Work Text:
In a month, P'Arthit will graduate.
.
.
Kongpob knows very well that this is a very important period for his boyfriend. In 2 weeks, he'll be facing his final examination, and very soon after that, he will graduate. The graduation ceremony will be held in 3 days after their final examination before they will leave the university life for good.
Kongpob knows very well that their final exam won't be easy, and Arthit will need to spend this fortnight very carefully. Restricted to only studying, eat, sleep and the cycle repeats itself everyday. It's basically not a problem that he have no time to play around, or laze around watching TV.
The problem is that... the cycle that Arthit repeats everyday, without his presence beside him. Arthit spends his 24hours a day with his group of friends.
Of course, he understands that very well. Which is why he did not make a big fuss about it. He restricts his texts to Arthit with only 'Good Morning', 'Concentrate on your studies' and 'Good Night' only so that he would not take too much of Arthit's studying time.
He did not invite Arthit to eat with him at the school cafeteria as they usually did everyday.
He did not ask to sleepover at each other's room as they usually did during weekend.
He did not call Arthit anymore to chat about whatever they face that day before sleep.
He don't want to be so childish and selfish to beg for Arthit's attention. Precisely because he understands Arthit so well that he's giving Arthit more space for his studies. But the thing is that...
...he misses his P'Arthit so much. So so much that drinking pink milk and looking at the lonely balcony of Arthit's room everyday is not enough anymore.
That night, Kongpob was relaxing at his balcony. That is definitely his favorite spot to relax as he could enjoy the chill wind that blew at night and stares at his boyfriend's balcony. But tonight, as it always did since a few weeks ago, the room opposite him is dark with no sense of life in it.
'P'Arthit probably sleepover at P'Knott's room again'
Kongpob just stares at the empty balcony for a long time. He thought that maybe staring at Arthit's room would calm himself down from his overwhelming feeling of missing Arthit but unfortunately, his feeling only intensifies.
So, he grabs his key and wallet and leaves the room. He wanted to distract himself from this feeling, he couldn't concentrate on anything else. Kongpob goes to the nearest convenience store and grab a can of coffee. He went straight to the counter to pay but then his eyes caught something that used to be very familiar in his life displayed there. Cigarettes.
Previously, he always smokes to relax himself. That is, before he met Arthit. When Arthit enters his life, he stopped smoking completely since Arthit forbid him to smoke. He still remembers clearly the first and only time Arthit told him to stop smoking. It was just a few cliché words,
'Don't smoke, your parents did not send you here to burn your lungs'
He had always heard all sorts of warning about smoking everywhere on ads, but neither any of them could make him stop smoking. But by just repeating the same cliché words, Arthit made him stop smoking completely.
...See? He's thinking about his P'Arthit again.
"Uhmm, I would like to get a box of cigarettes" Kongpob hesitantly asks.
It's just for tonight. I promise. He thought to himself.
On the way back, he kept his eyes glued to his phone while walking. Scrolling over whatever texts his friend sent over LINE.
"Kongpob. Watch where you were going"
A very familiar voice that he's been missing all this while rang out so suddenly in front of him. He immediately look up from his phone and to his very pleasant surprise, he saw the figure of a certain someone who has been lingering in his mind all long.
"P'Arthit" Kongpob smiles widely. He couldn't contain his happiness encountering his boyfriend so unexpectedly.
"Hi" Arthit returns his smile and walk towards him. "Were you going back to your room? Let's walk there together then. I'm also returning to my room."
"You don't need to study with your friends tonight?"
"Nahhh, not tonight. Our brains almost explode so we thought tonight should be a cheat day" Arthit winked at his lover playfully.
"So where are you from? Eating this late?"
"No, I just went to the convenience store to buy coffee and..."
Shit.
He suddenly remembers the box of cigarettes he bought just now. On reflex, he hid the plastic bag he's been holding behind him.
"...and? Why are you being so secretive?" Arthit asks, very much curious when his boyfriend looked nervous and hid the plastic bag.
"No, ummm... that's it. A can of coffee"
"You know you sucks at lying and I can perfectly see through you, right? Let me see, I'm curious. Don't tell me you bought indecent magazines or stuff"
"No no no no. It really is just coffee"
Honestly, being caught buying indecent magazine might be better than this. Kongpob's mind commented unhelpfully.
"Fine, then let me see it" Arthit held out his hand to Kongpob.
"No. Uhmmm, like I say, it's just..."
"Coffee? Yeah yeah fine, I know it's just coffee. Let me see"
"No.. I-"
"Kongpob!" Arthit cuts his lover's word with his head hazer tone. He glares at him fiercely while gesturing for the plastic bag.
Kongpob finally give up. He knew that Arthit would never let it go and he eventually would have to submit his mistake to his boyfriend in the end. He hands over the plastic bag and hangs his head low, waiting to be scolded.
"What the hell Kongpob?? Have you been sneaking around behind my back all this time?!" There's a very obvious hint of annoyance in his voice.
"No no. The last time I smoke is when I'm in my first year, I swear!" Kongpob raises his head to meet the eyes of the fierce ex-head hazer. "I didn't lie to you this time, P!" He desperately declares.
"Then, what's this?!"
