EXTERN

Chapter 27

 

“It’s only a tiny fracture, Kan. Don’t look so stern, darling. I’m delicate, you knowww.”

 

I inhaled deeply and somehow failed to breathe all the way out as I stared at the giant, devastatingly handsome snake sitting there waiting for his medicine, rubbing his head affectionately against my stomach. 

 

Meanwhile, I stood there trying my hardest not to smack him over the head.

 

“You’re bloody lucky it isn’t completely broken! And just because it’s only fractured doesn’t mean you can go straight back to using it normally, understand? You’ll have to wait about a month!”

 

Flick!

 

As I spoke, I flicked the stubborn brat on the ear.

 

If Lady Kanlaya, mother of this poisonous snake, found out he’d been injured because of me again, I’d probably have to hand over the entire spa before she finally stopped being angry with me.

 

And the moment I attacked his ear, he pressed himself even closer, that enormous head burrowing further into my stomach.

 

Should I be embarrassed by all the patients, nurses and fellow doctors walking past us?

 

We were currently waiting outside the pharmacy. It was just the two of us; Dad was still at the factory as usual. No matter what I said, he refused to listen.

 

That was my father for you. He loved his garden and factory dearly. He was probably delighted that Per wanted to start helping out with the business.

 

“Don’t scold me, darling.”

 

Seriously, Per.

 

He looked up and flashed me such a handsome, adorable, pleading smile that I couldn’t resist reaching down and squeezing his nose.

 

You’re the only person who can make me fall for you every bloody second.

 

“Shit! It’s already afternoon!”

 

My voice came out a little louder than intended. Luckily, it was a public holiday, so the hospital wasn’t nearly as crowded as it would normally have been. But the reason I was startled was that I’d completely forgotten about the meeting Mum had arranged.

 

By now, smoke was probably coming out of Madam’s ears!

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“I forgot Mum arranged a bloody matchmaking date for me.”

 

I sighed and dropped into the chair beside the sharp-featured handsome man.

 

I’d noticed quite a few women repeatedly glancing his way, but did this bastard care? Of course not. He was too busy rubbing himself against me so much that I was surprised his scales hadn’t scraped my skin raw.

 

“A matchmaking date?”

 

“Mm. Lately, Mum’s been arranging them almost every day.”

 

I glanced at the person beside me, curious about what he would think. But the handsome bastard merely blinked innocently, apparently completely unbothered.

 

Aren’t you worried at all?!

 

Your wife is about to get herself another wife, you know?!

 

“If you don’t go, won’t your mum be angry?”

 

I stared at him and let out a long, irritated sigh.

 

Right.

 

So you really don’t care at all!!!

 

“Why?! Are you that desperate for me to go?”

 

I snapped a little more harshly than I intended, making the handsome man stare at me in confusion.

 

Normally, I wasn’t someone who showed much emotion. Once I realised what I’d done, I suddenly felt strangely embarrassed.

 

I huffed, feeling irritated and uncomfortable. I didn’t even understand my own emotions anymore. All I knew was that I was slightly annoyed with him.

 

“Kannn, what are you angry at me for? I was only asking whether your mum would be furious if you didn’t go. She’ll sulk and then take it out on me again.”

 

I looked at him as his enormous head gradually lowered onto my shoulder, leaning against me affectionately.

 

I really wanted to scrunch him into a ball and kick him far, far away. How could someone be this irritating while literally doing nothing?

 

“Mr Korawit, please collect your medication at counter five!”

 

“Don’t worry about it. You can sit there doing absolutely nothing, and my mum will still find a reason to hate you.”

 

I shook my head helplessly and went to collect the medicine for my patient, who sat there blinking innocently at me.

———-

When I drove into the garden, I noticed an unfamiliar luxury car parked near the garage. Per’s car was still at the factory. We’d left it there for Dad to drive home later that evening, because Per was currently staying in the guest house near my family home.

 

“I think we’ve got visitors.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

My head was filled with 108,000 different ways to survive and deal with my mother.

 

What the hell was I supposed to do? I didn’t even know who the guests were.

 

“Oh! There’s Kan now.”

 

Grab!

 

The moment I heard Mum’s voice, I automatically grabbed the hand of the person beside me. Per immediately tightened his grip around mine, as though reassuring me that everything would be all right.

 

“P’Kan, hello.”

 

The moment we walked through the doorway, a woman around my age, perhaps a year older than Per, hurried over and stopped in front of me, pressing her palms together in a wai and smiling brightly.

 

Her eyes immediately dropped to my hand intertwined with Per’s.

 

For a split second, I saw disgust twist her face. It lasted only a moment before she pretended not to care and stepped forward as though she intended to grab my arm. I walked straight past her before she had the chance.

 

“I’m sorry, Auntie. Something genuinely came up today, so I couldn’t make our appointment.”

 

I sat down beside Mum, dragging the tall man down beside me so that we were sitting directly opposite our two guests.

 

“Did something happen?”

 

Mum’s friend gave me an awkward smile, looking between Per and me.

 

Her daughter, whom I had completely ignored, was now sitting beside her with a thoroughly displeased expression.

 

“My boyfriend saved Dad when a cupboard nearly fell on top of him at the factory and fractured his arm, so I had to take him to hospital.”

