Arthit stops short in his steps, seeing a familiar face, amidst the hordes of unknown strangers. The driver has just dropped him off the airport. But before, the actor could ask for his tickets and luggage, the car has already left. He sighs, taking in the presence of his assistant. It had been hours since he left Kongpob at the motel to find his own way to the airport. He knows that he has behaved like a complete jerk to the younger one but he was hurt. Deeply. The scornful look in the eyes of his assistant like he is the worst scum on the earth panged his already bleeding heart more and he lashed out. But now after whatever went down with Namtan, he is relieved to find that Kongpob is still here. Atleast, he would not be alone through out the flight.
The actor made his way towards his assistant who seems lost in his own thoughts," What are you doing here?"
Kongpob jostled to present, getting out of whatever occupied his mind, and looks up. "Oh! you are here.. wait a second", the assistant gestures with his finger before he reaches inside his messenger bag and pulls out two boarding pass.
"Here. your ticket. Lets get going", The assistant handovered the flight tickets to his boss and starts to walk away but before he could, Arthit is grabbing his wrist, stopping him from moving.
"You didn't answered my question earlier. I asked, what are you doing here?? why didn't you left with the crew?", the solemn expression of Kongpob is not settling well with the actor. After the stunt he pulled in the morning, he has expected his assistant to be plotting ways to murder him but here he is, standing before him, talking to him like nothing has happened. It is only a sign that something more drastic is waiting for him in the future.
Kongpob breathed through his nose to stop himself from snapping out at later. He jerked his hands free of the grasp and pins the elder with a look which is part annoyance and part....Arthit breath hitches seeing the specks of guilt in those crazily fascinating warm brown liquid pools. He has clearly not expected to see this emotion in younger one's eyes more over aimed towards him. Anger, hate, distrust - these are the three prominent sentiments, he has witnessed in his assistant's eyes since that day two years ago. He can never forget the day, when the affection and respect Kongpob had for him, dissipated the very second he had been accused of selling confidential information of Suthilaks Groups to their rival firm.
"Look!"
"I am looking", Arthit answered without missing a beat, forcing his assistant to close his eyes in frustration before he opens out both his palms, in a placating gesture. Whom he is mollifying is still a mystery to the actor.
Pink tongue darts out a bit, wetting the rosy bottoms before going into hide as Kongpob continues," I can't afford to quit this job. So, don't push me to do the same with your -
"But when did I pushed you away", Arthit cuts off the male and steps closer. Leaning into his assistant who tilted back the same time to put the much needed distance. But it didn't stopped the actor from shifting closer to the younger as he murmurs in his deep, rough around edges baritone, making Kongpob gasp when he was pulled closer by a hand around his waist," If ask truthfully, I want to be the only one close to you. So close that you forget your very own existence..".
Kongpob takes a sharp breath when something soft and cold pressed just behind his ears and that was his wake up call. He pushed the other away and looked around before wearing the hood of his white hoodie, covering himself wholly.
"Are you crazy??? What if someone clicks a snap?? You are a celebrity, don't forget that", Kongpob grits through his teeth before walking away. He can't believe that even after everything, the actor is being this much careless. He is pissed at the evil witch for wrongly condemning his boss. He is angry at the actor for being in this mess in the first place. And most of the above, he is enraged at himself for being the reason for whatever is going to happen in the future. He is just so done with life.
On the other hand, the actor feels something warm sprouting inside him, seeing the younger one getting worried for him. A tiniest bit of hope surging, that may be it's not too late for him and Kongpob. May be there is still a chance for them. Just....may be....
*******
.....There is no way out. I am trapped in this for my whole life...
