Jett had noticed the white smoke, about waist-high, swirling around the master since earlier. These were the twin servant spirits, Ekk and Thong, that the master had taken care of.
In truth, Ekk and Thong were originally servant spirits of Pharan's grandfather, a powerful sorcerer. When the grandfather passed away, Pharan took over their care instead of releasing their spirits as one might expect.
When Jett was younger, he could see spirits more clearly than he does now, so he remembered what Ekk and Thong looked like. The first time he met them, he ended up talking and playing with them for a long time, only realizing they were ghosts when the master made them disappear right in front of him.
Back then, Jett was very attached to Ekk and Thong. Even knowing they were spirits, not humans, he would often call out to them and play with them. This behavior seemed strange to others who saw him talking or playing alone, showing no interest in other children. This was because Ekk and Thong always warned him about who was good or bad, and most people were envious of his wealth or saw him as a stepping stone to climb higher.
Eventually, Jett became a quiet child who didn't socialize much. His parents, fearing this behavior would cause issues in the future, asked the master to help adjust Jett's behavior, as they were too busy to handle it themselves.
Jett was put through a ritual by Pharan to close his third eye, preventing him from seeing spirits anymore. This meant Jett could no longer see Ek and Thong. At twelve years old, Jett went through the ritual crying, overwhelmed by sadness.
In the end, out of pity, the master softened and changed his approach, so that Jett could still see ghosts or spirits, but they appeared rather indistinct, and he couldn't communicate with them.
Nowadays, Jett could still sense that Ekk and Thong often lingered nearby to protect him and his friends. Even though they no longer spoke as
they used to, this was enough for him.
While he was lost in thought, the master suddenly put on his sunglasses that were tucked in his shirt collar and stood up.
Jett thought the master wanted to go home, so he stood up to follow. This also prompted Chan, who was watching the boxing, to stand up, but the master gestured for Jett and Chan to sit back down.
"Where are you going, Master?" Jett blinked and asked. The master replied without looking back,
"I'm going to get some iced tea."
"Are you going by yourself, Master? It's very hot outside. Wouldn't it be better if I went to buy it?" Jett offered with good intentions, but the master shook his head briefly in refusal.
"I'll go myself." With that, he turned and walked away, not giving Jett a chance to object further, which left Jett puzzled, furrowing his brows and tilting his head in confusion.
In truth, when the master was alone, he usually did things by himself. But when his disciples were around to serve him, he never turned down their kindness. The disciples were always allowed to do things for him, making it rare for him to insist on doing something alone like this.
Or could it be...
"Hey, Chan."
"I'm not going. Just sit here quietly and let the master go.
Jett was about to suggest they follow the master, but Chan guessed his intention.
Upon hearing this, Jett was momentarily annoyed.
Luckily, before sitting down, Chan had bought some grilled bananas that Jett liked, which helped him calm down and sit quietly, eating the bananas.
Indeed, it was as hot outside as Jett had mentioned.
Pharan walked past several old coffee shops until he stopped in front of a juice bar...
It seemed that with each passing day, his resolve was slipping more and more.
"Have you finished buying things?" Pharan's voice came from above Khem's head, causing Khem to jump and look up. Pong was equally startled, not having noticed when the master had arrived.
"Uh, master." Pharan responded with a frown.
"I asked."
"Y-Yes, I am done, here...Phii Pong."
Pong looked at the master and then at Khem, feeling a twinge in his heart, but there was little he could do except accept the watermelon smoothie from Khem's hand, especially since the real deal was now here. It was time for someone like him to step back.
"Thank you, Nong Khem. We'll talk later then." But something prompted Pong to gently ruffle Khem's hair and smile before respectfully bowing to the master.
"I'll be going now, master. My father and I will come to visit when we have time."
After Pong left, Khem looked up at the master and asked,
"Shall we go now, master?" Pharan looked at Khem's slightly disheveled hair, which had been ruffled by Pong, with an unreadable expression hidden behind his dark sunglasses. His emotions were turbulent within him, yet he had no outlet for them.
There was no scripture to recite, and he couldn't meditate right there.
In the end, he reached up to fix Khem's natural brown hair back into place, seemingly ignoring Khem's wide-eyed, almost frightened look, and said,
"I want some iced tea." Khem's face immediately flushed, and he quickly nodded in agreement, following behind the master to buy iced tea, his hand secretly touching where he had been touched, his heart beating fast, before letting out a small sigh.
The master always made him think too much, and Khem was tired of constantly having to control his feelings.
Jett and Chan, who had not been waiting for long, saw the master return with a bag of oliang for the tea and their best friend following with cold milk. This sight made Jett bite his lip to contain his laughter, almost ready to slap his knee in triumph because his guess was spot on.
