nine

Kao

It had been three days since my failed attempt to run away.

Three days since I fell and sprained my ankle.

Three days since I cried my heart out for no apparent reason known to me after that talk I had with Pete.

Three days of me alone in my room.

Not even Kaleb I allowed to get inside.

Manang Sel just sending me food and collecting it by my door after.

Three days of not seeing Pete and him not attempting to see me.

Three days and I still could not walk straight.

Although my ankle was not as swollen as it was before.

I looked at the wheel chair Len brought me on the first night of my sprain which I deliberately declined.

It turned out, it would really be very useful for me when I take a shower with only a foot working.

I had a male nurse knocked on my room on my second day telling me Pete sent him to look after me but I declined the help as well and unlike the wheel chair I didn't regret the decision.

I must admit, the last three days were the most that I had without doing any work like the past years.

Back then, a day off from work would mean cleaning the entire house.

A work holiday would mean other miscellaneous stuff I needed to do for the family I was living with.

But in here, I only had to speak through the intercom and people would come rushing to give me what I wanted which was both refreshing and awkward.

It felt good to be taken cared of but I didn't want to get used to it.

Even just for days.

Because I knew that this wouldn't last long.

The moment my ankle recovers, there would no longer be a stunt for an escape.

I would just walk right out the door after telling Pete I'm out.

Just like that.

I kept on telling him that he could not control me and wound me around but I always ended up not knowing what to tell him the moment he tells me this and that that I could only cry my heart out in frustration.

But that's going to change.

Pete has no hold over me no matter how rich he may be.

I didn't care what he's up to with all these things he's doing for me.

All I know was that, this has to stop.

If this is about him redeeming himself for what he did in the past, I need him to stop doing so.

I am not a charity case and I didn't need his pity.

I also didn't want to be his pastime for when he's bored being too rich high up on his ass.

"Young Master."

I heard a knock on the door.

It's Len.

She still would not stop calling me young master no matter how many times in those three days I tell her not to.

"Come in."

I said as I held my sprained ankle up the cushion.

"Zen sent me to inform you that the things you asked of her are now ready. She also asked what would you like us to do with it?"

I smiled and nodded at her.

She meant her older sister, the one who held the clothes bin for me the first night I came here.

I called for manang Sel earlier to ask for some stuff but she sent Zen instead.

"Thanks. Tell her to just keep it at as it is. I'll be right down to check on it. But before you leave, could you please hand me my crutches please?"

I saw how Len furrowed her brows at me in confusion before she went over to the bathroom and took my waking support for me.

"Thanks, Len, you may go now."

Len, who I just realized was the same age as mine blinked at me as I made a move to stand up from my bed with the crutches supporting me.

"Do you need some help, young master?"

I smiled at her as I shook my head.

"It's Kao. Call me Kao. And no, I don't need any help. You can go now."

I told her.

I'm still not used to telling people what to do and I still felt awkward.

But one thing I learned from these people in my stay here was that, they're committed to really serve you.

And so I somehow let on.

"Do you plan to go out of your room?"

Len asked again when I was finally up on my crutches.

The one that Kaleb brought me the night I was balling my eyes out after that talk with Pete that Kaleb had to leave it by the door with the food for my dinner as I didn't answer them calling out.

"I'd like to catch some sun."

I motioned towards the balcony.

"Do you want to do that while on the wheel chair instead? It's easier and I can help push you if you like young master?"

I smiled at Len yet again.

Another thing I learned about her in the days that I was there was that, she was too passionate about her job.

"It's okay Len. I'm fine. Thanks tho. Also, the next time you call me young master again, I would no longer ask or accept any help from you, alright? Now, off you go."

I said as I waved a hand to dismiss a surprised Len before I made my way out into the balcony.

I smiled when I heard the door closed and made my way towards it after a while.

"Kao!!! What the hell do you think you're doing!?!"

Pete's voice boomed which in turned startled me that I missed the last two steps of the stairs which resulted to my crutches slipping towards the floor flying off under my arm.

"Shvt!"

I cursed as I closed my eyes waiting for my apparent doomed on the marble floor when I ended up on someone's arms instead.

I slowly opened my left eye and saw Pete's grim face for the first time in three days yet again.

The guy caught me just before I could kiss the ground but he seemed unhappy about it with the way he was looking at the moment.

"Do you really want to die that much!?!"

He asked after I struggled off of him and into the stair rail for support as my crutches still scattered on the floor.

Good thing I seemed to have not stepped on my right foot.

"What happened!?!"

I heard Kaleb asked as he rushed towards where Pete and I were at the stairs with almost the rest of the house in tow.

"This smart guy almost fell off the stairs if I was not quick enough to catch him."

Pete answered with his eyes glaring at me.

"I slipped off because you startled me! You don't go around barking at people on the stairs like that!"

I glared back as I saw the people on the back ground looked at each other all the hike Kaleb just shook his head.

"You're not supposed to be on the stairs. You're supposed to be in your room, recovering!"

I looked at everyone who was now slowly dispersing and going back to their businesses, even Kaleb.

Which I was glad it was the case.

I didn't need any audience for when I quarrel with this domineering guy in front of me.

"It's just a sprain. And I'm okay now. I just want a change of scenery. I've been holed up in my room for days now."

I said without looking at him in the eye.

I didn't know why I did that tho.

"And whose fault is that? Nobody told you to break your foot."

I rolled my eyes with what he said.

He was really over acting.

