Author's Note: thanks to all of you for your support in this story. Here is another chapter. Don't forget to vote and or comment ; )

Enjoy the read.

Chapter 6

Kongpob did not call nor come to visit me for two weeks. I have no idea what is happening or has happened to him. I can't visit him either at his work place or his home. I drove past his house twice and learned from a neighbor that he doesn't live there anymore. He didn't tell me that he would move too.

I couldn't call him to ask what was going on and demand answers. When I did, due to the temptation proving too strong, he told me not to call again in the most severe tone.

I couldn't text him, I am afraid someone might read his text and even if I use another number to send the text it still might look suspicious.

But I needed to see him.

It was plain and simple. I realized after, in fact, that I could visit Kong's father's company as we had a good working relationship. I only hesitated to use this because I didn't know what to say to Mr Suthiluck if he asked me why we broke up or what was going on. I was pretty sure that I would cave and tell him everything. But this could not go on any longer.

So, using the disguise of work, I came over to see him. My hopes of seeing Kongpob was completely shattered because the first thing he told me when he saw me was...

"Kongpob isn't at work today."

My expression must have looked devastated. Inside I felt like my heart had plummeted down from my chest into fire. This was all I had been looking forward to all day and all week and the thought that I wasted this trip and I wouldn't get to see Kongpob for even longer seemed to tear me apart bit by bit.

Kongpob's father laughed, "Are you that disappointed?"

"Huh?" I couldn't even bring myself to try and hide that I was. My mood was hitting bottom and shaking about so that I felt empty.

"Kongpob is a little sick so he couldn't come to work today," his father continued.

I raised my head," how sick?" Kongpob didn't fall sick. He was always the one taking care of me when I get the flu or a fever or anything and never gets infected. "What kind of sickness?"

"I think it is the sickness of the heart, but he says otherwise." I had to lower my eyes from his. I could sense the question coming and braced myself.

"Ever since the two of you broke up Kongpob has not been himself. He seems troubled and unable to relax, anxious all the time like he is afraid of something. I knew he would soon make himself sick. Arthit, son, will you answer a question for me?"

I shook my head immediately, glad the option has been placed before me.

"I am not going to ask you to tell me what is happening. I know you won't tell me. Just tell me this, have you given up on my son?'"

"What? No, Never!"

"Then let's go home together, I am sure Kongpob would be happy to know that you are worried."

"I—I can't." the words were harder to say than ever. "I still have some work to do so I can't do that, sir."

"But you said you have not given up on him."

"I haven't," I said holding my hand out as if I could put my sincerity in front of him.

"Then come home and see Kongpob. You haven't been there in a while."

"I... mother," I held on to the next reasonable explanation. "She doesn't want to see me there. Remember last time she told me to leave."

He nodded as if buying my excuse, "but don't worry. My wife has gone to visit her relatives, she won't know."

"I—" I was once again looking for something to say and he just looked at me as if waiting to see what I would come up with. I let out a deep sigh. "You wouldn't understand sir and I don't want to bother you with it."

"Son," his brows turned kind, "I don't want to make the same mistake I did before when I thought if I left you two on your own you would be fine. I see that I was wrong so please, tell me what is going on so that I can help you."

I paused and studied his face. He was like Kongpob in so many ways; I guess I see where he got his character. "Thank you sir. You are right. I should tell you everything but Kongpob trusts me and he thinks that it is better if I do nothing."

"No it is not," he replied fast and I blinked. "Doing nothing wouldn't change anything."

That's what I thought too. I wanted to do something and I felt so useless and powerless and stupid just waiting for Kongpob. But I promised him, so every time I want to do something, or say something, I would stop and look at the necklace he gave and all my resolve turns to dust. I swear sometimes this necklace feels more like a shackle every day. I keep doing nothing and living my life like I was someone else. I hate it. I really hate it.

"If I tell you dad, what would you do?"

"Anything I can do to help. I just want to help Arthit. You and my son mean a lot to me and I don't want to act ignorant to your troubles anymore."

So I told him. I said that Anya's father was making us stay away from each other and he had someone watching us so that we don't see each other. He just wants Kongpob to date Anya for a while and then they would break up.

"That is not what it looks like though," he said thoughtfully. "Anya and my wife have been preparing for the wedding."

"What?" I stayed seated but I was frantic," what do you mean. They are planning to get married again?"

