The motorcycle turned into an abandoned steel rolling mill. The road was filled with numerous potholes, and the tree leaves were covered with a thick layer of dust and soot.
During the 70s and the 80s, the steel industry was booming. As a result, the employees who worked in the steel rolling mill were held in high esteem by the people surrounding them, and often had an easy time landing themselves a marriage partner. Indeed, regardless of which era one lived in, one would always be subject to societal hierarchies...
But Fortune is fickle, and along with the various transformations in the New Century, people gradually began to perceive the processes of the steel rolling mill as being extremely inefficient, wasteful, and harmful to the environment. The decreased reliance on steel mills ultimately resulted in the steel rolling mill laying off its employees and declaring itself insolvent.
This plot of land was thus left abandoned for more than a decade. Presently, the steel rolling mill remained in a dilapidated state, and constantly seemed to be on the brink of collapse. Only the innermost staff dormitory remained upright, its walls greatly darkened by its prior constant exposure to the black fumes spewed by the steel mill.
The motorcycle came to a sudden halt, causing Arthit to bump into Kongpob's back. Arthit hurriedly grab hold of his helmet and readjusted his position. Holding Kongpob's shoulders for support, Arthit carefully climbed down from the motorcycle as he grumbled. An old-fashioned staff dormitory loomed ahead of Arthit. In the late afternoon, wisps of cooking smoke drifted out from various doorways, causing the entire building to look like a huge honeycomb that was on fire.
Kongpob said, "This way."
Arthit turned back to look at him.
Behind the thick, lush trees, there was an old building that consisted of two storeys in total. The shutter doors of the building were shut, and didn't seem to be capable of inhabitation, but resembled a goods transfer station instead. There was a rusty iron staircase on the right side of the building, connecting the second storey to the first.
The tree leaves gave off an extremely pleasant and fresh smell; beneath the foliage, thin and delicate strings of white silk hung from the tree branches, akin to an astounding pearl curtain. Upon Arthit walking nearer, Arthit discovered that there were white, fat bugs hanging at the bottom of the white strings.
A cold shiver shot up Arthit's spine. He carefully avoided the white strings and began climbing the stairs.
On the second floor, the corridor was covered with a thin layer of coal ash. Various plastic bags, old bicycles and other waste objects lay strewn around the corridor.
Kongpob squat down, unlocked the shutters, and lifted the shutters in one fluid motion. The metallic shutters clanged noisily whilst dust motes swirled around in the evening light. Momentarily stunned, Arthit blinked a few times before a small smile formed on his lips. Turning back to look at Arthit, Kongpob asked, "Why so happy?"
Arthit lowered his head, "This door......is very......cool."
Kongpob looked at Arthit expressionlessly and didn't make a single sound.
Arthit continued, "Motorcycle......also."
"Also what?"
"Also, very cool."
Kongpob remained expressionless. Lifting the shutters fully, He marched into his home quickly. Once his back was turned towards Arthit, his lips curved into a quick smile before returning to a neutral expression. Turning towards Arthit, he said, "Come in."
Arthit hesitated for a moment before following him into the house.
The interior of the house was extremely dim, and the hot and humid smell of his bed sheets filled the entire house. It smelled like scent of the mulberry trees outside, or the scent of the rain soaked ground – slightly bad and moist, but filled with vitality.
Arthit looked at Kongpob – as his arms were raised to pull the shutters down, the lower hem of his T-shirt rose along with his shoulders, and revealed a thin and lean belly with numerous unfamiliar and sexy lines carved on it. Arthit blushed and quietly averted his gaze.
Grabbing hold of the edge of the shutters, Kongpob pulled the shutters down in one swift motion. The shutters clanged down immediately, only stopping at Kongpob's lower waist. Lifting his feet, Kongpob stepped on the edge of the shutters, causing the shutters to be completely shut.
Kongpob didn't lock the shutters. Instead, he walked to the lamp and tugged at the light switch which was hanging in midair. With a loud crackle, the white ceiling lamp flickered on, the dim yellow light resembling a light bulb filled with fireflies.
