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SPECIAL 1 - (Stra)Ordinary People [by Phakin]

NOTE: This special Chapter takes place before Uea and King got together.

I had first met P'Jade at the market near the office on a busy Monday morning.

MONTHS BEFORE

I am Phakin. I was studying in the Department of Communication, Art and Design, at the Faculty of Architecture. I was going into my fourth year and was supposed to join the cooperative education program for a semester. Before that I had sent an application for an internship in a private company in Phrom Phong and the company had accepted me. In the next two weeks I would start the internship. That day I had to pick up my brother's camera that had been repaired at a shop near the office, so I thought I should check out the company.

I was supposed to stay there for a few months, so I should start getting to know that area. The camera store wasn't open yet, so this was a nice time to walk around and kill time.

I parked the car in a supermarket parking lot and then walked around to survey the area. I arrived at the lively area with tall buildings on both sides of the street. Many employees passed me, probably in a hurry to clock out. I smiled a little thinking that after two weeks my routine would be the same as theirs.

College was kind of a simulation of the real world. The internship would get me out of that safe zone and I would finally know what would happen after I graduated. After seeing many seniors complain on Facebook about what they had to go through, I knew the real world probably wasn't so nice.

But I was also sure that it wouldn't be bad at all.

I wandered until I reached an alley with several buildings on either side. Many street food stalls and small shops were full of customers. I looked at a noodle shop, then heard a scream.

"Get out! Dirty dog! Do you want to take a kick?!"

The hateful voice made everyone around me turn and look over there. I got a little closer and saw the grilled pork seller throwing a stone at a battered puppy.

"Let him go. He's just a puppy." said the vendor from the nearby stall, only to be called back by the woman.

"Easier for you to say. This fucking dog didn't ruin your booth. Get out! Get out!"

I saw her take pieces of coal from a sack to throw them at the puppy. The little dog was starving and trembling with fear. I ran towards him to help him, but someone was faster than me. A boy came in and grabbed the puppy, hugging him to his chest.

"Please don't hurt him. I'll take him away."

A reassuring voice belonged to the person who had come in to pick up the puppy. He was wearing a blue shirt with pants. He looked like a Thai-Chinese man judging by those cute little eyes. He was probably one of the employees in that area.

"You'll take him out and he'll be right back for my fucking pig! You can't talk to a fucking dog!"

"He's probably hungry. Please relax." he said calmly. His hands were trying to calm the frightened puppy. The shirt he was wearing that was neat and clean was now dirty.

When the people around me saw that the show was over, they started to lose interest and left. I was still there, a little away from him. He asked the angry seller to buy some grilled pork and smiled wearily at her as he paid. After getting the pork, he hurriedly took the dog to a nearby alley.

I should have left it all alone now, but my two feet followed before I even knew it.

What will he do now?

The guy stopped on the sidewalk and reached down, trying to get the grilled pork off the stick. Then he told the puppy to stay still, gave him the pig and the puppy wriggled out of his arms to eat the pig with voracity. I saw him smile as the puppy began wagging his tail happily.