Only the Ring Finger Knows

Chapter 9

❤︎

Chapter 9

"Tiffany doesn't want to get back with me!" Joss complained aloud as we walked down the corridor towards the cafeteria.

"What about Yoona?" Han teased Joss about the target of his latest obsession.

"What about her? I don't care about her." Joss spat with crossed arms.

"Suuure you don't~ Because you can't have her!" 

As usual, Han was looking for trouble and as expected, Joss growled and began whacking his friend on the back aggressively.

"Arthit, it looks like I have to run!" Han exclaimed as he began running away from Joss. 

Joss immediately ran after Han, pushing a few students out of the way. "Stop! Come back here!"

Gosh, seriously they're like real-life Tom & Jerry... I thought to myself as I stared at them disappearing around the corner and leaving a trail of baffled students behind them. 

Walking rather absentmindedly, my shoulder suddenly collided against someone else. "S-sorry," I apologized, bowing down. When I looked back up, there stood none other than Kongpob Suthiluck. He looked at me for a long moment, as if about to say something. He looked awfully pale and...tired, and immediately I felt worried for him.

Say something, anything...I thought to myself, but no sound escaped my lips.

Finally, he gave me a short "it's okay" before he sniffled his nose, coughed awkwardly and brushed past me as if he didn't know me.

My eyes widened in surprise. I had forgotten that Kongpob was treating me like 'everyone else' now. Why did I expect something different from him? This was what I always wanted.

But damn, why did it leave a painful sting in my heart when I watched him leave like that. Clearly, he was struggling to keep himself from talking to me just as much as I was struggling not to follow him down the hallway.

Shit, what am I thinking? I can't do this...I better forget about everything that's happened between us.

I shook my head furiously to knock some sense into myself before catching up with the bickering couple, Han and Joss.

❤︎

"Kongpob had to go home early today," Jessica whispered to Tiffany during class. "I don't think I can get through this day without seeing him!" 

At the mention of Kongpob's name, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on them. Plus, they were sitting just in front of me, so it was impossible not to hear their conversation.

"He has a bad case of the flu.. Poor him, he's probably got a fever too!" Jessica continued with a sorrowful face. 

I flinched at the information. Flu? So Kongpob walked home yesterday, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and got sick... Was that why he looked so weak and was sniffing this morning...? Guilt swept over me. I felt responsible for it...It was really cold last night and he had nothing to wear to keep himself warm. How could I have been so stubborn? I should've just shoved my jumper onto him, run home and face the embarrassment afterwards.

"Arthit!" the teacher bellowed, scaring the living daylights out of me.

"Mr. Park," I stood up immediately in embarrassment.

"I see you're off into your own little world. You can take the class duty of helping at the school office during lunch hour!" the teacher shouted, shaking his head. "Sit down!"