Love of Silom

Chapter 4- The right person at the wrong time.

 

After the blow to my head, I can barely register anything other than the searing pain that spreads instantly, followed by a dull, disorienting haze. I stagger, crashing into the cabinet by the wall before collapsing onto the floor. My consciousness nearly slips away. Warm liquid trickles from the torn skin, dripping down over my eyes. My vision blurs. I remain still, unable to move, until I hear a loud crash at the door, followed by a commotion of shouting voices. I have no idea who's who. The sounds reach my ears, but my mind can barely process anything.

Until someone came close and touched me.

 

"I'm a police officer," he said to me in a daze.

 

After that, I was quickly taken to the hospital—along with Mr Shane. Even though we were both injured, he still found the energy to sit across from me in the emergency room, shouting insults my way. I couldn't even argue back. My mind was still dazed from everything that had happened. All I could do was press a cloth against my wound, trying to stop the blood that kept seeping out.

 

"Take this." The police officer who had first found me handed me a small white towel, like a soft comfort replacing the bloodstained handkerchief I had once clutched.

 

Lieutenant Krit... I vaguely heard his name as he introduced himself to the nurse. From the hotel to the hospital, I hardly ever looked at his face, only knowing that he was the one who went to stop the incident because I heard a loud noise like people arguing and people calling for help.

 

Earlier, I saw him pacing around the nurse's station, coordinating with the local police. I glanced at him from a distance. He wasn't wearing a police uniform but was dressed in a suit, as if he had just come from a formal event. He had an impressive physique, tall with long legs and broad, squared shoulders. His voice was deep, clear, and commanding.

 

"Didn't you hear me?" He snorted at me before slumping down in the chair next to me. 

 

I couldn't help but lift my eyes to look at him. My heart raced, and I quickly shifted my gaze away. Lieutenant Krit touched my arm, signalling me to lower it to my side, then gently pressed a towel against my wound.

 

"Don't move." He said when I moved my head away.

 

To my surprise, his tone was remarkably pleasant. Given my attire and current state, as well as the harsh and vulgar words that Mr Shane had hurled at me, it showed that I was involved with the other party sexually, to the point of prostitution. However, Lieutenant Krit did not show any contempt. On the contrary... he acted as if I were just an injured person who deserved sympathy.

 

I caught a faint whiff of aftershave from him. Lieutenant Krit had rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms. The skin on his arms was slightly darker than the skin on his neck. His well-tailored suit jacket lay casually draped over his lap. With a gentle touch, he reached down and wiped the bloodstain from my forehead. At that moment, I found myself looking at his face again, so close that I could see every detail with perfect clarity.

 

Lieutenant Krit's skin was fair and smooth, his sharp, narrow eyes holding an intensity that was hard to ignore. His nose was straight and well-defined, and the deep groove above his upper lip accentuated its delicate curve, resembling the bow of Cupid himself.

 

People always feel the weight of being watched. Lieutenant Krit turned his gaze to me, and in that close exchange, my heartbeat suddenly quickened, my breath caught in my throat. His striking features were undeniable, but I saw beyond them. There was something deep, something enigmatic hidden within his eyes—an indescribable pull that made me sink into them, reluctant to look away.

 

"Does it still hurt?" He asked softly.

 

"Yes," I murmured in response, just realising that I had been staring into his eyes for too long.

 

I sat there quietly, allowing Lieutenant Krit to wipe away the blood from my wounds carefully. His warm touch felt like a delicate veil wrapping around me. In that moment, the world seemed to fall into silence; all the noise faded into the distance, leaving only the rhythmic thudding of my heartbeat. Side by side, we sat together, and a gentle warmth seeped into my chest, flowing slowly into the softest part of my heart.

 

Throughout the past few months, with everything crashing into my life, including the years I spent taking care of my younger sister, my mom, and even my nephew, I had long forgotten what it felt like to be cared for. No one had looked after me or even considered my feelings for a long time. This deeply affected my heart in a way I had never imagined. His thoughtful actions made me feel as though I, too, was a life of value, deserving of tenderness and care.

 

His tenderness filled the emptiness in my heart, and I only realised how important it was to me. He and I shouldn't have met under these circumstances. It would have been better if we had brushed past each other somewhere, with one of us accidentally bumping into the other, and then we simply smiled at each other.

