Together With Me (Thai Novel Fan Translation)

Chapter 13A

I am someone who doesn't take 'No' for answer, so if I said I'm going to hug you to sleep with a goodnight kiss, then that's exactly what's going to happen.

But still, Knock is just Knock, so there was no surprise that I have a bruised left eye. Although there's now proof that he does love me! (even if it's just as a friend.)  He politely kept my eye's orbital bone in one piece, after all.

"Here you go."

A plate of rice with fried egg was placed unceremoniously in front of me, before he seated himself opposite me at the tiny kitchen table with a plate of the same food.

"Is this the only dish you know how to make?" I asked and Knock raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah, are you gonna eat it or not?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Oh, then eat it. Say you what want, I'm pretty good at this." Knock's words amused me. 

Once I had begun eating, he suddenly leaned in close to my face,  startling me.  "Hey, what're you doing!?", I asked him suspiciously.

"Your eye okay?" 

"No broken bones." I answered briefly.

"Hey, you're still blaming me? Have you reflected on yourself? Reflect on yourself first, you jackass." Knock said with a smirk, teasing me lightly.

"You see this? It's bruised, who made it like that?"

"No idea." He gave me an innocent, confused look.

"Fierce wife."

"Oi!" Knock gave me a middle finger and went back to inhaling his food, so I went back to my own plate as well.

"I have to work on a paper later, I've let it go too long, so I need to go get it sorted."

"Got it."

"Don't wander around like an idiot anymore, or else your injured leg won't ever heal and will only get worse. You won't die of boredom staying here and resting.  Try to stay off of it Knock, please just try." I retorted using his tone.

"I can take care of myself, I don't need a nosy fierce hubby like you."

"Uuurrkk!" I choked on rice and eggs I had in my mouth. Did he really just call me 'Fierce Hubby' ?!?!

"Ahhhh, I'll let it go, or else you're going to choke on your food and die. Here, drink this." Knock passed me a glass of water to help clear my airway.

I cleared my throat again before taking a big gulp of water. I took a moment to calm my uneven breath and racing heart before inquiring hesitantly, "Did you really just recognize me as your hubby?" I asked him in wide-eyed disbelief.

"I was being sarcastic." Knock nonchalantly took a sip of water from his glass. He set the spoon down, and looked at me with his jaw set, "Why, are you really that lonely?"

"Do I look lonely to you??"

"You are very lonely, sweetheart Korn, else you wouldn't be trying to brainwash me into believing that you're my husband every two minutes. I don't wanna be anyone's wife, I think it's shameful, understand?"

I just shook my head, and quietly finished off the plate of food in front of me. I silently washed all of the breakfast dishes, including Knock's.

"You'll get used to it soon." I turned to him after wiping my hands dry, he sighed.

"Do well on your paper, get a B."

"B, my ass! I want an A, so I'm going to get going." I raised my eyebrow.

"So serious, can't take a joke as usual~" Knock teased me in a singsong voice. Before leaving, I couldn't help but check on his leg again. I kneeled before him, pressing my fingers on his injured leg lightly.

"Does it still hurt?" I asked worriedly.

"Just a little. Actually, not just a little, but I can't do anything about it right now." He whined.

"Don't move around too much if you want it to get better quickly. That's all I can say, cause you never change." I ruffled his hair affectionately, but he pushed my hand away.

"Don't touch! My hair is messy! You can go now, don't be late for the exam and get an F  for not showing up."

"Sure thing." I nodded and walked to the room.

"Korn." Knock called me, and I turned back to him immediately.

"Yeah?"

"Will you come back here after you're finished?"

"I've got to go back to my dorm, I'm way behind on my laundry. Call me if you need anything." I said calmly.

"Got it." Knock nodded in understanding, but when my hand reached to handle, he called again.

"Korn."

"What is it now?" I turned to him.

"I hope you do really well on your paper."

I smiled, cause Knock doesn't usually speak so formally to me. What he was trying to convey was to let me know that he sincerely hoped that I would do well, and I understood his good intentions. I walked back over to him, and pressed my lips hard to his.

Before he could lift his leg to kick me, I jumped back in a blink of eye.

"Just leave already, you asshole!!" He shouted and pretended like he was about to start throwing things at me again, trying to get me to leave.

It has to be like this. This was the real Knock afterall!

After the disastrous paper, I didn't go back to my apartment to do laundry as I had originally planned. Jan and some other friends asked me out for a drink. I didn't go just for that, but with the intention to catch up since we hadn't seen each other in a while. He said he'd asked Knock too, but he already had other plans. This created a big question mark in my mind so I tried to call Knock.

"The number you have dialed is unavailable..."

Did he switch off his phone? Or just forget to charge it?

Although I had thousands of questions racing through my mind, I still didn't want to worry about him too much. It seems Knock really had a really carefree life right now, while I've been constantly anxious because of his injured leg.

"Hey, I'm leaving first, it's late now and I still have to do my laundry." I explained as I stood up to leave, thankfully my friends seemed to understand. I drove back to my condo and checked my watch, it was almost midnight. I couldn't stand it anymore and called Knock again.

"The number you have dialed is unavailable..."

