❤︎

Okay, something was definitely wrong with Kongpob. For the past few years, he had always managed to irritate me by his actions, but whenever he did those things, he didn't seem mad at me. In fact, he seemed to enjoy every minute of it with that annoyingly smug smile of his.

 However, when he asked me to stay away from him, for some reason, he seemed very very mad at me. But I really couldn't figure out why.

After Kongpob told me he still doesn't want to be my friend and left me, I remained in my seat, not knowing how I should react. But before I could decide, Nam suddenly entered the cafeteria and approached me with her forehead furrowed. And somehow, I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say.

"Okay, what did you do again?" she asked accusingly as she took a seat across from me.

I tried to distract her by shifting the focus on her. "How did you know that something wrong happened?" I asked her suspiciously. "It's either you have an extremely sharp timing or you didn't really leave with Joss but actually spied on us."

"What are you talking about? Kongpob called Joss just as we were about to start a conversation." She replied with a frown. "So, what happened? Did you perhaps shouted at him?"

I frowned back at her. "Yah, what kind of friend are you? You're supposed to be on my side." I reminded her.

"I know. Why do you think I want you to win the battles? I'm not the one who's going to benefit when you end up winning, am I? It's you. I know that you'd be really happy when that happens that's why I'm helping you." She remarked defensively.

"Okay, so you are on my side. But why do you always have the idea that I'm the one at fault whenever something like this happens? Why can't you consider how extremely mean Kongpob has been lately?" I complained as I took a sip from my glass of water.

She raised her eyebrow at me. "Extremely mean? What do you mean?" she asked as if I just said aliens were really existing.

I raised my eyebrow at her. How could she easily forget what happened yesterday? "He walked out on me again, just when I was trying to be nice to him. So what if I made a few white lies? It's not as if he never lies." I let out with a sigh. "And why is he so mad at me? I'm just simply trying to befriend him right now and he's acting like I'm forcing him into something illegal. You know what, I think we should just forget it. It's hopeless anyway."

"What? No, we should go on because it's the perfect plan! So what if it didn't work out twice. It'll work out next time." She suddenly replied with widened eyes, encouraging me to not give up yet.

I sighed, "No, it wouldn't. He really doesn't like me, Nam. He already said so. And he wants me to stay away from him. I don't know about you, but that really hurt me. I don't want to hear him say that to me again." I told her as I remembered Kongpob's words. Even though I hated him, it still hurt me the way he just treated me like a stranger whom he just shooed away. After all, we knew each other since childhood...

Suddenly, Nam's face brightened. "Arthit," she remarked in an excited tone. "What if I told you I have an idea on why Kongpob's treating you that way?"

"And how would you get that idea?" I asked her, not hiding my skeptical tone. I doubted that she learned it from Joss because from what I remembered, Kongpob didn't even tell Joss about how he stole Daniel's rose for me so it was a big possibility that Kongpob didn't tell him about how he felt towards me.

"Well, I just got the idea after Joss told me that when Kongpob came back after he went somewhere with you the day after Valentine, he wasn't himself for quite some time. And because of that, I formulated a theory. I think that Kongpob's pushing you away because he must've realized that you like Daniel. He probably thought that he should give you up because you didn't like him at all, and it was Daniel you liked instead."

I burst out laughing at her words. I couldn't help it, it sounded like the most hilarious joke. "Are we talking about the same person here? Are you seriously telling me that the Kongpob who never failed to annoy me since kindergarten, the same Kongpob who played with your feelings, is actually a very sensitive person who cares about my feelings?" I remarked in disbelief as I waited for her to crack up too. But she didn't. In fact, besides the smile still on her face, there wasn't a hint that showed she was joking. "That's just not possible, Nam. I would rather believe if he was only doing it to make a fool out of me."

Then her smile got even bigger. "Then maybe that's just it." she said. "Maybe he's pushing you away so you'll continue liking Daniel even though he just played with you. And in that way, you'll seem like a fool. But whatever it really is, it all involves Daniel. That is why you have to show Kongpob you don't have feelings for Daniel."

"But what if I do have feelings for him?" I asked her, lowering my head in shame. I mean, he was quite handsome and kind and funny, so maybe I could like him after all?

She looked at me with disbelief. "How can you like him after what he's done to you?" she asked me back.

"Yah, then are you saying you don't like Kongpob anymore?" I replied with a smirk. "Kongpob played with your feelings too, didn't he? So does that mean your feelings for him have died?"

