Forever and a Dae

Family Dae Part 1

Kongpob woke up at 6am watching the sleeping form of his boyfriend beside him. Arthit had his back on him, curled on a ball, looking dead to the world. He knew if he woke up Arthit this early in the morning it would result to glares and incoherent growls of protests. So, he checked on Dae if his junior was sleeping comfortably.

    Oddly enough, Dae was in the same position as his boyfriend was, with his mouth slightly opened, breathing on a steady pace. For a second Kongpob saw Arthit in Dae which made him smile but he brushed it off as nothing but mere coincidence.

    He thought of grabbing the three of them breakfast at the cafeteria after his morning jog, so Kongpob tried to move as quietly as he could. In normal circumstances he could just walk freely without having to worry he’d wake up his boyfriend – because he sleeps like a log, but they have a guest as of the moment so he had to be careful not to disturb Dae.

    As he was about to open the door, Dae rustled on his makeshift bed. Kongpob halted, watching the guy carefully. Dae squinted at him which made him remind of his boyfriend every morning he tried to wake up Arthit in the morning.

    “I didn’t mean to wake you up,” he gave an apologetic smile at Dae.

    His junior looked around him, seemingly wondering where he was. He noticed a solemn look on Dae’s face when he looked at him which made Kongpob think Dae must have missed his parents so much.

    His junior looked vaguely disappointed when he told Kongpob, “It’s okay, P’,” Dae stretched his arms and said, “Are you going out?”

    “Yeah,” he said. “I jog every morning.”

    “What time is it?” Dae looked at the clocked before turning to him and saying, “Can I join?”

    “You jog?”

    Kongpob watched Dae as his junior stood up, grabbing some jogging pants on his bulky bag. “My Pa made me jog with him every morning,” he said, “It became a habit. I always wake up early anyway.”

    Dae had his back on him as he changed into his running gear. Kong wasn’t able to run yesterday morning he figured he’d accompany Dae since the kid just had an emergency that night.

    “Ready?” Dae smiled at him.

    Kongpob nodded and smiled back.

    “I hope P’Arthit would join me but he’d probably kill me first,” he joked.

    Dae chuckled whilst they get out of the room, from under his breath he said, “That’s not gonna happen.”

    He ignored the comment s they head downstairs.

    It felt nice having company with jogging at the morning. He’d pass by other joggers from time to time, nodding at them occasionally, but having someone join you exercise in the morning felt good. Kong ran at a slower pace, being mindful of his companion but Dae seem to hold on his own – proof of his habitual jogging as his junior had put it.

    There was a contented smile on both of their faces as they ran a couple of laps around the complex. And after the last one, Kongpob waited for Dae to catch up to him, handing his junior a water bottle he purchased earlier. They were drenched in sweat but Kongpob felt light.

    “Thanks, P’,” Dae said after gulping his water, “Running in the morning wakes up the body. It feels nice.”

    Kongpob furrowed his brow.

    He tried coaxing his boyfriend to run with him at 5 in the morning once. Kongpob tried everything from begging to luring Arthit out of bed with the scent of pink milk, just for his boyfriend join him that morning. Arthit had conceded with a deep sigh and an obvious protest for that morning but nonetheless, Kongpob was happy.

    “C’mon, P’Ai’Oon,” he had chuckled, watching his poor boyfriend catch his breath. They have only been running for a lap and Arthit had looked like he was almost ready to pass out. “Running in the morning wakes up the body!”

    “Running kills you!” Arthit had had panted.

    He could only laugh silently and shake his head over his boyfriend. And since then Arthit had voiced out his refusal to join him jog by throwing things at him every time Kongpob tried to wake him up in the morning.

    Kongpob was about to say something when Dae’s stomach rumbled. His junior gave him an embarrassed smile and Kong’s words died in his mouth. He doesn’t know what to make out of this kid. Dae was a mystery to him; knowing only a fragment of the boy’s history. All he knew was that Dae had needed help and Kongpob provided it.

    He was feeling hunger as well so they head to the cafeteria to buy some take outs. Arthit would surely be still sleeping – probably on the same position has they had left him, it was a Sunday after all, and Arthit had to take in a lot last night from the conference and from the news that he’ll be having a temporary roommate.

    Kongpob had plans for this day with his boyfriend but he wasn’t sure if they could go out. He could leave Dae alone at his dorm but he’d feel bad and Arthit would probably think the kid’s going to steal everything and leave.

    He could, in theory, go out with Arthit together with Dae. But the thought of Kongpob letting Arthit know already sent shivers down his spine. He’s sure Arthit would turn cold and he doesn’t want to annoy or upset his boyfriend even further.

    They head back to his room when they grabbed their breakfast. Dae had been eyeing the pink milk while Kong bought it and so he offered a cup for his junior but Dea politely refused him.

    As Kongpob thought, his boyfriend was in the same curled up position as they had left him, Arthit’s left foot was sticking out of the blanket so Kong tucked it back it. He turned to Dae to set up their meal but the kid was watching him with these somber look in his eyes.

    Dae blinked when he was caught and started preparing their food. They both ate in silence letting Dae take the shower first after they’re done.

    It was already past 7am and he was getting a bit bored. Kongpob grabbed some change of clothes from his closet, placing it on the table. He crouched down next to the bed, facing his boyfriend’s sleeping face. Kong tried poking Arthit’s cheeks which made his senior scratch his cheek before scrunching his nose.

    He laughed softly. “You’re so cute, P’,” he whispered.

    Kong gently kissed Arthit’s forehead before heading to the balcony to grab his towel. At the same time, Dae finished his bath, emerging from the bathroom naked with his towel wrapped around his waist.

    He stopped dead on his tracks when he noticed it.

    That’s a gear.

    It was unmistakable. Dae was wearing an engineering gear as a necklace.

    This made Kongpob stare at Dae, wondering how his junior had one in the first place. The gear is a symbol that you’re an engineering student, that your seniors acknowledges you as their junior, a part of their department. In cases of transfer students, they receive their own gear by the end of the school year.

    But Dae already had one.

    He must have been staring hardly because Dae hurriedly put a shirt on – trying to act as normally as he could.

    “It was given to me,” Dae said when Kongpob got nearer to him.

    “Your lover?” Kongpob raised his brow. That’s the only explanation he could come up with as to how Dae got in possession of a gear.

    Dae went silent and grimaced. “You could say that,” he said weakly.

    Kongpob nodded. If Dae wasn’t comfortable in talking then he’d give Dae his privace. But to say that Kong wasn’t curious was untrue.

    He went to shower to clear his mind.

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AN
I'm back!
I'll be writing part 2 as soon as I can.
Thanks again for reading. I hooe you're enjoying as much as I enjoy writing it.