EXTERN

 

“Baby, don’t forget. We’re having dinner with our mums today.”

 

“I knooooow. My mum already reminded me too.”

 

I deliberately let the exhaustion seep into my voice so the person on the other end of the phone could hear just how tired I was.

 

For the past two days of Songkran, I’d barely had any rest. I’d only just come out of the OR after assisting my professor with surgery on a patient involved in a car accident. We’d had to perform a decompressive craniectomy to relieve the increased intracranial pressure caused by cerebral swelling.

 

“Are you tired? Want me to come and pick you up?”

 

“No, no. We’re not meeting until five. I’m not on call today, so I’ll definitely make it.”

 

“Aww… then I’ll wait for you.”

 

I ended the call and walked into the residents’ room so I could get some sleep and regain a little energy before heading to dinner with both our families.

 

After completing my compulsory service at a hospital near my hometown, I’d decided to return and specialise in neurosurgery. Now, I was almost finished with my specialist training.

 

Choosing to continue my studies had meant postponing the wedding between Per and me, but we still loved each other just the same.

 

We’d both been particularly busy lately. I had my specialist training, while Per had begun helping his father manage the family businesses involving vehicles and transportation across several countries.

 

“About thirty minutes from the hospital to the shopping centre.”

 

I muttered to myself as I set an alarm on my phone.

 

It was only a little after three.

 

I still had almost an hour to sleep before I needed to leave.

 

I might as well take a nap.

 

I hadn’t slept properly in days anyway.

 

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

 

“Kan…”

 

SMACK!

 

“Oi, KAN!!!”

 

WHUMP!

 

“HUUUH!?”

 

I jolted upright, completely disorientated from being only half awake, and from the force of Natcha, my beloved friend, practically smacking my skull open.

 

She’d come to specialise alongside me. And even now, not a single man had managed to court her.

 

Personally, I thought she was far more likely to end up with a wife than a husband.

 

“It’s already after five! Aren’t you supposed to be meeting Per?”

 

“Five, my arse. I set an alarm…”

“…”

 

Tap. Tap. Tap!

 

I repeatedly smacked my phone.

 

Nothing.

 

The bloody thing lay there completely lifeless, refusing to respond no matter how many times I pressed the power button.

 

“Fuck…”

 

I looked down at my watch.

 

17:09.

 

“When was the last time you charged your phone?”

 

FUCKING HELLLLLL!!!

 

“I’m going! I’m going!”

 

I jumped up, grabbed my things and rushed towards the door.

 

There wasn’t even enough time to change now.

 

Fuck it.

 

I’d just go in my OR scrubs.

 

“You’re seriously going to drive your BMW to the shopping centre when every road is jammed because everyone’s out celebrating Songkran?”

 

Freeze.

 

Oh.

 

Yeah.

 

I’d completely forgotten how hellish the traffic became during Songkran.

 

I was already late.

 

My phone was dead.

 

I couldn’t contact Per.

 

And to make things even worse…

 

I didn’t know his number by heart.

 

“What the fuck do I do?”

 

“Take my bike.”

 

Grab!

 

I snatched the keys to Natcha’s superbike, bowed my head in gratitude and sprinted out of the building towards the car park.

 

At that moment, the only words running through my head were—

 

I’m fucked.

I’m fucked.

I’m fucked.

 

About a thousand fucking times.

 

SPLAAAAASH!

 

“AAAAAAAH! HE’S SO HANDSOME!”

 

SPLASH!

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAH!”

 

“LET ME SPRAY YOUUUUU!”

 

SPLAAAAAAAAASH!

 

Shiver. Shiver. Shiver.

 

My entire body was trembling from the cold. Both sides of the road were packed with people enthusiastically celebrating the Thai New Year by throwing water at absolutely everything that moved.

 

And naturally, since I was riding my best friend’s superbike through the middle of it all, I was completely soaked.

 

The freezing water was bad enough. But what really made it unbearable was the fact that my OR scrubs were so thin they’d become practically transparent once wet.

 

Just fucking brilliant.

 

At least I was almost at the U-turn leading into the shopping centre.

 

From here, I could already see the front of the building on the opposite side of the road. 

 

There was some massive concert being held outside, with huge crowds singing and squeezing together as they celebrated.

 

“Traffic’s fucking ridiculous.”

 

I shook my head and sighed for what had to be the hundredth time before checking my watch again.

 

18:03.

 

I couldn’t contact Per.

 

What the hell was I supposed to do?

 

He had to be worried sick by now.

 

And the more I thought about it, the worse I felt for keeping our parents waiting.

 

The moment the traffic light turned green, I quickly made the U-turn into the shopping centre and parked in the designated superbike area out front.

 

WHUMP!

