Proofreader: azzianna
"Where are you taking me? And how about Mom, when you came here, have you told your girlfriend that you're here? What if she can't find you? What will she do? And who will my Nong (Toey) be with? What about the phone that Beer left with me?" I yelled loudly in the car. I've been yelling constantly since Phum dragged me from the concert until we were sitting in his car, while he just kept being quiet. Suddenly, Phum held out his hand in front of me without taking his eyes off the road.
"Give it to me."
"What?"
"Beer's phone."
"No"
"GIVE-IT-TO-ME"
His voice was darker than a cappuccino. But no way. I'm not that afraid of you ná.
"I said, give it to me."
I was startled by the outburst and with his eyes glaring at me. For a moment there, I could see fire in his eyes. Where did he go to eat hornet's nest? Suddenly having a tantrum, taking out his anger at other people like a crazy dog. I clenched my hands tightly, my whole body was tense. Having patience at a level that could reach a Sotapanna in order to restrain myself from throwing a punch at Phum's mouth.
[*=Why's he pissed? Eat hornets nest (กินรังแตน) =be upset ; have a bad temper
** Sotapanna (โสดาบัน) Buddist term, one who entered the stream, which cuts through the first three fetters. Entering the stream is the first of the four stages of enlightenment.]
I'm not a hot-tempered person. Usually, I'm calm and indifferent. Whatever I can accept, I'd accept. But if someone behaves like this when I haven't done anything, it's unacceptable. However, the only thing I could do was to stay quiet.
"..." I was quiet.
"..." and the other person was silent.
"Where are you taking me? Or are you going to kill me? Before I die, please tell me what sin I've done to you. In case the Devil asks, I will be able to answer him correctly."
[T/n: Just tell him you were killed by a devil]
Phum didn't answer, and remained silent, then pressed on the accelerator. Damn, I was so uncomfortable. I turned to look outside the window, but I could hardly see anything as he was driving too fast. The electric poles and traffic lights were all blurred. I felt nauseous. You unlawful driver!
"Are (you two) very close?"
"What?" I heard the question clearly but I didn't understand the context.
"Why is my friend's phone with you?"
To sum it up, Phum was lashing out and attacked me, with his trunk and tusks like an enraged elephant, because he's possessive of his friend's phone. I was going crazy. But it's good, the more he wants it, the more I won't give in. Don't even dream that I'll hand it to him. I'll hold onto the phone until you die of anger. Just you wait!
"Who do you belong to?"
"What?"
I was confused for the millionth time. I'm not deaf, but hearing Phum's every question, I doubt someone will get it. Listening to and interpreting them was more difficult than studying art theories. I thought it was a challenge of wits. He suddenly asked strange things out of the blue.
"Did you smoke weed? I'm really asking. Do you want to park the car and buy something sweet to eat first?"
"Answer."
"What did you ask?"
Thank you for your question, but could you please repeat it because I am very confused.
Phum glared at me, his red eyes sparkled, and he roared at me "Who are you serving?"
"Orrrrrrrrr" I've reached Bang Or*. A little more I will reach Bang Kruai. I understand now.
[*ถึงบางอ้อ "reach Bang Or" is a slang, = understand
Bang O (บางอ้อ), Bang Kruai is two districts in different cities in Thailand.]
"Is that what you're trying to convey with all you said? I never expected this. Why? Are you afraid that your friend will become my new boss? You're afraid that you won't be able to have fun with the slave anymore? There's no need to be afraid because no one is a power-crazed psychopath like you." I looked at Phum out of the corner of my eye.
"I am your servant, are you satisfied?"
"Good that you know. Remember this: WHAT IS MINE, MUST BE ONLY MINE."
Look at his words. Hey, I thought about the teachings of the Buddhadasa, my body is mine, uh, my body is not mine??? And who this bastard think he is? Even if he wants to own me, he should at least try to please (me), try to talk... Huh! His way won't work. Between me and Phum, who do you think needs to see the doctor first? Haha.
