A few days have pass, SO’s mom spilled a basket of fruit that she was carrying. Hakrit ran to her and help support her. SO’s mom is surprised to see him and comment that she has not seen him in a few days. He ask for SO and she tells him that she in the farm with nu kun.
Nu kun is pushing SO on the swing.
“I miss when we were younger and we used to play on this swing together.� SO memorize
“yes. when you grew up and moved in with your aunt and uncle in Bangkok, I sat here alone. I wondered when you would come back.�
“really, You never told me.�
“after awhile, I was use to it. I knew that at the end of the term you would return. I can wait.�
Nu kun picked a flower> “sotiya, you did not answer me. I am going to go study in American soon, will you wait for me?�
“if I don’t wait, then where will I go? This is my home.�
“hey.�
Nu kun placed the flower in her hair and looked at her. “beautiful.� Soriya smiled. “I was talking about the flower.�
Soriya’s smile disappeared and threw a small tantrum. Nu kun laughed and her and told her, “you are always beautiful to me, soriya. You don’t need the flower.�
“you are complimenting me, you must want something?�
Nu kun took this chance to ask her to wait for him. He kneeled in front of her. “I want an answer to one more question. Other than wait for me, can you not get involved with anyone?�
Meanwhile, hakrit was nearby and heard everything. E got extremely jealous. Nu kun stared at SO, waiting for an answer. SO was uncomfortable and changed the subject by saying she was thirsty. Nu kun understood that she was uncomfortable and went to get her some water.
SO left the swing and was walking around the farm. She saw a small squirrel and it reminded her of bua chom poo. The squirrel ran off and she turned to go back and she bumped into hakrit with full force. She realizes who it was and was startled. She tried to walk away but hakrit held her back.
“let me go.�
“promise me first that you will not leave. I have something to talk to you about.�
“but I have nothing to say to you.�
“that is okay. once I ask you something, you reply. Is sanseenee the reason for you avoiding me or is it because of nu kun?� soriya stood still. “answer me soriya.�
“don’t force me. I am not your prisoner anymore.�
“I know. Today, I do not come because of revenge.� Hakrit stood there looking at soriya.
“there is nothing between us anymore. What happens was a part of a story. It has ended and forgotten.�
“I will not forget. It may have started because I assumed wrong but the time that has past has given me much happiness. I cannot go back and live if I do not have you.�
Soriya was starting to soften up. He got closer and pulled out the pearl bracelet. “when I think of this pearl bracelet, I think of you.�
“what are you doing hakrit? You are about to marry my sister. You made her fall in love with you and you cannot break up with her.�
“why can’t I when she could do it to my brother. My brother died because she has a cold heart.�
SO was angry and she felt let down. She grabbed the pearl bracelet from his hand and ripped the pearl bracelet into pieces. the pearls scattered all over the ground.
“soriya, why did you do that?�
“I did it because you broke your promise, you broke your promise.�
SO ran off but hakrit caught up to her and he pulled her to face him.
“you are right, I broke my promise. Then tell me, if there is no sanseenee, can you love me?�
“you came too far to ask me that. Go back. Let me live my life the way it was before you came into it and don’t let the person that harin love feel pain.�
Hakrit heard harin’s name and became still. Soriya tried to pull away but hakrit pulled her in closer and held her tighter.
“no soriya, I love you.�
Hakrit help onto soriya like he was never going to let her go. Soriya ran out of energy to fight and let herself be hug. She closed her eyes and cherish this minute for as long as she could before she push one final time and got loose from hakrit’s grip.
“let me go and do not come back here again!!�
SO ran and when she finally stopped she let all her tears come out. She slump her body down. Nu kun came up to her and gave her a nudge. So looked up and when she realizes it was nu kun she ran into her friend’s arms. He hugged her and let her release her sorrows. After awhile, he gave her something to drink and he offered her a way out.
