Jaokhun woke up Saturday morning to three things: a text from Nont, a bank notification, and the realization that he'd signed a contract without reading it.
The text from Nont: "Dude, the rent money actually showed up. What kind of government job did you get?"
The bank notification: "Current balance: 47 baht."
The realization: He should probably check what he'd signed.
He pulled out the welcome packet Onepen had given him. Twenty-three pages. He flipped to page one, read three sentences about "organizational mission and values," got bored, and skipped to the important parts.
Page eight had a table. "Salary progression by grade level." He read the numbers. 30,000 baht per month after training. 37,000 after two years. 45,000 after five years.
Not bad.
He flipped to page eleven. "Termination clause and penalty structure."
Year one termination: 847,000 baht owed.
Jaokhun stared at the number. Then he laughed. 847,000 baht. He didn't even know what that much money looked like. If he tried to quit, they'd what? Take his three pairs of sneakers and call it even?
He kept reading. "Violation of contract terms may result in corrective measures including but not limited to: asset seizure, temporary physical bindings, and mandatory community service in designated realms."
"Temporary physical bindings." That sounded like either a yoga class or a threat. Probably a threat.
His phone buzzed. Nont again: "Want breakfast? I'm buying jok."
Jaokhun looked at his bank balance. 47 baht. One bowl of jok was 35 baht. That left 12 baht for the rest of the weekend.
He texted back: "Yeah, get me one. I'll pay you back on the first."
"You always say that."
"This time I have a salary. Government salary. Very official."
"You've been employed for one day and you're already broke."
"I'm strategically conserving resources."
Twenty minutes later, Nont came back with two bowls of jok and handed one to Jaokhun.
"So what's this government job?" Nont sat down.
"Data management. Ministry of Interior." Jaokhun stirred his jok. "Very boring. Very official."
"Doing what?"
"Filing. Documentation. Tracking things." All technically true. "Important things. Probably."
"They cleared your student debt for filing papers?"
"Government wants committed employees. Seven-year contract." Jaokhun took a bite. "Worth it though. 30,000 baht per month after training."
"When's training done?"
"Six months."
"So you're broke for six more months?"
"I get 5,000 baht per month during training. Stipend."
Nont looked impressed. "That's not bad."
"It's survival money. But it's money." Jaokhun finished his jok. "I start Monday. Need to look professional. Can I borrow 500 baht for a shirt?"
"You just borrowed breakfast."
"That was 35 baht. This is an investment. I need to make a good first impression."
"You have shirts."
"I have one shirt with a pad thai stain from 2023. Can't wear that to a government job."
Nont sighed and pulled out his wallet. "500 baht. You're paying me back on the first."
"Deal." Jaokhun took the money. "You're a good friend."
"I'm an idiot. That's what I am."
After Nont left for his shift at the convenience store, Jaokhun counted his resources. Bank account: 47 baht. Wallet: 500 baht from Nont. Total: 547 baht.
He needed a work shirt. That was priority one.
He took the BTS to Pratunam. Twenty baht for the ride. That left 527 baht.
The clothing market was crowded. He found a stall selling button-up shirts.
"How much for this one?" He pointed at a plain white shirt.
"500 baht."
"I'll give you 350."
"This is quality fabric. 480."
"It's polyester. I can see the tag. 350."
"450 final price."
Jaokhun pulled out his wallet and made a show of counting his money slowly. "I have 400 baht. That's all I have. Please."
The vendor looked at him. Jaokhun gave her his most desperate smile. The same smile that had convinced three freshmen to join his fake investment club.
"Fine. 400."
He handed over the money. She wrapped the shirt in a plastic bag.
He walked away with 127 baht left. Minus 20 baht for the BTS ride home. That left him with 107 baht.
For the rest of the weekend.
He did the math in his head. 107 baht divided by two days. About 53 baht per day. That was one meal per day if he was smart about it.
He could survive two days on 107 baht. Probably.
When he got home, Nont was watching TV.
"Did you get a shirt?"
"Yeah." Jaokhun held up the bag. "Professional. Respectable. Boring."
"Did you eat lunch?"
Jaokhun's stomach made a noise.
Nont laughed. "There's leftover rice in the fridge. Help yourself."
"Really?"
"It's just rice. I'm not going to let you starve."
Jaokhun heated up the rice and ate it standing at the counter. Plain white rice had never tasted so good.
After he finished, he went back to his room and dumped out the welcome packet on his bed.
The glossy brochure showed a fancy glass building with people in expensive suits. Very professional. Very impressive.
Then he looked at the address on the printed map: "Sukhumvit Soi 23, 3rd Floor (Above 7-Eleven)."
Above a 7-Eleven.
He'd seen this trick before. Show the fancy headquarters in the brochure, put the actual office in a cheap building. Classic bait and switch.
His office was probably going to smell like old noodles and have one broken air conditioner. He knew it. But the money was real, so he didn't care.
He kept digging through the packet. Training schedule, workplace policies, benefits information.
And a plastic card.
A BTS Rabbit card with a sticky note attached: "Welcome, Agent! Your first month's travel stipend (1,000 baht) is pre-loaded. - Khun Onepen 😊"
Jaokhun stared at the card. Free transportation for a month. That was actually useful.
He'd been worried about commute costs. The BTS to Sukhumvit was at least 40 baht round trip. Over a month, that was 1,200 baht. More than his entire current net worth.
But now he had a loaded card. Problem solved.
He looked at the contract again. Flipped to page nineteen. There was a section titled "Workplace Safety and Injury Compensation."
It started normal. "Broken bones, lacerations, burns, sprains."
Then it got weird. "Possession (temporary), possession (extended), curse damage, reality displacement, timeline contamination."