But in my shattered world, romance was nothing more than a distant illusion. Krit had only stepped in to fulfil his duty, yet before I knew it, I had already started falling for him.

 

Meanwhile, Mr Shane kept making noise, calling his friends to come to the hospital, but I didn't call anyone, even though my own phone was still in my hand. I didn't want to pass on the trouble to anyone. I had put myself in this position, seeking trouble on my own. Even though I was scared and distressed because I didn't know what charges I might face— prostitution? Assault? Would I end up in jail?

 

After a while, a nurse called me into the examination room. The doctor carefully inspected my wounds, asked about symptoms, and arranged for further tests where necessary.

 

Fortunately, the vase was made of glazed ceramic, not thick crystal glass. Otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up with stitches and observation.

When I was finally discharged, I had to accompany Mr Shane to the police station. Lieutenant Krit was also present as a witness, testifying to the cause and course of the chaos.

 

Unexpectedly, Mr Shane had backpedalled. Even though he had been yelling at me at the hospital, calling me a promiscuous person who slept with anyone, prostitution and buying sex are crimes committed by both parties. Mr Shane had a reputation and social standing to protect. In the end, the whole thing was framed as a roleplay between a couple with a taste for violence, which had gone too far and turned into a messy situation. Mr Shane would take full responsibility and cover all the damages. I felt nauseous hearing it, but I decided to go along with it. It seemed better than dragging the case on and letting it escalate into something even worse.

 

Hours of turmoil passed, and I found myself right back where I started. With stitches in my head and uncertainty in my heart, I stood at the entrance of the police station, lost. Tonight's events had left me bewildered, unsure of where to go next.

 

Lieutenant Krit walked out after me. When he saw that I was still standing there, dazed, he walked over to me.

 

"How will you go back?" He asked.

 

I looked up at him in confusion, murmuring, "What...?" Lieutenant Krit paused for a moment before sighing. My condition must have been pitiful enough for him to say something.

 

"Where do you live? I'll take you home."

 

Lieutenant Krit drove me home after that. Along the way, we exchanged a few words. I told him I worked at a host bar, but I left out the details of how I had gotten myself tangled up in the mess that led to tonight's events. I don't know... Technically, it shouldn't matter what he thinks of me—we might never see each other again. And yet, for some reason, I cared.

 

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The car came to a stop in front of my house. I was surprised to see the lights still on, even though it was already so late. A sense of unease crept over me. Without wasting a second, I hurried out of the car, worried that something might have happened inside. Lieutenant Krit stepped out right after me. Just then, the door opened. My mom stepped out.

 

"Wayu."

 

My mom seemed fine, even holding Singto in her arms. I exhaled softly in relief.

 

"Mom, why are you still up so late? And why are you holding Singto?"

 

Hearing my voice, Singto turned his round little face from my mom's shoulder and immediately turned to look at me. His little arms reached out, asking me to hold him while making soft, innocent sounds.

 

"Actually, I saw the car stop outside and looked out the window to see it was you. Singto happened to wake up, so I carried him out to greet you." When mom saw I was with someone else, she asked, "Oh? Who's this with you?"

"Lieutenant Krit, this is my mom." I introduced him, then turned to her and said, "Mom, this is Lieutenant Krit. He was kind enough to bring me home."

 

Upon hearing that I had arrived with a police officer, my mom stiffened the moment she realised it. Then, when she noticed the wound on my forehead, her worry turned into full-blown panic.

 

"Wayu, what on earth happened to you?"

 

Actually, I could tell my mom the truth right then, so she would realise how much trouble she had caused others. But since Lieutenant Krit was here, he shouldn't be dragged into my family's problems. So, I wove a simpler story on the spot. I reached out and took Singto into my arms.

 

"It's nothing, Mom. Just a fight at the bar-some customers got into an argument, and I was caught in the middle. Luckily, Lieutenant Krit happened to be there. He stepped in and helped break it up, then took me to the hospital to get stitches.

Everything's fine now."

 

Hearing this, my mom quickly thanked Lieutenant Krit and invited him to come inside to sit and have some water. After saying that, she hurriedly walked back into the house to prepare a glass of water for him. I then told him.

 

"You don't have to go in. It's already late now, you should get some rest," I said, as I could tell he wanted to decline.

 

"I'll talk to mom myself."

 

Lieutenant Krit gave a nod. His gaze shifted to Singto in my arms and then asked.

