Wills’s Embrace
~05~
Now, the klutz, Wanjan, was finally dressed in the clothes I had bought for her last time.
What irritated me was how this girl seemed to stumble into every situation possible until she was practically disabled now.
She never seemed to understand her own limits.
She already had a cast on her leg, yet still managed to injure herself even more.
I felt my annoyance simmer as I looked at her flushed face.
Honestly, I could not believe I was even involved in all this, especially after deciding to stay out of her life.
My mind drifted back to the events a few hours earlier.
After going outside to cool off when I received that damned photo, I had gone to Clay’s bar for a drink and found Ziff sneaking out for a smoke…
Believe me, that guy was more in love with nicotine than he would ever be with his plain girlfriend.
’What are you doing here?’
Ziff asked as I sank into a chair beside him.
’And you?
What brings you here?’ I avoided his question by firing one back.
’Hiding out, having a drink.
Believe it or not, the beer in the fridge at home is completely gone, so I came here to get a drink,’ Ziff explained, looking completely pathetic.
One look at him, and I already knew what had happened.
’So, your plain girlfriend tossed out all your beer?’
I asked, turning my gaze to see Clay approaching with a questioning look from across the bar.
Ignoring them both, I turned to the bartender and ordered a drink.
’Ginotto No.
2.
’Didn’t I tell you that only I get to call her plain?’ Ziff frowned, clearly annoyed.
’Fine.
What am I supposed to call her, then?’
Honestly, I could not even remember his girlfriend’s name—I just knew she was cute.
And another thing, Ziff guarded her as if his life depended on it.
’Panya.
Her name’s Panya.’
’Hey!
That’s my drink,’ I protested when Ziff suddenly grabbed my cocktail and took a sip nonchalantly.
’You know something?’
he said, frowning as soon as he finished my drink.
Why would I know anything about his troubles?
I signaled the bartender for another cocktail to replace the one Ziff had snatched.
’Every time I try to have a beer, she starts crying, saying my liver’s as hard as stone.
I nearly spat the beer in her face.
Why can’t I just say what I want?’
Hearing him whine like this, I had no doubt my friend had changed for good.
I swore then and there I would never end up like him—it was disturbing to watch.
Not even funny.
’Ziff’s lost it,’
Clay said, echoing my exact thoughts.
’Tch… If I go back to the room, I’m sure I’ll have another headache,’ Ziff muttered, ruffling his hair in frustration.
That kind of scene would never happen to me…
’So, did you two plan to meet here?
You don’t usually come out to see friends, do you, Ziff…’
Clay jabbed at Ziff, who was sitting there looking completely out of sorts.
I took a sip of my cocktail, trying to drown out my irritation.
’Nope, no appointment.
Like I said, I’m just hiding out from my plain girlfriend for a drink,’ Ziff replied, grabbing my second Ginotto without missing a beat.
“Ziff!”
I shouted, furious, but he ignored me, still looking troubled.
Clay, probably tired of the chaos, just wandered off.
’What are you doing here?
Not staying with your girl?
She’s wearing a cast, isn’t she?’
Of course, he had to bring up the exact thing that was already bugging me…
None of my friends seemed to understand a thing by just looking at my face.
’Did you two have a fight?’
When I did not answer, he pressed on.
’Not exactly…’ I muttered, avoiding his gaze and pretending to be busy with my phone.
And, of course, that was when I saw it again…
That photo of Wanjan and that guy, Dylan.
Damn it.
My irritation flared.
Maybe I looked too tense because Ziff suddenly grabbed my phone, looking back and forth between me and the screen, his eyes widening.
’So this is what’s got you all worked up…’
Of course, my friend nailed it on the head.
I did not confirm or deny it, just stayed silent.
’Did you ask your girl about it?’ Ziff continued, and I just shook my head.
’So you’re mad, huh?’
’Does my face look happy right now?’ I shot back, glancing at him in frustration.
If I threw this cocktail at his face, I wondered—would the glass or his face break first?
’You haven’t talked to Wanjan about this?
Her name’s Wanjan, right?
And remember, didn’t I come to you for help with something similar?