[Buddhadasa (พุทธทาสภิกขุ), a venerable Thai Buddhist monk, said "I don't even have a "self" of my own!" and " body-mind is not "self". Peem is such a good disciple.
T/N: I think we (readers) will need to go see a doctor first. But lemme ask you, so if Phum tries to please you, will you, huh?]
But before going to see a doctor, we'd better go see a monk first. Because we arrived at a place I never imagined someone like Phum would visit during this lifetime. That is, a temple! It's not an ordinary temple either. Because this is Wat Arun. Readers, please understand. (Does it sound better?). One more time. This place is Wat Arun Ratchawararam. AKA Wat Chaeng. Oh My Buddha, did Phum take his baby elephant to the temple? Even if it is quite unbelievable, you have to believe it. There's never anything left to eat. There's plenty of deliciousness*. Fuck you, Phum.
[Wat Arun – Temple of Dawn is a famous Buddhist temple situated on Thonburi on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
*A lyrics of a snack advertisement]
I just found out that Wat Arun also held a Loy Krathong event. The atmosphere was much better than my university's. It's not as hot and not as crowded. Probably because the temple is next to the Chao Phraya River. Therefore, there is a cool breeze blowing all the time. Moreover, there is the dramatic backdrop of the Phra Prang which today looks exceptionally beautiful thanks to the decorative lights. It makes it more fun to walk around than in my university.
Phra Prang of Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, view from the Chao Phraya River.
I stood and looked at the top of the prang (stupa) and thought of when I was in my first year, the professor asked us to come out and paint a picture of the prang at Wat Arun. Well, I went through hell and high water to get a B plus for the drawing subject. I always took the ferry whenever I traveled here, and never in a car like this.
Most of the stalls at the event were food, desserts, and traditional Thai desserts, some of which I had just seen for the first time. There was a carousel, a fish scooping game, and a band playing Thai music. There were outdoor movies and medicine sales as well*. It's like a simulation of an old temple fair. Saying it as if I was born in ancient times and knew what the temple festivals were like... Of course, not. Hahaha.
[*The seller holds a free outdoor movie night and sells medicine, or other products.]
"Why did you bring me here?"
"I didn't bring you here. I just happened to be driving by so I stopped by."
"Just stop by? Wat Chaeng is just a rest stop? Are you planning to go to Thonglor?"
"You talk so much, too noisy"
"As..."
Almost there, I had almost let the dog out to wander around in the middle of the temple courtyard. Luckily, I suddenly realized that I needed to collect myself. So I kept my mouth shut. I won't even try to figure out whatever it was that inspired a sinner like Phum to drive me all the way to this place, let alone stop by and enter this temple. I will not try to understand any of Phum's actions again. Because I'm tired, I'd like to take an aimless walk without thinking about anything. I felt like I wanted to do that. I wanted to let go of all the thoughts, stress, worries, confusion, and doubts in my mind. I would like to excuse myself from those feelings for a moment, then we'll meet again after tonight. Please, just give me one more night.
"Why do you always look like dying when you're with me, but with others you look like you're living your best life?"
"Do you still have to ask? If you were captured in a cage with a Rottweiler, see if you can smile."
[T/N: I feel sorry for the Rottweiler]
"Are you saying I'm a dog?"
"No, I'm not. You're thinking too much. Every time you're with me, your face looks so nice. Not grumpy or sullen at all. Not even a happy smile like when you are with your girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?"
"Whatever, I feel hot and thirsty."
"Well, then go buy a drink."
"Take me there."
"No"
"When you were hungry, I took you to eat."
I stopped walking and immediately argued back. Let me go alone? Dream on, man. He'll leave me again. When you get hurt and you remember, you are a human being. When you get hurt and you tolerate/ ทน (ton), ธน (ton) is a kingdom of Thailand. How is it? Is that joke good? Stop making stupid jokes like this Peem.
