Ziff’s Endearing
~07~
Everyone else was silent, as if time itself had stopped.
All I could hear was the sound of Ziff’s footsteps receding down the stairs, step by step.
Susie, who had always seemed to despise me, hesitated, unsure whether to approach or not.
Tears fell quietly.
Susie still hesitated, seemingly wanting to approach me, but finally decided to follow Ziff down the stairs.
I wiped away my tears and tried to raise from the ground, fighting the urge to call out for Ek or Golf for help.
But I did not have the courage.
The conversation I had overheard still echoed in my mind.
Everyone had thought Ziff might like me, the same way I had begun to believe he did, too.
But it could not be helped…
In truth, he did not feel anything for me.
“Panya, are you okay?”
Ek finally came down the stairs to check on me after two minutes of silence.
“Oh, I’m fine,” I said, using the banister to pull myself to my feet.
I hoped no one would notice that I had twisted my ankle.
I wanted to seek comfort from them, but situation had changed.
So I gave them a faint smile, careful not to meet anyone’s gaze, and lifted the bag of cake from the floor.
The cake was ruined; it could not be given out anymore.
“Open the main doors for me, please.
I can’t get out on my own,” I asked Ek, finally looking up at them.
“Panya, don’t cry.
Ziff’s just acting weird because he’s hungover, you know?”
Ek said, but I could only manage a half-hearted laugh in response.
My ankle throbbed even more now.
If I left it like this any longer, it would swell up and I would not be able to walk comfortably on it for days.
“Can you walk?
I could take you to your department—or your apartment,” Ek offered again, but I shook my head.
They had been working hard, probably about to grab lunch and then come back to keep going on their project.
I could not let myself be a burden.
“I’ll be fine.
I’ll just call my dad to pick me up,” I replied, smiling to reassure him.
“You must really be hurt—your tears are still coming down!”
Golf observed, eyes wide, and I instinctively lifted a hand to touch my cheeks.
He was right…
I was still crying.
I had no idea why I cried so much.
“It’s nothing, really.
Just help me with the door, please.” I replied, tucking the cake bag behind me,
though I knew they had already saw it.
I pitied me for getting myself into this state.
Punya, you should not have been so full of yourself.
I slowly hobbled down the stairs, aware of the guys trailing behind, giving me space and encouragement.
In different light, it would have been funny.
“Thanks, everyone.
Do I need to come back to the engineering department?
Do you still need my help on anything?”
I asked, knowing the answer well.
The guys exchanged uneasy glances, looking uncomfortable.
“We’ll call you if we need anything, Panya.”
That told me all I needed to know—my part in this was over…
I sat waiting for dad to come pick me up from the engineering building, unable to walk on my own.
I did not dare call Paus to come get me.
He was probably with his boyfriend, and if he found out about this, there would be no end to the drama.
I wanted this situation to end quietly.
Ziff got what he needed from me, and I had benefited from him.
So, gradually drifting apart was probably for the best.
I had always thought that a day like this might come.
Tears slipped down, one after another, and I did not care if anyone saw me crying this much.
Golf and one of his teammates lingered nearby, watching me in silence.
I clutched the bag of cake so tightly that my nails dug into my palms.
But this pain, even with my twisted ankle, was nothing compared to the ache inside my chest.
That pain throbbed deeply, painfully, in a way I could not ignore.
Then I looked up, recognizing the familiar sound of my dad’s car approaching along the road to the engineering building.
And yes, there he was, my dad—Papa Joshua—parking alongside the curb and hurrying over to me.
“Papa!” I called out, and more tears spilled over.
Why was I still crying?
“Panya, what happened, sweetheart?
What’s wrong?”
Dad asked in alarm as he reached me, noticing the tearstains on the bag of cake in my lap, looking as though it had been soaked by rain instead of my own tears.
“Papa, I fell down the stairs,” I told him, and the tears began streaming freely again.
I did not know why it was so easy for tears to spill, I only knew that I was bawling from pain.
“Really?
You’re not badly hurt, are you?” Dad asked, carefully helping me up from my seat.
“Not really, Papa, but I think I twisted my ankle,” I mumbled, only for another round of tears to spill over. Get faster updates on g.com.
