[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 11: Whatever It Takes
“North, why aren’t you responding to my messages?”
As soon as Ter opened the door and came in, he started complaining just as I expected. I glanced up at him with a calm expression, hands clasped on the table with my phone in front of me, “I’m not going to respond to your messages anymore.”
“What’s up with you?” Ter asked, confused, as he threw his bag onto the bed, “You look stressed, is it because of Ja?”
“...”
“Yeah, it’s that.”
“Tell me quickly then.” He sat down next to me.
“I already told you.”
“Huh? Already told me what?”
“In the chat.”
“Are you crazy? You didn’t reply at all. “
“I did reply. Tell me what I replied to you. “
“Huh? What are you talking about? “
“Tell me what I replied to you. It wasn’t a wrong chat.” Damn it! I sighed again, realizing I had replied to the wrong chat, I had accidentally sent the response to Phii Johan instead of Ter. I then turned off the internet, trying to convince myself it wasn’t a mistake. But when the other side only replied with a question mark, I got goosebumps. I don’t know what he might reply with now.
“Did you reply to the wrong chat? Whose chat? “
“Yours. Why did you send so many messages? It happened just as Phii Jo texted me, so I clicked the wrong one without looking. “
“Oh, so what did you reply to Phii Jo? “
“Yeah. She came to ask for forgiveness, are you happy now? “
“Oh...Wait, did Ja ask for forgiveness?” It seems like Ter was more focused on Ja’s matter.” Did you reject her? “
“Yeah, I rejected her. “
“What did she say? “
“At first, she said she broke up with her boyfriend and wanted to start anew with me. “
“Bastard, start anew what? After doing that to my friend, no way. You shouldn’t have met her. “
“She was waiting right under the faculty.” I said.
“That’s too much, how could she do that? Will she stop now? What if she keeps following you around? “
“We’ll see.” Right now, I need to think about the wrong chat reply first. I haven’t replied to Phii Jo for almost ten minutes now, and soon I’ll have to get ready to go to work at the bar.
“Wait, you said you replied to the wrong chat. Did you tell Phii Johan that your ex came to ask for forgiveness? “
“Yes. “
“Disaster. “
“Yeah...I’m scared of the LINE notifications, so I turned off the internet. “
“Bastard, just running away from the problem.” Ter said, laughing. What’s so funny? It’s not funny at all.
“But why are you scared? “
“It’s scary...really.” I turned to tell him. Ter furrowed his brow, looking at me with confusion, “Why make that face?”
“It’s just that I sent it to the wrong chat. Why? If he likes you and you said that, he’d definitely be angry, or has he told you he likes you?”
“...”
“Why are you silent?”
“Can I tell you?” I paused to consider whether to tell Ter about Phii Temp’s situation. Tiger didn’t seem keen on others knowing, but it should be fine, right? Ter’s good at keeping secrets, and even if he knows, it wouldn’t matter much.
“You’ve come this far, tell me.”
“Well...” And then I recounted everything from Jaw coming to see me to the story involving Tiger and Phii Johan.
“Oh...so your friend named Tiger likes Nao?”
Oh, damn.
Tiger, I’m sorry...T^T
“This is a national secret, keep it shut. If Tiger finds out I told you, he’ll kill me for sure.”
“I’m not like you, always letting secrets slip. I won’t tell anyone, I don’t even know Tiger, I only know Nao.”
“Wait, the main point is Phii Jo.” Ter said as if just remembering, “Shit, oh my god, he likes you, Phii Jo likes you, damn, I paired you up myself, finally!” Standing up with exaggerated excitement.
“Why are you so excited?”
“Oh come on, my ship, you idiot, my ship, that’s why. You’re the only one left. How do you feel about it?”
“Me? I already said I don’t.”
“You’re crushing my dreams here.” Ter immediately looked disappointed at me, “Don’t you feel anything, even just a little bit?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“Feel sorry for him, won’t you?”
“Feel sorry for me first.”
“But that’s harsh. To the point of getting Temp’s dad transferred. And making Temp not want to stay here anymore. You can see how tough Phii Johan is, but didn’t know it was to that extent. You really feel nothing, with someone protecting you like this?”
“Huh...you’re serious?”
“Well...?”
Cringe...
I’m embarrassed.
“Anyone would feel good if someone stood up for them, right?”
“Bastard, embarrassed on your behalf.” Said Ter, slapping my arm once to break the awkwardness, “You might not be there yet, but starting with this kind of good feeling is nice. Ugh, my heart, my heart. I can’t take it anymore, I’m going crazy with embarrassment.”
“...”
“You’re not into me at all.” Ter wailed again, “Yeah, and you’re not quick to respond either.”
“I’m too scared to respond.”
“Like how we dragged you back to the dorm last time, I’m running away first. If that happens again, I’m scared.”
“I’m scared too.”
“Scared to the point you won’t even open the chat, how cute.” Said Ter, gently ruffling my hair. “There, there, little dog.”
“I’m not a dog.” I turned to glare at him. “But you look like one, go look in the mirror, North, the droopy dog, scared to death. Pity, but the longer you don’t respond, the angrier he might get, right? I say, respond quickly.”
“My debt will reach a million if it keeps going.”
“It might if he wants it to.”
“I can’t even afford to pay back a penny with what I have now.”
“You haven’t been making payments at all?”
“Ugh, I haven’t come to terms with it yet, losing money out of nowhere without getting anything.” I said, picking up my phone, taking a deep breath before opening Line to read:
Johan: Where are you?
North♣: He came to make amends, satisfied now!
Johan: ?
Johan: Where are you?
Johan: Forget it.
Johan: Explain.
Johan: Are you going to tell me here?
Johan: Or should I come and pry your mouth open?
Damn, for real...
Last message three minutes ago...
“Ter.” I called out softly to Ter, showing him the phone screen.
“Wow, I can feel the anger through the text.” Ter said, then gently rubbed his arm, “Explain quickly, and explain well.”
“Explain what?”
“Just tell the truth, that should be enough.”
North♣: I told you, didn’t I?
Johan: Where have you been?
North♣: To the bathroom.
North♣: So, my ex came over.
Incoming call from: Johan_’
Whoa, does he not even wait for me to type because he has to call now? I was slightly startled by the notification sound before quickly answering.
“Yes?”
(Why did your ex come over?) The other person got straight to the point, his tone indicating he was very displeased...I’m actually scared...really scared. Ever since learning from Tiger, I’ve become ten times more afraid when he’s angry than I used to be, even though his anger is usually scary enough.
“She wanted to get back together.”
