Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kongpob sighed, looking at his wrist. The numbers 1,810 stared back unforgivingly at him. He groaned and dropped his head back on the sofa. This was the smallest the number had ever been and he really wanted to dash out of the waiting room. The number right now was so tangible that he could almost feel his other half.

But he couldn’t because he had a job and that job required him to be on stage in less than 5 minutes. He threw a pleading look at his manager, Prae who was glaring at him as though he was daring him to try to ditch. 

“I know, I know,” he said exasperatedly, trying to get Prae to stop throwing him dirty looks. “The last time this happened, I ran around the mall like a psycho and the owners had put in a complaint with the company because the fans were out of control. 

Prae clicked his tongue. “I’m glad you remember that fiasco. We are not going through that again.” Looking at her number one artist and best friend, she too sighed as he pat Kongpob on the shoulder. “I don’t want to see you in pain and disappointment again this time either.”

Anyone who knew Kongpob personally would know that the man had been obsessed with finding his soulmate. While his numbers remained high, they were still a clear indication that his partner was in Bangkok, which meant that the likelihood of finding each other was still a very promising possibility. 

A crew member entered the room, signaling Kongpob to prepare to head on stage. He gave another sigh before he stood up to straighten out his outfit. Clapping Prae on the shoulder, he promised, “I won’t do anything silly.”

The event goes on without a hitch, Kongpob actually kind of enjoying his time with the emcee and his fans. The ‘kind of’ part being that he kept glancing at his wrist and watched as the numbers steadily dropped downwards. He was getting progressively antsy towards the end as his soulmate GPS counter hit the triple digits. 

During his last number, a quick glimpse to his wrist showed 120 and Kongpob struggled to remember the next few words to his lyrics. His soulmate was here. This was the closest they had ever been to each other. He tried looking around discreetly for anyone who might be showing the same signs he was now trying hard to conceal.

Scanning through the many faces of his fans, Kongpob sank further into hopelessness. While their faces were clearly drunk in love with him, it wasn’t what he was looking for. How he yearned to run through the crowd to find the one that was meant for him. As the number started to creep upwards once again, Kongpob wanted to cry. He was going to lose his chance.

However, a quick glance at Prae and the look that clearly said NO struck the madness out of his mind. Rushing into a fan crowd was never going to be a good idea. He knew that. ‘Stay calm,’ he told himself, as he gave the area ahead of him another scan. 

And that was when he saw him. Standing alone at the back some small distance away from the crowd, staring into the distance.

His heart palpitated within his chest and he finally realised how true all the different experiences of others were. 

‘You will feel like no one else exists.’

‘Your world will suddenly feel complete.’

‘The air that you breathe will suddenly be your other half.’ 

‘Your heart will ache and race all at the same time.’

And here he was, feeling it all happen at once. It felt like the song he was singing was now dedicated to him and him alone. His fair skinned soulmate turned on the spot, finally facing the stage and Kongpob felt a little delirious. He was now staring right into his other half’s glassy doe eyes. He wondered if he felt it too, the urge to run to him and to hold him in his arms. 

But to his greatest horror and disappointment, said other half merely scoffed lightly, shaking his head, before walking off without a second look at Kongpob. The song he was singing had thankfully ended, as the artist stared open mouthed at the back that was now walking away from him and their destiny. Tears began to well in his eyes as he blinked multiple times, willing them to go away.

No. No. NO. Don’t go! 

What had just happened? Did his soulmate not feel the connection? Had he recognised the wrong person? But the numbers that were now steadily increasing on his wrist told him otherwise.

Why was this happening to him?

~***~

A few weeks after his first meeting with his fated person, Kongpob was getting increasingly restless. The stupid counter on his wrist constantly mocked him, keeping itself in the high thousands, coming nowhere close to 0.

So here he was at yet another event, a fansigning for his latest single. It was as though Prae had purposefully flooded his schedule to disallow him from wallowing in self pity and despair. Why couldn’t his other half be a fan? By the looks of it, he was not only not a fan, it almost looked as if he despised him, with the way he had scoffed and walked away. He simply couldn’t get his image out of his head, his heart shattering with each replay. Was it because he was a man? 

“P’Kongpob!” 

Kongpob was snapped out of his reverie as he smiled professionally at his fan who was now standing in front of him. 

