Chapter 5: The Newly-Wed
Kimhan Burnaphan
Pie Mindara Manaying, a twenty-five year old teacher who happened to be my wife was absolutely a witch beguiled in a Goddess form. I admitted it myself that she was beyond gorgeous – her beauty was everything that any guys would die for yet her attitude ruined almost all good impression I had about her at the first glance. It's true that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover and I have learned it from my experience. Good outlook doesn't necessarily behold a beautiful content. The same thing went for my legally wedded wife. She's beautiful but that didn't necessarily make her a nice person. She was rude, stubborn and I despised everything about her afterward. How was it even possible I end up helping a woman like her? She was ungrateful.
I was much aware that she didn't know that I was going to be her 'bridegroom'. She wished for a temporary husband not a wife. As much as I hated to say that I was also selfish in our arrangement, I couldn't deny the fact that I was doing this for my very own importance too. If Pie wanted to evade the contract for rural teaching, I was doing this for the heart of my life. Pie had no idea about it and it was all because of her complete trust to P'Boy. She didn't read the contract and I could say that she didn't care about it at all. That was her mistake.
Put the contract aside. There was another thing which bothered me too much. Pie hated me for no concrete reason. I didn't do anything to her yet she held so much hatred in her soul. It was only day one and she has jumped into her conclusion way too early. Our first day didn't go as good as what I was anticipating. It was worse. We had terrible fight and again, I admitted that I was partially wrong in the case. I went too far across the line when I dared her to file the divorce. I shouldn't have said that. I made myself look bad in front of her and also her family. Grandpa; I knew he was disappointed with me and that was the major reason I'd accepted the offer from him. He told me that we needed our private space and time to get along with or in other word, bonding. Due to the reason that I owed a lot to this family, I had no choice but to oblige.
Now that we were moving to our own place, which by any luck was a gift from Pie's Grandpa, she has already showed me her true colour when the elder was not around. For the past forty five minutes, she has been directing me to do this and that while she didn't do anything – so like a boss. We needed to unpack the stuffs and know what? Almost all of them were her belongings. I had no energy to argue over the matter with her. I knew I wouldn't have the chance to win.
"I still can't believe that we are moving in together," Pie complained, leaning her back against the wall while crossing her arms across her chest as she supervised me while I lifted up the box of her stuff. She eyed me from time to time as if I were about to break anything inside it. I wondered what she took here. They were too much to fit in this terrace house.
"It would be good if you stop complaining and help me," I sighed. Listening to her made me even exhausted. Pie might have not known it, but Grandpa and I have been discussing about this moving out earlier. It was no surprise to me when he mentioned about the house. I have known it before hand. It wasn't the same for Pie. She surely disagreed about the idea. She hated me, I could tell. I wished she knew that I dislike her too; Witch!
"No," She crossed her arms, looking a bit bossy with that kind of attitude. "Didn't I tell you that you're going to go through a hell life?" She raised a brow, one side of her lips curled up into a smirk. I studied her whole figure quickly. Pie looked so neat in her pink blouse and black slack pants. The aura of her professionalism shone bright through her posture. She was no doubt a high class woman.
"Ah, sure," I nodded at her, "How can I forgot the fact that you come from the hell? Thank you so much for sharing your experiences there with me," I wouldn't give up just like that. She wanted to play it harsh? I didn't hesitate to return the same too.
Looking at Pie who seemed caught off guard, I stifled a laugh as I tilted my head to a side, mocking her with a smile. I have noticed that it drove her up the wall when I smiled at her. It would be my mightiest weapon. "Get the things to my room," She stomped on her feet, turning around very quickly to go somewhere. "This hell is too hot that my throat grows dry," She walked pass me, huffing. My giggle echoed through the living room. Pie Mindara has been defeated for the first time.
"Pie?" I called her before she gone completely from my sight. She didn't hesitate to turn around and look at me. "I love you..." I blew a kiss to her direction. Pie's reaction was priceless, she widened her eyes in disbelief before she crinkled her nose in annoyance. Without saying anything, she spun on her heel and headed to the kitchen. Why I was saying that to her? Shouldn't the 'I love you' being said when we really mean it? Nope! I would use the three words to annoy her.
"Kimhan!" Pie shouted from the kitchen. I ignored it for once. She might want to give me more tasks. "Kimhan!"She called me again. I dropped my butt to the floor, taking a brief seconds of rest before I heard she called for my name again, "Kimhan Burnaphan!" Wow, I took it as her last straw. I might as well check on her before she exploded like a mad volcano. Her lava of anger was dangerous. I wouldn't risk myself to be burn in it.