"Is it just the three of you in your home?"

 

"Yes, it's mostly like that. My dad often works in other provinces and isn't home much, so it's just me, my mom, and my nephew, as you can see." Singto stared wide-eyed at Lieutenant Krit, probably unfamiliar with the sound of his voice. Seeing this, Krit gave him a small smile.

 

"What's your nephew's name?"

"His name is Singto," I answered softly.

 

"Singto." Lieutenant Krit reached out to touch the tiny fist in my arms before looking past me. "Your mom came out and called. Take Singto inside and put him to bed. If he stays out too long, he might get sick."

 

When Mom realised that Lieutenant Krit was about to leave, she looked disappointed. I quickly cut in, saying that he had errands to run. Then I handed Singto to Mom so she could take it inside, so she wouldn't pressure Lieutenant Krit or make him feel uncomfortable.

 

"I'm truly sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. today." I said.

 

"This is my duty as a police officer," he said calmly. "Go inside. It'll be morning in a few hours."

 

"Yes," I replied in a low voice. "Thank you so much for going out of your way to drive me home."

 

"If I hadn't driven you, would you have just stood outside the police station like that?"

 

"I... I'm not sure. I was confused, just feeling stuck."

"Well, go get some rest. Things will be better tomorrow."

 

"Thank you."

 

He let out a soft "hmm" before walking back to the car. I watched his back and felt a pang in my chest. The events of today were so awful that I didn't even want to think about or talk about them anymore, now or in the future. It was a memory I wished I could erase. But Lieutenant Krit was the only good thing that stood out amidst all that chaos and destruction.

 

"Lieutenant Krit..'" I called out before I even realised what I was going to say to him. He turned around and asked, "Is something wrong?"

 

"I... I just really wanted to thank you."

 

He smiled right then, a smile that seemed to set the world back into motion. Like a tree budding anew after a long winter, stretching its tender green leaves toward the light, reviving with hope and life.

 

"You already thanked me," Lieutenant Krit replied.

I smiled back at him, a smile that probably didn't look very bright, but it was the first smile of the day. I wished he could stay a little longer, to become a fleeting solace for my restless heart. But I couldn't find a reason strong enough to keep him here. So, I reluctantly spoke up.

 

"Lieutenant Krit, you should go. I won't bother you anymore. If you stay, you'll probably end up offering alms to the monks in the morning. Drive safe."

 

I watched as his car gradually disappeared into the night, its taillights growing smaller until they finally vanished around the corner. The only thing left was the dim streetlamp swaying quietly in the dark.

 

"Lieutenant Krit.." I could only whisper his name under my breath, sighing softly into the stillness.

 

When I stepped inside, I found my mom sitting on the sofa, holding Singto, who had already fallen asleep.

 

"Wayu, how are you feeling? Does it still hurt?" She asked with concern.

 

Although I was still angry with Mom, her question softened something in my heart. I sat down next to her and leaned over to kiss Singto's head before answering,

 

"I took a painkiller."

 

"Those people are unbelievable, getting into fights at the bar and messing up business. Absolutely disgraceful."

 

"Mom, I earned thirty-five thousand baht." I interrupted her complaints, unwilling to listen any further. "T'll pay them back tomorrow."

 

Her eyes widened in shock. "Wayu, where did you get that money?"

 

"I borrowed it from the manager. He agreed to lend it this once, and I have to work off what I owe him. If I get into trouble like this again, he will fire me." I looked directly into her face and said,

 

"Mom, listen to me. I'm really exhausted now. I don't know how much longer I can keep going if you can't help—at least stop getting involved with those loan sharks. You've seen how ruthless they can be. Please, for Singto's sake."

 

Mom grimaced. "I'm scared now. I won't touch those things again."

 

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The next afternoon, I received a call from Thai first, followed closely by one from Hong. It turned out that the incident between me and Mr Shane had already spread throughout the entire bar. Which wasn't really surprising, since Mr Shane was a friend of our VIP customer, Mr Oat, the news quickly reached our manager, Mr Fei.

 

"What did Mr Fei say?" I asked anxiously.

 

"That's exactly why I'm calling," Thai replied. "Mr Fei asked me to tell you that as soon as you're feeling better, you should go see him immediately."

 

"Shit.. I'm screwed." I couldn't help but curse.

 

"What the hell actually happened? I don't believe what that guy, Sky, said. I want to hear it from you directly."