“Phi, your new single is so good! We will be waiting for a full album next time!” His fan prattled on as he signed on her poster with ease. He flashed her one of his trademark grins before thanking her for all her support. As he reached out his hand to shake hers, his counter flashed beneath his sleeve. 206.

‘He’s here!’ He screamed mentally to himself, shooting out of the chair and startling the fan in front of him and causing all the other fans behind her to scream. He strained his neck trying to look over the girl in front of him as his eyes frantically scanned the line of fans behind but he wasn’t there. He would have recognised that face anywhere. There was no way he would have missed it. 

“Kongpob!” Prae’s voice suddenly hissed in his ear. “What are you doing!” Kongpob soon found himself being firmly pushed by both shoulders to sit as the autograph pen was placed in his hand. “Don’t do this now Kong.” The stern warning came. 

Kongpob sulked, his eyes continuously flitting around to catch a glimpse of his fair skinned beauty. He sighed as he picked up the next poster placed in front of him, signing it a little impatiently. It was then he felt a little shiver run down his spine.

He’s here.

He knew it. He could just feel it. Raising his head to look at the second level, he found himself once again staring at the same mesmerizing eyes that have haunted his dreams for the last few days. As he moved his pen across the poster out of reflex, he kept his eyes glued to the other, hoping that he could hear his silent pleas. 

But like their first meeting, he had to watch in dismay as his significant other turned away for the second time with a shake of his head. This time, Kongpob couldn’t even react anymore as his pen froze on the poster for a few seconds too long, leaving a huge blotch in its place.

Why? Does he hate him? Was it because he was a guy? 

“Phi! Are you okay P’Kongpob? You don’t look so well.” His concerned fan asked, bringing his attention back to the event. 

“Oh, no no. I’m fine.” Kongpob put on his trademark smile once more, masking the fact that his heart had just been smashed to smithereens again. He played out the role of the perfect artist that he was right till the end of the event before he was whisked away by Prae where he sobbed in his company van away from the eyes of prying fans.

~***~

Prae must have activated the gang because that night, Kongpob found himself in the VIP booth of one of the most exclusive nightclubs in Bangkok. Sipping on his whisky on the rocks, he threw his head back on the sofa and let out a big sigh. Club music boomed all around him and yet, all he could think about was still his soulmate that had walked away from him. 

Oak, Aim and Tew soon came bouncing into the room, with May, Maprang and Prae trailing close behind. 

“Kong!” Oak screeched over the blasting music as he approached the artist with open arms. Kongpob shook his head and chuckled, standing up to return his friend’s hug. 

After a round of greeting with each of them sans Prae, they all settled comfortably into their seats with a drink each. Kongpob sat quietly as he listened to his friends talk about their current lives. His eyes however, couldn’t help but wander towards the linked hands of Oak and Maprang. Out of all of them, they had found their soulmate in each other the earliest while they were all still in school together. Kongpob couldn’t help but feel envious, as his brain floated back to the memories of his own ivory skinned supposed significant other. 

Somehow, it felt as though the fates were playing tricks on him as the numbers on his wrist suddenly dropped to a mere 189, causing Kongpob to shoot out of his seat. 

He’s here.

Although his brain was screaming all sorts of ‘no’ at him after his rejections, his body had another brain of its own as he found himself dashing out of the booth and peering over the railings of the second floor, trying to spot a certain person in the midst of the crowd. He vaguely heard the rest of them rushing out of the room to try to find out what was happening but he had only one person in his mind. He ran down the stairs at full speed, racing towards the dance floor as he kept a constant check on his wrist, numbers consistently dropping. 

5

4

3

2

1

Chapter Text

“Ai’Bright, where the hell are-”

Arthit spun around on the spot only to find himself almost nose to nose with none other than Kongpob Sutthiluck. The Kongpob Sutthiluck. His unfinished sentence now stuck in his throat as he stood gaping at the gorgeous man in front of him. His heart was threatening to thunder out of his chest, he was so sure the other could hear it over the impossibly loud music in the club. 

No. It couldn’t be. He had just barely managed to talk himself out of his own preposterous assumption this afternoon. It couldn’t be happening again. Then again, could anyone keep their heart rate down in front of this amazing person? Probably not. Which meant his current palpitating condition had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Kongpob might be his soulmate and everything to do with the fact that he looked freaking perfect.

