Chapter Text
June 2021
“Have you seen him, Kong?”
“Have you seen Arthit?”
“Did you see him on TV last night, wailing on his guitar?”
“Did you see his muscles? Did he always have those under those baggy shirts?”
“I’m going to get tickets for his show when he comes up here, anyone else?”
“Yeah, let’s all go together, maybe he’ll spot us in the crowd and invite us backstage?”
The group turn as one towards Kongpob and he feels the heat of expectation in their gazes, knowing what they’re waiting for him to say.
But he can’t. He and Arthit haven’t spoken in person for almost two years, there’s no way he could ever call him up and ask him for tickets. Even just to impress his friends.
Even if Arthit once tried to stay in touch..
But the others don’t understand when he shrugs his shoulders and says ‘No’.
“I thought you guys were close?”
“Why can’t you just call him, Kong?”
“You always say you’ll do anything for your friends, but you won’t do this?”
When they’ve melted away, Kongpob reminds himself that his ‘friends’ are the reason he doesn’t talk to Arthit anymore.
That even though they seem to have forgotten (despite the controversy at the time), the scars are still fresh on Kongpob’s heart.