Author's Note: thanks for voting and following the story. So here is another chapter, I should be able to send the next one by tomorrow, if luck is on my side. Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a vote.

Chapter 4

"How was it?" Ariel had gone on some other engagement. She was trying to get the project in progress as fast as possible.

I was seated in the room, my old room which my mother reluctantly let me share with Ariel. I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying or that she was in the room. Like I have been doing since I came back from having lunch with P'Arthit I was spacing out in thought about him.

He was surprised when I said that Ariel was my girlfriend, but he told me he suspected as much and shrugged it off. He didn't seem too... torn up about it. He looked okay. And here I was thinking he was having a hard time like I was.

"Kongpob," she shook me and I snapped out of it.

"What were you saying?"

She gave that eye roll and disgusted sigh I was growing used to. "Tuning me out again huh. "She walked over to the wardrobe to start undressing. I avoided looking at her.

"I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind. "

"Is it work-related or something else?" I didn't reply on time as I was thinking of the best way not to lie to her. I was already keeping things from her because I didn't think she needed to know and my conscience was starting bothering me about that, I didn't want to start lying too.

"Not really," I said. "How was your tour?"

"Short. I love the restaurants around here. I think I could even come up with some side project we could do here."

"And extend our stay?" I lifted my brows.

She laughed, "why not. I like it here, this is your home country. If your mother is ever going to accept me I think that would work better when I am living with her."

She was really determined about that. "Don't worry about my mother. She likes me so she automatically likes you too."

"You think so?" I walked over and hugged her. "You didn't tell me how your lunch went with Mr. Arthit."

"I think we can be very good friends." if we don't let our past swallow us.

The next few days were strained. I pretended that it was normal how P'Arthit treated me formally, how he distanced himself from me. I mean, it shouldn't be this hard to cope with seeing as it's only been two days since we met again.

We shook hands and talked to each other during the meetings, he visited to welcome me when I moved into one of the offices to work better, he turned down all my invitations to lunch and avoided me in the cafeteria.

I guess I have had enough. I tried to coach myself into letting him go. If this was how he wanted it then I should let him. I was the one who admitted that I had a girlfriend and effectually placed this wall between us. But I thought I was doing the right thing and that this was also what he wanted. So then why was he behaving this way if this was what he wanted?

I walked to his office and nodded to Puna, his secretary with a cheery smile. It's been almost four days since we met and enough time to get close with her.

"Khun Kongpob," she smiled back. "How can I help you?"

I glanced towards the brown door that led to Arthit's office. "Can I see your boss?"

"Sure, I don't need to ring you in right? You two seem pretty close."

I blinked and allowed it, "yeah, thanks." I wasn't there for official capacity anyway. I walked to the door, knocked and waited for him to admit me then I entered. He was at his window which had quite an impressive view of the city.

He turned with a relaxed look when I entered, but it went cold fast. I smiled internally. P'Arthit had always been good at giving me the cold shoulder and I was a mess at enduring through it. It was like one of our fights when we were together.

"Kongpob, "he started, "I didn't know you were coming."

"I'm just here to take you out for dinner."

"What?" that flustered him suddenly. Maybe it was the word dinner.

"We will be closing in a few minutes, we can get an early dinner and maybe do something together."

"What are you talking about Kongpob, what dinner and why would I do that with you."

I sighed," if I had known you were going to act this way after learning the truth I wouldn't have told you."

He frowned, "wouldn't be the first time."

"But I told you because I wanted to clear the air between us."

He looked away from with a disinterested roll of his eyes.

"Was that the wrong thing to do? Why are you so upset anyway."

He leveled me with a sharp look, "I am not upset." He said. He could have fooled me. I shrugged.

"Then what's stopping us from spending the evening together. And in the weekend, we can go bowling or watch a movie."

"Do you even have any idea how that sounds like? What will Ariel think?"

"That we are just fast friends and we get along fine. There is nothing else going on, right, P'Arthit?"

P'Arthit didn't reply and just studied me then he shrugged, tucked his hands in his pocket and nodded, "okay fine. Let's do it."

That was easier than I expected. I took it as it came and we got off work. I picked the place this time. It wasn't a fancy restaurant. As we seated he asked: "have you even told her?"

I couldn't follow.

"Have you told her about us?" he restated.

I sat back and adjusted the napkin on the table. "There is nothing to tell."

He exhaled that simmering anger, "what does that mean? "

"It means it's been eight years P'Arthit," I smiled, trying to ease the tension, "and it would bring up too much question with us working together."

"What kind of questions?"

I lifted my eyebrow.

"I see," he nodded, "you are worried that she wouldn't want us to work together because she thinks one of us might still have feelings for the other."

I exhaled and said calmly, rationally, "Ariel is a sensible person and she doesn't jump into such conclusions. I'm sure that she would deal with this sensibly,"

"But."

"But I don't want to complicate this project. It's my first international project, it means a lot to me. The sooner I get it done the better."