"I'm coming," I jumped on my feet and arranged long strides to the kitchen. Pie was sitting at the kitchen island while swinging her short legs in the air. She stared at me right at my face and I saw she beckoned me to come closer to her.
"Wow, do you want to have sex in the kitchen?" I teased her. Just like what I have expected, she shot me a scolding look. I was just lucky enough that we were about a few feet away. I might get a smack if we were nearby.
"Don't talk dirty to me," She warned. "At least have some respect to me as I'm older than you," Oh, she was being serious now. For the first time, I thought she was right. I might as well give in. Talking about our ages, mine was twenty one while hers was twenty five. It wasn't too huge in difference but I was still younger than her though. The only thing that kept Pie looked about my age was her slim and petite figure. She got the extra credit there that I thought she would stay young even though the digit of her age increases.
"What do you need from me?" I hopped on to the island and took a seat next to her. We have the chairs there but I didn't really want to use one. Sitting closer to Pie was more fun because it would mean I intended to annoy her. Why stressing out with her attitude when I could make more fun from it?
Pie scooted away from me. "I'm thirsty," She said, "And we don't have any drinking water here," She added. I gave her a look. Did it have anything to do with me?
"Don't give me that look," Pie crossed her arms to her front again. "Buy me some water before I ask Grandpa to fix a proper water filter for us. I'm not going to drink from that tap water, even if we happen to boil them," She said with her 'rich kid' attitude. My wife was such a spoiled brat. I should get really used to her attitude from now.
"I have a lot more things to do, Pie," I shook my head, telling her that I wasn't going to go anywhere just to buy her the drinking water. She could go by herself because she was practically didn't do anything.
"Kimhan," She frowned, pouting her lips in disappointment. No. No. I couldn't handle that. There was something about Pie which actually weakened me. Though she behaved like a witch, her innocent and raw soul was something I couldn't resist. I have learned it very quickly too. She might be hard headed and rude but her heart was as fragile as the glass. One harsh touch and it shuttered into pieces in no time. Pie Mindara held a lot of mysteries which has caused me wanting to learn about her for more. I could sense that it was something worth the research.
"Fine," I jumped from the counter to the ground. "You have to know that I'm doing this to make up things for you. You know, since you won't accept my apologies, I'll do everything to please you," I had no idea on why I needed to explain it to her. Part of it was right and the other part was meant to cover up.
"Good!" Pie smiled. Oh, that beautiful smile. Wait! Did I see it right? She got the smiling eyes. We rarely seen people with those eyes; do you know that? Whenever the person smiles and her eyes seem somewhat smiling too, we called those as smiling eyes. It's the most beautiful thing I could ever search in a person and to my luck, my wife had one.
"Can I have the car key?" I requested, showing my palm to her as to wait for the bunch of keys to be placed in there.
Pie tilted her head to a side, which I'd ridiculously find it adorable while grinning at me. What has gotten into her? "You're not going to drive the car," She said, "Walk." My eyes nearly popped out and fell to the ground upon listening to it. She couldn't be more insane than this right? She was telling me to travel my foot? Where would I find the shops around here when I haven't really familiar with the place?
"Pie, you're wasting my time," I found myself walking away from the kitchen. I wouldn't travel by foot just to find some drinking water for Pie. She was crazy.
"Hey, I was just joking," She trailed behind me. She shifted her direction to the other junction of the house and returned to me awhile later. "Here," She handed me the key and also a few bank notes. "Get something for us to eat as well," She reminded.
"Are you allergic to anything else rather than chocolate?" It was meant to be a sarcastic question. Pie scoffed a little when she remembered the thing happened between us. She told me that she was allergic to chocolate while the truth was she wasn't.
"Well, I have a bad allergic reaction to you." She rolled her eyes at me. "Get me anything but please don't include porridge. I don't like it," She pursed her lower lips, making herself somewhat a cute creature. Oh God, why it seemed like everything she did was too adorable?
"You look hideous," I poked on her head, "Don't pout like that, you make me sick," I lied. I wished I could see it often. What has gotten into me?
"You just have to admit that I'm cute," She made a face. "You can go now and please be hurry. There are a lot more to be done and for your information, I won't help a bit," Pie said. She polished her nails on left shoulder as she smirked at me. Why I wasn't surprise with it?
"Anything for you, my wife," I stepped closer to her and intentionally; I leaned in to kiss her on her forehead. With a slight different in our height, it wasn't difficult for me to do that to her.
"Eww," She pushed me off her and took many steps away from me. "Do that again and you'll lose your lips forever," She wiped her forehead in disgust. It entertained me anyway. Definitely, I would do it over and over.