"Okay... so, maybe I still have feelings for Kongpob. But my feelings are not enough to make a fool out of myself and take him back even if he never liked me at all. Or even if he did, he still tricked me so it is possible for him to do it again, so I'm not taking any chances." Nam responded defiantly.

When she said that, I remembered why I always thought of Nam as a genius. I decided to accept her plan. "Fine, but how are we going to show Kongpob that I'm not interested in Daniel? Or let alone, have them be in the same place at the same time?" I asked her, assuming she already had a plan since she was able to come up with this whole idea of hers.

Her smile suddenly turned sheepish. "Actually, I still haven't thought of how to make it happen. I was hoping we can think of it now." She remarked as she rested her chin on her right hand. "What do you think? Do you have any ideas?"

I shook my head. It was hard to accomplish that plan, because Kongpob didn't belong to my class and he didn't seem to be too friendly towards Daniel. "It's going to be hard to think of something to make Kongpob and Daniel be present in the same place at the same time." I complained with a sigh.

Just then, a group of girls passed by our table talking about the basketball varsity's championship game tomorrow. As soon as Nam and I heard them, she and I looked at each other with knowing smiles and knew that we both shared the same idea.

"Daniel and Kongpob are both varsity players, right?" she said with a grin. I nodded. "Then they'll both be there tomorrow. So, you can do it tomorrow, after the game."

Having the same thought, I nodded at her in agreement. "That's perfect, because I'm sure Jessica will be there too." I told her as we stood up from our seats.

It was almost time for class so we headed there, discussing about the possible outcomes we would get for tomorrow. Nam was guessing that Kongpob would definitely go for me after I would brush Daniel off. I didn't bother to argue with her again that Kongpob didn't really like me because after all, our plan was to make him fall for me, so I should at least be optimistic about it. But what I did anticipate was Jessica's reaction. She would probably be extremely shocked, because her scheme of making me fall for Daniel completely failed and then I would "confess" to Kongpob as well. Right in front of her.

Hehehe...

When we got to the classroom, I noticed a bouquet of red roses on the table where I usually sat. Thinking it was for me (since it was my seat), I walked over and picked them up. I assumed that it was from Daniel, who wanted to ask for my forgiveness. But when I saw the card attached to it, I found out that it was for Jessica, from Kongpob Suthiluck.

Ouch! That hurt...

"Who's that from?" Nam asked me as she took her seat.

I was about to answer her when Jessica suddenly appeared beside me and snatched the roses away from me. "Yah, why are you touching my things?!" She shouted angrily, her eyes widening as she faced me. "Wow, you must be so jealous because Kongpob gave me roses. After all, you like him too, don't you?"

I scoffed at her. "Why would I be jealous? Am I stupid? Kongpob already gave me a rose and a box of chocolates for Valentine, so why would I be jealous of you?"

I saw Jessica's eyes widen, before she seemed to go red in her face.

Even Nam was surprised by what I said. She didn't know that those gifts were from Kongpob because I had lied to her saying they were from Daniel. But I was too preoccupied by my anger towards Jessica, so I forgot about it. Luckily, she didn't choose that moment to accuse me of lying to her.

It took Jessica a moment before she responded. "So it's true then, the rumors about you sabotaging your best friend's love life to get her boyfriend for yourself. You do like Kongpob and you're the reason why they broke up." She spoke loudly, getting the attention of everyone in the classroom.

Suddenly, I regretted saying the things I said. Now she was able to turn them against me. I turned to Nam for help. She didn't speak though and just kept staring at me, probably upset by my lie. Feeling defeated, I was going to just leave the room when, to my surprise, Daniel entered the classroom and spoke up.

"No, it's not true because I placed those in Arthit's locker, not Kongpob. I just signed Kongpob's name to annoy her, knowing how she hated Kongpob." He said as he approached Jessica, who was glaring at him evilly.

Because of the topic revolving on Kongpob, more and more people came into the classroom even though they didn't belong to our class. And as I watched them, I noticed that among them was also Kongpob, staring at me with that dark piercing look of his. 

But then, I found the perfect opportunity to take action on our plan. 

Kongpob, Jessica and Daniel were all there.

"No, Daniel. Don't lie. It's really Kongpob who placed the gifts in my locker. And it's true. I really do like Kongpob." I said as sincerely as I could and looked Kongpob straight in his eyes.

Fighting, Arthit!

"Operation Seduce Kongpob Vol 2" has just begun...

❤︎