3
The merry one
"I have to apologize to everyone for coming and leaving like this."
I bow down before everyone in the office. All the partners of AppTalk put their hands on their chests, happy to see me back. They shake their heads to indicate that they are okay and are happy to have me back. Everyone gives me a warm smile to welcome me back.
"But from now on, please don't quite when you two fight. We're nervous about that."
Jeth walks over and pats me on the back to console me so that I don't feel guilty. Despite all this, I still feel bad because what I did was quite childish and unprofessional. I come back after I make up with Chris, and I quit when we fight. I'm normally not unprofessional like this.
There's only one person who's kept quiet and won't look me in the eye...
Puth.
But no one noticed that, so the mood is still good. I got to meet the new announcer who replaced me while I was away. At first, I was worried that my coming back would impact others or that there needed to be changes, but everyone is okay with it because they are happy working with me.
In other words, having me at AppTalk is better than not having me.
"My name is Cate."
"I'm Karn."
Though we know each other's names, we should introduce ourselves to be polite. And so that we can work together smoothly, I need to comfort her.
"You can talk to me about anything. I'm not here to take your job, so don't worry about that."
"I'm not worried. I understand that you had a personal reason to quit earlier..." The way the new hire looks at Chris, who's chatting with the team, hints at something.
And it's something that frustrates me, yet I can't show it.
"Everyone is happy that you're back."
"Not everyone."
I meant what I just said because Puth is not smiling or talking to anyone. That makes me a bit worried. Maybe he's still mad at me for hurting his sister, because it seems like the clip that was released was from him.
Actually, I know that he didn't do it because Chris already told me everything. But still, he played some part in it being released, and we haven't talked about the crack in our relationship.
After we talked about me coming back, everyone split up to do their duties. I don't have any work today, and I have nothing to do, so I just sit and wait to go home with Chris. As I let my mind wander, I saw Puth looking at me from outside the office through our glass door. But when I look back at the handsome guy, he quickly turns away. I decide to get up because I want to have a talk with him.
"Where are you going?"
Chris grabs my hand. She's been quite clingy since we've been back together. Right now, everyone knows about us, so there's no need to hide our affection.
"I'm going to the restrootn."
"I thought you were about to sulk."
"Why would I sulk?"
"Because I'm taking so long to finish my editing work."
"Am I that sulky?"
"I want to ask, just in case. If you're about to sulk, I will quickly try to reconcile with you."
"So cuddly24."
"Huh?"
"You heard that right. You're so cuddly."
"Savage."
The arrogant-looking woman continues on with her work and lets me go to the restroom. I glance at the person working hard adoringly before I walk out of the office and look for the person I need to clear things up with.
I chose to walk after Puth to the fire escape. I'm a bit worried that I will see an unexpected love scene, but there's nothing like that. Puth is sifting on the stairs and sighing.
"Puth."
My call startled the brother, who's very concerned and possessive of his sister. He jumps up and arranges his clothes.
24 The word in Thai use is very similar to 'cute'. Aontakam twisted it to 'cuddly.'
"Ah... yes?"
"Can I talk to you for a bit?"
I cross my arms across my chest and walk down the stairs slowly so that we're on even ground. Puth is a bit taller than me, so I have to stand on a higher step so that our eyes meet without either of us having to look up or look down.
"Yes? What do you want to talk about?"
"I think we have a misunderstanding we need to clear up. I think you know what I'm talking about."
And as soon as I finish saying that, Puth shockingly raises his hand to apologize to me and bows down 90 degrees. I look at his reaction and wave one hand as I try to stop him with my other hand.
"Don't do this. Don't bow down to me."
"I have to. What I did was very unethical."
"But you didn't do it."
"Even if it wasn't me who released the clip, I was still wrong. If I didn't' keep it to tease my sister, it wouldn't be released like that. I caused you trouble. I made you two fight and break up. You can throw all the guilt onto me."
Puth spoke in a shaky, guilty tone. I find that both humorous and pitiful. If this conversation had taken place immediately after the clip was released, I would have lashed out at him and buried him six feet under. But everything is different now. I adore what he did. I admit that I wanted to talk to him because I wanted to apologize for making him worry about Chris. But things are the opposite of what I thought would happen.
"I also want to apologize to you for hurting Chris. I know how much you love your sister."
"Yes. I really love her." The tall man easily admits to that. "To be honest, I'm very angry with you for prioritizing someone else over my sister. But I've prepared myself for it from the start. I know you two wouldn't make it."
"Why do you think that?"
"A woman should be with a man."
"But we're back together now."
"That's why I'm worried that it will turn out the way it did again. I'm afraid that my sister will be heartbroken because you break up with her in the future."
"Actually... Chris was the one who broke up with me."
