Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai

Chapter 5

"Hey, where are you rushing off to? I need to talk to you." Khwanruethai slowed her pace when she heard the voice calling out behind her. She didn't even want to see his face, not after what she'd seen. Her mind was filled with indecent images.

"What do you want? Or did you suddenly feel like ordering more food? It's too late for that today. We're out of everything." She held up an empty basket as proof.

"Were you the one who sneaked into Dr. Prometh's house this morning?"

"Who told you that? It wasn't me!" She looked away, clearly uneasy, unable to stop herself from blushing as she recalled seeing him earlier wrapped in nothing but a towel. It was her first time getting such a good look at him, and the vision stuck. As scandalous as it was, she had to admit he was undeniably handsome. His physique was muscular and solid, just like a soldier's. His high nose and strikingly red lips were features almost too pretty for a man. But her bias led her to think,

"What kind of guy has such a sweet face? Oh, of course... he's not a guy, is he?" She hadn't realized she was smiling to herself until his sharp eyes pinned her with an intense, interrogative stare.

"Don't lie to me. I remember that hat. You snuck into the room and ran off when you saw me with Prometh."

"That guy... your boyfriend?"

The young man stiffened, his dark brows knitting together.

"I knew you'd get the wrong idea. It's not like that between me and Prometh..." He hadn't even finished his sentence when Khwanruethai burst out laughing, waving a dismissive hand to stop him.

"Enough, enough. If you're here to explain this morning, don't bother. I'm just a regular person trying to make a living. I don't care about other people's private business. And besides, I'm not a blabbermouth." She wasn't one to spread rumors and only confided in a couple of close friends, Mai and Samlee. But if history was anything to go by, that little secret about him and the doctor alone in a room was probably already halfway around the marketplace.

"I'm trying to be civil with you here. And spreading false gossip about others isn't exactly the right thing to do."

The accusation made Khwanruethai bristle, her voice rising in anger.

"Listen here. In a small town like this, if you don't want people talking, then don't give them anything to talk about. Maybe learn to close your door! Or do you want people going blind?"

She lifted her chin defiantly.

Chatklao only shook his head, barely smiling. "A pointless conversation... Seems like someone skipped out on school."

Her face burned, feeling like she'd been slapped. She'd had plenty of fights in her life, some even physical, but he had a way of making her feel utterly humiliated with just a few words.

"Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Yeah, I'm talking about you. Whatever, I don't have the energy to argue with a kid."

"Who are you calling a kid?"

Khwanruethai rose on her tiptoes, leaning in close and rolling up her sleeves, clearly ready for a fight. But the man just stood there, unmoved. It was as if she could feel an invisible slap across her face. Even without a word, his stance made it clear that he saw her as nothing more than a child.

Khwanruethai had grown up with her older brother, and unlike other girls her age, she'd always been more of a tomboy. Experience had taught her to be tough to survive, especially since she had to look out for her younger friends, Mai and Samlee. She'd even had her fair share of scuffles with Sornram.