Korn had been in Chiang Mai for 11 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. He'd be celebrating his first anniversary in his new home at the end of the week which also happened to be the beginning of his new lease.
He hadn't planned on moving so far away from everything and everyone. He'd needed to get away from his job at ABT and he'd wanted to give Knock the space he needed to get over them. It was the least he could do after everything that had happened.
Finally allowing that when Korn said, "I can't even look at your face. Stay away from me," he really meant it.
Korn had started applying for jobs at every company he could think of. It didn't matter that ABT was where he always wanted to work. He had to get out. For his sake as much as everyone else's. Unfortunately, most of the companies had already filled their junior positions and with no reference for his probation period, he'd had nothing to show for the months working under P'Pete.
Forced to cast a wider net, Korn received an invitation to interview at CYZ Fabricators...in Chiang Mai. It was as far as he could get from Bangkok. It didn't hurt that they thought he had the qualifications for a position that was not entirely entry-level. He was expected to learn on the job and learn fast. Lucky for him, it was something school had prepared him for.
The job had proved to be worth it. When they offered him a three-year contract, he took it without hesitation. They had even agreed to give him a small allowance to help with the relocation. Setting him up with a local real estate firm that helped him find his apartment in record time. He was moved in and situated in under two weeks. He was at work the first Monday after that.
Letting go of everything had been the only way. Knock didn't want anything to do with him. His friends were disgusted with him. His parents finally knew of everything that had happened, and there was no way to make things right with them if they didn't want to see him. Removing himself from the situation had seemed like the best course of action. It let them move on with their lives. Perhaps with time, they would be able to forgive him. Korn wasn't sure it mattered one way or another.
He'd heard from Cho in his first month away. He'd expected him to give him hell for everything that had happened but he'd been rather nice. Even understanding. But the news he'd given Korn had been bittersweet.
"P'Pete tried to make a pass at me. Made it clear that he was going to make it hard for me if I didn't satisfy his requirements," He'd announced out of the blue.
"He can't do that," Korn had protested even though he knew P'Pete could and had done that and would probably continue doing it as long as he thought he could get away with it.
"That's what I tried to tell him but he was adamant. So, we set him up and made sure the HR manager was listening in when he tried it again. He even tried it on Knock just to cover his bases. So, we made a formal complaint and it is with great pleasure that I announce our workplace is now dickhead free."
Just like that. Instead of falling into the trap, they had trapped a predator. "I'm glad things worked out."
It had been a relief to know P'Pete was no longer in a position to sexually harass the employees at ABT. It didn't mean anything to him now. He should have known he was being manipulated. Even then he should never have slept with him. There had been no gun to his head. The decisions, while deeply clouded by the promise of temporary comfort, had been his. The consequences, in the long run, his to bear—alone.
He hadn't asked Cho about Knock. It didn't matter how much he wanted to check up on him and find out how he was doing. He'd lost the right the minute he'd cheated. There was no going back. He was only sad that he hadn't been there to help put P'Pete in his place. To give the other man a taste of the hell he'd put Korn through.
Korn had promised himself he'd find a way to thank Cho and Knock for doing what he had not been able to. To take the time and check in on them. Find out if Knock had really chosen to quit or if he stayed at ABT now that both Korn and P'Pete were done. But time and distance had slowly eroded his determination. He kept putting it off until too much time had passed and he no longer knew how to overcome the distance that separated them.
They clearly weren't thinking of him.
Perhaps that was best for everyone.
Bumping into Mew had been...a surprise. The bubbling up of anger and frustration had found a new direction. Only instead of the violence he first felt inclined towards, he'd been overcome by lust. It had been like a red-hot poker through his body. Surprising him with its strength and making it hard to think.
They hadn't fought. They had fucked.
He hadn't even bothered with the niceties. Just a travel pack of lube and condoms because he wasn't crazy enough to go around without them. He'd managed to stay away from the temptation of casual, indiscriminate sex; but a man had needs. Even more so when he'd grown accustomed to a regular feast. The drought had addled his brain. It was the only excuse he could come up with to explain his behaviour that night.
He'd noticed Mew from across the room but the other man had not seen him. He was just eating his dinner and drinking a beer. When the food and drink were done, he sat back, ordered another beer and nursed it while typing furiously on his phone.
Korn could only imagine he was trying to get some work done even though he was probably off from work. Still obsessed with doing everything right even though it was eating into his personal time. He'd missed the more than casual interest coming his way from at least two other patrons. Clueless. Not much had changed apparently.
"Hello, Mew," Korn called out when he was no longer interested in observing.
"Uhm...Korn? Hi...what are you doing here?"
"Just winding down with a drink."