Kongpob could never be his. 

But yet, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the other, as he stared fixedly at him, gulping as he did so. The air tantalised between them, almost electrifying. It had seemed like everything around the two of them had completely faded into the background, and there was only the two of them left on the dance floor. Before he could shake the ridiculously cheesy thought out of his mind, he gasped as Kongpob reached out to touch him, bringing his wrist to eye level - a big fat 0 flashing before both their eyes. 

“It really is you.” Kongpob whispered, his own eyes never leaving Arthit’s. The four words sending Arthit’s brain into a complete mess.

Before Arthit could make out head or tail of his current situation, his wrist was released from Kongpob’s grip and said hand had moved to grab him by the back of the neck, crashing their lips upon each other. 

Kongpob kissed him with full urgency, desperately trying to assure himself that he had not been rejected since his soulmate had neither ran from him nor pushed him away. He prayed in his head for some form of a response, that he was not the only one who wanted this. 

Arthit mewled, his released hand now softly gripping onto the lapel of Kongpob’s shirt. He didn’t know what he was doing - he hadn’t been kissed before. But somehow every cell in his body was screaming out for the man who was currently in a lip lock with him. So Arthit gave into his instinct, bringing his other hand up to tug on the other lapel, pulling Kongpob closer to him as he returned kiss for kiss. 

So kissed they did, in the middle of the dance floor with sweaty bodies surrounding them, each swaying to the enticing beat of the music. Neither of them had any idea of what was going on as they focused on each other, behaving as though they were long lost lovers, reunited after an eternity apart. Even as they ran out of breath, they separated only briefly, adjusting their positions ever so slightly before their lips met again in a dance of their own. In that moment, there was just them - no one else.

When Kongpob felt fully reassured, he pulled away from Arthit gently, leaning his forehead against the other’s. He was definitely going to get killed by Prae later. He had just made out with another guy in the middle of a crowded club. God knows how many pictures and posts might be floating about the internet at this very moment. But his heart was more than elated, knowing that regardless of what came his way after this, as long as he could call this man his, everything would be okay. 

“We need to talk,” he murmured gently against Arthit’s lips, pressing a kiss and yet another against them. 

Taking Arthit’s hand into his, he pulled on his dazed partner gently, guiding them both back to the booth he had come from. His friends, it seemed, were probably still trying to locate him as the room was completely empty. Pulling Arthit right in, he swiftly locked the door before walking his lover (he hopes), backwards till Arthit’s back was firmly pressed against the wall. 

Leaning in towards Arthit, he placed both hands on either side of the man’s head, effectively caging him in. He wanted to talk and there was no way he was going to let the other leave anytime soon. He needed answers. 

“So.. why did you leave this afternoon?” He growled huskily, the memory of heartache attacking his brain once more. 

Panic stricken eyes stared back at him as he could feel Arthit writhing under his gaze. “I didn’t think you actually noticed.” Came the honest response as Arthit ducked his head down, leaning gently on his shoulder. 

“I was staring right at you. And you shook your head and walked away. Were you disappointed your soulmate was me?” Kongpob sighed, asking the one question that had been bugging him for weeks. 

“Wh-What! No!” Arthit was once again looking him in the eye, furiously shaking his head. “I.. I thought I was hallucinating. That I was delusional. How could someone like me.. Have a mate like you..” He trailed off, as he didn’t know how to put his own thoughts into words anymore. He thought he had been crazy to have thought that Kongpob Sutthiluck could be his soulmate. He wasn’t worthy of him.

“But you felt it too, right? All the signs?” Kongpob pressed on, puzzled. 

Arthit nodded. “But I thought.. I thought it was just because you’re a celebrity and I’m sure everyone who has seen you has felt the same things I did so I told myself  I shouldn’t think about it. Think about you.. Like that.” He rambled on, wringing his hands together. 

“You mean you felt like this when looking at other artists?” 

“Huh? N-No! Just.. you.. Oh..” Arthit finally realised the point that Kongpob was trying to get at. He had been so dumb. All the signs had literally been right in his face and he had chosen to walk away from it, and the worst part was, he felt miserable each time he walked away. They could have had this , weeks ago if it wasn’t for his own stupidity.

