Kongpob's eyes scanned the chairs briefly but he saw no sign of Arthit's. That morning, when he woke with their arms and legs entangled and with his head on his chest, he got scared. And embarrassed. His few drops of champagne were enough to give himself away.
Arthit was clearly mortified and possibly regretting the entire endeavor. He must knew by now that he liked him.
So Kongpob did the only thing he could think about, he used a poor excuse to practically run away.
Perhaps now Arthit'd changed his mind about attending the ceremony.
The thought upsetted him because the least he could have done was talk to him beforehand so that his absence wouldn't catch him off guard.
He was still annoyed when his gaze landed on a particularly handsome face that was smirking up at him from the assembled guests. He was wearing a blue-colored suit and his hair was slightly gelled. He was handsome.
Kongpo gave a grateful smile then turned away so as not to give him an opportunity to perceive the discomfort on his face. In doing so, however, his eyes settled on Sam instead. He grinned at him broadly, wiggling his eyebrows. He rolled his eyes and looked away, but on the corner of his eye he saw Arthit glaring at him.
He couldn't help but smile inwardly at his colleague's transparent animosity toward his ex. The latter certainly deserved it, and it was a pleasant feeling having his senior on his side.
When finally the ceremony came to an end and all the guests began to make their way toward the patio where the servers are already walking around with platters brimming with ridiculously small, and unnervingly unrecognizable, food.
...
Too intent watching his fake boyfriend talk with his father, Kongpob didn't notice his grandmother cozied up to him.
"I like him."
He looked at her in surprise.
"Don't look so shocked. I think he's perfect for you."
"More than Sam?" He asked ironically.
"Eh." The old woman shrugged.
"But he's a doctor!" He exclaimed in mock outrage, trying to emulate his mother's tone when she'd learned of his decision to break up.
The woman chuckled. "He's an overbearing prick."
He chuckled amused. He knew his grandma would have his back."Please share your wisdom with mom."
This time she was the one to chuckle.
"I've never seen you look at Sam the way you look at dimple boy."
"Yeah..." He agreed, with a note of sadness.
Maybe she was right. Unfortunately, that feeling wasn't mutual. Actually, Arthit was probably angry now too.
He was too caught up in his thoughts to notice that Sam was now in front of him, asking him to dance.
He raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. Was he serious?
He was about to tell him to fuck off, but he realized that too many eyes were on him.
"Just a dance." Sam said, pleading.
His right hand grabbed Sam's extended hand, squeezing so hard that the latter scrunched up his face.
"Let's get this over with." He growled.
Sam lead him out onto the dance floor and brought him into an embrace.
"So what is it?"
"Straight to the point, I see. Ok, so, when are you going to end this?"
"Pardon?" He asked indignantly.
"Kong, you're forgetting that I know you very well. I know he's not your boyfriend."
"Pardon?" He repeated, offended and anxious in equal measure.
He chuckled. "That pale dude is not dating you. You look like you're afraid to touch him, and we both know how touchy you are when you're dating someone." He explained. "So, why did you feel the need to bring him? Was it to make me jealous?"
"Don't be ridiculous." He growled.
He raised his eyebrows. "It's your family, isn't it? You wanted to avoid all their questions. They've always been a big fan of mine. Making me jealous is just an added benefit, isn't it? Well, it worked. Even if you aren't actually dating the pale dude."
"You're so full of yourself... I couldn't care less how you feel about my relationship. And P'Arthit is not a pale dude. He's my boyfriend, and he's..."
"... here." A cold voice finished his sentence. A hand on his waist and gently pulled him toward himself. "Sorry to make you wait."He added more softly. Then gave Sam an icy look. "Thank you for your interest, but we're fine. I can take over from here, Sam."
Arthit didn't wait for him to respond; he took Kongpob's hand and led him away.
His hand slid up his waist and pulled him in, swaying him gently to the music. Kongpo raised his eyebrows as Sam glared at them before turning on his heel and making his way toward his table, where his grandmother and mother were standing and watching the action unfold.
"P'. He knows. He knows everything."
"What do you mean?"
"That you're not really my boyfriend. That all of this is fake."
Arthit put a wrong foot down on the dancing ground, and the other stepped on it.
"Ouch!"
"Sorry..."
"No, it doesn't matter. Just... how?"
"Apparently, we're not affectionate enough." He muttered letting his head fall on his shoulder.
Arthit narrowed his eyes, one corner of his mouth curling upward slightly. "What are you proposing?"
"N-nothing! Just, he's going to tell everyone." He stumbled eyes big as and red cheeks.
