ELEVEN YEARS LATER

A soft breeze touched the warmth of Pie’s cheeks and ruffled the hem of her white dress when she went out of the small coffee shop while holding a hot cup of Caffè Americano. The roses in the flower pots swayed through the gentle warm wind and carried its sweet lemon scent; Pie felt calm. It’s the usual routine of Pie before going to work.

After graduating from college, Pie moved out from her parents’ house and rented a condiminium in Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. Pie took Financing and Banking in SWU and she has been working at SCB for five years together with her college friends Nam and Fah.

###

Pie walked to her office cubicle and started rummaging through the folders on her desk. Its thirty past six in the evening and Pie will be going home by seven o’clock.

“What are you doing Ms. Pie?” teased Nam as she sat on the chair opposite Pie.

“I’m working Ms. Nam.” said Pie with one eyebrow raised while looking back at Nam.

“Working? But it’s almost seven! We should be relaxing now Pie.” said Nam.

“Let’s go to Fah’s cubicle, I bet she’s sleeping again! Hahaha” Nam laughed at the thought of Fah sleeping on her desk.

“You’re so childish Nam, I can’t, I need to finish Mr. Panuparb’s request but I can’t find his folder here. Ugh.” replied Pie wearily.

“Oh come on, just finish it on Monday. I know you’re already exhausted Pie, you need to relax babe.” Nam chuckled.

Pie looked at the wall clock just as it strikes quarter past six. Pie sighed in defeat and stood up from her chair. Nam happily walked towards Fah’s cubicle however to her disappointment Fah is not sleeping instead she’s laughing hysterically with their gay friend Puey while Puey is doing his squid movements.

“Fah! Puey! Why are you guys laughing huh? I don’t like it when you guys are happy!” Nam said teasingly to Fah and Puey.

“Oh hi!” Fah hugged Nam and Pie.

“We were talking about you Nam, that’s why we were laughing.” Puey said to Nam.

 Nam pinched Puey’s waist. Puey pretended to cry and hid behind Pie. Pie and Fah just laughed at Puey’s reaction.

“I don’t know what Shone sees in you, I bet you gave him some kind of love potion for him to fall in love with you, you’re so cruel!” teased Puey to Nam.

Nam was about to hit Puey on the head when suddenly Nam’s phone ring loudly. “Hello hon?” Nam answered her phone.

“Save by the bell Puey. Hehe” giggled Fah.

“You mean I was saved by my Prince Shone.” Puey said gleefully.

“Well, too bad, it seems that your Prince Shone is talking to cruel Nam instead of you.” Pie said teasingly to Puey.

Puey pouted and pretended to be sulky.

“FYI, my prince is just repremanding that witch for — aa-ooooouch!“ Puey abruptly stopped when Nam pulled his right ear hardly.

 “Ooui! You’re so—ah ah! No no no, okay I’ll stop now.” said Puey panickly to Nam as Nam was about to pull his ear again. Puey rubbed his burning right ear to ease the pain.

“It’s already seven o’clock, let’s go home now.” Pie said.

“Going home already? Ah but its Friday night, we should go out and drink!” Fah said excitedly.

“Yes we should drink, so I can drown this sadness I’m feeling.” Puey pretended to cry.

“I’m so heart broken after what Prince Shone did to me and this cruel witch. huhuhu” Puey continued and glared to Nam.

“Oh stop it Puey, yeah Pie, let’s have a drink first. Anyway, Shone said that he’ll be going out tonight with his friends too. Pii is coming too Fah.” Nam said.

“Why don’t we go together with them?” asked Fah. “That Pii didn’t tell me she’s going out.“ Fah murmured.

“I guess we could, and we can ask Shone to pick us up here. Hmm, let me call him now. Pie you can’t say no, you’re coming with us.” Nam demandingly said to Pie.

“Yes, all right.” Pie said bemusedly.

###

Kim is now sitting on a vintage wooden stool inside Tuba, a bar and restaurant in Bangkok. Kim looked at the portraits on the walls to the mismatching vintage furniture.

“Such an eccentric place…” Kim said quietly to herself. “No wonder Ter chose this place, such a hipster. Hah” Kim chuckled.

“Who are you talking to Kim? Gone crazy already?” asked Pii playfully to Kim.

“Silly, no, this bar fits pe