That night I had a strange dream.
The sound of loud footsteps shook the floor and people's screams echoed throughout the surrounding area. Everything was in chaos, but I remained sitting in a spacious room, motionless; without worrying about who came in or what they said, without even looking around or maybe even breathing.
I was deeply immersed in my dreamscape and everything around me seemed to slowly fade away. In that dream I seemed to have had a moment of happiness, but it was suddenly replaced by contempt and contemptuous words from the people around me. Something heavy pressed against my chest from the bottom of my heart and threatened to explode at any moment. I couldn't stand it anymore.
The images of the people in front of me were blurry. Even though I was drunk and barely conscious, those insidious words continued to wash over me and hit me like waves on the beach. Sometimes I reacted and other times I ignored and let it go. My feelings were all confused, almost indescribable. Now I was furious to the point of madness and wanted to shed tears of pain. The only part I could remember clearly was that I still forced myself to smile.
I blamed fate for putting me through all this.
"Khun Klao... Khun Klao..."
A voice called out, it seemed so far away. Slowly, I slipped out of the dream realm, opened my eyes, and looked at the wooden beam above my head with a blank expression.
"Chuay."
"Please wake up. It's already morning." My personal servant... I mean Klao's personal servant who was sitting next to the bed humbly woke me up. I held my head with my hands and looked out the window. The sky was still dark, but the loud crowing of the rooster made me realize that it was indeed time to wake up.
I sat on the bed and fought off the drowsiness as I tried to get my bearings. Meanwhile, Chuay prepared the toiletries. I remembered that I was dreaming about something, but as soon as I woke up the images were all distorted and blurry. All that remained was an intense sadness that tormented me deeply and I couldn't shake it off easily.
What had I dreamed? Why couldn't I remember?
"Let's run to the dock. Than Phraya ordered Khun Klao to go and make offerings to the monks today."
"OK let's go." I sighed.
Pushing away the forgotten dream, I got up, went to change into an appropriate bathing suit to get ready. Since I had arrived there I had always had to get up early, my body had already gotten used to it. In the dormitory, however, I woke up at seven forty-five to go to class at eight in the morning.
I quickly took a bath and returned home to change into the clothes intended for offering gifts to the monks as per Phraya's instructions. It no longer seemed strange to me. At first I couldn't even tie the chong kraben and Chuay even had to help me, but since I wore it every day, I got used to it and could dress myself. I felt strange if my servant had to help me all the time, because I was no longer a child. However, Chuay told me that it was common for nobles to let their servants help them dress.
"Today I'll let you go to accompany my mother. Be a good boy." Phop reminded me after breakfast as he left for work.
Even though neither I nor Phop had said anything, the news of me sneaking out and saving Khun Wanna from the bandits reached the ears of Than Phraya and Auntie (if I had to guess, I would have said it was through the word of the villagers of the village).
Phraya hadn't scolded me at all, in fact he had praised me for being a gentleman. My aunt, on the other hand, had only complained about the fact that I had gone out in the sun even though I had just recovered. Even though I had done a good deed, that didn't disprove the fact that I had disobeyed Phop's order. As a result, he told me to stay home for three days as punishment and today was the last day.
"I behaved well every day." I couldn't help but argue.
Staying there for a week, I finally learned to speak the ancient language fluently, so I could immediately argue with him. At first I thought it would take me a long time to get used to it, but I learned to use their language faster than I expected. I myself was surprised.
The listener's dark eyebrows raised and he looked at me with incredulous eyes: "You're good at arguing." He scolded me nonchalantly.
Judging by the look in his eyes and the slight curve of his mouth, he seemed satisfied with my discussion.
"Be patient one more day. Tomorrow I will ask my father to let you go out and gain merit in the temple." Those words were enough to alleviate some of my resentment. I raised my hands and thanked him politely. Phop reached out his hand, as if to pat my head, but he quickly stopped and withdrew it before leaving the house.
