The Second Chance [Kongpob/Arthit]

Chapter 9 : Sweet Summer Nights and Chilling Morning Blues

Arthit closed his eyes, he was back at the parking lot, with the masked man following him. His hands trembled as he tried to find a fresh set of clothes to take into the shower. Kongpob was seated on his sofa, P'Gun's briefcase open in front of him.

"What's in his briefcase, Kongpob? Is that what they were after?"

Kongpob chewed on his bottom lip, he took off his glasses, putting them on the table in front of him.

"Who did you say this briefcase belonged to, P'Arthit?"

"P'Gun, the director's personal assistant."

"What were you doing with him?"

Arthit looked away, wondering whether he should divulge P'Gun's motivations. He stayed silent for a long while.

"We had just gone for a coffee, he was in the elevator with me the other day."

"Ah."

"Come to think off it, he had the briefcase with him that day too. What's in it, Kong?"

Kongpob hesitated, he closed the briefcase with a bang. He began apologetically.

"P'Arthit - I'm sorry -"

"Don't say you can't tell me, I was almost killed for what was in it."

Kongpob sighed heavily.

"That's not possible. The briefcase is useless."

"What do you mean?"

"It's mostly scraps on the director's appointments and blank sheets of paper, there's nothing of value in it."

"So, why then?"

"I don't know, P', not yet at least."

"Why was that man after me? Or was it P'Gun he was after?"

Kongpob opened his little black book, noting down something there. He looked contemplative for a second.

"What sort of a man would you say P'Gun is?"

"How do you mean?"

"Do you find him to be highly intelligent, organised with his thoughts?"

Arthit remembered the fumbling, clumsy P'Gun, 'organised' wasn't the word he would use to describe him.

"Not really, why?"

"It's surprising, that's all. His notes are colour-coded and efficiently managed. I wondered how he was like in real life."

Arthit furrowed his brows in confusion, what was Kongpob getting at? He didn't like where his train of thought was going.

"P'Gun is a good person -"

"How do you know, P'? You barely know the guy -"

"I just know, alright. P'Gun has nothing to do with this -"

Kongpob pursed his lips, Arthit could sense that he was reigning in his anger.

"I don't want to fight with you, P'Arthit. Let's not discuss this further -"

"Fine."

In his anger, Arthit slammed the door to the bathroom. He sank to his knees against the door, cursing himself repeatedly. He didn't know why Kongpob always made him forget himself, why he behaved rashly whenever he was involved.

********************************************************************

He stood under the water for a long time, till his skin became prune-like. His thoughts flashed between the gun shot, the wild panic he had felt on being chased, the pool of blood. He felt faint as his heart hammered away.