulders, he comes up to his feet, pasting a fake yet beautiful smile on his face," Welcome to CU.....Prae?..

Arthit's manager, Prae, is surely looking out of place dressed in an off white business suit, sashing towards him in her 6 inch hot pink plumps.

The young man rounds the counter, made his way to the smiling woman.

"Hi Mr. PA!!", Prae waves her hands cutely, hugging Kongpob who return the embrace awkwardly. He and Prae, both have worked for the same person but they have never spent more than 5 minutes in each other's company. While Kongpob was busy tending to his employer's whims, Prae was running around to get other jobs done for the actor. So, he couldn't even say that they are colleagues. Acquaintances. That's what they are.

"Hey!", Kongpob asked, his eyes searching around.

"He is not here. It's only me today", Prae said, answering the unasked question. She feels bad at the way later's face fell.

"I didn't asked", Kongpob explained, pulling up a cheerful face.

"Yeah, you didn't. Your eyes did", Prae said matter of factly.

Kongpob bites inside of his cheek, blinking quickly before curling corner of his lips in somewhat of a smile. "So? What trouble brings the great Prae here?"

"Why do you think that I'll visit you only if there's any trouble?",Prae rolled her eyes, walking towards the snack aisle.

Kongpob chuckled," ain't that true?".

Prae selects few snacks before making her way to the cash counter, "how much that would be?"

Kongpob picks up the bar scanner machine and starts the billing process.

"Cash or card?"

"Card please", Prae holds out the platinum card to Kongpob who takes it, swiping it across the machine.

"Thank you. Please visit again", Kongpob gives his professional smile.

Prae smiles ruefully, taking the paper bag," how about you visit us this time?"

"Us?", Kongpob tilted his head up in question," who?". He doesn't want to raise his hopes up. A whole month has passed since Arthit walked out of his life. He has not seen or heard from the guy. He also didn't tried to reach out to the elder. He has never felt this empty ever. Like he is a shell only. Even his father's death couldn't break him this much. He has people to take care of that time. His sense of duty and responsibility made him bury all his tears and cries. However, this time, nothing worked for him. Warm presence of his mother and Sia only made him hide in their embrace and wail silently without shedding a single tear. Though they asked hundreds of times, he couldn't find in him to answer them, going as far as foreboding them from contacting the actor at any cost. Cause in reality, he himself has no idea why is he sad. Is he sad cause he feels abandoned by other? Or because he is now aware of other having feelings for him in the past and how his ignorance has costed him what could had been a beautiful beginning of his love story? Why is his heart aching to get a glimpse of the rude jerk who never looked back once? Who made his own decision never asking what actually Kongpob wants? Who gave him a taste of.....

A pointed clearing of throat breaks Kongpob of his pondering. He looks up and meets expectant eyes of the young lady waiting for his reply. He shakes his head, denying. "Sorry but I don't think there's anything left for me to go back there. Our contract is over-