❤︎

The 1st kiss

Part 14

Finally, the long awaited day has arrived. I will be graduating today with Kongpob Suthiluck!!!

I can't believe we have come this far!

My handsome smart Kongpob Suthiluck is graduating with me and gosh...he is soo handsome today~

I just can't stop staring at him...

As we walked into the school compound — me two meters behind him of course as agreed — I noticed that everyone was looking at both of us and whispering.

"... yes...no, he's not going to SK University..."

"Kongpob...wasn't accepted at SK.... Arthit's fault."

"...heard that it was Arthit who had an accident, preventing him..."

I flushed bright red and then turned pale as I overheard some bits of the conversations. I stole a glance at Kongpob Suthiluck. His face was expressionless as usual as he strode towards the hall with his hands in his pocket, totally unfazed by the ceaseless chatter around him.

Once again, I was filled with admiration for him — how could he remain indifferent when everyone was talking about him? And talking bad things?

I bit my lip as I hung my head guiltily, quickening my footsteps to escape from the mob.

❤︎

"Stop there Kongpob!" I heard this loud bellow as I was walking down the corridor. I recognized the familiar yelling voice right away and frowned heavily as I turned around. Max was dashing up to me, his hands swinging wildly all over the place. Whatever is wrong with this idiot now? Don't tell me he wants to pick a fight on graduation day? Apologies but yours truly will not give in gracefully this time round — I need to look presentable for the graduation speech.

"I heard that you are not going to SK University? Is it because of Arthit?" He was looking at me angrily.

"What? Arthit?" I was stunned for a moment. Then, realization hit and I almost burst out laughing.

That idiot really thinks that I would abandon SK University for Arthit...Wow, the imagination of idiots is really on another level.

"You want to go to the same university as Arthit? Don't you dare to take Arthit away from me!" He screamed louder, looking very pissed off.

Wait, so he thinks he can just...take Arthit for himself?

I stepped back as he started spluttering in my face, but I kept my voice calm as I enticed him further.

"When was he yours to start with? As if I would want him anyway!"

"I will make him like me much more that he ever liked you! Wait and see Kongpob!" He finished with a passionate threat.

"I wait with bated breath," I spoke with a smirk and walked away smugly, leaving Max standing shaking with rage.

❤︎

I sighed again as I looked at the serious expression on the cool handsome face on stage. My thoughts returned to years ago, to the first time I saw him on stage — he hasn't changed much at all. Looking at him speaking, it was as if time had stopped and we were all frozen in the past. The images of us together flashed in my mind...

"Arthit! Arthit!" I was rudely awakened from my daydreams as May elbowed me very hard.

"Ouch! What are you—"

"They are calling you to go and collect our diplomas!" She hissed loudly and I quickly jumped up, almost knocking into a chair as I clumsily made my way to the stage. Max was already waiting impatiently for me.

I had to walk past Kongpob Suthiluck when returning to my place, carrying the pile of certificates, and I wasn't looking where I was going. One moment I was admiring the way his fringe was falling over his forehead, the next moment I found myself flat on the floor, my hands splayed wide open as it started raining certificates all over.

"Ouch!" I remained for a few seconds in the same position, dazed, when I noticed for the first time that there was a pair of shoes directly in front of my face. I lifted my head up and wanted to die with mortification — I was looking straight into a pair of cool slightly scornful dark eyes.

I had fallen flat on my face in front of Kongpob Suthiluck!

Of course! Just my stupid luck!

Red with embarrassment, I quickly got up and started gathering the diplomas. To my surprise, he actually bent down and helped me to pick up the stray bits of paper. As he handed them over to me, he leant over to my ear.

"BAKA!" He hissed so loudly that I flinched.

I get the point Kongpob Suthiluck, you don't exactly have to burst my eardrums. I was still staring after him when he had left the hall...

I was sitting waiting my turn for a go at the mike. It was Aya's turn and she was singing a favourite pop song as we all hummed along. Our teacher smiled at us, he was so happy with our results that he was treating us to a karaoke night.

We were all having a great time, chatting about plans for the future, planning games, challenging each other to drink and simply eating and singing a lot.

Suddenly, a crowd of people strolled in. As our eyes met, we all stopped and stared at each other — it was A class and their headteacher was heading the crowd. My eyes quickly searched through the crowd and fell on a familiar expressionless face. Kongpob Suthiluck was standing towards the back of the group, slightly apart from the rest. His hands were jammed in his pocket and he was staring at the surroundings in distaste.

"Let's go somewhere else!" Someone from the group suggested.

"Hang on guys," that was Mike. "Surely you all aren't scared off just because the F-class is here?" Everyone refused to move or show any signs of giving way. Instead, we turned our backs on each other and pretended that the others didn't exist. After a while, we heard two loud voices starting to shout at each other. My eyes widened as I realized that both our head teachers were in a heated debate and the topic was the same again —me making Kongpob lose his place at SK University. What's new?

Soon, the students were joining in the game as well and I cowered as the accusing fingers started to point in my direction.

Sigh...

"Teacher, it's got nothing to do with Arthit."

Everyone stopped talking when Kongpob suddenly walked to the front, breaking the silence that he had been keeping up until now. I looked at that cold handsome face with large hopeful eyes — was he turning up to rescue me again?

