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“P’Arthit!” Kongpob came scuttling over to his boyfriend, excited like a child who had first discovered the joy of ice cream.
“Look, look, look! Look what I found!” The younger guy came to a stop in front of the other, pinching what looked like thin air and waving his hand around in front of him.
“Wait wait, Kong!” Arthit grumbled, trying to catch Kongpob’s hand while punctuating each word. “Stop. Waving. Can’t. See!”
When his boyfriend finally stopped moving his hand around, Arthit finally saw the item that caused him so much excitement.
It was a.. Ratty white string?
Arthit cocked an eyebrow at the other, expecting an explanation. But Kongpob continued to beam at him like he had found the best thing in the world. Shaking his head, he rubbed his face and stared at the younger one like he had grown another head.
“Exactly why are you so pleased about a piece of string?” Arthit questioned and he immediately regretted when Kongpob’s face fell like a kicked puppy.
“You don’t remember P’Arthit?” Kongpob sulked, sitting himself next to his boyfriend and fiddling with the string between his fingers.
“Kong,” Arthit deadpanned, “I’ve seen thousands or if not millions of pieces of strings in my lifetime. You’re gonna have to give me more than that.”
“This was the one you tied on my wrist for me.” Kongpob mumbled. “It was the first time you accepted me as your junior.” The disappointment in his voice now full evident, causing Arthit to feel a pang of guilt surge through him as he watched the handsome face drop.
Of course he remembered the string, when given the right context that was. How was he going to recognise it if Kongpob hadn’t specifically told him what it was though! It looked like any old string! He did, however, remember every word he had said to the younger one while tying it on.
Watching his boyfriend sulk however, was adorable. Gently picking the string out of Kongpob’s hands, he ran the string lightly down the latter’s left wrist.
“Take care of the flag for me.” He repeated as he tilted Kongpob’s chin upwards to look at him.
“You remember..” Kongpob murmured, mesmerised by his grinning boyfriend.
“Of course I do Kong.” Arthit said, taking the younger’s hand in his. “To be honest, I was really touched that day. I never thought that all of you would thank me. Not after everything.”
“P’Arthit..”
“No no, let me finish. I wasn’t the best senior to you. I was spiteful and I did things I wasn’t proud of. I was really thankful that all of you recognised me as a senior.” Arthit paused, thinking back upon his days as a head hazer. “And then you had to open your mouth and ruin the moment.” He finished, rolling his eyes dramatically at his boyfriend who had stopped pouting and was now chuckling.
Kongpob beamed at his boyfriend, bringing their intertwined hands up to press a kiss upon Arthit’s hand. It wasn’t often that the older one shared his thoughts with him. Arthit wrinkled his nose at his boyfriend’s sappy move, secretly enjoying it before a thought hit him.
“Wait a minute. Kong, where were you hiding that?” Arthit enquired, raising an eyebrow at him.
He was pretty sure the string was not part of the collection of memorabilia that Kongpob kept, having helped the younger move his dorm room once and then yet again to the place they now shared.
“Oh, it was in the pocket of my hazing shirt.” Kongpob answered nonchalantly. “I knew you’d make me throw it away if you ever found it.”
“Yes and I got you the other bracelet for that reason.” Arthit frowned. Was that not enough for Kongpob?
“Yes and I still love that bracelet till this day. But that string holds special meaning to me. It was not only the first time that you accepted me, it was also the day I became sure I wanted to always stay by your side. I meant it when I said that I wanted to be there to wipe away your tears.”
Arthit pretended to roll his eyes and turned slightly away from Kongpob, blushing as he mimicked puking and uttered a small ‘yuck’. But who was he kidding? He’d always known that the younger man was sentimental and truth be told, he loved that about him. Not that he was ever going to admit that out loud though.
“Besides,” Kongpob smirked, moving to pull Arthit closer by the waist, “I’m never letting anything to do with you go. Not in a million years.”
His older boyfriend made a small show, pretending to struggle to get out of his grasp but eventually fell back, leaning into his embrace. His face now flushed as his eyes darted around wildly, as though he was contemplating something.