You helped me deal with those blackmail photos Susie sent to mess with my girl, even though they were real.
Don’t you think whoever sent this photo might have had the same intention Susie did with me?’
He was right…
I should have checked if the image was fake before anything else.
Why the hell did I just kick Wanjan out like that?
’I don’t even know if this photo’s real or not, but I don’t want to jump to conclusions, either.
Use that tiny brain of yours and analyze it first, will you?’
’Careful, Ziff, or you’ll end up sunbathing in hell,’
Tch…
If his brain was so much better than mine, why did he come to me for help in the first place?
Irritating.
’So you stormed off without saying anything to her?’ Ziff asked, handing the phone back to me.
I stared again at the two figures in the photo, grateful I had not deleted it earlier.
’I even kicked her out of my place,’ I said, slipping my phone back into my shirt pocket, now intending to leave, even though I had not had a single drink.
’You’re an idiot!’ Ziff snapped, but I just shrugged without a care.
’She’s in a cast—where’s she gonna go?’
I muttered as I turned and walked away, ignoring whatever else Ziff might have said after that.
The first thing to do when I got back was to check if the photo was real or not.
After that, I would ask Wanjan herself, even if it made her angry…
No, she would probably hate me enough never to speak to me again.
When I got back to my place, I let out a frustrated sigh.
Wanjan was gone…
I searched every corner of my apartment, only to find a thousand baht left on the dining table.
Other than that, the place was empty—everything I had bought for her was still sitting there untouched.
And as for the girl herself… nowhere to be found.
All night, I wondered where she could have gone.
Using her full name, I quickly gathered all the information I could on her, but by the time I was done, I was beyond exhausted.
And finally… I found out Wanjan was at the hospital.
I was both angry and frustrated with myself, never expecting that things would end up with her in the hospital like this.
Once I finished up my work, I wasted no time heading over to the hospital to bring her back here.
Wanjan was already asleep, but I still did not know what to do next.
And then there was the photo.
I have to admit, it shook me deeply.
I was angry and furious with Wanjan that such an image had surfaced, and even angrier knowing that the photo was undoubtedly not photoshopped.
And the guy in the picture, smiling at the camera, was someone I despised.
Dylan…
I had afternoon classes, so I forced myself to leave Wanjan sleeping soundly and quietly.
I would deal with this later.
I was able to verify that the photo was taken a long time ago
—almost two years ago.
But Wanjan’s first was me.
So, I decided to trust myself this time and dig into the truth about what had really happened.
The story between Dylan and Wanjan definitely had something off about it.
That thought put me at ease, at least a little.
Besides, with how badly injured she was now, she would not be going anywhere.
I would leave her alone for now.
Then again… what if she had not eaten and fainted from hunger?
“Tch… This girl drives me insane,” I muttered, heading to the kitchen to make something for her to eat when she woke up.
I could not resist making a face at the two clueless goldfish swimming in the tank.
“You two are getting on my nerves too,” I grumbled, setting a plate of pasta on the counter and covering it with plastic wrap.
But how was I supposed to wake her up to eat…
The frustration grew.
I wanted to be mad at her, yet I could not direct it toward her.
How I wished I could hate her.
If only I could.
End Wills’s talk…
The sound of my phone ringing jarred me awake, my head spinning as if I were paying for all my past sins.
It was Rinrin… Had I ever mentioned how merciless this girl was?
I mean, she could be downright brutal.
Not long after she yelled and cursed me out to her satisfaction, I had no choice but to open the door (Wills’s door) and let the devil in angel’s disguise, Rinrin, into the room.
“Who exactly are you staying here with!”
Rinrin demanded, clearly displeased, as she set her bag down and flopped onto the sofa.
“Wills…” I answered, certain that Rinrin did not know who Wills was.
“Huh!
What’s that?”
Rinrin scowled, eyeing me before coming closer and pulling something off my forehead.
I rubbed my head; it stung a bit.
“‘Get something to eat.
I made pasta—it’s in the kitchen.
Wills.’ Who the hell sticks a note on someone’s forehead?” she read out loud, glaring at me.
Wills… he did this?
