KHEMJIRA, Special Chapter 6:

New Year’s Greetings

  After more than four months since their wedding, the New Year festival was just days away.

In fact, for Khem, Pharan, and their twin sons, New Year’s celebrations in past years hadn’t been anything spectacular or exciting like for other families; it was just an ordinary day spent together in their warm home.

However, this year was special, as Pharan had promised to take his wife and children on their first trip to a different province. Upon hearing this, both the mother and children were excited and happy about the rare opportunity to travel far, so they had been preparing their luggage since last week.

But then, it seemed like the plan might fall apart because Pharan had taken on several jobs back-to-back, leaving him with little time to rest—blessing ceremonies, housewarming events, consecrating sacred objects, and even many monastic duties. Since these clients were all influential people with whom there were mutual interests, he couldn’t refuse.

Another important reason was his desire to save money for the family trip, so he worked hard without a single complaint. Eventually, he fell ill with a fever like never before, forcing Khachen to drive over to pick up both ‘Sua’ and ‘Singh’ to look after them temporarily until Pharan recovered. Of course, this wouldn’t be sorted out by the end of the year since only three days remained.

“Mom, can’t we stay with you?” Singh asked, still clinging tightly to one of his mother’s legs, and his brother, seeing this, let go of Uncle Khachen’s hand to hug the other leg with the same force.

“Yes, dear mom, I promise I won’t be naughty at all, not even a little bit.”

Khem shook his head, feeling touched. They usually argue all the time, but now, at this moment, they were so harmoniously united.

“It really can’t happen. When Dad gets sick, it’s much worse than most people, and I am worried you might catch the fever.” Khem tried to explain, but the twins seemed reluctant to give up easily.

“But if you catch Dad’s fever, who will take care of you?” Singh argued.

“Exactly, if we’re with you, there’ll be someone to take care of you, right?” Sua added.

Khem laughed at the twins’ adorable stubbornness, which they had clearly inherited from their uncles Jett and Khachen. If it were any other matter, he might have already given in. With that thought, he knelt down and hugged both boys.

“I promise to take good care of myself, and when Daddy gets better, we’ll go pick you up from Uncle Khachen’s right away. No fussing, okay?”

The twins resigned, pouted together, holding back tears to not worry their mother, and reluctantly agreed, each taking one of Khachen’s hands with a defeated look, which almost made Khem soften again, but seeing Khachen shake his head with a smile, he had to suppress that urge.

“I’m counting on you, Khachen.”

“Don’t worry, take care of Pharan.” Khachen said, and Khem nodded slightly.

“Yes.”

After watching the sports car drive off past the gate, Khem began cleaning the house and prepared to cook. He made a simple dish of ginger fish congee, and once it was ready, he brought it upstairs to serve to the sick man in the bedroom.

Pharan had started feeling ill since last night, forcing Khem to sleep in the children’s room and to keep wiping him down throughout the night until this morning.

“Pharan, eat some congee, so you can take your medicine.” Khem called out. Pharan, whose fever had slightly subsided since last night, had to force himself up to sit. His sharp features and bare upper body were still glistening with sweat, and his dark eyes, heavy with the sickness, looked at his wife intently.

“After eating, I will change the bedsheets so you can sleep more comfortably.”

Khem said this without even looking at his husband’s expression, as he was busy blowing on the spoonful of congee.

“Are you tired?” The hoarse voice asked softly. Khem shook his head before lifting the spoon to Pharan’s mouth.

“This is nothing, it’s very easy. Open up quickly, my dear.”

Pharan’s eyes flickered for just a moment, then went still, as if lost in thought.

That was when Khem slightly startled.

In all the years they’ve been together, Khem had never fed Pharan, no matter the situation. But recently, with the twin sons having just recovered from a fever, he momentarily treated his husband like one of the little ones.

“I’m sorry, I forgot myself.” He said, starting to lower the spoon, but it was grabbed by a warm hand, stopping him.

“It’s fine, this is quite convenient.” His habit of thinking one thing and saying another hadn’t changed, but he couldn’t admit that he sometimes felt envious because his wife took better care of their sons than of him; that would be embarrassing.

Khem’s face turned red when Pharan lowered his head to open his mouth for the porridge that he was being fed. Some spoonfuls were too hot, burning his tongue because he was too shy to blow on them, but the other person didn’t complain or show any reaction. Soon, the fish porridge in the bowl was all gone.

Khem placed the empty bowl on the bedside table and then picked up a glass of water that was nearby.

“Take your medicine now.” He said. Pharan took the fever reducer, placed it under his tongue, then drank the water until the glass was empty. After the meal and the medicine, Khem went about changing the bed sheets because the old ones were damp with sweat. Once the bed was made, it was time for a sponge bath.

Pharan lay back on the bed, watching his small wife carefully sponge him down from his neck, both arms, back, chest, down to the clearly defined abdominal muscles. Each touch felt soothing.

After Khem finished with his upper body, he looked up at the man who was watching him with an embarrassed expression.

“Uh…would you like to do the lower half yourself?”

Pharan gently shook his head in response and then said something surprising,

“You even washed the twins’.”

“…”

“You don’t think I’d be a bit jealous?”

Khem’s mouth hung open in shock, then he gently closed it, blinking to realign his thoughts.

Normally, Khem had never heard such direct, reproachful words from Phim before, making him forget that Phim was just an ordinary man. If it hadn’t been for his illness, Khem might never have realized what his husband was keeping inside.

Realizing this, Khem steeled himself, moved closer, and gently kissed Phim on the lips without fear of catching his fever.

Phim accepted the kiss without closing his eyes, intently watching his small wife’s brave act. His light brown eyes still couldn’t hide the slight embarrassment, yet he smiled faintly and whispered, “I’ll wipe you later.”

…

The second night seemed no better for Phim; his fever was high, he had severe headaches, body heat, and was vomiting. Khem stayed close, watching over him all night, hardly sleeping, thinking that if there was no improvement by morning, they’d have to see a doctor.

The sound of a rooster crowing at 4:30 AM startled Khem awake. He lifted his head from where he had dozed off on his arm to look at his husband, only to find the tall figure turned towards him, loosely holding his hand as if afraid he might disappear.

His handsome face was beaded with sweat, his sharp brows furrowed as if in pain. Khem felt distressed, having never seen Phim this sick before. As he tried to get up, Phim gripped his hand tighter.

“Phii Phim…” Their eyes met as Phim’s dark eyes slowly opened, and in a hoarse voice, he whispered, “Don’t go.”

Khem took a deep breath to keep from crying, steadying his voice to respond, “I will go get a cloth to wipe you down.”

Phim’s fever-reddened eyes blinked slightly, sensing Khem’s emotions.

“Don’t cry…I’ll get better in a few days.”

Khem smiled, nodding before leaning down to gently kiss Phim’s forehead.

“Okay, I will be right back.”

Khem got up and left the room, taking his mobile phone with him. At that moment, the tears he had been holding back began to flow uncontrollably, heartbroken that his husband was so ill and feeling helpless.

Upon reaching the kitchen downstairs, he immediately set a pot to boil water without even drying his tears, but soon his phone, which he’d brought to check the time, showed an incoming call. Khem pursed his lips before accepting the call.

“Hello, Khem, how are things?” asked the eager voice on the other end. Hearing the concern in his friend’s voice, Khem started crying.

“[Sniff] Jett, Phim’s condition hasn’t improved at all.”

“Damn, Chan, you step on it! Okay, don’t cry. We’ll be there in another hour. Hold on.”

  “Ugh, drive carefully, no need to rush. We can wait.”

“Okay, you’re doing great. That’s all.”

  “Uh-huh.”

Khem quickly mixed hot water with cold to make it warm, then poured it into a basin along with a clean cloth, and went upstairs to wipe down Pharan as he’d been doing for the past two nights. An hour later, Jett and Chan arrived as promised.

Once everyone was there, they cooked food for both the sick man and themselves.

After giving Pharan his fever medicine and waiting until he was asleep, Khem half-ran, half-walked downstairs. He hopped onto an old motorcycle that Jett and Chan had borrowed from someone in the village. Chan, who volunteered to drive, started it up slowly and drove to the shrine at the village entrance. Villagers who heard about Pharan’s illness followed on bicycles or on foot.

Jett, Khem, Chan, along with the gathered villagers, formed a circle around the shrine, each holding a flower garland, lighting incense, and placing their hands in prayer with sixteen sticks of incense each.

Jett led the chanting of the mantra known as the “Bhojjhanga Paritta.” believed to have the power to cure illnesses, his brown eyes closed as he chanted clearly:

“Phochangkosatisankhato Dhammanam Vjayo Vatha Viriyam Pitipassadhi

Phochangka Ca tathaphare Samādhupekkha Phochangka Satte Te Sappa Dassina

Munina Sammatakkhata, Bhavita Pahulikata”

A gentle breeze carried the scent of incense and white smoke, dispersing around the area. After the prayers, they moved forward to hang the garlands on the wooden rail at the shrine and then planted their incense sticks in pots, concluding the ritual.

That night, Pharan’s condition remarkably improved, which might be attributed to belief, but the main factor was undoubtedly the support and care from his wife and disciples who took turns entering and leaving his bedroom all night.

On the afternoon of that day, instead of celebrating New Year’s in the North with his wife ‘Aiyra’ as planned, Khachen decided to bring a large set of Korean BBQ and the twins over to Pharan’s house, sparing Khem the need to go pick up the kids as he had mentioned.

When Sua and Singh saw their father sitting on the daybed with a cartoonpatterned fever gel on his forehead, looking pale and wrapped in a thin blanket, their faces fell, and they ran to hug him. Pharan, seeing this, put down his glass of ginger water and bent down to lift one of his sons onto the bed for a better embrace.

“Dad! Uhh, huuuh! Don’t die, okay!” Singh said with a voice full of sobs, tears and snot mixing indistinguishably.

“Dad! If you die, how will I and Mom live! Waaah!” Sua cried out just as loudly as his brother.

Without needing to be told, one could guess who they got such dramatic ideas from. Hearing this, Pharan bent down to remove his slippers and threw them straight at the culprit who was about to start a fire.

The slipper, which had some weight to it, hit Khachen right on the head, amidst the shocked looks from Khem, Jett, Chan, and Aiyra who were standing around, watching the scene unfold.

Thwack!

“Ouch!”

And so began the chaotic New Year’s celebration with the large Korean BBQ set, ending with beautiful fireworks, smiles, and laughter, just like every time in the past…

        KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Special Chapter 5:

Entering the Marriage Gate

  After overcoming many hardships and spending seven years understanding each other’s hearts, today was the day Pharan and Khem had chosen for their wedding, following the traditional ceremonies.

The wedding was held at a modest-sized Thai house, newly constructed with the hard work of Khem over the years, located not far from the temple of Abbot Pinto.

After the traditional asking for the bride’s hand, Lady Aranya, Chan’s mother, represented Khem’s side in place of Abbot Pinto, who is now the abbot of the temple. They agreed on the wedding dowry.

Three days before the wedding, in accordance with Isan tradition, it is called

“Mue Hom” or “Mue Suk Dip.” monks were invited to chant at Khem’s home. Both families’ elders along with the local villagers came to make merit by offering food and listening to the sermons. Among the monks was Abbot Pinto, Khem’s father, who also came to give blessings.

Throughout the sermon, Khem looked at his father with joy, and the abbot looked back at Khem and Pharan with kindness. Khem planned to take his future husband to pay respects to his father at the temple after the wedding.

The day before the wedding, known as “Mue Tao” or preparation day, was when many from both sides gathered to prepare the food and decorate the venue. A feast was arranged, and food was cooked to feed guests as per tradition.

On the wedding day, the procession with the dowry started about a kilometer away from Khem’s house. It included Khachen, Jett, Jett’s family—who have been close with Pharan’s for decades—the former village chief acting as the senior relative, and all the villagers who had come in tour buses since three days prior to join in the celebration.

Pharan’s father, however, was not invited. Since his grandfather’s death, he had remarried and moved on with a new family long ago, so Pharan only informed him of the wedding but did not invite him.

The dowry procession began with the former village chief, who acted as the chief negotiator, carrying the dowry tray. Following him was the groom, dressed in a light blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves, well-fitted black slacks, and sunglasses to shield from the sun. Khachen, his close friend, was there to hold an umbrella over him, with Jett on the other side offering a bottle of water and smelling salts, worried that Master Pharan, who rarely sees the sunlight, might faint along the way.

Next, a pure, unmarried woman from the village carried the spirit, betel nut, and liquor in procession, followed by nearly a hundred villagers who had dressed up since early morning to join the parade, accompanied by traditional music played in a joyful rhythm.

Upon arriving at Khem’s house, after being welcomed by Khem’s relatives like Chan’s mother, Chan, and Phraemai, along with classmates and fellow volunteers, the next step before entering the house was for the junior relatives of Khem to wash the feet of the groom and the senior relatives according to tradition.

Pharan took off his shoes, placing his bare feet on a stone pedestal covered with banana leaves.

The ones performing the foot-washing duty were the five-year-old twin boys, both wearing short-sleeved white shirts, blue sarongs, and gold silk waistbands, looking adorable and tidy.

After washing the feet, they distributed white envelopes containing several thousand baht notes. Sua and Singh, in unison, bowed to thank their father, then both raised their hands and said,

“Daddy, kiss-kiss!” Pharan removed his sunglasses, tucked them into his shirt collar, knelt down, and hugged both boys, kissing each on the cheek with a composed expression. The children then returned the kisses, one on each side. Jett, capturing this adorable father-son moment, felt like screaming with joy.

Once the feet of the former villager chief and the groom were washed, they were invited into the house. Sua and Singh were carried away by Khachen to eat sweets elsewhere. The first gate of silver and gold was manned by Jett, who had suddenly switched sides, and Chan, who was dragged by Jett to stand by his side.

Luckily, today Pharan was in a better mood than usual, so Jett received ten thousand baht to eat sweets without getting slapped by the ‘holy hand’.

Before passing through all the gates, a total of one hundred thousand baht was spent.

In the central ceremony area, Khem, dressed in a light blue shirt and well-fitted white trousers, sat waiting with Chan’s mother and friends. It wasn’t long before the senior brought the groom to sit beside him.

Here, everyone sat on the floor together, as no one could sit higher than the groom.

The next step was the presentation of the engagement price or dowry, which included nine million baht in cash, nine gold bars, and nine rai of prime real estate in Ubon Ratchathani, totaling over ten million baht in value.

Although it might seem like an excessive amount for Khem, ultimately, all of this was not for any one person.

Chan’s mother, representing Khem’s senior family members, received the dowry with ceremony. After the dowry was presented, the couple exchanged rings, which were simple silver bands adorned with small diamonds, engraved inside with each other’s real names.

Following the dowry presentation and ring exchange, the ceremony continued with the “Sood Khwan” or soul-calling ritual, where a Brahmin expert from a nearby village officiated.

“Shri, Shri, the day, month, and year have passed. Now the children have grown, aunts, uncles, and parents, both old and young, have gathered in great numbers to celebrate this union, according to the time set by tradition. Live righteously after marriage, lead your family across the river of life with a heart like the four qualities of water:”

“…”

“One, the water is pure and clean, as clear as it can be.

Two, it can adapt, can take in both small and large matters.

Three, it’s truly cool, quenching thirst and hunger.

Four, it unites easily, even when cut, it can be joined again.”

“…”

“These four qualities are most excellent. May your hearts be like water, so you may thrive. U, A, Mu, Ma, Mul Ma, Maha, Mul Mang, Swaha, Amen.”

After these words, Pharan and Khem, who had been listening attentively with hands clasped in prayer, bowed to receive the blessing and softly said “Amen.” Then fed each other halves of a boiled egg given by the Brahmin, an act which almost made Khem eat his own egg out of embarrassment from his soon-to-be husband’s gaze.

After the egg feeding, the elders came forward to tie sacred threads on the couple’s wrists and give their blessings. This included Uncle Chang, the former village chief, with his son Pong and his boyfriend, followed by Prima with her husband and their three-year-old child.

Years ago, Prima had fallen in love and planned to marry, but the wedding was postponed several times due to various issues. Feeling something was wrong, she consulted Pharan and learned that she had previously sworn to remain single until he married. This led to a big ceremony to undo the vow, after which she was finally able to marry her boyfriend without any further obstacles.

As for Pong, despite his strong affection for Khem and the rejection he faced, he retreated to heal for nearly half a year. However, due to his inherently optimistic nature, he was able to move on after a while.

Until he met someone who made his heart beat again last year, the other person was a nurse stationed at the boxing venue on the day Pong had a match.

That day, Pong was defeated in the competition and was quite injured, so he received first aid from this handsome young nurse. Even though the nurse’s hand was heavy enough to bring tears, Pong endured it. After a long period of courtship, they finally became a couple. Now they have been dating for nearly a year.

Despite their different paths in life, Uncle Chang, the former village chief, Pong, and Prima still frequently visited Pharan and Khem, and the hosts always welcomed them warmly.

After the elders at the ceremony tied bracelets for Pharan and Khem, it was Khachen’s turn. This groomsman didn’t know how much money he had put in the envelope, and Khem didn’t dare to look inside.

Then came Jett, Chan, and their university friends, who crawled forward to tie the bracelets with a mix of boldness and fear due to the awe-inspiring presence of Khem’s groom.

“Khem, I’m so glad to have met such a wonderful person like you. Thank you for always joining me for shabu-shabu. Here’s to a happy life after marriage.” Said Phraemai with teary eyes. Khem smiled sweetly in response to her blessings.

“Thank you, Phraemai.” She smiled broadly in return, then inhaled deeply and moved slowly towards the head monk.

“Um…uh, congratulations, master, may you be very happy, and stay in good health…Sadhu.” Phraemai, stuttering a bit, tied the sacred thread with trembling hands, not daring to look at the groom even for a moment, only bowing in respect before quickly crawling away, then rushing over to slap Jett who was laughing so loudly it shook the house.

After the wrist-tying ceremony, Sua and Singh ran to their parents with garlands of sweets Khachen had mischievously hung around their necks, making them look messy. At that moment, Jett asked to take a family photo. Khem and Pharan arranged for the children to sit properly before smiling at the camera; Sua and Singh sat still, showing off their corn teeth for Uncle Jett’s photo, because they’d grow up to be stars.

The villagers, seeing the master settled, were moved to tears, feeling both happy and relieved that in this life, someone like Pharan would be taken care of and cherished into old age.

Because this man, who has always given and sacrificed for others, truly deserves all the good things in return, a hundred or even a thousandfold, and that was happening today.

The wedding celebration eventually came to an end, and everyone dispersed to their accommodations, leaving the newlyweds to have their time together in the bridal chamber. The twin boys were taken care of by Chan’s mother, allowing the parents to relax without worry, as staying with Khachen would likely have kept them all awake all night.

Khem showered after Pharan, taking longer than usual to prepare himself.

It might be embarrassing to admit, but by the time this day arrived, the 29-yearold Khem had thoroughly studied how things should go, even though he had never actually experienced it…

Khem stared fixedly at the bathroom door, swallowed nervously, his cold hands clasping together lightly to calm his mind, because when it came down to it, Khem felt unsure, nervous, and excited to the point where he felt dizzy. He didn’t dare step out of the bathroom…

But it seemed the impatient one couldn’t wait any longer. Suddenly, the door slid open, startling Khem who was standing behind it.

