Chapter 2:
“The benefactor’s father
came to beg me at dawn, let me come here, because the Benefactor Thapakorn is
the only one who can help the Benefactor Sawin and the benefactor’s young
sister.” The abbot said in a cold tone.
But the other three in the room froze and before anyone could even ask a
question. Chanonn sent a question first.
“Reverend Father, did I
just hear you say... Win’s father came
to the Reverend Father?”
... Father... of Sawin,
who passed away seven years ago? ...
“Yes, Benefactor Amon
came to meet me this morning.” The
Reverend Father’s compassionate gaze cast his gaze on the startled, goosebumps
in the bed.
“R... Reverend Father
means... You mean F... My father... My father, like a ghost?”
“It is not correct to
say that your father is a ghost but he is not a human being.”
The figure on the bed moved the blanket up
to his neck with a chilling sensation all over his body. Chanonn saw the
ghostly fear of ‘Lalin’s body’ and smiled. No matter what body Sawin goes in,
he acts the same. Does he know that he used his sister’s body, acting so
stubborn that Chanonn has pity on the real Lalin for letting his brother borrow
his body?
“Then... the Reverend
Father said that Tha and Win must help each other. What are they supposed to
do?” And before he couldn’t hold back his laughter, Chanonn had to change the
subject to something meaningful.
“Benefactor Sawin and
Benefactor Thapakorn, how many years have you been quarreling?” The old monk asked as the person who was
huddled under the blanket paused. Sawin’s big, round but vengeful, original
eyes glanced at his mortal enemy before answering loud and clear.
“Seven years!” Seven years that he will never forget, the
seven years that he lived with estrangement and announced the cut as one of us
will have to die first, promise to Thapakorn who he has known since birth.
... Seven years... that turned into the kind
of rage that just heard his name, Sawin was furious!
“Then the two benefactors
have to pay respect to the seven temples and ask for holy water from the seven
temples back and come back to the hospital.”
“Seven temples?! You
want me to go to 7 temples with him? Reverend Father!” yelled Sawin loudly,
what’s the matter with him going to temples with the person he hates most in
the world?!
“Uh... just 7 temples,
Win… There are 10 temples in this area. You just need to pick 7 temples, you’ll
go to them all in one day.” will show a miracle to defeat the monk first but
the old abbot slowly shook his head.
“Not just any temple, I
will give the name of all 7 temples where the Benefactor Thapakorn and the
other benefactor must go together.”
“So, where are the 7
temples, Reverend Father talking about? Shouldn’t it be for me to roam the
whole country?!” he asked, blocking the way and once again the old monk smiled
faintly.
“If you want to go
through all the country temples, then go, because this is the only way the
benefactor can help the benefactor’s young sister.” The person in bed gasped at the words that sounded so innocent. If he
only saw Thapakorn’s face for one day, his blood pressure was still rising. If
he had to go to seven temples and go! for fuck sake almost every region of
Thailand, he would have killed Thapakorn in the second temple!
“Benefactor Sawin was
born on the 29th, right? On the 29th next month the two benefactors
have to bring the seven temples holy water back to the hospital and I will
perform the ceremony. If one goes alone, the returned holy water cannot be
used.” As if to read Sawin’s mind,
because the Reverend Father had choked so neatly that the man in bed could only
bite his lip but didn’t question it.
“And if we get all the
holy water back before 29th, Reverend Father can’t do the ceremony
at all, why wait for 29th?”
“Do you know? In this
world, not everything will come today and tomorrow even if we want it to.” When repressed like that, a person who is
impatient can only be silent.
“I will give the names of
temples and provinces; some temples are deep in the almost uninhabited area and
some temples are high on the hilltop but I hope that the two benefactors will
help to bring the seven temples holy water. Come back on the 29th,
we will meet soon.”
“I have another
question.” The person, a lot of questions
remain unanswered, Reverend Father turned to look with kindness.
“If I get back the holy
water of the 7 temples, both Lin and I will go back to how we were right?” Sawin is still Sawin all day long, even in a
situation where there is not even a fraction of certainty but He had to be
reassured that in the end it would be more of you than a penalty.
