Kongpob had won another case. After weeks and months of back and forth between both parties and some thorough investigation using their own personal investigator Prem that they were able to find the numerous affairs, the other party was having. Including children with several mistresses, that the wife was not aware of.
Kongpob had enjoyed watching the look on that old man's face. His client had not only gotten half of his assets but had ensured the future of her own children with several trust funds that her husband had cut off in order to marry his latest conquest that was only twenty years old and a model.
"Congratulations on your win." Knot spoke coming inside of Kongpob's office. Kongpob offered a smirk.
"You're going out with your team?" Knot questioned.
"I gave them my company card and told them to go out for some drinks if they liked." Kongpob said to him.
"No sitter for Wayo huh?" Knot questioned and Kongpob shrugged.
"I need to spend more time with him. I've been pretty busy lately and I promised him that we would watch a movie together." Kongpob told Knot who sighed and shook his head at him.
"You spend way too much time with your son. You very rarely go out to any dinners with us. When you do, you stay at most thirty minutes then you make some excuse of the sitter having an emergency every time. Let's not talk about all your dates that everyone tries to set you up with that you stand up."
"Dating isn't for me." Kongpob tells him.
"Your marriage ended two years ago when Wayo was three. He doesn't even miss Mary does he?" Knot questioned. The name of his ex-wife still caused him to flinch as it came with past memories of that woman.
"What about your parents. I'm sure they won't mind taking care of him for a night." Kongpob shakes his head. He had promised himself a very long time ago that he wouldn't bother his parents with his son unless it was absolutely necessary and this was not one of those things.
"You have to allow yourself to fall in love again. I did... after Luna died...."
"Yeah you married her twin brother." Kongpob wanted to say but he stopped himself from saying much. Despite the fact that eight years had passed since Luna had died and that Knott had been married with Arthit for five years it was clear that Knot still loved and had a special place in his heart for Luna. His long time girlfriend.
"That's not the same and you know it," Kongpob answered quietly.
"Maybe..." Knot said to him. There was a knock on the door and then Kongpob's assistant May walked through the door.
"Mr. Ketukaeo your husband is here with your dinner," May spoke with a kind smile. Knot nodded.
"He's waiting in the office isn't he?"
"As he always is," May told him.
"Sorry if he comes off as rude. Arthit is just incredibly shy." Knot tells May before walking away and towards his office which was across the hall from Kongpob's own office. Once, Knot had left May shook his head.
"Shy? His husband is a complete ice queen." May spoke rolling his eyes. Normally, Kongpob would disagree but for the past few years that he had worked with Knot and they had started their law firm together, never once had Knots husband Arthit Rojnapat, spoken a single word to him. Not a polite greeting or a smile. Not that the man owed that to anyone but there was a way in which he would look at everyone that was so... condescending.
"Be nice," Kongpob told May who shrugged.
"I'll see you tomorrow Kongpob. Em, and I are going to join everyone else for the celebration. I've already set a reminder to let you know that you leave at exactly 6:30. Thanks for letting all of us out early."
"You guys all earned it," Kongpob told her. May smiled and then turned to leave, closing the door behind her. Sighing Kongpob looked at the remaining papers that he needed to go over. When once case closed, there was another one that would be opened.
He had to be home by seven, which would give him time to have dinner with his son and watch the dinosaur movie that Yo had been dying to see with him. He continued his work, concentrating solely on that until his phone began to ring and he knew that it was time for him to go. He quickly picked up his things and headed out the door. He went into the elevator realizing someone else was in there.
"Please hold the elevator!" He called out rushing towards the elevator. The person inside, however, ignored him. It was only when he reached the elevator stopping it with his hand that he realized that it was Knot's husband Arthit. It was clear that he had been crying by how red his eyes were and his cheeks were flushed as well. He was looking away from Kongpob while a few tears continued to fall from his eyes.
Kongpob did not know what to do and simply bit the inside of his cheek when the elevator door closed. If he got off the elevator it would only make things more awkward. He couldn't ignore the person that continued to cry and at the same time tried to hideaway. Sobs were leaving his lips and he was clearly upset. Despite knowing Arthit for the few years, Kongpob had never once spoken to him other than a few polite words that were never returned. How could he dare speak?
Hesitating for a moment Kongpob took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to the person beside him.
"It's okay... whatever it is I'm sure things will be alright." Kongpob offered Arthit a smile who looked at him in confusion and Kongpob simply offered another smile at the ice queen who for the first time ever seemed to express real feelings.
"Knot works a lot... but he's a good man. If he upset you in any way or if you argued I'm sure he'll fix it." He was rambling and saying things he knew might be taken as him overstepping. For a moment, he tensed when the shorter man scoffed. Even so, Arthit took the handkerchief, then he laughed dryly. There was something about that laugh that made Kongpob feel uneasy. Quietly Kongpob continued to observe him.
