“GIANT RIVER PRAWNS!”

It’s as if I were in a dream when I see a huge river prawn in my hand.

There are so many giant river prawns piled up in front of me. The delicious smell is calling out to me.

“Is it that good?” Khun Sam stares at me while I’m there reacting like an actress. “No wonder you were so upset when I didn’t keep my promise.”

“Who? Who was upset? I wasn't. By the way I’m so hungry right now. It looks so delicious.”

After saying that, I immediately start eating. I’ll be honest, I don’t usually eat good food like this because I just graduated and I haven’t been paid yet. Also, my mom isn’t rich enough to buy such expensive food.

But Khun Sam brought me here to eat… Ah, my benefactress. I have to gift her flower rings on every special holiday.

“You are neither pretty nor smart.”

“If you say that I’m not pretty, then it means I am indeed.”

“What?”

“You are kind of a hypocrite.”

“How would you know?”

“I have been watching you.”

“Have you?”

“When you say you don’t like something, it means that you like it.” I push my plate a bit to the side and start to describe her. “For example, you said you didn’t want me to come eat with you. But you really did ask me to come with you.”

“Nonsense.”

“You really are like this. Everyone in your gang knows.”

“Huh. When did you talk to them? Okay, so. If I say I don’t like you... Do you know what it means?”

“It means you like me.”

I smile from ear to ear. But then I’m suddenly embarrassed when I stare into her eyes. She is embarrassed as well.

“You’re crazy. I don’t like you at all.” Her face is getting redder and redder as she’s waving her hand in denial. “I mean what I say.”

“Do you hate me?”

“I don't.”

“Okay, so, do you like me or not?”

“I don't like you.”

“…”

“…”

“Enough of that. What even are we talking about? Oh, you got a notification, your phone vibrated.”

Her whole body suddenly shakes just like her smartphone does, almost as if she wants to shake off the embarrassment. I look at her, wanting to laugh but I stiffle it.

Is she trying to avoid the subject? But what she did with that serious face is so endearing.

“Who will dance? Nonsense.” She said out of nowhere. I get curious, so I set my cutlery down again and pay attention to her.

“Dance?”

“Jim sent me a dance clip and told me to practice it.” Khun Sam shows me a video clip of the Korean girl group S.E.S. “I’m too old to dance.”

“A wedding ceremony only happens once in a lifetime. You should dance for her.”

“I won't.”

It means that she definitely will dance. I smile and am suddenly startled by my own phone ringing. I don’t tremble like Khun Sam did though.

“Hello?”

[Mon, aren’t you coming home? I was going to invite you to Chatuchak, where are you?]

I look at Sam before answering him. She is watching the dance clip.

“I’m in Ayuthaya with Khun Sam, we went out to eat.”

[You hang out with Khun Sam very often. Last week you were with her. This week again. You do not make time for me.]

“Ahhh. Stop complaining, I see you every day. Please don’t blame me.” We stare at each other at the same time. Khun Sam had stopped looking at her phone and her eyes went cold.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Nop.” Silence ensues, so I decide to hang up. “I’m eating. Talk to you later, Nop.”

But cruel eyes are staring at me and I don’t know why I should be scared of her like that, even though she’s already met Nop.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologising?”

“I don’t know.” I say quickly. She clasps my mouth with her hand. “Hmmm?”

“Your lips are so thin.”

“…”

“Such pretty lips.”

She changed the subject so fast. What is this? We maintain eye contact for a moment and then she pulls her hand away.

“You seem pretty close to Nop. Is he your boyfriend?”

“No, he’s not.”

Khun Sam looks serious and I answer her carefully, as if I’m hiding something in my answer.

I’m afraid she’ll get mad.

Hmm? Why am I afraid of that?

“Nop… He always hangs out with you.” She starts to eat while asking. “Aren’t you afraid of rumours saying that he’s your boyfriend?”

“He has always been my friend, since kindergarten. And he was always kind to me.”

“Are you popular with guys?"

“Not really.” I laugh sheepishly and count on my fingers. “Hmm. I received around 10 confessions.”

A fork falls from Khun Sam’s hand. Seeing that makes me chuckle.

“Are you okay?”

“Not really?”

“If it was a hundred confessions, I would say very much.”

“You are weird.” She speaks. “Pretty lips.”