Kongpob feels his eyes glazing as he keeps his gaze firmly on the stamped papers. Words swimming in his vision. He can feel his hands shaking, his hold on the inked pen loosening like there is no life in them as he drags the nib over the paper, scrapping his name at the bottom of the crisp white papers. Papers stating how his name has changed for always like his life. The very first tear dropped just beside his signature. But before second drop can make its way to the same, the lawyer closed the file and throws a polite smile at the present audiene," Everything is processed and done. I, officially announce, Arthit Rojanapat Kongpob Suthilak as husbands Congratulations!"
The younger one felt wind getting kncoked out of him. The last of his semblance on reality snapping. His vision gets mucky as his surroundings whirled and then everything is black. He feels someone holding him but except the dark hole, he could not see anything. Nor he had any desire or wish to open his eyes after selling his freedom in hands of the doom. Two phone calls and his whole life turned upside down.
What a clusterfuck!!!
A Week Back
Kongpob is sitting on the floor, hugging his knees close to his chest, tucking his face in the tiny space between his things and torso, resting his back against the footboard. His head is aching with whatever went down 2 hours ago when his boss left him after.....no no don't think about it....The man still in tee and shorts shakes his head to flush the memory burnt inside his brain and groans when felt the dizziness. He can not describe what feeling is more protrusive. Hate? Anger? Disbeilief?? Revulsion??? or all of it? He also is unable to think of any plausible reason which suggests why the elder kissed him? To show his superiority?? To flex how much control he has over him??...then what were those words??...
"What did he said? What?? He touched me?? hah!! incredulous!!", The ivory skin person snorted at the ridiculous thought. He tilted his head to the side, straining his memory, scrounging any blip which suggest otherwise. Tapping his fingers against his chin, Kongpob talked to himself," when?? when such thing happened??..No! Not when, but why? Why?? why he even touched me if I believe his bogus words for a second???...and why do I don't have a single memory of it??...
Throwing his head back in frustration, when nothing of this made any sense to him. Sitting upright, the male rub his hand through his freely falling bangs and pep talked to himself, trying to not go into panic again," He was just bluffing Kongpob. Nothing of this sort ever happened. He is just making plain stories. The only time I had slept with anyone wa...NO! DON'T EVEN GO THERE...the assistant abruptly stands up as the blurred remants of that formiddable and humilaiting encounter flys past his vision. He taps himself on the cheeks, reprimanding his own self," HEY!! SNAP OUT OF IT KONGPOB!"
The assistant takes a sigh of relief when untmaed flute OST fills the air, signifying the incoming call. Thanking heavens for sending the distraction at the right time, he picks up the call without bothering to check the caller ID.
"Hell-
"Phi!!! save me! save me phi! I am scared. I am so scar-
"Sia!! is it you?? what happened??? where are you???", Kongpob panics, hearing the terrorized and hysterical voice of his younger sister.
"She is with me. Little one!", a grave, stone cold voice replaces Sia's and all hair stands on the young man's neck at the mocking endearment used by the caller. He can hear the sniffles of his sister in the background.
"Why have you gone all quiet?? Cat got your tongue, little one??"
Kongpob felt the ground shifting beneath his feet. He has to grip the bedpost to keep standing on his toes. His throat dried in fear as his brain supplies him with the pictures of the devil who is owner of the voice taunting him over the phone.
"E..Earth ?"
"Bravo! You got it right little one", the voice is rough, owning a taste of smugness.
Nausea bubbled up inside Kongpob, making him light headed and woozy. He felt like crawling out of his skin as he revisits the past where he first had the misfortune of meeting the older male.
Earth. Earth Danchipadya.
One of the loan sharks whom his father owed debt. The younger one is spiralling down the pitch hole, remembering the shady side business of Danchipadya. Adultery. He is a known name in the world of sex business. From porn movies to sex clubs to escort services. He had a part in each and everry thing which is tenebrous. The first time, he approached, Kongpob was just a naive boy who had lost his father recently and was under millions of debts. Unknown to the type of work Earth had for him, the young boy agreed to join his firm and work there in lieu of the payment of the debt. But when Suthilak boy came across the real deal, he fleed, bitting of the customer and ran away, only to get caught by Earth himself. Kongpob was so sure that he would get assaulted that day but the devil showed him an ounce of mercy and gave him 2 years to clear off his arrears or he would own the young heir. The assistant realised that he had missed the deadline alloted to him, two day back.