But he didn't dare...
There were also two more bags of iced tea that Khem brought, because Pharan had offered to buy him a drink, so Khem decided to get some for Jett and Chan as well.
After watching the boxing for a while longer, chief Chang came to discuss business as he had arranged with the master. It was about installing a mobile phone signal tower, which would improve communication for the villagers and those in nearby areas.
Once their discussion was over, they headed back home. Not long after Jett parked the car, Uncle Chai and Auntie Kaew came to take it back and also brought some of Grandma Si's steamed custard cakes.
For dinner that evening, Khem had bought fresh shrimp pad Thai from the boxing match event because it looked clean and appetizing, and it was plentiful, so they didn't cook anything else.
After finishing both the savory and sweet dishes, everyone dispersed.
Today, Jett and Chan were given a break from their usual meditation practice, so they planned to watch movies with Khem. They bought some snacks on the way back to prepare for their movie night.
Meanwhile, Pharan, after parting ways with the kids, went to meditate in the shrine room, reflecting on the events of the past few days.
Why had all this started, and when did it begin?
Why, the more he tried to run away, the more he was drawn closer?
Why, the more he pushed away, the less he could bear it when the otherperson tried to distance himself.
Was it because of the lingering memories from the past, or was it out ofpity for that child?
Maybe both, or maybe neither.
His furrowed brows relaxed slightly.
Time would be the ultimate test.
But before reaching that point, he should resolve the issues carried overfrom their past life.
Late that night, after finishing two movies, Jett and Chan moved from Khem's bed to their own.
The wooden door of the bedroom was pushed open once more, this time with Pharan using magic to ensure Jett and Chan slept soundly as before, albeit it took longer than usual because their spirits had grown much stronger through daily training.
His efforts in teaching them hadn't been in vain.
With his long legs, he approached the person sleeping with fluttering eyelids, sat down beside the bed, placed his hand on Khem's forehead, silently recited a spell, and then gently blew on Khem's head.
After only a few moments of waiting, Khem, who had dreamt of the master, woke up. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, they widened as he saw the master sitting beside him.
"Master..."
"Come with me." The master said softly, almost like an order, before standing up and leaving the room, leaving Khem to follow in a daze.
The master led Khem to the kitchen, instructing him to prepare two simple dishes: fish cake soup and fried salted fish, along with hot steamed rice. Then they carried the tray of food up to the house.
At this time, only the light from the lantern in the master's hand guided them. Khem followed the master to a door on the right wing of the Thai house, an area Jett had warned Khem never to enter.
The atmosphere here was eerily cold and unwelcoming. Above the door was a red talisman written by hand. Just looking at this door made Khem's heart beat with unexplained fear, wondering why the master had brought him here.
Pharan seemed to sense Khem's feelings, turned around, and looked at the trembling figure behind him.
"Look up." He commanded, but Khem stubbornly refused to comply. In the end, Pharan had to gently lift Khem's chin with his fingertips. The light from the lantern clearly revealed Khem's face.
Before he knew it, Khem was already crying.
Seeing Khem's tears softened Pharan's demeanor. He spoke in a soothing, deep voice,
"I'm here. What are you afraid of?"
"..."
"Take deep breaths and focus your mind." Khem blinked away his tears, slowly inhaled, and tried to compose himself as instructed by the master.
Pharan approved with a hum when he saw Khem's obedient demeanor, as if praising him for doing well, while gently wiping the tears from Khem's cheeks with his finger. Khem was so startled his eyes widened, then he quickly looked down again.
"I'm sorry." Khem said, feeling both guilty for acting without considering the situation and embarrassed, unsure which emotion was stronger.
"Come in." Khem swallowed hard before stepping into the room behind the master.
The master placed the oil lamp on the floor, instructed Khem to set the food tray on the opposite side, and then sat down with the lamp between him and the tray.
The master had disappeared somewhere within the room. Khem looked around to survey the surroundings. Although he couldn't see clearly, he
guessed this must be a storage room.
Not long after, the master returned with a clay pot inscribed with symbols, its opening covered with a red yantra cloth, which he placed near the food tray before sitting down beside Khem.
However, upon seeing the pot on the other side of the oil lamp, Khem's fear intensified, making him want to retreat, but the master's arm barred his movement.
Khem immediately sensed who was trapped inside that pot.
The deeply buried, terrible memories were dredged up again, and the horror of it made Khem want to cry out loudly.
"Ugh..."
But in reality, Khem couldn't cry out; he could only stare at the clay pot with wide, unblinking eyes, his breath shaky and uneven, enough to make anyone's heart sink.
Unsure of when it happened, the master had moved to sit close enough for their shoulders to touch. His warm hand gently stroked from Khem's head down to his back in a soothing rhythm, his deep voice seeming to sweep away the fear.
