“Fullsun, where are we going?” I asked, reaching up to steady the big hat that he had bought for me out of a spur of the moment. He was wearing, yet again, another thin flowered shirt but this time it was blue. I couldn’t help but notice that despite how low the market price of his outfit was, his watch was expensive enough to pay my salary for six months. His sunglasses were branded, yet he was so carefree when it came to it—taking it off and folding it with a click, hanging it on the front of his shirt.

“Tell me, 102. Where should we go?” he asked, looking left and right before grabbing my hand and crossing the street. He was full of spirit and energy, very different from how I was. I had my small backpack with all my passports and a couple of clothes. I didn’t expect to stay more than three days but I knew that with Fullsun around… I would be staying in Thailand a little longer than I had expected.

“You don’t know where we’re going? And don’t you have any luggage?”

All Fullsun had was his tote bag to which I could only see that he had his wallet and… nothing else. He pointed at the bag.

“All I need is my wallet.”

“What about clothes?”

“I buy them and discard them,” he replied simply and my jaw dropped open at the way he said it so casually. “Take your pick, 102. Should we go elephant riding? Or should we go coconut farming? Your wish is my command, my lady.”

I wiped away my sweat when he turned to me and flashed me a smile and I knew he already made up his mind. I knew I didn’t have a choice, the male hailing a cab. Pushing me into the car, he followed suit. After he came and knocked on my door in the morning, he had made me shower and pack and told me that we were going to go on an adventure.

He didn’t bother explaining and much to my resistance, I found myself checking out and running after him. When the taxi parked, I saw that we were at a place where we could ride elephants. Fullsun waved me over and I followed. I wouldn’t ask questions.

This was good.

He was a good distraction.

“Can we pay with card?” Fullsun was saying when they nodded and he passed them a black card. I saw ‘L.H.” engraved and I couldn’t help but wonder who he was. Beyond his absurd story of him selling his liver—was he really that rich? What did he do? What if he was dangerous?

My train of thought stopped when we were told to take our pick. I squealed, a small elephant coming up to us. It had a small trunk and Fullsun gave me a few fruits I could feed the elephants. He had a smile plastered on his face while my eyes lit up at the arrival of animals.

There were monkeys on the trees and they swung stealthily before dropping down in front of us, the man telling us that the monkeys were cheeky and to be careful of my belongings. They had a knack for stealing shiny things. I saw Fullsun play with one, a tiny one jumping onto his shoulder and he balanced it on his body, reaching up to give it a banana.

The tiny one made a face and I laughed.

“Seems like they don’t like bananas,” I told him and he made a face.

“My whole life was a lie,” he replied and before we knew it, we were called by the people to go on the elephants. These elephants were big and a wooden plank was placed on them. Fullsun climbed on first, turning to offer me his hand as I sat beside him. He leaned back, his arm behind my back and we began our journey down the tree-infested place.

Nature had a different way of hitting you. I never came to places like these, Suho preferring to stay in hotels and dining in expensive restaurants. Now that I was enjoying myself in ways I never did before, I wondered if I actually did like the outdoors. There was the sound of water and I looked to the side to see elephants bathing in clear water.

“Fullsun.” I tapped his thigh to show him the elephants, my companion looking at them as they played around in the water. “They’re showering, I think.”

Fullsun watched the elephants trudge around, the male looking over at me. I must have been staring at the elephants a little bit too much because he began to call the man who was riding the elephant.

“P’! P’!”

I had visited Thailand enough to know that that was the way you called people older than you. When the man turned, Fullsun pointed to the elephants in the water. He then pointed at me and I couldn’t comprehend his actions but it seemed like the man did.

“What’re you doing?” I asked and Fullsun winked at me, a hand going to ruffle the back of my head when the elephant stopped and slowly lowered itself right by the body of water. My eyes widened when Fullsun jumped off, calling me to do the same.

“I’m wearing a long skirt!”

“Just jump down, I’ll catch you!” he said, his hands up in the air while he waited for me. I my lips nervously, gripping the straps of my backpack when I slowly jumped down from the elephant, my body falling just as I felt his arms catch me.

My heart was ringing in my ears and Fullsun slowly lowered me to the ground. I saw Fullsun grab my bag and pull it away from me, the male putting it underneath a shelter. I was worried someone might come and steal my belongings but Fullsun told me that Thai people were some of the kindest people on Earth.

I saw kids wave at us from the water as they splashed around, their toothy smiles were carefree. Fullsun stepped in the water, sinking himself down when the baby elephant came to us. I gasped, the elephant taking in water to spray it around.

Water droplets fell from above us and Fullsun grabbed my hand, twirling me in circles as we began to dance to the sound of loud Thai traditional music. My hair stuck to my neck and I was dirty and muddy but I didn’t care.

He pulled me to him and I shot towards his chest, Fullsun moving along with the wind as the elephants crashed against us. I laughed, finally falling down fully into the water, a hand going out to pet its trunk.

“Hey, 102.” Fullsun suddenly said and I looked up to him from the ground. He blocked the sunlight, standing in front of me.

“You look beautiful when you smile,” he said. “You should do it more.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I had changed out of my clothes, Fullsun giving me a spare towel that he had bought from the front of the elephant camp. I would normally be drained but I was pumping with adrenaline, Fullsun buying a new set of clothes. I thanked him and we sat down for a while, sipping Thai traditional coffee.

“Where to next?” he asked and I found myself turning to him.

“You choose,” I told him and he looked surprised. “Bring me to places you’ve never been to before.”

“It’s an honor to have gained your trust, 102,” he said, a h