“want to come to America with me?�
Soriya could not say anything. She did not think she would hear this from nu kun and she asked him why he ask her.
“I saw everything awhile ago. I do not want to leave you here to face your troubles alone. I know that nai hakrit would come after you and if your sister knows she will say you try to steal her boyfriend. Things will blow up when she find out.�
“why do you think that leaving is an option?�
“if I am not here then who is going to watch you. I am afraid that you are going to soften up to hakrit.�
“he is not coming back. I told him to never come back.�
Meanwhile, hakrit walked aimlessly. He did not see so’s mom. When she called his name out she shook him back to reality.
“are you leaving? Why don’t you stay and have dinner with us.�
Hakrit did not know what to say. SO’s mom realize something was wrong and asked him to the point.
“did you have an argument with soriyA.
Hakrit was breathless. “you know?�
“I don’t know everything but I think I know something from looking at my daughter. Since you been around, my daughter has been acting strange. You have anything to tell me?�
“soriya is mad at me. I must have done a lot of bad things to her, she must hate my face.�
“can I ask you something, what is the opposite of love?�
Hakrit was confused. “I guess hatred.�
“no feelings at all. Someone who has no feeling at all, now that mean they do not love you. If they hate you, it means that they have some feeling towards you. Can you tell me now, what did you do to make so hate you?�
hakrit decided to tell her everything. “I have something to confess , I have a lot.�
“what do you have to confess?�
“I am harin’s brother.� So’s mom was shocked. Hakrit continued with what happen between him and SO.
Nu kun brought soriya home.
“loving someone who has someone is full of misery but I love you.�
Soriya was shocked. She turned to him and nu kun continued. “I love you so much that I am willing to be with you for the rest of my life. Today, you may not be ready but I promise that I will look after you. Don’t stay here. Come with me.�
Nu kun took her hand and she pulled it back. He thought that she was rejecting him and told her it was okay and turned to walk away.
“I was just thinking that I want to leave as soon as possible.� SO told him
Nu kun turned around and smiled. SO forced herself to smile back and thought she was doing the right thing. The next morning, mother and daughter sat in front of her dad’s picture. So’s mom told her that if she really wanted to go she will not stop her. She asked her if she really wanted to go or was she going to avoid someone. So looked at her mom and ask her why she asks her that.
“I don’t want to see you decide something because of the moment. Nu kun is a good person and I know that he will look after you but you have to ask yourself who you really want to look after you for the rest of your life. forcing yourself to be with someone you do not love is a great misery.�
“did someone say something to you?�
“no one said anything, only someone who confess the wrong he have done.�
Soriya became like stone and ask her mom who it was.
“you know who it is.�
“what did he tell you?�
So’s mom took her daughter’s hands, “he told me everything. Hakrit told me everything. He confess the wrong he committed and asked for my forgiveness.�
SO no longer was like stone and fell into her mom’s arm and let out a river of tears. so’s mom asked her why she did not tell her. She told her that she have her and the pain she have she can help lighten them.
“I am sorry. I was afraid he would return to hurt pee sanseenee.�
“who is going to harm sanseenee. just tell your uncle and he would have him arrested.�
“no mom, I will not …….� So stopped herself.
SO’s mom knew what she was feeling. “You will not what dear.�
“I do not want anyone to be in trouble anymore. I am not mad at anyone. I just want everything to end with me. It has passed, it is the end. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.�
SO’s mom grabbed her and looked her in the face. “you are afraid that if you say anything, khun hakrit will get arrested, is that right?�
“MOM!�
“soriya, I am your mom. Why do you have to keep things from. You can hide things from other people but you can tell me anything. I will never hurt you.�
Soriya started to cry and told her that she was afraid.
Her mom comfort her and asked her if she love him. Soriya could not say anything for a second and then she nodd her head yes as tears ran down her face. Soriya hugged her mom even tighter and cried into her mom’s lap. Nu kun was behind the door and heard everything.