❤︎

Blackmail

Part 2

Then, I heard footsteps approach me from behind.

"Where do you think you're going?" 

That sweet husky voice of Kongpob was behind me. Yet, he sounded cold and arrogant when talking to me. As always.

I sighed, spun around and stared at him angrily. He was standing on the doorstep, his face expressionless as usual.

"We shouldn't impose on your family. I—...I'm thinking of moving somewhere else." I stuttered wildly, trying not to look at him.

"Your house collapsed, didn't it? Where would you go?" His tone was flat, but I swore he sounded concerned and I looked up at him, my mouth fell open in surprise.

As if reading my mind, he crushed my dream immediately.

"My parents want you back inside," His cool eyes withdrew from my face as he turned and sauntered back into the house. 

So, his parents ordered him to come after me... 

I should have known that he didn't come out to stop me on his own free will. Yet, I couldn't help but feel a sudden sharp pang of disappointment.

"Kongpob, please carry Arthit's luggage upstairs for him." His mom said to Kongpob and I could feel him stiffen immediately, before walking towards my luggage with great reluctance.

"No Auntie, it's fine I'd do it myself." I said hastily, going towards my stuff.

"No, Arthit," She spoke sternly and something in her voice stopped me from reaching for my luggage. Kongpob looked at his mother before bending down slowly and picking up my luggage, walking upstairs with it and looking every bit of annoyed as he always did around me.

Gosh, he really must hate me...? :(

I followed him from behind, still in disbelief that this was really happening. Even if Kongpob hated me, we were going to live together!!! In the same house! Together! 

0_0

....

Oh god, please help me get through this...

Kongpob opened the second door on the right when we reached the landing and I followed him into the room. My eyes were almost dazzled by the size and beauty of the bedroom. There was a lovely white bed, a studying desk and chair, a reading lamp, two huge closets. Blue lacy curtains were tied back with blue ribbons and there walls were papered with a delicate blue floral design. I clasped my hands together in delight.

"This was Daniel's room." Kongpob spoke firmly, leaning against the doorway and staring at me.

I felt my bubble of happiness burst when I heard his voice. Oh dear, no wonder Daniel was so angry with me when he first saw me. I had chased him out of his room.

"Just remember that I don't care if you're staying with me or not, you are not to disturb me at any point in time." Kongpob's words were like a bucket of cold water splashed over me. "And never enter my room," he added sternly, glaring at me with that dark gaze of his.

"S-sorry," I apologized, bowing to Daniel who was standing at the door behind his older brother. There was a shocked expression on his face as he looked at his room, almost as if he couldn't recognize it. I guess his mother had re-decorated for me. As I bowed to him, he snorted, stuck out his tongue at me and followed Kongpob into another room. 

I saw the sign on it "Kongpob Suthiluck" — that was Kongpob Suthiluck's room. 

...

0_0

It took more than ten seconds for the fact to sink in. 

I was actually staying opposite Kongpob!

OH MY GOD

 When I closed the door behind me and slowly digested the reality of us living together, I couldn't smother the exhilaration that was rising inside of me. I was staying opposite of Kongpob Suthiluck's bedroom, no, living with him — this was a dream come true!

Filled with new energy, I jumped up and down a couple of times and did a jig. Then I rushed and opened my luggage, searching for my prize possession, a little red photo holder with his photo in it. I couldn't help but stroke the dear handsome face with my fingers.

"I'm now living opposite you," I whispered to the photo, my heart warm and happy. 

Thank god for granting one of my wishes! It doesn't matter if he is cold to me, I am just simply thrilled to be near him.

❤︎

"Good morning everyone!" I smiled brightly as I took a seat at the dining table, smiling at Mr and Mrs Suthiluck, my father, then at Kongpob and Daniel. 

Kongpob calmly continued to eat his rice, totally ignoring me. Daniel, on the other, hand stuck out his tongue at me when no one noticed. I started to feel annoyed by him — that little brat. 

Mrs Suthiluck ladled some soup for me, I thanked her and started eating. She was a good cook and her food was delicious. Perhaps, not quite as good as my Dad's, but that's to be expected because my Dad's a chef with his own Japanese-style restaurant.