 

So, I told him everything. At first, he seemed angry that I made those decisions without telling him. However, once he learned what I had gone through, his anger quickly turned to pure outrage.

 

"I knew it. Sky is completely untrustworthy."

 

"Yeah... I just never thought he'd go this far. Why would he do this? What did I ever do to him?"

 

It turned out that Hong was the one who answered my question. Less than half an hour after I had ended my conversation with Thai, he called me. They were clearly unable to wait after hearing the news. He had just returned home from the hospital, but the moment he found out about the situation, he reached out immediately.

 

"He meant to trip you up. There's no way this happened by accident. It was obvious you have potential, so he wants to hold you back. If customers can take 

you away that easily, your value drops instantly. Some customers might want you once and never look at you again. Plus... I think he's jealous. He doesn't want you to become Mr Oat's new favourite instead of him."

 

"Mr Oat? What are you talking about? How could I possibly compare to Sky?"

Hong chuckled softly in his throat. "Who knows? The future is unpredictable."

 

"But did he really have to go this far?"

"In this industry, you have to be careful. Don't trust people so easily."

 

I will carry Hong's words with me to the grave. I was a fool, too quick to trust. The problems crashing down on me had blinded me to the obvious. I should've questioned why Mr Shane was willing to pay so much just to spend the night with an ordinary host, without any bizarre conditions attached. But I didn't. That was my mistake. And Sky? That bastard had a hand in this, too.

 

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The next evening, I went to the host bar before it opened to meet with Mr Fei as he had instructed. Thai was worried about me, so he came along as well. The moment I saw Sky, rage surged through my veins.

 

It turned out that we found Sky there, clearly, Mr Fei had invited him as well. The moment I saw Sky, rage surged through my veins. He was the one who had nearly thrown me into the hands of two predators. I stormed up to him and yelled.

 

"How could you do this?"

"What did I do?" Sky shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

 

"You made a deal with Mr Shane behind my back. You set me up!"

 

"And why did you agree to it? You wanted to sell yourself, didn't I help you all along? Didn't you come to me first?"

 

My anger snapped. I lunged at him. Sky barely had time to react before he stumbled backwards, crashing onto the floor.

 

"Hey! Wayu!"

 

Thai rushed forward, trying to stop me. But by then, I was past reason. Though Sky and I were of similar build, at that moment, I was fueled entirely by fury. I straddled him, fists clenched, ready to land a blow.

 

"Not the face!" Sky yelped, shielding himself with his arms. "Please! Don't hit my face!"

Hearing that made me hesitate. Sky is a top-tier host. His face was his most valuable asset—his entire career depended on…

 

SMACK!

"AH—!"

 

A sharp cry cut through the air. Sky clutched his cheek.

"You bastard! You actually hit my face?!"

 

I was stunned into silence before turning to look at the owner of that punch. It wasn't me who threw it—it was Thai.

 

"I'm not even good at punching, and you're already whining like a damn dog," Thai sneered. In the end, Thai and I were both called in to see Mr Fei together. I can honestly say that at that moment, I thought it was over—I was sure I was about to be fired. And Thai, too. But you know, sometimes life throws surprises at you.

 

After everything that happened, I told Mr Fei the whole truth, just as it was. I didn't care what kind of story Sky had spun before this; my truth was simple, and I had nothing to hide.

 

"If I told you to apologise to Sky, would you?" Mr Fei asked.

"Absolutely not," I answered without hesitation.

 

"Me neither," Thai added firmly.

Mr Fei sighed, looking between us.

 

"Then don't let this happen again. Avoid trouble if you can. And if you can't quit. Don't bring personal matters into business."

 

"Ha..." Thai and I exchanged nervous glances.

"Mr Fei... you're not firing us?" I asked cautiously.

 

"Are you planning to resign?"

"No... No!" Thai and I answered in unison.

 

"Then get back to work. Stop standing around."

 

Staff can be replaced, but the business must continue. Personal matters should be left behind. If we want to continue working, we have to coexist. The nightlife industry mostly runs on money. I wanted to say it outright—no matter how much you despise someone, even if you can't stand the sight of them, even their shadow, at the end of the day, Sky and I still worked in the same place. Because life goes on, and living requires money.

