14
The intern
Dear you... who is loved
You were so cute and lively in the latest clip. I want you to always look happy and blossom like this. Please publish a lot of work. I'm always waiting to support you; please know that.
Apple
Today, the AppTalk team has another meeting. The topic of the day is about renting an office space because we need a studio to do product reviews. I have to admit that our website is growing rapidly. Despite the fad that people tend to use other platforms like Facebook or Twitter more, the number of people who come to our website jumps from ten thousand to sixty thousand a day. All five team members have comfortable earnings from the sponsors who buy web banners. We also get free products that they send us for reviews. We are all happy with our jobs, especially me, who also gets to work as Aontakarn's camerawoman, video editor, and director. Not to mention that I'm also her friend.
So this is what it's like to be happy with your work.
As everyone is chatting happily, the petite one goes quiet. It seems like she's thinking about something. I can't help but whisper to ask her.
"What's the matter? Why are you so quiet?"
"I feel..."
"Huh?"
"I feel fat." Aontakam looks at me with a sad expression. "Apple said that I'm blossoming. That's an indirect way of saying that I'm fat, right?"
That's why she looks sad? I almost laugh out loud because I feel bad that I make Aontakarn sad when others are happy about our blossoming business. I shake my head and reach my hand out to grab her thigh to give her encouragement.
"Karn is not fat. This is an ideal weight."
"Really? You're not just saying that to console me, are you?"
"To be honest, Chris doesn't like someone who's too slim. The bones stab into me when I hug someone who's too slim. You make me want to hug and snuggle into you." I squeeze my other hand unconsciously, thinking that Aontakam is a plushy. The petite woman looks at me shyly.
"Crazy. But if Christ thinks my weight is ideal, I will no longer worry about it."
"You believe me so easily?"
"Isn't that good?"
We stared at each other for so long that we could hear coughs. Everyone in the meeting is looking at us again. It instantly separates Aontakarn and me, causing us to look in different directions.
"You two are always in your own world. Are there only the two of you in this world?"
Jetha's teasing makes me immediately wave my hand and make an excuse. Aontakarn and I are teased like this very often, and I'm afraid that it would make the petite woman uncomfortable.
"It's not like that..." I glance over at Aontakarn and reach my hand over to shake her arm gently. "Say something. They are teasing us again."
"It's okay. They are just teasing." Because the sweet-faced woman sees this as just a joke, everyone on the team nods and laughs that I took it too seriously.
"Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"There's nothing to worry about."
"But it may not look good on you..."
Aontakarn puts her elbows on the table and looks at me. She smiles nonchalantly. Moreover, she seems to enjoy being teased.
"Isn't it good to be involved in a rumor with Kam? I'm famous to a certain level, you know?"
"Ah..."
"If Chris is not a woman, we would be dating like they say we are."
It turns out that I'm the one who's blushing, and I'm at a loss for what to do. Aontakarn changes the topic and gets us back on track with the meeting's agenda, leaving me to be embarrassed on my own.
Damned... I'm the only panicky one?
"Chris. I have a nephew I want to ask you to train. He's a senior and is about to graduate." Before the meeting ends, Toh, one of the team members, tells me that. It gets me excited a bit.
"Wow. We're big enough to have an intern, even though there are only five of us in the company?"
"I was just being proper. I just want you to help train my nephew. He's graduating soon. You can see him as your slave."
"What can I get him to do? Aside from taking videos and editing them, I don't have any other work."
"Teach him that stuff. He can also edit. Just brief him on what to do. I want to hire him once he graduates because no one will hire him for sure."
Does this mean that Toh's nephew is someone we want as a co-worker? But since he asked me to train his nephew and I didn't know how to say no, I gave him my word before we split up after the meeting. Aontakarn is waiting for me because we are going to see a movie together.
"I'm sorry the talk with Toh took longer than expected. Did you wait long?"
"I can wait for you all my life."
I shrink my neck a bit and examine the petite woman closely. She's been saying strange stuff all day today.
"What's this? Are you hitting on me?" "If I am, will I be successful?"
"Crazy... What are you saying?" I mutter to myself. Aontakam reaches her hand out to nudge me to walk along with her. Her hand remains where it is as we walk.
"How long have we known each other?"
"Well... almost six months."
"Time flies, huh? Ah... they say that we forget the time when we're happy."
"We're so close that people keep teasing us that we're dating." I still talk about this topic to examine Aontakarn's reaction to see if she shows any sign of disgust. Yet there's none of that to be found.
"Karn is with Chris every day. I'm with you more than I was with Toy when Karn was dating him."
"Oh. I forgot all about that character until you reminded me of him."
"Yes. I also totally forgot all about him. It's as if he was never in my life. When I was with him, I wasn't half as happy as I am now with you."
