Chapter 17: Affair
Mindara Manaying
Flashback
"You like him, Pie?" My head voluntarily snapped at Kimhan's direction. She seemed indifferent, driving casually as if the question she had been throwing at me was a leisure pick for a small talk.
"Whatever I do and whoever I like has nothing to do with you, Kimhan. Why bother so much Kimhan?
Kimhan snorted, throwing a quick glance at me while giving her significant smirk. "It's just a question though." She said. "I know you know better but please be careful, okay?"
Eventually everybody was telling me to be 'careful'. Firstly, it was Fern and then Kimhan. Did everyone think I was such a fool that I could not possibly differentiate the right from wrong at this very age? Right, I might have done a mistake; that was by marrying a woman whom I thought was a man but why everyone needed to treat me as if every step I took would actually lead me to trouble?
~.~.~
"You look pretty tensed," I could feel my body jolted a bit as the electricity of shock ran through my entire body. Someone else presence had broken my long contemplation, pushing my existence back to reality.
"Mr.Yupanun, what a surprise!" Stood a metre or two away from me, the Headmaster was staring at me with his right brow arched in a questioning look. "What brings you here?"
"Everyone is out for their meal time and you are still here." He said, arranging his way to my direction. Reflecting fast enough, I tidied up my belongings and made it sure that everything was at their place before the Headmaster reached me. Mr. Yupanun had obviously showed his interest in me and I did not wish to go beyond anything you could imagine. His presence can be a nuisance somehow; there was something about him that made me uncomfortable but I guessed most of the time, I pretended to ignore it.
"I was just finishing my work and thinking of my weekly teaching plan." I told him. Seeing him nodded relieved me. At least I knew my excuse made sense for him.
"You are surely a good educator, Pie. We are so proud to have you here." He said.
"I'm just making sure that I give the best input so that we can produce the same quality of output," I uttered it fluent enough as if I have heard it somewhere. "This is for the children and their future."
"Big dream," He threw his gaze to the ground quickly and found its way back to me. "Come, let's take a break. It will be over in 10 more minutes."
*****
I managed to make a phone call to Kimhan just now. It was really difficult here that we had to search for the signal. Hongyok accompanied and assisted me for that. She surely helped me a lot. The call was short, just enough to inform Kimhan that she did not need to pick me up over the weekend. It was not because I did not want to; it was because our school was organising an event for the children.
"A sport day uh?" I tried to clarify the matter again with my dearest colleagues. Nann and Hongyok were both enjoying their meal as much as I did. It has become a routine that we would sit together for dinner time. They were my family now. They were all I have and all I could rely on along my journey here.
"So both of you are unofficially a P.E teacher as well." Only Hongyok lifted up her head and made an eye contact with me. Nann seemed did not bother at all.
"Actually, Nann is handling more on that." Hongyok responded. "Look at her, she is more capable than us." The younger teacher broke into a soft laughter, amused by her own statement.
Nann threw her a look but then did not react. We both watched her finishing her current bite. "Don't you think we need a P.E teacher here? Mr. Yupanun should have request for one." Nann voiced her complaint.
I had ever thought of it too. Perhaps, everybody refused to be placed here just like me.
"Speaking of Mr. Yupanun..." Hongyok began. "I noticed that lately, he seems to pay more attention on you Pie. I think he likes you." The younger teacher said.
"Nonsense." I recoiled, denying the obvious thing I had ever realised since the day I came here.
"It's not impossible." Nann uttered all of sudden. "Do you realise that everyone here is single and haven't married yet?" She brought up the matter. "Mr. Yupanun must be a single man too. He likes you a lot. Everybody knows that except you." Whatever that came out from her mouth made my gut twisted into uneasy feeling. I might physically appear as a single woman but lawfully, I was tied by a marriage.
2 months later...
"It won't be long." I glanced over my shoulder, stealing a look at the man who has been sulking the whole day just because I told him that I needed to go back and see my grandfather over the weekend.
"It will be the longest weekend ever. Nann and Hongyok won't be here too over the weekend. It's only me left here." He sighed, looking disappointed.
"How about you go and do something interesting? Don't you feel bored to be here every day? I haven't seen you going anywhere since I came here."