“I assure you that the
benefactor and the benefactor’s young sister will come back to life. As for
other matters... Depends on what the benefactor does.” Sawin furrowed his brows incomprehensibly but if Lalin came back to
life, no matter what happened at that time. He will take care of Lalin with all
his strength.
... As long as Lalin comes back...
“I will do it/but I have
work to do…” The two people who needed to work together to find holy water
spoke at the same time and of course Thapakorn’s words didn’t really fit
Sawin’s ears.
“Do you see work better
than my sister?!” Thapakorn glanced at
the speaker with a hundred prejudices before turning to look at the Reverend
Father, not wanting to pay attention to this bad-mouthed person again.
The room fell into a stunned silence as
there were no words from the old abbot other than those wrinkled eyes that
looked understandingly. Thapakorn, who was threw the burden of scouting the
seven temples of holy water, could only sigh and Sawin interpreted that sigh as
a welcome and acceptance, so he made a declaration.
“Tomorrow I will be
discharged from the hospital. As soon as I leave, you must go to the temple
with me!” It was the kind of decisive order that a young doctor like Chanonn had
to slap his own forehead from the absurdity of it all.
“Did you ask the doctor
first? if tomorrow, will you be able to leave or not?” Chanonn muttered but the
wounded still heard the sound of the kung kung.
“What does that mean?! I
still can’t get out yet!” This time he
had to accept going to seven temples all over Thailand with a person he hated.
Sawin was upset enough to instantly bite his best friend’s head.
“You just woke up Win and
your body… Uh. I mean, the body you’re using is still bruised. You wait another
4-5 days, have this way to make sure it’s okay and then leave the hospital.”
“But! ...” Sawin was impatient. He wants to help the
younger brother as soon as possible.
“I know you want to help
Lin but don’t forget that the body you are using belongs to Lin. If you go out
and roam around Thailand with your body still not fully recovered, when Lin
returns to use her original body, how will your sister be?” Chanonn threatened
and consoled. Until the person in the bed can only be silent because he sees
the truth as though... Sawin is still a negotiator.
“3 days? I think 4-5 days
is too long.” The doctor sighed heavily
with him... 3 days and 4-5 days, what’s the difference!
“Okay. I’ll talk to
Uncle Doctor for you.” Chanonn replied
and glanced at his friend, Thapakorn, who stood silent. Forced to travel is not
enough, also forced to travel in the next 3 days. At this event, Chanonn dared
to say that he felt pity for a friend like Thapakorn more than the person who
switched his body into his sister’s body.
“In 3 days, you will
come pick me up!”
... Thapakorn was super annoyed... Please
tell Sawin, this one has a real voice even in his sister’s body!
…
3 days at Sawin’s orders,
the sweet, fragile woman who used to be hospitalized in a hospital gown changes
into a T-shirt and jeans, preparing to roam seven temples across Thailand as
ordered by the Reverend Father.
“Is Lin going all right,
child?” Phonuma still doesn’t know that the person in front of her is not the original
Lalin but Lalin’s full-hearted Sawin and someone like Sawin, even if it hurts.
No matter how much you die but if you do it for his beloved sister, he is
always ready.
“I will be okay! mother,
only 7 temples, Reverend Father said that if we complete 7 temples and bring
back the holy water, I will recover.”
“You will recover?” Phonuma repeated the person in front of her
in bewilderment, because of what she perceived from ‘her daughter’ and Chanonn
and Thapakorn are all telling her that Reverend Father advised Lalin and
Thapakorn to go find 7 temples holy water and will come back to do the blessing
ceremony on the 29th. In fact, she is worried about her daughter who just woke
up from an accident but when she insists on going to holy water. She could only
agree.
The mother’s puzzled and skeptical attitude,
causing the child to realize that the secret has been leaked and hastening to
defend it.
“I mean my body will
recover to its former glory, this still feels weird to me.”
“Okay.” Phonuma murmured a little but as soon as the
sound of the door opened and She turned around and saw that the person who came
in was Thapakorn, who had appeared to be someone, taking her child to pay
homage to the seven temples. She was able to calm down a bit.