"WHERE IS MY SISTER YOU BASTARD!! I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU LAYED A SINGLE FINGER ON HER", Kongpob screamed with rage but except a bone shivering cackle nothing is retoted to him. Making the young one realise that the sick fuck is getting off his fear. Just like last time. Taking a deep breath, the young man demanded to speak to his sister,"GET SIA OVER THE CALL RIGHT FUCKING NOW OR ELSE-
"Else what?? Do you really think that you are in any position to make demands?", Earth sneered, making Kongpob gulp in fear...Be calm Kong! you need to be rational here and don't flow in emotions. He has Sia with him. You need to buy time....
"Little one? You there?? Helllooo!! my little one !!", the pointy, ragged yet sharp from edges, voice sing songed over the phone, getting the young tan man out of his inner monologue.
"Please! Please don't do anything to my sister. She is innocent. She don't even know that you existed. I have made the deal with you. She has nothing to do with you", Kongpob pleaded.
"You are right little one. But what to do when you are not here to get claimed by me?? tsk tsk tsk !! poor Sia! Getting a good for nothing father and a coward brother as family", Earth tsked, outright insulting Kongpob, who bites off his lips to stop from hurling some colourful words of his own at the old man. He clenched his teeth and begged," I day. Give me only 1 day. I will return each single penny of yours. Please!!"
"1 day?"
There is excitement and curiousity with hint of maliciousness hidden in those words but Kongpob doesn't have time or luxury to ponder over that.
"Yes 1 day. I'll pay all your dues as soon as gets back to Thailand. Just wait till the, please"
"Okay. Only 24 hours, my little one. If you failed this time, I won't spare either of you. I would sell your sister to the highest bidder out there and for you....you can't even imagine what I had planned for you", Kongpob shivered at the emotionless threat and wrapped his arms around in sort of protection.
"Don't you dare to play anymore. I won't be as clement as before. You know what I mean, don't you?", the sinister laugh resonated before the call gets disconnected. And Kongpob dropped on the floor, as the actual intent behind those words finally dawned on him.
With help of the old lady who is also owner of the love motel, the young man reached the airport as soon as possible. First he had to get to Bangkok as soon as possible. But while making his way inside, he happened to see his boss getting escorted out by the authorities. Accord to the job responsibilty, it was Kongpob's duty to check upon Arthit, but at the moment his sister needed him the most. Thus, he dropped a text to Prae- his boss's mangaer, informing her about what he had witnessed and was going to aboard the flight when an unknown number flashed on his phone screen. He was ready to let the phone ring and not pick up because his gut feeling was at its peak. Surmising him of the impending doom. But there's also a part of him who whispered...what if the call is from Sia??...and that passing thought alone was enough to halt him in his hurried steps and block all those warnings his sixth sense is bombarding him with.
Swiping at the screen, he picked up the call and a very familiar female voice greeted him, and everything changed for Kongpob after that.
" Hello Mr. Assistant!"
"Au..aunty Luna?"
"Looks like you still remember voice of your good for nothing nanny"
******
2 days later in Bangkok
"Thank you Aunty. I will be indebted to you for forever. What you have done for Sia and me, afterr everything-
"Stop right there young man!"
Luna cuts the young man mid way. Her once affectionate eyes regarding Kongpob with a disdain at the moment. Standing up from her enorgomous sofa, where she was busy filing her nails, she makes her way to where her former boss's son is. Her walk full of elegance. Dressed in a enchanting shade of dark maroon, knee length dress with sheer lace covering the upperchest and arms, milk white collarbone peeking out of it and an expensive branded black stilletos screaming of money and power, Luna is looking stunning. Far away from the clumsy, always seeking forgiveness for any thing and every thing, self depreciating yet honest and hard working nanny of Kongpob who was a second mother to him.