"Take care while I'm gone," I told her and it was the matter of being concern of leaving her all alone here. What could Pie Mindara possibly do if she was being attacked by the intruder? I didn't think she could even defend herself.
"I'm not a child," She huffed, stomping her feet as she walked herself anywhere around the house.
*******
I have never faced any difficulties when it comes to picking food to eat. I eat whatever I want so that I could fill my starving tummy and that's all. Now that I have to count Pie in, making decision was the hardest thing to do.
"May I help you?" Someone approached me out of nowhere. I glanced over my shoulder just to find a couple stood right close to me, looking at the same menu board I was staring for minutes.
"Hey, you look familiar," The lady who was about Pie's age said. She studied my face briefly before I saw she put a hand over her mouth and gasped loudly. "You're Pie's bridegroom! I mean wife." She stated, her eyes widened in surprised – most probably for the reason that she could finally see me in person.
"Uh, yes?" I wasn't sure who she was. Perhaps she was one of the guests who had attended our wedding the other day.
"Where is Pie?" She asked, wandering her eyes around as if she was trying to locate my wife when it was already obvious she wasn't by my side.
"She's at home," I shrugged. "Excuse me may I know who you are?" Asking for some details from her wouldn't hurt. She looked like a good person.
The woman seemed taken aback a bit, but then, she extended her hand to me for a handshake, "I'm Fern," She told me. "Pie's best friend and also her colleague," Her radiant smile was so captivating. My gaze spontaneously shifted to the guy stood next to her. "Oh, he's my husband, Mario," Fern introduced the guy to me. I nodded knowingly at them.
"I'm Kimhan or just Kim for short," I introduced myself in case they have forgotten about my name.
"So, Kim, what are you doing here?" Fern asked. Her husband Mario got into the line as he ordered for theirs.
"I'm about to order some food for Pie but had no idea of what she likes?" I gave her a faint smile. It was true though. I have been stuck here for minutes and wasting time for no good. Wasn't it difficult to decide for another person?
Fern gave me a sceptical look and crossed her arms across her chest. Perhaps she needed more details from my explanation, "We're moving in together to our new house," Fern made a 'oh' sound when she learned about it. It made sense right? It meant that we didn't have maids to get everything done for us. "You're welcome at any time," I told her.
Fern nodded at me again. "Listen here," She sighed, gazing at me right into my eyes. I saw worry and concern in her eyes. What was this woman thinking of? "I have no idea of what has happening in your arrangement with Pie but tell you what, honestly, I have never imagined that Pie would eventually married to...you," I knew she tried hard to mind her words. There was a slight expression of disapproval in her face. I grew uncomfortable with it.
"I really appreciate it if you can speak to me straight to the point, Fern," I tried not to play offended but the tone in my voice sounded too obvious for it. My mind flew back to Pie at home. Only now it hit me on why she was too furious when she knew she was married to a woman instead of a guy. It was all about the acceptance from the people around her. She was working in a professional sector; a respected teacher to be exact. Even her best friend seemed not in favour with our marriage, I couldn't imagine how the entire school would react to it.
"Don't take it wrong," Fern waved her hands hastily, noticing the change in my expression. "I support her for whatever paths she has chosen for her life. I only wish that you won't take her for granted," Fern made it clear to me. It eased my feeling a little bit. For the reason that our marriage has happened, Pie needed a strong support from her closest friends. Although this marriage was one we have never wished to have, I would say that wouldn't run away from it. As much as Pie seemed stronger to stand on her own and denying me at all cost, I tried my best to be by her side at all times.
"Don't you worry about it," I shook my head, feeling a bit amused by the soft warning. Only if Fern knew what Pie has done, she was the one who made the full use of me.
Fern was about to add more reminders when her husband approached us. They have got their meal. Pretending that nothing tense happened in between our conversation, Fern spoke to me with her friendly voice, "Pie isn't that picky. She'll eat everything except porridge." That was the exact thing Pie has told me.
"Well, we got to go now. See you again when I see you," Fern said and left with her husband right after. I watched them until their figures gone from my sight. Now, back to the food, what should I get for Pie?
********
I glanced to my wristwatch and gulped down hard when I noticed that I have gone for two hours. What have I done at the store? Although I looked all calmed and composed, I had several times wiped my sweaty palms to my pants because I was just too anxious to enter the house. I took too long to get the water and also the food for my wife. Pie was going to scold me for the longest minutes before we could actually eat our food. I guessed I have to be tough starting from today. I had to put up with a great deal of everything from her.
