AOM’S POV:

Its been a few weeks after the last time I saw Mike.  Where the hell is he now?  He never reply my chat again nor answering my phone calls.  Is there something wrong with him?  Didn’t he know that I’m worried sick about him?  About us?  To be honest, I lost my trust again.  He said he won’t do it anymore, but what happen now?  He did.  He do, and probably will always do.  I somehow feel that our relationship is getting colder each days.   What did I do wrong to him until he treat me like this?  Better be alone than having this kind of feelings.

“You’ve been stiring that for a long time already.  What you wanna make actually?”  I heard someone talk to me.  “Are you sick?”  She asks me again, I turn my head, its Tina.  I shake my head then I smile.

“You know you can tell me whatever you want right?  I’m here for you.  Don’t you trust me?”

“I trust you more than you know..”

“So......?”

“I’m okay, Tina..  Can you please bother someone else with your question?”

“Whoahh!  A petite girl is being mad now..”

“Correction, I’m cute!”

“Whatever..  You’re always still look like a gnome for me..”  She smiles teasing me.

“Shut it!”  I pinch her arm.  Then we both giggle.  I silently thank her, she always know how to make me feel better and help me to forget about my bad feelings.

“Aom, do you wanna do something interesting later?”  She asks me.

“What is it?”

“Let’s eat!”

“Is that a question?”

“Nope, its an order.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Hmm..  Nothing.  I just don’t want you to regret you ever ask me that.”

“I won’t.”

“You know I eat much.”

“I know you’re an omnivore and an expert of it.”

“What time?”

“Right after we finish this.”

“Deal.”

“Whoahhh..  You’re so fast in making decision.”

“Don’t make me change it on the last minute.”

“Aye aye, captain!”

We both laugh.  I think I need to eat a lot of delicious foods to forget what’s bothering my mind.  Can I?

**********

Wearrived at Chatuchak Market, the biggest market in Thailand.  Or even in the world?Chatuchak Market, also known as JJ Market, has more than 8000 stalls which are separated into 27 sections. You can find almost anything in this market; plants, antiques, pets, food and drinks, fresh and dry food, ceramics, furniture and home decoration, clothes, and book.  And because this market is only open on weekend, the market is always crowded with people.  You can find a lot of tourist here.

We go sight seeing for a while, looking at the souvenir stalls before we go to the food stall.  Its been a while I didn’t come here, and my eyes really open wide when seeing those beautiful souvenirs.  I’m a local citizen, I’m not a tourist and I’m not even on my holiday, but its okay if those cute stuffs grab my attention right?  I stop at one stall, it sell a lot of hair and head accessories; head bands, hair clips, rubber bands, combs, bows, hat, and so on and so on.  Gosh!  They’re so cute!!!  I bend down a lil bit and start choosing for the cutest one when I feel someone put something on my head.

“Yahh..  What are you doing?”  I said while I saw Tina’s shadow on the mirror.

“Ssttt..  Come here for a while.”  She said while grabbing my shoulder and ask me to stand straight facing her.  I don’t realize that I pout when facing her.  She put a head band and reajusting it on my head, but then she’s giggling.

“Why you laughing?”

“Well, I just realize that there’s a bunny who have a mouth like a duck.”  She paused then she turn my body until facing the mirror again.  I saw a white bunny headband is on my head already.  She put her both hands on my shoulder.  She then wishpering, “You look more cute if you change your pout into a smile.”  I feel my cheeck suddenly turn rosy.

“Miss, you look cute with that headband.”  Said the aunty who sell the accessories.

“See?  I told you..  Smile for me now?  Please?”  Tina said.

I then smile and playfully hit her arm.  “Silly..”  Then the aunty takes another headband.  “Try to put this headband to your head.”  She said to Tina.  Without a doubt, I take it and put it on Tina’s head then I laugh.

“Hahaha you look so funny, aunty, what animal is this?”  I ask to the aunty.

“It’s monkey.  Nguk nguk.”  Said the aunty while try to copy the sound of a monkey and scratch her head.

“Bwahahaha..  It really suit you, Tina.”  I laugh so hard while seeing Tina.  But she just seeing herself on the mirror then try to make herself look cool with raising one of her eyebrow.

“Well, at least I’m the most handsome monkey on earth..”  She said while admiring herself on the mirror.  Yeah,, she is.  She still looks cool even she’s wearing that headband.

“Wait, we need to capture it.  Aunty, do you mind to take some of our picture here, please?”  Tina said while taking out her phone.  The aunty takes it and prepare to take our picture.

“This is the love story of a cool monkey and a little bunny..”  She said while acting in front of me.  The aunty is laughing now, then she takes some shoots of us while we’re busy posing and laughing in front of the phone camera.

“Okay I guess its enough..  Aunty can’t sell anything if we keep bothering her with our silliness, Tina..”  I said while taking of the bunny headband and place it to the stall.

“It’s okay, I love to see you both..”  The aunty said and Tina just grinning.

“You didn’t fall in love with me, right aunty?”  Tina said playfully and they both laughing now.