Pharan, wearing only white pajama pants, was looking at Khem with an unreadable gaze, which nonetheless made Khem’s heart race and his body feel as if it were engulfed by flames.

As Pharan approached, his cool scent wafting over, his slender hand gently touched Khem’s pale cheek before he asked in a soft, deep voice,

“What’s wrong?” At this, Khem’s body began to tremble. Unable to look away from Pharan’s dark eyes, Khem replied with a shaky voice,

“I…” That was all he could manage before swallowing, unable to continue, wanting to pinch himself hard to regain composure and stop being so excited.

Why, after all the physical closeness they had shared over the years—holding hands, hugging, kissing—did this moment make him feel so nervous?

  Pharan tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes seeming to seek an answer on their own. Once he felt sure, he asked,

“Are you afraid of me?”

Khem’s jaw dropped, he quickly shook his head and stammered out,

“I isn’t afraid of you, Pharan, just just excited.”

“…”

“And, I’m a bit worried…” Khem said in the last sentence, his voice almost a whisper, his small face looking down, avoiding Pharan’s gaze out of embarrassment.

Khem knew that Pharan had been patiently waiting for this moment.

  The dark eyes softened once more, understanding Khem’s feelings well, gently pulling his wrist to step away from the cold floor of the bathroom, pulling the slender body close to his bare chest, and loosely embracing him.

  “No need to worry. If you’re not ready, I won’t force you.”

Khem bit his lower lip upon hearing that the other would wait patiently again, and a feeling of unwillingness stirred in his heart.

Khem quickly wrapped his arms around the taller figure, his small face seeking warmth, shaking his head.

“No, I am ready.” Seeing Khem’s reaction, Pharan gently stroked the back of the startled kitten.

“Take your time with this, there’s no rush.”

“But…” As Khem grew more anxious, his round chin was lifted to meet Pharan’s gaze. Upon seeing the calm eyes, Khem felt as if cooled by a gentle stream, calming his heart.

“Think carefully if you really want to do this.”

“…”

“Or if you just want to please me.”

Khem felt his throat dry up as he met Pharan’s gaze at this moment, for it seemed as if the deepest, unspoken feelings were being touched by an invisible hand. The handsome face, the aura of nobility, and the sharp, captivating eyes that were hard to grasp, all stirred the desire of those enchanted by Pharan’s charm.

Khem could not deny his own heart, how much he wanted to possess this man alone.

His small tongue flicked out to lick his lips absentmindedly before quietly telling the one waiting for an answer,

“I want to do it.”

The dark eyes glistened for a moment before Khem’s slender wrists were clasped around Pharan’s neck, and he was lifted up. Instinctively, Khem’s legs wrapped around Pharan’s waist.

No words were spoken, but the intense desire in Pharan’s gaze was like a fire that threatened to burn Khem to ashes.

Khem was gently placed to sit on the bed, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest, unable to predict Pharan’s next move.

Pharan reached into the bedside drawer, pulling out protection and lubricant, placing them nearby before stepping back to remove his pants in front of Khem, who watched without blinking.

Khem felt like all the air was sucked out of him when he first saw his lover’s arousal, the dim light from the lamp making everything clear. The size of it caused his throat to dry, and he swallowed nervously.

“Want to touch it?” The deep voice asked amidst the silence. Khem sensed it wasn’t really a question but an invitation, and with trembling hands, he reached out to touch it gently.

His wide eyes grew even larger as it expanded in his hand. Khem tried gripping it firmer, moving his hand up and down slowly, as he had learned from adult content.

“Hmm.” The grunt of satisfaction made Khem wonder what more he could do. He looked up into those sharp, desire-filled eyes and asked softly,

“Phii Pharan, can I use my mouth?”

Pharan paused, seemingly taken aback, before his long fingers gently slid into Khem’s soft hair, nodding in approval.

“Go ahead.”

At this moment, curiosity outweighed any shyness for Khem. He stared at the large, now fully erect member in his hand, with veins prominently displayed, marveling at how different it looked from his own.

The more he looked, the more he was drawn in, until he moved his face closer, his small pink tongue flicking out to lick the tip, which was slightly parted and leaking. The tense atmosphere was palpable, Pharan was clearly holding himself back to remain still.

Khem tasted the faint sweetness of the milk that seeped out again, then opened his mouth wider to envelop the vibrant flesh, pressing his head down to go as deep as possible, as if measuring its length, and found that it was longer than his small mouth could reach.

“Ah…”

The deep groan made Khem feel encouraged, so he started to mimic the rhythm of a video he had seen before by bobbing his head up and down. He was slightly surprised to find that Pharan’s member could still expand further.

Pharan was both aroused and surprised at himself, despite having not been preoccupied with such things for a long time. In the past, he could remain indifferent and maintain his composure no matter what he encountered, but with Khem, he easily lost his patience.

“Uh!” Khem flinched when a strong hand held his head. Pharan, who had been standing still, began to move his hips, thrusting into the soft warmth of the small mouth.

Khem gripped the muscular thighs, closing his eyes to accept the thrusts which weren’t too forceful. He used his mouth to hold onto the other person’s member, not letting go, and occasionally flicked his tongue at the tip while lifting his other hand to massage the two testicles.

The increasing speed of the thrusts signaled the approach of climax. At that moment, Pharan intended to pull out to release outside, but Khem didn’t cooperate, instead holding it and gently jerking it while keeping half of it in his mouth.

His clear eyes looked up at Pharan, whose hands were still pressing down, urging him on. Pharan felt an indescribable itch and thrill, so he ended his restraint and released a large amount of semen into Khem’s mouth.

“Ugh.” Khem wanted to taste Pharan, so he swallowed every drop. Even though the taste was not as sweet or aromatic as one might expect from his appearance, Khem enjoyed it.

Phii is very tasty.

“Where did the person in front of the bathroom go?”

Khem blushed upon hearing the teasing, before his lips were gently wiped clean by a slender finger.

“Come to bed properly.” Pharan said. Khem nodded and crawled onto the pillow, waiting for the older man to follow.

Khem swallowed as a large shadow loomed over him, the dark eyes pinning him in place. The strong hands touched the edge of Khem’s pajama pants, slowly pulling them off from his feet, followed by the round-neck T-shirt he was wearing.

The pale, bare body reflected the light, and Khem’s face flushed red under the gaze he couldn’t fathom. He had to cover his mouth with his hand when Pharan’s rough touch grazed his sensitive parts.

“Ph-Pharan, uh.” Khem bit the back of his hand to stifle his moans, swallowing for the hundredth time as his sensitive area was gently stroked and the tip was teased with Pharan’s thumb, alternating between rubbing and pressing. Seeing Khem trying to hold back seemed to urge Pharan to speed up his movements, almost as if retaliating for earlier.

Khem bit his lower lip hard, rubbing his legs against the bed in agony as if thousands of butterflies were fluttering in his stomach. The sensation shot up from his toes until he couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Slow down, Pharan, I will~~, Ah!” Finally, he released his milky essence covering Pharan’s warm hand as he lay there, panting heavily.

Khem barely had time to catch his breath before he was moaning again, as Pharan’s hand smeared his semen across his smooth belly, the wet touch moving up to knead his chest, massaging and teasing his pink nipples with his fingertips.

“Uh—-ah”

Unable to resist, Pharan bent down to suck and lick them, not caring that he was lowering himself below his younger partner, treating him with the same respect as one would a wife.

“Pharan, ah!” Khem was startled and wanted to protest because this was a new experience for him, but his protests turned into moans of pleasure as Pharan alternated between gentle bites and licking to distract him.

Feeling Khem’s increasing desire, Pharan stopped teasing, sat up, and tore open a condom packet with his mouth, sliding it onto his firm, aching length, then squeezed some lubricant onto his middle finger.

“Ph-Pharan.” Pharan nodded, leaning in to kiss his temple and rosy cheeks softly.

“If it hurts, tell me.” Khem’s heart raced, slowly spreading his legs apart, too shy and excited to watch what Pharan would do next.

The finger, now cool with gel, touched the soft entrance below his balls, rubbing in circles three times before slowly entering.

Another thing Khem learned today was that Pharan’s fingers were very long and well-defined, and when they entered him, the sensation was so intense it was almost unbearable.

As the long, slender fingers began to move in and out rhythmically, an intense sensation spread through his entire body, making him rub his feet back and forth on the bedsheet, feeling so good he thought he might wet himself.

“Ah! Phii Phim!”

“What do you want?” Khem’s tears flowed down his cheeks, his body trembling before he voiced his desire.

“Uh, another finger, please add another finger.”

The older man listened to the request and immediately complied, inserting his second finger as well, starting to move in and out. Occasionally, he would intentionally crook his fingers to rub against the soft inner walls, causing Khem to clamp his legs around Pharan’s waist in response to the overwhelming sensation.

“Ah! It…it feels good!”

The embarrassing, wet sounds didn’t last long as, just as he seemed about to climax again, the two fingers were withdrawn, replaced by something much larger.

“Don’t tense up.” Pharan said calmly after lifting Khem’s hips to rest on his thighs, then guiding his member to press into the now stretched passage.

“Phii, Phim, it’s big, oh!” Halfway in, the sensation was too much to bear, so Pharan thrust the rest of the way in one go, while bending down to give Khem a comforting kiss.

Pharan at this moment felt so good he was almost dizzy.

“Ugh.” Khem was both shocked and choked up, unable to scream, but the sweet taste of Pharan’s kiss helped his body to relax.

Khem took in the overwhelming sensation, letting his body slowly adjust. Once he felt the younger man relax, Pharan began to move his hips in and out.

“Ah, uh!”

“Does it still hurt?” He asked with concern, even as he relentlessly thrust into the soft warmth, almost like a man possessed.

“It doesn’t—— Ah! Phii Phim, it feels good!” Khem squealed, his eyes rolling back when the large tip hit a sensitive spot inside him repeatedly, his small hands moving to clutch at his own chest to vent the intense pleasure.

The sight of Khem now completely destroyed Pharan’s intention to be gentle with this small body.

His dark eyes watched Khem’s smooth stomach bulge with each thrust of his own member, curiosity driving him to press down on it with one hand, while his body continued its relentless assault.

Thrust! Thrust!

“Uhh, ah, Pharan, it’s too much!”

“Then push back harder.” Although nearly overwhelmed by the sensation, Khem endured and followed the instruction, pushing back with increased force, which felt like adding fuel to the fire.

Khem was startled when he was suddenly flipped onto his stomach, then moaned as the large presence withdrew only to thrust back in deeply. He saw Pharan adjust a pillow under his head for comfort.

Without hesitation, Khem buried his face in the pillow, his lips tightly pressed together as one of Pharan’s hands moved to massage his chest and tease his nipples to relax him, while the other rhythmically stroked his length.

“Ah.” Khem clenched his teeth, tears of pleasure streaming down his face, before Pharan took his hand from the pillow and placed it on himself, encouraging him to take over.

Pharan used both hands to knead Khem’s buttocks thoroughly, his low moans making Khem’s skin prickle in anticipation of what was to come.

His thumbs parted the tender flesh, but the entrance still fluttered with anticipation, and Pharan watched with a mix of desire and lust as his length was swallowed by the tight passage.

This was a longing and an indulgence in carnal pleasure that had been suppressed for many years.

But now, that flame had been ignited and would not be easily quenched.

The firm hips began to move again, and with this new angle, his thrusts became deeper and more forceful.

“Ah, Ph-Pharan, uhh, oh!”   Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!

“Do you like it?” The deep voice inquired.

“Uh, I like it, I like it, ah, right there!” Khem cried out as his prostate was repeatedly hit, the intense pleasure coursing from his toes to his core, obliterating his initial shyness and consciousness.

Even though Khem’s arms and legs were shaking so much he could barely support himself, he still moved his hips to meet every thrust without giving up, clenching tightly around the large, long member inside him.

Pharan felt an intense pleasure that nearly drove him mad. His strong hands gripped Khem’s spread hips, thrusting with all his might, hitting Khem’s sensitive spot repeatedly, not allowing him a moment to catch his breath.

Khem’s throat was choked with moans, unable to scream, as he heard the loud sound of flesh slapping against flesh, his toes curling from the overwhelming pleasure, so blissful he cried out.

Instead of feeling pity, Pharan sped up his rhythm to intensify the pleasure for Khem.

“Ah, please, Phii Phim, slow down, I am going to come!”

“Then come.” Khem couldn’t stop himself, his slender hand quickly jerking himself off while grinding the tip, all while being relentlessly pounded.

Khem felt like he was floating in mid-air, his mind blank, tears and drool flowing, the pleasure inside him reaching its peak until he climaxed, spilling into his hand.

“Aaahhh”

The overwhelming sensation made him clench even harder around Pharan’s member. The tight grip from Khem’s sudden tensing made Pharan lose control, thrusting three more times before releasing a large amount of cloudy semen into the condom.

“Ah…”

Khem lay there panting, completely exhausted. Pharan stayed inside for a moment before slowly pulling out and removing the condom.

He didn’t expect to release that much.

He thought to himself before walking over to throw it in the trash and then came back to sit on the edge of the bed, brushing back Khem’s sweat-dampened hair from his face and asked,

“Can you take a shower?”

Khem shook his head vigorously. Pharan, who was not accustomed to dealing with someone so out of shape, bent down to give a gentle kiss on the forehead before standing up from the bed. Not forgetting to pick up the pants lying on the floor, he took them with him to the bathroom.

After they had cleaned up and put on sleepwear, Pharan brought out a small bucket of water and a clean cloth to gently clean Khem, from his face down to the sensitive area that had been thoroughly used, now slightly red and swollen.

Khem watched Pharan’s tender actions with a warm heart, his gentle brown eyes full of love and adoration.

Once cleaned, Pharan helped him into his clothes, then pulled a warm blanket over both of them.

Khem snuggled closer into the warmth at the slight tug from his husband.

Pharan kissed his forehead and smooth cheek, asking softly,

“Does it hurt?” Khem bit his lip, his face turning red, then shook his head.

“Not as much as I thought it would.” He murmured, snuggling into the warm chest before adding, “I like it.”

“You’re going to make it wake up.” Pharan said, causing Khem to startle, eliciting a soft chuckle from Pharan.

Pharan’s thick hand slipped into Khem’s pants from behind, making him tense immediately as the long fingers touched that tender spot, causing a small jolt from the sudden discomfort.

Khem felt the cool sensation of some ointment, not knowing when it had been prepared, distinguishable by its scent from the lubricant. His face reddened with embarrassment at his own thoughts.

“No more for now.”

“…”

“We’ll do it again once the swelling goes down.” Pharan assured him. Khem nodded, then rose to give a gentle kiss and smiled sweetly.

“Thank you, Phii Pharan.” Pharan’s dark eyes softened in a way no one had ever seen before, then he bent down to return the kiss softly, whispering words he had never said before.

Having waited for this day.

“I love you.”

Khem stared into those beautiful eyes, stunned. He hadn’t expected to hear those words even once.

Countless memories from the first encounter flashed through his mind once more. Throughout their time together, Pharan’s actions always spoke louder than words, so Khem never expected to hear such words.

His small mouth pouted slightly before he moved to embrace his husband tightly, crying with joy.

Pharan gave a slight smile, his strong arms pulling the smaller body closer, stroking his head gently.

“Sniff, I love you Phii Phim too…loves you the most in the world.”

Until the end of time, from this moment on, nothing will ever separate us again…

     KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Special Chapter 4:

About the Two Crystal Balls in a Dream

  On the night of a full moon, Khem was sleeping soundly alone in his new bedroom, separated from Jett and Chan to give them their privacy, and not sharing a room with Pharan as they had agreed to follow tradition and marry before sharing a bed comfortably.

Khem wanted some time to pursue his dreams, to work hard at what he loved for a while longer before getting married. During this period, he often traveled back and forth between Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani, unable to bear the longing, including during the annual holidays this year.

After five years since the resolution of their dark times, Khem had never dreamt of anything, good or bad, until this night. In his dream, an elderly woman in white, whose face Khem couldn’t see clearly, approached carrying a bamboo basket which she set down at the base of the staircase of a traditional Thai house, then left without a word.

Khem walked down the stairs and picked up the bamboo basket, his eyes following the elderly woman’s back with a strange sense of empathy, yet he was happy to see that she was in good health.

Khem looked down at the bamboo basket in his arms, using his other hand to pull off the clean white cloth covering it, revealing two clear glass orbs the size of his fist sitting side by side.

These two glass orbs shimmered brilliantly, reflecting the sunlight in beautiful rays around them, warming his heart to the point of tears.

Khem woke up at that moment, and found his face wet with tears, his heart pounding so hard it hurt, prompting him to slowly get up because he couldn’t sleep anymore.

Khem left his bedroom to knock on Pharan’s door. He didn’t wait long for a response before gently pushing the door open.

The sight that greeted him was the lamp on the bedside table that Pharan had left on for him. Upon reaching the bed, Khem immediately slid under the covers and nestled into the arms of the man who was asleep.

“Phii…”

“Hmm?”

“I had a dream.” After saying this, the arm around his waist moved up, a large hand gently stroking his head before asking softly,

“What did you dream about?”

Khem recounted his entire dream to Pharan, and upon finishing, he heard a soft chuckle.

“There will be good news in the future.” Khem, hearing this, nodded slightly against Pharan’s chest.

“Let’s hope it’s true.”

After that day, Khem returned to work in Bangkok to set up an art exhibition booth with other artists that would last for fourteen days.

Throughout those two weeks, there wasn’t a single night where Khem didn’t dream about the old woman and the two glass orbs, to the point where he couldn’t focus on work, couldn’t eat or sleep properly because he was constantly thinking about it.

Khem immediately went back to Pharan once the exhibition was over. When he arrived, Pharan, already aware of the situation, advised Khem to calm down, to chant and meditate to find peace, and then he checked Khem’s birth chart. He found that the good news he had mentioned would indeed happen soon.

That night, Khem asked to share a room with Pharan because he was still feeling exhausted from the unsettling dreams he’d had over the past few days. Pharan, understanding, didn’t object and spent three nights holding and soothing Khem until he fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, it was the date when representatives from the orphanage were supposed to come to pick up donations from the village, but no one showed up. When the village chief called to inquire, they learned there had been an electrical short circuit last night, causing a fire in the orphanage’s cafeteria, damaging property but fortunately, no one was hurt.

Hearing this, Khem felt his heart sink, not wanting to think about what could have happened if the fire had spread to the building where the children were sleeping.

“The children must be so scared. I’m worried. Should we go check on them?” Khem turned to ask Pharan, who was slightly frowning, his expression also not looking so good.

Hearing his lover’s request, Pharan nodded immediately, as he had been thinking the same.

“Hmm, let’s go.”

Pharan and Khem went back home to change into more formal and respectful attire. Pharan wore a light brown shirt with black fitted slacks that Khem had chosen for him, as they were going to a place with many children, and they didn’t want the atmosphere to be too somber. Pharan understood Khem’s reasoning and agreed to wear it, even though he had never worn light colors before.

Khem, in contrast, wore a crisp white collared shirt with well-tailored creamcolored pants, looking neat and composed. After getting dressed, they got into the white pearl Mercedes Benz that Khem had received as a graduation gift, with Pharan taking the driver’s seat.

Usually, Pharan drove smoothly, not too fast or too slow, but today he seemed to be driving faster than usual. Although his face was calm, his dark eyes appeared tranquil, and his posture was as relaxed as always, Khem could sense that Pharan was eager to get there quickly.