Kongpob had seen him around many times, despite how cold the other man was. There was no mistaking the fact that he was very beautiful. His hair was dark and silky and fell just above his eyes that were a beautiful chocolate brown. His skin was porcelain white and his cheeks were cute and chubby despite the fact that he was lean. The right words to describe the cold but beautiful man was nothing beyond ethereal.
"What man carries a handkerchief in this century?" Arthit spoke. Still, he wiped his tears away with the pink cherry blossom handkerchief that Kongpob had given him.
"My son gave it to me... He said that handkerchief would help me find a new wife..." Kongpob blushed as he realized what he had said and to whom.
"I don't mean that-"
"I know what you mean...." The elevator dinged at the bottom floor and Arthit offered him a wry smile.
"Thank you Mr. Suthiluck." Arthit spoke softly before walking out of the elevator and towards the main lobby of the building that was already empty except for the security guard at the bottom. There was someone outside the door, a man that Kongpob recognized as Arthit's driver, Kim Jae Ha.
Knot had always been a doting husband to Arthit. He had a driver for him and was always buying gifts for him. Kongpob thought that despite how cold Arthit appeared to be he loved Knot very much. Every day, Knot would have a home-made lunch packed for him and if he was staying late at the office, which was most of the time, Arthit would bring him dinner.
While walking to his car Kongpob could see that Arthit as getting in the back of his own car while his driver opened the door for him. His eyes still looked teary while he clutched the handkerchief in his hand. Kongpob wondered what happened between the ice queen and Knot but when his phone rang he forgot all about the cute man and smiled at the text message.
"Por when are you coming home?" Kongpob smiled and replied with one word. Soon.
By the time he was home, his son Yo was waiting for him. He had already taken a bath and was in his favorite puppy onesie. The sitter was a sixteen-year-old neighbor named Mina. She would pick up Yo afterschool once he was done with his art program and help him with his homework. Kongpob paid her a good amount of money and had promised her an internship at their law firm once she was done with high school and only if she entered University with the best grades and the top score.
Her parents had agreed as his law firm was one of the best out there.
"Mr. Suthiluck. Your mother dropped off some dinner. Yo refused to eat saying that he would eat with you. He only had a snack this afternoon." Mina explained.
"That's alright. I promised him we would have dinner together. How was he overall."
"He's always on his best behavior. There was a note from school though. It seems that he's having a bit of trouble with reading. His teacher is suggesting that you take him to the ophthalmologist to get his eyes checked... he might need to use glasses." Kongpob nodded and made a mental note to go as soon as possible.
"Por! Look what Wayo painted today with Teacher Art." Kongpob smiled at Wayo picking him up in his arms and kissing his cheek.
"It's very nice Yo. Is that the ocean?" Kongpob questioned his son who nodded going on and on about his favorite teacher. Mina simply offered a wai and excused herself so that she too could go home. More often than not, Mina would take Yo next door where she lived. But when Kongpob would come home early Mina would keep Yo at their own house simply because Yo liked to wait for Kongpob and clean up the house. He was only five and his idea of cleaning was vacuuming and cleaning a few dishes in the house.
His child was quite smart but he could also be quite naughty when he wanted to. Kongpob thought back to when Yo was four years old and had run away. He had been worried sick as his son had been missing for about ten hours. Yo had gotten out of pre-school and had wandered around crying. The person that had found him had simply dropped him off in front of the police station. It had been a wakeup call for Kongpob as he'd been in a huge depression and had made his own parents care for Yo while he drank himself stupid.
"Yo want to leave because daddy doesn't love him. Yo wishes he was dead so that daddy could be happy and stop drinking poison." Hearing those words out of his four-year old's mouth had made Kongpob feel horrible. He had gotten his act together after that. He had already been working with Knot but he hadn't been his best especially after his wife had abandoned them. It wasn't until now that things were finally looking up for him.
He had loved his wife so much but she had not loved him or Yo enough. All she had cared for had been his money and he had been so blind and stupid in love to see what was in front of him until it was too late.
"Por... let's watch the movie now. Grandma brought some curry for us and some pink Milk for Yo... Yo is very hungry." Kongpob smiled at his son and nodded.
He was quick to change out of his work clothes and warmed their food up in the microwave. He set up the movie in the living room. Where Yo already had some blankets and a few snacks set up. Yo had wanted to watch The little dinosaur with him and as they ate they watched the movie together. By the time the movie was over Yo was completely asleep as it was well past his bedtime. Kongpob then simply took Yo in his arms and took him to his room and laid him in his bed. He tucked his son in and kissed the top of his head.
"Sweet dreams Yo." Kongpob whispered.
Thank you guys for reading. I hope you enjoyed this short chapter. This was a small introduction to Kongpob and a very small interaction with Arthit. Next chapter will be Arthit's POV. I know this chapter was not how I usually write but as you guys know I write until I feel my point has gotten across and as I mentioned this is a short story. Anyway, don't forget to vote for this chapter, add this story to your library, and leave a comment.