“Tha has arrived”
“Hurry the fuck up!” A soft murmur sounded in Phonuma’s ears,
causing her to glance at the owner of the voice. Her sweet face slightly
widened as she saw her glaring at the ceiling before pretending to look at the
ceiling. He looked at the wall and refused to meet his eyes and because of the
young man’s footsteps approaching mixed with the child’s innocent countenance.
So, Phonuma decided not to investigate the words of the sentence just now and
turned her attention to Thapakorn instead.
“Is it all right, Aunt
Phon?” Thapakorn chose to ask the elderly woman politely instead of asking the
girl who had wide eyes and resentment at him.
“Yes... I leave Lin too
to your care, Tha” Phonuma entrusted her child to Thapakorn with concern. The
young man wanted to say that the person who Phonuma gave him, there was nothing
to worry about at all. The concern should be that he is more than ignorant of
when this person’s character is in Lalin’s body.
“Yes.” The young man gave a brief reply before
reaching for the suitcase that was lying on the bed. I guess it was a garment
bag that Phonuma had provided Lalin to use but hadn’t reached it yet. The
girl’s little white hand swept his hand away with a loud bang.
“You don’t have to!”
“Lin, what are you doing
baby, you just recovered, how can you carry something heavy?” Phonuma knew that her daughter was strange
since she woke up but when she consulted Chanonn. Instead, he said it was
possible because at the time of the accident, the brain had suffered a
concussion. So, she didn’t like it that much, because she thought that it would
disappear after a while but... It seems that the symptoms that appear when
meeting Thapakorn’s face won’t go away, even after 3 days since he woke up.
The insulted person was speechless but
still not insulted, giving a look of resentment towards Thapakorn who stepped
in and carried the suitcase, giving him a blank look.
“Lin, don’t annoy him,
Tha too. Please take care of her, hurry and come back.” Phonuma was shocked to learn that her daughter, who had just had an
accident, had to wander around. While the son, who is still in the ICU, is
still unconscious. She was like she was left alone, with nowhere to rely on.
The child turned to look at his mother, the
big eyes staring at Phonuma looking different from the young daughter’s eyes as
they used to be. Her gaze was strong and steady before a small white hand
reached out to hold onto her mother’s shoulder as if to comfort her.
“Mom, don’t worry, Win
will wake up and our family will be back to normal.” Even though she is her daughter, Phonuma sees her son still in the ICU
comforting her. She looked at the unblinking sweet face in front of her, as if
falling into a trance. Sawin and Lalin are brothers and sisters who are many
years apart and the strong older brother is not like the gentle sister at all.
It’s true that their faces might be the same but they’re unlikely to be the
same, causing her to see a son on top of her daughter’s face.
“Win.” She moaned faintly but that made the owner
of the title stumped. Sawin knew that his mother’s unnatural existence of his
sister’s body could not be known. Just now his mother is suffering enough, he
can’t let her know that the person who woke up was him in Lalin’s body. As for
the real Lalin, he doesn’t know where he is.
The girl’s figure stepped back slightly from
her mother.
“I have to go mom, I
won’t be in time.” Phonuma seemed to be conscious at that moment. She blinked
several times to calm herself before giving her a faint smile.
“You go, baby. This way,
I’ll take care of myself.” The two-young
people raised their hands to say goodbye before walking out of the hospital
room. Thapakorn’s four-wheel drive was already parked and as soon as the two of
them stepped into their seats. The sky became dark, dark rain clouds spread
across the sky. The girl’s round eyes glanced at the sky with anger.
“We have not reached the
first temple, the fucking rain is already falling, come with you this Fah Fon
is really happy!”
…
After the daughter was discharged from the
hospital, motherhood continued, because the other child was still unconscious
in another room.
Phonuma put her hand on the glass window
between her and her son who was still lying in the clean room. It was full of
cords, she didn’t know which line, all she knew was that they were meant to
hold Sawin’s breath. Sawin, the beloved and refuge of her deceased widowed
husband, Sawin, the pillar son and eye of her heart.