I unlocked the front door and stepped inside slowly. Barely making any noise, I closed the door behind me and craned my neck to look for Pie. She was nowhere to be seen. I walked further into the house and still couldn't spot her shadow. She couldn't go anywhere since I used the car. Where was she?
"Pie, I'm home," I placed the food and the bottles on the dining table before making my way to find her. I paced cautiously while wandering my eyes around in alert.. Getting to know Pie, I found it was very importance to be prepared for the unpredictable. Who know she might attack me all of sudden?
A sigh of relief escaped from my parted lips when I saw she slept soundly in the bed. Once I stepped inside the bedroom, chill greeted me as if I have just stepped my foot in either North or the South poles. Pie had turned the room into a winter season. She curled herself like a ball, most probably cold. I turned up the temperature just to give a comfortable condition for the room.
I took a seat at the edge of the bed, just at a comfortable distance where I could see her face at the best view. Pie lips parted slightly as she snored to her deep slumber. Seeing her peaceful state, I could tell that she has been sleeping along the two hours since I left the home. I scooted closer to her and that was the second her eyes fluttered opened in a snap. Pie seemed shocked to notice my presence there. Instead of attacking me with her bazooka speed mean words, Pie's cold hand reached mine and she intertwined our fingers together. Surprisingly, she wasn't grumpy when she woke up. "I'm cold," She quivered, finding some warmth from our interlaced fingers. A soft chuckled fled from my mouth at any instant. "Trying to create the coolest spot inside the hell?" I jested, remembering that living together with her in this house should feel like living in the hell. Pie didn't respond to me. She was too drowsy to arrange any coherent sentences. I let our hands go and went to grab for the sheet. If I was not mistaken, I saw it in one of the bags which I hadn't unpacked yet.
Pie was half asleep when I returned to the bedroom. It didn't seem that she was going to leave the bed at any time soon. I was going to starve until she was wide awake. "Why it took so long for you to get the water and food?" Pie asked while I tucked her into the sheet. She snuggled to the warmth that was being provided by it. Oh, I wished I could get into the sheet too. I was so beat and needed a few minutes of nap too.
"I ran into Fern and her husband," I responded. Pie turned fresh from her drowsy state instantly. "What happens then?" She sounded curious and also anxious.
"She was asking about you. I told her that we are moving in together and you're at home," I left the reminder parts. It was my business and Pie didn't necessarily know about it.
Pie's eyes widened in thunderstruck. "You tell her that we're moving in together?" She looked horrified.
"I'd also welcome her to our home," I added. Pie massaged her temple upon listening to me. Hey, it wasn't a big deal at all. Fern was her best friend, right? In my opinion, it wouldn't be a problem if her best friend wanted come over.
"I need more time to adapt myself into this," She said. I needed more time too. What did she expect from me? I was only twenty one and yet I have to be bound into commitment. Getting married at this very young age was something out of my mind. I have just gave up my carefree life and many other things for sure.
"We can go through this together," It was out of my consciousness that I have just spoke my mind out. Pie whipped her head to me at any instant. She eyed me thoroughly before she broke up laughing her lungs out. I stared at her in bewilderment. I didn't tell a joke.
"Never include me in you and there is not going to be 'we' or 'us'," Pie shook her head. How cold her heart was, she was going to deny everything about this marriage. Should I do the same too? Maybe. Neither of us should be physically, emotionally and romantically attached to each other. Of all that happening between us was meant to be temporary. It wouldn't last forever.
"If that was the case, I respect your decision," Pie was taken aback with my response. Wasn't it the one she wished to listen from me? Why she frowned when she learned my acceptance of her terms?
"Aren't you going to argue over the matter with me?" She brought herself into a sitting position, staring at me with a puzzle look.
I shook my head quickly, "It's such a waste of time to messing up with a stubborn woman like you," There was no need to hide everything from Pie. Talking straightforward would save a lot of time. I didn't need to argue with her to make me look more like a child compared to her. I was a young adult not an immature teenager and who knew there would be blessing in disguise upon dealing with this matter?
"It's good then," I noticed that Pie huffed a lot. She pouted and turned her back to me. "I'm not going to waste my energy to argue with you as well but that doesn't mean I'll let you live at ease." Sometimes, it's good to see the immature side of Pie. There was a tiny part of a childish self in her woman soul which made her charming. I loved the raw and innocent side of hers. She could be a child with tantrum and could only be tamed with a soothing swears, at the same time, she could always be the fire, one which could be a friend when it was small and become the worst enemy when it grew wild. Nonetheless, nothing changed the fact that my curiosity towards her odd soul grew stronger with each increasing second I got to know her. The inner side of hers was calling for my attention and somehow, I could sense that something unnoticed between us was creating chemistry. I wondered what it was. I shall wait for it.