He still didn't fully believe that I was the person he knew. He wasn't strange. He was closer to Klao than anyone else. He must have sensed that something had changed. This made me wonder what exactly the problem was between him and Klao. Why did everyone say that Klao had behaved hostilely and aggressively towards him in particular?
"Klao, sitting idle like this is boring, right? Why don't you go ride the horses?" Khun Ying Prayong suggested when he saw me standing there looking around. At Phraya's house there were many beautiful horses that I would have liked to try riding. The only problem was...
"Um... I..."
"Klao, don't you know how to ride a horse?"
"Yes. But perhaps the servants could teach me." When I said this, the aunt shook her head.
"The servants are not very agile. If you are not well looked after, you will get hurt for nothing. It's better if you stay with me for today. If Phop has free time, I will tell him to teach you."
"...Thank you." I raised my hands to thank her, showing off a forced smile to put her at ease.
Let P'Phop teach me?This would have created more opportunities for him to come up with tricks and annoy me. I thought he knew I was avoiding him. That's why he had deliberately tried to find an opportunity to get close to me.
When Than Phraya spoke to me, Phop stood there, very close. When I was out for a walk, he would follow me, asking me about old stories and talking nonsense. He was frustrating. Even when I took a bath in the morning and afternoon, he came to visit me.
He was like a stalker!
"So, what are you doing, aunt?"
"I was going to make a garland to offer to the monks tomorrow. Klao, don't tell me you're interested in helping me."
"I... I'm not good at this stuff." I smiled shyly. Actually, I was able to do some housework like cooking and sewing simple things. But getting to the point of embroidering detailed wreaths, I would say I was of no help.
"Exactly, you are a virile man. Then sit down and look at me. Muan, he goes and gets the sweets from the kitchen and give them to Klao."
"Yes." Aunt Muan, the head chef, bowed her head.
Once the woman brought the sweets, I sat next to my aunt and ate them, watching with admiration as the women of the house helped create garlands.
I had to admit that the craftsmanship was very intricate, fast and beautiful.
"Auntie, let me massage your legs." After finishing the snacks until I was satisfied, I offered to massage the old woman with a desire to flatter her. I had come to live in someone else's house, I thought I should make an effort to be polite and courteous so they would treat me well.
"Klao, you are really charming." Auntie giggled and patted my head as I carefully massaged her legs and feet. I was hoping that if I got in trouble again, she would scold me just a little. Or, if I had gotten angry at Phop and ran to her to complain, she would have taken my side.
"Are you preparing a hundred garlands to offer to the monk tomorrow?"
~~~~~~~
In the middle of the day, after eating and while I was helping my aunt pick sprouts to make garlands, I heard Jom's voice who had just come home to say hello.
"Oh, Jom. Have you come to see Phop?"
"Yes, aunt. Phop isn't back yet, is he?" Jom gave a wai and looked around for his friend.
"Not yet. He'll be back soon. Why don't you sit, wait and enjoy the breeze in the Water Pavilion? Take Klao with you and have a chat like friends do."
"Sounds good." Jom replied with a smile. Aunt then asked me to follow him and have a chat to kill time until Phop returns home.
"What is it like to live in Than Phraya's house? Do you feel comfortable?" he asked once they sat down. I leaned back, staring at the river in the distance.
"It would be nice if it weren't for someone watching over my freedom."
"Hahaha. If you say that, it means Phop still doesn't trust you to stay here." Jom laughed cheerfully. The look of pity mixed with amusement in his eyes made my lips purse in resentment.
Fun.Well, it wasn't his suffering, so he could easily take it as a joke. I swear if the person in front of me had been Thi, I would have already slapped him on the head.
"Come on, don't be offended. Phop is only acting like this because he's worried about you. You know that, right?"
Listening to Jom's words, I let out a long sigh. I had only been there a week, how could I know him? All I knew was that the man was good looking, good at his tasks and was a little quiet. But in reality he had the ability to annoy me and was the first to discover my mistakes.
"P'Jom."
"YES?"
"Were P'Phop and I very close in the past?" I asked curiously. I wanted to gather some more information about Phop's relationship with Klao, and Jom, who was his best friend and had known Klao since childhood, was the right person to ask.
