2015
(K21, A20)

Looking out the window, Kongpob can no longer make out any of New York City's landmarks. Soaring further into the calm blue skies with scattered white clouds that match perfectly to his mood. Kongpob gently caresses the blue velvet box.

Grandma Jenny, say goodbye to New York. I'm finally taking you home, where you belong.

Kongpob carefully places the blue velvet box inside his duffle bag and tucks it safely under the seat in front of him. He really wanted to keep it in the empty seat next to him, but the flight attendant said that wasn't allowed.

From the side pocket of his duffle bag, Kongpob takes his diary out to write down his thoughts. It has only been a week since Kongpob completed his studies in New York. It may be a long time before he ever visits again. He had promised Jamie and Payel that they would stay in contact and try to visit each other. But in reality who knows what will happen in the future. Once all of them graduate and enter the so-called real world, priorities will change and responsibilities will fall upon them. Such long leisure travels will be a luxury sometimes even money can't afford because time is not for sale. But no matter what happens in the future, their friendship has carved a place in his heart that nothing can replace. Kongpob can still remember his very first encounter with Jamie and her friendly and warm smile. He can't imagine what it would have been like without Jamie and Payel for the past two years. Payel made him promise that no matter what happens to her and Jamie, they will stay friends forever.

Two years in a span of a lifetime is very little but the memories and experiences can be everlasting. If he didn't come all the way across the globe, then he would never have met Grandma Jenny. A soul so beautiful and kind that even through all the hardship in her life she was never disheartened. Through his grandpa and Grandma Jenny's love story, Kongpob knows no matter what life throws at him and Arthit, they will be able to make it as long as they love each other.

Kongpob stares at the envelope that's tucked inside his diary. It contains Grandma Jenny's will and a check for $1.68 million USD. It's the money Grandma Jenny left for him from selling all her properties in New York. Kongpob honestly doesn't even know what to do with the money. He hasn't told his parents about it yet, mainly because he hasn't told his mother about Grandma Jenny yet. Furthermore, his family is very humble and happy with simple things in life. They never ask for more than what they need. But maybe this money will stop his parents from having to work so hard. At least his father won't have to travel as much.

Upon his return, there will be only two weeks before his graduation. Kongpob can't believe he already has an interview that he needs to prepare for. His mentor, Nick from Johnson & Johnson had helped him arrange for an interview at Johnson & Johnson in Bangkok. Nick doesn't even know anyone personally from the Thailand division, but he went out on a limb to contact someone from Human Resources over there and put down his own name as a referral. Kongpob couldn't believe Nick would do something so incredible for him. He's so grateful and touched by so many people he's met during his studies in the US. Hopefully, he will one day really come back to visit.