Was there something waiting at the orphanage?

It took less than thirty minutes to reach the orphanage, which was bustling today due to the fire incident the night before. The few staff members were busy cleaning up the debris from the damaged building. Most of the materials were wood, and the other materials weren’t of high quality, so an electrical short circuit wasn’t surprising.

Upon getting out of the car, a young woman who served as one of the caretakers at the orphanage approached to greet them respectfully. She was often the representative who would take other staff members to collect donations at Pharan’s village, so they were familiar with each other.

“Hello, master, Khun Khem.” Pharan nodded in acknowledgment, and Khem returned her greeting with a respectful wai.

“Hello, Sister Namkang. I heard from the village chief so I came to visit, is the damage extensive?” She immediately gave a wry smile.

“Yes, it’s quite extensive. We’ll have to demolish and rebuild the cafeteria. We’ve applied for a budget but aren’t sure when it’ll come through. We’ve had to use our own money for now.” Khem looked at her with sympathy, then turned his gaze to the main building where he saw children playing, and asked,

“With the cafeteria damaged like this, have the children had anything to eat this morning?” Namkang nodded.

“We were lucky to have some food ingredients left, and an electric skillet that wasn’t damaged. This morning, the children had fried rice, but after one meal, the skillet broke.” She shook her head and smiled as she spoke, but seeing her usually cheerful self looking so weary made Khem feel compassion; he gently tapped her hand to offer encouragement.

“It’s okay, we’ll help with the children’s lunch.”

Namkang seemed to see a light at the end of the tunnel. In the past, the master and the villagers had always helped, but in recent years, due to economic downturns and various reasons, many more orphans had been brought in, stretching their budget thin. She wiped away tears and immediately thanked both of them.

Since Khem wanted to ensure the children’s lunch was nutritious, clean, and hygienic, he went out to the market to buy ingredients himself. He also purchased kitchen equipment for the orphanage with his own savings. However, due to the severe damage to the cafeteria, they had to cook outdoors. Fortunately, the sun wasn’t too harsh today.

Meanwhile, Pharan arranged for workers to come and demolish and rebuild the cafeteria, offering to cover the labor costs and provide the highest-quality materials for construction. Once everything was set in motion, he came to help Khem distribute lunch to the children, not forgetting to remove his sunglasses, tucking them into his shirt collar.

The menu that Khem and the two regular cooks at the orphanage prepared included stir-fried mixed vegetables, clear soup with tofu and minced pork, and large seedless red grapes in compartmentalized trays. When it was time, the children lined up to receive their food. During this somewhat chaotic time, Khem didn’t have the chance to notice who was who or their faces.

After distributing the food, the caretakers led the children to sit under trees and various spots to eat their lunch.

Hearing the laughter and seeing the happy smiles on everyone’s faces, Khem couldn’t help but smile broadly, feeling joyful himself.

Now that it was almost time to head back, Khem and Pharan were surrounded by children who came to receive toys and snacks. Khem noticed that Pharan seemed to be looking for something since they arrived.

But before Khem could ask, both of their trouser legs were gently tugged by small hands, prompting them to look down.

In front of them were twin boys, about three years old, with fair skin, round eyes, and faces so similar they looked like perfectly matched steamed buns, making it impossible to tell them apart.

The four stared at each other for a long moment, a feeling of familiarity overwhelming Pharan, who immediately sensed who they were, and Khem seemed to feel the same.

Before any greetings could be exchanged, the little twins moved in to hug their legs tightly, looking up with innocent eyes, and one of them said,

“Can me and my brother go live with you, please?” After the older one spoke to Pharan, the younger one hugging Khem’s leg nodded in agreement.

Seeing the twin boys, Khem instantly understood the meaning of the two crystal balls in his dream. When he turned to look at Pharan, he could see the immense affection in his eyes. When Pharan met Khem’s gaze and gave a slight nod, Khem was so happy he nearly cried.

At that moment, both Khem and Pharan bent down to pick up the twin boys, and Khem smiled and said,

“Yes, come live with daddy Pharan and me.”

Pharan proceeded to apply for the adoption of the two children immediately without hesitation. After briefly inquiring about their background, they learned that three years ago, in the early morning, someone had left these two newborns, who seemed only a few days old, in front of this orphanage.

They were placed in an old bamboo basket, with no birth certificate or even a name, just a piece of paper with their date of birth. At the orphanage, they were simply called “the Twins.” No one had dared to name them for some reason.

The process of adopting children from an orphanage involves legal steps where the adopting parents must meet all the legal qualifications, and they need certification from credible individuals before submitting their application to the court in the subsequent steps. Therefore, the twin boys had to remain at the orphanage until all procedures were completed.

The only issue was that Pharan and Khem were not legally married according to the requirements, and the country’s laws did not yet recognize same-sex marriage.

However, these issues were easily resolved with Pharan’s financial and social influence.

Within two weeks, both twin boys were under the care of Pharan and Khem.

The twins were named as follows:

First, the older twin boy was named “Singharaj Ruangdech”, nicknamed “Singh”.

Second, the younger twin boy was named “Phayak Ruangdech”, nicknamed “Sua”.

These little twin boys had thick black hair and large, light brown eyes. The older one was talkative and sociable, while the younger was slightly more shy, but overall, they were easy to look after, eating when told to eat, sleeping when told to sleep.

The reason for choosing the nicknames Singh (Lion) and Sua was to remember the deceased Grandfather Sek and Grandma-Si.

After adopting the twins, after three days, Khem moved into the same room as Pharan. He didn’t want to be apart in a way that might confuse the children, and he wanted to provide love and warmth to compensate for what they never received from their biological parents.

This morning, Khem woke up earlier than usual. The first sight he saw was Sua’s forehead, then younger twin lying on his back facing the other way, with the older twin, Singh, lying face down on his chest, looking towards Khem, his small back supported by his new father’s hand to prevent him from falling off.

Because the scene was too adorable to describe, Khem picked up his phone from the bedside to capture the moment for future memories, intending to collect many such moments as the children grew up. Then he gently woke everyone because today they had to do something.

Pharan woke up immediately. Khem noticed that even with the children, Pharan remained quiet and economical with words, but his actions were different; it was clear he spoiled the kids a lot. Singh, who was the clingier one, wasn’t woken up but was carried into the bathroom.

Singh rested against his father’s shoulder, comfortably listening to the sound of his father brushing his teeth.

As for the younger twin, he was easily startled, but when he saw his father holding his brother, he begged his mother to hold him too. In the end, he ended up no different from his brother when they went into the bathroom.

It took quite a while to bathe and dress both themselves and the children.

Now, Sing and Sua, dressed in traditional cotton outfits, stood in front of Pharan and Khem, extending their chubby arms for their parents to tie the sacred thread as a welcome ritual.

“May Sing be a good child, obedient and healthy.” Khem said to the older twin.

Sing nodded vigorously, puffing up his chest and declaring,

“I won’t be naughty, won’t give mommy a headache, promise!” Khem laughed before pulling his little son close to kiss his cheek lovingly.

On the other side, after Pharan tied the sacred thread for the younger one, he quietly blessed him,

“Listen to your mother.” Sua nodded, his face turning red, and replied,

“I will listen to mommy, promise.” Pharan’s dark eyes softened with affection as he gently patted the boy’s head.

The boys switched sides to receive the sacred thread from both parents. After that, Pharan and Khem carried the twins out of the house, walking through the rubber tree and banana plantations back into the village, with the spotted dog following closely to ensure their safety. The villagers had prepared a traditional welcoming ceremony at Grandma Mai’s house.

When they arrived, they sat in a circle with the community elders who had arranged for the welcoming ritual. The four of them sat cross-legged, with the twins’ hands folded in prayer by their parents, before Grandma Mai began to chant the welcoming verse.

“Shri, Shri, this day is a good day, the day the child was born, bringing great joy to our home, ten months and ten days in the womb, brave and strong, born like the moon, a noble offspring to cherish, gazed upon by countless eyes, you, the tender young one, come from afar,

From the celestial city,

From the sacred grove of the three realms, adorned by the earth, from the heavens, born under a lucky star, you come at the king’s hour, born into this human world, a blessing for father and mother, to join the family under the grandparents’ roof, to be a precious jewel, to be of great worth.

You are born, lovely and brave, strange as gold, with shining black hair, eyebrows like bows, who would say you are not beautiful, born from the clear stars, come from a distant palace, you are unique in this world.”

“…”

“Like Sita Ramalak, blessed by your past merits, you have come to be born among humans, to be seated as Phraya, to be the king, to have three palaces in the seven-tier palace, with people to adorn and bring, people flowing to honor you, as the root of the divine.

With thousands praising, overwhelming all, both men and women paying homage, with a retinue of countless, let no harm come to you. With followers on both sides, when you move, may there be vehicles to ride, people flowing to greet, many to admire you.

Let your mother be pleased, with power like the vice-king, with strength like

Narayana to the south, people respecting you, may you be complete like Lord Shiva, with abundant prosperity, to sit in the golden mansion, with a throne as your base, with wisdom like the wise one, quick-witted like the auspicious one, wise like Vessantara, with many coming to bow, let them bow like before, when you travel swiftly, may you be cherished in heart.”

“…”

“Whatever you wish for, let it be fulfilled, with abundant wealth, never lacking, money flowing ceaselessly, words flowing like a river, with women to attend, when you speak, people respect you, with a body like a god, with many surrounding to honor you, with followers by the multitude.

Let there be no harm or evil, with plenty of followers, with people to bring things, calling for your spirit, may your spirit not linger in the heavens, may your spirit not be careless to take you back, calling for your spirit.”

After the spirit-calling chant, Grandma Mai was the first to tie the sacred thread around the wrists of the little twins, thrice over each chubby wrist, while reciting the next verse:

“Shri, Shri, the thread of the old doctor’s wisdom, blessed by the Buddha, with power to overcome all obstacles, may spirits and ghosts flee, may all evil be vanquished, do not harm the little ones, I will vanquish them with the sacred mantra…

By the power of all Buddhas, by the power of all Dhamma, by the power of all Sangha, may all suffering, all dangers, all diseases be destroyed, may there be long life, good complexion, happiness, strength, Sadhu.”

Following this, the young twin boys received many sacred threads tied around their arms along with various blessings from the villagers, some threads had candies tied to them. Behind them, Pharan; the father and Khem; the mother sat nearby, offering support, feeling excited, shy, and happy, their cheeks flushed throughout the celebration.

In this life, Sua and Singh are surrounded by love and warmth. No longer do they have to endure the cold and dark together.

Thank you, grandma, for bringing them here.

 

KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Special Chapter 3:

Conclusion of Chan and Jett

  After an incident where they faced life and death and glimpsed each other’s past lives, Jett started avoiding eye contact with Chan and gradually distanced himself. This was in contrast to Chan, who remained unaffected and continued living as usual.

For Jett, everything seemed confusing and chaotic, not knowing how to handle these feelings.

Jett values his freedom, having been raised with little restriction, making him self-centered and hating to be confined. He knew finding someone who could handle his mood swings, more fickle than a storm, was rarer than finding a needle in the ocean. He also had no intention of committing unless he genuinely felt love.

Until now, he had never been in a relationship.

After that day, Chan directly asked Jett what he wanted to do about their relationship, to which Jett replied, “I need time to think and be sure.”

Until that day arrived, Jett wanted Chan to wait patiently, and Chan complied with Jett’s words effortlessly. They each continued living their own lives, with Jett often avoiding being alone with Chan, frequently going out to bars with Khachen, leaving Khem and Chan together in the room, as neither of them liked going to such places.

Over time, Khem began to sense something was amiss. One day in their dorm room, he asked Chan, who was staring blankly at his plate without eating, “Chan, is there something you want to tell me?” Chan turned to meet Khem’s gaze, feeling he couldn’t lie, and proceeded to tell Khem everything. From how he and Jett had seen their past lives, to his feelings for Jett.

Having experienced many things himself, Khem wasn’t particularly shocked; instead, he gained a deeper understanding.

Regarding the relationship between Chan and Jett, Khem had long observed that they had always felt warmly towards each other. However, more recently, Jett had started to distance himself bit by bit, probably not wanting Khem to feel uncomfortable.

Asked if he felt hurt that they had kept this from him for years, Khem admitted he did feel a bit hurt, but his friends’ feelings were more important to him.

Khem nodded in understanding and gently patted Chan’s shoulder in sympathy.

“I understand, Chan. I’ve been through something similar; it’s really not easy.” Chan looked at Khem silently before lowering his eyes out of guilt.

“I’m sorry for keeping it hidden for so many years.” Chan apologized. Khem smiled and shook his head.

“That’s okay, but now, I want to ask you something, and I want you to answer honestly.” Chan nodded.

“Yes.”

“Between Jett from the past life and this one, who do you like more?”

Chan thought about what Khem had said and soon had an answer. He pushed up his glasses and spoke directly to Khem,

“This life.”

“…”

“I’m gay, Khun Khem.”

Khem choked on air. The statement was straightforward, easy to interpret; in this life, Chan liked men, whereas in the past life, Jett was a woman but is now a man, so naturally, Chan of this life would like Jett of this life.

Moreover, the personalities of both Chan and Jett in their past and present lives were quite different, making it not too hard to distinguish their feelings.

The only issue was Jett, who still hadn’t accepted his own feelings.

“It’s been three years now. What will you do? Will you keep waiting like this?”

Chan sighed softly before picking up an alcoholic fruit juice can to drink in an attempt to relieve stress, then set it down and stared at it.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep waiting for him like this.”   Khem blinked.

“Why?”

Chan’s eyes behind his glasses turned to meet Khem’s again before he started to explain something.

It was something Chan had been hiding from both Jett and Khem for a long time.

The unsolvable problem led Khem and Chan to try sitting down to drink at the bar, just like Jett liked to do.

Before deciding to come, Khem had already texted Pharan but didn’t tell Jett for certain reasons. He only took a photo of Chan in a black T-shirt, with his undercut hairstyle slicked back, not wearing glasses but contact lenses, turning to look at the stage, holding a glass of liquor in his hand, and uploaded it to his story with the caption:

‘My friend is single.’

  The most cunning smile Khem had ever made in his life was released gently after clicking confirm.

The rest was just a waiting game.

Soon, Jett sent a message asking where Khem was. Khem saw it but chose not to reply.

Almost at five in the evening, Chan’s senior from his faculty walked over to greet them and invited them to join his table, which wasn’t far away, where both men and women were sitting together.

Chan was about to decline out of concern for Khem, but Khem nodded in agreement and said he’d join later.

“What are you planning, Khun Khem?” Chan turned to look at him with a knowing squint. Khem responded with a mischievous smile amidst the loud music, leaning in to whisper in Chan’s ear,

“Just wait and see my handiwork.”

Khem led Chan to sit with their well-known senior in an empty spot. Many of these seniors were also part of the volunteer club, making it comfortable for them to talk and drink together, even though Khem’s glass only contained plain fruit juice.

Khem took a picture of Chan talking to another senior, a woman, who was sitting next to him. Though their conversation mostly revolved around academic topics, the photo suggested something more to an onlooker’s imagination.

Khem posted the photo to his story with the caption, ‘So cute.’

  Soon enough, Khachen, who was expected to be with Jett, replied to the story with,

“Are you teasing your friend?”

  Khem chuckled softly and sent back a sticker of a sly cat.

Khem checked the watch that Pharan had given him as a birthday gift and began a countdown.

When he received another message from Khachen, Khem nudged Chan and whispered, “Good luck, Chan. I’m heading back.”

“Wait a moment…” Before Chan could grasp the meaning of Khem’s words, Khem had already quickly left. Then, someone’s silhouette approached and overlapped with Chan’s.

Turning around, Chan saw it was Jett. They locked eyes for a few seconds before Chan asked,

“How did you get here, Khun Jett?” Jett didn’t answer; he just nodded to greet others they knew well, except for the female senior sitting next to Chan. Then, he grabbed Chan’s shirt, pulling him up from the seat and dragging him out.

Once they reached the parking lot, Jett extended his hand and said in a cold voice,

“The car keys.”

“Khun Jett…”

“Give them!” Chan sighed softly before handing over the car keys to Jett and walked to sit in the passenger seat, only because Jett wasn’t drunk, while he himself was starting to feel dizzy.

When they arrived at Jett’s condo, Jett seemed to have calmed down, while Chan’s emotions were rising, his thoughts becoming more confused.

“You sleep here, I’ll go sleep with Khem.” Jett said after pulling Chan into the room. As he turned to leave, Chan grabbed his wrist, pulling him back to face each other.

“Why are you acting like this?” Since they met, Jett had never been asked this question by Chan before, so when he heard it for the first time, he was caught off guard.

“I just came to bring you back, why do you have to ask? Do you have a problem with that!?”

“Why do you have to bring me back? I just went to drink with friends, like how you like to drink with Phii Khachen. Did I do something wrong?”

“And why were you sitting next to that woman!!” After Jett’s emotional outburst, the room fell into a long silence before Chan spoke up.

“Khun Jett, are you jealous?”

“I’m not…”

“Khun Jett, do you know, every time you go out with Phii Khachen, I feel the same way.”

“…”

“I don’t know what your past was like, why you seem so close, but I didn’t dare to ask. No matter how upset I was, I had to endure it.”

“…”

“Every time you run to him, I want to pull you back and tell you not to go, but you wouldn’t listen to me, would you?”

“I…” Jett wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words, leaving him stunned as Chan grew increasingly angry and resentful.

“I eat whatever you give me, go wherever you drag me, do whatever you order me to, wait whenever you tell me to, like some kind of pet.”

“…”

“But pets have hearts, they have their limits too.” Jett furrowed his brows, feeling his heart clench as he sensed something in what Chan had just said.

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Khun Jett, you have time to reflect on yourself before we graduate. After that, I won’t be able to wait for you anymore.”

Jett’s eyes widened, his heart racing, prompting him to grab Chan by the collar and ask urgently.

“Why can’t you wait? Where are you going? Or are you sick?”

Chan held Jett’s wrist, gently pulling it away while looking into his eyes as if searching for something, before revealing the truth to Jett.

“I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not sick.”

“…”

“But I have to get married to a woman chosen by my mother.”

The opportunity Khem had created for his close friends to reconcile had fallen apart. Upon hearing that Chan had to marry after graduation, Jett was both shocked and confused, deciding to walk out of the room without a word. Chan just stood there, staring at the door that had just closed, for nearly an hour.

Because of the internship period, both went their separate ways to fulfill their respective duties.

Jett remained Jett, even though he was deeply troubled; he pretended everything was fine in front of close friends like Khem, refusing to involve Khem in his personal problems, choosing instead to bear it alone.

As for Chan, who was interning in a more remote area, he went silent from that day on.

Two months passed, and the internship period finally ended.

Today, Jett was staying over at Khem’s place. Although everything seemed normal, Khem could sense how much Jett had changed. He looked thinner from not having seen each other for nearly two weeks, had dark circles under his eyes like someone who hadn’t rested enough, and often seemed lost in thought.

Moreover, since that day, Jett hasn’t hang out with Khachen as much as he used to.

Khem bit his lip slightly before saying,

“Jett, shall we go eat outside…?”

“…”

“Jett!” Jett, who had been staring blankly at his phone, jolted up.

“Huh, what?”

“I asked if you want to go eat outside?”

“Oh, yeah, let’s go, I’m just hungry.”

