Listening to the Heart

Chapter 24

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Singto's POV

I had been so focused on getting Cooheart into the right knee exercise position that I didn't hear the front door opening right away. But when I felt the cold air rushing into the living room, I turned my head without getting off from Cooheart's leg.

The guy who came in through the door looked first at me and then at Cooheart, and then suddenly his pleasant face turned hostile.

"Just how many more boyfriends am I going to see with you apart from Nicky and Title?" I heard him address Cooheart before quickly disappearing through another part of the house.

Cooheart and I looked at each other wide-eyed.

"What was that all about?" I asked Cooheart.

"I have no idea," Cooheart replied.

"Who is he?" I needed to know.

"He's one of the students who go to the nearby university. My mom rented out my room to him while I was abroad because the off campus dormitory that we own was full," Cooheart explained.

"Do you have a room to stay now that you're back?" I asked but on hindsight I told myself that it was none of my business to know about my client's rooming situation.

I knew I shouldn't have asked because I saw the hesitation and the look of discomfort on his face.

"You don't have to answer that," I said quickly, "the important thing is that you have a comfortable bed during the night so that your muscles do not hurt when you wake up in the morning."

Cooheart just nodded without looking at me.

"Let's continue with your knee exercises," I suggested.

The rest of our therapy session went without a hitch but every now and then we could hear something being slammed against some hard surface somewhere in the house.

When I declared our session over, it was close to lunch time.

"Why don't you stay and have lunch with me?" Cooheart offered.

I hesitated.

"Does your mother allow you to invite anyone for meals without getting her permission?" I asked.

At that exact moment, his mother walked out the door of a room that was adjacent to the receiving area which I could see from the living room. The door had a gold plated metal label above it that said "OFFICE". I assumed that that was where she conducted her business affairs as owner of her dormitory business.

"Oh, you're my son's physical therapist, right?" she asked.

I quickly stood up from the couch and bowed to her.

"Yes, I am," I replied, "my name is Singto."

"And are you still doing the therapy? Am I interrupting your session?" she asked.

"No, no, no, we're finished. I was just getting ready to leave," I assured her.

And then at that exact moment, the housekeeper appeared and announced that lunch was ready.

Mrs. Namwirote turned to me.

"For as long as you're still here, why don't you stay for lunch?" she offered.

"I had invited him earlier but he wasn't sure if you allowed me to invite guests without asking your permission," Cooheart piped in.

Cooheart's mom smiled.

"You know that you can invite anyone for meals, son," his mom said, "if there's anyone that you would need to notify, it would be Rose because she's the cook."

Cooheart took me by the hand.

"Let's go," Cooheart said, guiding me to the dining room.

"Do you know if Kao is back from his trip?" Mrs. Namwirote asked Rose.

"Yes, ma'am," she replied, "let me go get him from his room."

While Rose went to get Kao, Cooheart made me sit beside him at table while Mrs. Namwirote took the chair that was at the head of the table.

There was another place that Rose had set across the table from Cooheart and me. I assumed that that place was for Kao.

"Where did Kao go this morning, mom?" Cooheart asked.

"He told me that he was going to his home city to pick up his car so that he can move around much faster instead of relying on our city buses," Mrs. Namwirote informed her son.

In a little bit, Kao appeared at the doorway of the dining room. His eyes widened upon seeing me seated beside Cooheart.

He bowed to Mrs. Namwirote.

"I'm so sorry but I won't be able to join you for lunch today," he said, trying to sound regretful but somehow I could tell that he was not feeling it at all, "I need to go to the mall to buy some materials for my school project. But I will be back in time for dinner."

"Very well, Kao," Mrs. Namwirote, "so were you able to bring your car back here?"

"Yes, I did," Kao replied, "I will be using it to drive myself to the mall now."

"Have fun at the mall," Cooheart tried to say, but Kao just bowed once more and turned away.

I found myself enjoying the lunch that was served by Rose.

I gobbled up the rib-eye Philadelphia cheesesteak in just a few bites. The caramelized red onion rings tasted a little sweet, much to my liking. I thought how lucky Cooheart was to have a mom who cooked so well. And then I remembered that it wasn't Mrs. Namwirote who had prepared the lunch. It had been Rose. Lucky Cooheart to have Rose for a cook.

Soon it was time for me to leave.

I thanked Mrs. Namwirote for the lovely lunch and bid her and Cooheart goodbye.

As I stepped into the driveway, I was surprised to see Kao stepping out of his car. I thought he said he was going to the mall. Or had he gone to the mall already and had just come back. But then again I had heard him say that he was planning to come back just in time for dinner. I couldn't help wondering what was going on with him.

I decided that I was not going to dwell on it and was just about to pass him by when he walked towards me, his face looking a bit hostile.

"Hey," he said to me, "I just thought I'd warn you that Cooheart already has a string of boyfriends to his name."

"I'm not interested in Cooheart," I replied, "I'm just here to give him his doctor authorized physical therapy."

I noticed Kao's cheeks getting tinged with a delicate pink.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he was beside himself with apologies, "I have this bad habit of jumping to conclusions. Do you have a ride to wherever you need to go? I can give you a ride in my car."

"No, thanks, I have my own car," I replied.

"Okay, then, bye, and sorry again for the misunderstanding," Kao said, looking undecided as to whether to go inside the house or back to his car.