Something on the corner of the stall catch my attention, so I left them both chatting.  I saw a beautiful butterfly hairpin, so I take it.  It looks so simple yet beautiful.  Made from I don’t know, polished metal or something, and it colored pink pastel, silver, and got some crystal on it.  Super pretty.

“Aunty, how much does it cost?”  I ask the aunty.  Both of the aunty and Tina look at me now.

“Aww..  Your eyes are pretty good in choosing something.  It’s beautiful right?  It’s only TBH 225.”

“Ehh?  Doesn’t it too expensive aunty?  Can you give me a little discount?”

“Oii!  It’s not expensive Miss.  Beside, its only one in the world, you won’t be able to find hair clips like that again in the world.  I can guarantee you.”  The aunty said, I pout.  How can a little hairclip like this cost TBH 225?  It’s quite expensive.  But, it is beautiful and honestly I like it.

“We’ll take it aunty.”  Tina said while taking a sheet of TBH 500 from her wallet.

“Hey, Tina what are you doing?”  I try to stop her.

“Its okay.  It’s a present from me.  Besides, I think it does suit you;  a cute and beautiful small creature, just like yourself.”  She said while smiling.

TINA’S POV:

We’re walking holding hand along the way to the food stalls.  She looks so happy after she got the hair clip.  I don’t know why but I just can’t stop my lips to form a smile.  She takes a glance on me, and she throw a happy smile.   I tightened my grip and hook my fingers on her.  I want her to feel what I feel for her.

The night is kinda chill now, so we desided to eat Tom Yum Steamboat since last time we cancle it we haven’t made it yet.  We’re waiting for our meal now.  She’s taking out the hair clip from her bag, she’s looking at it while smiling.

“You really like it, huh?”  I ask her, and she’s answering me with nods.

“Why don’t you wear it now?”

“Oii!  I just got it, I don’t want to make it dirty at the first day I got it.”

“Well, you keep touching it, don’t you think it will make it dirty too?”

She suddenly stop, look into my eyes for a couple of seconds, then shrugh.

“Whatever, but wearing it in this kind of crowded place is too risky.  What if someone bumped on me then it feel down and.......................”  She stop what she’s saying when I take the hair clip and place it on her hair.  I smile widely when I see her wearing it.

“See?  You look so beautiful now..”

“But..............”

“No buts.  You don’t have to worry, I’ll protect you from now on and forever.  May I?”

Her face turn rosy now.  She bend down her face while nodding.  I touch her chin and pull it up so that she can see me right in the eye.  I smile, I know I make her nervous now, because she’s bitting her bottom lip.

“This cool monkey will take care her little bunny from now on..  Don’t you forget that.”  I said playfully teasing her.  And she’s grinning now. “Silly..”  She said.

“I can be silly forever if you like it..”

“Why?”

“Why?  You don’t like it?”

“I like you just the way you are..  No need to change to make me like you, because I already did.”

**********

As our food come, we start to eat.  The soup taste so good.  And I can see her eyes sparkling as she look into the boiling soup.

“Looks so tasty..”  She said.

“Then eat..”

“Ooohhh.. I looooovvveeee Tom Yum!”  Then she start to take one by one; shrimp, squid, fish, mushroom and other veggies, also the crab and scallop.  Yeah, we order special seafood tom yum steamboat, since she’s really fond of seafood.

“Ohh its hot!”

“Yah..  Eat slowly, we can order some more if you think its not enough for us both..”

“Okaaayyy..”  She said cheerfully.  She look so cute like that.  God, please kill me if You don’t allow me to be with her for the rest of my life.  But I think I also can die in happiness if she’s really mine, only mine.

We eat a lot since Aom really order another portion of the steamboat because she said she like it so much.  Goshh.. my stomach is totally full now, but she’s still busy with her crab.  I think she really enjoy it.

“Tina, you done?”  She asking me.

“Yes, can’t you see my stomach is big already now?  How can you eat a lot like that but still have a mini body?  Where does the food gone?”  I said teasing her.  She stop eating and then glares on me.

“Well, I have a high metabolism I guess.”

“Isn’t it because you got worms inside your body?”

“Yah!!!  Don’t make me throw these shells on you..”  She pretend to be mad and pretend want to throw the shells on me.  I laugh so hard because of that.

I take my phone out and look at our pictureS earlier so that she can finish her food in peace.  Well, the aunty was good in taking pictures I guess.  She even take some of our candid pictures.  I smile silently seeing it.  I take a peek on Aom who still busy with the crab.  Then I got an idea to take her candid picture now, so I take some.  Hahaha she’s so funny when she’s trying to crack the crab shell, and fortunately I was successfully take the picture and it look nice, so I make it as my phone wallpaper.  I smile in triumph, she might be mad if she knew it.  But whatever will be I’ll always treasure these pictures of her and ours.