Possession was listed between burns and sprains like it was a normal workplace injury.
Jaokhun laughed. Either this was the weirdest filing job in Thailand, or someone in HR had a sense of humor.
He flipped to page five. "Equipment and technology policies."
"Employees will be issued standard equipment including: ID badge, access card, documentation tablet, and VeilSight apparatus."
There was a footnote next to VeilSight.
"VeilSight technology consists of bio-integrated optical enhancement. Installation performed by IT Department during first week. Procedure takes approximately 15 minutes. Minor discomfort may occur. Recovery time: 2-4 hours."
He read it twice.
Installation. Optical enhancement. Minor discomfort.
They were going to put something in his eyes.
He flipped back to the equipment cost table. VeilSight apparatus: 380,000 baht replacement cost.
380,000 baht. In his eyes.
His phone buzzed. Text from Khun Onepen: "Hi Jaokhun! Hope you're having a great weekend! Just a reminder about Monday! 8 AM sharp! Dress professionally! We'll start with orientation and facility tour! So exciting! 😊"
Another message followed immediately: "Oh! We'll also do your VeilSight installation on Monday! It's a special contact lens that gets absorbed into your eyes! Very advanced technology! Don't worry, everyone says it just tingles a bit! See you soon! 😊😊😊"
Three emojis. That was either very good or very bad.
Jaokhun put his phone down.
Contact lenses that get absorbed into your eyes. That sounded fake. Or dangerous. Or both.
But also, 380,000 baht worth of technology. That sounded expensive and probably real.
He looked at his bank balance again. 47 baht.
He looked at the contract termination fee. 847,000 baht.
He looked at his new shirt hanging on the closet door. 400 baht.
His entire life could be measured in baht right now, and none of the numbers were big enough.
His phone buzzed again. This time it was Pim.
"Hey! I heard you got a job! Government thing? Tell me everything!"
Pim was his friend from Anthropology class. She loved weird stuff. Conspiracy theories, mythology, urban legends. If he told her about the Naga and Garuda, she'd probably explode with excitement.
But the contract had a confidentiality clause. Page three. "50,000 baht penalty per violation."
He texted back: "Yeah, government job. Data management. Super boring."
"What kind of data?"
"Reports. Documentation. Files." He tried to think of the most boring thing possible. "Inventory tracking."
"That doesn't sound like you."
"It pays 30,000 baht per month after training. That sounds exactly like me."
"When do you start?"
"Monday. 8 AM."
"You've never woken up at 8 AM in your life."
"I'm turning over a new leaf. Responsible. Professional. Employed."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
He put his phone down. He wanted to tell her about the Naga and Garuda. About Onepen and her cheerful threats. About the contract with penalties that cost more than a car.
But 50,000 baht per violation. He couldn't afford to tell anyone anything.
He spent the rest of Saturday trying not to think about Monday.
Sunday was worse.
He woke up to 47 baht in his bank account and a text from Nont: "I'm making fried rice. Want some?"
"Yes." Jaokhun replied immediately.
"You're paying me back on the first, right?"
"I promise. Official government salary."
"You better not be scamming me."
"I'm not. I have a contract and everything."
Nont made fried rice with egg and Chinese sausage. Jaokhun ate two plates.
"You're really hungry," Nont said.
"I'm strategically eating now so I don't have to eat later."
"That's not how food works."
"It works if you're broke enough."
After lunch, Jaokhun tried on his new shirt. It fit okay. A little loose, but professional enough. He looked at himself in the mirror.
White shirt. Black jeans. Limited edition Nike Dunk Lows in cream and burgundy.
He looked like someone who had a real job. Almost.
His phone buzzed. Another text from Onepen: "Don't forget to bring your ID, student ID, and house registration copy tomorrow! We'll need them for your employee file! Also, have you eaten today? Make sure you eat breakfast before you come in! The VeilSight installation works better on a full stomach! 😊"
Jaokhun read the message three times.
Works better on a full stomach.
That implied it could work worse on an empty stomach. That implied it was the kind of procedure that could go wrong.
He texted back: "What happens if I don't eat breakfast?"
The reply came instantly: "Oh nothing serious! You might just feel dizzy or nauseous! But probably you'll be fine! Most people are fine! See you tomorrow! 😊😊"
Most people. Probably fine.
He put his phone face down on his desk.
Monday. Tomorrow. 8 AM.
He was going to let someone put 380,000 baht worth of contact lenses into his eyes, and apparently he needed to eat breakfast first or something bad might happen.
He looked at his bank account. 47 baht.
He looked at his wallet. 60 baht in coins from yesterday.
He looked at his fridge. Empty except for Nont's leftover rice.
Breakfast tomorrow was going to be interesting.
He spent the rest of Sunday organizing his documents. ID card, student ID, house registration copy. He put them in a folder so he'd look prepared.
Professional. Organized. Employable.
At 10 PM, he set his alarm for 6:30 AM. That gave him enough time to shower, get dressed, eat whatever breakfast he could scrounge up, and take the BTS to Sukhumvit.
He lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow he'd start his new job at a secret supernatural government agency. They'd put expensive contact lenses in his eyes. He'd learn to see things that normal people couldn't see. He'd file paperwork about manifestations and entities and probably things he didn't have words for yet.
And he'd get paid 5,000 baht per month for six months, then 30,000 baht per month after that.
He just had to survive seven years without quitting and owing 847,000 baht.
Easy.
Probably.
His phone buzzed one last time. Onepen again: "Good night! Get lots of rest! Tomorrow is going to be amazing! Welcome to LMFAO! 😊😊😊😊"
Four emojis.
Jaokhun turned off his phone and closed his eyes.
Tomorrow was going to be something. He wasn't sure what. But something.