[*Inspired by the lyrics of the song เจ็บแล้วทนคือควาย (When you get hurt and you tolerate, you are a buffalo. The song is about a girl who gets hurt repeatedly by her boyfriend (both mentally and physically)
ธน/ton/ refers to The Thonburi Kingdom (ธนบุรี)]
"Excuses."
Phum pulled me by the elbow to follow him. His legs are so long that he can barely cross the Chao Phraya River with a single step. But I had to speed up to keep up with him. It's almost like a fast-paced walking race. I might get a slimmer waist soon.
"A bottle of water." Were you buying water or challenging the seller for a fight? Huh, speaking rudely.
"Oh hey, P'Phum, are you going to float Krathongs here too?"
"Um, then what are you doing here?"
"Selling water krap, hehe."
The kid at the water shop answered with a cheeky face, a wide smile showing off his braces. As for why Phum spoke so bluntly, they actually knew each other. The fact that he dared to joke around and seemed so close to Phum was very impressive to me. Normally, I see people who don't want to get close to Phum.
Inside the water shop booth, there were more than ten boys and girls in student uniforms. If I had to guess, it would probably be the Buddhism Club at my university. Shit! Did they come all the way to set up a shop here? Or maybe not, because the boy talking to Phum didn't seem to be in this club. But we shouldn't judge people by their appearance, right? He might have a good personality and adhere to the principles of Dhamma.
"And who are you coming with? I'm sure you two are wearing matching shirts. Is this your boyfriend, P'Phum?"
[T/N: Another smart kid. Damn, why are the kids so smart?]
You little bastard, I was right in judging you from your outside appearance, because your question made me choke until water entered my nostrils, and shot up into my brain. Damn it!
"Jay, don't be nosy."
"Hee hee, just kidding. I'm not nosy anymore. My handsome Phi Code, please don't destroy my shop."
Oh, so they're Code brothers.
You don't look like you belong to the Buddhism Club. If you say you followed your faen, it might be possible. That kid handed another bottle of water to Phum and raised his hands in a strange wai. I saw that he was acting scared of Phum, and then he also smiled at me.
"But your face looks familiar. You resemble my ex. Have we met before?"
Shit, this time the dog in my mouth didn't work at all. The operating system was so shocked that it couldn't even respond with a curse word. When I looked at the person next to me, I almost teared up, because Phum made a face like he believed what Jay was saying. He gave me a harsh stare like a person who was high on drugs. What else are you not satisfied with me? Oh! As for Jay, he was giggling. What's so funny?
"Maybe we've walked past each other in hell."
"Wow, that's heartless. You look cute but you're really heartless."
"Jay"
When being rebuked with a loud voice, Jay hurriedly bowed his head and apologized. But he didn't seem to feel any remorse at all.
"I'm sorry krap. I won't tease you anymore. You're really jealous. Just like this, and you have to scold me. Nong Jay is very upset."
I think, Toey has a competitor. This was the first time I wanted Phum to use force against someone.
"So, have you guys floated Krathong yet? You'd better hurry. If you float late at night, be careful of ghosts pulling you into the water."
"I'm the one who's going to pull you into the water. Let's go, Phum."
I didn't want to waste time looking at Jay's damn face and hurriedly dragged Phum out before I got nervous.
"Huh."
I turned to look when I heard a chuckle, "What are you laughing at?"
"No. Here, water." Phum handed me a second bottle of water. I took it and immediately lifted it to my lips to drink.
"Why didn't you open the cap?" I lifted it almost upside down, but no water came out.
[T/N: So you usually give your friends an opened-lid water bottle. Really?]
"You're asking too much, Shorty. Know your place. I'm the boss." See how he used words.
"You've just told me to refrain from the duty of a servant for one day." He said that when we were walking into the temple, I remembered.
"When did I say that?"
"When you said it."
[azzianna : Did he really? 😅
Sprite: Well, Phum should assume he has forgotten. He'll get used to it. God bless you Phum.]
Phum stared at my face. It seemed like he was considering it for a moment. "Alright then." My ears perked up, I couldn't believe it.
[azzianna : feel like Phum just got scammed... hahahah]
"Really?"