"That alcohol really made you forget the past completely."
"I'm sorry, I don't remember much about the past. Could you tell me?" I looked at him with expectant eyes. Jom frowned, a little hesitant to answer but he agreed to open his mouth.
"All right. Before you moved to Phichit, you and Phop were very close. You don't have any siblings, so you were fond of him, you called him and stayed with him all day. Phop loves you very much, even more than his blood brothers."
"Honestly, I thought he hated me. He always annoys me, constantly watches me to find faults." Just thinking about it made me rant angrily making Jom laugh.
"Sometimes it's like that. If he is close to someone, he always likes to tease him. That means you have a better chance of talking to him, right?" Jom's question made me frown.
"So... when I returned to Phra Nakhon, you said that P'Phop and I weren't as close as before. Why?"
"If you've forgotten, I won't be able to answer you myself. I also don't know why you changed so much when you came back." After hearing his answer, I immediately felt depressed. Ultimately, no one knew why Klao suddenly changed his behavior.
"The way you are now is better. It reminds me of the time before you went to Phichit."
"Am I the same as I was back then?"
"Sometimes you are, sometimes you aren't. You were a polite boy and spoke so little, but now you seem to be more argumentative." Jom chuckled.
"Certainly. I don't tolerate being provoked by anyone." As soon as I said that, his chuckle turned into a roar of laughter before he calmly changed the subject to discuss other matters.
"P'Jom, don't you have work to do?"
"Of course I have to work. But I am not a government doctor and therefore have flexible working hours."
"Don't you work for the government? Why?" I asked surprised.
In ancient times, it was very rare for nobles not to serve in government, and Jom was also the son of a Phraya. In any case, he had to at least be entrusted to the Divisional Department somewhere.
"I prefer to be a doctor. I'm not good at those military and political positions. Luckily, I'm the youngest, so my dad didn't force me." Jom explained with a smile. In that era when parents tended to control their children's lives, I would say Jom was a very lucky person.
I continued talking to him for a while before Phop returned home. As the boat docked at the dock, the homeowner's son looked back and forth between Jom and me.
"Jom, have you come to see me?"
"Yes. I have some free time today, so I came to invite you for a drink. You came back late, so I called Klao to sit and talk." Jom explained as Phop looked at him. I stood there, waiting for what he had to say.
"Talk business together? Won't it give you a headache?" You see? He always makes fun of me!
"No, P'Jom and I had a nice conversation, didn't we?" I turned and Jom agreed with a funny smile.
"Yes. He was a great chat. "
"That's good to hear." even though he said it, his serious face conveyed disbelief, making the nerves throb in my temples.
"I'll go home first. I will let you talk more comfortably." I bowed my head and quickly left the area. Irritation suddenly exploded in my heart.
What kind of crazy person was so annoying? And when could I go home permanently so I wouldn't have to see him?
~~~~~~~
3rd Person's POV
Even though it was late afternoon, the market was still full of energy, especially in the liquor stores. The colder the night, the more crowded the customers. Whether they were villagers or civil servants, everyone was happy to come and eat and drink to relieve stress.
"Sitting there and drinking without saying a word, is there anything going through your mind?" rang out the voice of a friend who had known Phop since childhood.
The listener's sharp black eyes turned to meet the gaze of the person sitting next to him. Immediately, he placed an empty glass on the table before answering his friend amidst the bustle of the restaurant.
"You speak as if you know what I'm thinking."
"You're thinking about Klao." Jom replied knowingly. The young man's dark eyebrows drew together slightly.
A large hand poured clear liquor into his glass again and said, "Yes, don't you think he's acting a little strange?"
"It seems really strange since he disappeared and then came back." Jom agreed. "I guess he drank too much. The potency of the alcohol must have confused his mind to the point that he now can't even remember that he was once very close to you."
"You don't remember?" Phop narrowed his eyes in thought.