“Hmm.” I look at her and say with my mouth full. “Oway woo mim imwemwe imaomao”

(Today you seem interested in my mouth.)

“What are you saying? Oh. I understand. Sorry.” She keeps looking at my mouth. “They would definitely enjoy kissing your mouth.”

“…”

“…”

“What do you expect me to answer to that?”

Now, we are both feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed. She keeps looking at my lips. What’s up with her?

“What do you like about me physically?”

“Hmmm?” Why does she want to know what part of her body I like? “Probably your nose.”

“Do you want to bite my nose?”

“Um…” I roll my eyes upon hearing this. “It looks delicious.”

“Let’s make a deal.”

“A deal?”

“You can bite my nose and you let me bite your lips.”

She bites her own lip as she looks at me while saying this. Heavens, what a sight. I lift my hand to cover my mouth.

“You need to stop looking at my mouth first. I’m truly embarrassed right now. Nobody talks to their friends like that.”

“You are not my friend.”

“What am I to you then?”

“…”

“…”

After a long pause in our conversation, Khun Sam, who is composing herself, changes the subject.

“I saw you took a picture of the giant river prawns before you started eating. Are you a social network girl?”

“Oh… I’m just envious. Whenever I see giant river prawns in my feeds online, it makes me want to show off too. You don’t?”

“I don’t understand posting pictures of food online. Where did you post it? Instagram?”

“On Facebook.”

“Why do you have a Facebook account?”

Okay, this is a pretty mind-blowing conversation. I need to be careful.

“It’s to communicate with old friends. I can chat with them there.”

“Can’t you keep in touch with them by phone? Phone books have everyone's numbers.”

“Nowadays, no one will open a phone book to find a person's number." She raises her eyebrows, which makes me laugh. “You do that?”

“This is why phone books were created. If Facebook is as good as you say, I’ll try to learn how to use it, but I won’t post pictures or update about my life to the world.”

“You are like an old woman.”

“What did you say?” she says, seemingly irritated.

“You own a digital advertising company, but you don’t understand how to use Facebook, Instagram or other social networks. So I wonder how you survive these days.”

“We came here to eat.”

Good Lord. She misunderstood my point again!

“Do you use Facebook a lot?”

“Every day. I keep up with the news there. It’s convenient.”

“You have a lot of friends?”

“Several. Most of the colleagues at work have added me. Chin, who works with me in the office even flirts with me.” I tell her without thinking. “He sends me stickers in direct messages.”

“I do that too.”

“I know.”

“I send stickers.”

“Yup.”

“I always send you stickers.”

I look at Khun Sam who keeps repeating herself. Do I need to understand something here?

“Exactly. You send me stickers every day.”

Then she crosses her arms, raises her eyebrows, and doesn’t say anything else until we get back.

Fine, I drop the ball. On the way back I was feeling uncomfortable until I reached my house and couldn’t take it anymore.

“Are you mad at me?”

“No.”

She smiles at me, which startles me.

She’s mad at me for sure… but why?

“You can tell me directly if you’re mad at me, because sometimes I can’t keep up.”

“You’re good at using social media, why wouldn’t you be able to tell? My stickers are nice.”

“Do you have a problem with stickers?”

“I think they are cool.”

“Are you mad at me because of stickers?”

“No, I just think they’re cute and adorable.”

A smile slowly spreads on my lips as I catch my boss’ train of thoughts.

“You are cute too.”

“...”

“And you send me stickers. More than anyone else.” So I smile at her and she looks at me with narrowed eyes.

“Really?”

“Really. I think you’re beautiful.”

“Is it because of the number of stickers I send you?” She stretches her back. “Then you can go. I’m going back to my place. Oh, don’t forget the prawns I bought for your mother.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Khun Sam and I turned at the same time to get the prawns from the backseat. Now we are just inches apart from each other.

Pit-a-pat.

Pit-a-pat.

Pit-a-pat.

Help. I need help. God. My heart is racing so fast I might have a heart attack.

“Mon.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Are you not interested?”

“Interested in what?”

“The deal I offered you.”

“Hmmm.” I’m confused and roll my eyes. Her face gets closer and closer to mine.

“What was the deal again?”

“I let you bite my nose.”

“...”

“And then I get to bite your lips.”