“Panya, goodness, you’re just like your mom—why the waterworks?”
Dad chuckled softly at my tearfulness, making me pout, though I still managed a smile for Golf, who was standing off to the side with the others.
“Friends of yours?” Dad asked.
I just nodded back, too sore to answer properly.
Once I climbed into dad’s car, I happened to catch sight of Ziff heading back to the building, Susie right by his side.
I quickly looked away, gripping the ruined cake bag tighter.
It was over now…
As much as I wanted to hear it directly from him, I did not have the strength or willpower to endure his dismissal again.
Maybe this was how it was meant to end—meeting, then parting ways.
“Why the long face?
Was there more than just the fall on the stairs?” Dad asked, as if he somehow knew more than he let on.
I just gave him a smile and shook my head.
Maybe it was best to let it all fade away quietly with the breeze.
“Think I’ll go home and ask Mom to make something delicious,” I murmured, swiping a stray tear from my cheek.
“Don’t want to go back to your apartment?
I could take you to the hospital and then drop you off there.”
“No, Papa, I’d rather go home,” I replied with a soft sigh.
“Alright.
I picked up that train LEGO set you like—how about we build it together?”
“Yes, please…”
.
The next morning, I limped my way into the university, struggling with every step…
I had thought I would cry myself at night and wake up looking like a mess, but a few little pills knocked me out so thoroughly it felt like I had been under anesthesia.
Well…
I guess that was a good thing; at least I had not spent all night brooding.
But… I probably would not be going back to the engineering building again.
What would be the point?
No one there needed anything from me anymore.
That thought hurt, but I tried to keep my expression neutral as I noticed Paus approaching.
If he found out that I had had a falling out with Ziff, he would go after him for sure, just like that time at the pool.
“Hey, Pan!
Did you finish your homework?
Can I copy it?”
“Uh… sure, but I’m not sure if it’s all correct,” I replied, smiling
as Paus eyed the bandage wrapped snugly around my ankle, his eyebrow raising.
“What happened to your foot?”
“Oh, just twisted it a little.
It’s fine now,”
Paus sighed and took my backpack from me, slinging it over his shoulder and even offering his arm so I could steady myself.
If only that person could be as kind…
I thought, before shaking my head.
No…
I needed to stop thinking about him already, or else I would end up crying again right here.
“So, you heading over to engineering today?”
Oh, for heaven’s sake… Why did he have to ask that when I was already down enough as it was?
“Not anymore.
Why do you ask?”
I replied as casually as I could, though I knew the truth would come out soon.
I was not great at hiding things.
“Got a new fling in engineering.
So, I thought I might check out this research buddy of yours—see if he’s any good.”
I should end this conversation.
If it kept going, Paus would figure out exactly how Ziff was mean to me yesterday.
“So, what’s he like?
Must be a thrill, huh!?”
“What are you even saying!” I smacked his arm hard, flustered by his wild assumption.
Was he really the second most perverted person I knew, after Ziff?
He was even making the same expression.
Unbelievable.
“Ooh, blushing.
He’s something, isn’t he?”
“Shut up!
There’s nothing going on with him,” I said, trying to cover the quickening of my heart with a firm tone.
Did Paus have to know everything?
Not funny.
“Oh, I can tell.
Guy like him isn’t subtle.
Ziff’s got a reputation that precedes him, you know.
But, I think you haven’t even gone pass the first base with him right?”
“Reputation?”
I repeated confusedly, what did he mean?
“Everyone knows what a flirtatious a promiscuous person Ziff is.
He’s been with a lot of girls.
And now there’s a buzz about you two too…”
Paus’s words made me stop to consider things.
A bad-boy reputation?
Could Ziff have been trying to push me away to keep people from gossiping about us?
But… oh, whatever.
And then, unexpectedly, I got a call summoning me back to the engineering building.
Paus had already left to see his new fling long before Golf called, so now I was left dreading the hike I would have to make on my injured ankle.
How was I supposed to get there?
My ankle would be more swollen than ever.
Golf did not help either; he called again, practically back-to-back, I almost wanted to throw my phone away.