"I'll be here before Monday like usual. I promised." I convinced him again. He only managed a weak smile and nodded at me too.
This man, I never thought that we could grow this close. I was not sure how it happened and how it could be. It was somehow absurd for me but it was really happening. It all started after the school's sports day. I fell sick right after the event; having a high fever which totally disabled me to function for a week. Hongyok and Nann had repeatedly persuaded me to go home and get a better treatment care but I refused to listen to them. Kimhan had no clue that I was terribly sick so did Grandpa. Along those terrible days, my colleagues who include P'Van took their turn to look after me alternately. Eventually, I spent more time with P'Van compared to my other colleagues. We did not officially declare anything between us but we both know that we belonged to each other.
"Pie..." He called me. "I have been meaning to ask you a question." He said, a bit hesitated when he uttered that. "It's about Kimhan." Something struck me upon hearing the name.
"What is the thing you wish to know?"
"She's different." He began. "She's so concern about you, taking care of you and literally does everything for you." Judging from his facial expression, I realised that there was some sort of jealousy began to develop inside him. Insecure would be the best description. He felt threatened by Kimhan's presence in my life.
"P'Van, I thought we made it clear to you that she's my Grandpa's trusted person to take care of me while I'm here. She's just doing her duty." I consoled him with a white lie. Kimhan was not an ordinary employee to Grandpa. Kimhan was part of the family and even my name should be Mindara Burnaphan.
"I'm sorry to doubt you Pie." He said, looking apologetic. "You wouldn't fall for her, right? What am I even thinking?" He let out a feigned laughter; a forced one.
"Right..." There was a large lump of burden inside me. Kimhan and P'Van; one whom I did not love at all and one whom I given a chance to prove himself that he was the man I needed in my life. I hoped that things would not go more complicated as it has already been. The secret should remain secret. Kimhan should not be known as my legally wedded spouse.
*****
Grandpa had been here a day earlier than me. He came here with Pei; the gay squid who had caused the trouble in my life. Grandpa did not seem happy with me. That was the major reason he decided to come to Kimhan's place – just to see me.
"Pie, where have you been? Two months and we heard nothing from you. What has gone wrong with you?" He got it straight to the main agenda of this 'meeting'. Seated next to him was Pei and just like usual, Kimhan would always took her seat next to me while we both opposing them. Again, Grandpa had a straight face; despair mixed with a suppressed feeling of resentment showed all over his old face.
"I'm here." I said nonchalant. I might have hurt him with my coldness. I did not mean to but I had to. He knew I was sulking, long enough to tell him that I was disappointed with his delayed action. He had not yet helped with the divorce matter. He intentionally delayed everything with the reason that I could have given this marriage a chance.
"I heard that you are having an affair with someone." Something inside me burnt with anger upon hearing whatever that came out from his mouth. I threw a glare at Kimhan who seemed startled by the matter rose by Grandpa. Fear written all over her face. There was no other person who would deliver all the information needed by Grandpa except her. It was Kimhan's excellent detective job.
"I didn't do anything wrong. Is it a crime to get to know somebody?" I shrugged.
Grandpa had a sharp stare at me while Pei had already buried his face into his hands. Did I give them headache? Probably yes.
"You are..."
"I know I'm married and this marriage is over ever since I need to come here." Grandpa did not manage to finish his words. "I hope everyone can get over it including you." I glared at Kimhan who had been silent since the beginning. "Kimhan and I should not be related by now. The divorce will be happening and I can do anything for my future." Frustrated, I rose to my feet and did not wait that long to escape from that absurd 'meeting'.
"Pie!"It was Pei who called. I ignored him and I wished I could leave this place as soon as possible. Grandpa should have known that I would not tolerate anything if it was related to Kimhan. This marriage was one I did not wish to have for; I was careless and I was such a foolish. Grandpa's intention was pure enough that he done anything to help Kimhan with her problem but to me, none of his pure intention had given me any benefit. I was stuck in this unwanted marriage. I had to go for the rural teaching placement and I lost everything.
#Author's Note
I try to update as much as possible while I'm having my break. Thanks to my girlfriend who reminds me about my book. Cheers everyone. There are more to come. More heat, more controversy and more journey to a better story telling. Thank you for reading!