Wanjan, you little troublemaker.
Not only did you run away from home and escape the hospital, but you’re shacking up with a guy, just the two of you?”
“You’re accusing me!” I protested as Rinrin looked ready to pile on more wierd accusations.
“Then why are you here?
What about your place?
Or that apartment of your mom’s?
If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll call Auntie Wansook and Uncle Alan right now.”
This ruthless friend…
Our parents were best friends, so Rinrin and I were practically like sisters.
Whatever was going on with me, she somehow knew it all.
“Dylan already knows I was staying at that apartment,”
I lied!
Dylan was probably heading to the hospital to find me right now.
Ugh… why did everything have to be such a tangled mess?
I could scream.
“So, that’s why I’m temporarily staying here,”
That part was not a lie…
Who knows—Wills might come back in the evening and kick me out again.
Believe me, no one could predict that man’s mood.
He was so his own person, it sometimes felt like he came from another world that no one else knew about.
That was what I thought, anyway.
“You mean with this Wills person?” Rinrin said sternly, tossing the sticky note he had plastered on my forehead who knows when.
“Yes.” That was all I could say, not really knowing what else to add.
“And how long do you plan on staying here?”
Another simple question with no easy answer.
“I’m trying to figure out a way for Wills to let me go,” I muttered, lowering my gaze.
Why… why did everything seem to go wrong for me all the time?
“Do you really want to get away from this Wills guy?” Rinrin asked, and I nodded immediately.
“If that’s the case… I’ll help you become a woman he’ll want to kick out within three days.”
Kick out?
What a brutal term.
I wondered what kind of mischief Rinrin’s perfectly beautiful head held inside.
“Do as I say, and this Wills person will definitely want you out.”
Honestly, there was a good chance Wills would come back and kick me out on his own anyway.
“Isn’t that a bit much…”
“Trust me, Wanjan…” Rinrin replied, looking self-assured.
But why did her gaze suddenly feel so devious and intimidating?
I had to admit—I was a little terrified of her.
“Did you eat all that?”
When Wills returned, he did not kick me out like I had expected.
Instead, he pointed at the empty plate of pasta with surprise.
I nodded, unable to explain that I had only eaten a few bites—the rest had been devoured by the devil named Rinrin…
Wills looked at me as if he could not quite believe it.
What did he think, that I would just dumped it all in the trash?
My thoughts were a complete jumble right now.
I did not want to be around Wills; I did not want to feel unsettled by him.
And I certainly did not want to get kicked out again…
So, I would make him want me gone.
Even if he was the one doing the kicking, the truth was I would have maneuvered it myself…
But either way, it all sounded pretty pathetic.
“Tired?”
I asked, starting off with the first part of Rinrin’s master plan that had been forced into my head: talk to him sweetly.
“Are you running a fever or something?”
Of course, Wills was not buying it.
He was sharp as a tack—there was no way he would not catch on.
“You look tired.
Do you want a massage?” I said, shuffling around to stand behind him.
Then I started to knead his shoulders and the back of his neck.
Strange… men’s bodies were much firmer than I thought.
His muscles were solid, and it took a lot more effort than it did when I massaged Rinrin.
“You’re seriously creeping me out,” Wills said, and honestly, I felt the same way.
“Is there something you want to tell me, Wanjan?
Don’t do this—it’s freaking me out.”
“I… I.”
How could I tell him I did not want to be around him anymore?
He would probably split my head open a second time and kick my brain around like a soccer ball.
“Well…”
“I, I want to… have…
um… a chat… uh, with you…” I stammered, barely able to get the words out.
Wills immediately choked on the water he was drinking.
“You want have sex with me!?” Wills turned to me, wide-eyed, and I was just as stunned.
“No…
You misheard.”
Yes… he had totally misunderstood.
Only because I was stumbling over my words.
“Alright then… I’ll take care of that for you,”
he said, clearly getting the wrong idea as he wrapped me in his arms, lifted me off the floor, and headed straight for the bedroom.
“Wills!”
“I’ll give you everything you want, Wanjan.”
I went completely stiff as Wills carried me into the bedroom and laid me down on the bed.