Chapter 22: Oh Yam

Mindara Manaying

“Pie, come on open the door.” Kimhan could do that all day without knowing the meaning of giving up. It has been twenty minutes of strong determination and I wondered how long she could bear that.

“We need to talk.” There she went again; repeating the same sentence over and over.

“Just leave me alone!” I shouted loud enough to make her went silent momentarily. The dead silence continued for quite some moment before suddenly the door squeaked open with a smooth swing. Kimhan’s figure appeared shortly after.

“How did…”

“This is my house, Pie. I have the key for sure but I didn’t want to ‘invade’ your privacy.” Kimhan said and all I could do was rolling my eyes at her. From the corner of my eyes, I could see that Kimhan shook her head in frustration. She let a heavy sigh that I could hear it from a distant. Later, she walked herself to my direction.

“Why are you giving that attitude when we have the guest in the house?” She asked all of sudden.

“What?” I snapped at her, feeling that my patience was growing thin. How could she say that to me?

“Okay enough…” She softened her tone. “I need to discuss this with you.”

“We had enough talk and discussion, Kimhan. Don’t waste my time.” I refused. Kimhan did not say much. Instead, she went to close the door and found her way back to me. She took her seat at the edge of the bed and leaned close to me.

“Okay please listen to me.” She said, more likely giving an order. “You’re still my partner in this marriage and for whatever thing that happens in the house, I know that I have the responsibility to acknowledge it to you.” She began.

“You’re making me sick with those marriage and what not. Just stop it and spit it straight to the point.” I growled.

“Yam will be staying here with us. Is that okay for you?” At my uttermost disbelief, I managed to keep a straight face upon hearing the news. Wow what a surprise. The long lost lovers were reunited and will be staying here while I still exist in the house? What a good idea.

“Yeah sure. It’s your place anyway. I’ll be gone in a few days and doesn’t it sound great to you that you finally have a roommate?” It all came out in one breath.

“Pie, it’s not like that.” She sighed.

“What is it like to you, Kim? She’s gone missing and suddenly she’s here, aren’t you happy that both of you can finally reunited?” I was not sure of where this had come from. I was just not too please with her sudden appearance. It felt odd and difficult.

“Are you jealous Pie?”

“What? No! Why would I?”

“Okay look…Yam needs help and she’ll be staying with us until…”

“Until forever and happily ever after?”

“Pie… Why you need to be like this?” Kimhan sighed, massaging her temple gently as if everything I had been saying gave her a massive headache. “Please…just please be nice to each other. You can be friends with her…”

“What? No! I’m not going to be a friend to your GIRLFRIEND, Kimhan. Never!” I recoiled at the thought of having this kind of nightmare. Imagine being a friend to her girlfriend and her girlfriend just had no idea that I’m her spouse? Hell no.

“Okay just please be nice to each other. Would it be fine for you?” She requested. I only answered her with a nonchalant shrug.

“I’ll prepare for the dinner. Come down in an hour okay?” She reminded.

“I’m not hungry.”

“I’ll cook your favourite and Pie… you’re a terrible liar.”

*******

The three of us were seated around the table in silence. Once in a while Kimhan would offer me and Yam the food. I was not sure if she intended to make sure that we both eat well or she was just covering up the awkwardness. Nevertheless, she managed to make everything under her control.

I took the chance to steal a look at Yam, the precious girlfriend of Kimhan Burnaphan. She did not speak much just like the first time I met her. She did not even shift her eyes from the plate ever since we start eating.

An idea knocked on my mind. “Could you please pass the soup to me?” I requested, realising that Yam was the only person who was close enough to reach the bowl. Kimhan stoned there as if she has been cursed, not knowing how to react. I waited for Yam to react in return and just like I predicted, it managed to gain her attention.

Yam’s eyes met mine once and shifted away a second later. Considering that there was no much of space on the table, she hastily got the bowl and handed it to me. However, not before I could reach it, she accidently dropped the bowl. We watched the bowl and plate shattered into pieces. The soup and the rest of food on the table splashed all over, creating a state of mess. Neither her, Kimhan nor I could react. All of us were shocked by that.

“I’m sorry!” She uttered spontaneously. “It’s hot.” Guilt written all over her face.

“I’ll clean this.” Kimhan shook her head in disappointment. She threw a look at me as if the blame should be only on me.

Yam sat frozen in her seat like a guilty child who was about to get scold by her parents. Uneasiness enveloped her, revealing her state of vulnerability.

“Hey…it’s fine. It’s not your fault.” I spoke just to ease the tense in the air. “So you’re Yam?” I asked just to kill the time.

Yam lifted her head and exchanged a look with me. She seemed taken aback by my question but later she nodded softly. “And you’re Pie.” She said.

Soon enough, Kimhan returned and cleaned the entire mess. I helped her to collect the broken glass while Yam cleared what was necessary. I did not know that it would end up like this but then I bled my finger with a broken piece of the glass.

“Ouch!” I shrieked, noticing that my blood began to drop on the floor. Yam’s mouth gaped but nothing came out yet she managed to pat Kimhan on the shoulder and gained her attention.

“Help her.” She stuttered.

Panicked as I did, Kimhan jumped to my direction and stood before me. The next thing she did leave all of us in a complete disbelief; Kimhan on my bleeding finger.

“Are you a vampire? Why would you do that? Gross!”

“Idiot, no!” Kimhan rolled her eyes. Later she took me to the sink and let the tap water run over the finger. “You should be careful, Pie. You made me worried sick.”

“Stop it. You make want to puke.” I scoffed. For once I forgot that Yam was there with us. I caught her staring yet I could not decipher anything from that look. She walked awa