"I got us some Western food, would you like to eat now?" Truthfully, I was starving right at the moment. Unpacking stuffs was exhausting when no one was helping. Pie wouldn't leave me in peace.
"Yuck, don't pretend to be nice to me. I won't fall for your kindness," She got up of the bed immediately. See, she was all blunt and rude. I wasn't pretending to be kind, I was just trying to be polite.
******
We were seated at the dining table, taking seats across each other while having our own meal in front of us. It was such a relief that Pie didn't complain anything once she saw the food I have chosen for us. Fern was right, Pie wasn't too picky when it comes to food. Just excluded the porridge and everything would be fine for her. She ate her food in silent and I didn't bother to steer a conversation with her as well. I tried hard to convince myself that this marriage has happened for real and the woman who sat right across me was actually my spouse. My mind was occupied with too many thoughts until it reached the point that I didn't know what I was even thinking. It wasn't all about me but it was also related to Pie; we were bound to this unwanted marriage.
"Staring at me won't help you to finish the food in your plate," Pie's voice snapped my moment of contemplation. The spoon in my hand clashed to the edge of the plate with a loud noise. I was a bit startled.
Pie shook her head a little, seeming somewhat amused by the sight. She took another bite of her food before she spoke to me again, "I know you can't help yourself of not falling for my beauty," She said in the matter of fact. "You have to know that, I can't reciprocate your feeling, if you happen to develop a special feeling toward me," She air quoted her words. Oh God, she was too full of herself.
"It's not going to happen," A tiny smile crept to my lips. "It will never happen," I voiced it out loud, more firm than previously.
Pie shrugged nonchalantly. She continued to munch her food until she finished it all. "Hurry up, Kimhan. There are a lot more to be done," She said to me while taking her plates to the sink. Just when I thought she would let me wash the dishes as well, I saw she washed it on her own. Then, Pie returned to the table to grab her water which come along with the sets I have ordered. Using my wise judgement, I didn't choose the carbonated drinks instead I picked the green tea. Pie kept her figure in shape, so, soda was her enemy.
"You can always call me Kim instead of Kimhan. You know, Kim is the short for Kimhan," Yes, it was bothering me that she kept calling me by my full first name. The two syllables sounded too long to be spoken.
Pie made a face to me, putting down the cup in her hand to the table again. I saw she narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "You're so lucky that I didn't call you a Giraffe or anything, I was thinking to call you Idiot or Pole because it suits you," She said, making a lot of hand gestures while trying to tell it to me.
"Why don't you call me honey bee?" Pie blinked and blinked her eyes at me, looking confused at once.
"Why would I?" She rolled her eyes.
"It's because I can either be your honey or bae," I told her casually. Pie snorted out loudly as she tried to stifle a laugh. It supposed to make her laugh though, why she wasn't laughing.
"Is that how you flirt with girls out there?" She pointed out, laughing hysterically like she was going to lose her breath at any time soon. Pie held her stomach which started to ache because she was laughing too much. "You're so lame," She said, bringing herself to a calm state.
"Says the woman who had no suitors," Pie gaped at me, seeing offended by my statement. It was my turn to control the fun in game here. I wasn't going to be defeated nor let down by this woman. It should be a 'win-win' insult.
"Who told that to you?" She scoffed, giving me her imperious attitude. "I have got a long list of ex-lovers and you don't have any idea of how many guys out there were chasing after me for attention," Her statement was one in between truth or lie to believe. Pie was pretty and I wouldn't doubt that many would chase after her but what had happened to her ex-lovers? Why didn't any of them end up being her true love? Did it mean my wife was once a play girl?
"Oh wow!" I raised my hands in the air, making myself looked surprised and amazed. "I was lucky that I got to be with you. Tell you what? I have gotten your attention after all." I air quoted that.
"No, you're not lucky," Pie corrected that. "You're a mistake," She stated in her cold tone. The gaze she held in her eyes was shaded with a dull and faint emotion. She was pondering something deeply.
"You made the mistake," I helped her to rephrase the statement. "And I'm the fault which you have been mistaken," My last statement made both of me and Pie went silent. There were no words, no actions, only the existence of two minds and two hearts which were battling with their own perception of their own perspective. We have started off the wrong foot from the very beginning, there was no way to undo the past and the only way to go through it was by dealing with the consequences. As much as both Pie and I tried to keep a distance among us, none of the formidable force would change the fact that we were the newly-wed couple who have been brought together because of our own importance.