With Toy vs. With Chris. Aontakam is comparing our relationship to the one she had with Toy? When I think about this part, I become so embarrassed that I have to look down on the ground and try not to smile.
"Shall we find some free time to go out of town together?"
"Huh?" I look up at the sweet-faced person who suddenly invites me out of town. "Where do you want to go?"
"I want to chill out. Bangkok can get boring. You can think about where you want to go; I'll let you pick the destination."
The sweet-faced woman is becoming more and more dictating. She doesn't even ask if I want to go. She skipped to where I wanted to go. Does she think that I'm that easy? I have to play hard to get!
"I want to go to Japan."
Ah-huh... I'm not easy at all.
"How is Japan out of town? But... that's interesting. Then... let's find some free time to travel together so we can book the plane ticket and hotel. If we plan early, we'll be able to get good deals."
"Ah-huh. Let's invite others. The more, the merrier." When Aontakam hears that, she immediately lets go of my hand and frowns, looking frustrated.
"What is it?"
"Why are you inviting others?"
"It's more fun to travel in a group."
"Going alone with me is very uncomfortable for you?"
"No..."
"That's okay. Let's go in a big group. Do whatever you think is good."
And then the sweet-faced one walks ahead as she sulks. I'm left to stand in a daze for a bit before I run after her and wrap my arm around hers to try to reconcile with her.
"It's better if we go together, just the two of us."
"Don't you want to go in a big group anymore?" Aontakarn tries to unwrap my arm, but I know that she will stop sulking soon if I keep on trying to make up with her.
"It's better to go just with Kam, so we can be together, sleep together, go hanami together, and sip sake together. That would be much better."
"Stop..." I can't resist pulling her nose when I hear her whiny voice.
"You're so sulky, MY Aontakarn."
That's my killer move. It makes the sweet-faced woman smile in the end. We ended up going to the movie alone, like we usually do.
Our company eventually has an office I'm just bragging. We just rented a small room for meetings. It has one round table and an area for product review shoots. We arranged the space efficiently. But we didn't forget to put up our company sign, so it looked formal. We also have a table with a computer for me to do my editing work.
"This is a new computer. It's for you."
A computer worth sixty-thousand Baht that I dreamed of elegantly decorates our office. I rub the monitor and imagine that I'm rubbing the cheek of the actor who played Thor in The Avengers.
Argh... I'm so aroused.
"The ultimate cherry on top. It's as if Steve Jobs is visiting our office."
"Isn't he dead, idiot?" Puth smacks me in the head and changes the topic. "Aside from this computer, you will also get an intern to help you out for three months. Tho's nephew is named Tem."
And "Tern," the intern, aged 21, appears in his university uniform and jeans. He's a handsome man, fresh from university. He raises his hands to pay respect to me coolly as he chews his gum.
So independent.
"Hi, sis. You can call me Tem."
"Who's your sis?" I snap back. It makes the one full of confidence smile merrily.
"You... You're cute, sis."
His direct compliment makes Puth glance over in that direction, a bit annoyed. Have I told you that Puth is very protective and "possessive" of me? When someone seems to be hitting on me or when I seem to be in love, he will "get in the way" immediately. It's been this way since I was in middle school. And it's still like this today...
Can he be less possessive of me?
"You're here to work, not flirt." Puth says that directly. It makes Tem laugh and scratch his head.
"I was just kidding. But she's really cute and down to earth."
Was that a compliment?
"You say that because you haven't met Kam." Puth hurriedly says that as if it's okay to put me down if it's a way to prevent Tem from hitting on me. But never mind. Because it's Aontakarn, I'm okay to be put down. "From tomorrow onwards, you can do your editing work at the office. We will review speakers tomorrow."
I nod to acknowledge that before I continue to admire my new computer. I try this and that so that I'm familiar with the new computer. As for Tem, who doesn't have anything to do yet, he sits next to me and looks at me as I admire the computer.
"Do you have a lover yet?"
"What?" I glance over at the man, who's very frank, and I frown. "It's my personal matter. You better butt out."
"So aggressive. But women like this are cute."
"Saying that I'm cute all the time won't make your time here easier. Don't even try."
"You're very frank. I like that."
"Hey!" I'm starting to become annoyed with his flirting, so I turn to stare him down. And the look in his eyes tells me that he's really interested in me. He's just a little on the playful side. "Stop looking at me like that."
"Do you like men?"
"Why can't you stop asking these kinds of questions?"
The intern laughs merrily and shrugs.
"Okay. I'll stop asking. Let's say that we already got to know each other today. I'm leaving. See you tomorrow on my first day of internship, sis."