 

Thai had half of his earnings for the past two weeks docked as punishment for punching Sky. Mr Fei considered it a business loss, so he deducted the amount without hesitation. But Thai told me it was worth it—he'd even pay extra for another swing at Sky if given the chance. That made me laugh, even though the situation should have been serious. Still, I had already made up my mind-I was going to return that money to him.

 

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I took four days off before returning to work. Some of my colleagues playfully teased me about my past entanglement with Sky, but for the most part, no one paid much attention to it.

 

I focused on getting myself back into work mode. This job is what I chose, and I'm determined to move myself to a better position. Before long, things returned to normal. Hong returned to work a day after me. I was happy to see that he was strong and as charming as ever. As for me, I started being called to sit at tables by customers more frequently than in my first few days at work.

 

"Hey, what are you daydreaming about over here?"

Thai walked up to me while I was sitting outside, taking a break.

 

"Nothing, just lost in thought," I turned to look at Thai, feeling like I couldn't hold it in any longer. "Thai, do you remember that lieutenant I mentioned before? The one who helped me get away from Mr Shane?"

 

"Oh, yeah-the really handsome guy?"

"How do you know he's handsome?"

 

"Oh, please, Wayu, you've brought him up at least a dozen times. Of course I remember."

 

"Right... It's him. Actually, I've been wanting to find him and properly thank him for saving me that day."

 

"Is that so?"

"Why are you smiling like that?"

 

"You like him, don't you?"

"I never said that!"

 

Thai laughed because my voice had gone up a pitch, making it obvious I was hiding something. "You sure have high aspirations."

 

"High aspirations? What do you mean?"

 

"You know the saying, military wives count their bottles, and police wives count their cash."

 

I couldn't help but laugh. "What nonsense! I just want to buy him a gift to express

my gratitude, nothing more. I have no plans to marry him."

 

"Then... what exactly do you want to be to him?"

 

I shook my head in exasperation, refusing to answer his question. Who would dare think that far? He's a cop, and I'm just a host at a bar. Our worlds don't overlap-unless, of course, it's because I'm getting arrested.

 

"If I suddenly showed up to see him, do you think he'd mind?"

 

I bit my lip, feeling anxious. It had been almost a week since he drove me home. I had memorised his name, rank, and department as easily as I knew my own name, but... had he already forgotten about me? No, police officers have excellent memories.

 

"Don't overthink it," Thai reassured me. "You didn't cause him any trouble. What's the problem? And if you're not expecting anything other than to thank him for his kindness, then there's nothing to be afraid of."

 

"Yeah... I guess you're right." I still hesitated.

"Or maybe... deep down, you're hoping for something more?"

 

I looked at Thai—he could probably tell what was running through my mind. He gave me a soft smile and said, "If you don't expect anything, you won't be disappointed. But if it were me, disappointment would be a small price to pay compared to never knowing whether I had a chance. I can handle the pain of disappointment, but I can't accept regretting that I never took the risk when I still had the chance. I don't want to look back later and wish I had done something when it's already too late."

 

His words made me think. I pressed my palms together in a prayer-like gesture and said...

 

"Thank you, Mr Thai."

 

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Two days later, I stood under a tree in the parking lot near the staircase leading up to the Crime Suppression Division, holding a spunbond fabric bag in my hand. At first, I had planned to buy a fruit basket to thank Lieutenant Krit, but after thinking it over, it seemed more like something done out of courtesy. I wanted to show more thoughtfulness than that.

 

After receiving my first paycheck, I carefully planned my expenses. I set aside the money I would use for my daily personal expenditures and separated a part for my family. Then I headed straight to the supermarket to buy him some things instead. I carefully chose every item, whether it was coffee, juice, cookies, or other snacks, that I hoped he would like.

 

I checked my phone for the time. It was long past the usual hours for getting out of work, but there was still no sign of Lieutenant Krit. Just as I lifted my head to glance toward the entrance again, I saw Lieutenant Krit's tall figure walking out of the door. He walked down the stairs toward his car, which was parked on one side. I quickly followed behind.

 

"Lieutenant Krit!" I called out softly just as he reached for his car door. He turned around, and when he saw that it was me, he spoke up. "Oh? What brings you here?"

 

I stepped closer to Lieutenant Krit, feeling a wave of relief—he still remembered me. But as I stood before him, taking in his face at close range, my heartbeat quickened. I had already thought he was striking the first time we met, but now, seeing him in his police uniform, he looked even more dignified, more captivating. Throughout the past week, I had thought about him every single day. Actually, not just every day—I thought about him almost every minute I was awake. Some nights, I even dreamed about him.