Khem shook his head slightly, knowing full well Jett was lying. He had been poking at his food for an hour, how could he be hungry? But Khem didn’t want Jett to mope around in the room on this day off and wanted to take him out for some fresh air.

Upon arriving at the train market, Jett’s mood seemed to improve with the sight of many people, the soft glow of lights, and the delicious food. Khem hoped to use this relaxed time to have an open conversation with Jett about his relationship with Chan.

However, they hadn’t walked far when Jett suddenly stopped, causing Khem to halt as well.

What Jett saw was Chan, holding bags full of food, walking arm in arm with a beautiful woman.

After their argument, for the past two months, Jett had been reflecting on what he truly wanted, and he thought he might want to talk to Chan one more time to be sure. But he still held onto his pride because he expected Chan to be the one to reach out first, like he always did.

But it seemed it was too late now.

Jett felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if it were about to fragment, and he unconsciously raised his hand to touch his chest lightly.

“Jett…Jett!” Jett ran off from that spot without even hearing Khem calling after him. Khem could only look back in shock at Chan, who seemed taken aback and at a loss, and the woman who looked equally confused by the situation. Khem had to gather the things Jett had dropped and run after him.

Jett was waiting in the car for Khem. No matter how heartbroken he was, he didn’t dare let Khem go back alone.

Jett just didn’t know what to do, and he was afraid of showing an unpleasant expression…

When Khem got to the car, he opened the door and sat down, his large eyes full of concern. But since Jett had never discussed this with Khem before, Khem didn’t dare to ask or express what was on his mind.

When they reached the apartment, before Jett left for elsewhere, Khem spoke up in a voice that he tried to keep from trembling,

“Jett, I’m worried about you.”

“…”

“If there’s anything I can help with, Jett, tell us.” Khem said, seeing the pain in Jett’s eyes. Even though Jett had never told him anything, Khem was already aware of everything.

He was just waiting for Jett to say it himself.

Jett was about to lose Chan, and it was causing pain to his close friend, Khem, in a similar way.

Due to stubbornness and clinging to pride, everything had come to this point.

Continuing like this, they would surely lose someone important.

After hanging up with someone, Khem sat by his phone for hours, hoping that Jett would call back.

Time passed until nearly midnight when Khem, who had been dozing off, was startled awake by a call. Seeing who it was, he smiled broadly and answered immediately.

“Jett.”

“Khem. If I want to do something risky, will you come with me?” Khem laughed warmly upon hearing this, nodding at the phone.

“Yes, come pick me up quickly.”

Jett and Khem left Bangkok just after midnight and arrived at Jett’s house in Ubon Ratchathani around nine in the morning.

Jett’s house was a large two-story concrete home located in one of the districts, with a spacious lawn and considerable surrounding area, including a large swimming pool.

Luckily, it was a holiday, so both Jett’s parents were home, and it seemed they were waiting for them.

“Dad, Mom, hello.”

“Hello.”

Jett and Khem greeted Jett’s parents with a wai, who were sitting on the guest sofa. They returned the wai, then Jett’s mother beckoned them to come closer.

“Come inside and have some water, children.”

Jett and Khem quickly walked in, bowing. Jett stopped three meters away and then proceeded on his knees, and Khem followed suit. This unusually submissive behavior caused their father to burn his tongue on the coffee he was drinking.

The parents knew that if their son acted like this, it wasn’t because he had committed a serious offense, but rather he was about to ask for something extraordinary.

“Dad, Mom, I have something to confess.” Both parents grabbed their inhalers and nodded in readiness.

“Go ahead.” Jett closed his eyes for a moment, then gathered the courage to say,

“I am gay.”

Everything fell silent. There was no response, and Jett felt his heart sink, slowly opening his eyes to see the puzzled expressions on his parents’ faces.

“And the? You came all the way from Bangkok to tell us this? You’ve really wasted time from work!”

“Uh, uh, aren’t you and mom mad at me?”

“We raised you, not your sexual orientation, which isn’t a crime or murder; why would I be mad?” The father nodded in resignation.

“Yeah, if I told you to stop being gay, would you stop? You don’t even listen to my simple orders.”

Khem laughed, and Jett pouted, feeling embarrassed.

“Dad…”

“I asked what else, there must be more to this story, right?”

Jett nodded before recounting his relationship with Chan to Khem, along with his parents.

After finishing the story, he quickly crawled over to hug his father’s leg with a pleading look, alternating glances between his mother.

“Dad, Mom, could you please propose marriage to Chan’s family for me? If it gets any later, he’ll end up marrying someone else, please.”

“You brat, you are always causing trouble that could put me in jail. You want me to suddenly go and propose to someone at random, what if the homeowner calls the police?”

“Oh, Dad, with your connections, who would dare arrest you?”

“I’ll get straight to the point. No, no, if you’re going to ask for his hand or have him ask for yours, both sides need to agree, you can’t just decide on your own.”

“No way, by the time you have time to talk about it, it’ll be too late.”

“What do you mean too late? If he’s free today, talk today, here, and get it over with.”

“Oh, and how are we supposed to talk here!”

“Just turn around and talk, you brat.”

Hearing this, Jett’s jaw dropped, and as he slowly turned, he saw Chan standing behind him, while Khem had disappeared from the scene.

“Sort it out, your mom and I will wait outside.” Said Mrs. Jinda before she took her husband’s hand and half-dragged, half-led him out of the room.

“Chan…” Jett called out unintentionally, confused and shocked to see him there, but before he could ask, Chan, who had been standing, walked over, knelt in front of him, and reached out to wipe away the tears streaming down Jett’s face.

“Khun Jett, I’m sorry.” Chan apologized. Upon hearing the apology, Jett regained his composure, quickly shaking his head, grabbing Chan’s wrist tightly as if afraid he might disappear.

“I’m the one who should apologize, I’m sorry for making you wait so long, for being selfish and self-centered. I realize now how badly I’ve treated you.” He finished speaking, then wiped his eyes and nose with his arm, tears flowing like a broken dam.

“Khun Jett…”

“Wait, let me finish.” Chan nodded, perhaps shocked because he had never seen Jett cry this hard.

“Yes, I’m listening, Khun Jett, take your time to speak.”

“About Phii Khachen, when I first met Master Pharan, I admired him as an idol because he was rich and cool. I respected Master Pharan for his magical skills, but with Khachen, I admired how he lived his life.”

“…”

“When my dad first got into politics, it was quite dangerous, so he left me with Master Pharan and the village to look after me, in exchange for funds to develop the village. When my dad was still young, he was also left with Grandpa Sek in a similar way.”

“…”

“Even though the master is strict, he took care of me very well, like a real father. But because of his strictness, I didn’t go out much. Partly, it’s also because of my own hot temper, fearing that going out would lead to trouble with others.”

“…”

“But when I got to know Phii Khachen, whenever the master was busy, Phii Khachen would take me out often, from playgrounds, malls, to pubs and bars, showing me things I had never seen. At seventeen, I even tried drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and had my first one-night stand with someone else.”

Upon hearing this, Chan couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, feeling a mix of irritation and curiosity, prompting him to ask directly,

“With whom?”

Jett, unaware of Chan’s thoughts, tried to remember.

“A woman, Phii Khachen, selected her for me. It’s been a long time; I don’t remember her face anymore. I just know she was young, but I made sure to take precautions and get tested for STDs every year. You don’t need to worry.”

“I wasn’t worried about that…Never mind, go on.”

“Yeah, during all those times, Phii Khachen was always watching over me. He taught me many things about life, making me respect him like a mentor. But when the master found out, he got furious and forbade Phii Khachen from contacting me until it was the right time, or in simpler terms, until I was more mature than I was then.”

“…”

“So, to sum it up, Phii Khachen and I don’t have the kind of relationship you misunderstood.”

At the end of his sentence, Jett spoke softly. Chan nodded in understanding.

“Thank you for telling me.” Jett bit his lip and wiped away another tear.

“Chan, I, can I have another chance? This time, I’ll behave better. I won’t be difficult. I won’t be self-centered anymore. Please don’t marry someone else.”   Chan shook his head.

“It’s not possible.”

“Oh.”

“Listen to me first.” Jett fell silent, listening intently, while his hand gripped Chan’s wrist, unwilling to let go.

“Khun Jett, I don’t want you to force yourself or do something against your nature.”

“…”

“For me, no matter how willful or harsh you might be, I can accept it all, as long as you stay by my side forever. Is that okay?”   Jett, still sobbing, nodded immediately.

“Have you stopped being mad at me?”   Chan smiled affectionately.

“Coming this far, I have to have forgiven you, right?”

Jett nodded, then furrowed his brow.

“Now tell me, who was that woman I saw that day?”

“Sister Nant is Phii Chet’s wife, my sister-in-law.”   Jett’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Sister-in-law!?”   Chan nodded.

“Yes, that day, Phii Chet took Phii Nant to the hospital for a check-up, but he had an emergency, so he asked me to pick her up and take her home. On the way, we passed a market, so I stopped to buy some food for her.”

“I’ve never seen her before.”

“Phii Nant is a flight attendant, she’s only at home for a few days a year. She decided to resign after getting pregnant. You’ll probably see her more often now.” Jett bit his lip, his face red with embarrassment, then nodded in acknowledgment.

But before they could get any sweeter, someone’s voice rang out,

“Have you kids finished talking? I have an urgent meeting this afternoon.”

The speaker was an elegant woman in her late forties, dressed in a light pink Thai formal attire, who had somehow been standing there unnoticed.

Her name was Lady Aranya, the owner of a medium-sized hotel business in Chonburi, or in other words, Chan’s mother…

Jett’s eyes widened in shock, he shouted,

“Auntie!”

Lady Aranya clicked her tongue; the potential son-in-law still had a knack for making people want to scold her until she cried, always the same, “What auntie?

You should call me ‘Mother’.”

“What?”

“Alright, you can invite the elders now. I have some business to attend to; come out of the room, everyone.” This time, Jett was so shocked he nearly fainted because, besides Khem, Pharan, Khachen, Chan’s younger brother, his eldest brother, and his sister-in-law all walked out. And even…

“You’re here too, eh? What on earth is this!?” Phii Jane put her hands on her hips, looking annoyed.

“What? When my brother is about to get engaged, of course, we should come.”

“Engaged!?” And before Jett could actually pass out from shock, Chan calmly explained everything.

In summary, after the misunderstanding at the train market, Chan called Khem to explain everything and asked for his help. Khem then decided to call upon the head monk and Phii Khachen for assistance.

Pharan took the last flight of the day to Bangkok and then traveled with Phii Khachen to Chonburi to talk with Lady Aranya about Chan and Jett.

Everything wasn’t as difficult as thought because, despite Lady Aranya being strict and concerned about her image, above all, she loved her children. Chan had always been an obedient child, never once rejecting the idea of marriage, so she was unaware that her middle son already had someone he loved and wanted to marry, and that this person was a man.

At first hearing, she found it hard to believe her son had homosexual inclinations, but when Chan confirmed it directly, she couldn’t help but be shocked. However, since Chan had never been stubborn or asked for anything before, she was taken aback for a long time.

Apart from Chan’s own admission, two other factors helped Lady Aranya accept this scenario: the imposing presence of the master, Pharan, and the ever-present aura of wealth emanating from Khachen, who sat there adding pressure.

Well, upon reflection, it didn’t seem like there would be any real harm, and it might even bring more benefits, so she agreed. She booked plane tickets for the whole family to travel early in the morning, just before Jett and Khem arrived about half an hour later.

But because Chan wasn’t sure how Jett felt about him, he decided to hide until Jett expressed his true feelings before revealing himself.

As if there was a blazing fire in Jett’s eyes, Khem, who had been hiding behind

Master Pharan, only managed to offer an apologetic grimace. Meanwhile, Khachen, seeing that his beloved disciple had found his match, felt relieved because when Jett had been clingy like a child with his father, it had almost deprived him of his single man’s freedom.

The engagement ceremony proceeded, albeit in a rush. Jett was still dizzy and confused, his emotions in a whirl.

“Khun Jett, are you okay?” Chan asked with a concerned look, while trying to put the engagement ring, provided by his mother, on Jett’s left ring finger.

Jett glared at him.

“Put it on quickly! I’ll deal with the rest later!”

After the impromptu engagement ceremony, in front of their significant witnesses, although Chan and Khem got pinched until their skin bruised for their role in cornering Jett, it seemed like our trio’s bond had become even stronger.

  Thanks to the sacred presence of Master Pharan and the wealth of Professor Khachen, this engagement could take place and conclude beautifully.

  Amen…

 

KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Special Chapter 2:

Tales from Khachen

  Khachen was staying at Pharan’s house during this period because the whole month was dedicated to ordination ceremonies for the villagers’ children. His primary aim was to enjoy free liquor and listen to the lively traditional music, as he loved being social.

His secondary goal was to rest his mind and body from exhaustion, as there was no place in the world more peaceful and serene than Pharan’s home.

“Phii Khachen, what would you like to eat today?”

Plus, there was a little chef always ready to whip up delicious meals, which added to the envy of others.

“Do you have any fish? I’m craving something hot.” He said as he sat down on a chair, resting his face on his arm, and closed his eyes.

Khem, who was peeling garlic next to him, nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

“Sure, once I’m done peeling the garlic, Khem will make tom yum with snapper for you to eat.”

Khachen slowly lifted his head, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at Khem. His gray-blue eyes flickered with something before he spoke softly.

“Nong Khem, has Pharan ever told you stories about the old days?”

Khem furrowed his brows slightly, then shook his head.

“He never has, and I didn’t dare to ask.”

“Do you want to hear?” Khem looked around, then met Khachen’s gaze and replied hesitantly,

“Would that be okay? Won’t Phii Phran get angry?”

Khachen let out a soft laugh, his gray-blue eyes sparkling with flirtatious fun.

Khem had to admit that Khachen was very handsome, with a charm that enticed like a flower emitting a sweet fragrance that constantly attracted beautiful butterflies.

Different from Pharan. If likened to a flower, he would be more like a lotus, worthy of reverence and worship.

In terms of looks, they were on par, but when it came to being approachable, Khachen took the lead by far.

Because with Pharan, only Khem is allowed to approach him; others are offlimits!

“It’s not something that needs to be kept such a secret, what do you say, do you want to hear it?” Khem nodded quickly, his light brown eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Yes, I want to.”

Khachen began to tell the story from the time he first met Pharan when they were both fifteen, on the first day of enrollment at the vocational college. Both Khachen and Pharan had chosen to study in the electronics engineering department.

Back then, their good looks were the talk of the college. Everyone wanted to get to know them.

Pharan was quiet and rather reserved, focused solely on his studies, not interested in socializing, while Khachen was friendly, always smiling, fun-loving, and enjoyed social interactions. Plus, with his relatively wealthy background, it wasn’t long before he had many followers.

We two were not in each other’s circles, but one day fate brought us together due to what is called a school project, where we had to draw lots to choose partners, and we both ended up with the same number.

At the time, Khachen thought he was lucky to be paired with Pharan. One reason was because Pharan was incredibly smart, having scored the highest in the last exam, while Khachen was not particularly adept at studying, but rather at using money to buy people. So, he proposed that Pharan should do all the work and he would pay him.

“Do you know what he told me that day?” Khem mused, then tried to guess.

“If it’s the Phii Phim I know, he definitely wouldn’t take the money and would insist on working together.” Khachen laughed heartily, pleased with the answer.

“Exactly, he’s your boyfriend, after all. He rejected my offer of ten thousand to do all the work alone and told me to meet him under the school building on

Saturday before he walked out of the classroom.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I was stunned. That was the first time in my life someone refused my money, especially not a small amount for a sixteen-year-old.”

That was the first instance that made Khachen truly interested in Pharan, and it led him to reflect on his own behavior of using money to gain favor with others. However, being young, he hadn’t yet fully grasped whether his actions were right or wrong.

But if he wanted to find an answer to this question, he would have to immerse himself in the company of the person who provoked such questions.

Two days later, on the appointed day, while Khachen was waiting at a traffic light on his big bike, several motorbikes surrounded him, telling him to follow them. Khachen immediately sensed he was in trouble but was curious to see what would happen next, so he followed willingly.

They led him to an abandoned warehouse in a secluded area, a common spot for rival student groups to settle disputes, and Khachen remembered that day well.

The ones waiting were a group of students from a rival technical course at his college, around twenty in number. Before any words were exchanged, someone attacked him.

That was Khachen’s first encounter with physical fighting, and unfortunately, he wasn’t particularly good at using force.

Just when he was about to be overwhelmed, right before someone kicked him in the stomach, Pharan appeared out of nowhere and pushed the attacker away with a chest bump, sending him flying back.

At sixteen, Pharan was nearly 180 centimeters tall, with an intimidating and chilling presence. His sharp, cold eyes could make one shiver all over. His deeply lined lips moved constantly, speaking something. Khachen noticed that some of the rivals stopped in their tracks, others were confused and dazed, and in the blink of an eye, they were all knocked down by Pharan’s powerful punches.

After handling everything, Pharan sauntered over and sat cross-legged beside Khachen, who was lying there in pain, watching the scene unfold with astonishment.

Then he said something even more shocking,

“Get up. Do you want to work?”

Upon hearing this, Khem burst out laughing so hard he choked, causing

Khachen to pour water into a glass for him. After drinking, Khem asked excitedly,

“Is that true?”

Khachen smirked,

“Absolutely true. I was nearly dead from the pain at that time.”

“And then what did Khachen do?”

“What else could I do? I handed him the keys to my big bike to drive, and I got on the back.” Khem laughed so much his face turned red.

“Phii Phran is so cool.”

“Don’t fall in love.” Khem laughed again.

“And what happened after that?”

After that incident, they found out the cause of the other side’s grudge. One reason was that Khachen was very good-looking, attracting many girls from their department to pursue him. The second reason was that there had been a longstanding rivalry between Khachen’s department and the other. That’s all there was to it.

But one thing Khachen learned was that in life-or-death situations, if you don’t know how to defend yourself, you could end up hurt like he did that day. And how fortunate it was that Pharan came to his aid without expecting anything in return.

Khachen had never truly appreciated the concept of “friendship” before, as everyone approached him for his looks or wealth. But Pharan was entirely different from those people.

After that day, Khachen decided to stick close to Pharan, learning numerous valuable lessons, until a bond was formed that could not be severed, no matter how much Pharan might want to cut it off.

“And in that kind of social setting, has the master ever had a drink?” Khem asked out of curiosity. Even he himself, sometimes for social reasons, had to drink, though not much because he had a weak tolerance.

“Hmm, occasionally, yeah. He’s tried everything once just to know, but he didn’t like it.”

“And what about women?” Khem blushed, not daring to continue, while

Khachen burst into loud laughter, nodding cheerfully before saying,

“Yep, when he was eighteen, nineteen, Pharan wasn’t to be underestimated. He had plenty of admirers, but he never had a girlfriend. He didn’t like anyone messing with his personal life.”

Before Khachen could finish speaking, the subject in question approached silently from behind.

Pharan extended his hand to the side, took a tray from Chan, and immediately used the edge of the tray to hit Khachen on the head with full force, causing a sharp screech that rang in everyone’s ears.

“Have you talked enough? Move away, sit further.”

“You cruel person! We’re friends!” Pharan raised the tray again, prompting Khem to quickly intervene. Khachen took the opportunity to leap over the table to escape. Not content with just that, he grabbed some garlic that Khem had just peeled and threw it at Pharan, teasing that Pharan looked like a vampire. Annoyed as he already was, Pharan took off his shoe and threw it, leading to quite a commotion.