... Anything... Anything can help inspire
him to recover... Even if she had to pay for her life, Phonuma was happy. She
just asks Sawin to open her eyes again, just that Sawin can live on... I just
want her son to come back...
“Win, hurry up and
recover. Hurry up and come back with mommy.” The late woman moaned pitifully,
her eyes filled with clear tears but when she heard the sound of footsteps
rushing in, she hurriedly swallowed the tears to disappear immediately.
“Phii Phonn, how is your
son?!”
It’s been several days since the accident,
both Sawin and Lalin have only you. Chanonn and his family, Thapakorn and Dr.
Prakop came to watch, while the Warodom who are real relatives never came to
care.
But she can say anything, Phonuma knows why
her relatives never visit her. If it weren’t for Sawin, they would insult her
in a disrespectful manner when her husband passed away.
“Phii Phonn?” The voice called again, Phonuma turned
around and gave a faint smile at Inthra and Anucha, her late husband’s sister
and brother. Two blood relatives who were kicked out by Sawin in the middle of
Amon’s funeral.
“OMG! Win! Is that Win?!
Why is his condition…uh…he doesn’t look good?” Phonuma tried to calm herself
down to deal with her sister-in-law’s mouth, because Inthra’s mouth wasn’t that
mannered. She talks and then thinks, she doesn’t know the timing, a real son
like Sawin has never liked this aunt once.
“And this is Lin? Is Lin
like Win’s?” Inthra’s face seems very intriguing about what Phonuma’s son and
daughter look like.
“Lin is gone and discharged from the
hospital.” Phonuma tried to calm her sister-in-law’s words, Inthra is a single
woman and a sphincter because she is a single woman who only eats all the money
that she is allocated from Warodom ranch. She had never met people or had a
society to refine her thoughts, so her words were like this. While Amon’s
younger brother is, even worse, that despite having a family, he is still a
gambling addict and has a mistress.
“Then there is only Win
left here. Did the doctor tell you when he would recover? or will not recover
forever.”
“The doctor hasn’t told
me anything, I came to visit my child, I can only visit from outside.”
“Yes, it’s enough to
visit outside, I and Piak come as soon as we heard the news.”
“If you want to hurry up
like this, you can visit the house, because soon Win will wake up.” A deep
voice came from behind, causing the people who were talking to turn to look. A
young man dressed in a white ground coat walked in with a faint smile.
“Aunt Phon, are you
hungry yet? Let’s go have dinner.” Chanonn turned to ask Phonuma alone. After
raising hands to pay homage to the other two adults already.
“Nonn is it your lunch
break?”
“Yes, so we’re going out
to eat, Aunt Phon, let’s go together.” The
elderly woman knew that Chanonn had stepped in to help pull her out of her
younger husband’s lips. So, Phonuma has no objection.
“Yeah.” she accepted
before turning to Inthra and Anucha.
“Then, I will go eat
first.” Both Phonuma and Chanonn walked away leaving two siblings, Inthra and
Anucha, to look after them before glancing back at the figure in the room
through the clear glass.”
“Do you think Win is
going to die?” asked the younger brother, there was no reply from the older
sister Inthra who was still staring at the figure among the cordage. Anucha
glanced at his nephew’s body.
“Don’t think of
something stupid, little one! If he dies, who will work and earn money for us
to use!” Sister’s voice warned but Anucha was silent.
…
Phonuma ordered fried rice, while Chanonn
opted for catfish curry paste. They were sitting in the busy hospital dining
room waiting for their food to be ordered.
“Thank you Nonn, for
bringing me out.”
“It’s okay, Win left me
to take care of Aunt Phon and don’t let anyone bother you.”
“Win…” And when Phonuma
repeats her son’s name, Chanonn just realized that what the woman in front of
her sees is the un-survived Sawin and Lalin who has been discharged from the
hospital.
“Uh…he…he asked me a long
time ago, he said there are some people who like to mess with Aunt Phon, he
asked me to take care of you.” The person who was listening nodded and smiled.
Zhang when he thought of his son.
“Win was always like
this, he was worried about everyone.”