And even though he will miss his friends in the US, he really can't wait to go home. Home to his parents and home to his boyfriend who has been counting down the days until he returns. Arthit had started counting down a month ago and today is down to one, by the time he lands, it will be zero. Kongpob can't help but find everything Arthit does cute. It also reminds him of how they started dating with only thirty-two days left before he left for his studies. He remembers all of Arthit's silly antics and how he snuck out to be with him. He can't believe that was already two years ago, and their relationship has survived. They've shared all their firsts together despite the distance, and there are many more firsts to come.

~~~~~~

Two years. Two whole years is finally going to be over. Arthit is so excited, he doesn't know what to do with himself. His boyfriend is flying back right at this moment, somewhere over the ocean. No more Skyping, no more emails, no more phone card calls, and no more Facebook stalking. Yes, stalking. He won't have to check all of Kongpob's friend's pages just to see if they've posted any pictures with Kongpob in them, or they've mentioned anything that included Kongpob. It's not that Kongpob didn't tell him things or anything like that but Kongpob doesn't post as many pictures and details. There have been many times Arthit found out more about an event or activity on Jamie or Payel's page than from Kongpob himself.

For instance, Payel once wrote in detail about how she and Kongpob stopped a pickpocket from stealing an old man's wallet on the subway. While Kongpob only told him that he helped a man chase off a pickpocket. Kongpob didn't tell him that he got punched across the face leading to the big angry bruise on his cheek and the pickpocket also had a knife on him. In a matter of fact, Kongpob didn't even post any pictures that week, and that event led to their first fight. Arthit wouldn't have known that Kongpob had gotten hurt if he didn't see Payel's post about rewarding the hero with pizza. Arthit was very upset that Kongpob was lying by omission even though he knew Kongpob just didn't want him to worry. Versions of the truth are not the whole truth. And maybe Arthit was being a hypocrite because he's lied before too, but that was different. He wasn't in any real danger. And obviously, they made up after Kongpob promised never to leave out details again. But aside from that, Arthit liked looking at candid photos of Kongpob in other people's backgrounds.

Other than his visit to New York, Arthit has honestly hated every minute of their long-distance relationship. He can't believe they've finally made it. There have been times that were so tough that he wanted to give up because he felt so lonely and so depressed. And after experiencing the intimate connection of sex for the first time, Arthit really missed the feeling of togetherness. That moment where two souls feel complete and all is right in the world. It's hard to describe the overwhelming feeling of love and completion other than it was amazing and wholesome. It's maybe like being wrapped in your favorite blanket on a chilly evening with a cup of hot cocoa where you're warm inside and out, but at the same time it's also exciting like your whole being is pushed to the edge and you're hanging on by a thread until you finally can't hold on any longer, and then you fall into uncontrollable bliss. Yeah, that's how Arthit would describe making love with Kongpob.

Then there was also a week where he missed Kongpob so much that he couldn't sleep. It happened about two weeks after he came back from his New York visit. It got so bad that his twin sister, Krystal couldn't sleep either. So Krystal stayed in his room for over a week talking to him at night until he would finally fall asleep. Thank goodness he has a sister. Being in school wasn't all that better. His friends were all dating now and being lovey-dovey in front of him, and they were also too busy for him on the weekends. Luckily, he went to the orphanage instead and played with the kids and helped Miss Eva out. Otherwise, he would have been bored out of his mind.

Now all of that is in the past. What he needs to do now is focus on their future. Kongpob is going to graduate in two weeks and Arthit will start his holiday, so they'll have some free time to spend together. Arthit still has one more year before he graduates, and after his recent internship, he doesn't think that's what he wants to do anymore. He saw what it was like to be a producer and it's not what he thought at all. It's a tedious, exhausting, and thankless job. The producers have to be responsible for everything and everyone but at the end of the day, they get the least credit. And if anything goes wrong, they get the blame. The producers are like glorified errand boys. So unless they're making mega-hit movies where they get paid a lot, it's not worth it to him.

Nevertheless, now he has to think of what he wants to do. At first, he was a little afraid to tell Kongpob that he didn't want to be a producer anymore because Kongpob was so happy and proud of him for getting that internship. He didn't want to let Kongpob down or disappoint him. But at the end of the internship, Kongpob could tell he wasn't enthusiastic about it at all and told him that it's okay and it's good that he found out now. How Kongpob can understand him so well is a mystery, especially when they're so far apart. Arthit sometimes wishes he knew what he wanted to do in life and be as diligent as Kongpob. But Kongpob says that it's normal to have a change of mind at this age and he'll support whatever Arthit wants to do in life. Arthit couldn't have asked for a more supporting boyfriend. Together they will discover many more things about themselves and each other.

~~~~~~

Kongpob and Arthit enter the temple respectfully. This is the first time Kongpob is bringing Arthit to visit his grandpa. Grandma Jenny has finally been settled next to his grandpa, and they can finally be together.

Kongpob's mother, as expected, was not happy at all to find out that Kongpob, her only baby, had kept such a big secret from her all these years. She also felt betrayed by Kongpob for requesting to put Jenny's ashes next to her father's. Her father didn't even request to be placed next to her mother who was a good wife that stood by him for over twenty-five years. She was beyond furious that Kongpob had brought Jenny into her home. She locked herself in her bedroom for two whole days and refused to see or listen to her son's plea.

Kongpob kneeled in front of his mother's bedroom with Jenny's urn in his hands for the whole two days. He cried and begged until his tears ran dry. Kongpob's father had to be the mediator between the two. He had to bring food and water to two of the most stubborn people in his life. It was at the end of day two when Kongpob started telling his grandpa and Jenny's tragic love story through the door. He knew his mother was listening on the other side. His mother had only heard bits and pieces of their love story throughout the years and she never asked to know more. At the end of the story, he heard his mother sniffling. Then he asked her again, "after a lifetime of waiting, can't they at least be together in heaven?" After a while longer, Kongpob's father finally came out to tell him to go back to his room and take Jenny to the temple the next day. His mother had finally conceded.

Kongpob told his parents about the inheritance and his mother refused to use a penny of Jenny's money. However, she didn't stop Kongpob from keeping it. Arthit's father suggested Kongpob to hire a financial advisor to invest the money in conservative stocks until he knows what he wants to do with the money and not to make haste decisions. He still needs to gain real-life experience and find good opportunities to invest in. Otherwise, money can easily be squandered.

