Chapter Twenty-Seven

                                    

                                          
The rest of the week passed by like a blur, and before he knew it, Arthit was standing in front of his mirror getting ready to go to his senior's wedding. He straightened his red tie and glanced up at himself, sighing. His gift for the happy couple stared up at him from its place on the built-in vanity, and he picked it up, his mind wandering back to the moment Kongpob suggested he buy it.
                          
"The real gift is not the card, but the message inside. As long as you put your heart into writing it, P'Tum will be happy. And it's kind of romantic, too."
                          
"Hey, this is a gift for P'Tum's wedding. Why does it have to be romantic? It's not a love letter."
                          
"Then...you can write one for me instead."
                          
Arthit's stomach twisted at the memory of Kongpob's earnest smile when he'd said that. At that time, Arthit had assumed the younger man had been teasing him, but not anymore.
                          
Releasing a deep breath, Arthit opened the dresser drawer and picked up Kongpob's gear. He ran his thumb over the shiny surface, deep in thought. Could he write Kongpob a love letter someday? He didn't know, but since talking to Puen and Knot, he had started thinking it might not be so outside the realm of possibility. He didn't have to be out to be in a relationship, after all. He could take his time.
                          
Now, all that he needed to decide was whether or not he wanted to be with Kongpob. How did people know? He wasn't happy with Kongpob all the time. Didn't that mean that they weren't meant for each other?
                          
He put the gear back and picked up his phone, bringing up Kongpob's name. Arthit typed a message asking if he was going to the wedding, but hesitated, unsure if he had the right to ask him anything at all. Dozens of unanswered messages, in which his junior apologized and begged Arthit to answer his calls, stared up at him accusingly, and guilt turned his stomach upside down. A better person—a decent person—would've answered him at least once, but Arthit hadn't.
                          
As he wrestled with his conscience, Knot called to tell him that they were waiting downstairs, so he quickly deleted the message, straightened his tie, and grabbed his coat and Tum's wedding gift before heading downstairs.
                          
"There he is," said Prem, the second Arthit arrived in front of the car, and gave him a once over. "Wow...you look like you walked out of a Korean drama. You must think you're really handsome in this."
                          
Arthit smiled, looking down at himself briefly. "Of course I am, man. I'm handsome. And you?" He laughed. "Are you going to celebrate Chinese New Year? Why are you wearing a traditional Chinese jacket? You look like an old man in Chinatown or something."
                          
"So what? I'm still celebrating the Chinese New Year. Even in this, I look better than you."
                          
"Okay, we're even."
                          
Knot got out of the driver's seat and smiled at him. "Hey, Arthit. Move your ass and get in the car already."
                          
Everyone complied, albeit with a bit of buffoonery from Bright, and they headed out, laughing and joking around the whole way. During the ride, Arthit's mood brightened and for a moment, he forgot his worries. Today, after all, was a happy day. But when they pulled up to the wedding, he grew anxious at the thought of talking to Kongpob for the first time since they ran into each other at the canteen. That had been...awkward, at best.
                          
"Arthit, are you going to stay in the car all night?" demanded Bright, who was standing with the others waiting for him.
                          
Arthit flushed and unbuckled his seatbelt, quickly getting out and shutting the door behind him. "Sorry," he murmured, and followed them to the outside patio area, where Tum and Fon were taking pictures.