"calm down Arthit," he smiled a little," Kongpob doesn't look like he is with them. I am sure it is just the two of them going off on their own."

"I don't understand," I shook my head, "how can Anya be so certain of herself. It is like she really believes she will have everything she wants. What is she banking on?"

This was so frustrating I wanted to start pacing but I kept still and asked," sir, how come you are not surprised that Mr Rojhat is threatening us?"

He closed his eyes and chuckled. "Because that is his usual tactics, even back in the university. When he didn't like something he would threaten and hurt people."

"Was he always like this though, about gay people?"

"Yeah, I suppose. He was always planning mean pranks on katoeys back in school but he never killed anyone."

Judging from the relaxed tone of Kongpob's father he doesn't seem to regard the problem in the same way Kongpob and I do. In fact he looked like he already had a solution.

"What troubles me," he leaned forward, "is Anya. She hurt you and who knows what she is capable of. Right now she is living in our house and I would really like to see her leave."

"Living in your house? With Kongpob? Why?"

"I don't know, she gave some flimsy excuse and apparently Kongpob wants her there."

I couldn't take it anymore and stood to my feet. I bit the inside of my lip and turned to the window lost in a moment of anger and frustration. I sighed. "I want to see him sir," I said and my voice sounded more longing than angry.

"I was just testing you before but I don't think it will be wise to go to the house. How about this..."

I nodded to his idea and calmed down a little.

"Arthit, I want you two to continue to stay away from each other and leave my friend to me. I know how to handle him."

I sighed and sat down. "What are you going to do?"

"My friend has some troubles he doesn't want anyone knowing about, I will show him that he is not the only one good at threatening people."

I paused uncertainly. "Sir, I don't think it would be good to make him your enemy."

"Don't worry, just trust me."

Another person was asking for my trust again but I felt stretched thin already. Still I nodded, "okay sir. I am going to go now."

"Okay, good luck."

I entered my office and spotted her just coming back from the lodge. "P'Dean? Do you have a few minutes?"

She looked at me as if startled. We haven't talked much since my first day back. Actually she has been avoiding me or was it me avoiding her. Ah I don't care.

"What is it Arthit?"

I was going to ask for a favor and I hope she understands.

"I need you to go to the pharmacy with me," I said.

She stared at me open mouthed. "What? Are you sick?"

"Huh? No, I am not. I uh, it's like this..."

When I explained the situation I was expecting at least a slap and then a refusal but she smiled. "That's sweet, telling me. It is nice when you give people you want to use this much courtesy isn't it?"

I laughed awkwardly and asked, "Are you going to help me?"

"I don't know exactly why you and Kongpob need to go this far but okay." I smiled and I nearly hugged her but she kept me at arm's length and laughed with me at how awkward that was.

We arrived at the pharmacy and immediately I could see Kongpob. He was browsing over a shelf.

"Look, its Kongpob," P'Dean said next to me. She was dressed flashily as if we were just coming from a date and I was wearing casuals like I just left my couch. I nodded to her.

"So what do we do, walk up to him?"

I was lost looking at Kong's really pale face. He looked sick and almost as if he shouldn't be standing up. I was worried and anxious to go to him. That was when she walked into view.

Anya was by his side holding him with her arm hooked in his. She spoke to him and he glanced at her as if listening then nodded.

"Who is that?" P'Dean asked. I could hear the frown in her voice.

"His... fiancée "I replied.

"What?" I knew she was looking at me but I didn't look back. My eyes were glued to the two figures. I always feel like they looked good together. If Anya wasn't such an insane person she would be Kong's perfect match. Then what would that make me?

I was shoved slightly but roughly, "hey, come on, are you chickening out?" I blinked at P'Dean.
"No, I just, she wasn't supposed to be here."

"Okay, then I will have to take care of her for you," it was as if she was speaking French.

"Take care of her?"

Before I was done, P'Dean was walking towards the two with a confident stride. I could only look at her as she walked.

"oh darling," she suddenly cried out," can you believe this? All the Q and Q is gone."

I opened my mouth feeling dumb. Yes she was supposed to pretend to be my girlfriend while I found a way to sneak a moment with Kongpob, but not so ridiculously.

She threw a discreet glare at me and I quickly came to myself and walked over, "Q& Q? "My eyes moved briefly to Kongpob and Anya. I don't know that we had come to buy bleach too.

They were staring at both of us, the two of them with their own different expressions of surprise.