**********

“Aaaahhh..  My stomach is so happy tonight..”  She screams in joy.  I smile.  We’re walking back to the car now.  But suddenly she takes my hand and pull me to the ice cream stall.  Oh God,, again?  She’s really have a huge place on her stomach.  “Let’s buy ice cream for dessert over......   Ouch!”  She scream when a guy accidentally bump on her.  “Watch out!”  I hold her body so she didn’t fall to the ground.

“Sorry!”  Said the guy as he walking by.

“ugghhh..  What’s wrong with that guy?  Can he see...........”

“Yahh!!!  Can you walk more carefully, please?  There’s a lot of people around here.”  I didn’t realize that I shout to her.  I saw her shocking expression after I shout and I regret it.  Dammit!

“I’m sorry,  I just don’t want you to get hurt.  Are you okay?”  She remain silent, she just look at me still with shock expression.

“Okay, from now on, I’ll walk with you like this,,,”  I put my arm around her shoulder, “So I can easily protect you from anything.”  I smile to her.  Then I assist her to walk to the ice cream stall.  I can see her facial start changing.  Her lips form a little small now.  “You are so fierce, Tina..”

“I know, so you should listen to me and be my good girl..”

We’re waiting to the uncle to prepare a jumbo ice cream for Aom when I heard someone calling my name from behind.

“Tina...?”

I turn my head and I open wide my eyes when I saw who’s the one calling my name.

“Mean...?”  And the girl who called me, Mean, she grab my hand and pull me so she can hug me.

“Oh my God!!!  I’m so happy to see you!  It’s been a while, right?  How are you?  I missed you, Tina.”

“I’m good.  How are you?”  I feel so uncomfortable in this position with her, moreover, we’re in front of Aom.  So I release her hug immediately while answering her.  I look at Aom, and she throw a confuse look on me.

“This is Mean, my.............”

“Close friend.  Hi, I’m Mean.  Sorry for interrupting you both, I was just too happy to meet my “close” friend again after a while.  Right Tiger?  I remember your mom usually calls you that..”  Mean cut my words and then laugh, she emphasizing it when saying “close friends” to Aom just now, I don’t know why but Aom just nodded and smile.

“Mean, this is Aom.  My.............”

“She’s cute, Tina.  I guess you’re still good in choosing pretty girls, eh?”

I just smile.  I don’t know why but I think that Aom feel uncomfortable right now.

“She always like this, Aom.  Talkative right?”  I said to Aom, try to break the ice.

“I see...”  That’s what she said.

“Excuse me, Miss.  This is your order.”  Said the uncle giving her the ice cream.  I take it for her, as she about to take the extra spoon that the uncle gave her.  “One spoon is enough, uncle.  We can just share.  Thank you.”  I said, so the uncle give her tissues instead.

“Ohh.. I’m so envy now.”  Mean said to us.

“Why is that?”  Aom asked her.

“Because Tina was never do that to me even when we’re dating.”

“We’re just going out together, Mean.”

“When 2 persons going out together after one of them making confession, isn’t it called dating?”

“You’re too overstatement..”

“Whatever..  You still use your old phone number right?  I’ll contact you later on.”  She said while hugging me and ‘purposely’ kiss my cheek in front of Aom.

“Don’t be jealous, Aom.  We used to do it.  Bye Tina..”  She said while winking on me and then go from our sight.

“Used to do it?”  Aom repeating what Mean said.

“She just kidding, Aom.  Don’t think about it.  Okay?  Now let’s go back to the car and eat the ice cream there.”  I said while grabbing her hand and hold it tight as we walk together to the car.

I open the car door and let her in, then I let myself in too and throw my on the driver seat.

“Now let’s try this jumbo ice cream you order.”  I said cheerfully and held out the jumbo ice cup near to Aom, but she remain silent and she’s not even look at me.

“Aom...?  Are you okay?”  I try to ask her.  She’s suddenly smile, and turn her body facing me.

“Okay, let’s try it.”  She said with faking smile.  She take a bite of a fullspoon of the ice cream, I know she’s hiding something and I think she’s mad now.

“It’s good.  Now your turn.”  She said while still holding the spoon in her grip.

“Can I borrow the spoon?  How can I try if you didn’t let me to use it?”

“Who said you can try it?  It’s your turn to tell me about you and that girl Mean.”  She said

I know it.  She’s mad.  I sigh and I start to tell her everything.

“We’ve been friends for few years already.  I admit it we’re pretty close and yes, I was the one who made a confession back then, but she reject me because she said she liked someone else already.  But I ask her to go out with me together after that even just as a friend.  Maybe thats when we start become close friends.  Few days after that, she said she had a boyfriend and I just congratulate her.”

“Aaahh...  So you just being friends with her?”

“Yes..  She always told me about her boyfriend.  As the time goes by, I became used to it and my feelings to her change into a good friend.  I think she’s only my “temporary” crush.”

“I see...”

“Do you believe in me?”  I ask her, she shrughs.

“What about now?  You seemed so shock just now when you guys met again.”

“Yeah, because its been a while I didn’t see her since the last time she said she’s moving out to the other town.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes..  Wh