I looked ahead and there was a truck coming right towards us. I made a split second decision to swerve the car to the side of the road in order to avoid the truck. But while doing so, we hit a tree with enormous impact.

My head hit the steering wheel and for a second my mind went completely blank.

"Arthit?

Arthit? Are you okay?

Can you hear me?"

"Yea.. I am fine Kong. You are yelling too loudly." I looked at Kong. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?"

"I am okay. I didn't get hurt." I checked Kong for any injuries.

"But.. Ar-Arthit your head, its bleeding.."

I tilted my head to check my face in the mirror. "Its just a scratch."

I got out of the car inspect the damage. The hood had completely rammed into the tree, but at least we were both okay. Things could have been worse if we hit the truck.

"But the truck was coming right towards us until I moved the car to the side. How the hell did the truck even come on the wrong side of the road?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Kong got out of the car too. "I memorized the number plate of the truck."

"You did? Did you get a look at the driver?"

"No, unfortunately. But you should definitely report it for insurance purposes. Your mom's car is ruined. I am so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to come pick me up. I should have left with left with dad and—"

"STOP! KONG! You did the right and I did the right thing. The car was supposed to get ruined in the accident anyway"

"What do you mean?"

I put my hands on Kongpob's shoulders. "

Its just a car, anyway"

"Its not just a car Arthit, its a damn Mercedes..."

"It is just a car, Kong. I told you, you are more important to me. Now you call a cab for us so we can take your stuff to the dorms and I will call a towing company to pick up the car."

The car was towed to the mechanics and we took a taxi together. The college was just 10 mins away and I was hoping to reach there without anymore interruptions.

I decided to call Prem while we were still in the taxi.

"Hello Prem? Is Mom still sleeping?"

"Yes, but Bright ate all the cake in your fridge. When are you coming back?"

"Actually," I looked at Kong. He was staring intently at me with worried eyes. "I had a small accident on the way. Can you ask Bright to come pick me up at college?"

"Accident? Arthit, what the hell? You left the house so suspiciously and now you had an accident. Are you okay? Is your mom's car alright?"

"I am okay. The car is not. Don't tell mom anything right now. You stay there with her and only send Bright."

"I will. But Arthit, are you seriously okay? Do you need to go to the hospital to get checked up?

"No, I am okay Prem. I need to go. Bye"

By the time I put down the phone, we had already reached college.

We got out of the car and I helped Kongpob get all his stuff down to the dorm reception.

"Lets go Kong, your room is on the second floor."

"Shouldn't we get the keys first?"

"I already got the keys to your dorm yesterday just to save time."

More like begged the dorm manager to give me his keys so we could come to the dorms late.

We carried the stuff to the second floor and I opened the room with the keys I had.

"Here — They gave me two keys, in case you misplace one. Make sure you don't lose them okay? They charge a lot for new locks if you lose your keys"

"Then, I'll keep one key and you can keep the other one."

"What? No, this is your dorm. I - I lose things easily."

Kongpob came closer to me and slid the key in my jeans pockets. "Just take it Arthit. I don't mind it if you lose it. I would just want you to use it whenever you can"

Moving even more closer, Kongpob was about to kiss me on the cheek when he suddenly stopped.

"You are still bleeding, Arthit." Kong pulled me towards the bed. "Come here, sit down. I think I packed a first aid kit in one of the boxes."

"Kong, I am really okay. Its just a small scratch."

"But I am not okay, Arthit. You got hurt because of me. Can you just let me do first aid please?" I could see the worry in his eyes. The same worry I had seen in the other Kong's eyes — the one who was hopefully still waiting for me at my apartment.

I sighed deeply. "Okay"

Kong rummaged through his luggage and finally found the first aid kit.

"How did you even get hurt Arthit? Did you hit the steering wheel?" He asked while putting the antiseptic solution over the wound on my forehead.

"Yes, I think so. I am not really sure."

Kong finally put a band aid over the wound. "I am really sorry, Arthit"

"Its not your fault Kong. Seriously.

I am just happy I got you to your dorm safely and you can start college from tomorrow."

I was smiling at him. I still can't believe I avoided the whole accident and everyone was safe.

"Yes, I am really excited about college and... to see you everyday. The SOTUS thing also starts tomorrow, right? I have heard the new head hazer is a pretty strict guy"

"About that Kong, actually—"

"Ah Nevermind." I picked up the phone. "Are you here already? Okay, I'll meet you at the dorm entrance in five minutes."

"I need to go back Kong. But you stay here only and don't go out, anywhere okay?"

Suddenly, Kong hugged me and took me by surprise "For a moment today, I thought I would lose you and I don't know what I would do if that happened Arthit."

I put my hands around Kong's waist and brought him even more closer. "I am still scared, Kong," I whispered.

"Me too. Can't you just stay here with me?"

"I — I need to go meet someone"

Kong let go off me and gave me a confused smile. "Someone more important than me?"

"Uh.." I looked down and scratched the back of my neck. "I'd say someone just as important as you"

"Really? I wonder who that is. Okay, I'll let you leave this time. But text me when you get home and don't let your wound get wet"

"Got it. Bye. I'll see you tomorrow"

I hopped into Bright's car and told him to drop me straight at the apartment. It was already evening, mom had woken up and she was holding well. I even had the doctor visit her and check her up. I didn't tell her about the car yet, because then I would have to tell her about my accident and I just didn't want anything else to trigger her today.

Right now, I needed to get to the apartment to meet Kong. I had avoided the accident, for sure but I was still feeling anxious. I know not seeing Kong at the apartment was a possibility, but I was not ready for it just yet. In my heart, I still believed I could meet the Kong in the future — I always had.

So, I rushed to the apartment, and opened the door in a jiffy, hoping to find Kong on the sofa like always.

"Kong? Kong? Where are you?"

He was not in the living room or the kitchen. I opened the bedroom door and Kong wasn't there. I took a deep breath, trying to wrap my head around the actual consequences of the day.

"No. No. No. Kong has to be here somewhere. He can't just leave me and disappear." I checked the bathroom and balcony too. Kong was not in the house.

I looked at my watch. It was 7pm.

"Its only 7. May be Kong had to go out for a meeting. I am sure he'll come back soon. He always does."

I lied down on the bed and just stared at the wall.

Did you get home?

Arthit?

Yes, I did

I don't know when I slept, but when I woke up, it was already close to 12am and Kong was still not here. I walked outside, and sat on the floor of the living room just waiting for him.

"Kong couldn't just leave me like this."

What if something happened in the future and he completely hates me now? What if the future changed for him and he not even in this city anymore? What if the accident happened again in the future?

There were a million things going on in my head and all of them ended with me wanting to see Kong.

He was really gone. I realised that was the consequence of changing the whole accident and I couldn't stop crying.

The apartment which had started to feel like home because of Kong was now starting to haunt me. It felt like the walls were closing in on me and I couldn't even breath properly. So, I took my keys and just ran out.

I don' know for how long I ran, but when I stopped, I was at Kongpob's dorm room. It was dead in the night, all the lights were out and there was no one around.

For a few minutes I just stared at the door, debating whether I should go in or not. But I needed to make sure I still had Kongpob in my life, at least in some way or the other.

So, I knocked.

It took a few knocks for the door to finally open. Kong looked disheveled. I had obviously woken him up from deep sleep.

---

A/N: I am sorry for the cruel ending of the last chapter. Arthit is safe and he actually saved the day! (at least for now)

Why do you think there was a truck suddenly in the middle of the road? And do you think we will meet future Kong again? How will Arthit deal with everything, knowing he can't see Kongpob in his apartment anymore?