“Yes! Especially Aunt
Phon and Lin. He is most worried about.” The late woman glanced at the young
man from the time of her child and thought about the son who loved his family
the most.
“Then... where Nonn said
Win was close to recovering…”
“Aunt Phon, Win is a good
guy, he must do it.” The young man’s response left Phonuma weak and dismayed.
If Sawin never wakes up, what will she do?
“Reverend Father said
that if they get the 7 temples holy water Win will... uh... come back as he
was.” Yes, because now Sawin is not the same, the same seems to be. The only
thing is the mouth that insulted Thapakorn in the morning, noon and evening.
“I wish it was true.”
“Aunt Phon, believe Win,
Win can do it, Win will come back.” Chanonn
prays for both Sawin and Thapakorn to bring back the 7 Temples of Holy Water.
Even though getting the holy water back was not difficult, what he thought was
difficult was that the two of them had to help each other find 7 temples of
holy water.
In a flash, the young doctor thought that
Reverend Father’s approach was aimed at reconciling both Sawin and Thapakorn
rather than seeking holy water.
“Yes, I will believe in
Win.” The late woman agreed, although she understood the opposite direction to
the young man in front of her, just as the meal was finished. Chanonn got up
and picked up a plate of food from the staff but his mind wandered to think of
Sawin and Thapakorn who left the hospital together.
... Believe in Win? Damn it. He was the one
who asked Aunt Phon to believe in Win but he didn’t believe him at all that he
would make everything go smoothly…
Chanonn sighed and prayed, please don’t let
Win do anything wrong to jeopardize things.
…
“I said I’m going to stop
by the pump! I’m in pain! Are you having problems hearing me?!” The girl with a small plaster stuck to the
tail of her brow shouted rudely at the driver who had been quiet since leaving
the hospital and since leaving the hospital. He is very diligent in finding
things to disturb the driver’s nerves.
…The body is actually Lalin but the
personality and Sawin’s mannerism is not wrong…
“Use your eyes and see
that I am driving in the rightmost lane. How can I go left and run outside the
lane?” And because what Thapakorn
perceived was his arrogant personality and eloquence, the young man’s words
towards the person beside him were no different from what he had verbally told
Sawin himself. true
“You gotta run to the
left! I gotta pee.”
“Wait a minute, I will
take the bypass.”
“I wanna pee so bad! How
can you keep me waiting! I said I need to pee!”
“Ah!” Finally, it was Thapakorn who had to drive
down the left and go out to the parallel line to stop at the gas station for
someone to go to the restroom, as soon as the car was completely parked. The person
beside him suddenly flew out of the car and went straight to the restroom.
Thapakorn, with his surprised look, hurriedly turned off the engine and got out
of the car and followed him into the restroom where the people along the way
ran into.
... Win, Win! Did he realize it was in Lin’s
body! And Lin was a woman! He had to go to the women’s restroom!
Whether with his longer legs or the
sensitivity of a young man, a large hand grabbed the girl’s little arm before
he actually ran into the men’s restroom.
“What’s wrong with you!”
The person who entered the wrong restroom still didn’t realize, he turned to
see the mortal holding it even more irritated and angry.
“Go to the women’s
restroom!” The tall figure spoke softly
through his teeth and that caused the man to run into the restroom as usual,
even turning to look at the sign of the restroom. His large, round eyes widened
as he realized that he wasn’t ‘Sawin’ the man and daring. This time, he was
‘Lalin’, a slim woman who should have gone to the women’s restroom.”
The small arm was yanked from the large
hand that held it. Thapakorn thought the other party would say it was easy
but... Sawin is Sawin.
“Fuck off, I’ll go into
this restroom!” This time his tall figure
was not as fast as before, because the girl’s figure had already vanished into
the men’s restroom. Thapakorn hurriedly followed him in shock and frustration
but as he swept his gaze towards the side of the urinal, there was no one
there. He glanced back at the cesspool on the other side of the restroom. which
is used by people in 3 rooms.
“Win! Win!” he called
out but there was no response in the three rooms.
