"What do you mean? And why are you here just relaxing?"

"I got half a day free after so long. So, I decided to come home early to spend some time with you, but you weren't here. I was just waiting for you. Did you really meet your mom?" I sat down next to Kong on the couch.

"Uh. Yeah. I met mom today. Turns out it was just a misunderstanding on our part. Someone blocked my number on her phone so we couldn't contact each other. She had been trying to reach me since I left home"

"Who would block your number on her phone?"

"I think..it was dad. The staff in the house wouldn't dare to touch her phone. They have no reason to keep us apart"

"Are you okay? Did you have a good talk with her?"

"Yeah. I am glad I met her. If she really died trying to contact me because of a stupid misunderstanding, I don't think I would have been able to live with the guilt. I don't think I would be able to live at all."

Kongpob put his hand over mine and pressed it tightly. "I know, Arthit." He was starting to get teary eyed, and I finally realised the reason for his grim mood yesterday.

"Did-did I die again in your world because of this?"

"Yes. You couldn't take the guilt of your mom dying and my dad ending up in the hospital because of it."

I chuckled slightly. "As sad as that sounds, it totally sounds plausible.

But Kong, I just met my mom and she promised me she wouldnt drink or drive. The future should have changed by now.

May be it takes some time for the effects to happen? How long does it take usually?"

"I get a headache right after I have new memories of meeting you and then those new memories start overlapping my old ones.

Arthit, do you think the future didnt change because you only met your mom and not me? The future changes only after we meet. That's been a pattern."

"But I just met you Kong. We had ice cream together."

"What? Today?"

"Yes. I ran into you as I was heading to meet mom. We then talked about my mom and had ice cream while you walked me to the bus stop. Dont you have new memories of us?"

"I—I dont know. The timeline has changed twice for me and it has made it difficult for me to separate old memories from the new ones.

Let me try and think if I have any memories like that of us. Where did we meet exactly?"

"We met at a bakery near my house. You were wearing a whit tshit, and ripped blue denims. And I was obviously wearing the same clothes as now"

Kongpob sat on the sofa with his head in his hands.

"Was I at an ice cream parlour and I ran across the road to meet you?"

"Yes! Yes! You finally remember? So did the future change?

"Uhh. No. Arthit. It didnt. That seems to be the only new memory I have. Everything else is still the same"

"So mom—mom is still dead? How can you be so sure Kong? You should at least go out and check."

Kong sighed deeply. He took out his phone and check his messages. "Everything is still the same, Arthit. Trust me.

"But then, why—why didnt anything change? Every time we met, the future changed."Kongpob just sat, thinking for a while. "Actually, Arthit,

"What do you mean?"

"The future changed after I had breakfast with you in your apartment. I remember I was at my mom's house having breakfast with her when my head suddenly started paining and I had new memories of you."

"But what triggers the change? This doesnt make any sense."

"Feelings? May be? I fell in love with you at breakfast and that made me want to change my life. I became an action star instead of a romance actor because I didnt want to get too close to anybody else, even if it was for a fake script."

"Seriously Kong. At breakfast? You couldnt fall for me when I kissed you a night before?"

Kongpob chuckled. "I cant choose the moment I fall for you Arthit. The heart wants what it wants. I guess, coming to your apartment and sharing a meal with you made me believe I could have a future with you."

Will I ever be able to tell Kongpob I love him too. Every time I try, I get too scared about how that will change our lives.

Before I could find any words, Kongpob spoke again. "I know you love me Arthit and I know you are scared. But I swear I'll do everything I can to fix this mess"

I put my head on Kong's shoulder. I didn't know what to say anymore. "Hey Kong"

"Hmmm"

"Why -- why do you think the future changed the second time?"

"I think it might be because of the promise you asked me to make. It stirred up feelings in me. I wanted to keep the promise to always stay by your side"

"Wait a second" I plopped my head back up and looked at Kong. "But even I promised to take you to your dorms and mom promised she wouldn't drink and drive. So why are you stuck in the same timeline? Why did you go with your dad that morning?"

"Exactly. Then why did I go with dad instead of keeping our promise? That is so unlike me. What happened that morning"

"May be there is something in new memories? Try to think about the day of the accident."

Kong was trying to think hard to piece together. "Arthit, YOU TOLD ME YOU COULDNT COME!"

"What? Why would I do that?"

"I have this memory of receiving a text from you where you said you couldnt come because of a personal emergency. You told me to wait for you, but my dad said we were supposed to report at the dorms by 12pm at the most, so I left with him."

"Personal emergency? What could it be?"

"Do you think something happened with your mom on the day of the accident? Thats why she drank despite of you telling her not to?

"May be. Mom suffers from anxiety and clinical depression. She has been good so far with medication, but she started drinking again after I left the house.

But it would have to be something very serious for my mom to suddenly get triggered like this." I dropped my head on the sofa and closed my eyes. "This is proving to me more complicated than I thought Kong. I dont know if I can even do anything to change the future"

Kong encircled his arms around my shoulder. "Of course we can change it Arthit. This is why we met

-------------------

A/N: The accident will finally happen in the next two episodes and we'll see if it works or not -- and what will be the consequences.

I am itching to write some 18+ chapters for this story but Kong and Arthit are just too busy right now trying to change the future. May be after a few chapers?

Are you guys still with me?

I hope the story isn't too complicated to follow. I am kind of a nerd when it comes to time travel and parallel universe stories. I am really enjoying writing this story and I hope you like reading it as well.