"Uh, I will give you one day of freedom. Give me the bottle."
Phum took the 10-baht water bottle (The price increased due to the festival) out of my hand, unwrapped the plastic seal and opened the cap for me. Oh my goodness, aside from abolishing slavery, there's also an additional service of opening the water bottle? The script is simple, but it's so simple that I'm confused. Once we got to the temple, Phum became a proper human being. What do you think? He should be ordained for three years in order to stop being a badass.
"Dobby is free now. Thank you ná krap, bossssssss." I sarcastically pretended to sound like a news program on Channel 1.
After drinking cool water, my mood became cool. It gave me the strength to continue walking. But I walked around the Loy Krathong festival with the same feeling as when I sat and ate wonton noodles that day. It's a feeling like you're in the wrong place. 'You' means Phum, not me. Because he seemed completely at odds with the surrounding atmosphere. It looked like he shouldn't be walking around here to be the center of attention. And people were really looking at him. What the fuck were they looking at? 😤. He has eyebrows, a mouth, two eyes, and a nose with two nostrils like everyone else. I was so annoyed. But, why did I feel annoyed?
It's almost midnight. The people at the event began to thin out. But Phum and I continued to wander around. I walked beside him, feeling so confused. We're not strangers, not friends either. I seriously don't know how to define our relationship.
It must be a relationship that we both bought Khanom Pong Neng to eat. And I only got two bites when a child ran into me and knocked the snack off my hand. Phum stood there laughing his head off. Then he handed me his Pong Neng, but who's going to eat it? Damn, he gnawed on it too much. I didn't know if it was covered in saliva or not. But what I did know was that I got shoved on the head once.
[* Khanom Pong Neng (ขนมโป๊ง), deep-fried flour stuffed with sausage.]
I stopped by almost every shop to taste strange-looking traditional desserts. My blood sugar level should probably be as high as sugar cane juice by now. And I got to try spinning cotton candy. It was pretty fun, but it was more difficult than I thought. When I saw other people doing it, it seemed easy. Once I tried it myself, I realized that before someone can make something look easy, they must go through practice first. I deeply understand it now.
I saw the vendor dip his hand in the rice flour in the bowl before spinning the sugar fibers in the bucket. So I dipped some, but he laughed and said that I didn't have to, as he put powder on his hands to keep the sugar from sticking when he was spinning the cotton candy and putting it into the bag. But I was using a stick, so my hands didn't have to touch the sugar and I didn't have to apply powder on them. Haha, I was so dumb. Phum was still laughing. I didn't know if he was laughing at the fact that my hands were covered in white flour or because my cotton candy balls came out messy and distorted.
After graduating from cotton candy class, we stopped by to make Khanom Mor Ngern Mor Thong*. The shop owner, an old lady, said that it is an auspicious dessert used in wedding ceremonies. I didn't know how her words affected us. Phum and I suddenly raised our heads to look at each other's eyes before quickly turning and looking in different directions.
[*ขนมหม้อเงินหม้อทอง means a pot full of gold. It is often given to married couples to wish for long-lasting love.]
After checking in every shop, I got even more admiration for the ancient people who invented these foods. Until we know what is or isn't edible, we will never know how many people have died from trial and error. Until we know what is poisonous, what is safe, and which plants are medicinal, it must have gone through learning, experimenting, and improving for many generations. The ancient people were amazing. Any other kind of craftsmanship or wisdom is admirable. As for the ones that are still there, I don't know how long they'll last if it does not receive the attention worthy of their value.
Phum and I went from shop to shop to play all kinds of games, play balloon pop, pick stars, and toss rings. The only thing I didn't try was the merry-go-round. Because most of them focused heavily on hunting for prizes. I just found out that Khun Chai Phum was also good at balloon pop.
"I want that one... No, not that one... Yep, that buffalo doll, that's it." I jumped up and told the owner of the balloon pop shop after Phum threw the seventh dart and killed the unlucky balloon. Freakin cool!
