NORTHHOWMUCHISYOURLOVE, Chapter 3 part 1
Chapter 3: His Voice
23:20 PM
I unlocked the door to our room with Ter, feeling exhausted. Normally, we finish work at 10 PM, but it was past that after dealing with the last customers and cleaning up. Phii Hill came to pick us up and took us for a meal before heading back, which he always did when he picked us up. Honestly, it’s quite embarrassing, but Phii Hill insists on treating us.
I quietly asked Phii Hill about Phii Johan, wondering what I could do to soften him up to reduce the interest. Phii Hill said he didn’t know either, and advised me not to worry too much, just to talk to him. Just don’t irritate Phii Joe, especially during this period. That’s the problem…I saw that Phii Johan sent messages around 11 PM, but I hadn’t checked them yet, so I didn’t know what they were about.
“Hey, if I reply late to Phii Johan’s messages, will he get annoyed?” I asked Ter, who looked a bit puzzled by my question. “He sent them at 11 PM, and I didn’t take my phone with me. Even if I had, I couldn’t reply while working.” I explained, wondering why I was even justifying myself to Ter, T^T.
“Oh, that’s what Phii Hill emphasized, not to annoy Phii Joe, right?” Said Ter, “I’ll ask Phii Hill for you.” He then picked up his phone and messaged Phii Hill.
“Here.” Ter said, handing the chat over to me.
HillRatchakit: He won’t get annoyed.
Phew, that’s a relief. I let out a big sigh, I wouldn’t feel this nervous if Phii Hill didn’t keep emphasizing it.
HillRatchakit: If it was me.
HillRatchakit: But if it’s North…not so sure…
HillRatchakit: He bought you the phone. Haven’t you replied to him yet?
Oh my, the sentence from the other side left me speechless, T^T. I handed the phone back to Ter, took a moment to compose myself, then opened the message to read.
Johan: No interest charge then.
Johan: Will you agree to do everything I say?
I immediately made the most puzzled face upon seeing the message from Phii Joe, staring at the screen for a while before my brain started processing.
What now?
No interest charge?
No interest charge!!
And what does he mean by doing everything he says? Does he want me to be his servant or something? This sentence is super suspicious!
North♣: sent a sticker
Not knowing what to say, I sent a confused sticker, but Phii Johan didn’t read it. So I showed the chat to Ter instead.
“What does that mean?” Ter furrowed his brows, looking equally surprised, “What does he want you to do?”
“Exactly, but the part about not charging interest is really tempting, it saves me thousands.” I said, pondering a little, “If it’s about being a butler or something like that, it might not be so bad…I guess.”
“Would it be good? But he said everything, what if he wants you to kill someone?” “Now, Ter, you’ve made me think. He does seem like someone who could really do that.” I said, voicing what I thought, feeling like anything could happen if it’s Phii Johan, T^T.
…Phii Johan has read it.
But he hasn’t replied.
North♣: What do you mean by everything?
Johan: Not telling.
North♣: Come on, khrap, TT
North♣: Sorry, I was working.
Johan: Who?
North♣‘: Who’s asking?
North♣: No, I wanted to tell you.
Johan: Who cares about what you’re working on?
North♣: Come on.
Did I just imagine that you are secretly annoying, at least a little…
North♣: So, what’s the deal with everything? If it’s not too heavy, I can handle it. If I have to pay that much interest, it’ll never be paid off, seriously, T^T
North♣: At least reduce it a bit, man. These days, if Phii Hill didn’t feed me occasionally, I’d be malnourished.
Phii Johan read but didn’t reply for almost ten minutes, or am I making too big a deal out of this? But it’s not that exaggerated. Even if I’m not really malnourished.
“Phii Joe isn’t responding.” I sulkily walked over and sat down next to Mr-Ter.
“Is he working or just annoyed with you?”
“Oh, just annoyed with me, this is a big deal for me.”
“He’s probably working, too lazy to type. I heard Phii Hill say that Phii Johan has been busy lately, so Phii Hill often takes over the duties at the faculty or the labs.” “What does he do for work?” I raised my eyebrows, asking curiously. Come to think of it, people say Phii Johan works for himself, but I still don’t know what he actually does.
“Lots of businesses, he splits time working at home too, does it himself. I don’t really know much about it.”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
“You look like you don’t believe it.” Ter turned to look at me, as if he caught me out.
“Well, he doesn’t really show it. If you told me he spends his days partying and chasing girls, I’d be more likely to believe that. That’s why they say don’t judge a book by its cover.”
“Yeah, he parties with girls and works too. They say Phii Joe is quite the playboy.”
“Ah, I can believe that.” I said, not too surprised. He has this bad boy look, unlike Ter’s boyfriend, who’s handsome and rich. So, being a playboy fits the bill. Are all good-looking, rich guys playboys? Not necessarily…Phii Hill isn’t one.
“Would it be bad if I texted again?”
“Go for it, it seems like you’re really anxious.”
“Yeah, he suddenly says no interest, then changes his mind and disappears. It’s stressful.” I said before picking up my phone and deciding to type again.
North♣: Are you working, sir? I don’t mean to disturb.
North♣: But could I have a moment, please?