"Yes, he also asked me if you hated him. When Klao asked me, he had a grimace on his face. Do not tell anyone." Jom said laughing and raising his glass of liquor.
Phop paused for a moment before speaking. "Is it possible that it's not the real Klao?"
"Well, haven't you stopped thinking like that yet?" The friend frowned in confusion. Phop let out a deep sigh.
How could he not think so when his behavior had changed so much? Although his face remained the same, his way of speaking and his gaze had changed. The young man he had met before Phichit was a bright-eyed and somewhat shy boy. When Luang Preechaphiban was convicted and died, he became depressed and hostile. However, this person was full of confidence. He was polite to the elders, but stubbornly acted like a child around him. This was something he had never seen him do in the 20 years he had known him.
"Yes, from the first moment I met his eyes, I felt something strange. Like I know him, but at the same time I don't. He even seems to have no memory of the past. It's as if he's transformed into a completely different person. If he told me it was someone else, I wouldn't find it strange."
"How is it possible? His face is exactly the same. And both you and I saw the birthmark on his arm. If it's not Klao, who could it be? Someone else's ghost pretending to be him?" Jom didn't agree and Phop didn't know how to answer him.
From all the physical evidence, it was clear that the person in the house now was Klao, obviously. But for some unknown reason, Phop still couldn't turn off his suspicions. For this reason he had asked his father's permission to let him live in their house, to always keep an eye on him.
"He must have lost his memory due to the power of that liquor. You must not continue to suspect him. There are things that are better forgotten, so as not to feel pain anymore."
The light in Than Muen's eyes went out when he heard those words.
That family's reputation had been destroyed and Klao had been directly affected. He still remembered well the contemptuous words of the market residents who spoke of Luang Preechaphiban and his family when he patrolled the area. They had insulted his father's honor and trampled on his dignity. Klao had to hear these insidious words every day. He probably couldn't stand it. That must have been why the little brother he knew had changed so much. He had changed until even he, who had once been as close as a blood brother, was unable to get closer. And some questions remained in his heart.
Why did the word "Phi", with which he called him, no longer exist? Why was he acting so cold and aggressive towards him? But he never received a response.
"Also, I think it's nice that it's changed. At least he's no longer emotionless, he's much livelier now. He's getting more and more adorable." Jom said, reminding the listener of the sweet face of the young man who lived in his house.
From an early age he had white skin and bright eyes. The edges of his clear, round eyes were slightly droopy, resulting in a soft, sad look that captured the attention of the beholder. He also had a well-shaped nose and full lips, a face that invited you to look at him. Although he had been scolded by his father for being too lenient towards Klao, Phop had to admit that he simply couldn't resist his brother's pleading eyes. Whatever Klao wanted, he got.
"But he's very stubborn and doesn't listen to what I say." Phop admitted that he had been very lenient with his nong. In the past he was an obedient child, he never gave him a headache. But this person would never listen to him. Now, when Phop said one thing, Klao immediately did the opposite.
"Isn't it because you always go and provoke him first?" Jom argued.
"..."
"Right? I always thought you must have started it." when Phop didn't respond, Jom patted his knee and shook his head, giving him a dejected look. The jagged mouth behind the glass of liquor curved slightly. Phop touched his lips to the rim of the liquor, sending the clear, strong-tasting alcohol down his throat in one fell swoop.
It was true that he was annoying Klao on purpose. The goal was to catch something suspicious in him, because when a liar is put on the spot, he will eventually make mistakes or act in some way that will lead to him getting caught. Besides, he was very amused every time he saw that sweet face twitch in frustration. Although Than Muen's appearance to strangers was that of a quiet and calm man, he actually also had a funny side.
And teasing his brother from another mother was his number one entertainment.
~~~~~~~
Khun's POV
In the morning the rooster crowed like a powerful alarm clock. Hearing the call, I opened my eyes and jumped out of bed without having to wait for the servant to wake me. I quickly took a bath before heading home to excitedly change clothes.
Today is finally my release from house arrest. I can finally go out!
