Captain Atikom and Asanai knew each other before, and it doesn't look like they knew each other in any ordinary way either.
Asanai was someone who'd lived abroad—spoke too directly to be trusted. He had to go warn Anupap about this.
"Want to tour Kanchanaburi city, P'Kom? I want to see the nightlife here."
"Kanchanaburi doesn't have much. Dead quiet... just noodle carts until dawn... not fun at all."
"You don't want to go, do you. If you don't want to go with me, just say so directly," Asanai spoke with a knowing smile.
"I'm really sleepy. Both tired and drowsy, plus I've had too much to drink. I have to drive tomorrow. I think I'll go to bed."
"I'll walk you there," Asanai stood up, reaching out to pull Atikom's arm, but the young captain raised his hands, clasped them together and stretched lazily—he didn't want Asanai getting physical with him.
Sombat was still crouched by the chair, eyes wide, ears even more alert than before.
...Damn... 'I'll walk you there.'
Part of him wanted to follow and see, but part of him didn't want to know or see what would happen.
Maybe it's better not to know anything. Sombat was well aware that in their lifestyle, temporary fun could happen easily and quickly—faster than between men and women. Captain Atikom seemed quite the player, and Asanai was no pushover either.
Sombat told himself that if Atikom were to have something with Asanai just once, it might not be so terrible. Even if Atikom wasn't drunk, he was close to it—drinking that much, slipping up a bit would be understandable. Besides... the other party was being more than inviting.
But if they get entangled and it's not just a one-time slip-up, wouldn't that be terrible? All my effort supporting them would be wasted.
He thought of Anupap. Even though he'd lived abroad for half his life like Asanai, they were completely different.
My little brother, can he compete with that young executive, that smooth-talking foreigner? If Asanai pursued Atikom aggressively... it was uncertain... everything might fall apart.
Sombat waited until both had walked away before slowly emerging and standing up. He hurried to Anupap's room.
Anupap drowsily opened the door. The young man had excused himself to bed before anyone else, right when the drinking circle started their competition.
"What is it, P'Bud? Can't sleep?"
"No... haven't gone to bed yet. The party just ended. Mark got completely wasted, Pojanee had to drag him to bed."
"So who won the drinking duel?"
"Captain Atikom... that guy drinks alcohol like water."
"Hmm," Anupap responded briefly, swaying from sleepiness.
"Nu, I have something to discuss," Sombat hesitated, unsure whether to speak or not because what he'd witnessed was weighing heavily on his chest.
"Discuss what? Is it so important it has to be now?"
"Well, uh..." Sombat began to doubt whether he should tell Anupap what he'd overheard. Normally, no matter how sleepy Anupap was, if something important needed discussing, Sombat wouldn't wait. But this time he decided to keep it as a 'temporary' secret.
"Never mind. Seeing you this drowsy, I won't discuss it. Go to sleep."
"You go to sleep too. Good night," Anupap bid goodnight and turned to shuffle toward his bed, collapsing onto it... fast asleep.
Atikom parted ways with Asanai at the reception counter—he needed to collect his room key. Asanai had booked the Pavilion Suite, a grand riverside accommodation, while Atikom's modest quarters nestled near the garden against the hillside. Asanai insisted on walking him to his room, but Atikom declined.
"All this escorting back and forth—we might as well not sleep at all," Atikom said with a light laugh.
Asanai wanted to say, 'Then just escort me alone, and you don't have to come back,' but the words wouldn't come. Over ten years apart had carved an invisible distance between them.
"Your jokes haven't changed one bit."
"Well, I'm easygoing. No stress."
"That's your charm... the one I could never forget." Asanai bid him goodnight, watching as Atikom waved and disappeared into the resort's manicured gardens.
Instead of returning to his room, Atikom wandered until he reached the small wooden cabin by the waterfall stream where Anupap was staying. A pair of faded brown canvas shoes sat on the low wooden steps.
This trip to Kanchanaburi had revealed new facets of Anupap. The young man dressed casually—worn jeans, the same light brown patterned shirt, and those faithful old shoes every day. Sombat had mentioned that Anupap bought multiple copies of the same shirt in the same pattern, like a uniform of t-shirts.
"P'Nu should date someone in uniform... they'd match perfectly," Pojanee had teased, sending Sombat, Mark, and Atikom into laughter while Anupap sat there looking annoyed.
The young captain's lips curved into a smile. He wanted to walk up to that door, knock, wake Anupap to let him in... to slip into bed together... to hold him... to touch...
But reality wasn't like that... at least not now... he consoled himself.
Atikom smiled at his own foolishness—standing here staring at a door and feeling content...
This is enough for now. He sighed and walked back to his accommodation.
From the shadows, Asanai witnessed everything. His confidence wavered—perhaps he wouldn't get the chance to claim Atikom for himself. But his heart refused to surrender, determined to win Atikom's affections. Memories from the past confirmed what he'd always known: he'd never stopped yearning for Atikom, never forgotten him. Despite the many people who had passed through his life, none could erase the image of that young policeman. He was resolved to use every possible means to grasp what he desired… even if it meant taking it from someone else.