"Kongpob. What the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay away from Arthit for sometime."

Two guys. I saw them in my new memory when I was taking Arthit to the hospital.

But why are they here?

It was Bright who spoke first. "Arthit, where the hell did you even find all this beer? I left the house for just an hour."

"You won't let me die and now you wouldn't even let me drink in peace?"

"No we won't let you drink Arthit because you can't handle it, especially over your other medicines"

Prem glared at me angrily. I could feel him getting offensive. "Kongpob wear your shirt for god's sake and come with me outside. Bright, you stay with Arthit here and call his doctor."

I could already see Arthit's hands shaking and he started breathing heavily. "Kong, you can't leave me. You promised you won't leave me. Are you going because of the marks on my wrists? You can't stand me anymore?"

Arthit's eyes were blood shot and he couldn't even focus. There was something very, very wrong.

Was Arthit still going through depression? I needed to be careful with how I talked to him.

"No. Arthit. Absolutely not. You know I would never leave you. I promised you that. I am just going outside to talk to Prem for five minutes and I will be back, I promise."

"Why do you need to talk outside? Why can't you talk here?

Prem, are you going to make Kong leave me again?

"Arthit was crying now

"Its not your fault Arthit. It was never your fault." I hugged him tightly.

"Its all my fault Kong. I destroyed your life and I continue to create problems for you." Arthit was shaking, I tried to hug him tighter but it didn't help.

"Arthit, I love you. You know that right? You have never been a problem to me. I'll just talk to Prem outside for five minutes and I'll come back. Okay?"

"Hmmm..."

Prem opened the backdoor. "Lets go to the garden, Kong. Bright you stay here with Arthit"

Prem looked furious and absolutely livid. "Kongpob, why are you here, again? We already discussed that you should not see Arthit for a few months after what happened the last time..."

"The last time...?"

"Don't pretend ignorance Kongpob. because he can't get over the guilt that his mom put your dad in a coma in her drunken rage. You are the source of all that guilt but you continue to show up every time he calls because of that stupid promise you made years ago"

Four times.

Slowly and steadily, all the new memories I had started making sense.

"But we can take him to better doctors. We can put caretakers around him to make sure he doesnt drink or do anything unsupervised. We can save Arthit"

"Kongpob, we have gone over this so many times. You remember what the doctor's said ,right? Arthit's mental illness isnt just psychological, its physiological too.

The doctors are giving him all the right medicines, but even they cant help him if he doesnt stop drinking everyday"

"Arthit has been drinking everyday..."

"Ever since the accident. It was nice of you to buy this house for Arthit so could roam around the garden and not go drinking in the city.

But Kongpob you being here is not helping Arthit at all.

"How do we save Arthit then?"

"I-don't know."

There was a loud scream from the inside. Prem and I rushed back.

My mind went blank for a few seconds when I saw blood everywhere. Arthit had slit his wrists again with the broken beer bottles.

"I love you Kong, but I cant —I can't live like this. It hurts too much. I was a bad son. I dont deserve this life or you"

Bright was crying. "NO ARTHIT!! You can't do this"

Arthit was slowly losing consciousness.

Prem was calling the ambulance and trying to wrap a cloth around Arthit's wrist.

But I — I just stood there frozen.

I wanted to desperately meet Arthit in my world again, but not like this. Not to see him in so much pain. Not to become the reason for his pain.

Prem and Bright rushed Arthit to the hospital in the ambulance and I drove my car there.

While I got out of the car, a few people took my pictures. I ignored them and went inside the hospital.

I sat in the waiting room with Prem and Bright while Arthit was rushed for an emergency surgery.

There were a few people who were trying to sneak pictures of me on their mobile phones. Some even decided to approach me for a selfie while I was sitting there.

I asked them to leave and in that moment, I really wished I could have a normal life with Arthit.

Even if Arthit wasnt going through all this, could we still have our happy ending in a world where I was recognized everywhere I went? What was the meaning of all this money and fame if I couldnt even save the man I loved?

I was so out in my thoughts, I didnt even realise the doctor was already here, talking to Prem.

"I am sorry. Arthit had already lost a lot of blood by the time he got to the hospital and we couldnt save him"

It felt like my whole world stopped for a second and my legs gave up. I fell on the ground and I couldnt process anything.

I had just lost Arthit... again.

He was right there in front of me and I still couldnt save him.

"Kongpob? KONGPOB? Get up right now."

Prem and Bright helped me get up. They were both crying

"You need to leave right now Kongpob. People are taking pictures of you and the last thing that I want is for Arthit's pictures to be all over the internet because of you. He has suffered enough. Just please go right now."

"But Prem, I cant just leave Arthit... "

"Arthit is gone. He had the worst three years of his life and now he is gone. You need to leave right now Kongpob before I lose my patience"

"I can't leave Arthit..."

Bright finally moved forward and put his hands on my shoulder. "Kongpob, I know its a lot to take in and I know you loved Arthit. We all did. But please leave right now. People are constantly clicking pictures of you. They might put things about Arthit on the internet. We shouldnt do that to Arthit, right?"

And so, I left.

I left the hospital building and tried searching for my car, but I couldnt even remember where I parked it. The world felt like a different place when I came to the hospital.

I decided to take a taxi to the apartment instead. Its not like I was even in my senses to drive. I was just hoping and praying that I find my Arthit waiting for me at home.

"Are you..are you by any chance the actor Kongpob Suthiluck??" asked the taxi driver.

"Sir I will pay you double for this cab ride if you don't ask me any questions or take any pictures. I just want to go home."

I wanted Arthit to be in my world, but not like this. I was stupid to think I was the key to solving this whole parallel world problem.

As long as Arthit's mom died and my dad went into coma, Arthit would eventually die too. He was too kind and too soft hearted to deal with something as big as this.

I finally reached home. It was close to 2am. I prayed one more time before opening the door. I hoped Arthit was right inside waiting for me.

When I opened the door to the apartment, I found Arthit was lying on the couch with his eyes closed and my mind went into panic mode again.

"ARTHIT! Are you okay?"

He opened his eyes slowly. He was probably just sleeping.

"Yes, of course I am okay Kong. I have been waiting for you. Where have you been?"

"I-I was on the outskirts of the city. It took me a while to drive down here. I am sorry. Are you-are you really okay?

"Yes Kong. What happened?"

I moved closer to him and checked his wrists first. "Thank god you are okay." I engulfed me in a bear hug.

"Did something bad happen, Kong?"

"It started like a dream and ended with a nightmare."

"But what happened?"

-----

A/N: Writing this chapter emotionally wrecked me and I am sorry for wrecking you too. But now that Kongpob knows exactly how to save Arthit, things will finally start getting better. The next few chapters will have more romance and we'll also meet Arthit's mom -- finally.

PS - If you know anyone suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts, make sure to reach out to them and get them all the help they need. Befrienders.org is an incredible international organization for help and support