"Wow, you're freaking awesome. Even Tan isn't as good as you. And this stuffed toy, do you want it? If you don't want it, can I take it?"
I smiled happily. Getting the doll is one reason, but winning was the most important reason. Everyone knows that temple festival balloons are as hard as car tires. I thought those balloons were bulletproof. Sometimes I played this game, and it never popped. The darts bounced off, and I was just confused. When someone wins, I feel satisfied and happy. If I used all the money from playing balloon pop to go to Sangpeng to buy a doll like this, I might be able to buy another ten of them, because so many darts were bounced off. Haha. But with something like this, who cares about the price? It was worth the feeling. Finally, we received rewards for our abilities and efforts. It's like ...the feeling of Conqueror of the Ten Directions**.
[* open-air Sampeng Market is located in a historic Chinatown neighborhood, where street stalls sell everything from clothes to household items to souvenirs
**ผู้ชนะสิบเอ็ดทิศ is a Thai historical novel, written by Chote Praepan. The novel depicts the romanticized life of Bayinnaung, a pre-eminent Burmese monarch responsible for establishing the First Toungoo Empire, the largest empire in Southeast Asian history.]
"Take it. It looks like you."
Phum laughed and pressed my head against the big buffalo doll that I just got to hug. Stop now. My mood used to be very good. Damn it! It completely disappeared when he said that I have a face like a buffalo.
When he was satisfied with defaming my body, the motherfucker just walked away. Can't you help me carry it? Are you Thai? Do you have any kindness? Since he didn't want to help, I had to speak up.
"Hey, please help me carry it. It's heavy. I can't carry it."
On my right hand was a teddy bear the size of a buffalo, while on my left hand was a giant buffalo doll. Actually, the prize I got should not have been this size, but I asked the shop owner for a favor until he took pity on me and saw that it was late so he gave it to me. Or the real reason he gave them was because he was annoyed? I don't know. Haha. At that time, Phum shook his head, fed up. He gave the shop owner another hundred baht as a tip. See? It's a win-win for both sides, me and the shop owner. As for Phum, don't mind him.
"If you want it, carry it yourself."
"But they're heavy." I moaned as Phum grunted in his throat.
"You're annoying, Peem."
I stood still, speechless for a moment. I wasn't shocked when Phum took out the buffalo doll and helped me carry it, but I was controlling my heartbeat so it wouldn't shake too violently. Hearing my own name slip out of his mouth, I began to understand his feelings when Phum went silent the first time I called his name.
"Why are you looking at my face? Are you gonna float the Krathong?"
"Haha, yeah of course." The Krathong had not yet floated, but my heart had already drifted away.
Phum took me to walk to the only Krathong shop remaining. Right now there were almost no people around. I turned left and right, and all the shops were closed. Wow, it was late at night, it was dark, and we were in a temple, what else could there be besides...ghosts! Ahh, no one needs to scare us, I can scare myself. Because I'm fucking good at it.
"Aunt, the Krathongs are all gone?"
"This is the only one left."
I stared at the last Krathong that she had brought for me to look at. I understood why it was the only one left. Because it's very beautiful. There's no need to mention the price, it's definitely expensive. But for art students like me who appreciate the value of every creative work, there is no such word as 'expensive' for handicrafts. Therefore, I must become the owner of this Krathong.
"How much / how much krap?"
Phum and I stared at each other. It was like electric currents were bursting out of our eyes. Which of us will be the owner of this Krathong? Let's get started!
"This one is three hundred but I will give you a discount. It's late, no one will come to buy."
Such a beautiful and exquisite masterpiece, but the price of three hundred was still too little. Auntie, you don't have to reduce the price. I put the bear aside and hurriedly searched for my wallet. But I was still slower than Phum.
"Three hundred, right? Here it is."
He handed a gray banknote (500) to the aunt, grabbed the Krathong, and held it. This asshole cut me in the face. I grunted at him but couldn't do anything except grab the white polar bear and carry him in my arms as before.
"You don't have to give me change, but can you help me make another Krathong?"
