(A/N- Has it ever happened to you that sometimes you think you are over someone (prefarably a crush whom you never confessed) but then a text, a call or a simple status sends you down the rabbit hole for the nth time?)
"Mm?" Kong tilted his head confused yet again.
"You used to call me p'oon when we were kids" arthit said. Kong seriously thought he was going to die of heart attack. What has gotten into arthit today? Why is he being so... so... yeah he doesnt have a word for it.
"We grew up" okay this sounds awfully familiar to arthit where have he heard it? Oh right his own mouth. What they say about what goes around comes around? Arthit felt hurt he wants the junior back but as what? He is not sure.
Arthit got a call at that moment and he got up saying 'coming'. It looked like an emergency.
"I am going but you finish it" arthit glared at kong and kong was a bit happy arthit was back to his rude self. Because the arthit a minute ago was making him hope... again and he doesnt want to be heart broken again he cant jump countries this time.
"But we are still the same you are kong and i am oon" arthit said when he was at the end of the table and he walked out. Kong kept his hand over his heart he could feel the violent beats did he have an heart attack and he doesnt know about it? He doesnt mind the spice now he ate all of it drinking both his drink and the pink milk. He looked at arthit's bowl and there was still food left kong scoffed a bit mimicking 'you shouldnt waste food' now what? But he was worried for the senior too who will probably be hungry midnight.
He then recieved another pink milk from the waiter. He was panting with all the spices he ate and he was feeling like his stomach was on fire and that cup of pink milk was more than welcomed but he didnt order it.
"I didnt order it" kong said
"The other person did he said to give it to you" kong smiled at the gesture and took it and asked for the bill
"He paid both of your bills nong" the waiter said and went away.
And here we go again. How can kong ever move on from him? Or another reasonable and totally sane conclusion came to mind was that maybe he was in heaven and he is experiencing bliss. Yeah totally reasonable.
"swadee phi" kong greeted knot when he walked past him in the college corridor.
"wadee"knot said and was going to walk away as getting greeted randomly by the freshmen wasnt uncommon for him as he is a hazer but he stopped.
"kongpob!" knot exclaimed
"khap phi?" kong asked
"how...how have uyou been" knot asked
"i am fine. shouldnt you be pretending to not know me or something?" kong asked confused
"why would you think that?" knot asked
"because you dont seem to acknowledge my presence so i thought..."
knot chuckeled nervously
"no no nong nothing like that its just its just..." knot stammered rubbing his nape embarassed how to say that he was ashamed of what his friend or rather friends did and said that day and he feels guilty and maybe pities the junior somehow.
"no need to pity me phi. i am fine" kong smiled
"yeah yeah i can see that" knot smiled back "you can come to me for help if you ever need it. you will always be my nong na" knot said and ruffeled kongs hair making kong pout
"i thought you wont accept us until we have that gear" kong said
"hmm... then it will be our secret dont tell anyone" knot said and both started to laugh. knot asked for kong's number which the other gave.
its another hazing session and maybe its just kong but he is actually quite excited for this hazing session after that dinner. they were late for the hazing session as their classes ran a bit late. the hazers as expected were pissed and started lecturing about valuing time.
and another hazing session meant another arthit-kongpob war. kong hoped it not to be but who is he kidding.
"this is the first time so i will let you go for today" the first years visibly slumped back to relax. "but..." arthit eyed everyone and everyone tensed again "i will chose one guy... or a girl to answer my questions and if he...or she cant then you will all have to take punishment" arthit said. The freshmen started panicking. Kong could see the visible stiffness in arthit and therr is something wrong with the hazer gang today. What? He didnt knew.
and everyone knew who it was going to be
"0062!" and there goes kong's hope. maybe the senior was suffering from MPD.
"how many students are there today? count it." arthit ordered and kong did
"now tell me how many students are absent from here"
"54 khap"
"and why arent they present here?" arthit asked and the classmates of kong gave him a pit look and knott looked at arthit annoyed he was done with him what has gotten into arthit suddenly?
okay that's it why this senior is so rude? kong just cant give 'i dont know' answer and let the senior win and his fellow classmates suffer. Di! bring it on 2 can play a game
"they are here" kong said. on a second thought he should just shut his mouth.
"where are they 0062" arthit snarled this was not going the way he wanted it to.