“Win!” shouted the young
man angrily, as he was about to open his mouth again, it appeared that a
restroom door had opened before the sweet-faced woman walked out.
“Win!” Thapakorn
shouted, making his sweet face suddenly turn to look at him with displeasure.
“Well, I told you that I
was going to enter this restroom!” He wanted to drag the floating person in front
of him for a moment but the sound of water pouring from one of the two
restrooms with the door still closed, made Thapakorn realize that Sawin
shouldn’t be in the men’s restroom this time.
“If you’re done, we can
leave!”
“I’m not out yet. I gotta
wash my hands.”
“I said hurry up!”
“I said no!”
“Win! You are now in
Lin’s body! Do I have to tell you that you should take care of the safety of
your sister’s body?!” Thapakorn couldn’t
stand it and his admonition caused the person in his sister’s body but as
rebellious as ever, Sawin, to a halt.
…but…being wrong and not accepting it, is
always Sawin’s specialty…
“So?! Either side, my
younger sister’s body can pee too!” He replied indifferently and walked over to
wash his hands, pretending not to care. Stepping out of the restroom, however,
3 young men walked in and stared at the sweet-looking woman without looking
down. The gaze of the young man who frequented the restroom swept from his
sweet face, down to shoulder-length hair, plump breasts under a T-shirt, narrow
waist and wide hips that, despite wearing thick jeans, showed his figure.
Lalin’s body is not difficult to sniff at.
“The fuck you look at…
Ugh! …” Sawin, the comedian in Lalin’s body, was about to open his mouth to
curse but Thapakorn stepped on his back and covered his mouth first. The tall
young man looked hard at the other three young men before pushing Lalin’s
figure to walk safely out of the men’s restroom.
“Did you know that
either side can’t pee on the other side either!” A deep voice whispered in his
ear irritably before the white hand held the thick hand that covered his mouth
and squinted his eyes, looking intently and roaring. Loud until the people
around the area saw one eye.
“You don’t have to teach
me!” Thapakorn would like to be patient,
if Sawin would listen to what he warned about, arguing his words would not
fall, he was completely wrong in the door and still won’t let him teach again.
A girl’s figure was about to walk back to
the car but a large and thick hand grabbed onto the small wrist, causing the
person to be pulled to the point of turning around to look at him with
displeasure.
“Don’t get Lin in
trouble, you know who you are now!”
“So, you know it! That I
had to be like this and Lin had to be like this because of you! Because of you
alone!” Pointing curses at him, he
hurriedly walked towards the car and showed another miracle, ignoring her
femininity by turning around and yelling at Thapakorn who stood not far away.
“Get in the car! We are
going to this temple! Not going to the next life! How are you standing like
that and how am I going to go if you keep standing there!” Needless to say, the harshness of words contrasts with appearance.
Plus, by slamming the car door shut with a big bang. Thapakorn looked at the
person who got into the car and sighed heavily.
If this is the proof of his patience…. In
one word, it was the most nerve-wracking proof that this was Sawin through and
through!
…
The first temple to go to is a forest temple
in Chonburi province, even though they are both locals. But Thapakorn, who has
moved to Bangkok since entering university with Sawin, who has never gone
further than his own ranch, naturally doesn’t know the way.
“Are you sure you are on
the right track?” The deterioration of morale had to be given to the person
sitting next to the driver, because the bonkers were so timely that the driver
had to sigh.
“I don’t know” when the
person sitting next to me doesn’t do anything else that is better than helping
each other see the way. Thapakorn didn’t want to ignore any feelings.
“How can you say this?!
And will I get holy water today?!”
“I said I didn’t know.”
“Damn! …”
“If you can’t sit quietly
go to sleep in the back seat”
“I will find holy water
to help my sister! won’t change the place to sleep in your car!”
“Then let’s look at the
road, not just talking.” The person who was about to open his mouth cursed but
stopped and then bit his lip in pain before turning around and looking out of
the window of the car. He couldn’t understand why the Reverend Father had him
come with this one. It would be better to change fromThapakorn to Chanonn. At
least he didn’t have to keep his mouth shut.