"Oh dear, what should we do?" P'Dean asked me. I had no idea. "Excuse me?" she beacon to Kongpob. "Oh Kongpob? I didn't see you there. Can you tell me what I can use to replace this Q and Q?"

He seemed dumbfounded like me but said helpfully, "R square is pretty good," he said.

I took in his expression, my annoyance at seeing Anya in the background of my thoughts. He looked like he hasn't been taking care of himself. That spark that made him look nice but defiant, a real hero was gone, or diminished that I couldn't tell anymore.

"Please, I don't know about all this."

"You can go and ask at the desk," Anya snapped, seeming to come to herself. "P'Arthit, what is the meaning of this?"

"The meaning of what? Can't a person come to a pharmacy without having to deal with your stupid questions?"

"I am not talking to you so keep out."

"But you are talking to my boyfriend and I don't like your tone. Something tells me you are the kind of person that clings onto what does not belong to you."

"What?" I have never seen Anya so angry. She looked like she would start shooting smoke out of her head.

"Whatever, just stay out of this, you."

"You are the one who should stay out of this."

Kongpob and I looked at each other helplessly.

"Why did you have to ask my fiancé that stupid question, if you didn't I wouldn't have said anything," Anya barked.

"Only a stupid person like you will think like that. Your brain must be made of foam," P'Dean slammed back.

"Um," after one distressing moment, Kongpob walked over and pulled down the R square from the top shelf and gave it to P'Dean to supposedly calm the quarrel but instead she said, "thank you, Kongpob this is what this girl needs to get her brain cleaned."

To all our shock, P'Dean opened the R square and released it not on Anya as I expected but on Kongpob and myself.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't know that the lid was so weak."

That wasn't an accident, I thought, looking at my body that was soaked in that reactive liquid.

"What are you waiting for, go to the bathroom and get that washed off or it will sting later."

That was when I understood. I looked at Kongpob and saw the same understanding in his eyes.

"Okay, yeah." I turned first and began walking to the bathroom but Anya shouted "No way Kongpob, you can't go to the bathroom with him."

I knew he would be following and it took everything in me to keep walking and act unaffected.

"I have to get this off me Anya, I will be right back." I heard him say.

I entered the bathroom and turned around waiting. It didn't take long for him to come. I didn't have anything planned that I wanted to say to him and I didn't know what I was going to do first but once he was in front of me I just walked to him and hugged him tight and sighed when I felt his arms returning the hug. I thought I was going to die if I didn't hold him. How can we continue to live like this?

We separated and looked at one another as if drinking each other's face. "You look so pale," I sighed.

"And you have never looked so good. "He hugged me again and then kissed the side of my face. "I have missed you so much P'Arthit."

"Me too," I said desperately. "You don't know how much."

He pulled back first and cupped my face briefly, "I don't want to say goodbye too soon."

I don't either but P'Dean can only buy us so much time. I only nodded and held his hand. He felt like he had lost weight. "What is wrong with you, why are you sick?"

"Because I feel so worthless," he said. "I can't do anything right. I thought that there was nothing I wouldn't do to be with you until there was nothing. P'Arthit, I—"

He looked so dejected that I had to stop him. "You are not worthless, Kongpob. You are not. It's tough, this is not something you and I can do on our own. Maybe it is time to talk to someone."

"No," he shook his head, "if I say anything or go to anyone I don't know what she would do to them. I can't tell anyone about this."

That made me hesitate to say that I already told his father. "But Kongpob,"

"I will come to you," he said in between, "I won't make you wait for too much longer."

"No Kongpob,"

"We better get cleaned and go back outside," he separated from me and moved to the sink

"Kongpob, I don't think..." I wanted to tell him that he had no reason to be so afraid but his hollow eyes made me pause.

"She follows us everywhere, she is probably out there right now," I hear him muttering.

"Kongpob."

He smiled at me from the mirror after washing off the liquid from his body.

"Thank you, P'Arthit, for giving me this."

"Don't," I said unable to bear it and hugged him around the waist. "Don't pretend to be okay in front of me. I can see that you are not. Anya is living with you, that person watching is also there, I know you must feel suffocated. Tell me, I will take the load off you."

I thought he wouldn't respond. "hm," he nodded. "She is clingy and she has my mother wrapped around her finger and together they are making my life hell and..." he lowered his head and sounded like he was about to cry. "She is, there is something that she has over me P'Arthit."