Phii Johan didn’t respond, as if waiting for me to continue.
“But I turned her down.”
(Isn’t she the one who got you into trouble with her boyfriend?)
“Yes, that’s right.”
(And what did she say?)
“Uh...well, she just broke up with her new boyfriend, and she wants to talk to me again, but I already turned her down.”
(I know. You told me.)
Why am I starting to feel anxious? T^T
(Is there anything else?)
“No, that’s all.”
(I’m asking if there’s anything else.)
“Well, regarding her new boyfriend, that Temp I had a fight with, he’s going to be transferred with another friend. She asked if I knew about it. I said I didn’t know, and then she said she suspects it’s because of you...and that guy, Tiger.”
Oh, why so quiet? Feeling uneasy now...are you going to get even more upset over this? It seems like Tiger doesn’t really want me to know either.
(Continue the story.)
“I went to ask Tiger.”
(Okay.)
“Yes, aren’t you going to ask what Tiger said?”
(That brat probably told you everything, right?)
“Yes, he...”
Oh, he hung up.
“He hung up on me.” I turned and told Ter, before letting out a sigh, feeling completely nauseous, this is what it feels like to have trouble breathing, T^T.
“What did he say?”
“Nothing much. He just let me explain and then hung up, didn’t even let me finish my last sentence.”
“Didn’t he say he’s going to charge more or something like that?”
“He didn’t say that. Why would he charge? He came to me, I didn’t go to him at all, and I already turned him down.”
“I heard that one. You’ve told Phii Jo to reject it twice already.”
“Uh, why?”
“No ‘why’, it’s like you’re afraid he might get jealous, afraid he might misunderstand.”
“...”
“Fair enough, you’re right. Why do I have to keep repeating it so many times?”
“Well...if, as you said, he...likes me. If I get back together with Ja, wouldn’t he be angry?”
“Uh, and you’re afraid he’ll get angry.”
“Yeah, when he’s angry, it’s scary as hell.”
“This is called being cautious. So, as long as you owe him, you can’t talk to or date anyone else.”
“Yeah, and what can I do about it?” I said with a sigh. What Ter said is probably true. I can avoid talking or dating anyone, at least for now. I’ve already said I’m not interested in romance.
“Isn’t that awkward?”
“Me? I’m fine with it.”
“Brilliant, it suits someone like you, others would be stressed to death. Or maybe not stressed, having someone like Phii Johan interested in you. You might feel lucky to be in debt instead. So, what’s your next move, now that you know he likes you?”
“...”
“Can you not talk like that?” I said, “It’s weird.”
“How is it weird?”
“It is weird, let’s just drop it. What am I supposed to do anyway?” Just let it be, whatever happens will happen.
From now on, I...don’t like him, but I don’t feel bad, and I actually feel a bit better because of what he’s done.
“Flirt a bit, like asking him to reduce the debt.”
“Screw that. No way.”
“By the way, do you know why he likes you?”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head, “That’s what I’ve been wondering about, but I’ve stopped wondering. Too lazy to think.”
“Oh, why did it end so easily? When Phii Hill said he liked me, I almost died thinking about it.”
“And did you figure it out?”
“No. In the end, I let Phii Hill tell me.”
“You see, we still don’t know if he really likes me.” I said, thinking to myself. Someone like Phii Johan can’t be figured out, and there are rumors he’s quite the flirt, aren’t there?
“If he didn’t really like you, he wouldn’t have gone through all that trouble with Temp. It’s not easy to get someone like him transferred, you know.” Ter said.
“But if he could make someone like you like him, he must have put in considerable effort. That probably proves whether he really likes you or not.”
“You’re thinking on my behalf again.”
“Sometimes you don’t overthink enough.”
“With a debt of two hundred thousand and at risk of failing, I don’t want to think about anything else.” I said, sighing. Recently, I’ve been most afraid of failing. If I bring home an F, my mom will definitely give me a piece of her mind, and if she finds out about the two hundred thousand debt, I’m in for another lecture. But why are we talking about failing when the term just started? My mouth isn’t lucky, I guess.
“By the way, how did you end up dating Ja?”
“I courted her.”
“You? Why would you court her?”
“She’s cute.”
“You courted her because she’s cute?”
“Right, what’s the problem?”
“Nothing, just a simple reason, very you.” I nodded slightly to the other person. Yeah, I should ask Tiger about it.
North♣: Sua
North♣: I have a sin to confess
North♣: Please reduce the punishment by half
Tg.: What’s wrong with you?
Tg.: What heavy thing have you done with me?
North♣: Can I call you?
North♣: It’s a long story.
Tg: What sin is this?
Tg: You.
Tg: Don’t tell me.
North♣: Even NASA doesn’t know this secret.
North♣: But my roommate knows now.
North♣: LOL
Tg: Asshole
Incoming call from: Tg.
“Speak.”
(You, oh fuck, who’s your roommate? I’m going to kill them to silence them.)
“Calm down, I accidentally told them, and I accidentally told them about you too, but they won’t tell anyone, they’re good at keeping secrets, better than me.”
(Anyone is better than you. Sigh, can I talk to your roommate for a bit?)
“Huh? Sure, but don’t threaten my roommate, their boyfriend is fierce.”
(Who?)
“Phii Hill, do you know him?”
(Oh, the second-year med student, so I can’t threaten him then.)
“Exactly, Ter, Tiger likes to talk to you.” I said, handing the phone to Ter.
“Put it on speaker.” Ter took it, looking confused.
“What?” Ter growled into the phone.
(Yeah...this is Tiger.)
“Oh, uh, what’s up?”
(Don’t tell anyone, okay? About Duennao, do you know him?)
“I know him, he’s North’s friend, he used to visit the room often. I won’t tell anyone. I am not the kind of asshole like North.”
“Damn.” What’s with the sudden insult?
(Okay. Don’t be like him then. Are you Phii Hill’s boyfriend? Never met him, but I’ve heard the Star and Moon team talking about him, how could you be rooming with an asshole like North?)
“They randomly assign roommates at the dorm. Do you know Phii Hill too?”
(I know, I’m the Moon of the Engineering Faculty, we met at the Star and Moon competition.)
“Oh, Tiger from Engineering, I’ve heard of you too, in our faculty you are quite famous.”
(Famous for what?)
“You are said to be very handsome, but a bit arrogant, cool and all that.” Outsiders think Tiger looks arrogant and cool, but let me tell you, if you see him when he’s deliriously calling for Duennao, the word ‘cool’ will vanish.
(Oh, don’t tell anyone about Nao, okay? Help shut that asshole North up too) oh, speaking nicely to Ter. Look at how he talks about me.
