The Second Chance [Kongpob/Arthit]

Chapter 12 : The Sun-Kissed Moon

"P'Arthit, wake up."

Kongpob was shaking his shoulder, Arthit grumbled, burying his head under the covers. He felt the covers being yanked, sighing he got up, rubbing at his stomach. There was a tentative truce between them, neither willing to broach the subject of the kiss that had almost taken place. 

Arthit wanted to shake Kongpob, demanding to know what he was doing almost kissing him, when he had June. The familiar frustration he had felt at Kongpob had taken residence in his thoughts once again.

"Get ready, P'. I'll drop you to work."

Arthit leisurely dragged his toothbrush across his teeth, he was always slow in the mornings. Kongpob poked his head in.

"Hurry up, I want to speak to you before we leave."

All vestiges of sleep vanished for Arthit, his heart hammered as his brain was filled with hundred different scenarios. He wondered whether Kongpob would address the awkwardness which had settled over them. 

Kongpob was bent over the newspaper, his fingers ran over the tiny script, he was frowning slightly. He looked up when he noticed Arthit enter. 

"P'Arthit, have a seat. There are some things I have to go over with you."

Kongpob placed a key in front of him. 

"First things first, that's the spare key to the apartment. If you chose to stay with P'Knott instead, we'll just have an officer posted outside his complex -"

Arthit hadn't even considered staying with Knott. His mind raced with excuses.

"Kongpob, I don't want to bother Ai'Knott, if you don't mind, can I stay with you?"

"Sure thing, P'Arthit. That makes things easier actually."

Kongpob acquiesced easily, he ticked off items in his book as he spoke to Arthit. 

"There will be an officer tailing you throughout the day, just to keep an eye on you. I will accompany you, to and from the office. And another thing, P' -"

Kongpob looked straight into his eyes, his glasses perched at the end of his nose. 

"Please stay away from P'Gun."

Arthit bit his lip, somehow he found it difficult to equate the bumbling P'Gun with a hardened criminal. He nodded. 

"Kongpob, do you really think he's the one responsible for everything?"

"We'll know soon enough, we're bringing him in for questioning today."

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Arthit ignored P'Gun as he waved at him animatedly from the glass elevator, he ignored his messages with a heavy heart. His mood worsened in the afternoon when his boss chewed him out for missing training exercises. 

" -don't forget how lucky you are to be here, there are hundreds who would have loved to be in your place. And we can easily make their dreams come true -"

Knott's father was sick and he was away from work. Arthit stared at his empty chair moodily, feeling the absence of his friend acutely. So much had happened over the past week, he hadn't even had a chance to mention anything to his other friends. 

P'Gun cleared his throat. Arthit bit back the greeting which was on the tip of his tongue. He pretended to look away.

"Arthit?"

When Arthit didn't answer, P'Gun sighed, smiling sadly.

"You believe him."

Arthit couldn't help himself, he had to take a look at P'Gun's face. He swivelled his chair till he was right in front of P'Gun.