Letters to my beloved [Complete]

Chapter 25

Kong's POV

I think I may be a genius. A regular Einstein of our generation I tell you. Even I couldn't help but marvel at how brilliant my plan was. Well, the marveling part came long after I managed to get over the embarrassment of making an utter fool of myself in front of P'Arthit.

It's a date? IT'S A DATE?!

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Here I was trying to fix my relationship with P'Arthit and then I go out blurting about dates. Seriously, if I wasn't so convinced of my brilliance I would have called myself a doofus. I already know how awkward our relationship has been over my...my gayness and my spazzing out was definitely not helping.

"I didn't mean date. Like sure a date. But not date date. What I really meant was..."

Thankfully, he put me out of misery by giving me a rather uncharacteristic snort before picking up his bag and walking away, leaving me mid-way in my sputtering of damage control.

Phew!

Atleast he had shown up for our definitely-not-a-date dinner which gave me the opportunity to put my plan into motion. And what was so brilliant about it you ask? Kill two birds with one stone.

Now contrary to my blabbering mouth, I wasn't particularly thrilled at the idea of coming up with innovative ways to push Turtle towards his junior. And as much as it pained me to think of a heartbroken Turtle I am definitely not that selfless that I want my crush corralling around with someone else. Especially when that someone doesn't even appreciate what he is missing out on.

What I did want to do though was find some way to cheer him up. Pep talks contained within short messages only went so far. And to be honest I was too scared to bring up trying to meet up again. I don't think I would be able to bear it if I got stood up a second time.

While I had to figure out how to make Turtle smile again, mission number 2 in life was to try and finally call a truce with P'Arthit. I might not know the real identity of Turtle, or too much about P'Arthit beyond our never ending pranks, but I did know for a fact that beyond anything else under the sun both of them had one thing in common.

Their utter love for food!

The cherry on top was that I already had a ready-made list of all the restaurants I knew Turtle had always wanted to go to. Which means for the past five nights I have watched as P'Arthit happily stuffed his face while I managed to arrange for a paid meal for Turtle as a gift.

See, I told you. Absolutely brilliant. Along with overwhelmingly effusive thank you's from Turtle I also managed to hang out with P'Arthit in the longest time without one fight. Not even a minor argument. I think there was even a hint of a smile at one point. If there was one tiny thing that annoyed me was that P' hadn't let me buy him dinner even once yet. Wasn't the whole point that I treat him? How the hell was I supposed to make up for everything if he kept pulling the senior card and never let me pay for anything. Tonight was definitely going to be different though. For once we were going to a place of my choice. Somewhere I imagined going with Turtle one day. There was no way I was letting P' even touch his wallet tonight.

My gait feeling uncharacteristically sprightly as I thought ahead to our date, wait! not date, definitely not date, dinner tonight while making a mental list of things I wanted to write in my next message to Turtle.

My feet carrying me fast towards my apartment to change before I was scheduled to pick up P'Arthit from his apartment. A quick glance at my watch told me I had more than enough time to even make a beeline towards the library since it had become rather common for Turtle and me to exchange more than one message a day. Maybe I should think of leaving a burner phone along with the restaurant gift card the next time around. Make it a little more convenient to nurture our friendship and my very one sided crush.

I was almost at the building of the library when suddenly my steps halted all on its own as I saw P'Arthit exiting. He was at the library? Somehow, thinking back this was definitely not the first time I have seen him hang around here. And before I even had time to let the thought of him frequenting my most cherished place and what its implications meant completely sink in my attention was snatched away to a completely different problem.

"Arthit!"

A pretty looking female loudly called out his name and then all but bounced towards him, her arms engulfing him in large bear hug. My eyebrows shooting up towards the sky as I took in the rather unpleasant sight. My shock increasing ten-fold when instead of shoving her away he actually wrapped his arms around her too. Their reunion looking a little too cordial for my liking.

I had barely begun processing what I was looking at when he linked his fingers through hers, firmly holding onto her hand as they began walking away from the library. It took me a few moments too long before my paralyzed brain jerked into action and launched in their direction.

Why exactly was I following them? I guess the answer is exactly the same as to why my mood was insanely screwed up when I had seen him on a date the first time around. Which basically means I have no bloody idea why I am reacting this way. And as soon as that thought floated through my head I immediately recognized her from that day. My feet moving that much faster as I tried to catch up to them as they entered through the doorway of, no points for guessing, Adele's Café.

Seriously was I destined to spy on P'Arthit and his date through this blasted window for the rest of my life? Except this time around I had absolutely no intentions of running away from the saccharine scene playing out in front of me. The masochist in me must be in full bloom since I was finding it extra hard to snatch my gaze away from the couple.

My ire only increasing as he threw back his head and roared with laughter at something she said. After five whole dates with me and he had yet to even crack half a smile and here he was shamelessly flashing his dimples at her.

His weeks of Mr. mopey demeanor completely vanishing in a poof as he looked at her with eyes dripping with affection. And here I thought his depressed behavior had something to do with me. Turns out he was just missing his girlfriend. Doesn't that make me feel like a complete jackass?

My already bleak mood darkening to full blown thunderous rage as the woman nonchalantly reached out and pried his wallet from his hands. Removed a few bills from within with blatant entitlement and skipped over to the counter to place their order. Curses automatically wafting towards the woman I have never even spoken to before. That is money he should be spending on me dammit!

And while I was very much still surrounded by the cloud of gloom I saw P'Arthit pick up his phone and type something quickly before placing it back in his pocket. He had better not have done what I think he did. But just a second later the beep on my phone confirmed my fears.

"Hey Kong, something came up. I won't be able to make dinner tonight. Sorry."

Oh, hell no!