“P’Arthit?” Kongpob whispered, pressing a small kiss to the other’s temple. “What are you thinking about?”
“Kong..” Arthit started quietly. “You said you decided that day that you wanted to always stay by my side right?”
Kongpob hummed in reply, not really knowing where the conversation was headed, but he knew better than to probe. In his many years of being with Arthit, he had learnt that the latter did things at his own pace and time, often surprising him more when left to his own devices. He nuzzled his nose into the crook of Arthit’s neck, waiting for him to continue.
“So..” the elder of the two continued, fumbling with something in his pocket. “If I were to ask you to stay by my side for the rest of your life.. Would you still keep that promise?” His voice trailed off, his fake confidence faltering as he slowly adjusted his position and angled his body to face Kongpob.
“Wait. What are you saying, P'Arthit?” Kongpob’s head shot off from his comfortable position and he stared his boyfriend dead in the eye, pleading for an explanation. Arthit finally stopped fiddling with his pockets, and brought up a slightly trembling hand holding a ring.
Kongpob observed the ring for a little while. No, it was not the one that he had gotten for the both of them before he had left for China. This was another ring he had not seen before. Cocking his head to the side, he looked at it puzzledly before finally realising what the ring meant - what Arthit had meant.
“P’Arthit..” He gasped, as Arthit took a deep breath and gulped.
“Kong, I know I’m not the most romantic boyfriend and neither am I the most expressive. But every step I have taken towards you and with you, I have never once regretted. You have been the best thing in my life till now and I want to keep walking with you by my side. So will you keep that promise you made to me?” Arthit spoke slowly, as he slipped off the bed they were sitting on and got down on one knee.
“Will you always be there to wipe away my tears? Will you continue to walk with me, regardless of what comes our way in the future? Will you continue to love me and show me how much you love me every single day? Will you.. Marry me?” The man on bended knee finished off, holding the ring up to his boyfriend. Arthit had stressed over this moment for months, trying to find the perfect venue, the perfect set up, the perfect everything all for this one perfect moment to propose.
And yet here it was, in their room, at the most unexpected timing. Because his boyfriend had once again reminded him how much he had meant to him and how it was the little things that mattered. So Arthit decided - this was his perfect moment. All he ever needed was Kongpob and Kongpob alone.
“Why do you always do this?” The younger whined as he buried his face in his hands. Arthit sniggered a little as he patted the other’s knee and tried to pry his hands away from his face. Soft sniffles could be heard and Arthit’s suspicions were confirmed, Kongpob was crying.
Shifting himself so that he was now positioned in between Kongpob’s legs, he reached up to hug the other, allowing his boyfriend to lean his head upon his shoulders.
“You always do this. You did this on the bridge and at the farewell ceremony and at the airport and you’re doing it again!” The whining continued as Kongpob landed soft thumps upon his back with his fist. “Why do you keep taking my breath away? Are you trying to kill me?” He lamented as he struggled to keep from full blown sobbing.
“I’m trying to marry you, not kill you silly.” Arthit chuckled, stroking the soft head of hair. This was the Kongpob only he knew. With no airs of confidence, no snarky remarks, just a man who loved him with all his heart.
“Did you even have to ask?” Kongpob huffed, sniffling still. Arthit could practically hear the other rolling his eyes as he chuckled.
Pulling back so he could see his lover’s face, Arthit grinned. “Looks like I’m the one wiping your tears for you this time,” he said as he gently caressed Kongpob’s cheeks, wiping away the stray tears.
Slipping the ring upon Kongpob’s finger, stacking it upon their other ring, Arthit brought Kongpob’s hand up to his lips and gently kissed it.
“You are mine, now and forever.” He murmured before reaching up to tackle the other backwards upon the bed with a hard kiss.
Kongpob responded as he always did fervently and when they finally separated, he whispered, “I will keep every promise I made P’Arthit, to you and you alone. I love you, P’Ai’Oon.”