"Hey." He pinched his cheek to gain his attention. "Don't let him get to you."
He glanced up into his senior's eyes and, for a single moment, the background fades into nonexistence and his troubles with his ex seemed a million miles away. In some ways, it felt like they were detached from the real world and belonged only in that little moment.
"You know, there is a way we can be more convincing as a couple..." Arthit murmured, almost inaudibly.
Kongpob understood the underlying innuendo of his suggestion. He knew it was an awful idea, considering his feelings. Kissing Arthit would be the ultimate annihilation of whatever chance he might have had at restoring a platonic friendship with him once the weekend was over. Perhaps not for the older man, but certainly for him. On the other hand, he knew that kissing his fake boyfriend was the best method of proving the authenticity of their relationship.
The last notes of the song faded just as another began in its place, people were chatting and drinking champagne around them.
Arthit didn't say anything as he removed his hand from his shoulder. Kongpob followed suit by dropping the hand he had on his slender waist.
"May I?" He asked before taking a breath.
The tip of Arthit's shoes bumped his and only then he noticed that his senior had taken a step closer to him.
"Yes." He mumbled, trapped in the spell that was Arthit.
Reaching his hand, he threaded his fingers through his, locking them together in that one small way. He was holding on to him. To them. Arthit pulled him closer. Mouths inches apart. Temptation and need mounting. His lips parted. For a moment, things felt normal. The air was charged with palpable passion.
Kongpob shivered when he took his face gently in both hands and he bent bent to capture his lips with his.
The kiss started out soft and gentle, just a brushing of lips. But soon Arthit deepened the kiss, drawing him closer. Kongpob pressed into the solid strength of his chest as his lips played havoc with his heart rate. He slid up his arms and into the soft raven hair at his nape. He breathed in the masculine scent of his senior.
Finally they separated. Both were breathing heavily.
"Kong... I-"
Kongpob resumed kissing him eagerly, both his hands now arriving on either side of his face, his thumbs brushing tenderly over his cheeks.
Somewhere beyond, the song ended and another began. There was movement on the outside, some shuffling, and he finally opened his eyes just as their glorious kiss came to a conclusion.
Arthit rested his forehead on his, breathing heavily into the small space between their faces while neither of them dared to say a word.
The others people on the dance floor weren't paying the two of them the slightest bit of attention. And why would they? They'd just done what any normal couple would do. Nobody knew how the moment transported them, how it had altered him.
"Do you think they'll miss us?" Arthit asked hoarsely.
"What?" Kongpob breathed, their foreheads still together as he watched his mouth move.
He bit his lip, hiding a smile. "If we leave now, will they notice we're gone?" He asked, more slowly.
"Oh..." He shook his head, mute in his shock, unable to form a coherent sentence.
If he was reading the situation correctly, Arthit might like him too. At least he liked him enough to want to be alone with him after a kiss.
...
Or, he wanted to leave so he wasn't forced to kiss him again.
Crap. He really hoped that wasn't the case.
There was just one way to find out.
Kongpob opened the door of their room and moved aside for the other to enter, Arthit hand clutching him but before the door was closed, Kongpob was hard-pressed up against it and his senior's lips were on his.
So... he liked him?
Arthit didn't give him time to consider the answers of his many questions before nuzzling the tender skin in the hollow of his neck, and Kongpob exhaled a soft whoosh of air in pure pleasure.
His pale fingers dug into his hair, lifting his head, and his lips nibbled a path over the pulse throbbing crazily in him, to another tender place behind his ear. Kongpob's back arched and he writhed, his hands guiding his lips back to his.
"Tell me you want me to kiss you." Arthit demanded.
He bit his lower lips and refrained from answering. The older man's lips nipped his brow, his cheeks, his cheeks, drving him wild.
"Please." He whispered.
"Please what? Please go away? Please continue?"
Kongpob tugged on his hair, but the other man ignored his attempt to draw him closer.
"Tell me, Kong."
"Kiss me, P'."
Kongob rolled off him, breathing hard, lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. A ceiling he'd stared at for the last two days, replaying his feelings over and over again. Replaying that moment his senior would find out about his feelings and break things off with him. But after what just happened... perhaps...
"P'?"
"Mmh?"
"Can we consider this as the end of our fake relationship and the beginning of a real one?"
"Oh, Kong. I'm happy you say so, because your dad had already invited me to your Christmas family dinner and to his birthday."
"What?!"
"Yep, I think I should really learn to play golf."
NOTE
Aaaaand the prompt "Dance" wraps up the #KongArtWeek2023, but not this book. See you on the next story! 😁
Stay safe💜