Kongpob chuckled. “Yes, oh. ” Despite their little roundabout, he was glad that his mate wanted him, or at least it didn’t seem like he didn’t want him at the very least. Taking a small step back, he dropped his hands to wrap them around Arthit’s waist, pulling him as close to himself as possible. 

“So you’re not going to run away and leave me behind anymore right? Do I deserve to know your name now?” 

The huge doe eyes that he had fallen so deeply for stared right back at him, head shaking and then changing to nodding almost instantaneously. Kongpob looked at him expectantly, waiting patiently for his name with his eyes twinkling.

“Arthit.” He replied softly, nuzzling his nose against Kongpob’s. “I’m sorry I did that, I really didn’t-”

Kongpob’s hand had once again snaked around his neck, pulling him in for another searing kiss. This time it was loving, full of relief and promises. The pair basked in their overwhelming emotions and clung to each other in a tight embrace. Everything had finally fallen into place and it was perfect. They were perfect.

“Are you ready to brave the big bad media with me?” Kongpob panted lightly against Arthit, dropping a few small kisses continuously against his lips. He wasn’t quite ready to let go of the sweetest taste he had just found. 

“No,” Arthit whispered, afraid of what was to come. Kongpob’s face fell a little at those words. Were they back to square one? 

“But I want to try.”

Kongpob’s smile progressively got so wide that Arthit felt like he was about to combust. His brain was still processing that this man in front of him was his. Meant to be his, all his life. And wanted him as much as clearly did despite his earlier denial. But the hands around his waist, the eyes that were gazing at him adoringly and the lips that were steadily inching towards him reminded him that Kongpob wanted this too - perhaps more than he did. 

For the first time that night, Arthit decided it was his turn as he pressed his lips firmly against Kongpob’s. He hadn’t meant to hurt the other but he was still in disbelief that the Kongpob that everyone loved was his and his alone. Nibbling a little, he teased his lover (he thinks) as the superstar grunted and pushed back, dominating their kiss once more before they were rudely interrupted by loud banging on the door.

“Kongpob, I know you’re in there!” Prae hollered over the music as she continued banging incessantly.  

Kongpob snarled, clutching onto Arthit who visibly flinched. He took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to Arthit’s forehead before he tore away to unlock the door for his unimpressed manager and friend. 

“Kongpob Sutthiluck, if you do this one more time to me I’m gonna-” Prae was midway through screaming as she entered before she caught sight of Arthit hiding behind Kongpob and she halted her steps, causing the rest of their friends who were trailing in after her to crash into each other in an almost theatrical entrance. 

All their eyes flitted from Kongpob to Arthit and back to Kongpob in an almost comical manner while club music continued to thunder around them, filling up the silence. Arthit clung onto Kongpob’s hand, tightening his grip as the man’s friends sized him up. 

They could all tell in that moment that their friend had found the person whom he had been looking for all this time because the great Kongpob Sutthiluck unfortunately, really looked like the dumbest person when he was in love as a shit eating grin remained plastered to his face. 

Prae was the first to move out of the frozen state that they were all in as she threw a small nod and whispered ‘this is normal’ at a very confused Arthit before proceeding to smack her artist in the head. 

Throwing her arms around him, she grumbled. “We are going to have a lot of things to do tomorrow. Your picture is trending on every possible platform right now. But for now, take your lover away and enjoy the night. You deserve this and so much more Kong, I’m happy for you.” 

Kongpob chuckled and thanked them all, hugging each one of them whilst he still held on tightly to Arthit’s hand. Aim whispered a safe route out for the pair to him and Kongpob nodded, dragging a still very perplexed Arthit once again after him as the group led the way out of the club. 

“Wait, what’s happening? Where are we going? My friends? Your friends?” Arthit babbled, as he was nudged into the company van by Kongpob who plonked himself comfortably next to him. 

“You’ll get to know them another day, as will I get to know yours. But tonight, you are mine.” Kongpob winked at him before shutting the door and silencing him with yet another kiss. Arthit hummed in pleasure, forgetting everything else as he found himself responding to the man he held in his arms. He didn’t know what tomorrow would bring nor did he know what the consequences would be for having such a famous soulmate. 

But in this very moment, the two matching zeros on their wrists and the two hearts that beat as one were all he needed.