“Alright, alright, North didn’t mean to tell. He seems really worried about this.”
(Yeah, that’s right. Don’t want too many people knowing.)
“And how did North find out?”
(He was eavesdropping on my conversation with a friend.)
“Damn, what a scumbag.”
“Bastard.” I blurted out, then asked for my phone back from the other person, it seemed like they were done talking. “Feeling better now?”
(It’s fine, he seems like a good person. Shouldn’t be hanging out in the same room with you.)
“Well, just a little slip-up, but Ter is trustworthy, that’s why I told him. With others, I’ll keep my mouth zipped tight.” I said confidently.
(Yeah. Otherwise, I’ll sew your mouth shut myself.)
“Ouch, that’s harsh. But anyway, the point is, I replied to the wrong chat.”
(Whose chat?)
“I replied to Phii Jo’s chat, saying she came to ask to get back together.”
(...)
(Holy shit! And how did it go?)
“I explained everything.”
(What?)
“From when Ja asked to get back together, asked about Temp, I asked you, and then told Phii Johan that you told me everything.”
(That’s perfect.)
“Will there be any consequences for me saying you told me?”
(No, he already knew I might tell you. When we talked, I promised I wouldn’t tell you if you didn’t ask, but if you did ask, I had to tell because you might threaten me.)
“And what did Phii Jo say?”
(Nothing much, but the one who made you find out about this is going to be in trouble.)
“The one who made me know, is it Ja?”
(Yeah, say goodbye to your ex then.)
“Really?” I raised my eyebrow, puzzled. “What are you going to do to Ja?”
(Don’t know, but thinking about her trying to get back together with you, what do you think?)
“...” I sensed another disaster coming. “Really? But that’s a woman, should I do something?”
(I suggest you don’t. If he knows you still care, it’ll be worse for you.)
“Sua, I’m scared, man.”
(You should be. Be careful with what you do. Not just for yourself, but for others too. Didn’t you just warn her?) Tiger said, but his tone was far from troubled, unlike me whose heart was now in the pit of my stomach.
“If it were you, and Nao’s ex came back to get back together, what would you do?”
(Hmm...just thinking about it makes me mad.)
“Would he get mad like you?”
(You’re the one who talks to Phii Johan. You should know.)
“I guess I have an idea.”
(So, would he get mad?)
“Really angry, finally, they even hung up on me in a hurry.”
(What did they hang up to do?)
“...”
“Don’t want it, don’t threaten me like this.”
(Not threatening)
“Then you think...”
(At this point, your ex might still be fine, huh?)
@SOUL OUT!
“You are here, little one.” As soon as I walked into the shop, Phii Day, who is also one of the employees at Soul Out, immediately came over to greet me. I made a displeased face in response to that greeting.
“Not small.”
“Then I’ll call you short.”
“Not short.” I argued.
“Then I’ll call you small. You are small.” Phii Day said, ruffling my hair with his hand. What’s with playing with my head? It started with Phii Tharn.
“I’m not a dog, you know.” I said, making a grumpy face. Phii Day started working here around the same time as me. I heard from Phii Pan that Day’s family is quite well-off. He has no money trouble, but he has to work because Phii Day doesn’t behave very well, so his father made him work on his own for once.
And Phii Day...
He started flirting with me right from the first days at work, saying something about being drawn to me, the more he knew me, the more he liked me. And of course, I outright rejected him, suggesting we should be like siblings instead.
I’m not sure how well Phii Day understands the term ‘Phii-Nong’...
“Didn’t see you for a day, I missed you.”
“Well, I don’t come to work at the shop every day.”
“You work in many places, right?”
“Yes”
“Then should I follow along and do it with you?”
“No need to go that far.” I said before turning towards Phii Pan who was just walking in, “Oh, Phii Pan, you’re late today.”
“Just a little, is the shop ready to open? Or are you just standing here flirting?”
“This one doesn’t even grant me a little flirting.” Phii Day said, playfully pushing my head. “Are we not getting along or what?” I sighed, this guy is so open, stubborn too, damn it. I don’t like it.
“I’ll go help in the kitchen.” I said, heading into the kitchen. There wasn’t anything to do there, but it was better than being teased out there.
“Are you upset with me?” Phii Pan followed me into the kitchen, “I was just teasing a bit.”
“No, Phii. I’m fine, but I’m not into Phii Day. I don’t want to give him hope, so please don’t tease me, or else Phii Day might get the wrong idea.” I explained.
“Sorry, I got carried away. So, have you already rejected him?”
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“I said it’s better to be Phii-Nong.”
“Day is good-looking, comes from a good background, and seems to really like you. Why not give it a try?”
“No.” I shook my head slightly, “Are you cheering for me and Phii Day, Phii Pan?”
“Not really, just asking. Actually, Day doesn’t have the best reputation, or else his father wouldn’t have sent him to work here.” Phii Pan added, “Fights, women, drinking, smoking, bad friends, stuff like that.”
“Oh. I already wasn’t interested.” I said before turning to do something else. Another reason I felt uncomfortable was because Phii Day liked to be touchy-feely, patting my head was one thing, but later he started touching here and there, holding hands, pinching my cheeks, my lips. So, I tried to avoid being too close to him.
After ‘Sua’ threatened me about Phii Jo, I rushed out of the dorm to get to work, fearing I’d be late. I was still a bit worried, but Phii Johan isn’t that cruel, surely. That was just a woman, and Tiger might have exaggerated his threat out of spite because I had been threatening him for a while.
Once the shop opened, customers started trickling in. I did my usual work, with the added caution of avoiding Day, making life a bit tougher.
“Little one, take the order for table three.” Day shouted. I hurried over to table three. As we passed each other, Day unexpectedly pinched my cheek.
“Hey, Phii!”
“Surprised?”
“Quite surprised, what are you doing?”
“Angry? Your face is all messed up. It’s because your cheeks are soft, I just can’t help but want to squeeze them.”
“No thanks, Phii.”
“Oh, oh.” before he could ruffle my hair again, this time I dodged in time.
“Let’s go clear the tables.” I said. Day gave me a playful smile as if to humor me before walking off to clear the tables. Seriously, I meant it when I told him to go. Not to hide my embarrassment.
“You seem really annoyed.” Phii Pan teased me when I went to sit near the counter.
“I’m not really okay with it. Does it count as harassment?”
“I don’t know, but if he grabs your butt, it’s definitely harassment.”
“Let’s not go that far, please.”
“You really don’t like this, huh?”