"You must wear your jewels today." said the servant after I had finished dressing and was ready to go out to eat in the pavilion courtyard. I watched the young man's back as he approached a wooden crate. The trunk came from Klao's belongings. When the trunk was opened, I suffocated, because inside it was filled with many gold accessories: gold necklaces, rings and buckles.
Shit. Is everything in the box real gold?...
"These things here... are these Kla-er's, mine?"
"Yes." replied the servant. I swallowed hard as I looked at the huge gold ring I had pulled out of the trunk.
From the first time I went to the market, I could see that people of this era liked to wear jewelry to show their position. Anyone in my day would have been shocked by such a sight. If someone had worn gold all over their body and ventured into the modern era, they would likely have been attacked within a hundred yards of leaving their home. That would have been really messy!
"I can't wear it." I grimaced, feeling uncomfortable. It doesn't even belong to me, what would I do if I lost it?
"This time Khun Klao goes out with Than Phraya and Khun Ying. Not wearing jewelry would be shameful." said the servant, hastily placing a gold ring with red stones on one of my fingers.
Sigh, I couldn't afford not to be sloppy around the people in whose house I lived. I would need to be extraordinarily careful today, because I wouldn't be able to make up for it if I lost it.
After breakfast, Phraya Phichai Phakdi's family and I took a boat ride, going to a temple not far from home to offer food to the monks. I assumed that temple was also built by Than Phraya's family. I had heard teachers say that in the old days, rich people liked to compete with each other to build temples. That was probably true, because everywhere you looked there were temples and temples and temples all over the city. People gathered to accumulate merit continuously, and all Buddhist holy days were considered holidays. Obviously, in this era, Buddhism strongly influenced people's minds.
He followed Than Phraya, aunt and Phop to the temple. There were many servants following us, helping to collect all the offerings and food that had been prepared to offer to the monks. On the Great Buddha Day, the fifteenth day of the waning moon like that day, the temple seemed to be more crowded than usual.
The murals of the Buddha's story on the temple walls and the surrounding architecture left me amazed at the beauty of the place. Even though people in the past did not have as many construction tools as in the modern era, they built such beautiful and complex temples.
"Sit next to me." Phop whispered as we sat in the temple, waiting. I moved to sit next to him. The room was quiet, but I could sense the stares of the people inside, which made me uncomfortable.
I knew I wasn't really Klao, but openly gossiping in front of me when they thought I was him was incredibly rude.
"Khun Ying, did you also bring Klao today to get merit?" asked a luxuriously dressed middle-aged woman next to Aunt Khun Ying.
"Yes, Klao just moved into our residence, so I brought him here to earn his fortune."
"That's why I see Klao at the temple. At first I thought my vision had gotten worse. Usually, I just see him at the liquor store, drinking from morning till night. I thought he no longer visited temples." the lady said laughing. The aunt's eyes shone with displeasure. Being a victim of such gossip, it would be strange for me not to show any reaction, right?
"I had to come to the temple to gain merit because I recently felt that my luck is not good. I want to pour some water and get merit to dispel all the negative karma." I smiled slightly at the listener. The lady was stunned speechless. I took a deep breath.
Now I understood why Klao had become so antisocial. Who could tolerate being gossiped about right in front of them? If it weren't for my respect for Than Phraya and aunt, I would have rebelled even harder. I was really angry.
I could feel the eyes of the person next to me boring into me. I turned to Phop, thinking I would see a glimmer of disapproval in those dark eyes. But instead, he showed me a slight smile with kind eyes. He was so calm that my irritability gradually subsided, giving way to a strange feeling that made me look away in another direction.
The people who had come earlier to make merit gradually stood up until it was our turn to make offerings to the monks. Phop and I made offerings to the monk, and our hands sometimes accidentally touched. For a moment I remembered Thi's story, which said that those who accumulated merit together would meet again in the next life. Did this mean I would be reborn and meet Phop again? But when I thought back to the present day, I realized that I didn't even know him, so it couldn't be true.
"Place your hands together to receive blessings." the old monk's low, hoarse voice sounded so familiar that I had to raise my head to look, and then gasped when I saw the monk's face clearly.