"Do you think a baka like him would have even the smallest impact on my decisions, especially such an important one as entering university? No one can influence me, especially intellectually challenged beings. It was my personal decision not to go to SK University."

But his next words crushed me. Of course not, I was too optimistic again.

Wait...

Intellectually challenged???

"What do you mean by that!?? How could you insult anyone in such a manner?" I burst out angrily.

"Who have I insulted by telling the truth?" He looked at me with a smug expression on his face.

I was so angry that I balled my hands into fists and shoved them deep into my pockets to prevent myself from smashing his nose.

I felt something in one of my pockets and pulled out a piece of paper — it was a very old photo of Kongpob dressed as a girl.

Ahaa!! Revenge time!

I was about to wave it gleefully in the air and show it to everyone when Kongpob Suthiluck's sharp eyes glanced in my direction. Almost immediately, he knew what I was holding, ran to my side and wrenched the photo from my fingers.

Then, his hand closed on my arm with a vice-like grip and pulled me forcibly outside. Actually, he didn't have to pull — all he had to do was to ask me politely to step out with him and I would have jumped to fulfill his wishes.

"Why do you still have this photo? I thought you were supposed to return all of them to me?" He gritted out angrily.

"I must have forgotten to return it to you." I blinked my eyes at him innocently.

Suddenly, there was a roar of laughter from inside the room, disrupting our conversation.

" ...as if Kongpob will ever like him..."

" ...didn't you see his enraged expression..."

"...he really hates Arthit, that's it..."

There was another outbreak of laughter — obviously from the A class. The cruel sound tore into my very soul as tears came unbidden to my eyes. I glanced at Kongpob Suthiluck who was standing there, totally unaffected, his expression unchanged as he listened to the voices. What a fool I was!

They were right...

There was no way that Kongpob Suthiluck would ever like me — how could someone as brilliant and accomplished as him fall for stupid, ugly me who was always getting into scrapes and ruining his life?

It was time I came to my senses. I had to make a clean break and start afresh.

Wasn't two years of unrequited love sufficient to bring me to my senses?

In spite of knowing what I should do, I had to clench my teeth and take a deep breath before I faced him as the laughter slowly faded away.

❤︎

As the laughter died off, I saw that the color from Arthit's previously crimson face fade completely, together with the sound. As he turned to me, I noticed a strange resolute expression on his face — something that I had never seen before — and his eyes were bright with what seemed suspiciously like tears.

Without knowing why, I unconsciously held my breath.

"Kongpob Suthiluck...Everyone sees me liking you as a joke — a huge joke," he took a deep breath before continuing painfully, "it's time my one-sided crush comes to an end. I give up. I will forget you and look for someone in my university who is much nicer. than you"

My first thought was he was joking. However, I could see his visibly struggling to force the words out. It was obviously killing him inside to make that little speech.

But wait...

What was he saying?

How could he just forget me?

No, he can't...

Suddenly, I realized that I didn't want him to forget me...

Yes, I know it's just my wounded pride.

However, how could he — the baka who has been circling around me for years — put me aside so easily?

No way was I going to let that happen.

❤︎

He stood there quietly, not moving as he listened to my emotional outburst. For a moment, I wondered if he had even heard me at all. Then he slowly straightened and walked up to me. I was reminded again of how tall and charismatic he was compared to me when I found myself staring at his impossibly handsome face from just an inch apart.

Suddenly, his hand was under my chin, tilting my face slightly up towards him with gentle pressure.

As I looked at him wide-eyed, eyes glistening with tears, I caught a flicker of emotion in his eyes before the pokerface mask slipped back on again.

"Fine. If you are so confident about it, try forgetting me if you can..."

His words and tone sounded taunting like a challenge.

Before I could do more than blink a couple of times in surprise, I felt his other arm slide around my waist, pulling me towards him as his head inclined towards mine.

My shell-shocked brain shut down completely when I felt the gentle pressure of his lips on mine.

0_0

OMG

Was he just kissing me???

OMG

This is not happening...

When he finally let go of me, my head was spinning in confusion and my knees became weak as I fell onto the floor in an ungainly heap.

Did Kongpob Suthiluck just KISS me???

The cold-blooded, emotionless, "cool" Kongpob Suthiluck?

Kiss?

Me?

I stared at him in total bewilderment, trying to get the words to connect in my mind. I almost thought I glimpsed another flicker of emotion in his eyes, something akin to warmth, but they had regained their habitual enigmatic expression as I looked at him again.

He gazed down at me for a moment longer, then his mouth turned up in a slight triumphant smile as he strolled off, leaving me still stunned on the floor.

❤︎

I could feel Arthit's eyes burning into my back when I left the party place.

My spontaneous action startled even myself.

Had I just kissed him?

Kissed that cute baka...???

Well it's all his fault for egging me on by saying that he was going to look for someone else better and forget all about me — injuring my pride like that.

A small smile appeared on my face as I recalled how soft his plump lips had felt beneath mine, the ease with which my arms slipped around his slim waist, the way his long lashes slowly lifted, revealing dark eyes that were cloudy with confusion and the way his puffy pale cheeks flushed red when staring deep into my eyes...

Gosh, there really was something about him...

That made me feel...something.

One to Kongpob (again)!

We shall see if you can forget me Arthit, we'll see...

Just try, I dare you...

❤︎