The reddish glow of the setting sun shone through the gap between the curtains, dividing the room into two halves; one half consisted of a simple bed and wardrobe whilst the other half contained various tools and machinery lying around in a messy fashion, along with a slightly heady scent of oil.
As the window faced west, the room was extremely warm and stuffy. The moment one entered into the room, sweat would immediately seep out from one's skin, as though it were mushrooms sprouting from the mud after the rain.
Kongpob dragged the fan over and switched it to its maximum speed, causing Arthit to stagger from the force of the wind. His hair whipped onto his neck, and the wisps of hair covered his sweaty skin like cobwebs. Upon seeing Arthit's flustered state, Kongpob snorted, "Are you made of paper?" Grabbing the kettle, he brought it to the tap and began filling it with water.
Arthit removed his guitar case and placed it on the table. He then removed the wild strands of hair which were plastered on his face, and looked around curiously. There were numerous posters stuck on the walls, featuring Sakuragi Hanamichi of slam dunk, Monkey D. Luffy of one piece, and Thongchai Mcintyre. The paint on the walls had yellowed and cracked, clearly unable to withstand the test of time. Some parts had even swelled up, as though it was the skin of the elderly.
Kongpob took out a few packets of Mama Ok noodles, and asked Arthit, "Which do you prefer?"
Arthit quickly glanced at the available options before answering, "Sour and......sour and spicy...beef."
Kongpob towered over the table, tearing the plastic wrapper seasoning packets open with ease. Arthit went to his side and tried to help. However, just as Arthit tore the sauce packet open and squeezed the sauce out, Arthit accidentally stained his fingers with the sauce. Kongpob took one glance at Arthit before grabbing a tissue and wrapping Arthit's finger in it. Pinching the pale finger, Kongpob rubbed it carefully before removing the tissue from Arthit's finger.
It was as though he was handling a child's hand – all nooks and crannies must be carefully wiped clean before the tissue could be thrown away.
Arthit raised his eyes to look at Kongpob.
Kongpob had already turned around to fill the instant noodles with hot water. After pouring the hot water into the cups, he quickly found two books and used them to press the lids of the instant noodle packets down. One of the books was a English textbook meant for students in Year 1 of High School. The cover had been torn off, and the characters in the book were conversing.
– How old are you?
– It's a secret.
Arthit looked at him, "You......" He had just begun enunciating when Kongpob's dark, black gaze swiveled over and settled on his face. Arthit stiffened for a moment and stared at him for two seconds before continuing, "How old......are you?"
Kongpob's gaze remained fixed on Arthit's face. Coolly tossing the question back to him, he countered, "How old are you?"
"Six......teen."
Kongpob's lips curved into a slight smile, "You began studying at such a young age?"
Arthit nodded his head. He wanted to tell Kongpob that he had even managed to skip a few grades, but decided to swallow his words as he was afraid that he would stutter in the process. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, he asked, "You?"
"Almost Eighteen." Kongpob leaned against the table, and began to fan his collar. Suddenly, he asked, "Are your studies any good?"
Arthit replied, "Good."
Kongpob paused, and looked at Arthit for some time before continuing, "You're not lying?"
Arthit pouted, "Nope."
Falling into silence, Kongpob reached for a new pack cigarette on the table and tore the packet open. Taking a cigarette out, he placed it in his mouth, his thoughts unreadable from his expressionless face. Finally, Kongpob removed the cigarette and said, "You look rather stupid."
"..." Arthit reminded him, "You, said that......before."
Kongpob looked at him, "You looked rather stupid then, and you still look rather stupid now, so it doesn't matter how many times I say it."
Arthit: "......."
The heart of the youth is an extremely sensitive one; Arthit gradually came to a realization that perhaps, he had given a wrong answer to his question; or rather, he had simply answered too quickly.
The reddish glow of the setting sun gradually dimmed with the passage of time. Kongpob went over to the windows and pulled the curtains open. Pushing the windows open, the buzzing noise of the crowd streamed in. The cool evening breeze entered the house, and brought the aroma of freshly baked bread with it; the remnants of the setting sun shone golden against the darkening sky, as though it was the shiny glaze on confectionary bread.