“Exactly. Who would like that?” I said, making an annoyed face. Seeing Phii Day standing there chatting playfully with customers, he really has such a good disposition, “I’ve made it clear, I’ve shown it clearly that I don’t like it. This touching is too much.”
“He’s persistent, this type is scary.”
“Why does he have to like me, anyway?” I bit my lip. There are so many people, why me?
“Because you’re cute.”
“Phii Pan, when you compliment like that, I get embarrassed.”
“Phhht! Oops, sorry, I wasn’t complimenting. Just thought you’re quite cute, your personality too, talking to you feels comfortable. Anyone would like being around you.” Phii Pan said. I raised my eyebrows and gave her a mischievous smile.
“Of course. I talk to myself, and even I feel comfortable.”
“Annoying, who would talk to themselves?” But many people have told me this, that talking to me feels comfortable. Not stressful, can be playful or teasing, because I don’t get mad easily, which is good. Even now, being alone, I feel super comfortable.
Ding!
Notification sound...
Now that I’m free, I picked up my phone to check it.
Tg.: sends picture
Tg.: So cute
Oh wow...You even take and send a picture of Nao sleeping? And the picture is super blurry.
North♣: You send this even though it’s this blurry, Sua.
Tg.: Cute. I won’t let you see it clearly, I’m jealous.
Tg.:. I don’t want you to see it, but I want to show off how cute he is.
North♣: Seriously, you look like a psycho, taking pictures while someone’s asleep.
Tg.: Just admit you’re jealous.
Tg.: Your house doesn’t have a Duennao anyway.
North♣: What the hell, LOL.
North♣: My house doesn’t need one of those.
I’m stressed out. This guy Tiger is such a show-off, loves to boast, spouts nonsense. Not many people know about this situation, so he can only brag to a few, and he often brags to me about how cute Nao is (whom I don’t have access to).
North♣: So, in summary, you’re messing with me, aren’t you?
Tg.: Messing with what? I’m not messing with you.
Tg.: I’m serious.
North♣: Are you like the national champion of messing around, four-time winner?
Tg.: Well, I’m messing with you then. Not threatening though.
North♣: Wow, that’s not threatening, but Tiger, I asked if you think I am still safe or not?
Tg.:. Let’s wait and see. I know him better than you do.
Tg.: I mean, I know his bad side.
North♣: Because you’re bad yourself.
Tg.: Not as cool as you.
North♣: So, he really likes me?
Tg.: Asking again for what? You’re off-topic, asshole
North♣: Off-topic about what?
Tg.: The point is the cuteness of Duennao.
Tg.: Don’t bring up irrelevant matters.
North♣: Phhht. You’re the one being irrelevant.
North♣: Since you’ve messaged me, give me some advice.
Tg.: Nope.
Tg.: I’m leaving now, bye.
North♣: Wait, listen to me, I’m feeling really uncomfortable right now.
Tg.: Is his name Duennao?
North♣: No, why?
Tg.: Then don’t call me ‘Tiger’.
North♣: Can’t I even do a little?
North: I seriously don’t know what to do anymore. There’s this senior who works part-time with me, he started flirting with me, and I’ve rejected him, but he keeps buying stuff, recently he’s been getting physically close, and I’ve told him I don’t like it, but he won’t stop.
North♣: What should I do?
Tg.: It’s not complicated.
Tg.: Tell Phii Jo.
North♣: Funny.
Tg.: I’m serious. What can you do? Or just quit, that’s all.
North♣: Come on. Don’t you have any good advice?
Tg.: Tell Phii Jo, that’s it.
North♣:. No, tell him.
Tg.: Then keep feeling uncomfortable.
Tg:: sends picture
Tg.: So cute
North♣: ...
Is my friend this obsessed? I guess I might need to take him for a brain check to see if there’s anything else in his head besides Nao.
Sighing deeply, “Stressed out by this too?” Phii Pan asked immediately after I put my phone back in my pocket.
“It’s my friend’s nonsense, it’s giving me a migraine.” I answered, shaking my head slightly. “How much can one person like someone else, Phi?”
“Hmm, strange question.”
“I’m just wondering, my friend likes someone so much it’s almost like his whole life.” I said, thinking about Tiger, “What makes someone like that?”
“Well, they just like them. There’s nothing to it, liking is liking, I’ve been there too.”
“Really. I’ve liked someone too, but never to that extent.”
“Liking them, you like their face, their voice, their character, their words, their thoughts, their gestures, their actions, you like everything about them. It’s like this person was born for you to like, they’re the epitome of more than just a spec.”
“Oh, I understand now.” I nodded, indicating I understood. I’ve heard of the term “more than a spec” before, but never really got it. I’ve never met someone like that, nor thought I’d be like that for someone else.
“Go help Day clear the tables, don’t just stand there pretending to work.”
“Oh, is this pretending to work? I’m not even sure if I’ll get paid.” I teased.
“Chain would definitely cry if he heard that.” Said Phii Pan. I chuckled a bit before going to help out.
I wearily took off the apron from the shop; today was unusually busy, so we closed later than usual. The other employees were equally exhausted. Now we were in the process of cleaning up the shop.
“It’s good when there are so many customers.” Phii Day remarked as we were sweeping the floor.
“But the salary stays the same, Phii.” I said.
“Then you’ll have to stay with us longer.”
“Oh, the gold-dropping house is selling now?” I teased, and Phii Day dropped another one on me, that must’ve been the hundredth time today.
“Keep dropping until you soften up.”
“Phii...”
“If you don’t soften up, I’ll force you to.”
“Phii!” I said, shaking my head slightly before quickly walking away, what’s with him anyway? After a while, he finished packing up the shop. I went into the staff storage room to gather my things to head home, knowing I’d be in deep trouble if Ter caught me leaving this late.
“I’m heading out, see you.” Phii Pan popped her head in to say goodbye. I nodded and smiled back, everyone else had already left. I was the only one still here.
Where did my phone go...
It was just in my pocket!
I emptied out my bag, checked under the table, at Ter’s counter, in the bathroom shelves, searched all over the store, but still couldn’t find it.
“Damn it.” I muttered in frustration, where could it have gone? I always keep it in my pants pocket. If someone else picked it up, that’d be disastrous, especially since it was a gift from Phii Jo. If Phii Johan found out I lost something he gave me, he’d be furious all over again. Just the thought of him being angry was terrifying enough.
Oh my God, where could it be!!
Why does it have to go missing when everyone’s gone home? The shop closed, and it’s so dark, it’s super creepy.
“Hey.”