Chan shook his head in exasperation, thinking it was fitting that Khun Jett called him a master…

Once Khachen had run off, Pharan turned to the person clinging to his arm and asked softly, “Do you believe him?”

Khem blinked, “Phii Khachen, are you lying?”   Pharan shook his head.

“He’s not lying, but he exaggerates.”

Khem laughed brightly, soothing Pharan’s shoulder to calm him down, then smiled and said,

“The past doesn’t matter, what’s important is how you are now.”

They had been through many good and bad times together, and the past had no bearing on Khem’s feelings anymore. It was just another humorous story to him.

“I don’t feel bad about Phii Phran’s past that Phii Khachen told, right? Phii Phran, you are just a normal person, it’s natural to have trial-and-error moments during one’s youth, I have felt that way too sometimes.”

Khem explained with a cheerful voice, his eyes softening with affection.

“And how about now?”

Khem felt a flutter seeing Pharan’s sweet gaze.

“Well, you are a good person, kind-hearted, likes to do good deeds, helps people in need, and is very nice.”

“And what else?”

Khem bit his lip, his face turning red as he looked down and said softly,

“You are my boyfriend.”

This answer brought an immediate small smile to Pharan’s lips before he leaned down to kiss Khem’s smooth forehead as a reward.

“Very good.”

After this, he would settle this with Khachen several times later.

 

KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Special Chapter 1:

  Kathin and Loy Krathong Festival

This year, the temple’s Kathin festival ceremony coincides with the Loy Krathong festival. The villagers decided to hold the Kathin almsgiving in the morning, and the Loy Krathong festival in the evening.

Khem loves the Kathin festival because there’s a lot of delicious food. However, he doesn’t enjoy the Loy Krathong festival as much because he nearly drowned twice in his life, which left a deep impression, and he needs time to get over it.

Khem returned to Pharan just in time for both events. This year, he planned to make palm sugar sweets to distribute at the temple’s alms hall, along with his team, Jett, and Chan.

In the morning, Khem woke up Jett and Chan to clean the house and prepare for the merit-making event.

Jett was groggy and didn’t want to wake up, having stayed up late playing a game with friends. Chan had to carry him out of the house to wash his face and brush his teeth. Jett was so sleepy he nearly fell into the sink while brushing his teeth, but Chan and Khem held him back by his shirt collar.

What a pity…

After cleaning the house, they took turns bathing. Khem, who dressed first, went out to make some hot ginger tea to wake up Pharan, who was still in his room.

The golden teak door was gently pushed open, and Khem walked in with a glass of ginger water, placing it on the bedside table. He then knelt on the floor and softly called out to the person sleeping, who was turned towards him.

What kind of person. Even asleep, he’s still handsome.

“Master, wake up, it’s morning.” He said.

“…” But there was no response. Khem felt the heat rising in his face, knowing well that Pharan was already awake but just wouldn’t open his eyes.

“Phii Phim.” Pharan’s sweet, just-awoken eyes slowly opened to look at Khem before closing again. Not only that, but he also shifted, expanding the space beside the bed, and slapped the empty spot three times.

Khem clenched his lips, then slowly moved to lie down where indicated. He placed his head gently on Pharan’s strong arm, and Pharan’s other arm came around his waist, Khem’s hands loosely clasped together over his chest, unsure where to put them since today Pharan was only wearing silky blue pajama pants.

Khem’s heart beat erratically as he stared at the onxy-and-white lotus tattoo on Pharan’s neck. Even though this wasn’t their first time, he still felt a bit uneasy.

In the past, Khem and Pharan had never had a deep physical relationship. Everything had started from zero, slowly developing over many years until now, where they could lie together in bed and listen to each other’s breath in the morning.

“Five minutes.” Khem said. Pharan hummed in a low grunt in acknowledgment, and Khem closed his eyes too.

When the time was up, both men, lying loosely embraced, opened their eyes simultaneously.

Khem got up first to hand the now comfortably warm ginger water to Pharan, who got up after him. Then he went to prepare the clothes ironed the night before, socks, and polished shoes, setting everything except personal items like underwear at the foot of the bed.

“Come here.” Pharan called in a deep voice, beckoning Khem with a wave. Khem approached and knelt between Pharan’s legs.

Pharan touched Khem’s left cheek gently before pressing his cold nose against the pink flush on the right side.

Khem recently learned that this is the body language Pharan uses to express

“thank you.”

After that, around six in the morning, Uncle-Lah’s truck, which volunteered to pick up instead of the village chief, arrived and parked in front of the house. UncleLah got out of the truck to help carry things from the kitchen and load them into the truck bed, including the Kathin tree that Pharan co-sponsored as he does every year. Once everything was loaded, they set off for the temple.

Upon arrival, they helped unload everything from the truck. Many of Pharan’s students who came to participate in the Kathin merit-making event greeted him upon seeing him, helping to carry the items and the Kathin tree down from the truck bed.

The atmosphere at the temple had tents, tables, and chairs set up to facilitate those giving and receiving alms. Jett started a fire in the charcoal stove while Khem and Chan mixed the dough for palm sugar sweets before steaming them. Meanwhile, the head monk was invited to the main pavilion with the Kathin tree for the ceremony. He would return after the ceremony.

The sweet aroma of palm sugar sweets filled the air, attracting villagers to line up for them. Each bag contained five pieces of sweets.

After the Kathin ceremony concluded, the atmosphere became even more lively and chaotic as people started to leave the pavilion. Khem, Jett, and Chan were busy making and distributing sweets until their hands were stained.

To top it off, when Khem’s distribution table was visited by the “the master” or the head monk, whose charisma seemed to make the already long line even longer, the trio was sweating profusely, panting heavily after distributing all the sweets.

“You did well.” Pharan said, gently ruffling Khem’s soft hair. Khem smiled at the praise, his face still flushed from the heat, but his heart full of joy from the merit-making.

“Have you eaten anything yet, team? Are you hungry?” Khem asked.

Pharan shook his head slightly, wiping away a bead of sweat from Khem’s cheek.

“I was waiting for you.”

Khem nodded in acknowledgment, quickly helping Jett and Chan gather all the things together on the table. After they found something to eat, they would load everything back into the truck to take home and clean.

Once finished, Chan lured Jett away by saying he wanted a thermal cup as a prize at the shooting booth but wasn’t good at shooting. Hearing this, Jett rolled up his sleeves and headed straight there.

Chan is really smart, Khem genuinely admires him…

“Let’s go.” Pharan loosely held Khem’s hand and led him away to grab something to eat. This scene had gradually become a familiar sight for the villagers. They thought that soon enough, they’d have the honor of attending the celebration for Master Pharan and Khem.

Today, Pharan wore a long-sleeved white Chinese collar cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his tattoo. His usual black sunglasses were tucked into his shirt collar since it wasn’t very sunny, accompanied by well-fitted black slacks and leather shoes.

Khem, on the other hand, wore a matching cotton outfit, but with short sleeves that were slightly more form-fitting, along with black jeans and white sneakers, looking quite chic. Wherever they went, people would wave at them, offering food until they had to call someone to help carry everything.

One was a benefactor to the entire village, and the other was a charming, sweettalking youngster who always brought back gifts from his school breaks. How could they not be loved and cherished by everyone?

As evening approached, it was time for the Loy Krathong festival. Jett was especially excited because the temple was hosting a retro dance, thanks to his father who arranged it to keep Jett from going out into the city, unlike the last time when he got into trouble.

Pharan, having been out in the sun all day, was feeling weak and had been asleep since returning home around three in the afternoon. Although Khem wanted to invite him to join the Loy Krathong festival, he didn’t dare wake him, so he decided to let Pharan stay at home and buy some food to bring back later.

“Feeling sorry?” Jett asked Khem, who was watching couples floating their krathongs. Khem quickly shook his head.

“No way, ouch, why did you hit my head?”

“Who are you trying to fool?”

“Well…” Khem wanted to say he wasn’t really sad, but under the gaze of Jett, who was like a second mother to him, he had to shut up.

Actually, he was a bit sad. In the past, Khem had always celebrated Loy Krathong in Bangkok because it wasn’t during school holidays. This year was the first time he was here with Pharan during the festival.

Seeing Khem’s eyes moisten, Jett felt a pang in his heart.

“Oh, come on. Don’t you dare cry.” Chan pushed up his glasses and grumbled.

“Khun Jett, why would you want to make Khun Khem upset?”

“Oh, sorry, sorry, I’ll go win a stuffed toy for you with a balloon dart.” Jett consoled Khem by patting his shoulder, and all Khem could do was nod in a subdued manner.

After they had their fun, they went to float their krathongs at the lotus pond.

Upon arrival, Jett told Khem to wait here and dragged Chan to buy krathongs.

After arriving, Khem felt he didn’t want to participate in the Loy Krathong festival anymore, because the memory of losing Grandma-Si, Ekk, and Thong came back to haunt him, and the incident happened right here…

While standing still, lost in old memories, someone came to stand behind him, holding out a krathong made from bread shaped like a lotus flower.

“What’s on your mind?”

A familiar voice asked softly. Khem bit his lip, quickly wiped away a tear, and took the krathong before turning to smile at the newcomer.

“Phii Phran.” Pharan nodded, gently stroking Khem’s head to comfort him.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Khem asked, looking down slightly.

“I saw that you were tired, so I didn’t dare to wake you up.” Pharan said, caressing Khem’s cheek with affection.

“You could have woken me.”

“Tell me if you want to go somewhere, or do something.” The tender brown eyes conveyed so much love and reverence that words couldn’t describe, Khem could only nod slightly in response.

“Yes, next time I will tell you.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Pharan led Khem by the hand to the spot for floating the krathongs, passing by Jett who stood dumbfounded because he had bought the most magnificent and expensive banana leaf krathong shaped like a swan, intended to impress Khem, ignoring Chan’s warnings. Chan watched Khem go with a sense of relief.

He was sure that the head monk would follow.

“Let’s go float ours too.” Said Chan, pushing Jett to follow the head monk and Khem.

At that time, the full moon’s double illumination lit up the night sky, accompanied by a myriad of fireworks bursting and displaying their beauty, captivating everyone’s gaze.

  The bread krathong shaped like a lotus was adorned with incense and candles, lit up, and lifted for a prayer. They asked for forgiveness from Mother Ganga, wishing for blessings upon the dearly departed for eternal happiness, and for themselves and those still by their side to live a life of peace, joy, and harmony forevermore.

  After the prayers, Khem and Pharan gently placed their krathong onto the water, pushing it away softly. Khem laughed when he saw small and large fish swimming around their krathong, seemingly to receive the prayers.

  Jett and Chan, upon floating their krathongs, felt an overwhelming sense of joy, especially Jett, whose krathong floated prominently and majestically on the river, more so than anyone else’s. However, he soon shrieked in frustration when a village child surfaced from the water to dismantle his krathong, searching for coins even though it hadn’t floated far.

  Jett’s face flushed with anger; he stood up, rolled up his sleeves, and pointed at the child.

  “Are you Granny Pia’s grandson? You’re dead meat!”

“Khun Jett, don’t…”   Splashhhhhhhhh!

With nothing else to be done, Chan closed his eyes, accepting the water that splashed onto his face, feeling a sense of resignation beyond words.

 

KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Epilogue Chapter:

  The two didn’t stand hugging for long before they heard the sound of a helicopter landing, the strong wind from the rotor blades blowing their hair and clothes, and they slowly pulled apart.

Soon, they saw Jett and Chan running towards them. Even though Pharan was extremely exhausted, there were still many important things he had to do, like summoning the spirit and taking the monk’s body back to the temple for funeral rites.

Once Jett and Chan arrived, they quickly helped support both master and Khem.

The four of them walked back to where Luang Pu Kasem was sitting.

Upon arriving, Pharan knelt down in front of Luang Pu Kesem, about two meters away, with Jett, Chan, and Khem sitting behind him in prayer. He began preparing for the spirit-summoning ceremony by taking a white cloth from his toolbox, spreading it on the ground, and placing an incense pot, a pack of incense, an oil lamp, and a string of beads on it. He then brought out a stainless steel tray, followed by canned rice and pickled vegetables, which he placed on the tray. After opening the cans, he inserted an incense stick into the rice can and lit it.

“Go fetch Luang Pu’s bag.” Pharan instructed someone, and Chan crawled over to retrieve the bag not far away. Pharan took it and placed it beside the food tray, then lit another incense stick to call Luang Pu’s spirit to receive the offerings, and finally placed the incense in the pot.

Then, Pharan clasped his hands in prayer, closed his eyes, and chanted the seven books of Abhidhamma and the Matika Bangsukul. Normally, this ceremony would involve inviting a monk to perform the rites, but with none available, he had to do it himself.

After finishing the chants, Pharan held up the incense pot with both hands, softly saying:

“You are now free from suffering and sorrow. Let’s go home, Luang Pu.” After speaking, he slowly stood up, supported by Khem. Meanwhile, Jett and Chan, once the ceremony was over, helped pack everything back into the toolbox. The canned food, now with extinguished incense, was placed under the Kapok tree where Luang Pu Kesem had sat.

Once everything was ready, Jett carried the master’s nearly ten-kilogram bag, while Chan carried Luang Pu’s body. They followed the master to the waiting helicopter to return. The driver was the same forestry officer who had volunteered for this mission.

Earlier, around four in the morning, Chan, who was resting in Pinto’s hut, woke up and roused Jett, saying it was time to leave. Not long after, Jett received a call from Khachen, whom he hadn’t seen in three years, informing him that a helicopter would pick them up to go to a certain location, which was here.

Upon arrival, Khem helped the master into the back seat, followed by Jett with the master’s bag. Chan placed Luang Pu’s body next to the driver’s seat and then sat in the back beside Jett.

After ensuring everything was in order, the driver took off the helicopter, heading towards Ubon Ratchathani.

When Luang Pu Kesem’s remains returned to his home temple, Pharan sent Jett and Chan to inform his disciples, relatives, and the villagers of the news, so all could come to pay their respects.

Jett, Chan, Khem, and Pharan himself, despite their bodies being in pain and utterly exhausted, had to force themselves to go through with Luang Pu Kasem’s funeral rites first.

Because of the grave karma from this life, they had survived due to the compassion and sacrifice of Luang Pu Kasem. If they didn’t fulfill this, none of them could eat or sleep peacefully and continue living with ease.

Since Luang Pu Kasem was a senior monk with many years of ordination and impeccable moral conduct, his funeral was grand, with all the disciples, including Pharan, cooperating. People came in droves to pay their respects to his body, continuing until the cremation ceremony in the afternoon of the next day.

During the offering of sandalwood flowers, after everyone had been busy with the funeral proceedings for Luang Pu Kasem, Jett, Chan, and Khem finally had time to talk.

“Khem, the monk left this for you.” Jett said, handing over something wrapped in clean white cloth. Khem took it, unwrapped it, and saw an infant-sized anklet made from snake skin.

Just by looking at it, he knew whose item it was and what he should do next.

“Jett, Chan, thank you so much.” Khem said, with Chan nodding slightly and Jett patting Khem’s shoulder a few times before they all walked up to the crematorium to offer sandalwood flowers with others.

When it was Khem’s turn, he placed the sandalwood flowers and the anklet on

Luang Pu Kasem’s left ankle, then spoke softly to the lifeless body,

“I’m returning this to you. May you go to a good rebirth, Luang Pu. I will remember this kindness for my entire life.”

After the offering of sandalwood flowers concluded, the final cremation ceremony began. Jett, Chan, and Khem approached Pharan, who was standing under a tree, all of them watching the white smoke rising calmly into the sky from the chimney.

No one knew that the anklet had been tightly held by Madam-Ramphueng in her last moments of life until it was stolen and sold by a close servant, who didn’t know that the item was meant only as a gift for the descendants of the Phraya Worasingh family.

  About three years later, one day, Mae Ying Kaknang, along with her daughter Krongkwan, went to the market and found the item for sale. They bought it back, the maid who had sold it was punished and immediately expelled from the house.

The item was preserved and passed down from generation to generation, with the hope of returning it to its rightful owner someday.

  After that, the four of them went to the hospital for treatment and examination, spending three days and two nights to ensure their bodies had returned to normal strength before they traveled back to Pharan’s village.

Although Pharan appeared outwardly strong, his body internally had damage that medical science could not detect, an ailment referred to by ancient beliefs as a karmic illness.

Therefore, after returning, he had to continue treatment at home. Jett, Chan, and Khem chose not to go back to school out of concern, fearing that the master would have no one to look after him.

However, today, everything had to end because exams were approaching, and both classmates and professors had called, insisting that the three return to their studies.

That night, Pharan had to bring up the topic:

“It’s time for you all to go back to school.”

“Oh, master, how can we leave you when you’re still in pain?” Jett, who was currently kneeling and scrubbing the floor along with Chan and Khem, looked up to argue immediately, but then winced as he was hit on the head with a tray again.

“That hurts, master.”

Pharan narrowed his eyes and said.

“It hurts but isn’t fatal. Do you want me to tell you why I haven’t gotten better?” “But…”

“No buts. Go pack your clothes now. I’ll have Uncle Chai take you to the airport.”

“Master!” Jett almost threw himself on the floor in protest, but Chan quickly pulled him away. Seeing his friends leave, Khem wasn’t sure what to do next, except to quietly follow them.

“You stay here.”

Khem pressed his lips together, turned back to the master, sat down, and kept his head bowed, not daring to look up.

And every time Khem acted this way, the master would always gently lift his chin to make eye contact.

“Don’t cry.”

Khem didn’t want to cry, but controlling himself in front of master was extremely difficult.

“Master, I…”

“You’re confused. You don’t know what to do next, right?” Khem nodded, then shook his head due to the conflicting thoughts in his mind, before resting his face in the warm palms and holding them, gazing into the dark eyes.

“I want to stay here with you.”

Pharan’s eyes softened, his thumb gently caressing Khem’s cheek.

“You don’t need to rush that.”

“…”

“This home will always have its doors open, welcoming you.”

“…”

“Right now, you should go and live your life as fully as you’ve always intended, do your best in your responsibilities first, and when you want to come back, you can.”

“…”

“I’ll be here waiting for you. Agreed?”

It felt like a great weight had been lifted off him once more. The events that had just transpired made Khem reluctant to leave Pharan, wanting to care for and repay his kindness right here with no intention of going anywhere.

But beyond this, there were many things Khem wanted to do.

Tears flowed from Khem’s eyes onto the master’s hands continuously, before he slowly nodded, filled with respect and love.

“I promise I’ll live my life well and come back to you soon.”

After that day, Jett, Chan, and Khem returned to their full-time roles as university students.

Time passed in peace, Khem learned a lot, understanding the balance between hard study and fun, chasing his dreams alongside Jett and Chan, making new friends, exploring new interests, and even entering art competitions where he won numerous awards. He even got the opportunity to study abroad.

During the school holidays, they returned to participate in community development volunteer camps organized by various rural volunteer clubs in different provinces, places they had never been before, fostering close relationships with the club members, especially with Phraemai.

As for Kornkan, Pondit, and Tejaton, after surviving a life-threatening event, they continued to be ordained as monks, practicing virtue at the temple near their homes.

However, since all of them resided in Bangkok, not far from the university, their studies did not stop; they simply switched to attending special classes every Sunday. They occasionally met with other friends and had conversations.

