Kongpob and Arthit: short stories

First kiss, Second Kiss

There's a tap at his window and Kongpob drops his book on his bedside table. He quickly checks his hair in the mirror and then proceeds to open the balcony door.

Arhit is sitting on his lounger, arms wrapped around his legs, tear tracks on his cheeks.

"Arthit?" Kongpob knows to be gentle when the other boy comes so late and doesn't text first.

Arthit snuffles and rubs a hand over his messy cheeks, "I'm okay."

"Can I..?"

"Yeah. Come here."

Kongpob settles on the front of the sun lounger, facing Arthit who immediately drops his legs to rest on the floor either side of the striped furniture.

"Your Mom.. or?"

"Yeah. She said it's definitely happening.. and soon.. Kong-"

He dissolves into tears, hands covering his eyes. But Kongpob has been here before, so he shuffles closer and slides an arm around Arthit's back bringing his face to rest against his shoulder, muttering nonsense words that he hopes are soothing to his best friend.

He drops his other hand to Arthit's bare thigh, squeezing gently, fingertips sliding under the material.

"I.. don't..want.." Arthit sobs into his chest and Kongpob's heart breaks all over again. There's little he can do. They're only sixteen so he has no power to help Arthit.

"I know, I know," he says, fingertips leaving Arthit's thigh so that both arms are around his friend now, who responds by wrapping his arms around Kongpob's waist and pulling him closer.

Their knees are pressed together and it's not the most comfortable position, but Kongpob doesn't care.

This is Arthit. His best friend in the universe and the only one he would ever do this for.

And Arthit would never go to anyone else either. He wouldn't let anyone see him when he feels weak.

When Arhit's initial sobs subside, he pulls back and scrubs at his eyes, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Kong. I didn't mean to.."

Kongpob just offers him a wobbly smile, "I'm your best friend. Always come here to me."

"But I won't be able to when we're.." Arthit sucks in a deep breath and Kongpob can see how hard he is trying to hold himself together, so he pushes him to one side of the chair and slots in beside him, arm around his shoulder.

When Arthit reaches over to loosely link their free hands, he knows he's doing the right thing.

"Arthit, has she definitely said you're going?"

"Yes. In three weeks."

"Oh." Kongpob doesn't expect his chest to tighten the way it does. But suddenly it hurts to breathe and he has to draw in air through the lump in his throat.

"I'm sorry," Arthit whispers and then it's Kongpob with his head on Arthit's shoulder, tears soaking into a shirt that Kongpob knows Arthit stole from him the last time he stayed over.

"I don't want you to go," Kongpob says through his tears.

"I don't want to leave you." Arthit admits and Kong feels the pressure of his head resting against his hair. "I'm so sorry that I can't honour my promise."

More tears spill down Kong's cheeks and he feels Arthit's chest heave as he tries to control his own.

"I hate that this is it. We were going to conquer the world together, Kong."