North♣: sends a sticker
He read it, but still didn’t reply…
Johan: Pick up, don’t take more than five seconds.
North♣: Huh?
I frowned at the phone screen in confusion. A call from ‘Johan_’ came through.
I quickly answered when I remembered he said not to take more than five seconds, and tried to speak as politely and naturally as possible, “Yes?”
(…)
“Uh, Phii Johan…” I tried to call out when I received no response from the other end.
(What?)
“It’s nothing, sir, you called…”
(Too lazy to type)
“Ah, yes, sir.” I turned to look at Ter for help because I didn’t know what to say, and he seemed equally perplexed by the sudden call from Phii Joe.
“Are you working now, sir?” I decided to ask a general question first.
(Um)
“…”
(…)
“Uh. I’d like to talk about the interest, sir.”
(Are you going to agree or not?)
“Does that mean the offer to do anything and everything?”
(Yeah)
“I want to know what that entails. Like I said, if it’s not too extreme, I should be able to handle it.”
(What do you consider extremely heavy?) the voice on the other end asked evenly.
“Um…Like, if you tell me to kill someone, smuggle drugs, rob a jewelry store, snatch a purse, that kind of stuff, I really wouldn’t be able to do that.”
(…)
“Getting scolded feels better than this.” I said. I was just joking earlier. Even though there was a bit of seriousness in my jest, being met with silence made me feel guilty for playing around.
(Is that so?)
“Yes…but it’s not better.” I replied. Just being called a stupid duck would sting less. “So, what’s the conclusion then? You’re not going to make me do anything weird, right?”
(Such as?)
“…”
(What you just mentioned.)
“…”
(Do you have the capability to do any of that?)
“No, I don’t.”
Ohhh, why is Phii Johan so harsh with me? T^T, I’m already feeling hurt all over.
(Hmm. I won’t ask you to do anything beyond your capacity.)
“Yes, and my capabilities aren’t that extensive either, so it’s all good.” Playing myself down hurts less!
(Then forget it.)
“What?”
(Useless.)
Phii Johan, why do I have to deal with someone like this? Ohhh, I feel like crying again.
“Come on, just kidding, sir. I’m versatile; please waive the interest for me.”
(Sure?)
“Yes, I’m sure…I think, I mean, I’m sure. Just as long as it’s not something weird, right, sir?”
(Define ‘weird’ for me.)
“Well, weird…how do I explain? Just generally weird, you know.” I said…because how else do you explain it?
(Um…okay, weird as I understand it.)
“Yes, just as you understand it. So, to sum it up, no interest, right?” I said with a joyful tone, thinking there’s nothing better than saving thousands every month.
(Yes, but…)
“But?”
(If you don’t please me, I’ll charge daily interest instead.)
“What!? How can you do that?” I protested immediately upon hearing that.
(Why not?)
“Nothing, sir.” I softened my voice a bit when met with the blunt tone of the other party. Thinking it over, it seemed fair enough. Phii Johan was waiving the interest with the condition that I follow his orders. If I didn’t do it well or didn’t follow them, the deal would be off.
“So, if there’s a day when I don’t please you, you’ll charge interest, right, sir?”
(Yes)
“How much would you charge?”
(Five percent monthly, which comes out to what daily?)
“Uh, oh, just a moment, sir.” I said before grabbing paper and a pencil to calculate. Even though I study engineering, not everyone can do math in their heads, and I’m one who always needs to work it out on paper, it’s become a habit.
(What are you doing?)
“Calculating on paper, sir.”
(Drawing lots to get into class?)
Man, why is everyone around me so sarcastic? It’s unbearable, my heart feels like it’s made of tissue now. T^T “More than three hundred, right?” I said, “It would be bad if I keep upsetting you.”
(Yes, including today.)
“Ohhh, can I negotiate that? I was at work.”
(And you didn’t take your phone with you?)
“Yes, I left it charging in the room.”
(I bought you that phone so you wouldn’t forget it) the voice from the other end reminded me of what Phii Hill had said earlier, “He bought you a phone, and you still didn’t reply?” Okay…I’m at fault. T^T
“Yes, I won’t do it again.” I said, feeling guilty. I wouldn’t feel this guilty if I wasn’t being charged for it. Charging me money just for replying late, really?
(Hmm)
(And don’t use the phone I bought you to chat with others.)
“Huh?”
(Don’t understand?)
“I…understand, I guess.” Why is my creditor so harsh? “Can you tell me what might annoy you?”
(That’s your job to figure out.)
“Oh, okay, then I’ll hang up now, thank you.” I made sure to thank him and was about to hang up, thinking the conversation was over.
(No)
“Huh?”
(Don’t hang up)
“Yes, is there something else?”
(Don’t ask too many questions, just stay quiet.)
“Huh? Oh…okay.” I decided not to ask anything else since Phii Joe said not to ask. After a while, I heard the sound of scribbling and typing; he must be working. (Stay close to your phone)
“Ah, yes, sir.” I then went to get my headphones and put them on. Initially, I was worried about the noise so I planned to place the phone far away, but with this command, I had to use the headphones. Then I muted the game sounds from Ter, fearing they might leak through.
(No sleeping either.)
“…But I’m starting to feel sleepy.”
(What did I say?)
Leave a Reply