"What?"

He shook his head," I can't tell you. When I think of you finding out I think I will lose my mind."

"What do you think I would do if you tell me?" I asked.

"Leave me."

I paused," but I promised I won't leave. This necklace must really have some kind of power because I can't leave you Kongpob so whatever it is we will deal with it together."

He didn't say anything then he raised his head and I see he was trying not to laugh, "I thought you said it was fake."

"It is fake, I am just saying."

He chuckled.

"It is because I love you," I said over his laughter and smiled at his dumbfounded look. I wanted to be able to tell him this more often than I did. Not too much I think, but I want him to be confident in my love for him. "That's why... I can't."

I began to fluster a little. He was looking at me through the mirror but now he turned and looked directly at me. "P'Arthit is so cute," he said, "and so wonderful. I feel really lucky that you love me and I love you beyond what I can describe. I always want to have you with me."

"So, then just tell me and see what happens."

He nodded, "I will. I will but not today. Not this moment, I need this moment too much," he was starting to lean to kiss me but someone knocked the door.

"Young master Kongpob please come out now."

He pulled back ready to step away but I won't let go. I kissed him full on the lips and he seemed to shake like something heavy had fallen on him. I pulled back and said I would see him soon.

He walked out looking at me every so often and I stood there smiling.

When the door shut behind him I lost my smile. I wanted to look untroubled for him, I wanted to make sure that he didn't have to worry about me on top of everything else and I kept the things that bothered me, such as the wedding plans and his moving without telling me, to myself because of the pain I could see in Kongpob's eyes, but this cannot go on any longer. I know I said that I would do nothing, but it has been weeks and the time limit has long expired. I have to do something.

After a while, I came out and found that P'Dean was waiting for me at the desk. The minute she saw me, she walked over and looked me up and down with what I thought was concern.

"Are you alright, Arthit?" I was right. I could see that Kongpob, Anya and the owner of that voice were no longer there.

"Yeah, I am fine." I nodded.

"Arthit," she exhaled and then her frown was mighty. "What is going on?"

I opened my mouth and closed a little awkwardly. I didn't tell P'Dean everything, I conveniently left out the part that we were being threatened to stay from each other, but after what she witness she must have guessed the truth.

"P'Dean, please—"

"No, don't even bother, Arthit. I want to know why it feels like you and Kongpob are in more trouble than you want to tell me. "

"I can't get you involved," I gave up. I couldn't lie to her without risking hurting her and I couldn't push her away after she helped. I can only plead with her to stay out of it.

"It's okay, I want to be involved. It's hard for me to think that you and I can never be, I mean it was hard, but I got used to the idea that you would at least be with someone like Kongpob. Against him I lose every time."

I didn't understand her reasoning and she could tell. "What I am trying to say is, you two, though you deserve some punishment for what you did to me, I think you deserve to be together too. You love each other so much. That's why I cannot completely hate the two of you."

"Even so P'Dean, this is bigger than the two of us. The more people knowing might not be a good thing."

"I didn't say I was going to do anything about whatever trouble you two have managed to land yourself," her voice was sharp and shrill. "I am not that kind. But I want to know what is going on. After coming here to help you I think I deserve that much."

I exhaled after much hesitation. I couldn't think of any way she could help me and not make herself a target. However, I didn't have the same level of paranoia that Kongpob seems to have. So I told her everything and saw how disgusted she was. Her lips curled like a bitter smirk.

"So something like this can happen in real life? It sounds like some kind of drama," was the first thing she said.

"Right now, I just want to help take away some of Kongpob's troubles."

"So that other woman that came in is following him?"

I nodded. "There is no way to prove that she is not just a maid?"

I sighed," if there is it can't be anything that would immediately implicate us and therefore alert Anya's father to the fact that we are still together."

"But it would be great if you could get rid of one of those women."

I nodded,"yeah, I have an idea about how to get rid of Anya, but Kongpob doesn't want me to use it. I have no choice but to help him get that thing off his chest."

"That thing?"

I met her eyes," Anya has something over Kongpob. It is probably just another lie, but it is enough to make Kongpob very uncomfortable. I have to expose Anya for the liar she is to Kongpob's parents and speed up the ending of their engagement."

"Okay, whatever it is I wish you luck."

I nodded grimly. It is all I can do for now. I just hope that whatever it is really is a lie."