Only the Ring Finger Knows

Chapter 8

"Oh..." I said in a dejected tone, unable to hide my disappointment. I totally ignored him as he walked back into the house and sitting down on the living room sofa.

"I was hoping I could talk to you," I said to Yoona. "But I didn't know you had company. Maybe I should leave..."

"No don't. Please stay," Yoona said apologetically, inviting me in. She guided me in the living room and I dropped myself onto a leather chair with my hands in my pockets. I was sitting opposite of Kongpob who was sitting on the couch and flipping through the pages of a book, ignoring me completely.

The atmosphere was really awkward as Yoona left us alone to prepare some drinks. I felt restless and eventually found myself playing with the watch on my wrist.

"Did you finish your math homework?" Kongpob asked me suddenly, his eyes leaving the book to look at me. They showed no signs of mockery. His expression was almost... friendly. 

I looked at him wide-eyed. "No..." I stammered, baffled by the sudden question.

"Well, I'm helping Yoona because she has some difficulties with it. If you have any problems you can ask me as well," he offered in a friendly tone, which perplexed me even more...What was this? He's treating me differently all of a sudden...

"Here you are. Help yourselves." Yoona came back from the kitchen and placed two glasses of orange juice on the table in front of us. My eyes followed the movements of her hand...There was no ring on her ring finger. Why? What happened to the ring I gave her?

I quickly peeked at Kongpob Suthiluck's hand. His ring was still there...

Soon Yoona made herself comfortable on the couch next to Kongpob and took out her homework.

"You need to solve it like this..." Kongpob explained as he leaned closer to Yoona. Yoona nodded and listened to him attentively.

My chest felt congested by the sight of them. I watched them with an unknown feeling. They looked like a couple... They probably were... And here I was getting in between them... Not really, since I was just sitting here, drinking juice. Why was I there anyway? I felt strangely distant. Unwelcome.

Out of nowhere, Kongpob popped his head up and looked at me. My face turned a shade of red since I had been staring at them for the last few minutes.

"You probably need help with this question as well," he stated, still looking at me and took out a piece of paper from his bag and began scribbling the question down. Getting up from his seat, he handed me the paper and sat down on the handrest beside me.

Ugh, too close!

I looked at him bewildered. What about Yoona? I glanced back at her. She had understood the math's problem and was solving it quietly. I shuffled sideways, away from Kongpob. Taking the paper, I looked down at it with no clue whatsoever.

"Uh, I don't understand..."

"OK... Here's how you do it..." Kongpob began explaining in a soft tone, but my brain refused to concentrate as his husky voice echoed in my ears. The close proximity between us was awfully distracting. His skin was tanned, flawless and smooth. His eyelashes were long and...all of a sudden, I was gazing down at his lips. They were of a soft pink color, his bottom lip plump and top one thin.

I quickly looked away...There was a cut on his bottom lip... It couldn't have been because of me, could it? Aish, what am I thinking? I didn't bite him... OMG what the hell am I thinking?? 

I slapped myself mentally.

"Here, you try it," Without noticing me staring at him, he handed the pen to me, stood up and went back to sit beside Yoona.

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The sky was getting darker outside. The clock read 7pm. We had been spending 2 hours going over math homework. Well I didn't really get much out of it. I ended up watching TV in the other room. How stupid. I should've just went home.

"Arthit, what did you want to talk with me?" Yoona asked as I got ready to leave.

"Oh...it doesn't matter anymore," I replied in a careless tone. In reality, I wanted to know if she was...close with Kongpob, but I couldn't ask her that with him being there. I didn't like the thought of them becoming closer than...what was comfortable to bear. I was already showing signs of jealousy towards them and, ugh...I'm such an idiot.

"See you tomorrow then," Yoona said as I walked out of her front door. 

A chilling breeze swept past me. It was dark and cold night. I pulled down my jumper sleeves to cover my bare hands.

She turned to Kongpob who had decided to leave as well. "Thanks a lot, Kongpob. I appreciate your help today. See you tomorrow at school," she called before closing the door and leaving the two us standing outside.

The cold wind must've hit Kongpob because I saw him shivering. He was wearing a short sleeved shirt and I felt kind of sorry for him. Should I lend him my jumper? I was living only next door anyway...

The silence around us grew...I could hear the crickets chirping and it made me feel uneasy. The atmosphere was really awkward.

"Bye," I murmured, walking briskly towards my house. I thought I saw him move in the corner of my eye as if planning to follow me. I was anticipating for something, but nothing happened...

As I arrived at my front door, I contemplated whether I should lend him my jumper. It looked like he was going to walk home in the cold and I felt bad leaving him like that. 

I turned around, but he had already disappeared into the darkness.

I felt strange...I should've felt happy that I got rid of him... My life is back to normal and our rumours have cleared. He hasn't bothered me for a week. Isn't that what I wanted? 

'Why can't you treat me the same as everyone else?' That's what I asked of him and he did exactly what I wanted.

Kongpob was treating me just as he did everyone else. Distant.

...

...

So why did I feel so empty inside?

❤︎

Author's note: Sigh...we are running in circles around these two idiots... *smacks both of them*