Chapter 2.1- Shaping a Heart
"Wrong, wrong, wrong! All of it is wrong!"
"Nee khun!" Veemon slammed her palms on the desk and angrily stood up from her rolling chair, which rolled back about a feet. She was getting angry because she hadn't gotten any work done since morning. This was her first day, but training with Theppiwat made her feel that it had been many treacherous years. All morning, he continously picked on her and she was holding onto her last nerve at the moment.
"What?" he asked her, with a bad boy smirk. "If you really want to learn...
"...then you have to listen to me," Veemon finished, mocking him.
He had been saying that all morning. She was annoyed by it.
"I'm going on break," she said, stomping out of the office.
"Nee!" he called after her.
"It is my break time now," said Veemon. "I'm sorry but you can't stop me from taking my break."
Theppiwat quickly glanced at his watch, which read "3:00 pm".
"Oh, you're right," he said, with a smile. "It is break time."
Veemon rolled her eyes and continued her way into the elevator. Theppiwat followed closely at her heels.
"Why are you following me?" she asked him.
"Who said I was following you?" he asked her smartly. "I'm going break."
Veemon rolled her eyes and folded her arms.
"And when we come back, you have to finish that portfolio before you leave to go home tonight," said Theppiwat.
Veemon ignored him. Theppiwat smirked and rubbed his nose.
"Nee khun, why are you walking so fast?"
Theppiwat continued to follow Veemon out into the parking lot.
"And you said you're not following me," she said. "Why are you behind me?"
"Khun krub, this is my company na krub," said Theppiwat. "I can do and go wherever I want. And right now, I change my mind. I'm gonna follow you and go wherever you go."
"But that's not...
"Come on," said Theppiwat, grabbing her wrist. "Let's go get some coffee and tea."
"Nee!" Veemon, angrily retracting her hand from his grasp. "You need to show some respect to your employees!"
"Right now, we're not on the clock so I don't have to do that," said Theppiwat. He smirked again and watched her annoyed reactions.
"I'm not going with you," said Veemon.
"But I want to return your gratitude towards me from last night," said Theppiwat. "We'll get coffee, tea, or whatever you want. I don't like owing anyone anything. You helped me last night and I'm grateful for that. I just want to repay your kindness."
Veemon shook her head for she was getting confused. "Huh?" she asked him reassuringly. She had to make sure she had heard right. Suddenly, her phone rang, to which she turned around and answered right away.
"Hello, Singh," said Veemon, greeting her best friend over the phone.
Theppiwat stepped closer to her and listened closely.
"No, I'm on break," Veemon told Singh over the phone. "No."
"Can we go now?" Theppiwat interrupted.
Veemon turned around and shot an angry look at him.
"I'll talk to you later, Singh," said Veemon, eyeing Theppiwat angrily. She put the phone back in her purse without taking her eyes off of him.
"You are so rude," she said to him.
"That's just how I am," said Theppiwat. "Now, let's go...ma'am."
"When did I say I was going with you?" Veemon asked him. "If you want to go, you may go now."
"But I told you that I don't like owing anyone anything," said Theppiwat.
"What is your problem?" asked Veemon.
"My problem is that I don't like owing anyone anything," replied Theppiwat. "Clear yet?"
"Fine, I'll go with you," said Veemon, finally. "Coffee only and just this once."
Theppiwat nodded and smiled. "Chern krub," he said, opening the passenger door for her.
"This is my car," said Veemon.
"We can take your car," said Theppiwat. "It's here. I parked in the garage. Let's not waste time, right?"
Veemon got into the passenger side of her own car and handed her keys over to him. Theppiwat gladly took it and seated himself comfortably in the driver seat. He glanced over to his feisty passenger, smiled at her, and started the car. Veemon rolled her eyes.
Namthip knocked and knocked harder and louder each time. Chananon awoke with a start and opened the door, thinking housekeeping was outside his door.
"Hey! Thip!" Chananon's surprise expression made Akkadej come out the room next door.
"Aow, P'Ak, you were next door?" Namthip asked Akkadej.
"Namthip, what are you doing?" asked Akkadej.
"I should ask you two that," said Namthip. "What are you two thinking? Why would you want to play like that? Why would you lie to my friend like that?"
"Aow, explain," Chananon said to Akkadej.
"Ngai P'Ak, go ahead," said Namthip. "Since when did you know Sutthida? And, why would you want us to act along in this play?"
"She assumes that I am on vacation," said Akkadej. "So, I just want to leave it at that."
"Why can't you just tell her the truth?" asked Namthip. "What's so hard about that?"
"I don't like and am not comfortable telling people things like that," said Akkadej. "Especially when Khun Sutthida doesn't know me. I don't want her to think that I'm stuck up."
"Mai dai reuang wah," said Chananon.
"P'Ak, are you a pra'ek now?" asked Namthip.
"I...
"Aow, aow, aow, you don't have to answer," said Namthip. "I'll play along with you but I don't know how long I will be able to hide from her. Sutthida is my best friend, like my sister, so I don't want to make her feel unfamiliar."
"I know," said Akkadej. "I'd rather her find out on her own. Right now, she can assume whatever she wants. I don't want to prove her wrong. I don't want to tell her otherwise because it may make her view me differently."
"You're so weird, P'Ak," said Namthip. "Well, see you two around, Khun Chananon, Khun Akkadej."
She returned to her room but Sutthida was not there. There was a note on the refrigerator that read, "Be back soon na peuan."
"Would you like for me to take that for you?"
Sutthida put her phone down, another selfie failed attempt, surprised to see Chananon standing before her.
"Khun...
"Chananon krub," said Chananon, reminding Sutthida his name.
"How do you like it here so far?" he asked her.
"Nice warm breeze...I love it," replied Sutthida. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I like taking walks along the shore to watch the sunset," said Chananon.
"Me too," said Sutthida, with a smile. "Do you come here often?"
"Uh...krub, I do," replied Chananon.
"This is my very first time," said Sutthida. "I actually came to Thailand to get some personal business done and Namthip is my best friend, so I'm staying with her for the while being. She's here for work though. I'm here for leisure."
She gave a slight laugh, making Chananon smile.
"So, that means you only know Khun Namthip, right?" asked Chananon.
"You could say that," replied Sutthida.
"And...Akkadej," said Chananon.
"Oh, Khun Akkadej," repeated Sutthida. "I don't really know him but he is a very nice guy."
"P'Non!"
Chananon turned around and Sutthida looked past him into the distance to see the subject of their conversation running towards them.
"Aow, Khun Sutthida," said Akkadej.
"Hello," she said, greeting him.
"Sawadee krub," said Akkadej. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Kha," she replied. "How about you?"
"Krub," said Akkadej. "We're about to have dinner. Would you care to join us?"
"If you asked me earlier, I would've said yes but I ate already," Sutthida replied. "So, no thank you."
"If that's so, why don't we all have dinner together tomorrow evening?" Chananon suggested. "Uh...invite your friend, Namthip as well."
Akkadej smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Thank you," said Sutthida, with a smile. "I will let her know."
"I forgot to ask how long you will be staying here," Akkadej said to Sutthida.
"Hmm...I will be staying here for about two weeks until Namthip will be done withe her work," Sutthida told them. "But, I will be in Thailand for a while because I have something important to take care of."
"Oh, I see," said Akkadej.
Sutthida sighed and smiled. "You guys should go ahead to your dinner," she said. "I don't want to keep you here talking to me. See you tomorrow."
"Krub," said Akkadej and Chananon, simultaneously.
"See you tomorrow," said Chananon.
"Kha, have a good night na kha," said Sutthida.
"Have a good night, krub," said Akkadej.