"Kongpob, I want you to bring Arthit to school safely today and make sure he gets back safely as well, do you hear me?" Her voice was stern as she addressed Kongpob. I saw a frown ceased his forehead before he nodded silently and continued with his meal. Satisfied that her son would obey her wishes, Auntie started chattering brightly. 

I snuck a peep at Kongpob just to see him putting down his chopsticks and rice bowl. He stood up and headed for his room. I quickly shoved the last mouthfuls of rice down my throat and ran upstairs to get my bag. When I got downstairs again, Kongpob had already put on his shoes and walked out.

"Hey, wait up!" I called, pulling on my shoes hastily and running out. I could still hear Mrs Suthiluck calling after us, "Have a good day at school!" 

I quickly ran a couple of steps trying to catch up with Kongpob Suthiluck when he suddenly slowed down and stopped, causing me to slam into him.

"Ouch, why did you suddenly stop?" I growled at him, rubbing my forehead. I had slammed my face into his back and it sure hurt.

"You need to see where you are going." His tone was frosty as he raised a finger at me. "Okay, now I want to lay down some rules."

"R...rules?" I stammered. Goodness, he was sounding like our homeroom teacher. "W-what rules?"

"Firstly, you are not allowed to walk with me to or from school, except for today. You will always keep a distance of at least 3 meters away from me. Secondly, you are not allowed to tell anyone that you are staying with me, nor will you interact with me in anyway in school i.e. you are not allowed to talk to me in school. Thirdly, nothing in my life has changed even if you have moved in with me and you will not disturb me." He spoke slowly and carefully, so that I would not miss any word. His callous words chilled me to the bone.

Wow...he really really hates me.

Then he glanced up and down me one last time, turned and started walking again very fast.

I snapped out of my daze and was forced to half-jog to keep up with him.

❤︎

I hoped that I had made it sufficiently clear to that Baka that he was to leave me completely alone and not disrupt my life in the very least. Having to put up with him in the same household is torturous enough, I must ensure that he remains at the very fringes of my life, if not further. 

I quickly picked up my pace when I saw the train arriving at the station, not turning back to make sure that he got on. Even with minimal intelligence, he should know that we would be late if we missed the train. After I got onto the train, I caught sight of him struggling with the crowd near the door, but I simply turned my back on him and stared outside.

I was really glad to get to school without any accidents. Entering the gate, I quickly headed off to my class, leaving Arthit to get to his class on his own. As per normal, the lesson was rather boring, but I sat there quietly listening to the teacher. Geez, his method of doing a mathematical sum was really quite inefficient. I had glanced at a university math textbook a couple of years back and the solution stated in that book was much better. However, I don't feel that it's my duty to correct the teacher — if he wants to know he should go and look it up himself.

I heaved a sigh of relief when I reached home with Arthit following obediently about 3 meters behind me. Thank goodness this day is over. I was really worried that someone would see us together and find out that he was staying with me. 

I still recalled the shock I felt at lunchtime when I saw the pink frilly Hello Kitty lunchbox packed in my bag. Mum must have made a mistake packing our lunch boxes...or was it intentional to make me go meet Arthit? I wouldn't be surprised if she was, she made it quite obvious that she preferred Arthit over the rest of us.

That annoying baka. Even winning my mother over. With what? His brainless actions? His never-ending curiosity? His big doe like-eyes and cute—

— what the...no. No!

Anyway, now I had no choice but to pop by F-class and I could see the amazement in everyone's eyes when I walked in their shabby classroom and gestured to Arthit to step out with his bag. Shock nr 1 was that I had never stepped foot into the F-classroom before and secondly, I was talking with Arthit.

Everyone was staring and whispering in shock, looking at Arthit step out of the classroom to talk with me. The nr 1 student of the whole school.

Gosh, this was enough to start never-ending rumors all over school.

Great.

The moment Arthit stepped out of the classroom, I quickly swapped the girly lunchbox for my normal black one that I found in his bag, before walking away from him with no words exchanged.

I could feel the baka's disappointed stare dig into my back.

He didn't expect me to actually talk to him, did he?

❤︎

"Hey, hey!" I stopped Kongpob Suthiluck just before he stepped into the house.

"I thought I told you to keep a distance of at least 3 meters from me?" He growled, not stopping.

"Why didn't you help me on the train to school?" I asked him accusingly, catching up with him.

"Help you?" His tone was mocking again and he turned to look at me, his eyebrow raised.