"I...I'm a bit stressed out...so I thought...um" Kongpob lowers his head again, unable to continue his excuse when he realized his excuses are going nowhere.
"What caused you so much stress that you decide to smoke again? You promised me you would stop smoking. Are you trying to break your promise??"
"I... I'm sorry, P.. I won't smoke... I'll throw it away..."
"You didn't answer me. What are you so stressed about?"
"I.... I just.... I can't bear missing you.." Kongpob finally admits the overwhelming feeling he's been bearing alone all this time.
Upon hearing the reason, Arthit fell silent. His heart flutters a bit upon that small confession. But still, he couldn't forgive that reason.
"Then, when I have to work in the future and do not have much time to spend with you, will you resort to smoking? Is that your only option?"
"No, P.. I.. I'm sorry" Kongpob felt like a child being scolded by his mom and just look at his feet. But he won't talk back like he always did since he knows he's guilty in this matter.
"I never receive any call from you lately and now you're thinking of sweeping me off my feet by saying you miss me??"
"I just don't want to disturb you studying"
"Is that the only excuse you can come out with?"
"I'm not lying, P! I-"
"You know what? That's enough. I don't want to argue with you anymore" Arthit returns the plastic bag to Kongpob before walking away towards the apartment.
True, these few weeks, Kongpob had been missing Arthit and wishing to meet him, chatting with him and admiring lover's adorable face... but not like this. Why must this happen when he finally gets to see the face of the one he wanted to see the most?
"What are you staying there for? We're going back, hurry up!" Arthit's voice snapped Kongpob from his deep thought. "Or do you not want to sleep over at my place tonight?"
Kongpob was a bit shocked with the last sentence coming out of Arthit's mouth. He quickly trails his P silently and heads to Arthit's room.
In Arthit's room, Kongpob sits at the edge of the bed while Arthits stands in front of him, crossing his arm. They remain silent for a brief moment, before Arthit starts to nag.
"You know, you should have called me instead. I haven't heard anything from you for weeks and when I finally get to see you, you... ugh-. Next time, call me. Don't do this again, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes.. But.. wont I disturb your studies if I call you?"
Arthit sighed loudly before complaining, "Have it ever cross over that smart brain of yours that I'm stressed studying for my finals? Do you think I need to drown myself in all these notes all the time?"
"I.. I honestly thought that-"
"Have you ever thought that I need to take a break too??"
Kongpob remains silent. Reasoning his boyfriend's word in his mind.
"I'll say this just once. I... I missed you" Arthit pauses a while when his junior widens his eyes. Probably shocked of that sudden confession.
Not able to withstand the embarrassment of his own words, Arthit sits beside Kongpob and muffled his face on his boyfriend's chest with his arm crawling around the waist. Deliberately avoids eye contact with his boyfriend.
"I was actually going to see you at your room tonight. I'm the only one who skips studying tonight since I can't concentrate anymore... I kept thinking about you, wondering if you ate well, if you're doing well. Everyday, I always expect you to call me. I missed you so much"
Kongpob froze upon hearing those foreign but very sweet confession from his older boyfriend. He thought that he understood Arthit by sparing him space. But maybe he overdid his attempt to be 'a very understanding lover' and made both of them suffered from being lonely.
"I'm sorry, P. I missed you so much too. I love you" Kongpob returns the embrace and lightly kiss Arthit on the head.
Slowly, Arthit look up to his boyfriend and hooked his arms around Kongpob's neck before closing in the distance between them. He presses his lip's against Kongpob's and proceeds to deepen the kiss by tilting his head. Kongpob gladly reciprocates his boyfriend's bold move, showing just how badly he missed Arthit these past weeks and both of them were just as desperate to feel each other's warmth.
Kongpob releases his boyfriend's lips when both of them need to catch their breath. However, he still haven't had enough so he traces his lips over Arthit's neck with his hand wandering over his lover's back and down to the thigh. But soon enough, Arthit grabbed his wrist and stop him from going further.
"That's enough..." Arthit pushes his boyfriend lightly on his chest and frowns. "I'm still mad at you, I'm not going to spoil you anymore" He stands up, grab his towel and went straight to bathroom.
"Can I join you in the shower?" Kongpob can't help but to tease the older man especially when he knew that he already kissed the anger away.
Arthit halted before entering the bathroom and glowers at his boyfriend. But his unrepentant boyfriend just grinned sheepishly in return. Kongpob lies on the bed when Arthit enters the bathroom, feeling very blessed at the moment.
'I love P'Arthit so much.' The only thoughts that runs through his mind right now is this particular magical sentence.
He pondered for a while of what he should do with the box of cigarettes he bought just now. 'Should I throw it away or should I give it to someon-'
"If you're not coming then I'll lock the door!"
Kongpob immediately snapped out of his thoughts in surprise when he heard that sentence coming out of the bathroom. He blinked his eyes a few times, trying to make sure that his ears register the right thing and will not betray his expectation.
"Are you serious, P'Arthit?" He shouted back.
"I'm gonna lock the door"
Without wasting any single seconds, Kongpob hastily runs towards the bathroom. He's not crazy enough to refuse such rare invitation from his boyfriend.
In the end, Arthit still spoils him a lot.