After paying their respect and making merits, Kongpob led Arthit to the wall of cremation urns at the back of the temple. First, Kongpob introduces Arthit to his Grandma Mali. He was too young to remember much about his Grandma Mali that passed away when he was two years old. But he knows from his mother that she was a good mother and a good wife. And even though his grandpa didn't love his Grandma Mali, he did respect and care for her.

After paying respect to Grandma Mali, they walk further down the cremation wall to where Grandpa Aroon and Grandma Jenny rest. The two boys wai to their elders.

"Grandpa and Grandma Jenny, I've brought my boyfriend Arthit to visit you two. I hope you two are now happy together. Grandma Jenny has already met Arthit before, but you haven't yet grandpa," Kongpob introduces with a smile.

"Sawasdee krab, I'm Arthit Rojnapat. It's nice to meet you P'Aroon, and I'm glad to have had the chance to meet P'Jenny. I too hope you two are happy now."
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Leaving the temple, the two boys walk side by side quietly. Arthit can sense Kongpob is still a bit melancholic even though he has successfully fulfilled all his promises. He purposely bumps his shoulder to his boyfriend's but Kongpob only moves a step further. Arthit does it again and again until Kongpob is just about to fall off the curb and then he quickly grabs Kongpob's hand to pull him back. Their chests slam together and with a silly grin, Arthit sneaks a chaste kiss on Kongpob's lips and then quickly walks away.

"Hey!" Kongpob smiles and catches up.

"Kongpob, I have a surprise for you."

"What is it?" Kongpob asks curiously.

"Just follow me."

Thirty minutes later, the two boys are standing in front of Kongpob's grandpa's house.

"Arthit, I didn't bring my keys."

"It's okay. I'm used to jumping the fence now." Arthit's smile is so big that his eyes disappear and all his teeth are showing.

"Hahaha.... really? So you've been practicing?" Kongpob can feel a squeeze to his heart just thinking of Arthit coming here alone while he was abroad.

"Just a little bit. Come on. Let's go." Arthit jumps and his arms successfully grab onto the top of the fence and he pushes himself up and then he swings his right leg onto top of the fence too and jumps over like a pro.

"Nice!" Kongpob praises proudly. Arthit didn't struggle like he did the first time. He quickly jumps over to meet Arthit on the other side.

"Hurry! You're getting old, Kongpob." Arthit teases and then grabs Kongpob's hand.

"Old? I'm only a year older than you." Kongpob chuckles and follows Arthit through the hallway to the back of the house.

"Surprise!" Arthit says as they stand in the middle of the yard.

"Wow! Arthit, you did this? You planted all these white roses?" Kongpob is amazed by the beautiful sight of his grandpa's abandoned yard that's now filled with white roses. Then he remembers he had told Arthit once that if he ever had to pick a flower, it would be a white rose when they were strolling around New York and there was a man selling white roses out of a water bucket. He walks around the yard admiring all the flowers.

"Yeah. Do you like it? It's your graduation gift." Arthit feels so proud seeing Kongpob this happy with sparkling eyes. It makes all the back-breaking efforts worth it.

"Arthit, this is amazing. I love it." Kongpob turns back to Arthit and pulls him in for a tight hug that the latter quickly returns. "And I love you, Arthit."

"I love you too, Kongpob. Two years and we've made it." Arthit mumbles into Kongpob's shoulder. This moment is real and not just a dream. They're finally together.

Kongpob pulls back a little and presses their foreheads together. "Yes, we've made it. Time and distance couldn't break us. And before that, we kept missing each other. But we're here now and nothing will separate us. Thank you for not giving up. I know it wasn't easy." Kongpob nuzzles the tip of Arthit's nose with his and he takes a deep breath. He doesn't know what Arthit will say, but this is what he really wants and what he feels is right. "Arthit, will you live here with me after you graduate? We can take every step together, and I promise to love you forever."

Arthit's heart swells at Kongpob's words. "Yes, then I can't wait to graduate. I love you, Kongpob."

Looking into each other's eyes, they seal their promise with a passionate kiss inside a garden that's filled with love, in front of a house that will become their home.

They're still young and there will certainly be more challenges ahead of them. Life will throw them curveballs and maybe even shower them with lemons, but together they will grow and make it through.

The End.

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AN: Sweets, we've finally made it to the end of this story. Thank you for being on this sweet journey with the boys. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I have writing it. I will miss them dearly. May they grow together and be destined forever. An epilogue will follow.

*Please let me know what you thought of this story.

Facts: Singto says his backpack used to be like a magic bag. Whatever you might need he would have it; inhaler, painkillers, allergy medicine, lip balm. He said he was ready to take care of not only Krist but everyone as well. - praewmag 2020 (😌 I've only seen Krist get to use Singto's things.)

Curtsy,
Lana ❤️