Sweet Pink Love

Part 3

"Kong! What's the next.." Arthit's voice trailed off as he saw an unfamiliar figure in the usual apron that Kongpob wore, serving the customers that were seated in the now crowded cafe.

The figure looked up at him and flashed what clearly was a smile behind the mask. She stepped towards the counter and took a paper bag that was already placed there. Arthit's eyes followed her, his attention quickly diverting to the familiar back that was clearly busy in the kitchen.

The paper bag soon appeared in front of his face, startling him out of his reverie.

"P'Arthit right?" The girl asked sweetly, handing the bag over to him that he took from her out of reflex. "P'Kong says it's the last one for the day." She said politely before wai-ing him and rushing back to the floor to attend to the customers.

Arthit stood for a few seconds wondering what had just happened. Kongpob had not mentioned that he would be hiring any help. He would have offered his. The amount of deliveries had now significantly decreased and Arthit was considering bringing up switching over to help Kongpob in the cafe instead. He had seen how the younger struggled and he wanted to help, in any way he could.

But as he was watching the young girl flit around the customers with ease, he wondered if he could even be of much help. He didn't know how to interact with people. Hell, he didn't even have many friends. How was he going to take care of customers? He most certainly didn't know how to cook so he was definitely useless in that department. So in the end, there was nothing - absolutely nothing he could do to help Kongpob except make deliveries.

A pang of jealousy hit him hard as he heard the girl call out 'P'Kong' all too familiarly. Who the hell was she to be calling Kongpob so intimately. She had clearly just appeared today so why was she acting as if she knew him so well? He grit his teeth hard as Kongpob spun around to find out what she needed.

Kongpob turned to see what Khaofang had called him for when he caught a glimpse of his favourite person standing by the door. He flashed a bright smile and was just about to call out to Arthit when the other's face turned sour and stormed out of the door without a word. Kongpob, baffled by the action, was about to step out of the kitchen when Khaofang handed him a handful of order chits.

He stared at the papers in his hands and clenched them in his fist. He couldn't go after Arthit now. He would just have to wait to find out what was wrong with the elder guy after his last delivery and when they were once again alone in the shop. Sighing, he shook his head and turned his focus towards the chits that were now completely crumpled. He couldn't disappoint his customers.

Kongpob closed the shop faster than he ever had as he went about anxiously preparing all the older guy's favourites. He made sure to have all the food and drinks waiting and ready to be served. If Arthit's reaction in the afternoon was anything to go by, he was going to need all the help he could get to appease the anger of the other - whatever it was that triggered his reaction at least. He sat on his high chair, body angled towards the door, impatiently waiting for it to swing open.

Except there was one problem - Arthit never showed.

Kongpob had sent a ton of messages and left an excessive, close to stalker amount of missed calls and yet, there was still no reply from the other. Arthit was more than an hour late by then and it really wasn't like him. It was one of the traits that Kongpob liked about the other. He was always on time. Desperate, he rang up the only other person he knew could help him.

"Hello? Kong? What's up?"

"Aim, I need your help. Do you know where P'Arthit is?"

"Isn't he at yours? P'Bright says he never gets to see his friend anymore because P'Arthit would rather hang out with you. He's getting jealous, you know." Aim chuckled through the line.