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Tutoring

Part 9

"Wow, this is delicious," Auntie commented as she sampled the tender beef slices fried in black bean sauce with bamboo shoots. Apparently, her mother was not critically ill and luckily felt better by the next day, so she and Daniel returned home just as Kongpob and I were starting to have lunch. That's when she tasted the soup, teriyaki chicken and tofu dish.

"Yummm~~ You're a great cook Arthit!"

I flushed bright red at the unjustified praise.

"Auntie...er... umm...actually Kongpob was the one who prepared the meal." I stuttered.

Immediately, Daniel bent forward and tried each dish — he had refused to try any just now when he was under the impression that I had cooked lunch. What a brat.

"Yeah big brother, this is good." He commented excitedly.

"Arthit, thank you so much..." began Auntie, looking teary-eyed all of a sudden.

"Mum! Why on earth are you thanking Arthit? Don't you know that big brother prepared the meal for us?" Daniel exclaimed with shock.

"Well, Arthit, Kongpob has never cooked for us before. You are the only one that has been able to make him cook."

O_O

...

Wut...?

"...Is that true?" My eyes widened as I stared at Kongpob Suthiluck.

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"That's true," I nodded slowly. Come to think of it, our mum has always been preparing our meals. If Arthit had not proven himself to be so bad at it, I would have never learnt to cook.

In a way, he has kinda 'helped' me to acquire another skill. Surprisingly, that baka had the power to unconsciously make me do something out of character...

I continued eating my meal, peacefully unaware of the surprised delight that was shining through Arthit's eyes at the thought of being so 'special' to me...

That baka...

Later, I was reading a book peacefully in my room when suddenly I heard a knock on my door. Getting up reluctantly, I went to answer it and saw Arthit looking anxiously at me. I groaned inwardly.

"Yes?"

"Could you teach me how to do this sum please?" I looked at the sum he was pointing at — goodness how is he going to pass his exams if he can't even do something as simple as that?

I pulled out a pencil and completed it in 5 seconds, passing the book back to him and shutting the door amidst his expressions of gratitude.

After around 10 minutes, I heard a timid knock on my door again. I sighed and went to open the door. Why wasn't I surprised to see a pair of half fearful half-pleading brown eyes and a book held out to my face?

I shook my head and whipped out my pencil, finishing the question within another 5 seconds.

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I showed May and Aya the answer and they both looked at me in some kind of awe.

"He took only 5 seconds again to do this?" I nodded dreamily, my incredibly handsome and intelligent Kongpob Suthiluck...

"Arthit," May was shaking me. "Hey, we can't do this sum too. Can you help us?"

I looked at her in dismay. Kongpob Suthiluck would probably kill me if I knocked on his door again. He did not look all too pleased the last time I knocked on his day. Looking at their desperate faces — I can clearly imagine how I looked pleading to Kongpob Suthiluck — reluctantly, I agreed.

"On one condition."

They both looked at me.

"I want you both to come with me for moral support."

And as protection so Kongpob can't kill me.

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I was quaking in my shoes as I knocked on the door again. This time, the door opened in a second. In fact, I barely managed to jump back in time to avoid getting my nose smashed.

"WHAT NOW?"

For once, I could see glaring sparks flying from the normally expressionless eyes. Then they widened as they took in my friends, my open notebook, and the sheepish expression on our faces.

I could feel May and Aya hiding behind me, obviously threatened by Kongpob's menacing presence.

Cowards.

"We..." I swallowed nervously. "We...were wondering if you...you could help us with another question."

The anger in his eyes was replaced by irritation as he snatched my notebook from my hand and flipped through the pages rapidly.

"Are these all the questions?" I nodded at the pages that he was pointing at.

"Come back in 15 mins." The door was shut firmly in my face.

We were all standing at the door again 15 mins. I swallowed, mustering my courage before knocking softly on his door. Once, twice...