The volunteer club friends did not hold any resentment towards what the three had done that day; instead, they rejoiced in their merit of becoming monks and regularly visited the temple where the three were stationed to make merit together.

Moreover, Khem got to know Jett’s family. His father is currently a member of the parliament for Ubon Ratchathani province, and his mother is the director of a well-known private school in the same province. His older sister, called Sister Jen, loves and cares for Khem as if he were family.

Additionally, Chan’s mother owns a medium-sized hotel business in Chonburi province. His eldest brother is now a surgeon, and his youngest brother is still in middle school. Chan’s family environment is much stricter than Jett’s. Since his mother raised three children on her own, all have grown up to be good and love each other deeply. Knowing Chan has friends, one of whom is quite wealthy, though a bit roguish, and the other, Khem, who is academically excellent and wellmannered, she feels less worried and lets Chan live his life to the fullest.

Every moment and many events that Khem went through were always shared with two people: the father abbot and the master.

After leaving the master’s house that day, it seemed the master had switched from a button phone to a smartphone. Khachen, a friend of the master, helped him buy it.

The master, not knowledgeable about technology, was tricked into buying an iPhone Pro Max, which, along with being confusing to use, was as expensive as a motorcycle. He also sent one to Khem to have a matching set. This was during the time when the province approved the installation of a mobile signal tower near the master’s village.

Khem and Pharan didn’t talk on the phone often; they both had their own daily responsibilities. Mostly, they exchanged short messages before Khem went to bed, or sometimes Khem would send pictures of delicious food, funny pets, or beautiful sunsets.

And he discovered that the master also had a romantic side when he sent back similar pictures.

And finally, the day arrived when Jett, Chan, and Khem graduated together. The atmosphere at the graduation ceremony was hot and humid, but wherever one looked, there was joy, smiles, and laughter.

Unfortunately, on this day, neither master nor father abbot could travel to attend Khem’s graduation, but Khem understood and held no resentment.

What Khem didn’t expect was the arrival of Khachen, who came with a bouquet of flowers and the keys to a Benz, saying to Khem,

“Pharan asked me to bring you your graduation gift.”

Khem was so shocked he almost fainted, but after recovering from the initial surprise, he accepted everything with a joyful smile, thanking Khachen for bringing the gifts. Before Khachen left, they didn’t forget to take a selfie together to send to their master.

“I’ve transferred a hundred thousand baht to you. Use it to buy some snacks. By the way, where’s Jett?”

“Oh, over there, hey! Khachen, don’t go yet, that’s too much money!”

At that moment, Khem didn’t know what to do and chased after Khachen, trying to give the money back, knowing well that this person wouldn’t listen or comply with his request.

After the graduation day ended, Khem drove the white Benz that master had given him as a gift, taking Jett and Chan to visit father abbot in their home province. When they arrived in the morning, they rushed to find Father Abbot at the temple pavilion and bowed to him.

“Paying respects, father abbot.” Khem said, with Jett and Chan following suit.

Phra Pinto looked at his son with eyes full of affection, along with the two young men he had seen once a year since that time.

“Blessings upon you, layman.”

“Father Abbot, I brought my diploma to offer to you.” Khem took the diploma out of his bag, placed it on a golden tray, and respectfully presented it to the abbot, then stepped back and bowed three times.

“Father Abbot, thank you for raising and supporting me, for always helping and protecting me, sacrificing yourself for me all these years.”

“…”

“I’ve gone through life and death situations. I’ve lived my life with caution, as you always taught me, and now I’ve graduated, capable of earning my own living. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“…”

“Father Abbot…would you like to disrobe and live with me?” Khem clasped his hands in prayer, looking at the abbot, hopeful that he might agree, but if not, Khem knew he could only accept whatever decision was made.

Phra Pinto smiled slightly, his eyes clear and filled with compassion and pride for his son. However, returning to a layman’s life at this point was something he felt he could no longer do.

“You don’t need to worry about me. I am well and happy with my ordination. Leaving worldly life behind to follow the path of Dharma, I don’t feel any distress.”

“…”

“Today, what I’ve been waiting for has come true. That is, to see you living the life you dreamed of since childhood, graduating, having a job, smiling like other young people. That’s all I need to feel at peace.”

“…”

“From now on, I will continue to live by the principles of a monk until the end of my days.”

Khem smiled before nodding, having already anticipated that the abbot would choose this path.

“…”

“Whenever you wish to see me, just come and visit. While you still have the strength, do what needs to be done, don’t leave anyone waiting for too long.”

Khem’s heart skipped a beat, and he blushed slightly, knowing that once, Pharan had come here to see father abbot, but he had no idea what they might have discussed.

Once he understood father abbot’s wishes, Khem didn’t think to challenge or persuade him otherwise. Instead, he changed the subject to health, the upcoming temple fair, and shared his near-future plans, with Jett and Chan answering questions along the way.

When it was time to leave, Khem, Jett, and Chan bowed to his father together, then looked up with cheerful faces.

“Paying respects and farewell, father abbot. Next holiday, I’ll make time to visit again.”

“May blessings be upon you, and may you all travel safely.”

After these words were spoken, all three raised their hands in prayer and said in unison, “Sadhu.”

By a little after ten at night, Khem, Jett, and Chan arrived at the master’s village.

Upon arrival, they parked the car at the village chief’s house because they wanted to reminisce about old times. They shouldered their bags and walked to the master’s house.

The night air in the village was quite cold, especially when they walked through the banana and rubber tree plantations towards the master’s home, it felt even darker and colder.

Everything around was eerily silent, with only the faint sound of the wind. But this time was different from before because Chan was with them.

Just a few dozen meters from master’s house, Khem took the opportunity to hand all his belongings to Jett, saying,

“Take care of these, Jett. I’ll go ahead.” And with that, he sprinted off, ignoring his friends’ protests which were loud enough to scare the birds.

“Hey, Khem, what’s the hurry? Wait for me!”

Khem reached the master’s house first. He stifled a laugh when he saw the master reading a Dharma book, waiting on a bamboo bed in front of the house.

Pretending not to notice that the master was reading the book upside down, Khem quickly approached. The master set the book down as Khem sat down beside him.

Khem met master’s eyes and then slowly bowed down at his feet.

Once again, the master lifted his hand to gently hold Khem’s face. After a moment, Khem looked up and smiled.

“I’m back, master.”

The master’s slender fingers brushed the hair from in front of Khem’s eyes, then flicked his forehead gently.

“What did I tell you to call me?” Khem bit his lip softly, his face flushed as he remembered that the master had recently asked him to change how he addressed him from “master” to something else. Khem wasn’t quite used to this yet.

“…”

“Phii Phim…”

“What was that?”

“I am back.”

The change in the term of address indicated a new form of relationship between us, and this nickname was one that only Pharan’s mother used to call him.

After his mother passed away, Pharan hadn’t heard it until today.

As if time had stopped, Khem was held still by the master’s dark eyes. The distance between them gradually shortened until he could feel the cool, moist tip of the master’s nose touching his cheek.

And then, his lips were kissed gently and sweetly, with the master’s hand behind his neck, preventing him from leaning back.

At that moment, Jett arrived in front of the master’s house, but before he could see anything, Chan, who was right behind him, spun him around, pulled out a cold powder from his side bag, poured it into his hand, and immediately smeared it on Jett’s face.

“Yikes, what the hell, man, Chan, it stings my eyes!”

At that time, the full moon shone brightly, adorned by a sky full of twinkling stars.

The cool breeze and familiar atmosphere warmed the heart.

Accompanied by the howl of the spotted dog welcoming everyone back home, ready to start a new life together.

THE END

  May the power of the Triple Gem,

  The great beings in the sixteen heavenly realms, fifteen earthly realms,

  Tree devas, Brahma devas, and sky devas, among others,

  Bless all the readers who have supported this novel,

  Wishing them ever-increasing happiness and prosperity.

  With love from, Kali

  #KhemjiraMustSurvive

 

KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Chapter 37:

  Khem watched the master’s retreating back as he walked back along the path with his black toolbox and the enchanted knife, until he was out of sight. Then, he turned to look at Luang Pu Kesem, his hands still clasped in prayer.

“You don’t need to worry about Pharan. Close your eyes and meditate, think of your parents and the Triple Gem.” After these words, Khem closed his eyes as instructed, and soon his ears were filled with the melodious sound of chanting that soothed his soul.

“Itipiso, Visesei

Issei, Phuttanameei

Imena, Phuttatangsoei

Isotang, Phuttapitii.”

Pharan halted at the cliff’s edge, his eyes clearly seeing the situation below, where hordes of forest and hungry ghosts were on the verge of breaking through Luang Pu Kasem’s glass barrier.

He knelt down, opened his bag, and took out four sections of rattan, planting them into the ground to form a square around himself, then tied a sacred string from one piece to another, creating a forbidden zone.

Once that was done, he placed a small incense burner on a tray, filled it with soil from the ground, lit nine sticks of incense, spoke words of apology to the spirits of the forest and mountains, and then inserted the incense into the soil, followed by placing two medium-sized candles beside the burner.

Next, he unwrapped the red sacred cloth tightly binding his grandfather’s magical knife, immediately feeling the aura of the dark arts and the anguished cries of the spirits trapped within, numbering in the hundreds.

One spirit, driven by pain, burst from the knife to attack, but was firmly held by Pharan’s strong hand on its face, which was covered in burn scars, and he said in a calm voice,

“Calm down, I’m not here to hurt you.”

This spirit locked eyes with Pharan for a moment, seeing in those deep, dark eyes a compassion that was hard to fathom.

“I’m…in pain, let…me…go.” The spirit said. Pharan, sensing its suffering, nodded in agreement.

“I will release all of you.”

Hearing this, the spirit’s tears flowed, longing for its family and homeland it had left behind so long ago; it had once been a soldier who died in battle. Being told it would finally be freed after being trapped for decades, its despair turned into hope, so it retreated back into the knife to await its liberation.

As Pharan gently touched the blade, the many agitated spirits began to calm down.

Then, he closed his eyes to focus his mind, his lips moving in chant to invoke the Emperor’s Mantra for the immediate release of these spirits.

“Na Mo Putthaya, Phra Phuttha, Trairatana Yana…”

Buddho, Dhamma, Sangho, Yathaputmona

Worship Buddha, Worship Dhamma, Worship Sangha

Akki-thanang, Varangandang, Sivali, Ja Mahatherang

The offering of fire, the best of perfumes, the elder monks,

I venerate from afar, I venerate the elements,

I venerate all beings.

“…”

“May the things I pray for be sacred and come true immediately.”

“…”

“Arahant, this is done by karma, bound by karma, let life go to a good rebirth, let every life and every spirit that has been bound in this thing, be reborn in a good realm, so be it.”

This enchanted magic knife seemed to have been purified until it shone with a golden light. Golden spirits, like flames, gradually emerged from it, from one to two, from two to three, until all one hundred and eight were released, scattering in all directions towards the places they longed for. Some went to find their departed loved ones, others returned to their origins in hell to atone for their remaining sins.

Pharan could have used the power of these spirits, but forcing all beings to yield was not his way of conduct. Thus, releasing them was the best choice.

Then, his ears caught the faint sounds carried by the wind, voices that ranged from young women, young men, to the elderly, saying:

“Thank…you.”

“Thank you very much, dear.”

“Thank you so much.”

In truth, not just anyone can do such a thing. To release so many souls, one must be pure from within, filled with true compassion for all beings. Such individuals are rare in this world…

After cleansing the dark magic involving trapping and using malevolent spirits, master then picked up the magical knife, holding it reverently with both hands as he closed his eyes again to perform what is known as “invoking the magical knife.” a crucial step before using it.

At that moment, the wailing of numerous spirits, including dozens of hungry ghosts and forest spirits from all directions, resonated so loudly that it seemed to shake the earth. Pharan remained focused, chanting the following mantra:

“Phutthang Raksa, Dhammang Raksa, Sanghang Raksa, Satru Ma Bidha Vinasha Santi.”

Upon finishing this chant, the dark sky began to show flashes of lightning, accompanied by thundering roars, serving as a warning to those who would commit evil to cease their actions.

After the invocation, Pharan then proceeded to chant the praises of the five divine weapons:

“Sakkassa Vajiravutthang (The weapon of Indra)

Vessavanassa Kathavutthang (The club of Vessavana)

Alavakathu Savutthang (The red cloth of the giant Alavaka)

Yamasanayana Vutthang (The eyes of Yama)

Narayanasangakkara Vutthang (The discus of Narayana)

Panca Avutthanang, Etesang Anubhavena…”

As he chanted, the glass barrier shattered into fragments, and the spirits surged forward in a solid wave of darkness, some running, some walking, some crawling with their arms, some whole, some twisted and broken, their stench of decay spreading for miles.

While chanting the praises of the five weapons, the magical knife in Pharan’s hand glowed. Gradually, golden lines identical to the knife’s design appeared in the sky, forming nine concentric circles that expanded to fill the sky, charged with static electricity and echoing with thunderous roars.

Pharan seemed to be drained of almost all his life force, his previous injuries resisting the power of the Buddha within him, causing blood to flow from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Yet, he continued the chant, now moving on to the summoning of the gods.

“Sakke, Kame, Jara, Kirisukaratae,

Jantarikhe, Vimane, Tipe, Rathe, Cha

Kame, Tavonakahan, Keha

Vatthumahi, Kette, Bhummacchantu, Deva

Chalathala, Visame, Yakkhapandappanaga

Tithanta, Santike, Munivara, Janang

Sadavo, Me, Sunantu”

“…”

“I call upon the divine assembly, residing in the heavenly realms of Kama, in the realm of Rupa, the realm of Arupa, including the great Brahma, and upon the deities dwelling in mountains, caves, and celestial palaces, those residing in the royal island and cities, in humble homes and grand palaces throughout the countryside, and those who manifest in the shrines of the earth spirits.”

“…”

“Also, I call upon the deities living in streams, ponds, and all the greenery of the forest, whether equal or not.”

“From the Yaksha, Gandharvas , Garudas, and Nagas,

“Please gather here in this place.”

Invoking deities isn’t an easy task, nor does it succeed every time one attempts to do so, due to various factors.

The two previous times the invocation was successful were during the forest’s upheaval five years ago, when the deity invoked was Lord Vessavana, and the second time when Khem appeared, it was Phra Phirun and Phra Mae Thorani. Both times, the invocations were made with the intent to protect the entire village.

However, this time is different.

This time, he prays with the sole intention of protecting his beloved and desiring to spend his life with her until old age.

At that moment, the tattoo on Pharan’s back suddenly warmed, and behind him gradually appeared the seven golden heads of the supreme Naga king, also known as “Maha Ananta Phaya Nakarat.”

The Naga king, nearly five meters long, slithered to a stop just outside the sacred boundary, arching its neck down to shield Pharan’s head with its hood. Its tail, adorned with shimmering golden scales, coiled around Pharan’s territory like a magnificent fortress. Then, tiny drops of nectar began to drizzle down.

Pharan placed the magical knife on the red cloth and stood up, his calm eyes surveying the encroaching spirits.

The golden circle of knives remained suspended in the sky. As a hungry ghost’s hand reached for him, Pharan raised his right hand to his chest level and made a gentle sweeping motion.

Wheee!

A sharp, piercing scream rang out as the ghost was impaled by unseen golden knives, its spirit extinguished. One of the Naga’s heads then stretched out, opened its mouth, and swallowed it whole.

This sound momentarily stopped the wave of forest and hungry ghosts, but instead of fear, it drove them into a frenzy. One forest spirit tried to take advantage of Pharan’s stationary stance by diving from a tree, only to be struck by the Naga’s tail, turning to ash instantly. Everything happened so fast it was hardly visible.

Once Pharan had determined the direction, he raised his hand higher and struck down through the air in a straight line.

Suddenly, the nine rings of golden knives descended like a torrential rain, accompanied by bolts of lightning striking down.

Blood still flowed from Pharan’s eyes every second, and with just one strike, tens of thousands of malevolent spirits were obliterated.

Khem, sheltered within Luang Pu Kasem’s glass barrier, was unaware of the external events. He had been sitting with his hands clasped, listening to the chants for only a few minutes before his hands slowly fell to his sides, the clear vision fading, and then he collapsed unconscious.

At that moment, outside the glass dome, a figure appeared, a deity in pale yellow

Thai attire, her face strikingly similar to Khem’s. She looked towards Luang Pu Kasem with a plea for compassion, to allow her entry into the glass dome.

She was summoned from heaven by a man of great spiritual power, yet she followed the spirit of someone until she reached here. Upon seeing this boy, whose spirit was gradually weakening, she found him on the brink of life and death.

Though she couldn’t remember who he was, this child had called her to him. Not only was he gentle in nature, but he was also very cute, making her feel an immediate connection. She wanted to ask the senior monk for permission to approach.

Luang Pu Kesem, seeing their deep connection, allowed her to enter. Once inside, she sat down on the floor, lifting the young boy’s head onto her lap, gently stroking his soft hair.

Poor little one, burdened with such heavy karma, she regretted not being able to alter the fate that had been set by higher powers.

Her light brown eyes were filled with compassion. Something told her she was deeply connected to this child.

Even now, when our destinies no longer intertwine, the care and concern still linger in my heart.

“If you can return, may it be safely, but if you breathe your last, I will embrace your spirit myself.”

  Khem heard a voice that seemed familiar, gentle like a whisper, too faint to catch clearly, but the warmth enveloping his body and heart made him slowly open his eyes to see that he was lying at the dock of an old Thai house from four hundred years ago.

The scene in front of him gradually became clearer. Khem’s eyes saw the bare, pale, lifeless feet of many people. He swallowed hard, his hands trembling as he clasped them tightly, then slowly stood up to face what he had been escaping his whole life.

Before Khem stood the male descendants of his mother’s family, all of whom had died young, dressed in their last worn outfits, their bodies standing stiffly, their eyes vacant of spirit, devoid of any warmth or emotion.

A chill ran down Khem’s back when he sensed someone standing behind him.

“Look at them closely, do you recognize who they are?”

  Khem couldn’t move, only able to watch as a pale, pointing finger extended over his shoulder, compelling his gaze to follow.

The faces of people from the past superimposed over each of these figures, revealing another truth to Khem.

Indeed, all the descendants who had passed away were once part of that fateful event.

From Phraya Worasingh, who was the root cause of all events, to Lord

Phakdiwijitra, who was so enamored with power that he forgot virtue,

There were also the three legitimate sons of Lord Phakdiwijitra. Not to mention the seven close male relatives who stood by watching with indifference, without even a shred of compassion.

And it included all the servants in Phraya Worasingh’s household who had a hand in tormenting Madam-Ramphueng during her stay, sometimes nearly costing her her life, those who slandered her, and the servant who beat her to death.

Everyone had reincarnated into the same lineage to atone for what they did to Madam-Ramphueng according to the curse.

Now, only Khem remained alive.

“Do you remember now? You know well what you’ve done to me. Why did you think you could be the only one to escape?” Khem felt two icy hands slowly move to his throat and begin to squeeze.

Tears flowed from Khem’s eyes out of fear, and he swallowed hard before speaking with a trembling voice,

“That day…I and my mother, we didn’t…mean to.” Khem had to lie because

Lady Keskaew had threatened that if they did not comply, MaeYing Kaknang’s entire maiden family would suffer. Neither Khem nor his mother could defy her orders.

But the response he got was a scream filled with hatred that pierced his ears. Madam-Ramphueng’s form appeared before him, consumed with anger, before she lunged forward and gripped Khem’s throat with immense force.

