Middleman's Love | ENG TRANS |

Chapter 3 - What a Thoughtful Boy

The red light turned green. He never drove while continuing to talk.

"I actually never gave much thought to relationships until...until recently."

I saw his face light up as he looked at me. Those words and that look of his made me narrow my eyes a little.

Has! Deja vu. It's about to start, right?

I took a deep breath, preparing for the same old conversation. From my previous experiences, I knew this was the time he would ask me about Uea's love life.

"So... Are you engaged?"

"No. At this moment Uea is..."

Wait...

Wait a moment!

I was taken aback and was confused. I repeated the question he asked in my head over and over again.

Whose relationship is it you just asked about?

"What was your question?"

"I asked, 'Are you engaged?'." Mai asked again. His smile was still as polite as ever.

"Oh, um... No."

I sat there like an idiot for quite some time before answering. Then I thought I heard Mai laughing softly, or maybe it was the music on the radio, I wasn't sure.

Mai said nothing after that. I felt like I had said too much, so I remained silent. All that was left in the car was the soft music which made the atmosphere less silent.

I intended to ask him to drop me off at the market near my apartment, then I would take a motorbike taxi from there, but Mai insisted on dropping me off at my apartment.

Well, that's great. It'll save me like twenty baht, and that's still money.

"You can leave me there."

I told him to drop me off on the sidewalk at the entrance to my apartment. Mai leaned over to look inside the building before asking me, "Do you live here?"

"Yes."

"What a coincidence. My apartment is right across the street."

He pointed to an apartment across the street, not too far from mine.

"Oh yes. What a coincidence. Anyway, thanks so much for giving me a lift. See you tomorrow."

"What time do you usually go to work?" he asked as I took off my seatbelt, preparing to exit the car.

"Well, I leave at half past six, because the queue for the motorbike taxis is very long later. Why did you ask me?"

"You can come with me. I am coming to pick you up."

"Wait, wait, wait. No."

I refused immediately. Just walking me home makes me feel bad enough, now you want to take me to work? Even if I'm broke, so to speak, I can't be that greedy. My level of greed is not that advanced.

"You don't have to be so generous. We can go our separate ways so you don't have to wait for me in the morning."

"It's not a big deal to me. We live across the street from each other. I can come get you so you don't have to waste your time waiting for a motorcycle taxi."

"But..."

"We go together. It's not like I have to go to the other side of the country, I still have to go this way. You do not have to worry." Mai said.

I hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Alright then. A thousand thanks."

"Well, can I have your phone number so I can contact you in the morning?"