“Whoa, Phii Day.” I called out to the person who just appeared. I thought you had already left, “You haven’t gone home yet?”
“Nah, what about you?”
“My phone’s gone missing, dunno how.” I said, pouting in annoyance.
“This it?” Phii Day held up my phone, smirking, waving it like he planned this all along.
“Yeah, yeah, that’s mine, how did it end up with you?”
“You didn’t take care of your stuff, did you?”
“Did I drop it? Thanks for picking it up.” I sighed in relief, thinking I’d never find it.
“No good?”
“Give it back.”
“Come get it then.”
“Are you messing with me?” I furrowed my brow, wondering if this was some kind of game, especially now that it was just me and Phii Day. I was starting to lose trust, but since he didn’t seem ready to give it back easily, I had to approach him.
I reached out to grab my phone from his hand, but Phii Day dodged.
“Phii, I’m not playing, I’m going home.” I said, not in the best mood. Phii Day still wouldn’t give me back my phone, dodging here and there.
“I’m not playing either.”
Suddenly, Phii Day pulled me in, one hand gripping my neck, the other arm locking around my waist, and he pressed his lips hard against mine, making me jump. His hot tongue invaded my mouth without permission.
!!!
“What the hell are you doing!” I pushed him away in shock, then threw a full-force punch at Phii Day’s face.
Damn...what disgusting trash.
“Is this too much?” I shouted angrily, while Phii Day, unfazed by the punch, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, then smirked again.
Forget the phone!
I immediately spun around and ran out of there.
!!!
What now!!
Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind, and no matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t get free. When I saw Phii Day approaching, my heart sank. What now, what are you going to do?
“Phii Day, not like this.”
“Scared?”
“No, I just don’t like you. Do you really have to go this far?”
“You keep saying you don’t like me.”
I kept struggling to break free, too focused on the person in front of me to notice someone else coming from the side.
“Ugh!!” I cried out as something hard struck my stomach.
Sore...
I felt so sore I doubled over, but there was nothing I could do; the pain spread to my chest. I grimaced in pain, and then the guy walked over to Phii Day, holding a PVC pipe. Did he just hit me with that?
“Don’t be too harsh.” Phii Day said, turning to look at the newcomer.
I didn’t recognize this bastard at all.
“Fighting, women, booze, cigarettes, hanging with the wrong crowd, that sort of thing.”
Phii Pan’s words echoed in my mind. So this must be his friend then.
I started to feel more scared, my stomach churning with fear. Who wouldn’t be scared in this situation? It was weird; there were two strangers and one utterly untrustworthy guy, I was almost immobilized, and that hit from earlier was not gentle at all. Damn it. I shouldn’t have been looking for my phone while everyone else had already left; it gets so deserted here at night.
Why do I have to go through this?
“Why are you making that face? Scared of me? If you had just let me hit on you from the start, we’d be done by now.” Phii Day said. I stared at him without blinking, yes, scared and angry. “I told you if you don’t give in, I will rape you.”
“...” I wanted to shout again, but just breathing in made my chest hurt.
“Day, you want to go first?”
“I’ll go first. You guys can follow.”
“Get away from me, you bastards.”
“Hey, are you fighting with your future husband?” the guy said, swinging the pipe again, hitting my stomach once more.
“Ough!!” I clenched my teeth against the rising pain, my legs weakening to the point where I could barely stand, but the one holding me didn’t let me fall.
Damn it.
It hurt.
And I was scared.
I’m done...
The next thing I knew, I was released, but my legs had no strength to stand, so I collapsed without warning. I instinctively clutched my stomach with both arms due to the pain, and with great difficulty, I glanced up because now my consciousness was nearly gone.
What?
I can’t see clearly.
The noisy sounds grew so loud that I couldn’t grasp what was being said. It sounded like Day and his friends were yelling, there were other voices too, and it seemed like people were arguing.
Damn it, I’m about to pass out...
Soon, all the noise calmed down. After a while, it seemed like someone was approaching; the sound of car tires screeching on the road hurt my ears until the engine cut off. Someone must be coming over.
“It’s all taken care of, Young Master.”
“Um.”
“What should we do next?”
“...”
Footsteps approached and stopped near me. I tried to lift my head to look. Even though I couldn’t see clearly, I knew who it was.
“Phii Jo...”
The other person crouched down in front of me.
“I told you not to come work here, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.” I could only manage a soft response due to lack of strength, and the person in front of me didn’t say anything more. He just reached out to hold me, as if trying to help me up.
“Ugh, I’m okay, Phii.” I said before gently pushing his hand away.
“I can get up.”
“North.”
“Don’t be stubborn with me.”
Chapter 12: How Much is Your Love?
Ugh
It hurts
Why does it hurt so much?
“Ugh.” I clamped my mouth shut with the pain shooting through my abdomen. It hurt so much, it felt like it was reaching my intestines. I slowly opened my eyes with difficulty, seeing the familiar white ceiling.
Why does this feel like it’s happened before?
I woke up at Phii Johan’s house again.
I tried to push myself up.
“Take it easy.” I turned towards the voice. A kind-looking aunt reached out to help support me. After a while, I was sitting up against the headboard. The wound hurt a lot, but it was bearable. Looking around, I realized there was no one else in the room.
“The young master just left a moment ago.”
“Young master?”
“Johan.”
“Oh, I see.” I nodded in understanding, remembering Phii Johan was here earlier, “And, uh...you?”
“I’m Aunt Da, I’m the caretaker for the young master and the head housekeeper here. How are you feeling? Does the wound hurt a lot?” Aunt Da asked with a slightly concerned look.
“It’s manageable.”
“That’s good then. The doctor checked you, and it wasn’t that bad. Just external, with some ointment and medication, you’ll get better.”
“Thank you.” I said, “And Aunt Da...you were watching over me?”
“Yes, dear. Since last night, with the young master too, but he just left a little while ago.”
“Oh...I see.”
Was Phii Jo watching over me too?
What he said last night, “I told you, didn’t I, not to come work here.” meant he knew I was sneaking off to work, knew I was lying, but he didn’t say anything. And he even...
Came to help...
Last time as well, and this time too.
Why is he so kind to me?
“I had never seen...the young master this angry before.”
“...”
“Really scary, you know. Even though he’s usually quick to anger and irritable, I’ve never seen him this angry.”
“And did Phii Jo...say anything?”
“The young master didn’t say anything, but his expression was not good at all. It looked like he was worried, angry, and anxious all at once. When you started to wake up, he just walked out of the room, even though he had been here almost all night.”
“When I started to wake up!?” I repeated, puzzled.