 

I jumped off the bike and immediately headed towards the entrance—

 

Only for a group of children, probably around eight or nine years old, whose parents were presumably off enjoying the concert, to unleash their water guns on me.

 

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

 

“I’m not playing. I’m in a hurry.”

 

Pew! Pew! Pew!

 

“I said I’m not playing. I’ve got somewhere to be.”

 

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

 

“That’s enough…”

 

Pew! Pew! Pew!

 

Freeze.

 

I stopped walking and wiped the water from my face. The little bastards were deliberately aiming straight at it. I could barely see where I was going.

 

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

 

“Enough…”

 

I tried breathing slowly in and out to calm myself down. But the streams of water kept smacking straight into my face, nose and mouth until I nearly choked.

 

SPLASH!

 

SNAP!

 

The very last thread of my patience broke when one demonic little brat threw an entire container of water at me so hard I nearly fell over.

 

“Fiiiiiine… you want to play, do you?!”

 

GRAB!

 

I snatched a water gun from one of the children. Then I opened fucking fire. All five or six of them. One after another.

 

“Hahahahaha!”

 

The little shits ran around dodging my attacks and laughing their heads off.

 

WHOOSH!

 

WHOOSH!

 

I chased them until they darted directly into the crowd enjoying the concert. By now, all the frustration and irritation that had been simmering inside me finally erupted.

 

I wanted to catch the little monsters and tear them limb from limb.

 

“Hahahaha!”

 

“AAAAAAAH!”

 

“HE’S SO HANDSOME!”

 

“You little bastards! STOP!”

 

Between the deafening music and the enormous crowd pressing together, I was forced to slow down.

 

And then it finally occurred to me—

 

Hang on.

 

Wasn’t I in a fucking hurry?

 

“Let me hear all the single people out thereeeee!”

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAH!”

 

“Anyone who’s been dumped, put your hands uuuup!”

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

 

By the time I realised what was happening, I was already trapped in the middle of a sea of people, bodies constantly shifting and bumping against one another.

 

“Er… excuse me. Could I get through, please?”

 

I repeatedly bowed my head as I tried squeezing through, keeping my eyes on the ground so I wouldn’t accidentally step on anyone’s feet.

 

“Ooh!”

 

Suddenly, a woman stumbled straight towards me. Luckily, I caught her in time. Otherwise, she would’ve ended up flat on the ground beneath the feet of hundreds of people.

 

“Er… you okay?”

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

 

The sudden explosion of screaming made me lift my head towards the stage. But beyond it, on the enormous screen, was a live image of—

 

Me.

 

And the woman in my arms. Surrounded by a ridiculously sweet heart-shaped frame.

 

With the words—KISS CAM—displayed in enormous letters.

 

Then the singer onstage joined in.

 

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAH!”

 

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

 

A chill ran down my spine.

 

I had absolutely no fucking idea what to do.

 

Everyone around us was cheering and chanting for me to kiss the woman still standing in my arms, while she looked up at me shyly, biting her lip and twisting bashfully from side to side.

 

“Er…”

 

“You can kiss me, P’. I don’t mind.”

 

The second she said that, I immediately removed my hands from her body. I had no idea what expression I was supposed to make.

 

“But I have a boyfriend.”

 

“If you don’t kiss me, I don’t think they’re going to continue the concert.”

 

I frowned. Then cursed myself internally about a million times. Why the fuck was I this unlucky?!

 

Someone save meeeeeee!!!

 

“AAAAAAAAAH!”

 

It was just a kiss.

 

Right?

 

Then I could hurry up and leave.

 

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

 

Grab!

 

I held the girl firmly by the shoulders and moved closer. It wasn’t as though I’d never kissed anyone before.

 

Before I started dating Per, I’d kissed plenty of women. But kissing somebody who wasn’t your partner when you already had one…

 

Fuck.

 

It was harder than I thought.

 

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

 

I stared at the woman in front of me before squeezing my eyes tightly shut and beginning to lower my head.

 

It’s just a kiss.

 

Just lips touching lips.

 

Nothing more.

 

One fraction of a second.

 

Then I’d pull away immediately.

 

“Kiss! Kiss! KISS!”

 

I KNOW ALREADY!

 

STOP FUCKING HYPING IT UP!

 

Sorry, Per…

 

I’ll hurry over to you and accept whatever punishment you want afterwards…

 

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

 

Fuck it!

 

I closed my eyes again and leaned towards the person in front of me.

 

One second.

 

It would only be one second.

 

GRAB!

 

WHUMP!

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!”

 

“!!!”

 

“…”

 

My eyes were still closed. But I knew this kiss. I knew the familiar warmth. The tenderness. That overwhelming feeling that flooded through me every single time our lips met.