Even when the accident happened, he acted as if I was on lifeline.

"It's just a sprain. And I didn't want that to happen. Besides, you were the one who startled me which in turn made this happen. Twice already."

I pointed out which made the guy scoffed loudly I ended up looking at him still glaring at me.

"That would not have happened if you just stayed in your room as you're supposed to. Or are you planning on running away again!?!"

Tsk!

If only I could.

But considering my situation now, I might as well put a banner on my head that says I'm running away.

"Really!?! With this foot?"

I pointed at my still swollen foot and thought how billionaires can also be as dumbed as the dumb waiter.

Or it's just Pete!?!

"Then why are you out here after days of ignoring everyone?"

I blinked at him and swallowed dryly.

Should I answer his question!?!

I mean, it was not like I planned to do so.

Well, maybe after that debate with him that night, I refused to see him, but the following days, I just really didn't feel like moving because of my foot.

But I would not tell anyone about that.

Specially Pete.

I didn't need him to blame me some more.

"I was bored. I got nothing to do. And don't worry. I'm not running away anymore. The moment my foot heals, I'm walking out the door and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

I ended up telling him which made him heaved a very loud and dragging sigh before he shook his head and regarded me.

"What!?!"

He asked when I stared at him.

"I'm not arguing with you anymore. We've been on the loop about this since you arrived it's becoming tiresome."

I mentally rolled my eyes.

If that was the case, then he should have just left me alone at the beginning.

"I need my crutches."

I said instead.

I got tired of bickering with him too.

"Here."

He said after he sighed yet again before he gathered both my crutches and gave it to me.

"Thanks."

I muttered under my breath.

And I was surprised that I did.

I should not be thanking him.

"Where are you going!?!"

My train of thoughts was disrupted when I heard him asked.

"Kitchen."

I said to which rolled his eyes at.

"Yes. I know. That is the kitchen."

He said as he motioned towards it.

"Then why did you ask!?!"

I really don't get rich people sometimes.

Or was it just this guy!?!

He's more annoying.

"What are you doing in the kitchen? You're supposed to be resting!?!"

He said as he walked towards me.

"I've rested enough."

I said as I used my free crutches to hold him up.

"No-!"

He was about to argue when Kaleb came out of nowhere and asked for him.

"Sir, Mr. Pacharnokporn is on the phone."

He nodded to dismiss Kaleb but decided against it in the end.

"I'll be there-!Watch this guy for me will you? Send him to his room."

He said before giving me a warning look.

"I'm baking."

I shouted at him who's already halfway towards the front door.

"Just watch over him Kaleb. Don't let him kill himself. I'll be back shortly."

That and he disappeared right outside.

"He's overreacting. You can go follow him now."

I told Kaleb when he raised his eyebrows at me.

"I don't think so."

He said and crossed his arms on his chest.

"Kaleb!"

He shook his head at me.

"You deliberately ignored me for the past three days, you are in no position to ask me favors."

I groaned at what he said.

"I was just trying to recover."

My friend made a face.

"Your ankle got hurt. Not your mouth. What's with not answering my calls and just texting me instead!?!"

I did only answer his queries via text these past days.

I didn't feel like talking that time.

"My phone is broken. I can't hear the other line."

I lied.

Although, from the way it looks, my phone could really raise some trust issues.

"Oh, remind me to ask Pete to buy you a new phone because he wouldn't let me buy you myself."

I glared at Kaleb and shook my head disapprovingly.

"My phone is fine thank you very much. And I'm fine too. I really didn't need you watching over me like I'm some five year old. I'm just gonna be in the kitchen, what's the worst that could happen!?!"

Kaleb was about to argue at me when his phone rang.

"Kao-wait. It's from the Thailand office. You stay here alright. I'm just gonna answer this. Let's go to the kitchen together."

He said before walking towards the living room and I just nodded and waited for him to get immersed with talking before I made my way staggeringly slow towards the kitchen where Zen was waiting.

"Young master-."

I raised my free hand to silence her-which she did and which was really surprising.

I was always being the one silenced back then.

"You can go do your thing now, I'll take this from here."

Zen looked at me incredulously.

"Is this everything I asked?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now I wanted to be alone. Please."

She looked like she didn't want to let me but she did eventually and I was thankful.

I really didn't want her around for when I make my thank you gift for all of them who had been very nice helping me out.

What more, all the ingredients are free and comes with the kitchen so it was more convenient for me.

I planned to make a steamed squash cup cake for everyone.

And by everyone, I mean, everyone who's nice with me only.

I learned to do it in one of my cooking subjects back in college.

I even had made some money from it when I was making and selling back when I still didn't have a stable job so I am confident of how it tasted.

All that's left to do now was start making it.

I set my left crutches aside and went to wash my hand and started preparing everything.

I was almost done with the mixture when I realized there was no white sugar around for the last step.

I looked around to find some but there was only brown sugar in one of the containers of condiments arranged in the corner.

I walked staggeringly with my remaining crutches and checked from cupboard to cupboard when I finally found what I was looking for.

I tried to position myself so that I could have better access to the bag of sugar on the top shelf of the cupboard when I missed the counter where I was supposed to lean my crutches for support that I ended up falling on to the floor bringing the bowl of flour which ended up pouring all over me.

Oh, to be crippled!

I snickered inwardly with my state before I made a move to stand up only to cower when I heard and angry voice.

"What the-seriously, Kao, what am I gonna do with you!?!"