"Uh, Kongpob..." He glances to his new boyfriend. "I have something to return to you." Arthit tries to fool him. Kongpob opens his palm, and the other lets the gear dangle from his hand. Shocked, Kongpob looks at Arthit, thinking the senior is returning his gear to him.

But this gear is gold. "57" is written on it. It's his gear. Kongpob realized Arthit is giving his own gear to him.

"Take care of it for me." Kongpob can't believe it. Never he imagined that what his senior would return is his gesture that night on the beach.

"I'll take care of it with all of my heart."

Arthit himself didn't know he can do such a thing. He knows himself. His awareness of all his dislikable characteristics that night on the bridge proves it.

He's being overwhelmed by his own cheesiness that all he can do is walk away with a smile that can light up whole Bangkok.

"Nong, your food," the guy manning the food stall reminded him. This is embarrassing. He really forgot the food he ordered, his Kong's favorite bland food that he ordered just because he wants to be reminded of his boyfriend. Arthit shyly goes back and pays for the food. "This is not your usual order. What happened?" The man at the food stall is curious. He knows Arthit since his first year in the university.

Kongpob happened. That's the right answer, but in no way Arthit will tell him that. He just smiles and grabs the food. Kongpob, amused, just watches him.

Since they both ordered take-outs, they decide to bring their food to Arthit's room and eat together. This will be their first meal together as a couple. 
 

~

Their dinner goes smoothly. No one talks, and both are just content with stealing glances at each other. Do new boyfriends eat this way?

After finishing their meal, Kongpob sits on Arthit's bed, not really sure what to do next. It was easy to tease his senior back then, but now that he's his boyfriend, he doesn't want Arthit to be annoyed with him.

Arthit notices Kongpob's silence. Maybe, he's thinking what I'm thinking too.

Since the night Arthit kissed Kongpob, he was already thinking of how to break the news to his friends. Coming out is already a big thing itself, but coming out and announcing that he's already dating a guy, the guy that everyone knows he despises, would be gigantic.

He sits beside his junior, thinking of how to open the conversation.

"P'Arthit, is everything alright?" Good. I don't have to start it.

"Kongpob, what do you think of your friends? Do you plan to tell them?" Kongpob is startled by the question, but he already thought of it, too. M is his best friend for years now, and he will surely be shocked. However, he knows his best friend is understanding and accepting, so he doesn't really seem like a problem. Based on how they accepted Prae when she came out, he thinks his other friends will be okay with it too. Or is it different for gay guys?

"I know them, P'. I'm sure they will be okay. Besides, they don't have a say in our relationship."

"I know that, Kong. I just don't want you to lose your friends because of me." Kongpob admires his senior's thoughtfulness.

"I won't lose them. They seem pretty accepting of— ." Kongpob stops himself before he spills out Praepailin's secret. "—people like us."

Arthit feels relieved, but not completely. "You have nice friends, Kong. Keep them." Kongpob just nods.

The thing is, Arthit himself does not know how to tell his own friends. When Toota became their friend, they already know he's gay, and his friends were okay with it. But coming out now is a different thing. They've known him for years, and while he hasn't established that he's straight, he knows that his friends think of him as one. He's not even sure what he is. Maybe I'm bi.

"Uhm... Kongpob, can we keep it between us for now? I know this is stupid, but I don't know how to tell my friends."

"It's okay, P'Arthit. I don't know how to tell my friends either."

"We'll tell them at the right time."

"We'll find the right time."
 

~

It's already 10 PM, and they both have classes the following day, so Kongpob needs to go back to his room. Arthit opens the door for Kongpob and leads him outside.

"Thank you for tonight, P' Arthit. I'll see you at the university tomorrow. I love you." He's all smiles saying all of it.

"See you," the senior mutters. A few more words are missing. Kongpob waits for them to be said, but they don't follow, so Kongpob smiles and walks towards the stairs.

"Uh, Kong..."

There's no one around. It's safe.

"I love you, too."

It took a lot of energy for Arthit to say it, but he's proud that he did. He needs to get used to it after all. He can't wait for Kongpob to go so that he can close the door and bury his face in a pillow.

Kongpob knows that he won't be able to sleep tonight because that last line would remain in his ears for at least a few hours. He steps back and smiles for the last time before heading back to his building.

Arthit waits for him to turn left to the stairs before closing the door. As planned, he goes straight to his bed and presses his face into his pillow.

When he recovers, he takes a shower, takes a peek to the room across the other building, and goes to bed. 

~

At 9 PM that same night, Prem walked Wad to his dorm after his basketball practice. They have been dating for a few weeks now, but they are keeping it to themselves.

"I don't know how to tell them, Wad."

"Me too."

Prem tries to be careful because one of his friends, Arthit, stays in the same building as Wad. Wad's room is even only two doors away from his friend's. So far, he's successful sneaking in.

He stayed for a while to eat dinner with his boyfriend. When he's about to go home, he took a peek outside the door. Just to be safe.

Right at that moment, he heard another door open. . It's Arthit.

But it's not Arthit who came out the door. Wad notices Prem being stuck at the door, so he peeked as well.

"P', it's Kong."

"What is he doing in Arthit's room? It's already late."

They were whispering.

"I don't know."

They both noticed Kongpob's overwhelming smile while talking to the person inside the room.

Though unsure, almost at the same time, they got the same idea.

"Wad, what if... I think they're ..."




 

"Just like us?"