Marriage Contract

[6]

When the two finally made it downstairs to the dining room, the dinner table had long been set. Grandpa was at his seat, while beside him sat a middle-aged man
and a beautiful, dignified looking woman. Kongpob guessed they must have been Arthit's parents.

Sure enough, without delay, he heard Arthit call out to them, "Dad, Mom."
Kongpob followed along beside him, and just as it was before with Grandpa, there he went again with that feeling of awkward reservation.

"Oh, you came down? Come, sit over here." Malee said, beckoning them, her gaze lingering on Kongpob's body. The look was in no way a malicious one though, she wore quite a pleasant smile. Regardless of this, kongpob still felt a wee bit awkward. It seemed he felt no
matter what status he had as he appeared in that place, it would all come off as a joke.

Arthit with Kongpob beside him, made their way over, simply for the task of mutual introductions. The awkward boy went on to say, "Hello Uncle, hello
Aunty. I am Kongpob."

"Have a seat."Somchai, motioned.
"Come on now, hurry up and sit. Stop standing around." Malee instructed with a smile.

Both Kongpob and Arthit took a seat just as Malee spoke, "Kongpob , you don't have to be so nervous, since you and Oon will be married just think of us as your own family, alright." Even though she said those words, Kongpob just couldn't do so. He was only able to do his best to maintain a smile.

The dinner was fairly peaceful. Unexpectedly, it was not just Grandpa who was very much unbothered about his grandson's marriage to a man.
Somchai and Malee were both also unconcerned about the matter, they were even asking about the wedding
plans.

"So kongpob, are you twenty yet? When are you two planning on registering the marriage?" Malee probed.With same-sex marriages now being legal, the legal age for marriage was revised as well.

[T/n: the legal age for marriage is 20.]

"He's already twenty, and I'm going to the Department of Civil Affairs next week." Arthit stated. Hearing what he said the chopsticks in Kongpob's hand froze, his lips drew together lightly, sealing themselves without a word.

"When's the wedding going to be? Do you have any ideas?" Malee prodded, "Is there going to be a banquet, or are you two planning on traveling Overseas to get married?"

"It doesn't matter to me, ask him." It was true, Arthit really did not care about those things, it would all be left up to Kongpob's personal preferences.

This sentence of course prompted Malee to turn her attention towards Kongpob , "So do you have any ideas Kongpob ? You don't have to be so nervous, whatever suggestions you have you can just tell us."

"I..." he felt his throat become hoarse, "l will.!" He would, because he lacks the power to not do so.

After he accepted, he was left in a bit of a daze, one which Arthit also noticed. Not long after they had finished with their meal, he took Kongpob and left.

On their way back to Arthit's apartment, kongpob gradually relaxed. Even though that place also made him quite uncomfortable, compared to the
Rojnapath's family home, it was much better. In that flat, he would only have to face that man, but there, he would have to come face-to-face with that man's
entire family.

It wasn't that he was afraid of them, just that he did not know how he should face those elders while they were in front of him, discussing and consulting him,
ahout the wedding since he did not wish to be married. That he, infact, wanted his own life, and no matter how friendly they were during this situation,they still were not his kin.

His only relative was back in that tiny village, the old man he called, Grandpa.
Kongpob placed the two cases in front of Arthit.

The man's parents, and grandfather, of course, gave him those gifts. One, was a pair of Jade pendants,while the other, was a Patek Philippe wrist watch.