Arthit's POV

I don't know what I've agreed to. But whatever it is, it's probably not good for my heart. I think I almost had a heart attack this morning when Kongpob ran into me. My automatic reaction to the impact was to put my hands up, and my hands ended up palming his glistening chest. I tried to act normal, and then made my way back to my room for a cold shower.

Even seeing him fully dressed later didn't make it any easier. He looked painfully handsome in his navy blue suit. When I saw him in the kitchen leaning against the kitchen counter with one leg crossed over the other, left hand behind him on the counter, and the right hand just holding a mug of coffee smiling at me. He has really beautiful hands with elegantly long fingers. Seeing him so perfect, I wanted nothing but to ruffle his perfect hair, and just take him right there on that fucking counter. Give it to him rough. Argh.

I was momentarily lost. I really don't know how much more I can take. I know it's purely a physical attraction I have for him, but it's also physically frustrating. I wonder how many cold showers will I be taking during the coming three weeks. Sigh.

I know he is just being nice to let me stay longer so I have time to find a place. It's either that, or the stars are aligning against me again to see if I can die of sexual frustration. I mean why send a hot straight guy to tease me. I already have plenty of straight friends. Damn you.

Apparently, Kongpob has bodyguards that follow him all the time. I asked how come I didn't see them before, and he told me that Thak is actually an ex-military special ops agent with a black belts in jujitsu. And on the weekends, he only kept Thak around. No wonder Thak looks so badass for a driver. The other bodyguard Luke, drove in a separate car behind us.

~~~~~~

It took me practically the whole day to get everything replaced. My direct boss was very sympathetic about my misfortune, so he just told me to come in when I can. By the time I made it into the office, it was already late in the afternoon. But I still wanted to go in to make sure nothing urgent got missed, and I still needed to get my contacts list back from my laptop. I walked in the office, and the first one I run into is none other than John.

"Hey, everybody, look who is so kind to grace us with his presence."

I really don't need this right now.

"Good afternoon." I waved and nodded as I made my way to my office. Ignoring any questions regarding my absence.

John followed behind me, and hung by my doorway. He stuck his head further into my office, like he is whispering half covering his mouth with his hand, but spoke loud enough for anyone passing by to hear.

"Hey Arthit, did you have a rough night with your boyfriend? Next time, just let me know ahead of time. I can always cover for you when the clients call, you know."

I gritted my teeth, and glared at him. He just walks away smirking.

I quickly turned on my computer and checked my messages to see if I really did miss anything urgent. But luckily there was none. That bastard was just fucking around with me again. He has been spreading nasty rumors about me since I started working here three years ago. He pretty much forced me to come out at work after seeing me with Chet once downstairs.

Now, don't get me wrong. I wasn't hiding or denying anything. I wasn't a secret gay. I just didn't advertise the fact. It's just nobodies business. If anyone asked me directly, I have no problem admitting the fact. But he must be the biggest jackass there is, because every chance he got he would say things like I was being too sensitive, I'm walking funny or something stupid. Always making me feel uncomfortable. He shouldn't be too surprised if a plant falls on his head one day.

By the time I got up to leave for the day, it was already 8pm. My phone went off just as I reached the elevator. It was Thak. Of course it was. Only him and possibly Kongpob has this number as it's the phone they lent me.

"Hello Thak."

"Hello Arthit. Mr. Suthilak will be leaving in the next 15 minutes. If you are still in the office, I can drive you too."

"Oh, I was just about to leave. I guess I will just wait for Kongpob too. Maybe I can go upstairs to look for him."

"Very well sir. I will meet you two downstairs in 15 minutes then."

I pressed the elevator to go up instead of down. When I got in the elevator, I punched in the security code for the 36th floor, and then I started to fix my hair and my tie looking at my reflection off the elevator mirrors. When I reached, I was greeted by Luke the bodyguard.

"Good evening Mr. Ronajpat."

"Good evening Luke. I'm here to see Kongpob."

"He is in his office sir."

"Thank you."

When I reached his office, I caught him just taking off his tie and unbuttoning the top 3 buttons of his shirt, showing a bit of his bare chest underneath. He gives me that perfect smile of his.

"Arthit. I didn't expect to see you. I was just about to leave." He walks closer to me, and his familiar scent surrounds me making me unconsciously smile.

"I know. Thak called me, so I dropped by for you. Looks like you had a rough day."

I pointed to his tie in his hand. He chuckled and shakes his head a little, and then ruffled his hair with his hand. Something I've been wanting to do to him. I couldn't help but stare for a bit.

"You have no idea what I had to go through today, but you seem to be all smiles. Come on, let's go."

As we walked, he took off his jacket holding it over his shoulder. Luke offered to take his jacket, but he declined. I swear he looked like he was posing for a photoshoot while we stood waiting for the elevator.

"Is there something on my face?"

Shit! I'm caught.

"Yes, there's lint in your hair."

I lied. Believe me. Believe me.

"Oh."

