( Still around 1 pm at " Ely Mall")
( At the corridor, fluorescent lights hummed softly above them. As they walked towards the Exit, the distant sound of chatter and clinking dishes grew fainter:):;
.... As they walked toward the mall exit, Nat finally gathered his courage to approach Siri. "Hey, Siri?" he said, trying to sound casual despite his racing heart. Siri's gaze remained fixed on the exit ahead, her expression unreadable. "Yes?" she replied, her voice neutral.
Nat hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Were you expecting someone back there?" he asked, nodding toward the bookstore. Siri's expression didn't change. "No ," she said flatly, her eyes never meeting Nat's.
Nat's curiosity got the better of him. "Really? It seemed like you were waiting for someone," he pressed on, trying to understand. Siri's gaze flicked to him briefly before returning to the exit. "I wasn't," she said, her tone firm but controlled.
The topic was closed. Nat dropped it, not wanting to push Siri further. They walked in silence for a few moments, the soft hum of the mall's background noise filling the air.
As the silence lingered, Nat's curiosity simmered just below the surface, and he couldn't shake the feeling that Siri was always brushing him off.
"Siri, may I ask you something?" Nat said, his voice softer than usual. His eyes were fixed on Siri's profile as they walked side by side, the fluorescent lights above highlighting her serene expression.
Siri's pace didn't falter, but her tone took on a hint of wariness. "What is it?"
Nat's heart began to race as he glanced around the crowded mall. The sound of chatter and clinking dishes filled the air, but his focus was solely on Siri. "It's just about that guy earlier," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Siri's gaze narrowed slightly, her eyes never leaving the exit. "What guy?" she asked calmly.
Nat's cheeks warmed as he attempted to sound casual. "You know, the guy with the matching outfits." Siri's expression remained impassive, but a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes, like she knew exactly what Nat was getting at.
"You both matched in white shirts and dark pants," Nat continued, his anxiety growing. "You looked like...a couple." Siri's gaze didn't waver, but her tone took on a slightly dry edge. "Is that a problem?" Nat's eyes flickered, unsure how to respond.
The surrounding noise faded into the background as Nat's unease intensified. "I mean, anyone would think you two were together," he added, his voice barely above a whisper.
Siri's expression remained calm, her eyes fixed on some point ahead. "Okay, so what about it?" she asked, her tone measured.
Nat's voice was tinged with a subtle tension. "You seemed to be getting along well.." he said, trying to sound casual. "..You were chatting and like old friends ."
Siri's gaze didn't waver. "I was having a conversation, YES."
A pang of jealousy shot through Nat's chest, like a cold draft on a winter night. He felt his heart sink, weighed down by the possibility that Siri might be interested in Thakorn. The thought of them together made his stomach twist into knots, but he tried to push the feeling aside, not wanting to jump to conclusions.
His eyes searched Siri's face, hoping to find some clue, some hint that would put his mind at ease. But her serene expression revealed nothing.
With a sense of trepidation, Nat asked, his voice barely above a whisper, "Do you...know him well?" Siri's gaze met his, calm and unreadable, and Nat's heart skipped a beat as he waited for her response.
He longed to ask so much more – if she liked Thakorn, if she felt the same flutter in her chest when Thakorn was near, and, most of all, if she felt the same way about him – but those questions remained trapped, unspoken, and all he could muster was that one, feeble question.
He looked away, unable to meet Siri's gaze, and wondered if he'd ever find the courage to ask her what he really wanted to know.
As they walked side by side, the mall's fluorescent lights casting an artificial glow on their faces,
Siri's expression remained calm and cold, a mask that revealed nothing. "Just a recent acquaintance," she said, her voice as flat as the background music that filled the mall's corridors.
Nat's eyes locked onto hers, searching for some glimmer of understanding, some hint of emotion behind her words....