JI-EY-PI

17. A Little Finger

Silence hangs between us. Kate looks at me and Khun Sam repeatedly, then she moves her lips.

"You two were kissing."

"Not. No really, it was just a bite." Khun Sam hurries to respond. But it looks like she didn't hear. "Take it easy."

"Do you know why they named me Kate?"

"Because?"

"I don't know. Our! I won't be able to keep this, I need to tell everyone. Everyone should know and I'm going to spread this to the four winds, because if I know, everyone will know. Heavens!"

"K...Kate..."

I try to reach her, but it's too late. She has already disappeared. Khun Sam looks at me and sighs.

"There are no secrets in the world."

"What should we do?"

"We can't do anything, so let it go. But why is her name Kate?"

Is it time to question her name?

Now we're surrounded by her friends and they're looking at us like they're trying to find the truth about what happened. All I can do is stare at my hands, but Khun Sam is so strong, she's acting like nothing happened.

"Why are you so serious? We were joking and I already told you everything."

"Friends don't play like that. We used to play like this, PP?" Jim said. "Was it a joke, Mon?"

"It was. I thought no one would understand us and it's hard to explain. It's just cute aggression where I bite her nose and she bites my lips."

"Heavens! What an innocent little couple!... This is not kidding. That is..."

"Jim, you are so petty." Kate tries to stop her. She looks understandably at us. "Intimate girls can play like that."

"How can you understand this situation? If I was close to someone and we bit each other like that, I would have like twelve kids by now."

"You are so old-fashioned! We are humans in new times. Them biting each other is no big deal, is it, Tee?"

Tee, who is now confused, agrees with Kate.

"It can be true."

"Hey, my pretty girl, did you agree? Huh?"

"It is normal in western society. They always kiss when greeting each other." Kate said that looking at Khun Sam. "I understand, Sam."

"You sure are my modern friend." Khun Sam says slowly.

"Anyway, what did you get her for her birthday?... Lipstick?" Kate takes it from the table, opens it and spins it. "It smells like strawberries. Why did you choose this flavor?"

"Is tasty."

"So, did you put it on Mon's lips?"

"Yup."

"If you want to eat it, why don't you eat it instead of putting it on her lips?"

"It's about feeling."

"OK I understand."

Now Khun Sam is looking at his friends as if they are talking through their eyes. Kate smiles at Tee.

"Smells. It smells good, as good as the gift you bought."

Tee takes the lipstick from Kate's hand and smells it. Khum Sam looks at her.

"Do not pass! I don't want to share it with you."

"Then you better put it on Mon's lips." Tee said. She turns to me. "Come come."