He still had his phone off switched off?

I frowned deeply at my phone in worry. But, I had to wash my clothes before I did anything else; unless I wanted to have nothing to wear tomorrow.

After I finished washing and hanging my clothes, I called Knock again, but his phone was still switched off. In the end, I just went to sleep, since there was really nothing else I could do.

Sometime in the early morning hours, my phone rang, startling me awake.  My caller ID announced that it was Knock, I immediately picked up.

"Hello, where are you?"

"I'm at my condo... Korn, I wanna see you."

"Now?"

"Will you come here, please?" Something wasn't right, his voice sounded inexplicable weary.

"Be right there." I replied quickly, and hung up.  

Even so, I still wondered deep in my heart; what had happened to Knock during the short time I'd been away from him?

I rapped on Knock's door anxiously. I tried my best to stay calm, but I was still worried about him regardless.

I heard a loud cough followed by a series of even louder bangs from behind the closed apartment door.  There were sounds of collision in the room, then it seemed something dropped on the floor with loud thud. 

"Knock! Hey! Are you ok!?!" I asked loudly in worry; there was still no reply and just total silence . I stood there waiting for almost ten minutes before the door finally opened. The pungent smell of alcohol was the first thing that greeted me, the strong smell wafting off Knock's limping frame. He tried his best to stand up straight, and greeted me drunkenly by waving his hand.

"Hi~"

"Hi my ass! Did you fall into a keg of beer!?!" I braced his arm around my neck to steady him and dragged him back into the room, nudging the door closed with my foot. I deposited Knock safely on the couch,  and then rushed back to lock the door behind us. Sigh!! I was already worried about him anyway because of his injury, but switching off his phone too? This situation was making me even more anxious than I had already been.

"Hey~ I'm not drunk." He said, pushing me away, but then instead leaned in close towards me, tilting his head to one side like a puppy dog; "Sweetie Korn~ Why is the ceiling curved, we gotta call someone to fix it."

"Fix yourself first." I whined, making him sit on the floor so he couldn't fall over. Knock leaned heavily against the bed, his head rolling around on his neck as if he lacked the strength or inclination to keep it upright. I looked around his room, and my stomach dropped. There were empty beer cans strewn all over the floor. You could hardly walk through the room without accidentally kicking at least one. Ugh, this was starting to really piss me off!

I shook my head in frustration, as I stood there wondering what should I do next; that troublemaker passed out still sitting upright with his head on sideways.

Why do I have to be dealing with this bullshit at two in the fucking morning!?!

I could only let out a sigh of deep annoyance.  I managed to locate a clean washcloth, soaked it in warm water and wiped his face clean. To reduce his drunkenness as much as possible, I wiped down his face, neck and exposed bit of chest.  He opened his eyes and shook his head a few times as if he was trying to clear out the cobwebs, then he leaned his head on my shoulder again.

Ugh, he's driving me crazy! I set the bowl of water and washcloth aside. 

You wanna sleep on the floor? Sure, sleep tight then!

I shook my shoulders in irritation, trying to avoid his sudden snuggle attack. Once his head lost my shoulder, it slowly sank lower from gravity. This time, his head came to rest on my knee and remained there comfortably.

I grabbed his muscular arm tried to haul him up.

"Knock! Get up!"

"Err..."

'Errr' my ass!!!

"Get up!!!" I shook his shoulder again, but he was unwilling to get up. I didn't know what to do, so I could only let him sleep on my knees and covered his drunken flushed face with the damp washcloth. I was awake taking care of him until at least three in the morning, so I'm not sure how or when I managed to fall asleep myself.  I only became aware of it when Knock shook me awake. My neck was so sore; I fell asleep sitting up with my neck jammed into an awkward position, all thanks to him!

"Korn!"

"What!" I growled back, opening my eyes slowly.

"When did you get here?" He asked, seeming to have sobered up a bit now. He was shirtless, clothed in only a pair of long jeans, the branded elastic band of his underwear peeking out over the jeans waistband, accentuating his muscular tummy beautifully. I wonder when he stripped off the shirt he'd been wearing?  He must have felt too warm.

I was suddenly feeling rather too hot myself, maybe I should take my clothes off too?

"What the actual fuck are you saying?" I retorted, thoroughly irritated, "You seriously don't remember what you've done?!"

Knock frowned, struggling to recall the events of the last several hours; his eyes widened as if some fragmented memories were starting to resurface from the murky pool of drunkenness. "Oh yeah, I called you..."

I stood up from the side of the bed, and went to the fridge to get some water.  After gulping down a few mouthfuls of cold water, I asked, "What time is it now?"

"Almost 5 am." Knock answered, he sat at the bedside and opened a can of beer. When I walked to sit beside him, he gave me a can too. I took a deep breath, accepting the opened the beer, we drank it together.

"Now can you please tell me what the hell is going on?" I asked.

"Nothing much, really. I just wanted to tell you, I'm breaking up with Pleng."

I turned to look at him, dumbfounded, once I heard that revelation.

"Huh?" Did I really just hear what I thought I heard?

"I'm breaking up with Pleng." He repeated again, looking me directly in the eyes.