I was about to knock a third time when the door opened so suddenly that I almost hit Kongpob Suthiluck. Without a single word, he stuffed the notebook into my hands with his usual expressionless face.

"Kongpob Suthiluck, thank—..." I found myself expressing my heartfelt gratitude to a wooden door.

I heaved a sigh as I trotted back to my room followed by my friends who were awed by Kongpob Suthiluck's abilities.

"My goodness!" May breathed in awe. "He finished all these sums in 15 mins!"

"He's a genius!" Aya's jaw was hanging.

"I told you so."

Strangely enough, I felt a little smug. I felt so proud of Kongpob Suthiluck...

Well, at least now my friends will have nothing more to say when I sing his praises.

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As I stepped into class the next morning, there was a great flurry of movement and suddenly many different pairs of hands seized my clothes. My mouth dropped open as all my classmates started talking at once. I was so confused that it was a while before I understood what the hell was going on.

"We heard from May and Aya that Kongpob solved all your math problems for you!"

"...decided to beg him to tutor us..."

"With him tutoring us, there's a chance that we might actually pass and get into good university ..."

"Please Arthit, please please please..."

"Please...please!"

"Please...please..." Their pleas were ringing in my ears and I was starting to soften.

Surely Kongpob Suthiluck wouldn't mind, right? I mean if he did, he could jolly well refuse to teach us — and what would we have to lose?

Slowly I nodded my head as the class started cheering loudly.

Kongpob Suthiluck, you do indeed complicate my life as well...

"He's coming..." I swallowed nervously as all of us gathered around the door.

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Strange to see so many pairs of shoes outside the door — must have Arthit invited a few more friends over so that they can study together. Well, I guess that the people in F-class are so stupid that they have to pool all mental resources in order to answer the simplest questions. Thinking about the math questions yesterday, I couldn't help but shake my head. I wonder how that baka would be able to pass his final exams or even get to any university.

Maybe if he asked me for my help in tutoring, I might consider spending a couple of days giving him a crash course.

"What the ..."

When I lifted my head I saw a sea of faces before me — the entire F-class population was standing in front of me — okay minus one, that Max guy. I was strangely satisfied not to see him hanging around Arthit.

Then Arthit walked up to me with an extremely nervous expression on his face. As usual, his hands were clasped together and lips twisted into a shy smile. Was that a blush on his cheeks? Aww damn.

"Kongpob Suthiluck, would you please tutor us for the exams? Please?"

"Yes, pleeeeeease..." They all said in chorus, looking hopefully at me.

I was really taken aback — what a totally ridiculous scenario. I had never expected to be in such a situation where I was asked to tutor the worst class in the entire school. Why me and not the teachers?

"No," I gave in to my first impulse and started to make my way upstairs towards my room. Why should I help them? They were bound to be too hopeless anyway. To my annoyance, they continued crowding around me begging me to help them.

"Please, please, pleaaaase!?"

"No!" I snapped rudely. I was starting to get annoyed as I pushed my way through the crowd and disappeared into my bedroom.

Half an hour later, I heard the now familiar timid knock on my door. I almost decided to ignore it, but got up reluctantly when the same knock sounded again and I knew immediately who it was.

Putting on my coldest expression, I pushed open the door. "What do you want now?"

As expected, it was Arthit who was looking very pathetic, standing in front of my door.

"Please Kongpob Suthiluck, wouldn't you teach us?" He begged softly. "Everyone's still waiting downstairs hoping that you would change your mind. This is the only hope for some of us to go to university. Please?"

I looked at his puppy eyes for a long moment, the hopeful look on his face was starting to fade until I finally nodded my head.

Fine, we'll see if I can actually help them pass — this would be a real challenge.

Arthit let out a wild happy yelp, his face breaking into the widest smile as he rushed down the stairs and seconds later a great cheering began.

I shook my head, starting to regret my decision already...

This damn baka...

How does he have the power to make me do things I wouldn't normally do is beyond me...

I must be getting weak...

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