Luang Ta...
The sound of prayers and blessings rang out. Clasping my hands, I accepted the blessing as if I were in a trance. I hadn't realized it was him when I entered the temple, only now I saw that he looked exactly like my grandfather. I had already lost count of the number of people who looked like my acquaintances in modern times. This left me even more confused, unable to understand what was happening.
"It's been a long time since we last met, Yom* Klao." said the old monk. After the blessings and pouring of water were completed, he came to greet me after greeting Phraya, Aunt Khun Ying and Phop.
(*Yom is an honorific prefix that monks use to address normal people.)
"...Yes." I replied in a low voice. The more I looked at it, the more it reminded me of Luang Ta. When I arrived at that time, apart from the clothes I had on, I had nothing with me. The only comfort in my family's absence was the sacred rope that Luang Ta had tied around my wrist.
"I've watched you since you were little. You are now becoming a very handsome young man. Come, come closer." The monk beckoned me to come closer. Then, I approached the throne and clasped my hands together as a sign of respect.
"Coming here from afar, you must be pretty upset right now." the weak, hoarse voice that uttered those words made my eyes widen. I looked at him with my heart pounding.
"Luang Ta... do you know...?"
"You just got back from Phichit, right? Now you have come to live with Than Phraya. There's nothing to worry about." he smiled sweetly. I felt discouraged and my hope popped like a balloon before my eyes.
I thought he somehow knew I wasn't from that time and that I could ask him for a way to get home.
"Come here. I will bless you with holy water."
"YES." I put my hands together and received the blessing. Then I walked away, allowing Phraya and Aunt to converse with Luang Ta. It wasn't until lunchtime that Than Phraya said goodbye to him and we started walking home.
"Yom Klao." a gruff voice rang out.
"YES." I was the last person to say goodbye. Looking into the foggy eyes of the old monk who had been staring at me for a long time, he uttered a sentence that left me perplexed.
"One's karma must be corrected by oneself. Everything that happens is predestined, so don't worry too much. When the time comes, you will see the path for yourself."
"L-Luang Ta... do you know? Yes or no?" I asked, babbling with joy until Luang Ta laughed.
"I only know that Yom Klao has just returned from Phichit, and that from now on he will behave in the virtue of Dharma so that bad karma does not spread. Understood?"
"...YES."
A disciple entered the temple and came over to help Luang Ta get up, I sat there until a servant came and called me, then I got up and went to join Than Phraya's family.
I felt that Luang Ta must know for sure where I came from. His words had been enough to comfort my troubled mind. But the question was: when would the time come? When would I see the right way? When could I go home?
It shouldn't take ten or twenty years, right?
~~~~~~~
After finishing making merit, Than Phraya, Khun Ying, and most of the servants returned home. I, however, accompanied Phop to the jewelry market. It seemed that one of his subordinates had just welcomed a daughter into the family, and so he was going to buy some jewelry as a gift. Obviously I didn't want to miss that opportunity.
Currently, Phop and I were walking among the numerous jewelry stores set up on both sides of the street with Chuay and Kong. At first I wanted to go to the market where Klao went to get drunk, to look for clues. However, I felt that the policeman next door would certainly not let a prisoner like me go. In the end I decided to dedicate that day to rest. I should have waited until he trusted me enough to let me go out on my own. When the time came, I could follow Klao's footsteps anywhere.
"So this is what they look like..." I murmured, looking with great interest at the simple silver Ta Pings* in the baskets. I had only ever seen pictures on the internet of children from ancient times wearing these garments to cover their lower body, but now I saw it with my own eyes.
(*Ta Ping or Jab Ping, is a small piece of clothing made of gold/silver metal mesh, worn to cover the lower parts of the body, similar to a loincloth.)
"Do you want to buy one?" a voice asked. His eyes were intentionally mocking me, so I gave him a determined look.
Why would I want that? For what? I'm an adult now. If I used such a garment, how would it cover the most important part of my body?
