Lil' Prince

Chapter 12

Kongpob: 17 Arthit: 9

Kongpob's POV
I gulped hard when the boy stood in front of me with furrowed brows.

"P!" He called out, fuming in anger, "What did you promise me just a month ago?"

I looked to the side to avoid his gaze as I felt his intimidating glare burning the back of my head.

"It's okay, Arthit." Prem decided to butt in when he saw Arthit still standing with a murderous gaze on me even after 5 minutes of silence from me, "Kongpob didn't expect himself to get hurt. It's just he was a little careless during the latest mission."

I nodded, finally turning to Arthit.

"The mission where you help daddy?" Arthit asked, his eyes as he looked at Mr. Rojnapat who instantly faked a cough whilst thinking of a way to escape the scene.

"I'm fine, kid." Looking at Mr. Rojnapat's nervous state, I decided to help my potential future boss out.

"If you're fine, then why are we here?" My head bow low when I heard him. It was true. This time, Mr. Rojnapat sent me to a foreign country to help him seal a deal since I'm already done with high school and had plenty of time in hand. This is another test of his to see if I'm capable enough to work for him and a test for myself to determine if I really wanted to work for him. I'd spent a week ahead before traveling to have done thorough investigations on the location and even learned some basic conversational exchanges to help me during the mission. The mission didn't go as well as I plan. I was involved in a gunfight and ultimately got shot in my thigh and abs. Mr. Rojnapat's men were quick to transfer me to their secret hideout where the doctors hired by Mr. Rojnapat helped me remove the bullets. I'd rest there for a week before my condition was stable enough for me to travel back. Mr. Rojnapat had personally dealt with the person in charge that I was going to meet for the mission and had, later on, arranged a room full of medical equipment at the Rojnapat's residence so that I could rest and fully recover under full attention and care by professionals.

"Well..." I was totally speechless as I couldn't form any words even in my mind.

"Fine, P'." Arthit sighed loudly as he glanced at me one last time and left the room. All of us present in the room could only look at Arthit as he slams the door shut forcefully, not hiding his rage.

"Don't worry about him, Kongpob. He'll get over it soon. He's just worried about you as he'd considered you as his older brother like who Prem is to him." Mr. Rojnapat comforted me as he patted my shoulder and left the room.

"Get some sleep, Kong. Aim and Wad said that they'll be here to see you in an hour or two." Prem said as he helped me in laying down. I groaned slightly when I felt the skin around the stitches stretched.

"Did the stitches break?" Prem was panicking when he heard my painful groan but I pulled his hand to stop him from getting the doctor.

"No, I'm fine. Just stretched a little."

"Okay." Prem could only nod his head worriedly and I closed my eyes to finally get some well-deserved sleep.

_______________________________________

I looked at Arthit as he hummed softly while sipping on his pink milk. He was swinging his feet that were dangling off the bed as he was seated right beside me on my bed. It's been a few days since I came back and I was already feeling much better. The wounds are almost healed and by the end of the week, the stitches could be removed. Arthit came to visit me every day after meals when he had the time. At first, he was silent during his visits but after some time, he opened up and started talking to me as his anger on me subside. Today, as usual, he came to visit but Prem had left a while ago to run some errands, leaving only me and the kid. I'd told one of the servants to fetch some pink milk for the younger the second he step foot into the room to keep up with my promise.

"It's enough, P'." Arthit said out of the blue and snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I looked at him a little confused.

"You don't have to continue with bringing me pink milk, P'."

"But why? It was our deal and I broke the promise when I got hurt." I said as he got off the bed and was looking into my eyes.

"Pink milk isn't something expensive but if you keep treating me, it'll get expensive." He replied and took one last sip, sighing in contentment as he placed the empty cup on the bedside table.

"Pink milk isn't costly, kid."

"It will be if you keep it up for a month. Then you won't have money for your apartment." I was surprised to hear him saying about an apartment. I was already planning for when I turned 18, I'll be officially leaving the orphanage and I wanted to buy or at least rent an apartment, to have a place to call home.

"P'Prem told me you worked hard to buy a home and I guess you went to daddy for jobs."

"Listen, kid. This isn't as serious as you'd thought." I said a white lie, trying to cover up the fact that I was indeed severely injured and was desperately in need of money. Arthit didn't know that I was shot, he just knew that I was hurt and that's what he should only know, "Don't listen to everything Prem told you, okay?"

"Is daddy forcing you to do anything?" Arthit asked, his gaze becoming firm. Not many know that the youngest Rojnapat could be really childish or very mature when he was met with different situations. He could be all adorable and cheeky when he was playing but calm and collected when he was dealing with way serious things.

"Nope. Mr. Rojnapat offered a great deal and I accepted it. It was a win-win situation."

"Will you get hurt again if you work for daddy?" His eyes were getting a little moist as he asked after hearing my explanation.

"I'll be more careful next time." is all I could say to him.

"Then can you don't work for daddy? I don't want you to be hurt again." His tears finally rolled down his cheeks. My jaw tightened but I remained silent, looking at him. I know that to him I'm like his P'Prem but I wasn't Prem at the same time. I wasn't born with money and power, and I needed them.

It took him a few moments to understand as he nodded his head while trying to smile.

"I'll pray for you with P'Prem, P'Kong." And I closed my eyes, avoiding his gaze.