"Stay calm."
"I'm here."
"Ugh." Khem hiccupped before slowly nodding through his tears, his cold hand reaching out to tightly grasp the master's rough one, seeking the warmth to calm his mind, only to find himself being held in return...
This action entirely shifted Khem's attention back to himself.
"Listen carefully. This is what you need to do."
"..."
"The karma from this life is too heavy for anyone to help you escape, whether it's Jett, Chan, or even me."
"..."
"The matter of the karmic debts related to your family, even though I can't help much, but as for Chayot's case, I have a responsibility to share with you."
"..."
"At least, if we can release him, it will lighten the burden."
"..."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Khem slowly nodded his head, his heart swelling then suddenly deflating when he realized that all these actions were taken by the master merely out of a sense of past responsibility, not out of any other feelings towards him.
But at least, the other party was acting out of goodwill towards him, even though he was just someone seeking refuge. Not a student that needed protection and care, yet the master still extended his compassion.
Khem took a deep breath before softly asking,
"What should I do, sir?"
Pharan could read Khem's eyes and thought he might have misunderstood something, but he didn't intend to explain now. The important thing was releasing his brother from the past.
"Meditate, control your breathing, think of something that calms your mind, and let go of your worries." The master's touch gradually withdrew as Khem placed his right hand over his left and closed his eyes.
Khem thought of painting amidst nature, surrounded by green trees, with a light mist and gentle breeze.
Once his mind was calm, Khem's demeanor relaxed. Pharan continued,
"The reason Chayot has followed you across lifetimes like this must be because there was a promise between you in the past. Try to remember what you did or promised, take your time to recall it. Don't rush."
Khem inhaled deeply again and followed the instructions, delving deep into his fading memories, swimming through the pain, farewells, smiles, and laughter of every age, up to the first time he met Chayot.
That day, it was drizzling. Khemika, at nine years old, was riding in thecar her father was driving back home. However, as they were passing by aplayground, she noticed a boy sitting alone on a swing, even though therain was about to pour heavily.
Khemika recognized the boy; he had recently transferred to her schooland was even in her class.
She quickly asked her father to stop the car, grabbed an umbrella, andran through the rain to reach the boy.
Chayot, who was hoping to get sick from sitting in the rain to avoid goingto school, slowly lifted his head when he saw the hemline of someone's skirtand realized the rain had suddenly stopped.
He then realized the rain hadn't stopped; instead, the girl in front of himhad extended her umbrella to shield him from the rain.
"Who are you?" Chayot raised his eyebrows in question. Khemika smiledand replied,
"I'm Khemika."
"..."
"And you?" Chayot looked at Khemika's face for a while before softlyreplying amidst the increasingly heavy rain,
"I'm Chayot."
"Oh, I actually knew your name already." Khemika said with a laugh.
Strange person...Even though she was getting wet because she shared herumbrella with him, she laughed with a clear, untroubled voice.
Chayot thought to himself and looked away, not saying anything.
"Where's your house? Can I walk you home?" Khemika blinked andasked. Chayot bit his lip, looked down, and shook his head.
He didn't want to go home right now because he had just had a fight withhis parents.
Khemika understood his body language but persisted, "If so, why don'tyou come to my house? We have lots of snacks and toys."
Chayot frowned, feeling a bit insulted at the implication that he could beeasily lured with snacks and toys.
But just seeing the pleading look in her eyes, mixed with a slight shiverfrom the cold, was enough for him to easily agree and follow her to the car.
Khemika's family was kinder to strangers than he had anticipated; simplystating that Chayot was a schoolmate was enough for them to warmlywelcome him.
Khemika grew up in a well-rounded family, quite different from Chayot,who was often compared by the adults in his family to his brother, who wassmarter, more composed, and always did better academically, not tomention in other aspects of life.
However, Khemika was different from those people; she never comparedChayot to anyone else. She never forced him to be something he didn't wantto be, and she never praised Chayot's brother in front of him.
This was why Chayot opened his heart to Khemika, eventually becomingvery attached and ultimately becoming best friends. "Khem, when we grow up, shall we get married?" Chayot asked whilethey were playing house, taking on the role of a customer.
Hearing this, Khemika smiled in response, envisioning a future where shehad someone to protect and care for her. Someone who would always go
along with her wishes and would stand up for her if she ever did somethingwrong didn't seem like a bad idea, so she nodded in agreement.
"Yes, if by then I haven't found someone better than you, I'll marry you."
Chayot laughed, pleased with her statement.
"Then start preparing to be my bride, because there's no one better thanme in this world."
Chayot was confident about this until the day Khemika met his brother,Phawat, and all his dreams began to crumble.