It wasn't just the aunt who looked up at Phum in confusion, I also didn't understand. But I felt a warm electric current running through my chest until I unconsciously hugged the fat bear tightly. The musty smell like new products from a factory suddenly turned into a mellow smell. Was Phum going to buy me a Krathong?
"But the banana leaves are all gone. There are only banana trunks and flowers left."
She looked at me sympathetically. It's very clear right here. Try to roughly think of the condition of my Krathong, and what its appearance will be like. But let's face it, it's free and a rich man will pay for it.
"Whatever krap."
"Then wait a moment. I will make it for you quickly."
She made a Krathong without banana leaves, just banana tree. I looked at Phum's emerald petal Krathong with pain and with a bit of annoyance. Did heaven keep this Krathong on purpose so that Phum would receive it and no one could buy it? Why do people with bad nature always have good luck? Damn, karma doesn't actually exist.
"Do you want it?" Phum asked with a cheerful face and an undisguised smug in his eyes.
"Huh, who wants leftovers?" I said softly, afraid the aunt would hear.
"If you want it, just say so and I'll give it to you."
"Give or not, I don't want it. I don't want your Krathong. I'm just unhappy that you got it. I'm not happy that till this late there's still a beautiful Krathong waiting for you. I can't believe that people like you can get all the good things."
"People like me?"
"Yes, people like you."
"Me. Why?"
"Bad."
"How bad?"
"Cruel, power-crazed, have no heart."
"If I had it?"
"Have what?"
"Have a heart"
"What?"
"Have a heart"
"Well, well, there must be. Everyone has a heart. If you don't, you'll die. Are you crazy?"
[T/N: Can this be considered as flirting?]
Suddenly it was like my heart was falling down to my feet. I stared into the eyes as black as the waters of the night. A shadow reflecting on the water that I wasn't sure what it was. It was like a ripple that spread out for only a moment.
"The Krathong is finished, boy." Aunty's voice called us out of trance. He coughed softly, while I gave her a garbled laugh even though there was nothing funny about it. Just now I thought that my soul would be sucked into those eyes.
"I don't charge money for this one, son. Just take it. Just seeing young men still coming to float Krathongs makes me happy."
"Oh, thank you, Auntie." I took the Krathong and held it, then handed the change to Phum, but he didn't accept it, so I had to hand it back to Aunt. I had to beg and force her to accept the money.
"Haha."
The sound of laughter could be heard all the way to the waterfront pontoon. I side-eyed Phum as a warning to stop laughing. He shrugged, looked at the Krathong in my hand, and continued laughing. I also wanted to laugh, but damn, I couldn't laugh. I felt so sorry for myself. Just imagine it: a small, nearly round banana tree with three or four marigolds on it, in the middle of which were gently strewn petals, along with incense sticks and candles. If it weren't for the fact that this was a Krathong that Auntie had painstakingly made for me, I'd probably laugh at it, too. Why does heaven have to be mean to me? Loi Krathong. There's only one time in a year. So why do you do this to me? Whyyyyyyyy??????
"Come on, it's really cute."
"Yeah, very cuteeeee."
By the time Auntie finished making the Krathong, there were hardly any humans left in this area. But it's still nice that there were light bulbs decorated along the walkway leading to the pier, so it's not too dark and not too scary. We took the buffalo and the bear to sit and watch the moon at the pavilion on the Chao Phraya River.
"Do you have a lighter?"
"No."
He lied. He is a smoker after all, how can he not carry a lighter? Mouth said no, but Phum took out a very cool, high-class, silver lighter from his pants pocket. That's it. What kind of people with just a lighter still look classy and impressive? I was really annoyed with him.
"Peem, shield the wind with your hands."
When will I get used to Phum calling me by name? Every time I heard it, my heart tickled. He put down his own Krathong and helped light the candle inside my Krathong. Because he was so focused, he didn't notice that I was secretly watching him, his facial expressions, his gestures, and the look in his eyes.
Phum, when being deep in concentration, is a picture so pleasing to look at that I had been lost...