"Something.......smells nice." Arthit commented while tying his hairs in a bun.
Kongpob cast a quick glance at his watch, "Two more minutes."
"Hmm?"
"After two minutes, the man responsible for collecting discarded household appliances would pass by in a motorcycle, the train bound for the provincial capital would pass by, and the freshly baked coconut bread would come out from the oven." With a agile jump, Kongpob leaped out of the window and disappeared into the night.
Shocked, Arthit rushed to the window and peered out.
There was an extremely narrow cement ledge beneath the window which was connected to the emergency stairwell. The emergency stairwell was, in turn, right next to the walls that surrounded the steel rolling mill, and an old and dilapidated alley lay beyond the walls.
Without expending much effort, Kongpob clambered onto the walls and leapt down into the alley before swiftly disappearing into the bread shop located opposite the alley.
The alley was bustling with activity in the evening; tailors, canteens, bread shops, cobblers and various other shops populated the area. A bicycle bell rang out amidst the hustle and bustle of the evening, and Arthit could hear a man hollering at the top of his lungs, "Buying and collecting—– Scrap Metal!" Further away, Arthit managed to spot various railway tracks that led into the distance.
Arthit returned to the table and removed the English textbooks from the lids of the packets of instant noodles; upon lifting the lids of the instant noodles, a wave of hot air rushed at his face. Luckily, the noodles weren't overcooked.
Beep——, the train whistle shrieked shrilly in the evening. Arthit raised his head, a gentle smile forming on his lips revealing his cute dimples.
Kongpob clambered onto the window in one swift motion, pausing momentarily when he saw Arthit. Arthit was partially illuminated by the glow of the setting sun as he stood by the table, tearing the lids of the instant noodle packets. As the fan rotated from left to right, the wind caused the side of shirt to slip off his shoulder on various occasions, his fair and smooth skin evident beneath the thin, white material.
Kongpob felt small flames of desire shooting up his chest from the area beneath his belly. His throat itching with thick desire, he helped himself through the window and swiftly pulled the curtains shut. Within seconds, the room grew dimmer.
Arthit raised his head, slowly speaking up, "The noodles are, still......hot."
Kongpob passed the freshly toasted bread to him, "Eat this first. Especially when it's hot."
Arthit bit into the bread. It was soft and fluffy, and the scent of fresh milk engulfed him. Arthit's body stiffened suddenly – Kongpob's one hand had slipped under his shirt, while his other hand was gradually moving up his inner thigh.
Arthit turned his head to look at Kongpob, his hazel gaze colliding with Kongpob's stare. As Kongpob's hands continued their offending movements beneath Arthit's body, Kongpob asked in a low voice, "Are you afraid?"
Arthit stood on tip-toe in an attempt to avoid Kongpob's touch, but Kongpob's unrelenting fingers followed his ever movement. Trembling, Arthit stared at Kongpob unblinkingly, confusion and fear pertinent in his wide eyes.
The train continued rumbling past outside the window, its speed causing the air to shudder and the earth to tremble.
"Why did you come back with me if you were afraid?" With a slight amount of force, Kongpob nearly carried Arthit with his single, offending hand. With a muted whimper, Arthit continued investing all his energies into supporting his tip-toed position.
Kongpob insisted, "Did you think it through before coming back with me?"
Arthit shook his head vigorously. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, dampening his forelocks and causing them to transform into small and tiny curls.
Arthit desired protection, but he hadn't expected Kongpob's price for offering such protection.
Arthit's legs began to tremble from over-exertion, and his body started to sway from side to side. The minute his legs gave way and he rocked back onto his heels, Kongpob withdrew his offending hand.
Arthit remained rooted at his spot, waves of helplessness washing over him. He was angered and annoyed with his own cowardice and rash nature. Burning with feelings of shame, he finally gathered his thoughts and replied in a low voice, "I'll be......making a mo.....move then."
Narrowing his eyes, Kongpob used his fork and tapped on the instant noodle packets forcefully, "Eat before you leave."