"Oh..." Puth covers his mouth with his hand because he doesn't know this little detail. "Chris was savage. But I know she had a reason for doing that. The reason you broke up the last time was because you wanted to pursue your dream, right? You being with Chris would get in the way of you entering the entertainment industry."
"Yes... I was wong." This time, it's me who's looking down to show how guilty I feel. I don't know what I need to do to make it up to Chris. "But that will never happen again. Though my dream is important, Chris is more important."
"So touching."
"…"
"Very heartwarming." Puth puts his hand on his chest, looking very touched by what I just said. "Don't you want to break up with Chris and be with her brother?"
"I heard that!"
There's a voice from above. Earn, who appears to have overheard the entire conversation, is furious with her boyfriend for teasing me in such a manner. Puth is shocked. He quickly waves his hands.
"I was just kidding. Are you crazy... Who would actually mean that? This is Chris's lover."
"How would I know what you were thinking? Maybe you see that Cate likes Chris, so you're flirting with Miss Karn just in case you get lucky. Geez!"
"Are you crazy!"
The two continue to fight casually, forgetting that I'm still here and have heard everything that's coming out of their mouths. My focus is on what Earn said about Cate, the new announcer. It's no wonder I had a strange hunch when I spoke with her earlier.
When I see that the two are still fighting and teasing each other, I slowly walk away to go back to Chris. But before I can open the door to our office, I see something that frustrates me. I stand and observe quietly. Chris and the new announcer, whom I'm worried about, are sitting side by side, chatting and laughing about something. They are probably talking about the clip they shot.
Damned... I can't be silly. This is work. And I've already told myself that I will not sulk at Chris again.
"What are you doing? Seems like fun."
Cate, who was sitting beside Chris, moves a bit farther away from Chris as if she were struck by a hot iron, while my lover seems to know nothing about what's going on.
"I'm editing Cate's clip, so I asked her to check it out. I'm done. Are you hungry yet?"
"Yeah, I'm hungry."
Chris looks at her watch and smiles at me.
"It's 6 p.m.; let's go home... I'll send you the clip, Cate." The arrogant-looking woman says that to Cate I like the friendly person she is and walks to me. To show my ownership, I place my hand on her back and nudge her to walk together. Yet the person next to me pauses to say something cryptic to Cate.
Cate."
"Don't forget about what we talked about earlier,
"Okay."
"Okay."
I am the new Aontakam who doesn't sulk, get suspicious, be jealous, or be possessive. But this really bothers me. So, I go quiet. I don't know what to say. I'm watching television but taking nothing in.
"They fall down on each other so often. In reality, do people really fall down in a position where their lips happen to touch like this?"
"…"
"If I can fall down and get a lover, 1 will fall down on you repeatedly. We wouldn't need to go all the way to Japan to hook up, yeah?"
"…"
"Hello. Is anybody homeeeeee?"
When Chris waves her hand in front of my face, I glance at the arrogant-looking woman, who seems frustratingly merry. I heard everything she said. I'm just not in the mood to talk to her.
I can't sulk. I can't be jealous. And I can't be merry as well. So, the only thing I can do is go quiet!
"I'm listening."
"What's the matter? You must be sulking about something. Why are you so quiet?"
I force out a smile. I'm trying as hard as I can to make things appear normal. I already said that I wouldn't sulk, and I must do that.
"Who's sulking. No!"
"But you're so quiet."
"Why would I shout and scream? It's just people falling down on each other. What about you... Why are you so merry today? Did anything good happen?"
When I ask her that, the arrogant-looking woman looks nervous. She quickly acts as if there's nothing going on.
"Nothing. I'm merry because we made up."
"Ah... so that's why." I won't say more. When Chris sees that I won't chitchat with her, she gets up as if she's about to leave. "You're leaving? I thought you would spend the night here."
"I was, but you seem moody. You wouldn't tell me why you're sulking, so I don't know how to try to make up with you."
When I hear that, I try to adjust my mood and look as normal as I can. As the arrogant-looking woman is about to leave, I grab her wrist. Yet Chris does what I didn't expect. She turns around, pretends to fall on me, and kisses me on the lips.
"What's this?"
"I'm copying the scene in the series. I fell and kissed you. So... does it work?"
"Work in which way?"
"We look each other in the eye, and our hearts race." The person on top of me slips her hand under my shirt and unhooks my bra with ease. "As our bodies heat up, we are both prepared to pounch on each other at any moment."
The sly way Chris is looking at me makes me shy. Rather than sulking, I am now smiling. It gives Chris the confidence to go on, and she bites my neck.
"If this doesn't work, it wouldn't be in the series."
"Ah... I will have to fall on you more often."
"…"
"I will fall on you and stay on top of you all night."
I forgot what I was stressed about after the arrogant-looking one used her mouth... She gets better with each passing day.
Ah...