“Liar!”

  “…”

“Whether you and your mother intended it or not, in the end…my child and I had to die in agony! Do you think such a reason will make me spare you?

You’re dreaming!”

  Khem gasped for air, his hands tightly gripping the pale wrists, struggling and resisting with all his might.

“The only way you all can atone for what you did to me and my child is through death, and only then will justice be served!!”

  Khem slowly slumped to the floor, death drawing near with every breath.

In his final moments, Khem’s mind was flooded with countless memories of his life, both good and bad.

Though his life had been difficult, Khem was happy. He was glad to have been born as his parents’ son, to have chased his dreams even if he hadn’t reached the end, to have had wonderful friends like Jett and Chan, to have joined volunteer camps, and learned how to interact with others.

He had met Grandma Si and everyone in the village.

Ultimately, Khem was overjoyed to have met the master again…

Khem closed his eyes, weary and in despair, his heart silently repeating apologies with all his might.

“Sorry for being weak, I am…sorry…for only being able to struggle this far.” Now, Pharan understood some truths.

In truth, four hundred years ago, he was a significant military leader in

Phetchaburi, leading soldiers in battles to protect the nation. Even though it was his duty, he had killed many on the battlefield.

And the battlefield, or the place where the bloody events occurred, was this very dry forest.

According to principles, attracting such a multitude of malevolent spirits would not be due to the hatred of one ghost alone. Instead, everything that happened was interconnected karma, directly or indirectly.

Hundreds of thousands of magic knives created by Pharan flew through the air like a flock of birds, attacking and destroying the evil spirits under the command of his strong spirit, preventing them from climbing up this cliff.

However, some spirits managed to slip through. A black, ghostly figure resembling a soldier from centuries ago, moving with two arms and one leg, charged towards Khem, who was being held by the deity.

Before it could reach him, two child-like spirits, no older than twelve, appeared in front, blocking its path. Each used one of their feet to push against the ghost’s shoulders, stopping its malicious intent.

And before it could do more, several golden magic knives stabbed into its back, and in a blink, it vanished as if it had never existed.

Pharan could sense the spirits of Ekk and Thong, and then his ears heard the voice of an old woman not far away.

Sri Sri, the voice of comfort, come forth, my spirit…

  Feeling the warmth he had missed so much, but the pain made it impossible to open his eyes, tears mixed with blood streamed down his cheeks. Pharan’s body, if not for the support of the great Naga king, would have lost consciousness long ago. Now it surged with immense strength. In the sky, nine concentric circles of knives formed before golden knives rained down again, causing agony to the malevolent spirits once more, and again.

Due to pushing beyond human limits, the agony in Pharan’s chest caused him to cough up a large amount of red blood.

Even though it was now midnight, there was no sign that the ordeal would end easily.

This was because the time of Khem’s birth was not now.

In the last gasp of Khem’s breath, Luang Pu Kasem’s voice suddenly rang out behind Madam-Ramphueng.

“That’s enough, layperson.”

Madam-Ramphueng paused, her grip loosening in surprise, not expecting anyone to enter this dimension. Even someone like Pharan, who had accumulated merit over many lifetimes, could not do so.

Moreover, to enter, one must have had a past connection, creating karma with her, and if that person was a man, they would have all died at 20 years old and become her servants. So, who was this person?

With this question in her mind, Madam-Ramphueng slowly released Khem to fall onto the floor, then turned to face the speaker.

Before her stood an elderly monk. Madam-Ramphueng tilted her head left then right, her white eyes with shrunken pupils staring at this monk with bewilderment.

“How is it that you can enter here?”

  “…”

“Regardless, this matter does not involve you. Please leave while I am still speaking kindly.”

  “The root of all these evils involves only one man and one woman. One has long died by your own hand, and the other is still atoning for their sins in hell, unable to be reborn. Is that not enough for you?”

Upon hearing this, Madam-Ramphueng lunged forward to stand just an arm’s length from Luang Pu Kasem, her eyes filled with resentment as she looked at him, the pain of her memories driving her nearly mad.

“They all must pay with their lives!”

  “…”

“If they don’t want to die, then they must return my child to me. Only then will I be satisfied!” Madam-Ramphueng knew she was saying something impossible, as her child had already died.

Died right before her eyes.

Luang Pu Kesem did not take offense at Madam-Ramphueng’s harsh words. His eyes, clouded with cataracts, softened with compassion before he spoke:

  “If you desire that, I will offer this child’s life in alms, in exchange for my own.”

  Madam-Ramphueng tilted her head, looking confused at Luang Pu Kesem, wondering why he would offer such a proposal to her, and why she should agree to this exchange. But before she could say more, she was plunged into memories conveyed through the gaze of the monk before her.

  From the day he first opened his eyes to the world, until he was six years old, Luang Pu Kesem knew he possessed the sixth sense, allowing him to see things he shouldn’t, like spirits. Haunted by ghosts from a young age, he developed a desire to eradicate these malevolent spirits from the world, disregarding the law of karma. Then, he met a man named Sek, who had similar abilities.

  The two became inseparable friends from their teenage years, pledging to keep their ability to see ghosts a secret and to live like ordinary children.

  They grew up together in vocational school, both good-looking and multitalented, becoming the object of affection for many girls. But as with any coin having two sides, where there were admirers, there were also those driven by envy, leading to conflicts with others.

  The situation escalated until a critical moment when Luang Pu Kesem, as a young man, was shot in the back by rivals and nearly died. This forced both to resort to occult practices to protect themselves.

However, these practices, if used correctly, could benefit, but if misused, could bring great harm. One day, due to their feuds with their rivals, Luang Pu Kesem’s family suffered a calamity, resulting in the accidental death of his younger brother.

  For Luang Pu Kesem, there were only two paths at that time: one was to delve deeper into black magic to seek revenge, and the other was to break this cycle of evil by ordaining as a monk for life to calm his own mind, otherwise, he would never find peace.

  At that time, Luang Pu Kasem chose to ordain as a monk, having calmed his mind, let go of attachments, ceased creating negative karma, and strived to perform good deeds. After ordaining and adhering to the Buddha’s teachings for over fifteen years, he began to see visions of his past lives.

  In one life, he was born as a fish in a lotus pond, in another as a heron, and in the third life as a human.

  Madam-Ramphueng’s eyes widened, tears streaming down her cheeks when she realized that in the life before Luang Pu Kasem was born as a human, he lived only for a short time before being thrown into the river by someone.

  At this very location.

  Madam-Ramphueng took trembling steps backward to look at Luang Pu Kasem’s form more clearly, meeting his compassionate gaze.

  What she saw was not a fabricated vision; everything was undoubtedly true.

That was why this monk could enter her dimension.

“Ugh, huh, my child.” Madam-Ramphueng collapsed onto the wooden dock, her strength gone, then crawled forward to prostrate herself at Luang Pu Kasem’s feet, crying out in a wail that seemed to tear at her soul.

She had been consumed by bitterness and resentment for centuries, with no way to rectify her feelings. No matter how many she killed, it could never replace the loss of her son.

  In her life as a servant, she endured suffering worse than a living death. No one loved her, no one wanted her, and she never truly owned anything.

  The one thing most valuable to her was her child.

  Raising her child to grow up as happily as possible was what she yearned for until her last breath.

  And now she had seen it.

  Luang Pu Kasem, seeing that Madam-Ramphueng was softening, continued to speak:

“Do not create more enmity or karma. Let go of what you hold, and allow me to escort you.” Madam-Ramphueng slowly lifted her head and then turned to look at Khem, who was kneeling behind her, crying inconsolably just like her.

As her anger that had once clouded her vision began to fade, she realized that half of this child, in a past life, had helped her numerous times. Her heart, once filled with resentment, now returned to emptiness with a sense of resignation.

She herself was tired after all these years. Having received what she always wanted, she could finally let go.

Now, she only wished to spend a little more time with her child, to have a brief conversation, which would be enough. She clasped her hands in prayer and said to Luang Pu Kesem:

“Very well.”

  “Then, please rise.” Upon hearing this, Madam-Ramphueng slowly stood up, and as they began to walk away, Luang Pu Kesem spoke to Khem, who was still in a prayerful pose, with compassionate understanding:

“Khem, do not think too much.”

“…” Khem clenched his lips tightly as tears began to flow once more.

“Everything was predetermined. We have no debts left between us. Hurry back now.”

As if those few words from Luang Pu Kesem had unlocked Khem’s heart, he sobbed with relief before bowing in gratitude to the monk.

Madam-Ramphueng followed the monk in his yellow robes with a heart now full of joy. The vision she saw was of a little boy in traditional Thai attire, holding her hand as they walked towards a bright path, accompanied by the sound of a single ankle bracelet’s bell ringing, soothing her soul.

Thus, the centuries-long resentment and suffering of Madam-Ramphueng came to an end.

…

At five forty-five in the morning, the gentle yellow light gradually bathed the vast sky.

Khem slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the lifeless form of Luang Pu Kesem in meditation, his face serene and free from worry.

Khem gradually stood up from the ground. His body was still warm, not feeling cold, and there were no insect bites as there might have been, except for the exhaustion that felt like he had slept for many decades. He felt no pain anywhere else.

Khem started looking around but couldn’t see any sign of master, so he quickly bowed to Luang Pu Kasem, stood up, and half-walked, half-ran along the path master had taken the previous night.

His heart was pounding painfully in his chest, but it began to slow down when he saw the master walking back towards him.

Behind the master, the sun was rising over the mountaintop, its rays shining through the master’s broad back, blurring Khem’s vision. Tears of joy streamed down Khem’s cheeks.

Pharan, carrying a box, walked straight towards Khem, while Khem, running until his legs gave out, forced himself to stand and run to him.

At the same time, Pharan set the box down on the ground to catch the smaller figure rushing towards him and embraced him tightly.

Khem sobbed, his body trembling, returning the tight hug, seeing the blood stains on Pharan’s face.

“Master, does it…hurt a lot?”

Pharan’s head gently rested on Khem’s shoulder, shaking slightly to dismiss the question. The only feeling in his heart was the overwhelming joy of seeing that Khem was still breathing.

At this moment, the pain prevented him from speaking, so he could only tighten his embrace a bit more.

6:06 AM on June 6th

  Khemjira had safely passed his 20th birthday and escaped the curse.

  

  KHEMJIRA CHAPTERS HOME

KHEMJIRA, Chapter 36:

  One night had passed, leading into the late hours of another day.

Pharan still sat upright on the meditation seat, facing a large candle that was close to burning out, with Khem watching from not far away to ensure the candle didn’t extinguish too soon.

Sweat beaded down from Pharan’s forehead in a steady stream, soaking his entire body, as the effort to locate Luang Pu Kasem was proving to be incredibly difficult.

Pharan’s concentration was heavily disturbed by numerous spirits in the forest who seemed intent on preventing him from finding Luang Pu Kasem, as if they were trying to buy time for Madam-Ramphueng, who had followed his two disciples.

The sounds of screams, laughter, and curses filled his ears, and through his spiritual vision, he saw hordes of forest spirits emerging from the ground from all directions, crawling towards this meditation area but unable to breach the golden barrier of sacred script, only able to moan with hunger.

Eight spiritual senses were extended far and wide without relent, racing against the scant time remaining. His blood boiled with the intensity of his effort, and the pain from a still-healing curse worsened with each passing moment.

Khem sat behind, hands clasped in prayer, tears falling as he felt the agony Pharan was enduring. He closed his eyes, imploring the sacred entities for mercy and compassion, to help them overcome this ordeal and end these dreadful events once and for all.

The next moment, a strong gust of wind blew through the gaps in the wooden house, hitting their bodies, and the candle flame suddenly went out as Pharan opened his eyes.

He found him.

After navigating through the eternal past, Jett awoke to find himself being given CPR by a man in rescue gear, trying to revive him after he had stopped breathing for nearly two minutes, near the site of the incident.

Jett coughed out a large amount of water, taking deep breaths and coughing several times.

“He’s awake over here! How are you, Phii?” That was the question from the man in front of Jett. The surrounding voices were chaotic with panic. Jett nodded once before turning to look beside him, finding that Chan was still unconscious and being given CPR.

Jett’s eyes widened, fear rushing into his heart in that moment. Despite his fatigued body, he was suddenly spurred into action, crawling off the makeshift bed to stop beside Chan.

“Chan! Can you hear me? Don’t die on me, wake up quickly!” Jett shouted in panic, shaking the other man’s arm, hoping for him to wake up and scold him as he always did when woken up. He didn’t care who tried to comfort or stop him.

However, there was no response; Chan remained still.

Jett pressed his forehead against Chan’s arm, tears flowing unexpectedly, pleading.

“You saw it too, didn’t you? Our past.”

“…”

“Please, wake up and stay with me, don’t leave me like this.”

Time passed, and despair seemed to creep in. Jett didn’t want to look up and face the harsh reality, so he could only cry, but then, someone gently stroked his still damp hair.

“Jett…why are you crying?” Chan asked hoarsely. Jett quickly lifted his head to lock eyes with him, then burst into happy tears.

“Ugh, sob, Chan.”

Chan raised his hand to wipe away Jett’s tears, then softly responded,

“In this life, let’s start anew, shall we?”

Jett, overwhelmed with mixed emotions, didn’t think about the future, only filled with fear of losing him, but he nodded several times in agreement.

The sun was about to rise. Time was of the essence, so both Jett and Chan declined a hospital check-up, determined to continue their journey immediately, disregarding their car which was still submerged in the river, waiting to be recovered.

But before they could ask the rescue team or the police for a ride, a sternlooking man approached them directly.

“Kids, I’m the truck driver who caused the accident by swerving into your lane.

Could I have a quick word? Are you in a rush to go somewhere?” Jett and Chan, wrapped in large towels, immediately exchanged glances, then turned back to nod at the man who had approached them.

Yes, they were in a hurry, and they knew well that the accident wasn’t just a coincidence, but it seemed like what this man wanted to say was important. So, they were willing to listen.

“Sure, go ahead, Uncle. What happened earlier?” Jett responded.

“My name is Boonrit, but you can just call me Uncle Boon. I need to sincerely apologize for what happened; I’m glad you both made it out like this.” Uncle Boon spoke with a mix of stress and relief, also giving a wai, which prompted Jett and Chan to return the gesture.

“It’s okay, Uncle. We know you didn’t do it on purpose.” Jett replied, causing Uncle Boon to exhale deeply.

“You might not believe this, but just before the bridge, I saw a woman in ancient Thai attire, like those from the servant class long ago, standing in the middle of the road and pointing at me. Suddenly, I couldn’t control the steering wheel, and that’s why my truck veered into yours.” Both Jett and Chan inhaled sharply, thinking it was surely the work of Madam-Ramphueng’s spirit.

“Actually, we should apologize to you because that spirit was following us.”   Uncle Boon went silent as if he forgot to breathe, then quickly nodded.

“She’s a very powerful spirit; even though I’ve encountered many and am somewhat used to it, I still felt fear. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like this.”

Jett and Chan nodded in acknowledgment. Uncle Boon, looking at the two young men, sensed something about them – they were practitioners of the arcane arts just like him. Moreover, the scent of magic that clung to them reminded him of someone he had known long ago.

Feeling a sense of compassion and pity, he removed the amulet necklace he was wearing and handed it to Jett.

“I don’t know what kind of trouble or what you’re facing, but since we’ve met, consider it fate. Take this necklace; it might help a little, because what you have with you right now isn’t enough.”

Jett and Chan swallowed hard, looking down at the ordinary-looking amulet necklace that now felt warm with its mystical power, evoking a sense of deep gratitude.

“Is it really okay for us to have this?”

“Of course, I don’t have any children, and I’ve been thinking about giving it to someone. Just take it.” Jett nodded, clasped his hands together, and raised the amulet above his head, saying ‘Sadhu’ just like Chan.

“Thank you, Uncle. If we make it through this, I’ll find you and repay you later.” Uncle Boon nodded with a smile, gently patting Jett and Chan on the shoulder.

“I’ll just accept your thanks. As for finding me, if fate allows it, we’ll meet again someday. You guys hurry along, I’ll handle things here.” Jett and Chan bowed in gratitude to Uncle Boon once more, spoke briefly to the police about not holding Uncle Boon responsible and asked them to take them to a certain place, which was the temple where Khem’s father, or Pinto, was the abbot.

Fortunately, the temple was only about ten kilometers from the accident site. Soon, the police car drove Jett and Chan there, and by now, the position of the sun indicated it was about eight in the morning.

The two jumped off the back of the truck together, thanked the police for bringing them, and then hurriedly entered the temple grounds. Seeing a monk sweeping leaves under a large Bodhi tree, we rushed over, clasped our hands in prayer, and greeted him.

“Paying respects, Abbot.” The abbot stopped sweeping and turned towards us immediately.

“Blessings upon you, laymen. What brings you here? You seem quite agitated.” The abbot asked.

“We are looking for Abbot Pinto. Do you know if he’s here?” Jett replied, and the abbot nodded.

“The monk you’re looking for is me.”

Jett and Chan almost jumped to hug each other. After explaining the events to the abbot, they could see clear concern in his eyes.

In his role as a monk, Pinto had renounced worldly attachments, so he couldn’t directly intervene to help his son, Khem, much, except to pray for his safety every day.

Luckily, Khem had met good friends like these two young men.

“We are looking for something that seems to be a family heirloom of Khem’s family, something very old, like jewelry.” Chan said with a calm face, his voice showing confidence in the matter, even though no one knew exactly what this item was or if it was indeed jewelry as Chan had said.

Jett wanted to ask how he knew, but he kept silent and just nodded, thinking he’d inquire about the reasons later. What he knew for sure was that Chan wouldn’t speak with certainty unless he was confident in his thoughts.

The monk paused to consider Chan’s words before responding,

“Actually, there’s something that Khem’s mother received from her sister, an old wooden box. Please wait at the temple pavilion; I will fetch that item for you.”

Phra Pinto returned to his kuti, opened the wooden cabinet, and took out a darkcolored wooden box that had been stored deep inside, wiped off the dust, and carried it over to Jett and Chan at the temple pavilion.

Once he placed it before them, he said,

“This is the only heirloom that Khem’s aunt left for him. I intended to give it to Khem after he finished his studies. Once, she told me that it was passed down through the family to a daughter or niece, whomever it was decided to be given to, but there’s a rule that it must never be sold or destroyed.”

Jett and Chan glanced at each other before Jett asked,

“Can we open it, Luang Por?” Phra Pinto thought for a moment before answering,

“I’ve never opened it myself, but I believe there should be no harm. Go ahead and open it.” With permission, Jett immediately lifted the lid of the wooden box to find it filled with various small pieces of jewelry, all looking very old, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

Chan pondered for a while before his hand reached in and picked up something for all to see.

“This is it.”

What he picked up looked like an infant’s ankle bracelet made from snake skin, adorned with tiny bells that jingled when shaken.

“Are you sure?” Jett asked with a furrowed brow, to which Chan nodded. He couldn’t explain why; it was all guided by intuition. To put it simply, his ‘sense’ told him so.

“If that’s the case, could Luang Por help us destroy it?” Phra Pinto took it in his hand, but after holding it for only a moment, he returned it and shook his head.

“This item has an owner; I can’t destroy it. You must return it to its rightful owner.”