“Yes...uh, he probably doesn’t want to see you right now.”
“...”
“I think he might be...”
“Angry enough not to want to see you, but also worried enough not to leave you alone.”
“Yes.” Now I felt fully guilty. Here he was, worried about me, and yet I lied and caused him trouble. If he hadn’t come to help last night...I don’t even want to think about what state I’d be in now.
I really was too shallow with thoughts like, ‘It’s just this, it’ll be fine.’
My heart wanted to see Phii Jo right now, to apologize and thank him, but another part of me was still too afraid to face him. He must be really angry, and from what Auntie Da said earlier, it seems like Phii Jo himself might not want to see me yet!
“Sorry, but have you seen my phone?” I asked, suddenly remembering. I didn’t go back to my room last night, Ter must be worried sick by now...but my phone, that damn Day took it.
“Here it is.” Said Auntie Da, handing me my phone.
I got my phone back, huh?
It was in pretty bad shape, clearly dropped rather than thrown like last time.
“Then I’ll go prepare some food for you.” Auntie Da said before getting up and leaving the room. Once alone, I immediately dialed Ter.
(Chill out) why does he sound so cheerful?
“Ter”
(What’s up?)
“You...aren’t mad at me?”
(Mad for what? Though I might be a bit annoyed you left me.)
“Huh? Annoyed?”
(Yeah, why?)
“Explain.”
(Annoyed because you ditched me to stay with Phii Jo last night, obviously. You say it means nothing, but hey, you didn’t even tell me you were going to sleep over there. I’m sinking, my ship sailing away again.)
“...”
Doesn’t Ter know...
“Did Phii Jo tell you that?”
(Yeah. At first, when I saw you come back later than usual, I was worried. I almost went looking for you. But Phii Jo told me you stayed with him. Wow, you’re not just anyone, are you?)
“...”
(What, why are you silent?)
“...”
(North, are you still there?)
“You.”
(What?)
“I...I’m sorry.”
(Sorry for what? It’s just this, I was just a bit annoyed, it’ll pass.)
“It’s not about that.”
(Oh? Then what for?)
“Sorry for not listening to you about working at the bar, even though you were worried.”
(...)
“Sorry for making you worry.”
(North...are you okay? Did something happen? Should I come over?)
“I’m fine, I’m okay.”
(Are you sure? Who did this to you? Is Phii Jo there with you?)
“He’s not here.”
(North)
“...”
“Uh, there’s a lot of stuff...”
(Tell me, I’m free to listen all day.)
…
(Damn, that bastard, I’m going to kill him. How could he do this? Did he come with people because he thought he couldn’t take you on by himself, so he brought friends? How could someone this evil be so close to you? This is insane, I’ve only seen stuff like this on the news, never thought someone close would get hurt.)
“Yeah, I thought the same. I didn’t expect there to be someone still in the shop when I was looking for my phone. And aren’t you mad at me?”
(Mad? Yeah, I’m mad that you’re careless, don’t look after yourself, don’t listen to others, but what happened was because of that bastard guy, right? You’re the victim here, man. You’re not to blame. Don’t blame yourself for that, and as for that bar, you should stop working there altogether.)
“Stop, who would continue working there?”
(And what about the guy who hurt you? Have you reported it to the police?)
“I don’t know about that.”
(Phii Jo must have taken care of it. When you said Phii Johan would handle it, I felt relieved somehow, probably because last time he took care of everything for you. If Phii Jo hadn’t gone to help you, I don’t even want to think about what state you’d be in now. Learn to look after yourself a bit, will you? Have you thanked him? Sorry for all the trouble he had to go through because of you.)
“Not yet, Phii Jo left the room. Auntie said he left before I woke up, probably doesn’t want to see me yet.”
(Why?)
“He’s angry. Auntie said he was very angry, a kind of anger she’s never seen even though she’s been taking care of him for years.”
(He’s angry?)
(But isn’t he angry because he’s worried?)
…
(...)
“Fuck.”
“You bastard.”
(Shy, huh?)
“Yeah, I guess. Listening to you, I feel really guilty, he knew I was sneaking off to work.”
(Knew but pretended not to?)
“Probably.”
(But he still cared for you, and had someone keep an eye on you.)
“Someone was watching me?”
(Otherwise, how could he have helped you so quickly? Maybe even quicker if you hadn’t been inside the bar. He must have been waiting outside since the bar was closed.)
“...”
“Why is he so good to me?” I said with a sigh.
(He’s really good to you, in many ways, ever since you got drunk. Don’t say that, in my opinion, if Phii Johan does so much for you, and you still say it means nothing. You might be a bit cold-hearted, huh?)
“I didn’t say it means nothing anymore...”
“I told you, I’m not a complicated person. Seriously, how could anyone not like someone who’s this good to them?”
(So you’ve opened up a bit, huh?)
“Yeah, I have.”
(Really?)
“Yes.”
(Shy, you bastard, my ship, oh, it’s sailing backwards, all the rowboats and canoes of mine are nothing compared to your yacht, I’ll crash into all the other ships, just watch, fans or fan clubs or whatever, I’ll make a vinyl banner with your and Phii Jo’s picture stuck right at the front of the university, so everyone knows whose ship is the biggest.)
“I don’t have a picture with Phii Jo.”
(Just use Photoshop.)
“Ter, you’re really something.”
(Chill out, man. Your friend’s about to get a boyfriend. Shabu, Bingsu, Korean BBQ, pick one!)
“You’re paying?”
(Crazy, if he’s rich, let your boyfriend pay for you.)
“What boyfriend? Chill out.”
(Come on, you said you liked Phii Jo.)
“But we’re not at that stage yet, right? You need to calm down first.”
(Why not just date and get it over with?)
“Too fast. I’ve said I’m open to it. If he keeps being this good to me, he’ll keep earning my affection this way. But, okay, it’s super self-centered of me to think like this if in the end he says he doesn’t feel the same way.”
(He doesn’t feel anything but acts like this? Wow, what a life. And he has stopped talking to other people too.)
“Enough, enough, let’s stop talking about this.” I quickly told the other person to stop. At first, when I said I didn’t feel anything towards Phii Jo, I really didn’t, but now I admit I do, and talking about it makes me embarrassed.
(Okay, seriously, I’ve never seen you embarrassed with anyone. He’s the first one to make a move, right? Go talk to him soon, you can show up even if you look like a dog.)
“What do you mean by looking like a dog?”
(A droopy dog, for sure.)
“Huh, but Phii Johan doesn’t want to see me yet.”
(Then go apologize. He left before you woke up because he didn’t want to see you, afraid he might lose his temper and hit you or something.)