"Handsome?"
"Ha?"
"You've been secretly looking at me for a long time. So do you think I am handsome?"
Phum raised his eyes and looked at me with a smile on the corner of his lips. It was a smile that was both cunning but also extremely gentle. Oh my heart, was it broken? Before I jumped into the Chao Phraya River and was blown out to the Gulf of Thailand, Phum pulled me back to my senses.
"Watch your short legs, be careful not to trip and fall into the water." Phum said as he turned to light the candles inside his Krathong. No matter how strong the wind was, if we had the flame, the candles wouldn't be blown off. Haha, I lost my mind.
[azzianna : Peem was so entranced with Phum's looks that he can't even use the right words 😂😂😂]
"I know! No need to remind me." I shouted loudly to cover up my embarrassment for being caught peeping. "Hey, wait a minute, Phum, are you just going to float it like that? You have to make a wish first. Close your eyes and make a wish."
"Do I really have to make a wish?"
"Please"
He didn't seem to understand me so I showed him by squatting down at the water's edge, closing my eyes, and raising the small Krathong up to my head. Then I began to make a wish in my heart, thanking Mae Kong Ka, thanking every drop of water, every river, every sea, thanking them for nourishing all life on this planet; and apologizing that I am about to play a part in making the river dirty. As for this year's wish, I don't know what to ask for because I don't have any specific requests. But then an image popped up, the small smile of the man next to me, right now. So, I would like to ask for...
"So long."
I'M NOT ASKING ANYMORE!!! This asshole! But when I opened my eyes, I was so startled that I almost fell into the water, when I saw Phum's face only a few inches away.
[azzianna : oh Phum 💀💀]
"Oh, I'm done," I said, moving away from him and setting the Krathong down on the water at the same time.
The waves were quite strong, so my small Krathong seemed to sink as soon as it touched the water.
"Do you think my Krathong will sink?"
"It won't. Because it's clinging to mine"
"Huh"
My small Krathong floated staggeringly through the waves of the river with Phum's beautiful Krathong floating beside it to rely on. He and I stood and looked at the flickering firelight that slowly drifted into the middle of the river until they flowed further and further away. Each person was immersed in their own world, letting the cool wind blow quietly for a long time. Then finally we decided to take the buffalo and the bear, got into the car, and went home.
Today, I encountered many stories with various emotions from early morning until late at night. The graph of life fluctuates more than a parabolic graph. I had fun spending time with my friends, but soon got annoyed because Phum showed up. No matter how angry I was, it turned into excitement that I came to the Loy Krathong festival at Wat Arun. I got confused. I tried making dessert for the first time, played games, and got two stuffed toys. I did Loy Krathong at 1:00 a.m. with Phum, a person I never thought I would get to do this with. A person who made me feel strange. Strange is a neutral word that is neither good nor bad. It's just a feeling that I still don't understand.
"Phum"
I said, breaking the silence, after riding out of Wat Arun for a while. The orange lights look beautiful and pleasing to the eye. There were some scattered lights decorated during festivals. I saw the reflection of a man in the mirror smiling faintly.
"Uhm"
I felt that Phum turned to look at me for a moment. But I didn't say anything. Many thoughts were being sorted out, slowly making sense. I asked myself questions, reflected, pondered, and slowly answered myself one by one. As everything gradually became clear, it was like hearing a sound, like the sound of a finger-snapping in the midst of silence. I silently laughed before glancing at the side of the person driving with a sharp face. At that moment, from the many questions that always lingered in my mind, it's like I had gotten the answers. I decided to break the silence once again.
"Phum, tonight I'd like to stay at your place."
End of chapter 13 >>>>>>>>>
*The title of this chapter วัดแจ้ง วัดใจ /wat chaeng wat jai/ is a pun. Wat Chaeng refers to Wat arun. วัดใจ /wat jai/ in this case, means brave to admit your feelings.
English name by me "Absence of Doubt" 😁
Sorry Dears, we have so much going on these days. The next chapters will slower come out.