 

I made sure to emphasise certain important words and smiled as casually as though we were discussing the weather.

 

“What?! Is your father all right?”

 

Madam Mother immediately turned towards me in alarm.

 

She must have been genuinely worried about Dad. I caught her peering past me at the injured man beside me, checking his condition as well.

 

“Dad’s fine. Luckily, Per got to him in time. Otherwise, Kriengkrai might have been nothing more than a name by now. But Per fractured a bone in his left arm, so he’ll have to wear a soft cast for about a month.”

 

Truthfully, it probably wouldn’t take an entire month. But this stubborn bastard was unlikely to stop using his arm properly, so keeping it supported for slightly longer than necessary seemed like the safer option.

 

“Er… this young man is… Doctor Kan’s boyfriend?”

 

Mum’s friend still seemed stunned by the part where I’d introduced Per as my boyfriend.

 

As for my mother, her thoughts had clearly flown off in Dad’s direction by now.

 

“Yes. We’ve been together for a while.”

 

I smiled proudly at her. Her face visibly paled, and she desperately tried to catch Mum’s eye for help. Unfortunately for her, Mum had already got up and walked away to phone Dad. My turn to get rid of the guests!

 

“Er…”

 

“It was lovely of you to visit us, Auntie. Please come and have dinner with us another time.”

 

I gave her my best polite business smile and stood up, clearly signalling that it was time for them to leave.

 

Our guests were so bewildered that they automatically stood up with me.

 

I led the equally confused mother and daughter towards the front of the house.

 

“Goodbye, Auntie. And you too, erm… have a safe journey home.”

 

I flashed them an enormous smile and waved goodbye, throwing etiquette completely out of the window.

 

I didn’t even care enough to learn her daughter’s name.

 

Byeeeeee!

 

“Kan!… Oh? Has Srichan already left?”

 

Mum returned after ending her call with Dad. I had a feeling Dad was about to receive one hell of a telling-off. Couldn’t be helped.

 

Dad was the one who insisted on being stubborn. It would do him good to have Mum nag him for a while.

 

“Yes.”

 

I flashed her a huge smile, trying to cover up my wrongdoing.

 

Madam merely narrowed her eyes at me threateningly before turning towards Per, who was sitting there looking handsome and innocent, like a wide-eyed baby snake.

 

Don’t fall for it, Mum. A poisonous snake is still a poisonous snake.

 

“Per, are you badly hurt, sweetheart? I’m sorry you ended up getting injured like this.”

 

“It’s all right, Mum. I wanted to go and learn about the business with Dad, so he was eager to show me all sorts of things. I think he got a little carried away. But I’m completely fine! It’s nothing at all. With Doctor Kan looking after me, there’s nothing to worry about.”

 

“…If you need anything at the guest house, just tell me, all right? I’m going to check on Dad. Honestly, that man… he never listens.”

 

I watched the mother serpent and baby serpent chatting before Mum finally walked out of the house, muttering under her breath. I assumed she was heading to the factory to check on Dad.

 

“Smooth.”

 

I took a jab at the person beside me as he began slithering down against my body, putting more and more of his weight on me.

 

The moment nobody was watching, you started taking advantage, didn’t you, Per?

 

Forget Mum being the Queen of Serpents. At this point, you’re the bloody king of the entire nest.

 

“What do you mean? My arm hurts, darling.”

 

I shook my head helplessly at the man who was only grown-up in size, because he had now started wrapping himself around me without the slightest regard for his supposed injury.

 

“What the hell are you doing?!”

 

I yelped in alarm when his hand slithered down towards the front of my trousers. Yet his shamelessly handsome face continued pretending to be completely innocent, giving me the sweetest smile imaginable.

 

“I’m going to give you a massage. You look tired.”

 

I’m pretty sure a massage doesn’t require taking my trousers off. Or are you planning to massage just one particular spot, Per?!

 

“This is the sitting room! What if someone comes in and sees us?”

 

I slapped his hand away and tried to shove the wicked serpent off me.

 

Being around you is going to leave me completely battered. If you’re not trying to devour me, you’re finding some other way to torment me.

 

“Then… we can go and have your massage in your bedroom. Your mum came back a little too quickly last time.”

 

I gave him an exasperated look. So you’re absolutely determined to have your way with me, aren’t you? Still… How long had it been since we’d had one of our ‘massages’?

 

Hmm…

 

And I was feeling rather stiff today.

 

Whoosh!

 

I suddenly jumped to my feet so quickly that the person beside me stared up in confusion. I deliberately looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. It was still strangely embarrassing, all right? Especially when I had to say something like this in front of an irritating bastard like Per.

 

“I’m going to have a shower… then you can give me that massage.”

 

The moment the words left my mouth, I hurried upstairs towards my bedroom.

 

Bloody hell!

 

Why does someone like Doctor Kan always end up giving in to a bastard like him?!

 

“Kannnn! Can I give you an oil massage, then? I’m going to need loads of oil today. I’ve been saving it up for more than a month!”

 

“You’re disgusting!”

 

“It smells nice, darling. You have to tryyy it.”

 

“I’ve changed my mind! Get out!”

 

How much time did we have before Mum came back?

 

Would there even be enough time for that ‘oil massage’?