“He’d hit me? Why so harsh?”
(Just kidding. He wouldn’t do that, but it’s up to you. You can wait for him to cool down if you want.)
“Better not, I feel like I shouldn’t do that. I’ll ask Auntie to find him instead.”
(Am I thinking too much, or do you really care about him?)
“Of course I care, what kind of person do you think I am?” I furrowed my brows in question. I’m not someone who doesn’t care about anything at all; I just choose who to care about, and Phii Johan has been good to me, so I’ll be good to him too.
(Not afraid anymore?)
“I’m afraid, but you know, I don’t know, I want to go find him. Now.”
(Okay, good job, North, make sure to tell me you’ve made it back alive.)
“Don’t jinx it like that, okay, see you.”
(Yeah, bye.)
“Bye.”
I hung up the phone with a sigh of relief. Talking to Ter made me feel much better. After a while, Aunt Da brought in a tray of food.
“Aunt Da, I have a small request. I’d like to see Phii Johan.” I said, causing her eyebrows to raise slightly in surprise.
“Uh...maybe it’s not a good idea. It’s not wise to meet the young master when he’s angry, especially not now.”
“Is that so?” I said, looking slightly disappointed.
“Normally, everyone in the house avoids bothering him when he’s in a bad mood. Especially now...it was very stressful for me watching over you last night. The atmosphere in the room was so tense, I almost got a migraine.”
“It’s okay. I want to talk. Where is Phii Jo now?”
“He should be in his room, I guess.”
“Can you tell me how to get there?”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.” After talking with Aunt Da for a while, it seemed she was really concerned about me going to see Phii Johan. Her warnings made all my mustered courage vanish.
I stopped in front of the door; it was the only room on the top floor of the house because Phii Johan didn’t like being disturbed. I took a deep breath to gather my courage once more and knocked on the door.
“Phii Jo.” I called out.
“...”
No response.
“Phii, I want to talk to you.” I tried again, knocking one more time, but there was still no reply.
“Is there a spare key?” I turned to ask Aunt Da, who shook her head gently.
“The young master doesn’t allow us to make spare keys.”
“Phii Johan.” I let out a big sigh. If you’re in there, just give me a little response, won’t you? Or have you gone out?
“Phii, are you inside?” I continued knocking on the door while calling out to the owner of the room for a while.
“Auntie Da!”
!!
Phii Jo’s voice came from the other side of the door. Hearing this, Auntie Da hurried over immediately.
“Yes?”
“Please take him back to his room.”
“Let’s go back, the young master has given orders.” Auntie Da said with a troubled expression before reaching out to gently pull my arm.
“Phii Jo, can we talk? I’m sorry. I know you’re angry.”
“...”
“Please talk to me.”
Now I felt like I was being stubborn somehow, even though it was clear from his tone that Phii Jo didn’t want to see me. Auntie Da let go of my arm with a heavy sigh, probably because I wouldn’t leave.
“...”
“It might be better if we don’t talk, but it’s my fault, and I feel extremely guilty.”
“Otherwise, I’ll just stand here.”
“Phii Jo...”
“Can you hear me out, please?”
“Go back.”
“Phii...”
“If I see you right now, I’m not sure I can control myself.”
“...”
“Do you think you can handle that?”
“Please open the door for me.”
From the sound of his voice, it was clear Phii Johan was very close. The door opened soon after. I was pulled inside without any time to prepare, hearing the door slam shut behind me. The room was pitch black, and before I could think any further,
“Ugh.” I was gently pushed against the wall. Though I couldn’t see clearly due to the darkness, the person in front of me was Phii Johan. I looked up at him in confusion, and then Phii Jo leaned closer.
“I warned you.”
His words were spoken in a whisper, almost inaudible. As he got closer, I instinctively closed my eyes, feeling the soft touch of his lips against mine. I unintentionally allowed the kiss, letting it deepen.
It didn’t last long before he pulled back.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stop this?”
I didn’t reply, my heart starting to race in a way it hadn’t for a long time. My eyes were slowly adjusting to the dim light.
This was the first time I’d seen him up so close.
His eyes...
So beautiful.
“Ugh.” I let out another soft moan when Phii Johan leaned in again, this time pressing his lips against mine more forcefully than before, his hot tongue exploring, biting down until I felt the pain. I instinctively gripped his shirt tightly. I didn’t know how long it lasted, but when I started to feel breathless, Phii Jo still didn’t stop.
“Ugh.” I tried pushing him away, but I lacked the strength. Phii Johan then used his other hand, not holding mine, to push the back of my head, bringing us even closer together.
My heart was beating so hard I feared it might burst out of my chest, feeling as if all my energy was being drained away, barely able to stand. I pounded on his chest to make him stop.
“Umm.” I pushed with all my might, but it had no effect. The lack of air was becoming torturous, and finally, Phii Johan slowly withdrew his lips, his beautiful eyes still locked on mine, drawing my gaze irresistibly.
“I told you from the start.”
“...”
“If you thought you couldn’t handle it, you shouldn’t have come close to me in the first place.”
I didn’t know how to respond, my mind was all foggy, breathing rapidly because now my heart was working hard, my mouth felt numb, causing me to clench my lips tightly, still feeling like I was being kissed, before tasting the faint flavor and scent of blood.
Did he kiss me so hard that my lips split?
“...”
“Phii...hey!” Suddenly, Phii Johan lifted me up and threw me onto the bed. Startled, I tried to get up but was held down. “Wait...just a second.”
“What?”
“I need to ask something.”
Before I could get an answer, my hands were pinned to the bed, and he kissed me again, this time just as forceful as before. I felt like I could taste more blood than before, but Phii Johan didn’t seem to care much about that. The rough contact made me want to turn my face away, but I couldn’t escape.
His strong hand gripped my chin when I tried to resist.
“Uh, Phii, stop.” I closed my eyes tightly out of fear, breathing heavily when he momentarily pulled away, but soon he leaned down to press his lips against mine again.
“Ahh.” Suddenly, my whole body felt hot. The rhythm of his kisses and the sensations I experienced for over ten minutes, those embarrassing sounds, the trembling flesh over my heart. I was breathing in and out even though Phii Johan hadn’t stopped kissing me. The warm breath of the person in front of me gently brushed my cheek and ear.
Not gentle at all.
Only that first kiss was gentle...
I tried to squirm to get free from the person holding me down. I didn’t know why he was so strong, and Phii Johan himself didn’t seem like he was going to let me go easily either.