He ruffles his hair, and shakes his head a few times.

"Is it still there?"

"No, you got it."

He smiles as the elevator arrives. I internally sigh, I need to shower again.

Luke checked the elevator, but got in last, and stepped out first to make sure Kongpob was safe from invisible harm. I don't know if this is really necessary, but who knows.

Kongpob gave me a look like he knew what I was thinking.

When we got inside the car, Kongpob puts up the privacy screen between the driver front and the rear passenger section. Then he suddenly spoke.

"When I was 10, I was taken for ransom. I was returned only after my father paid, but they never caught the perpetrators. I was drugged the whole time, so I couldn't even help in catching whoever that did it. They threatened to sell all my organs. Ever since then, my mother has insisted I have bodyguards. After all these years, I've managed to get it down to two. I used to have six following me day and night. Thak and Luke are the best of the bunch. Luke is kind of like my mother's spy on me too. That's why I don't keep him close."

I nod in understanding. That sounds scary.

"Were you scared?"

"I honestly don't remember much. I was abducted for 4 days. I remember playing at the park when I was taken by someone behind me, and then I woke up in the hospital. I really don't know if I was conscious at any point during my abduction. I just know whatever they gave me made me very sick for a while. I was in the hospital for over a month."

"Wow. Before, I thought these things only happened in dramas. Also, maybe I've never met someone rich enough worth taking."

"Well, we weren't really that rich back then. Our business was already struggling at the time, so money was tight. My father had to borrow money from all our family and friends to get enough for my ransom. Our family was still in debt when he passed away, and our family business almost went bankrupted. I was only 19 when I was given the responsibility of 6,000 employees. That's 6,000 families waiting for me to make a decision every single day. I didn't want the responsibility, and I even ran away from home, grieving the loss of my father."

"And then what happened?"

"My mother found me within a week. She slapped me so hard that day, I can still feel it till this day. She told me that, if I want to give up on my responsibilities, then I need to go and apologize to each and every one of the 6,000 employees before I can walk away. You see, my mother is actually my stepmother. My biological mother passed away before my first birthday due to a weak heart.

My father remarried when I was 2, but unfortunately, my stepmother couldn't conceive a child of her own, but she has always loved me as hers. She is the only mother I have ever known, and she has never raised her voice at me. When she slapped me, I knew it hurt her more than it had hurt me. I can still remember vividly the angry tears she shedded that day. She went to my father and my mother's grave to apologize for raising me poorly. I couldn't see her like that. So, I got back on my feet, and did whatever I had to do."

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been very hard for you being so young to face so much."

"That's okay. Everyone has a story, right?"

He gives me a sad smile, and then turned away to stare out the window. Now, all I wanted to do was hug him.

We sat in silence for a while before I decided to speak.

"Well, since you've shared something about yourself. I guess I will too. I'm a middle child that nobody misses because I've brought shame to the family according to my father. Being a middle child, I didn't get much attention from both my parents to begin with. My brother was already the perfect son. My sister is the youngest, and a girl, so I was just an extra to my father. It didn't bother me too much, since my mother still cared about me.

Then one day right after I graduated from college, my father said that a friend's daughter was interested in me. I knew very early on that I was gay. So, I told him that I wasn't interested in women. My father was so disgusted. He beat me, and then my mother too for giving birth to a monster. My mother went to pray at the temple everyday for me to be cured.

My father now tells people he only has two children. My older brother Kohl, and my younger sister Krystal. So, I left home, just out of college. Homeless and jobless. I was lucky to have friends that took turns taking me in until I got a job, and found a place of my own. That was six years ago. It was also around that time that I met Chet, the biggest mistake of my life as you can see."

"Hmm, do you still talk to anyone from your family?" Kongpob looks at me with concerned eyes.

"Just my sister Krystal. She has always been supportive of me." She was always the one to put ointment, or bandages on me when my father gave me a beating.

"I'm glad you have good friends, and a sister that cares about you. I would have liked to have been there for you too."

"You're here for me now."

"Yes."

I gave him a reassuring smile. We held each other's gaze in the dim lighting, not knowing what to say, yet wanting to offer comfort to each other.

Thak: Sir, we have arrived.

Thak says through a speaker, and then I heard him get out of the car. He goes around to open the door for us.

This ride had gotten so serious.

Who would have known such a carefree man had such a sad past and so much baggage. Seeing how he opened up to me about his life, I felt comfortable to talk about my painful past too. I've never talked about my family situation other than to my few close friends, and that's just because they were there.

I silently followed Kongpob in the house. I really don't know what to expect, and how the rest of the night will go.