The handsome guy winks at me and dashes out of the office. That's good. I want time to myself to do this and that. Being alone with someone you just met is uncomfortable. This new computer is really fun. No matter what I click, it processes the orders quickly. There's no lag time to frustrate me at all. Before I know it, it's dark outside. It's time I called to report myself to Aontakarn.
Yet...
"Karn is here."
The sweet-faced woman, who just finished her sports news announcer work, shows up at the office with a lot of food. I send her a message to tell her that I'm at the office, but I didn't think that Aontakarn would pop by to see me like this.
"Karn is like a chicken."
"How so?"
"Think of chicken, and the chicken comes13."
"So you were thinking of me." The sweet-faced woman puts the food down and stands behind me. She puts her hand on the table and leans down to look at what I'm doing. "Let me see. What's so interesting about this computer? Why won't you go home?"
I get a whiff of Aontakarn's light perfume scent. I can hear her voice and feel her warm breaths in my ear. It makes me go stiff.
"Ah... it's nothing. It's a new computer that I've always wanted but couldn't afford. I heard that this was bought with the company's money for editing work.
13 A phrase from famous literature
From now on, my work will be easier. It will go smoothly and quickly."
"Come to think of it, it's like Chris is with Karn all the time. Even if you're not with me in person, you see me through the monitor." Aontakam's voice in my ear puts me in a dreamy state. And she surprised me by sniffing the area near my cheek.
"You have a very pleasant smell."
"Huh? How?"
"I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now. What perfume do you use? It smells really good."
"It's not perfume... It's probably the lotion. It's minty and earthy. It's a relaxing scent."
"No wonder... You always put me in a good mood. I want to be with you all the time." The sweet-faced woman wraps her arms around my neck. "If I can ride on your back all the time, like in the Shutter movie14, I will."
14 A movie about a ghost following someone everywhere.
"I can carry you. You're tiny, Awww."
"What?"
"Nothing." I immediately shut up because I let slip the nickname 'Awww.' I don't want Aontakarn to think that I'm being childish. I have to be mature and someone she wants to talk to.
"Who do you like more?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Do you prefer Karn on your monitor or the real life Karn?"
The sweet-faced one changes the topic all of a sudden.
"It has to be..." I haven't had a chance to reply when a message pops up on my phone. Aontakam reads the name of the sender out loud.
"Tem... who's he?"
"How did he get my LINE contact?" I look at the message, and I open the application to read it. It's a bold comment from a kid full of confidence.
Tem : See you tomorrow, cutie sis.
And I'm not the only one to read that message. Aontakam, who's standing behind me, reads it as well. It quiets the entire space. It's so quiet, we can hear each other's breath clearly.
"He's the intern, Tho's nephew." I hurriedly explain because I feel that it's too quiet in here. Aontakam just shrugs.
"Ah-huh..."
That's it? Why was she so scary and quiet earlier?
"You will meet him tomorrow when you do the speaker review."
"Ah-huh."
And we both go quiet again. So I change the topic by asking about the food Aontakarn bought.
"Wow. You brought a lot of food. What do we have?"
"How does he look?"
"Huh? Alt... he looks good." I try to give as vague an answer as I can because she will meet him tomorrow anyway, so there's no point in lying. "He's quite active, a bit full of himself, and very direct."
"You know him so well."
"Not really. I just got to talk to him a little today, so I know a bit."
"You were very observant. He must be very interesting."
"Ah..."
"Karn will leave now." Suddenly, Aontakarn cuts the conversation short and grabs her purse, though it seems like she was going to eat with me at first. "I'm a bit tired today. See you tomorrow."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yes."
"Don't go yet."
"What?"
I pull the petite one to sit down next to me and wrap my arm around her to pin her down. Since I've come to know her, I've learned that Aontakam is very sulky. And she will sulk more if I don't try to make up with her. So I have to act quickly. As soon as she sulks, I have to take action. No matter how silly it may be, I have to resolve everything ASAP.
"Please eat with me."
"I'm not hungry. Hey..."
To prevent her from getting away. I put one of my legs on top of her lap. "Karn is a lot cuter than that intern." "Crazy..."
"Christ has been meaning to ask you whether you're free at the end of March next year. I found a good deal on the plane ticket if we go during that period."
And the sweet-faced woman slowly lets out a smile, though she tried not to.
"I don't know if I can use my leave then. But it's a long way off."
"Argh... I have already booked the tickets. I will have to cancel them."
"I can go."
I glance at the person who immediately goes back on her word and nudge my shoulder at her.
"You reconcile with me too easily." "I wasn't angry with you. Are you crazy?" I think I know Aontakarn to a certain level—maybe more than anyone in the world.
I'm Apple, her die-hard fan after all.