BLANK ซีรีส์ 2024 (Original Story)

CHAPTER ONE: Cheerful Girl

"Where are you from, Ar-Nueng?"

"Why are you here? Why don't you go home?"

I lifted my watch to look at the time and frowned.

"It's almost 9 p.m."

"I waited for you at the market, but you didn't show up. You look very beautiful today. Where did you go? Who were you with? Tell me now."

A-Nueng. She's a young customer of mine, a student, who sat in front of me to sketch her portrait a few weeks ago. Now asks me this and that as if I were prized possession. Oh my. This crazy kid. Even my grandmother doesn't dare to interfere in my personal life because she couldn't, because I had already run away.

"I won't tell you. It's none of your business. And stop calling me Ar-Nueng. Since when did we become close?"

"Since you sketched a portrait of me,"

The kid gave me a Duchenne smile. I'm not sure if she is expecting me to worship her or something, but I maintained a neutral expression. I didn't like it, and I didn't feel persuaded by that smile at all.

"Does that mean I get close to every customer I sketch?"

I choose to refer to myself as "I" because I don't know what to use. Calling myself 'Auntie' would give her the impression that we were closer than before. Argh!

"Hurry home. It's getting late. It's dangerous outside."

"Then tell me where you are. I will go home as soon as I know."

"Hey!"

I raised my voice at the rude kid who kept asking about my personal affairs. But then I got tired of seeing the child still smiling broadly at me.

"You're annoyed, aren't you? Look at your face."

The petite circled me and poked her face, trying to look cute.

"Usually you look like you don't feel anything. I like seeing you frustrated like this."

"Can't you stop bothering me?"

I asked directly. But the person in front of me was more direct. She shook her head vigorously in response.

"No I can't do that. You are my happiness."

"Huh?"

"You are the right person for me."

A-Nueng winked at me and pointed her finger in a cool pose.

"I feel powerful when I'm with you."

"What!?"

The child ran to hug me tightly after saying that. She did that shamelessly, while I tried to push her away. But it seemed like the more I tried to get her off of me, the tighter her hug got. This kid has an iron grip that exceeds my expectations.

"You drinking? I can smell the tan on you. What are you celebrating?"

[TAN- A fruit that some people think smells like alcohol.]

"I'm not celebrating. Someone treated me. Can you let me go? This is annoying."

"OMG. Ar-Nueng is upset. Very good. I made you frustrated and annoyed. Look. Your face shows it all. Your expressions are always so cute that it's hard to read your emotions."

"Why are you bothering me?"

"Because I like you."

This is probably the hundredth time this child has confessed her love to me. I sighed tiredly and stood still until A-Nueng hugged me without any resistance.

"You shouldn't be that easy at this young age. How can you like someone so easily? And are you not at all embarrassed to say that?"

"You're the only person I'm not embarrassed by when I'm near you. I want to confess my love to you all the time. Keeping your feelings to yourself is suffocating, Ar-Nueng."

"So you took your emotions out on me?"

"And I am your release. When you are frustrated, you can vent your anger at me. When you are angry, you can yell at me. Great right?"

I gave her a bored expression. I don't understand this kid at all. How could someone like this exist? Does she like it when get frustrated, angry and annoyed with her?

"I won't be frustrated or angry with you from now on. Remember that."