Chapter 6: Chapter 6

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I paced back and forth, my chest tightening with every unanswered call. Why wasn’t Phuwin picking up? Did he misunderstand what he saw at the mall? My mind replayed the scene over and over—the hug, the timing, everything. It made my heart sink deeper.

“Pond!” Lina’s voice broke through my thoughts as she grabbed my shoulder. “What’s going on with you? You’ve been spaced out all day!”

“Nothing,” I muttered, but her sharp gaze told me she wasn’t buying it.

“Is it about Phuwin?” she teased, smirking.

I froze. “How do you even know about him?” I asked, genuinely startled. I’d mentioned being in a relationship, but I was sure I’d never given her his name.

“Mom told me,” she replied smugly. “She said you’re completely head over heels for him. Apparently, all you ever talk about is how perfect he is, how crazy you are about him, blah blah blah…”

I felt my cheeks flush, and I looked away, embarrassed. “It’s nothing,” I lied, but the truth was clawing at me.

“Uh-huh,” Lina said, crossing her arms. “Spit it out. What happened?”

I hesitated before sighing deeply. “Phuwin was at the mall today. I think he saw us... and now he probably misunderstood when you hugged me like that.”

Her teasing smile disappeared. “Oh no,” she said, tilting her head thoughtfully. “Then why don’t you just explain it to him?”

I groaned, running my hand through my hair. “I’ve been trying! He’s not answering my calls. What else can I do?”

She huffed dramatically, as if I was missing something obvious. “Have you ever been to his house? Do you know where his room is?”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, sometimes when his mom is on business trips, I stay over to keep him company.”

“Perfect!” she said, grinning mischievously. “Then go to his house tonight and explain everything. His mom will be asleep, right? Just sneak in through his window if you have to.”

Her suggestion made my heart race. “Are you serious? What if his mom catches me? What if things go wrong?”

Lina rolled her eyes. “Stop overthinking. He’s your boyfriend, right? You’ve been to his house. This isn’t a stranger’s window you’re sneaking into.”

Her words were bold, but the fear of making things worse still gripped me. “What if he doesn’t want to see me?” I asked quietly.

Lina grabbed my shoulders and gave me a firm shake. “Pond, trust me. You need to fix this before it spirals further. Don’t let him go to bed thinking something that isn’t true. I’ll even help you sneak in if you’re too scared to do it yourself.”

Her confidence was oddly reassuring, and I finally let out a long breath. “Alright, fine. I’ll do it. But if this blows up in my face, it’s on you.”

Lina smirked, her usual playfulness returning. “Relax. Nothing will go wrong. I’m always right.”

Her words didn’t erase the nervous knot in my stomach, but at least now I had a plan and I wasn’t going to let this misunderstanding ruin us.

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At Night

The cool breeze brushed against my skin as I climbed through Phuwin’s window, careful not to make a sound. It was almost too easy his room’s location made sneaking in a breeze. The moment I stepped inside, I noticed the changes. His room looked different. The furniture was rearranged, and small details like new posters and a different color scheme made it feel less familiar.

The light was still on, but the room was empty. I glanced around, curiosity bubbling inside me. Then, without warning, the bathroom door creaked open, and my breath hitched.

Phuwin stepped out, water dripping from his damp hair, his body wrapped in nothing but a towel. His skin glistened under the light, and his expression shifted from confusion to utter shock when his eyes landed on me.

“Pond?! What are you—” he started, his voice rising.

I rushed forward, covering his mouth with my hand before he could finish. “Shhh! Keep your voice down. Do you want your mom to hear?” I whispered, my heart racing.

His wide eyes stared at me, and after a moment, he pried my hand away. “What are you doing here?” he hissed, clearly annoyed.

“I… I needed to talk to you,” I stammered, my words barely audible.

He raised an eyebrow. “At this hour?”

“I didn’t have any other choice,” I muttered.

He sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. “Let me get dressed first. Wait here.”

I nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed as he walked to his closet. My eyes betrayed me, following his every move. I couldn’t help but admire the way his muscles moved under his skin, the way he carried himself. My heart pounded, and I silently cursed myself for being so hopelessly in love with him.

He finally finished changing and sat down on the bed but as far from me as possible. The distance stung.

“Alright, talk. What’s so important that you had to sneak in here?” he asked coldly, his arms crossed.

I hesitated, my throat dry. “Phuu, it’s not what you think…”

“What do I think, Pond?” he interrupted, his voice sharp. “That girl who hugged you today? Go back to her. You two seemed close enough.”

His words stung, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “I just came from her house!”

His head snapped up, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief. “What? Then why are you here? You should’ve just stayed with her.”

I realized I was only making things worse, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. “Yeah, maybe I should’ve,” I snapped back without thinking.

He stood abruptly, his jaw clenched, his eyes filled with hurt and anger. My chest tightened at the sight.

“No, wait!” I grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down. He stumbled slightly, and before I knew it, our bodies were pressed together. I didn’t let go.

“Listen to me,” I said firmly, my voice shaking. “It’s not what you think. That girl… she’s my sister. My sister, Phuu. She just came back from living abroad, and that’s why she hugged me. I wasn’t avoiding your calls because of her I was dealing with issues at my dad’s office. I’ve been so busy, but I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry. I really am.”

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, he sighed and looked away.

“I know,” he said softly.

My heart skipped a beat. “You… know?”

He glanced back at me, his lips forming a small pout. “Your sister called me before you came. She explained everything.”

I blinked, processing his words. “Then why—”

“I wanted to see if you’d tell me the truth,” he admitted, crossing his arms again. “But you didn’t have to sneak in through my window for that.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, relief washing over me. “You’re impossible,” I muttered, unable to stop a small smile.

Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed his cheek, wrapping my arms around him in a tight hug. “Thank you for trusting me,” I whispered.

He didn’t push me away. Instead, he patted my head gently, his touch soft and reassuring.

After a while, he spoke, his tone lighter. “So… are you going home now?”

“Nope,” I replied, snuggling closer. “I’m staying right here.”

He chuckled softly. “You’re clingy, you know that?”

“Only with you,” I said, grinning against his shoulder.

But our moment was interrupted by a sudden knock at the door.

“Phuwin, are you still awake?” his mother’s voice called from the other side.

My eyes widened in panic, and I quickly let go of him, my mind racing to think of a way out of this.

- To be continued▪︎

Guys,please let me know that if it was bad I wil try to improve more.🥲