"I have not given you money out of charity. You know it, don't you??", the elder woman pinned Kongpob with a withering look, making the assistant fidge under the glare. He nods and lowered his eyes to the furnished ground, finding the cubicle box tiles more intersting.
"Thats good then", Luna said abruptly and turned on her high heels, making clanking noise against the hard surface as she resumes back her previous seat.
"You already are aware of the fiasco happened in Seoul. That bad witch wrongly accused my baby. How audacious!!", Luna growled in anger. Missing the small smile which teased the corner of Kongpob's lips hearing the W word...she calls her by the same name..proud of you Aunty!...
"...no sooner the news would hit Thai buzz world. We have to be prepare for that. So, be ready this saturday. Only invite your mother and sister and one more person to be signed as the witness from your side. I have made all arrangements. You just have to go and sign on the papers-
"Papers?? Sign?? I don't understand...", Kongpob jumped in between, trailing off seeing the blank stare of his boss's mother, trying to make a sense of the jumbled words.
"Oh! You were not paying attention earlier, were you??", the old lady sniggered. Her lips curling in smirk as she derides," Oh Jesus!! Thats so funny". Wiping her not so existent tears, she looks down on her emloyee," Be prepared. You are getting married to my son"
"WHAT?", Kongpob's jaw slacked at the revelation. He opened his mouth to refuse when Luna's next words pushed him off the cliff.
"Don't you dare to even think of oppossing. You have already sold your freedom to me"
********
"Luna, don't you think you should talk to Oon first?? I mean, I know you are doing it as a defence to Namtan's next counterattack. Yet, forcing our son to get married....isn't it too much??? Keeping the fact that our Arthit had feelings for young master in the past, aside, do you really think our son is not over his first love..after everything??
Luna who was applying night cream over her face, stops in her act and stares at her reflection in the mirror placed in front. And the night she and her husband were thrown out of the mansion after their son was sent into the prison for a crime he never committed played their like a movie. Their tears, pain, shame, insults, her Oon's gut wrenching screams when he was getting beaten by those cops inhumanly rings her ears and a sole tear drops of her left eye.
"It doesn't matter if Arthit still has feelings for that kid. By the end of this marriage, my son would be free of all the pain, that kid inflicted upon him"
"What..what do you mean by end of marriage?", the male voice sounded perturbed.
"My Arthit has always wished for that kid. Even now, he is not able to see beyond that fake mask. I will make sure he sees the real face of that Suthilak kid and end this relationship on his own. So, that he could finally move on in his life and meet the right person who understands him, cares for him, give him lots of love and affection and make him forget all the pain, his first love has given to him. This way, the evil witch and that kid, both would be out of my son's life for ever"
"You sound so selfish Luna. What about young master then??", the tone rebuking.
"I. Don't.Care. For me young master died that day. The child I had upbrought with so tenderness and care and affection, showered him with my mothelry love which only has Arthit right over.... that life died two years ago. Now, that kid is no one to me. Yes, I am selfish and greedy. And why would not I? I am a mother. And I will do everything for my son,I could not had done before-
"But you are also young master's mot-
"NOO!!!"
Luna screamed, flunging the bottle of moisturiser against the mirror. The fragaile piece gets unhinged from its edges and splitted. Gradually the crack elongates to the end spreading all over and then the pieces are falling apart.
" I AM NO ONE'S MOTHER EXCEPT MY ARTHIT'S"
******
I know I know the leap was so unexpected and the pace seemed so rushed. Also, I have briefed the marriage part. But I don't want to stretch the story unnecessarily, by skirting on the edges. Characters need to grow as well as the story needed the change to introduce other characters. So, I took the plunge😊
Do read, vote, share and comment. I feel happy reading your words:))
13-5-2021