9

                                    

                                          
Arthit's POV
                          
Saturday came. 
                          
I was yawning my way to the locker room. 
                          
It's 8:00 in the morning.
                          
There was nobody yet in the gym so I assumed the locker room would be empty as well. 
                          
I can take a nap before they arrive. 
                          
The thought of Kongpob and Sahit together still bothered me. 
                          
Kongpob is too playful for a sweet girl like Sahit. 
                          
She might look and act fierce but she's definitely fragile. 
                          
Moreover, it irks me. 
                          
Why it has to be Kongpob?
                          
My heart tightened at the thought. 
                          
He has been occupying my mind since the day I found out he was Sahit's lover.
                          
And if he really was, why was he teasing me? 
                          
If I didn't know he was Sahit's, I would have thought he was hitting on me. 
                          
Why am I casually thinking about it? 
                          
He is a man, Arthit. 
                          
I tried to ignore where my thoughts were leading me. 
                          
On the contrary,  maybe he was just having fun teasing me. 
                          
Yes, that's it. 
                          
I won't let him have fun at my expense anymore. 
                          
When I reached the locker room, I walked straight to the bench and leaned my head on the wall next to it. 
                          
I woke up needlessly early this morning and I couldn't go back to sleep so I've thought of going to the gym instead. 
                          
I was thinking of warming up before the tryout begins but sleep is all I could think of at the moment. 
                          
I closed my eyes to drift off to dreamland. 
                          
I was about to sleep when I smelled something -- a delicious aroma of a hot chocolate. 
                          
"Good morning, " a voiced greeted me. 
                          
When I opened my eyes, I saw Kongpob with a warm smile on his lips. 
                          
He extended his arms towards me, offering me a drink. 
                          
This is my first time to see him after that night. 
                          
My heart was somewhat disturbed by him. 
                          
It was uneasy. 
                          
"Yo, " I said awkwardly. 
                          
"You're an early bird, captain. " he offered the drink on his hand again. 
                          
I took it reluctantly. 
                          
He sat beside me.  
                          
"Yeah, I can't believe it myself. " I retorted. 
                          
I heard him chuckled but he never spoke. 
                          
"So are you, what are you doing here? " I asked after I sipped from the cup. 
                          
"Tryout, " he said. 
                          
I nodded. 
                          
He sipped a cup of coffee in his hand as well.
                          
His presence sent a kind of serene atmosphere for me.
                          
We stayed awkwardly quiet for a while. 
                          
"How's Sahit? " I asked. For lack of better words to say and to break the ice between us. 
                          
He looked at me, his eyes squinted. 
                          
I should always remember not to ask about Sahit with him. 
                          
It felt like he doesn't want me to. 
                          
I would understand if he was jealous. 
                          
If I were her boyfriend, I would be selfish of her as well. 
                          
But I will never understand how someone should be when in a relationship since I haven't had a real one yet. 
                          
"She's fine, " he answered. "I think. " he looked like she's not interested in talking about her. 
                          
If you're in love you should like talking about that person, right?
                          
"Why do you ask? " he asked.
                          
"Just because," for a while there I saw him gritted his teeth.
                          
"Ask her, if you really want to know. " He sounded irritated. 
                          
I smirked. "Wait,  You aren't mad,  are you? " I asked. 
                          
"No, " he said sternly. 
                          
"If you say so, " I stood up. "You did not come here early just to piss me, I hope? "
                          
"Nope, when did I piss you off? " he asked innocently. 
                          
"Too many to mention, Kongpob. "
                          
"I am not trying to piss you off though. It was just my way of showing you I care. " he teased. 
                          
Don't react. 
                          
Don't let him have fun. 
                          
I told myself. 
                          
I mustered a bored look. 
                          
"I came here to practice. I haven't played in a while so I might be a little rusty on playing. " he smiled. The widest one he showed me today. 
                          
I couldn't help but smile playfully, "Are you saying that just in case you lose later? " I teased. 
                          
"Wanna bet? " he challenged me. 
                          
"I am confident with-, " I was cut off by him. 
                          
He took out his basketball shoes from his duffle bag and started to put it on. "Say if I win, you owe me a favor. And if you win, I am at your service. I'll do whatever you want. " he offered. 
                          
I have thought about it although it triggered the competitive side of me. 
                          
I smiled proudly, "You are that confident huh? "
                          
He stood up and crouched towards me to take a better look at my face. "Not really, just to make this game more interesting. "
                          
My lips twitched.
                          
So? " waiting for my answer. 
                          
"Su-sure, " I was caught off guard."prepare for the worst then, I won't go easy on you. " I said. I was glad I was able to say it straight. 
                          
I was startled when he leaned even closer in a quick manner so I pulled myself away on reflex. 
                          
I almost hit myself on the wall, luckily he was quick enough to place his hands between my head and the wall. 
                          
"Be careful, I wouldn't want to see you hurt. " our nose almost touched. 
                          
I could see the amusement in his eyes clearly. 
                          
This guy is really playful. I thought. 
                          
I pushed him away. I heard him chuckled and walked up to his locker again. 
                          
"Why do you have to come close, anyway?" I said angrily. 
                          
He didn't respond. I was about to walk away when I remember something. "Th-thank you, " almost a whisper. I was embarrassed. 
                          
"Hmm? " he grunted. 
                          
"You heard it, " I refused to repeat what I said. "For this, " showed him the cup of hot choco. 
                          
"Just thank you? " in a playful tone again. "It would have been better if it comes with your heart. "
                          
I couldn't hold it any longer. 
                          
So much for not letting him have fun at my expense again. 
                          
I yelled his name at the top of my lungs! 
                          
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