The last thing I wanted was to see Ziff’s face again, and now they were pressuring me on top of it. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
It was exhausting.
But why was Golf the one calling to push me like this, and not Ziff?
Usually, Ziff was the one who had to get his way at any cost, not Golf.
Ugh… never mind.
Argh!
Seriously, Golf, stop calling to rush me.
My ankle was killing me with simple steps.
It was like he was indirectly hurting me.
I finally managed to slip into the engineering building, trailing behind a group of engineering students as they passed through the main doors.
Today, I had not brought any snacks with me at all.
The treats I brought yesterday were long gone, abandoned somewhere.
Besides, this visit for research was bound to be uncomfortable.
“Need some help…”
A random engineering student held out his hand as I was painstakingly inching my way up the stairs like a snail.
I almost cried at his kindness and grabbed his hand without a second thought.
“Thank you so much,” I kept saying repeatedly as he guided me to the research hall.
I nearly made him trip down the ladders with me a few times, luckily, he was sturdy enough to get me there in one piece.
“No worries.
Take care.” he said with a smile and walked off down another hallway.
“Phew…” I let out a relieved breath and wiped the sweat from my forehead, before slowly turning in the direction of the research hall
—only to looked on with wide eyes as spot someone else glaring not far from me.
“…” What should I say?
How should I greet him?
In the end, I managed only a brief smile as I quietly hobbled past him toward the research hall.
I did not want to show him any hint of weakness,
but there was not much I could do about it—I could hardly walk on my own right now.
“Pan, are you okay!” Ek was the first to come over as I entered the research hall.
I did not know why, but my attention was drawn to the person following me.
Ignore him, Panya, just ignore him.
The more I told myself that, the louder the echo in my head seemed to get, it told me to beg him to notice me again.
I must be going crazy.
“I’m fine, I can walk,” I said, clinging subtly to Ek’s arm for support.
For some reason, Ek looked over my shoulder, locking eyes with the person behind me, then let out a dry laugh.
Ignore him, Panya!
“How are you getting home?
It’s already late—will you be okay to walk?”
After we wrapped up our meeting in what felt like a tense, stormy atmosphere, Ek turned to ask.
“I’ll have Joshua pick me up,” I replied, grabbing my bag from the floor, deliberately avoiding looking at Ziff.
Don’t even glance at him!
“Huh—Joshua!” There was a bit of an uproar among the guys when I mentioned who was coming to get me.
What was so shocking?
It was just my dad.
“He picked me up yesterday, you saw him,” I said, feeling a bit puzzled by their reaction.
Just then, Ek nodded and sighed, visibly relieved.
Then, accidentally, I met Ziff’s gaze.
It was the first time in nearly three hours.
Until now, I had done everything possible to pretend I did not know him.
He was just air to me.
But why did he look so angry?
I looked away quickly and reached for my phone, planning to call dad, but before I knew it, Ziff reached over, snatching my phone right out of my hand.
Then he took my bag and lifted me up effortlessly.
“Ziff!” I gasped his name in surprise, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes.
What did he want?
This was far from funny!
“I’m heading out,” he announced curtly to the others, carrying me swiftly away.
“I can go home myself.
You don’t need to send me home,” I stared at him as he set me down in the passenger seat of his car.
I had not said anything while he was carrying me, not wanting to attract even more attention.
“…” But Ziff did not respond.
Instead, he leaned in and kissed me fiercely.
I was stunned, then confused, unable to control myself.
Finally, he pulled away and started the car in silence.
I wanted to scold, to scream, to hit him, but all I could do was clench my fists on my lap, fighting back my feelings with everything I had.
Heartless, stubborn man.
As I had expected, Ziff drove us back to his condo.
He did not say a word, only carried my bag, my shoes, and, of course, me.
As much as I resisted, I ended up wrapping my arms around his neck instinctively.
And in that moment, I had to admit to myself just how much influence he had over me…
We had not spoken in just one day, but it felt like a year since we had seen each other.
When we reached his door, Ziff tossed my shoes aside and kicked off his own sneakers haphazardly.
I thought he would finally set me down, but he did not…
He just continued to carry me straight into his bedroom, the air between us was foreign and I had just realized that he was furious.