Thapakorn’s car turns deep into the grassy
area, narrow dirt road. Both sides of the road are overgrown places. Looks like
it’s not the person’s address. In addition, the rain that had been gloomy since
the beginning began to turn into large raindrops.
The bad weather, the desolate place, the
person who is afraid of the supernatural begins to swallow his saliva, his big
eyes staring out of the car window with the rain falling leaves. The roadside
trees swayed in the strong wind and especially as the car drove past the shabby
old shrines beside the roads. Sawin became even more imaginative about going so
far that he had goosebumps all over his body.
Thapakorn glanced at the person beside him
who had been silent for a long time. Seeing a thin body that seemed to shake a
little, he reached out to reduce the strength of the air conditioner and almost
immediately the air conditioner calmed down. The person beside him turned
around and looked at him.
“There’s a sweater in
the back of the car, you can put it on first.” The person who was being accused
of being cold opened his mouth to cuss but it seems that Thapakorn knows the
personality of the person in Lalin’s in good shape because he spoke quickly.
“But if you’re not cold,
just sit and watch the road map.”
“Of course! Who is cold!
Hey, there’s a sign!” The car slowed down again, so people could see the sign
clearly. An old wooden sign stuck on a wooden log embroidered on the ground. It
seems to have been embroidered a long time ago because it was slanted and very
cool and the letters on the sign were completely fuzzy.
“What the hell is
written there?” The letters faded with time and the wind and rain poured over,
making them barely noticeable but gazing out clearly. It is enough to know that
on the sign is written the name of the temple where they really go to get holy
water.
“I think… yes, Temple
Pat Thrai Yok.” said the man sitting next to the driver after a moment of
focus.
“Let’s take a turn and
follow the sign.” Thapakorn looked behind
the sign that turned left onto a dilapidated road that was no better than the
road he was driving. He felt that if they can get out of here, he’ll have to
wash the car a lot.
The young man turned his car onto the gravel
road behind the sign and after driving a moment later, the entrance to the
temple appeared in front of him.
“We are really on the
right track!” The person beside Thapakorn
exclaimed happily, the young man glanced at him. Surprisingly, even though the
other party was in the body of a younger sister, whether it was his demeanor,
personality, or even the way he expressed his feelings, it was not difficult
for him to see Sawin’s face.
Thapakorn’s car moved to a stop near an old
temple pavilion built as a raised house, the open ground floor is separated by
a small kitchen. As for the upper floor is the temple pavilion that looks
strangely abandoned, both of them got out of the car and ran to hide under the
house. Sawin, who was very afraid of ghosts, looked around, who saw only the
blurry picture because of the veil of rain that obscured him, the distant trees
that were thrown by the heavy rain and the strong winds blowing until the
branches sway in the wind. The desolate atmosphere without people made his
imagination lead him far enough to have to step closer to the person standing
next to him until his shoulders touched, Thapakorn glanced down and smiled
faintly.
... Sawin is also Sawin, a fearful Sawin is
Sawin who is known for his fear for all things supernatural. Just like when he
was a child, just walking through the temple he would be so jumpy…
“What are you smiling
at?!” A sweet voice ripped the young man
out of the reverie that was the story of his own childhood and the boy Sawin.
He blinked his eyes and regained his senses and saw that the person beside him
was staring at him furiously.
Thapakorn wanted to say that he was smiling about that person but was
afraid that it would become a triumphant quarrel since the first temple, the
young man averted his gaze to look at the stairs leading down from the upper
house.
“Let’s go up to find
holy water so that we can continue to other temples.” When told to go up to the temple hall Sawin’s eyes widened and grabbed
his arm. The young man turned around to look at the man with a shocked
expression and without saying a word, Thapakorn moved the hand of the person
who was holding his arm down to shake his hand instead. Thapakorn’s hand held
his small hand tightly, Sawin looked into the eyes of the owner of the hand
that was holding his hand with a strange feeling.
...