"they cant be present physically so they instead sent their hearts" 'seriously kong' kong scolded himself.
"fine then their hearts will be enough for all of you to run 54 laps around the field" arthit shouted
"no. they only sent their hearts to me" kong said smiling cheekily
"oh pray tell why only you" arthit mocked but didnt expected to be knocked by whatever answer the junior's mouth was going to spew.
"to replace the heart that i have given to you" kong said waiting for his impending doom
"0062! 54 laps now!" arthit said and kong went more than happily he doesnt want to be in arthit's sight anymore for now.
arthit on the other hand was in some sort of frenzy what was that? it almost sounded like a confession even tho he knew its kong being the hero. knot side glanced at his friend and sighed. he was the only one who had noticed kong's crush on arthit back then but he remained quiet. he saw kong being humiliated but kept quiet he maybe wasnt brave enough then to confront and to ask. he have seen arthit all this years seen arthit talk to kong's picture, seen arthit remembering the later and crying his hearts out in the later's birthday but he never asked. he never asked arthit how naive he can be to not acknowledge the truth the obvious? So when arthit told that he broke up with namtan for good this time knot was happy that arthit have finally understood but ot went down the drain as soon when bright asked if he has a new crush and arthit declined outright.
kong was eventually stopped by a senior after 7 laps and she also gave him water to drink. arthit came after the hazing session to see kong and if he hadnt stop to stop him. but he saw kong being all smiley wih the senior girl and he didnt like it a bit.
"did you complete the 54 laps" arthit asked
"no. i did 7." kong said
"did i tell you to stop?" kong shook his head "then why?"
"you told the obey the seniors and p'fang here told me to stop so i am obeying her" kong said.
"oh now you take the words as it is?" arthit glared at kong.
"fang the club is meeting tomorrow can you ask your friends to join us by 3?" arthit asked fang softly which made kong jealous and he huffed still didnt move from where he was. he saw fang move away after saying her goodbye to all of them.
"and kong" arthit said
"huh" kong frowned again. Kong? Okay he called him that in the food stall but this...
"if you have given your heart to me then you should take mine to replace yours not someone else's" arthit said coming near kong's ears and mind you it was a very possesive tone and then moving away just as quickly. okay kong definitely was in heaven, kong concluded.
arthit chided himself for saying that. he didnt know what possesed him to say that but maybe its time to just accept the obvious. he knows why he said that and also maybe have lied to his friends. he sighs remembering what happened a day before.
knot was called by dean because he was the class representative and they had a class next so arthit and rest of the gang which included bright tutah and prem went on other direction to class but turns out it was cancelled so the gang thought to meet knot infront of the dean's office and go to canteen after that.
the hazers were walking and walking and they were about to turn at a corner, arthit was walking a little behind talking to jay who was asking all sorts of question to arthit to confirm that namtan and arthit broke up for real. arthit wasnt looking at front and he hit into someone's back
"WH-" arthit's shout was muffeled by bright's hand.
"sshh see there" bright gestured and pointed to the other side the four of them peeked trying to stay hidden. arthit's blood boiled by the scene. knot looks flustered and rubbing his nape.
"is this papa knott?" tutah gasped
"that is the annoying junior, arthit's 0062!" prem said
now knott ruffeled kong's hair
"oi that junior looks cute pouting" tutah squealed. can arthit kill his friends? probably not.
"i think knott likes the junior"tutah said
"common tutah you are reading too much he is just being a senior" prem said
"but he looked flustered he is never flustered the stoic papa knott nah" bright said
"did he change teams?" tutah asked and was answered by silence and now they saw the 2 of them laughing.
"why didnt he tell us he liked him. arthit could have gone a bit easier on him" bright asked
"whatever the reason be finally knott its about time" prem said seemingly interested... he is never interested in anything.
neither of the three noticed arthit and his face red in anger. he knows what knott might be thinking he knows knott and kong were close back then but the thing he is feeling he is not liking it he wants kong attention on him he wants that adorable smile and laugh directed to him and caused by him he wants that pout only for him. arthit started to move the way he came from not wanting to witness more. the three of them finally noticed arthit.
"ai arthit where are you..." and arthit was gone.