 

"I was just passing by..." I started to say, but immediately realised how unconvincing that sounded. I quickly corrected myself, "Actually, I came to see you on purpose. I wanted to thank you for what you did that day. This is a small gift for you."

 

I handed him a spunbond fabric bag, only to realise a second too late that it was bright orange-yellow-almost like I was about to make a monk offering. Honestly, the stuff inside wasn't far off either. But it was too late to take it back now.

 

"You didn't have to. This is just part of my duty. Protecting the public is a police officer's responsibility. How's your injury?" He asked.

 

"Much better," I answered quickly, inwardly delighted that he cared enough to ask. "Officer—uh, Lieutenant?"

 

Lieutenant Krit chuckled. The sound was light, but it nearly ripped my soul right out of my body. He was so handsome it made my vision blur.

 

"Pick one," he said softly.

"Then... can I call you 'Krit'?"

 

Oh, wow. I wanted to smack myself. But it was already too late-I had said it. Why was my mouth so quick to move before my brain? Was it his fault for shaking me up so much that I couldn't even think straight? But he didn't seem to mind. He simply glanced at me before teasing,

 

"Of course. You're still young, aren't you? Just twenty?"

 

His words made my heart sink immediately. He must already know my age. That day, we met at the hotel and then at the hospital. He learned a lot of things about me, including the fact that I went to the hotel to have sex with that guy, Mr Shane.

Suddenly, the feeling of inferiority and insecurity crept in and took hold of my heart.

 

"What were you about to say earlier?" He asked.

 

"I... I was going to ask where you were headed next. Originally, I wanted to invite you to dinner as a thank-you, but if you're busy, that's okay too."

 

"I have things to take care of today. Still working." A pang of disappointment hit me. I hadn't expected him to turn me down so directly.

 

"Police work doesn't exactly follow a fixed schedule," he added.

"Oh..." I dragged out the sound, unsure how to respond to the sudden silence.

 

"What's wrong? Thinking too much again?" He frowned.

"I just thought... maybe you'd feel like... this whole thing is inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?"

 

"I mean... I'm a host at a bar. After what happened the other day, you might think it's... inconvenient to associate with me."

 

"I'm a police officer, after all. I face things like this every day. And as for professions, people started with different circumstances and necessities in life. Not everyone judged things so easily."

 

"But... I don't know if you'd think I was selling myself. I never truly chose this path, and I had never experienced anything like that before. That day, it almost happened... but in the end, it didn't."

 

"You know, what you just said sounds an awful lot like a confession to the police."

 

"W-what? No! No, that's not what I meant!" I panicked, hastily denying it, my voice laced with anxiety.

 

"Relax, I was just messing with you. I won't arrest you. But the fact that you're saying these things means you know right from wrong. In the future, if you come across something you shouldn't do... just don't do it."

 

"Y-yes..." I lowered my gaze, feeling bad about the wrong decision I had made back then. His scolding was well deserved. "I won't do it again." He let out a quiet hum, then added,

 

"By the way, I wasn't finished earlier. I'm quite busy today, but tomorrow, I'll be free the entire day." My head shot up instantly. "You mean...?"

 

"I'll be free all day tomorrow. If you're available… would you like to meet up?"

 

"Yes! Of course, I'm free," I agreed immediately. "I usually start work at ten, but tomorrow happens to be my day off. Can I get your Line, Krit? I'll send you the location of the place so you can see if it's okay."

 

"Sure." He agreed without hesitation.

 

That night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling in my room, lost in a dreamy daze. Honestly, I wasn't even sure how I got home; it felt as if I were floating on air, wrapped up in the haze of this unexpected encounter. Lieutenant Krit... Krit, the guy warmer than a microwave, had added me on LINE. And tomorrow, I will get to see him again.

 

A smile stretched across my face, unstoppable, as my mind replayed our conversation over and over again. If someone smiles for too long, does it mess up their facial muscles? Like, could it warp them so badly they can't go back to normal? No, I can't have that. I can't show up looking lopsided in front of someone I like. I slapped my cheeks lightly and tried my best to keep a straight face.

 

Ugh... where did mom keep the rubber bands for the garbage bags? I need to use one to snap myself to stop smiling already!