At the end of the sentence, Jett froze halfway. He intended to say something, but

Chan held his wrist to stop him. Seeing this, the abbot continued,

“Don’t be afraid. If you’ve never been involved with it, it can’t harm you, except perhaps delay you. So far, aside from the male descendants who have died due to this curse, no innocent person has ever been harmed by it to the point of death.”

“…”

“So, wait a bit longer before you set out, and everything will be fine.”

At thirty minutes past midnight, a helicopter appeared in the sky above the residence of the master and Khem, its rotor blades creating a loud, thunderous noise and a strong wind. It slowly descended to land on a wide space surrounded by candles that flickered but miraculously did not go out.

This helicopter had been arranged by Khachen, following a call from Pharan about twenty minutes earlier.

A man in a forestry department uniform stepped out of the helicopter to invite the two people waiting to board the passenger seats. After ensuring safety, he slowly took the helicopter back into the sky.

“Which way should I go?” The officer asked, receiving an answer from Pharan:

“East, keep flying straight. Please maintain your focus, and don’t mind anything unusual you might see.” The officer nodded.

“Yes.”

No sooner had he finished speaking, the officer’s eyes widened as the landscape ahead showed shadowy figures, tall and stretching to the sky, dozens of them, approaching. His ears picked up sounds like ship horns blaring, a noise he had never encountered before, followed by chanting from those seated behind him. “What would happen if we fly into them?” The officer asked. He believed in spirits because he had spent half his life in the forest, but he had never been harmed by such entities before. However, what he was seeing now felt different from his previous encounters.

“You’d be in trouble.” came the short reply.

The officer swallowed hard and steered the helicopter away from the figures. Several times, he had to dodge massive hands reaching out, swerving left and right until he began to feel dizzy, with cold sweat beading and dripping from his forehead to his chin.

That’s why Khachen needed the most experienced and composed helicopter pilot among all the officers, knowing they might encounter such thrilling events, and the high compensation made the risk worth taking. Otherwise, he surely wouldn’t have agreed to come.

Apart from the hordes of hungry ghosts that appeared, the black waves of forest spirits also chased after them. They merged together like a giant wave, climbing over one another in an attempt to drag the helicopter down. Some manifested as dark, swirling clouds, darting around to distract, but they couldn’t cause any real harm, especially with Pharan standing by the open door, constantly chanting protective incantations, forming a barrier of glass-like energy that shielded them.

The helicopter flew at high speed, racing against time, while the pilot had to be vigilant in all directions, holding his breath several times from the stress and pressure. He had never imagined encountering such bizarre and life-threatening phenomena before. Even encountering a tiger in the forest wouldn’t have frightened him as much as this did.

And then, the journey came to an end when the tall figure behind said,

“We’re here.” Hearing this, the officer quickly wiped the sweat from his eyes. There was a cliff behind where they could land, so he immediately maneuvered the helicopter to touch down.

Branches from the surrounding trees swayed in the wind as the helicopter landed. Before disembarking, Pharan handed a black Buddha amulet to the officer, who quickly clasped his hands in a wai and accepted it with both hands.

“Keep this with you; it will keep you safe. Thank you for the ride.”

After saying this, Pharan woke Khem, who had fallen asleep. He had wanted to wake him earlier when he sensed Khem’s soul being drawn away, but the need to defend against the forest spirits had kept him focused. Fortunately, Khem hadn’t gone far, and it didn’t take long for him to wake up after Pharan called out.

Khem jolted awake with a fearful expression, as his consciousness had returned to that Thai house again.

“Master, I…” Pharan nodded to indicate he already knew, while gently patting Khem’s head to comfort him.

“You’ll be fine, come on.”

At around five in the evening, after the helicopter had left, Pharan took Khem’s hand and walked into the forest. He carried his black toolbox in the other hand, using the moonlight and the glow of fireflies that appeared around them, neither too close nor too far. Within ten minutes of walking deeper into the woods, they found the person they were looking for.

Luang Pu Kesem was meditating under a kapok tree, his posture serene and filled with spiritual power, surrounded by fireflies that provided light.

Pharan tapped Khem’s back gently as a signal to follow, then they stopped at a respectful distance and bowed three times in reverence.

Luang Pu Kesem slowly opened his eyes, which were slightly clouded with cataracts from old age, yet they shone with compassion for all beings seeking help.

Especially for the two young men before him.

“I was waiting.” Luang Pu Kesem said meaningfully, indicating that he knew Pharan would come, which is why he was waiting not far from where the helicopter had landed.

“Paying respects, Luang Pu.” Pharan said, and Luang Pu Kesem nodded slightly.

“Blessings upon you, layman.” Pharan was silent for a moment before continuing with what he was seeking.

“Luang Pu, do you still have Grandpa Sek’s magic knife?”

“The magic knife of Sek, forged with dark sorcery techniques, though it holds great power, a white magic practitioner like you touching it might mean there’s no turning back. Sek was afraid of this, which is why he left it with me.”

Pharan knew this well. Grandpa Sek and Luang Pu Kesem were close friends, both having studied black magic in their past. However, Luang Pu Kesem chose the path of purity by becoming a monk, whereas Grandpa Sek continued on his own dark path.

Until his final, torturous moments, he realized he had chosen the wrong path all along.

Khem, listening intently, turned to look at the master’s profile upon hearing this.   Did this mean that this object could taint someone as pure as the master?

Khem reached out his hand to grab the master’s sleeve, his eyes moistening with tears, showing his reluctance. He shook his head, and a single tear fell, rolling down his cheek.

“Master, please, don’t go to such lengths.”

“…” Khem inhaled shakily before lowering his head to speak.

“My karma, I should atone for it myself.”

“…”

“Please, don’t suffer because of me.”

If Pharan helping Khem meant enduring future suffering, Khem knew he could never accept that.

“What do you want then, do you still want this?”

Khem hoped Master would listen and refuse, but instead, Pharan knelt down on the ground, staying still without looking up, and spoke to Luang Pu,

“Please help me one more time.”

Khem’s tears fell again, unable to deny how much he still wanted to live to see more of this world.

He wanted to spend his life following Pharan and his friends, to repay the kindness of Luang Por who had guided him, to wake up and make merit for his mother, Grandma-Si, and for Thong and Ekk who had sacrificed themselves for Khem’s safety.

Khem did not want to die…not before seeing everyone live happily.

Khem sobbed until he was shaking, then stepped back and slowly knelt beside Pharan. This kindness, even if the heavens and earth were to crumble, could never be fully repaid.

Luang Pu Kasem was truly a man who had renounced worldly desires, dedicating himself to spiritual practice and accumulating merit for a long time, understanding the truths of life profoundly, thus seeing things that ordinary people could not, though he could not share these visions.

“Raise your head. I believe everything will turn out well. Come, take this.”

Luang Pu Kasem spoke while pulling out a dagger wrapped tightly with redlettered sacred cloth from a bag by his side and handed it over.

Khem clenched his teeth tightly, watching as Pharan moved forward on his knees to accept and hold the dagger.

“Those creatures are close to breaking through the glass wall. Go do what you must with the magic knife; if used with a strong and pure heart, it won’t turn back to harm you.” Pharan listened intently to the sounds of the spirits outside Luang Pu Kesem’s protective dome before turning to meet Khem’s gaze, who seemed to be weighing something in his mind.

Until he heard Luang Pu say:

“Leave Khem here. For this karmic debt, I will handle it myself.”

This was far beyond what both Pharan and Khem expected, but since the abbot had spoken thus, there must be a reason, so they bowed in gratitude without questioning further.

Khem looked up at the master once more, his eyes still hot with emotion, but before he could say anything, the master’s hand gently patted his head, and in a gentle voice, he said,

“Wait here, I’ll be back.” Tears flowed from Khem, understanding the true meaning behind those words, he nodded once more, firmly.

“Okay, I’ll wait.”

 

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KHEMJIRA, Chapter 35:

  At almost one in the morning, the four of them parted ways at the base of the apartment building. Jett drove off in his personal car with Chan, heading straight to Kanchanaburi, Khem’s hometown.

Once Jett and Chan’s car was out of sight, the master, standing beside Khem with a black toolbox in hand, quickly pulled out an old-style flip phone and dialed someone. The name that came out of the master’s mouth was one Khem had never heard before.

“Khachen, come pick me up.” The master said before his fine eyebrows furrowed together, his dark eyes glancing briefly at Khem who was watching with wide eyes, then he looked away and responded.

“…”

“I can’t wait.”

Khem whispered, feeling guilty for causing trouble for others again. His face turned red as a loud moan of a man and woman came through the phone.

“…”

“Is it that hard to just put it in your pants?”

“…”

“Apartment…in the alley…”

“…”

“Okay.” Khem didn’t know what the other person replied, but it was enough to make the master agree and hang up the call.

Pharan put the phone back into his pants pocket as before, then reached out to take one of Khem’s hands, which was tightly gripping the other, showing signs of stress and guilt.

“It’s my friend; this is nothing I can’t handle.” Said Pharan with a deep voice as Khem looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. Hearing this and feeling the priest’s hand holding his for the first time, a warm feeling surged in Khem’s chest.

Khem smiled with gratitude and nodded in acceptance.

“Yes, Master.”

They didn’t have to wait long before a luxury two-seater sports car pulled up alongside the sidewalk in front of Khem and the master. The driver’s side window slowly rolled down, revealing the handsome face of the car’s owner leaning down.

The man had dark hair, a tall, slender build, wearing a slightly disheveled longsleeved brown shirt. His gray-blue eyes sparkled with a gentle, almost teasing curve as he made eye contact with Pharan, accompanied by a faint smile that seemed to beckon anyone who looked at it to fall in love.

Khem quickly averted his eyes, feeling like a small mouse being watched by a lion. He raised his hands to greet him, but before he could say anything, he was startled by the sound of Pharan tapping on the car’s roof.

Ping!

“Why did you bring this car?” Pharan asked, frowning. Khachen blinked innocently at the question.

“You didn’t tell me how many people were coming.” He replied. Pharan felt the urge to open the door and kick him out, but Khachen had always been an irritant to him, even though they hadn’t seen each other in nearly three years.

This expensive car was seldom driven out by Khachen from his garage for others to see, and Pharan knew well that Khachen had intentionally brought it to annoy him.

Pharan didn’t like supercars, nor did he appreciate overly expensive things. Though he never explicitly expressed this, their long-standing friendship from school days made it easy for Khachen to guess.

But he could swear, Khachen had no idea that his best friend was bringing along this cute-looking young man.

“Or do you want me to go change the car?”

Pharan checked his wristwatch, then shook his head. Waiting longer would be too late. He opened the door, placed his box on the back seat floor where there was still some space, sat down, and then turned to tell the still-dazed Khem,

“Get in.” Khem looked around inside the car with confusion, not noticing the facial expression of the driver who was looking out the window, before asking hesitantly,

“Uh, where exactly?” The response he received was the master spreading his legs slightly to make space, pointing to that area and saying,

“Right here.” Khem suppressed the heat on his face and his embarrassment, taking a deep breath to gather his wits, because now was not the time for such frivolous thoughts. He then slowly maneuvered his body into the car, almost hitting his head on the top of the door frame. Fortunately, the master’s hand cushioned the impact.

“Thank you.” Khem said in a voice quieter than a whisper as the master’s strong hand helped him sit properly. Even though there were only two seats, the interior was spacious enough to not feel cramped.

The master’s body was very warm, Khem realized that day.

The car started moving when the door was closed and the driver knew the destination.

After sitting for a while, Khem suddenly felt he was being watched by the person next to him. He turned to meet the other’s gaze, only to receive a teasing, caring smile in return.

But before he could blush, the master’s thick hand lifted to cover his face and turned him to face the window instead.

“Sleep.” The master simply said, and Khem’s bright eyes soon grew heavy and closed.

“I wouldn’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes.” Khachen’s voice broke the silence, his eyes still sparkling with teasing that he didn’t bother to hide, but Pharan, who was resting his eyes, didn’t respond.

Khachen was used to Pharan’s temperament, having known him since vocational school days, and it had always been like this. While others might see Pharan as frightening and dangerous, he appreciated that side of him.

“Don’t forget what you promised me, I’m missing your dear disciple badly.”

Khachen continued talking alone until he got a slightly irritated response from Pharan, which finally made him stop talking and focus on driving.

Who would have thought that someone like Khachen would be forbidden by his close friend from stepping into the village or contacting a disciple like Jett since he was seventeen, due to an incident in high school where he almost led him astray?

Really, it wasn’t that serious. He just helped one kid see the world a bit, that’s all…

After nearly two hours, it was past three in the morning when the luxury sports car drove through the desolate road to the base of a mountain in Phetchaburi province, surrounded by forests on both sides.

Khachen didn’t feel the need to ask why Pharan had instructed him to drop them off here. If Pharan wanted him to know, he would have explained from the start. If he was still silent upon arrival, it meant he preferred to keep it undisclosed. So, he simply said,

“Give me a call if you need anything.”

“Thanks.” Pharan replied. Khem, who had been leaning against Pharan, stirred slightly and opened his eyes upon hearing a quiet whisper by his ear,

“We’re here.” Khem nodded quickly, turned to thank Khachen with a wai, and then got out of the car to stand outside.

Pharan reached back to grab the box, turned to Khachen, and said as a final note,

“Keep the amulet around your neck until Sunday. On your way back, stop at the nearest hotel to rest, and come back tomorrow morning.”

Khachen immediately nodded in agreement.

How could he not comply when they had just been chased by a horde of spirits…

  Once Khachen drove off, Pharan led Khem to the side of the road where a large ‘Phayom’ tree stood, with a wooden sign indicating it was a meditation site, complete with stairs leading upwards.

Judging from the look of things, it didn’t seem like many people visited often.

Soon, they reached an open area surrounded by five small, partly old, partly new two-story wooden houses that resembled monks’ quarters, but there was no one there at the moment.

“Why are we here?” Khem looked up and asked the person beside him. Pharan took Khem’s hand and led him to one of the houses, opened the door, and then answered,

“I’m looking for the monk, a close friend of my grandfather, because there’s something I need from him. But he’s been on a pilgrimage for years, and we haven’t been in contact. According to Jett and Chan, this was the last known location of him from his disciples.” The door closed, and Pharan moved towards the corner of the room in the dark, still explaining to Khem.

“What he has might be the last thing that can help us, so I need to find him before tomorrow night.” As he finished speaking, the lantern in the room suddenly lit up, revealing a well-cleaned interior with basic amenities like kitchen items, dried food, and neatly folded beddings.

“I’ve already had someone prepare things. Now you rest and regain your strength. You can cook in the morning.” The master said in a deep voice as he handed Khem a lantern to hold.

Khem’s eyes were filled with various emotions swirling within them: respect, gratitude, and deep appreciation, to the point where he didn’t know how to express everything in words.

Khem knelt down, placing the lantern beside him, intending to bow at the master’s feet. However, after just a slight bow, his hands, which were clasped together in respect, were placed into the master’s hands that bent down to catch them in mid-air.

“That’s enough.” Pharan said curtly, and Khem nodded in compliance.

Once Khem stood up and began to set up the bed mosquito net effortlessly,

Pharan walked back to the corner of the room where there was an altar with a Buddha statue. He sat down on a meditation cushion, lit a large candle, then closed his eyes, placing his right hand over his left to meditate.

When everything was calm, he began chanting a mantra to create a luminous golden shield, like a dome, over this area to prevent wandering spirits from intruding. After that, he let his spirit extend in all directions to search for the master as he had intended.

 

  Switching scenes to Jett and Chan:

  This time, it was Chan who was driving, even though he wasn’t very familiar with the route. However, his calm and meticulous nature, combined with an unyielding spirit, made this journey seem safer. Additionally, he brought along a black ebony box.

Previously, when both had an accident and crashed into a tree, they were lucky to have been wearing seatbelts, and the car’s safety features worked effectively, so they weren’t seriously injured. Once they regained consciousness, they got out of the car to call the owner of the vehicle, another disciple of the master.

The other party, upon receiving the call, rushed over immediately. Fortunately, he didn’t hold it against them since he was quite close to Jett, almost like senior and junior disciples. Not only did he handle the car issue himself, but he also helped take both of them to the village as requested, albeit too late…

After that day, Jett lost all confidence in his own driving. He even allowed Chan to drive his precious car, which he didn’t even let his parents or his sister touch.

“Is anything following us, Jett?” Chan asked while focusing on the road, and Jett glanced at the rearview mirror before furrowing his brows in response.

“None. Since we left the apartment, not a single one has followed.”

Weird, this was too strange, Jett didn’t expect their journey with Chan to be this calm and quiet.

Thump!

“Shit!” Jett jolted as something was thrown against the window on his side. Since the car wasn’t moving very fast, and with the occasional streetlights, he could see what it was.

It was a ripe banana with an incense stick still sticking out of it, rotting chicken meat, and some offerings that were clearly not placed there by a human hand.

Jett remembered they had just passed a three-way junction.

Thump!

This time, similar items were thrown towards Chan’s side, but Chan remained unfazed, continuing to drive steadily without any sign of panic.

However, the closer they got to Kanchanaburi, the more intense things became. Not only were offerings being thrown incessantly at the car windows, but stray dogs and cats kept darting in front of the car every five minutes.

“Na-ut, a, tu, wi, ka, lo, to-ka

Su, no, pun, sam, na, ra, ja cha

Wi-chi, tho, put, sam-ma, sam, hang, ra

A, wa-ka, pha, so, pi-ti-i”

The more Jett chanted to ward off spirits, the more it seemed to provoke them, increasing their anger.

Just as they were about to cross a bridge over a river under repair, with wooden barriers placed along the sides to prevent falls, a truck suddenly swerved into their lane from the opposite direction.

At that moment, the bright headlights of the truck blinded both Jett and Chan. Chan made a split-second decision to swerve, crashing through the wooden barriers, sending the car tumbling off the bridge.

Boom!!!!

Water quickly surrounded the car, while the lights were still on. Both unbuckled their seatbelts in haste, used hammers they had to break the car windows, and swam out with difficulty.

Unfortunately, the current was quite strong, but Jett managed to swim to Chan, whose glasses had come off, just in time.

However, now, driving above water wasn’t easy, and both were hesitant and scared.

With their last breaths, their lips met in a sudden kiss.

But then, suddenly, their bodies were pulled back as if yanked, along with a flood of memories.

The faint, dreamlike vision revealed scenes that Jett and Chan had never seen before, stories of three women who were close friends: one named Jintana, another Khemika, and the last one named Chaiada.

  These three were best friends from middle school at an all-girls school, loving, caring, and attentive to each other, especially towards Khemika, who wasn’t very strong, so Jintana and Chaiada always took special care of her.

  However, there was a secret Khemika didn’t know: Jintana and Chaiada were attracted to their same sex and eventually fell in love with each other.

  But because society at that time did not accept such relationships, they had to keep it hidden from everyone, even Khemika, fearing her disappointment or rejection for being different.

  One day, their love was abruptly cut short when their families found out. Jintana was forced to get engaged to a promising young civil servant she didn’t love.

Chaiada was to be sent abroad for further studies right after high school.

  On the day of Jintana’s engagement, it happened to be the same day Chaiada was leaving the country.

  They met secretly at a place known only to them. Jintana was still in her ceremonial dress, while Chaiada was ready to head to the airport.

  They couldn’t say much, only wishing each other a good life.

  They hugged for the last time, kissed for the last time, but still cried every time we remembered their times together.

  There was only one word to remember forever.

  Goodbye, the one person I love with all my heart.

 

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