"I'm just watching, will P'Phop buy anything?" I changed the subject with a slightly frustrated tone, making the older man smile.
"I'll probably buy this Naga* Ta Ping and this women's belt, she can keep it and wear it when she grows up." Phop replied, continuing to pick out the jewelry. I, on the other hand, looked at all the silver and gold jewels decorated with many precious stones and arranged next to each other. Those objects made by the ancients were truly wonderful. There were so many accessories. If I could have bought them and brought them back to the present day to sell, I would definitely have become a millionaire.
(* a copper alloy.)
My gaze fell on a gold ring. It was simple, not too thick and decorated with an openwork pattern. I looked at him with interest for a long time until I heard Phop's voice.
"Do you like this ring?"
"Is very cute." he replied without taking his eyes off the object. Compared to those large, thick rings decorated with precious stones that were around us, I had to admit that this ring was not at all attention-grabbing. However, to me it seemed simple, suitable for everyday wear without being too overwhelming.
"Khun Klao, will you buy it?" asked the servant next to me who was holding my money bag.
"No. P'Phop, you're done shopping, right?"
"I finished."
"Then let's go find something to eat, I'm starving" I exclaimed and quickly headed towards the food section in front of the market.
No matter how much I liked that ring, it was gold. The price certainly wouldn't have been cheap. I already felt guilty enough for impersonating someone else, I wasn't brazen enough to waste their money too. I only used what was necessary for everyday life.
I stopped and bought some snacks to take home and eat. There were many snacks that I had never seen before in modern times. For example, the dessert I was buying was called Khanom Kong. It was circular in shape with crossed lines in the center. It was made of mung beans mixed with coconut milk, palm sugar, sesame seeds, then dipped in batter and fried. The flavor was sweet and pleasant on the palate.
"P'Phop, do you want one too?" I turned to ask the person who had just joined me. The other shook his head in response. As far as I knew, Phop didn't really like eating sweets or fried foods, unlike me, who could eat almost anything except spicy food.
"Look, it's the son of that Luang from Phichit City, the one who was flogged for taking bribes."
As the merchant handed me my change, I heard whispers coming from nearby stalls. Even though I pretended not to notice, I could still hear the gossip.
"Isn't that the drunkard?"
"Yes, day after day he gets drunk and frequents the town's prostitutes. I don't understand how Than Muen can associate with him."
The sound of gossip continued, as if they couldn't see me standing there. I took a deep breath and forced myself to control my impatience, then looked at the person next to me. Phop looked completely blank and expressionless.
"I heard he moved to Than Phraya's house. How brave is Than Phraya to associate with such a person without fear of his reputation being tarnished?"
"That's right, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. With such a dishonest father, how different can the son be?"
Hearing this, I clenched my fists tightly. I tried to suppress my emotions as best I could. Even though I wasn't Klao, I couldn't bear to hear those people insult him. How could they judge what kind of person he was if they didn't even know him?
"It's a shame that Than Muen has to take care of a criminal like him. It's such a burden."
This finally made my patience wear thin. I was about to turn around, but I was slower than the person next to me.
"Do not worry. I don't think taking care of my nong is a burden." Phop's deep voice immediately silenced the surrounding area. I turned to look at his face and saw him smiling at those merchants. His eyes clearly showed dissatisfaction, causing people to quickly look away.
"As for my nong's character, it is not for outsiders to judge."
He spoke only briefly, but it was like a punch in the face. I couldn't help but be surprised by the person next to me. Phop turned his gaze towards me.
"Do you want to buy something else?"
"No."
"Then let's go home."
His warm palm lightly touched my back, encouraging me to walk forward. The gossip continued to echo behind our backs, but Phop didn't seem to care. He still walked beside me and even turned to give me a reassuring smile.
My heart seemed to beat a little faster as I furtively looked at his sharp profile. Even though he enjoyed teasing me while giving me that infuriatingly warm smile, making me feel more and more irritated each time, the way he openly defended Klao just now made me accept wholeheartedly that without a doubt he was indeed a good phi.