How long has it been since he’s been so close to Thapakorn like this... How
long has it been since the two of them were best of friends? How long has it
been...? That he forgot that once when he was a child. In the world of
childhood, Sawin has two best friends, one is Chanonn who does whatever Sawin
commands him to do whatever he wants and two... is Thapakorn. Even though he
didn’t agree with what Sawin did, he was always by his side…
“It’s okay, I’m here.” The low, low voice was not as gentle as when
talking to a woman or a lover but it was full of the sincerity that Sawin could
feel. The big hand that held the small hand of the thin figure gently twitched
to grab it, leading Sawin to step up the stairs to the upper temple pavilion
while still holding his hand unrelentingly.
…
On the quiet temple pavilion, there was a
Buddha image on one side. In front was an old monk meditating and as soon as
Thapakorn and Sawin stepped up and stopped at the front of the stairs, his eyes
slowly opened. The frightened man swallowed his saliva and clenched Thapakorn’s
hand tightly.
“Come over here,
benefactors.” The old monk’s hoarse voice was filled with compassion, Thapakorn
pulled the person beside him to slump down, crawled on his knees and bowed down
to prostrate.
“Have you come to ask
for holy water?” The monk’s question in his pristine but clean-looking robe
gave Sawin goosebumps all over. His eyes widened in shock.
“You... know... how did
you know that we were going to ask for holy water…” he asked, his voice
trembling and pushed closer to Thapakorn. Even though Thapakorn himself is not
a panicked person like a panicked rabbit like the person beside him, the monk’s
question in front of him shocked him quite a bit as well.
“Someone told me this
morning that someone would come to ask for holy water. So, I had the temple
children prepare them for you.” The monk
took out a small plastic bottle filled with water and handed it over to him.
Even though he was afraid and felt strange that this monk knew that he would
come to ask for holy water but Sawin extended his hand to accept it as he used
to but the old monk gave a faint smile and handed it to Thapakorn instead.
“Now that the benefactor
is a woman, we need to be very conscious.” The listener paused for the second
argument, Thapakorn saw his bad posture because it looked like Sawin would
really poke his head up and if left like this there was hope. He would jump on
his neck for sure. The young man put a small bottle of holy water in his pocket
and twitched his arm lightly as a reminder.
“Thank you, Reverend
Father, we have to go to several temples. If so, we would like to leave first.”
“Go on, have a safe
trip.” Thapakorn bowed down to say
goodbye, Sawin hurried to follow. He wants to leave here, it’s bad and the
atmosphere of this temple is very desolate but what makes the hair on the back
of his neck grow up is the words of this abbot!
… ‘Now
that the benefactor is a woman’…speaking as if he knew when he was not a
woman like that! And where does it say that someone told me this morning that
he would come to ask for holy water again today! Who told you? ... Since there
are very few people who know about him asking for holy water and not everyone
knows this temple except the Reverend Father, who ordered him to go in search
of seven holy waters.
... Maybe... Maybe the monks have a social
group to communicate with each other. Yes... Maybe... Maybe... Maybe the
Reverend Father who ordered him to come and find the 7 temples of holy water.
He stopped by to tell the abbot about this. Maybe because he is a close friend
and something like that so he stopped by to say hi and talk about them, yes! it
should be like that! It must be like that!
Sawin swallowed another saliva, unable to
peek at the wrinkled face of the old monk who lives in this Temple Pat Thrai
Yok temple. A temple that, even in his native province, it is strange that
Sawin has never even heard of the name.
The old monk glanced under his wrinkled
eyelids and looked at Sawin with kindness. But it made the people who were
stared with goosebumps all over, hurriedly pulled Thapakorn’s arm to crawl to
his knees and retreated quickly but he was still slower than this monk’s last
sentence.
“Before the 29th
day, whether it’s meant or not meant to be, you will… learn from each other a
lot. Benefactor Sawin”
At the end of that sentence, the person
being called by the abbot who didn’t know it jumped out of the pavilion without
waiting for Thapakorn again!
A/N
This is the first temple and Sawin is
already pissed. There are 6 temples left, let’s just say heaven punished Khun
Win for having spoiled Tha. Since Tha can’t do anything, Win can’t. Let the
heavens decide, ugh.
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