 

No matter how many times we kissed…It always felt as though this was the kiss that filled my soul back up completely.

 

“Per…”

 

Rustle.

 

A fine suit jacket was removed and draped around my body, wrapping me in warmth. For some reason, I suddenly wanted to cry. I was so fucking relieved that he always seemed to arrive at exactly the moment I needed him.

 

Not everyone was lucky enough to have someone appear at precisely the right time.

But I was. Because I had Per.

 

“So this is where you’ve been sneaking off to play Songkran… I was worried sick.”

 

WHUMP!

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

 

I threw myself into my future husband’s arms with everything I had and buried my face against his warm chest.

 

I didn’t want anyone seeing my expression right now.

 

“Thank you.”

 

My voice came out muffled against his chest. 

 

I no longer cared about anything happening around us. We’d barely been able to see each other recently, and the first chance we finally had to spend time together, I’d almost ruined it.

 

Not to mention nearly kissing some random girl!

 

“Thank you for always being by my side.”

 

“Hahaha… you’d better prepare yourself for the punishment you’re getting for being late.”

 

Smack!

 

I slapped my hand against the younger man’s stomach.

 

The ridiculously handsome bastard merely smiled before enthusiastically ruffling my soaking wet hair.

 

Then we finally walked into the shopping centre together.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Per took me into a men’s clothing shop to find something warm for me to change into.

 

It probably wouldn’t look particularly good if I appeared in front of our mums looking like this.

 

“…You’re not angry?”

 

I stood obediently on a waterproof mat they’d put down for people who came into the shop soaked from Songkran while watching my handsome boyfriend happily choose clothes for me.

 

“I nearly kissed a pretty girl just now, you know.”

 

“Why would I overthink it? Kan wasn’t trying to cheat on me.”

 

“How do you know? Maybe after kissing her, I would’ve asked to exchange LINE IDs.”

 

I immediately pouted.

 

Wasn’t he even going to get a little jealous?

 

Someone almost stole your wife just now, you poisonous snake!

 

WHUMP!

 

Suddenly, I was pushed into the changing room. Then Per’s tall, broad body followed me inside before he locked the door.

 

Click.

 

“Could Kan really bring himself to cheat on me?”

 

Rustle.

 

Plop.

 

My thin shirt was stripped off effortlessly and tossed onto the floor without either of us paying any attention to it.

 

“W-Wait…”

 

His warm breath brushed against my ear, sending a delicious shiver straight through my lower stomach.

 

“Tell me… could you really cheat on me?”

 

Rustle.

 

Plop.

 

“Ah!”

 

My soaking wet trousers dropped to the floor. Along with my underwear. And just like that, I was standing completely naked in front of my boyfriend.

 

“P-Per… this is a changing room.”

 

“…”

 

The look in Per’s sharp, devastatingly sexy eyes made me afraid to move.

 

Fuck…

 

I’d missed his touch so badly.

 

I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and hold me there for as long as possible.

 

“Mmm…”

 

His full lips covered mine.

 

The heat of my lover’s touch made me lose myself so completely I could barely find my way back.

 

I missed you.

 

Those were the only words filling my head. My entire body felt so hot I thought I might burn to ashes.

 

Rrrrring!

 

Rustle!

 

A shirt was suddenly draped around me at the exact moment Per’s phone began ringing.

 

“Yes?”

 

I hurriedly buttoned the shirt. Our mums were probably calling to chase us up now. Per nodded at me, silently telling me to get dressed.

 

“Yes, I found Kan. We’re coming up now.”

 

I laughed quietly to myself. It was ridiculous. A moment ago, I hadn’t resisted that sly bastard even once. Apparently I’d missed him a little too much.

 

“Mum’s chasing us…”

 

His deep voice sounded thoroughly disappointed just as I finished getting dressed.

 

Now that the haze had cleared and my common sense had returned…

 

Yeah.

 

Doing anything here really wouldn’t have been appropriate.

 

“Don’t act so disappointed… I’m free tonight.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

Eeeeeek!

 

I knew perfectly well there was nothing wrong with his hearing! Especially when I saw that sly, delighted grin on his face.

 

It made me want to sink my teeth straight into those hard shoulder muscles of his.

 

“I said I’ve got the whole night free tonight… Happy now?”

 

The second I finished speaking, I hurried straight out of the changing room.

 

My face was burning.

 

My ears were burning.

 

Everything was fucking burning!

 

“Ahhh, ahhh… I won’t even let you get onto the bed tonight.”

 

“What was that?”

 

“Nothiiiiing!”

 

Looks like I’d better arrange some compensatory Songkran leave in advance.

 

“I love you… my poisonous snake.”

 

“I love you so much too, my cool wife.”

 

End of Special Chapter