"There's......no need......" Arthit started. However, upon seeing Kongpob's facial expression gradually darken with every word that he spoke, Arthit finally relented and sat beside the table.
As Arthit ate rather slowly, Kongpob completed his meal much faster than he did. Taking out his pack of cigarettes, Kongpob withdrew to the window and sat on the window sill for his smoke.
When Arthit finished his meal, he tidied the place before facing Kongpob, "I'm......done."
Kongpob swiftly extinguished his cigarette butt. Hopping off the window sill, Kongpob started to show Arthit the way out.
As they exited the shutters, Arthit mustered his final ounce of dignity and asserted, "I'll go......home my.......myself."
Kongpob let out a short laugh. However, the absence of any laughing intent was extremely evident from his laughter, "Really?"
As his laugh was slightly cruel, Arthit decided to keep mum. Both of them knew that Arthit did not have the courage to independently walk out of the steel rolling mill in the darkness of the night.
The weather seemed as though it was about to change, with the night wind being unexpectedly chilly.
Arthit sat on the motorcycle, his body shivering in the cold. The journey seemed to be extraordinarily long. Both Arthit and Kongpob did not say a single word during the entire journey, and Kongpob did not turn to look at Arthit when the motorcycle stopped at the red traffic light.
When Arthit arrived at the entrance of his home, the slight breeze had evolved into a huge gust of wind, causing the leaves to rustle in protest. Arthit removed his helmet and returned it to Kongpob.
Kongpob responded with a single sentence. "We're quits."
Although he phrased it as a sentence, there was a slight trace of uncertainty in his voice.
Pressing his lips together as tightly as he could, Arthit nodded his head.
Kongpob: "Speak up."
Arthit: "We were......quits.......long ago."
Kongpob turned his head to glance at Arthit, his eyes filled with an air of desolation; however, he quickly returned to looking ahead, and within seconds, he had already ignited the engine of his motorcycle, his solitary figure disappearing in the darkness of the night.
At that precise moment, huge droplets of rain started pouring from the sky, forcefully falling onto Arthit's head. It had begun to rain. Arthit could no longer make out Kongpob's shadowy figure amidst the rain, and his red taillights rapidly disappeared as he turned a corner.
The rain grew heavier.
Ah, the rainy season is about to arrive.
Arthit's phone rang just as he ran into the stairwell. It was Jamie – she must have managed to escape from the toilet. Clicking on the "Answer" button, he placed the phone beside his ear. Arthit froze on the spot. The raindrops were pelting from the rooftop, causing small clumps of mud to splatter onto his leg. A chill shot up Arthit's spine.
"You......You told them......that I spilled the.......beans to you?" Arthit grit his teeth angrily in the raging wind. Angered, betrayed and confused, his stutter worsened involuntarily, "But you pro......promised me! You promised......not to.......drag me into......this!!"
Arthit hung up.
Guilty, Arthit turned back, only to see the vast rain the dark and eerie alley.
All of a sudden, Arthit rushed up the stairs in a frenzy and speedily grabbed his keys from within his bag. Arthit was unable to see clearly as the stairwell was rather dark, and was unable to insert the key into the keyhole despite numerous attempts. His feelings of fear grew tenfold.
Hands trembling, Arthit's keys fell onto the floor.
As Arthit squat down to retrieve his keys, he caught a glimpse of a muted glow from the dark corner of the stairwell. It was a cigarette butt.
Frozen, Arthit turned back stiffly, only to find himself face to face with a pair of cold and cruel eyes.
Jay flicked the ash from his cigarette before rising from the floor and facing Arthit.
30/11/2021
[A/N] This chapter is the continution of 005 precisely with Arthit and Kongpob's little meeting, where Kongpob eventually chooses to take Arthit under his wing- but only at a price. After all, despite having a mutual friendly feelings for one another, they still to this point haven't developed any sort of bond or trust for each other. For now, Kongpob had been solely focused on repaying Arthit's moment of kindness towards him (where Arthit tried to help him in chapter 1) Having repaid Arthit's kindness, any other additional effort on Kongpob's part would have to come at a price. 😕
Thank you for reading💜