"You live here?"
"Yeah...it's only been a few months but..." He shrugged like it somehow explained something. Mew hadn't asked what. Instead, he'd signalled the waiter and turned to Korn expecting him to ask for a drink. "I'm not thirsty."
"Oh...I thought..."
Mew was confused. Korn didn't know why he liked that. Keeping him unsettled felt right. Like it would somehow make up for all the time that had gone by. It was how his life felt.
He'd been unsettled when Mew had broken up with him for no reason. Unsettled when he'd reconnected with Knock. Unsettled when their relationship proved to be more volatile than he could rightfully handle. Unsettled when it had all come crashing down around him and left him feeling lost and alone.
Misery loved company.
Mew's confusion cleared quickly when his phone beeped and he was once again intent on responding to whatever new emergency his inbox had brought to his attention. Korn wanted Mew's attention on him. He moved in closer. Making sure he was brushing against Mew with his body. Mew automatically moved a little bit but Korn closed the distance so their arms were touching. A small shift in the way he was sitting and their knees were knocking.
Mew gave him a look. He didn't say anything which only made Korn more determined to get a reaction. He ran a hand over Mew's back. It was low enough to be intimate; inviting and possessive at the same time. But not so low that it was crass and unwelcome. When Mew turned a disapproving gaze at him, Korn indicated the bathroom with a lift of his head.
Mew's eyes went wide with shock. Wider still when Korn got up and walked towards the bathroom without another word. Korn had not intended to proposition Mew. He thought the other man would just walk away. After all, the last time they had spoken, Korn had told him in no uncertain words that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with him ever again.
He definitely hadn't planned to do this.
Meeting Mew was just...luck. Korn wasn't sure if it was bad or good.
But while he waited, he could think of a few reasons why this was a bad idea. When nearly five minutes had passed and there was no sight of Mew, he felt like a fool all over again. Only he couldn't really blame that on Mew. He did anyway.
He was walking out of the bathroom when he bumped into someone. He looked up to find Mew looking at him like he'd grown horns. Korn hated it. Hated it and wanted to put Mew in his place. Teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget.
He pulled Mew into the toilet. There were three stalls: all empty. He pushed open the door to the last one and pushed Mew in. Mew was facing him. Straddling the toilet seat and trying to keep his balance by holding on to the wall. Korn didn't want to see his face. He pushed him so he was forced to turn away. Forced into the rather vulnerable position where Korn had full access to his body. Korn bent him over. He protested the manhandling but didn't stop it. The simple acquiescence set Korn on fire.
Lust had consumed him. The desire to possess, to make Mew capitulate to his will, was stronger than his will to fight it. Mew had helped unfasted his belt and trousers but he wasn't fast enough for Korn. He pulled down his own clothes in one go. Impatient with Mew, he helped him pull down his trousers, then his boxers.
He'd pulled the lube packet and condom from his wallet before he dropped his trousers. But he was not surprised when Mew reached over and handed him a rubber. He pushed his hand away and Mew made to protest but Korn was already sheathing his hard cock in latex.
He stretched Mew quickly. Earning a quick retreat and a moan of protest. It didn't slow him down, it just made him more careful. But even then, he just wanted to make sure Mew was slick from the lubricant. He penetrated him slowly to finish the work he should have done of stretching him. Mew was breathing hard. Pushing against Korn's hip where he could reach back with his hand and keeping him from plunging in all at once. His low keening moan was silenced when Korn slapped a hand over his mouth.
Fully seated inside Mew, Korn felt like he was dying. It had been so long; he was too close to coming. Making a decision, it didn't matter to him how fast he came, as long as Mew came first.
Dedicating himself to that, he set a steady rhythm, he angled his hips so he was grazing over Mew's prostate with each thrust. Then he reached forward and stroked his cock in the same steady rhythm. Listening to Mew's gasps of pleasure and hating that they had as much power to steal his control as they always had.
Wanting the moment to last.
Knowing it wouldn't.
Mew didn't give any warning. He just clamped a hand over his own mouth, but his scream of release was still audible above his attempt at silence. Korn was better at holding it in. The growl of release was low enough that only Mew would hear it.
He waited for as long as it took his body to stop trembling. He pulled out of Mew quickly, causing the other man to moan in protest again. The sound was getting addictive. He wiped himself off with tissue and wrapped the used condom in the same wad before tossing it inside the toilet bowl. Mew managed to clean up and get redressed fast enough to keep up.
Korn walked out of the bathroom and out of the bar. He didn't look back. He never found out what Mew had opted to do. He had just promised himself that nothing like that would ever happen again. He was done. With everything, with everyone...
Until the next time they bumped into each other at the same pub.