“That’s enough...uh.” Phii Johan didn’t give me a chance to protest further, instead, he pressed his lips down harder. With my free hand, I tried to push and hit him away, but of course, it was ineffective.
Scary...
After a long while, the person in front of me finally pulled his lips away. I looked at Phii Johan with displeasure, but when I met his eyes again, I instinctively looked away.
Why does he look at me like that...
“...” I clenched my lips to chase away the numbness, it felt like we had been kissing for so long that I could still feel it, as if he hadn’t really stopped kissing me.
I wanted to protest, but no words came out because Phii Johan had warned me before. But I was the one who didn’t leave as he had suggested.
But...
Who would have thought it would be like this...
Ugh...
It hurts!!
I felt a sharp pain in my neck. Phii Johan leaned down and left a mark on my neck forcefully without me being ready, then looked up into my eyes.
“Wh...what are you doing!”
“Just hugging.” Phii Jo said before standing up and pulling me into his embrace, making me sit on his lap and hug me from behind, tightening his hold until I felt constricted.
“This is...” I took a deep breath to gather my thoughts, but my composure scattered again when Phii Jo nuzzled against the back of my neck and shoulders.
“Phii!”
“What?”
“What are you playing at?”
“Not playing.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
“Do I really need to explain?”
“...”
“I like you.”
“That’s it.”
!!!
“What’s wrong?”
“Phii...why are you so straightforward about this?”
“I thought you knew.”
“I knew, but like, hey, give me a chance to prepare.” I complained a bit, and that seemed to lighten the mood of the other person slightly.
“...”
“Why did you kiss me...earlier?” I asked, lowering my head, embarrassed to ask such a direct question. My heart was still beating hard...
“Why?”
“I had to ask why. Are you not afraid I’d get angry?”
“You’re not angry.”
“How do you know!”
“You don’t look angry.” Phii Johan said, pressing his nose against my shoulder again. I flinched and tried to move away, but he held me tight.
“Stay still.”
“Ordering me?”
“Yes.”
“Won’t do it.”
I said before trying to struggle again, but he only held me tighter.
“I told you not to be stubborn.”
Suddenly, silence enveloped the room. I could only hear the sound of my own heart beating loudly. Damn it. I’ve never experienced anything like this before, and Phii Johan didn’t say anything either. He just rested his forehead on my shoulder.
I didn’t know why, but I felt like he was trying to handle his emotions, as if he didn’t want to be too harsh with me anymore. I noticed his hands, which were holding me, were shaking, and his breathing was uneven, probably because he was trying to control his anger.
But still,
Are you not wanting to be harsh anymore?
My lips hurt so much now...
“Well...what I wanted to talk about was.” I spoke up to break the silence, feeling that both Phii Johan and I were starting to calm down. When I say I was calming down, I meant my heart wasn’t pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out.
“Mh?”
“I’m sorry. Even though you told me not to go, I still sneaked out.”
“Hmm, I know.”
“You knew I sneaked out?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
“The first day.”
“Wow.” I let out a sigh, realizing that all my efforts to keep it secret had been futile from the very first day. “Then why didn’t you get angry about the lying?”
“I did get angry.”
“...”
“But seeing how determined you were, I let you go.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hmm.”
“And for causing trouble, and I want to thank you for coming to help...last night, I mean, I...” I tried to say what I had intended from the beginning, but suddenly, words failed me as if something was stuck in my chest.
“I’m listening.”
“Okay, Phii Day...Day, it seems like he liked me from the start. He took my phone at some point, and by the time everyone had left, that’s when...that happened.”
“What did he do exactly?”
“Uh, well...kissed me, and before that, he was a bit touchy.”
“What?”
“He squeezed my lips, my cheeks, patted my head, but I told him I didn’t like it.”
“And the kiss?”
“Ugh. I was grossed out.”
“Do you feel the same about my kiss?”
“...”
“I didn’t...feel bad, sir.” I said softly after reflecting on it. I didn’t feel that bad; what I felt was shock, fear, and my lips hurt more than anything else. If you ask about my feelings, it’s not bad, but it’s not good either.
But if you ask if his kiss was good...
It had to be good, right...
Phii Johan is really good at kissing.
“At first, I didn’t plan on doing that. I didn’t want to be like him, but you didn’t stop me.”
“Oh...okay.” Is that because I didn’t stop him?
“What else did he do?”
“Nothing else, except his friends hit my stomach.”
“Hmm.”
“If I hadn’t come, do you know what would have happened?” Phii Johan’s voice was stern, making me startle. His deep, low whisper close to my ear sent a chill through my body, “I told you from the start. But you still lied.”
“...”
“If I hadn’t found out you lied. If no one was there last night.”
“You know, right?”
“...”
Scary...
Why do I feel this scared?
I stiffened when Phii Johan tightened his embrace, and one of his hands that was holding mine squeezed tighter.
“...”
“I...didn’t mean...” Before I could finish my sentence, Phii Johan loosened his grip and threw me back onto the bed again. When he straddled me like this, it felt like I was forced not to avert my gaze.
“You didn’t mean to lie?”
“...”
“On that day, you didn’t pick up the call, didn’t you?”
“Phii...” I called out softly, hesitantly. “I was scared you’d be angry. That day when you brought me back to the dorm, you were really intimidating.” That day was scary, but now it’s even more so...
“You didn’t explain why you didn’t want me to work.”
“It’s because I was worried.”
“...”
“Couldn’t you have guessed that?”
!!
He’s so blunt about it now?
“Uh...well, I...” I was at a loss for words, unsure of what to do. Why is Phii Johan acting like this? I’m definitely going to die here. I’ve never seen him in this mode before. That’s enough. If my heart beats any harder, it’ll explode.
“Quit all your jobs.”
“Huh? All of them?”
“Yes.”
“Phii...” I said softly. Quitting the bar job I could understand, but I definitely wouldn’t quit the other two jobs; they weren’t dangerous at all.
“Can I just quit the bar job?”
“No.”
“But I still need to work at the other two places.” I started to argue, which seemed to worsen his mood significantly.
“Why?”
“...”
“I need to earn money to pay you back. When I started working at home, I stopped sending money, remember? If I don’t work, I won’t have any money. Not just for paying you back, but even for eating.”
“...”
“Then I won’t accept money from your other jobs.”
“Huh?”
“If you let me hug you, I’ll give you five hundred.”
“...”
“A thousand per kiss.”
“...”
“But if it’s more than that...”
“...”
“Five thousand each time.”
“And you...don’t have the right to refuse either.”
!!!
Wait a second...
I heard that I owe you two hundred thousand!!
And all my debts...