"what happened to him?" tutah asked
"do you think he is angry at knott because he is liking his rival?" prem asked
"oh god what should we do?" bright asked horrified
the next thing anyone knows is arthit ignoring knott and behaving rashly with him. arthit never disrespected knott but this is fishy. and even tho arthit's mood is grumpy it was grumpier the following day and the freshmen being late to sotus fueled it. and then that happened.
arthit and the hazers were packing up after the meeting when knott got a call and knott ran out to pick the call. a discreet look passed among the hazers except arthit but arthit was too sharp to catch it he saw how those three came closer to watch and arthit too did without their notice.
"do you think its kongpob?" tutah asked in a hushed voice
"yes" bright wispered prem looked confused but then his lightbulb went on
"oh he asked for the nong's number right! damn he is fast" prem said grinning.
okay that was enough for arthit. arthit stalled while packing up. the other 3 were done so they said their byes and left. knott came 5 minutes later.
"who was it?" arthit hissed
"huh?" knott asked taken aback by the sudden question. arthit never prys and arthit was ignoring him for a day and now he is prying for details and that too in an angry note. Knott is breaking a cold sweat he does have things to hide for now atleast 'okay knott think what you did? drank arthit's nomyen? yeah but i replaced it too. mess arthit's already messed up room? yeah he was not going to notice it anyway. supported bright in his pranks? nah. messed up hazing? no then what is it? or did he know i like... no no no he cant'
"who was on call?" arthit asked
"m...my mother" knott said praying to god he believes him 'sorry mom'.
"yeah i believe that" arthit scoffed
"what is it arthit you are behaving weird for the past 2 days" knott asked seriously hopping that the other would drop the subject.
"what is wrong you ask? how can you do that to me knott you are my best friend" arthit asked
"wait wait wait i did nothing to you. speak clearer"
"why do you have to go like kongpob" arthit asked
"ha? i dont like him not that way atleast" knott was shocked but "wait why does it matter anyways" knott asked and it seemed he turned from the prey to predator knott now knows why arthit was being like that and he is going to put some sense in his idipt friend's mind now. He knows 'strike iron when its hot' and the iron is hot now.
"cause...cause" arthit started not really knowing the answer "you know in the past that thing happened it will become uncomfortable" arthit said finally getting an idea
"mmhmm but you dont feel for him and i think he is over you so there should not be a problem" knott said provoking arthit further.
"no no you cant" arthit hold knott's collar.
"arthit" knott warned and arthit came to sense and he stepped back finally coming to sense yeah knott was right he didnt have any right anyways.
"tell me arthit. what will you feel if kong sees someone else" knott asked
"i'll punch" arthit deadpanned
"why?"
"because... because" arthit stammered again
"oh god arthit dont tell me you havent figure it out yet. do one thing google the symptoms of being in love and then tell me. i am so done with you" knott finally bursted "you have been in love with him for god knows how long. why do you think you cried on his birthday every year. why you missed him cursed him all this years why you felt empty with your relartiomship with nam why do you feel like holding my collar thinking that i like him why you need all his attention why your heart flutters when he is near you. why arthit why?" knott told him in one breathe and breathed heavily next.
arthit stood motionless and quiet for 15 minutes remembering all their moments together every feeling he ever felt and finally concluded
"i... i like him" arthit said and was replied by a growl from knott
"no you idiot you love him" knott said
"i love him" arthit said as in trance and smiled as he felt truer words were never been spoken. it feels so right.
"How on the earth did you ever realise your crush on nam and not love for kong?" Knott asked finally sitting on bench thanking god he was saved from revealing his own trouble.
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kong was returning from weekend at home. he was tired. it has been exhausting. he wanted quiet and peace of his room. but he was stopped in the mid of the roads by a pair of arms hugging him tightly. it was so familiar he would have guessed the guy even if he hadnt seeen his face he felt so good... forget the comfort of the room he can be in those arms for forever feeling ever so delightful. he agrees he have concluded this before but how can he experiece such bliss while he was still living? he is so sure that he is in heaven that you could ask him to jump from a building and he would thinking he will fly. Then a mosquito bit him in his hands okay he is not dead good for him but wait why was the guy hugging him then?
"p...p'arthit?"
I dont know why the chapters of this story are getting so long. Arthit finally realised his love for kong. A bit anti climatic perhaps but here we go.
See you next time🙂🙂.
23/10/2022
Republished 05/11/22