"You saw those jerks..." I blushed and then got angry at myself. "Those idiots were harassing me." Molesting more like it, I thought bitterly as I recalled how 'coincidentally' those hands bumped against my ass, before I stomped hard on their shoes or just as 'accidentally' bumped into their shins or knees with great force.

"Oh." Totally flat and disinterested. "I'm sure you can handle them yourself." He muttered indifferently and walked away.

Watching Kongpob Suthiluck vanish into his bedroom, I felt some lingering traces of disappointment and anger. He didn't need to be so cold and emotionless towards me — my shining knight was proving to be quite non-chivalrous and arrogant. Probably cause he doesn't like you, a small voice in my head reminded me. 

I sighed heavily, before gathering my courage again. "Fighting, Arthit! Never give up! I'll keep striving to get into his good books and maybe one day, he'll start liking me too..." I muttered to myself as I drifted off... 

My eyes turned dreamy at this point and I closed my eyes, imagining the amazing time when Kongpob would actually like me back.

"...oh sorry Auntie, yes?" I was happily immersed in my own little world, not aware that Mrs Suthiluck was calling for me, standing by the doorway to my room.

"Would you like to sort some photographs with me, dear?"

"Sure," I settled next to her happily as we both started sorting out some old family photos according to their dates, arranging them into her photo album. My eyes caught the sight of a baby dressed in a little pink dress and smiled, so cute. Then I froze — DRESS? I thought that Auntie didn't have any daughters???

"Oh, yes, he's cute isn't it?" She leant over to look at the photograph that I appeared to be transfixed with.

"HE?" I chirped in shock, my voice higher than usual.

"Don't you recognize him? That's Kongpob, I used to dress him as a girl when he was small." Auntie explained, evidently surprised by the fact that I could not recognize Kongpob.

OMG

This is gold!

"Umm...Auntie, could I have one of these?" I begged Auntie with cute puppy eyes, an evil plan already forming in my head.

"Sure thing, take your pick." I struggled to keep a straight face as I selected a photo that most resembled Kongpob. Except he was dressed in a pink dress, hair tied with pink ribbons, holding a pink lollipop.

Oh my god, he was super cute! But this...this was hilarious! 

My dear Kongpob Suthiluck, I've got the power now — for a while at least.

❤︎

I am really irritated by that Baka today, he keeps looking at me and then sniggering to himself. If he thinks that doing that will make me take notice of him, he's wrong. I resolved to ignore him all the more to show him that his "little scheme" backfired. 

Suddenly, someone tugged at my sleeve. I turned to see Arthit standing next to me, smiling widely.

"What did I say about staying away from me?" Although I was extremely annoyed, my voice was still controlled and emotionless. I gave myself a mental pat on the back — well done Kongpob. 

He hastily took a few steps away from me, but there was that annoying wide smile on his face that made me uncomfortable. I looked at the piece of paper in his hand that he was waving at me, and turned white in fear — my baby photos.

OMG

NO!

HELL NO!

Immediately, I launched forward to snatch at his hand, but he backed away from me just as quickly. Darn didn't know that his reflexes were so fast.

"Give it back," I said with a hint of a threat in my voice as I held out my hand, but he didn't even blink and his smile only widened. This was not working.

"On one condition."

"What," I sighed — great, what did this idiot want me to do now? Go out on a date with him or...?

"I want you to tutor me for the coming exam. I want my name to be on the top 100 board."

❤︎

Finally some reaction from him. His dark eyes widened and looked at me as if I was asking for the impossible. Then he shook his head.

"Impossible."

"Fine," I said cheerily as I turned away from him. "Let me get this to the editor of the school newspaper. I'm sure he'll think it's a scoop."

"Stop." I stood still, smiling in triumph as he walked up to me, his hands jammed in his pockets and a frown on his face.

"I will tutor you, but whether your name is up on the board or not, you still have to return me the photo." He spat through gritted teeth, his enigmatic dark eyes looking straight into mine for once.

"Done deal." I replied happily. I was still smiling like an idiot when he turned and walked away as fast as he could from me. 

"Round 1 to Arthit!" I beamed to myself as I watched Kongpob leave.

And once again, my heart felt happy and hopeful.

❤︎

Author's note: Is there any warmth behind Kongpob's icy demeanor?