He looked at me as if he was trying to figure me out then he nodded. "You are right, this project is also a big deal to us. I don't want to see it ruined or stopped."

"Then we agree. "

He didn't smile when he said, "we agree." But I can take what I get.

For the most part of our dinner we ate in silence. I asked P'Arthit if he wanted to go out for a drink but we had work the next day and P'Arthit didn't like drinking much. We got in the car and I dropped P'Arthit at his place.

As he walked up the stairs to his house, I hoped that he would turn. I wanted him to turn and look like he wanted to see me, like... I don't know what I am thinking. I looked away briefly and when I turned around, P'Arthit was just looking away.

Hastily I got out of the car, "do you want to do what I said back at the office?"

He turned, "what."

"Go out and do something together on a weekend...or something." My voice grew uncertain towards the end with the affronted look slowly growing on P'Arthit's face. I guessed that meant no.

"Kongpob, I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why not. I mean, is it so hard to be friends?"

"We broke up..."

"I know but if we can't even remember how it happened then..." we stared at each other. This question had stood in front of us the other night as well.

"I remember that you were too busy studying in Chicago to even call me."

I gaped as I checked through my memories for a corresponding truth. I remembered quarrelling over the phone with P'Arthit about something like that.

"I did my best to call you as often as I could," I said. "P'Arthit, you were just too angry that I was getting along with other people in school."

He shook his head," I didn't care that you were being close with other people."

"Then we didn't fight about it?"He stared and didn't say another word. That's what I thought.

"It doesn't matter how we broke up, as a couple we obviously didn't work."

"Yeah," I agreed. "So maybe as friends we would be better."

"...maybe. Goodnight Kongpob."

Arthit

Kongpob does not know what he is talking about. He thinks I don't see the way he looks at me. How can we even think of friendship when I could feel some unresolved feelings unraveling inside me?

The next day I avoided Kongpob as subtly as I could yet he tracked me down all the way to the roof. No one but the senior staffs are allowed up here—but I guessed he was a senior staff too—

"Kongpob, you—"I broke off as he walked over carrying his food and grinning.

"Nice, I like it up here." The wind was great, the sight even better and I enjoyed eating up here alone when I could, but Kongpob didn't look like he was leaving very soon.

"How did you know I was here?"

"Puna," he replied. I shut my mouth. I still haven't told Puna about Kongpob and Kongpob about Puna. I guessed since Kongpob didn't think it was important to tell his girlfriend about me, I didn't feel it was important to tell mine about him and telling him about Puna would... be troublesome. Or maybe I just didn't want to.

"P'Arthit, let's eat lunch here from now on."

"I don't want to," I answered.

"You are not avoiding me again are you?"

"No."

"So we will eat here from now on."

I keep quiet because I just can't deal with him and his stubbornness. I began to eat my food. He said, "Here, "he placed a brochure in front of me. I looked at it and saw information for hiking.

"What is that?" I asked.
"I thought we could go on a two day hiking this weekend."

"You thought what?" I blinked stupidly at him.

"You said we can be friends, P'Arthit."

I vividly remember saying maybe. "Friends who say good morning and good evening to each other across the hallway and in meetings," I said.

He rolled his eyes in that way I secretly liked, "that's not a friend, that's an acquaintance. I think we can be more than that, unless..."

"Unless what?" I eyed him warily.

"There is some reason you don't want to." There was something coy in his voice, something absolutely provoking.

"Reason like..." I tempted right back.

"I don't know P'Arthit, you tell me." he gave me this feigned innocent look and then smiled. My heart jumped at that particular smile. It was devious and yes, sexy.

I groaned and let my head fall back. I shouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. Kongpob will break first before me. If he thinks he doesn't have any feelings for me, and that being friends is truly all he wants, then I have to prove him wrong.

"Fine, but no hiking." He shrugged. "Karaoke or biking. We can do that."

"Sure, P'Arthit." this time his smile was sweet and he sat on the bench with his lunch to eat and talk constantly next to me.

After that we talked for the minutes it took us to finish our food and then break time was over. As we returned to the office, I spotted Puna walking away. I glanced at Kongpob. I was planning not to tell him about Puna, just to spite him but I have thought of something better. If Kongpob thinks that he has no feelings for me, then he wouldn't mind seeing me with Puna.

"See you later, Kongpob," I said. I didn't stop to check for his responds when I walked over to Puna and quickly wrapped both my arms around her. She jumped and turned slightly.

"Arthit?" her laugh was pleasant, "what are you doing?"

I usually didn't get too intimate in the office with Puna but since I knew Kongpob was watching, I give her a soft kiss on the cheek. "thanking you for the home-made lunch, " I said.

"Wow, I should be making you lunch everyday then."

"No need, I don't want to stress you with that."

"Such a good boyfriend," she tickled my chin laughing. I slowly move my head to capture Kongpob's shocked expression. He didn't hide the fact that this was affecting him. I smiled a little, looked him over and walked away with Puna.