I'm sitting in front of the mirror table, watching my reflection who seems to look pity as always. I had a nightmare again, the same bad dream for nine years now. Thanks to my phone who rang at twelve midnight who helped me escaped it.
I have a flight 3am today so I woke up early. Because it's cold outside, I wear an oversized orang sweatshirt paired with a pants I bought last week. After drying my hair, I went downstairs to prepare sandwiches because I forgot to each lunch last night, maybe because I'm tired. My baggage is already at the living room so I can leave immediately after this.
FLASHBACK
I was searching for something really important two weeks ago. It was a red box that mom gave me at the hospital one rainy night. She told me to open it only when I'm too tired of school or if I want to relax. It took me long before I found it because I hide it inside my room for a couple of years. I don't know why my mind suddenly thought about it. I found it under her old clothes inside the cabinet on her room. I opened it immediately, there's a card inside and a picture. When I looked at it, there are three people smiling. A woman with short blonde hair took a selfie with two people who seems to be couples because they look sweet while holding hands behind her. It was mom but I don't know who the other two are. At the back of the photo, there's a message she wrote:
My one and only son that I love the most above all, if time comes that you're tired and want to take a breath? Call this number. Tell her that you are my son and she will help you with everything.
P.S she's a great friend of me, you can call her auntie.
I dialed the number on the calling card. I waited for quite long before someone answered the call.
[Hello, who is this?]
A woman with high pitched of voice is speaking at the other side.
"H-hi" I'm a bit nervous.
[Again, who are you?]
"I'm Renjun Saengdad Chatmanee..."
[Renjun who?]
I was about to tell her my name again but I didn't because I heard her screaming that made me distance my phone from my ear.
[Are you... Karen's son?]
"Yes, I am"
We're talking for almost two hours. She told me some stories during their high school years. She is mom's childhood friend, they went to the same school even up to college. When I asked her about the guy in the picture, she said it's her husband that mom introduced her. She also told me how caring mom was as a friend, and how popular she was in school back then. She laughed while recalling the past, she sounds really happy.
[By the way, why did you call?]
"Uh, she told me to call this number when I want to relax or take a rest. Do you own a spa?"
She laughed.
[No I don't, but I have rest house you can rent here. Your mom used to stay her when she's tired working. She usually spent four to nine days here]
"Oh, maybe she want me to do the same"
[I think so. Wanna stay here for a while?]
I remained quiet for a moment, thinking hard. Maybe I can stay there during the semestral break. Besides, mom recommended it too me so there's nothing wrong if I give it a try.
"Can I go there during the last day of this month? I want to stay there for two weeks to spend my break from school"
[Last day? Sure, why not?]
"Just text me how I can go there"
[But wait, did you ask permission from your—]
"I'm living on my own, I don't need anyone's permission. I have to hang the call now, I have projects to finish"
[Okay, then I'll just text you how to get here]
"Okay"
It's happening now. I rent a private van to bring me there, it cost much but it's fine. The place where I'm heading to Prachinburi, she told me that her son will be waiting at the bus station. Well, I can go there through bus but I easily get sick, it's because I'm not used to it.
The driver is one of my neighbors. He is a fat old guy with thick mustache but he's not scary at all. In fact, he is a good person, he offered me a free ride but I refused.
Traveling there from bangkok took me almost two hours. Just like what my mom's friend said I told the driver to drop me at the bus station. Before I left the car, I gave him an envelope with money inside, he was hesitated so I left it on his lap. I watched the car leave.
It was too dark, no one is here except me. I stay right in front of the entrance while sitting at the top of buggage. My phone vibrated and when I check it, there's a message from someone.
"Did you arrived safely?"
"I'm at the bus station already, just text me back if you're here okay?"
"By the way, I'm the son of your mom's friend. She sent me in behalf of her to fetch you"
I sighed.
"I'm here at the entrance, I can't see anyone else here, my sight is blurry"
Then he replied after a short while,
"I can see you"
I keep on looking around me till I my eyes caught a light from someone's phone. He's waving at me. I carried my things and walked towards him. He's wearing a jacket but wait, he paired with shorts? It's useless.
He smiled at me, "Hi!"
I nodded. Just by looking at his face, I can say that this guy is older than me. His body is twice bigger than mine and it's kinda make me feel jealous.
"Are you Renjun?" he asked.
I nodded again. He frowned at me before hissing and suddenly laughed. He grabbed my things from my hands and left me with nothing.
"Your name is long, sounds like a korean name. Can I call Jun?"
"NO!"
My loud voice made him looked surprised. I looked away. I put my hands inside my pocket while preparing to speak.
"Why...are you mad?" He asked looking at me confused.
"Just call Ren, people around me call me that way"
He looked at me seriously before smiling, he nodded. I avoided looking at him. I feel it awkward to talk to him after that.
I followed him outside where he left his car. He put my things at the back of it before occupying the driver's seat. I was still standing outside, hesitating. Really I yelled at him just because he wanted to call me that way, seriously!?
I felt my phone vibrating again on my hand. When I looked at the screen, I got a text from him.
"Are you coming inside or I'll drag you inside? Choose wisely"
I opened the other door myself and saw him raising an eye on me, smirking. I forced a smile before and sit down quietly.
This guy beside me is driving seriously. He didn't talk and so I am. I leaned my back on my seat trying to make myself comfortable. I tried to familiarize the way from the bus station to our destination, it's because I'm bored but can't even fall back to sleep. I saw him stretched his arms to turn the radio on. He looked at me when he noticed me staring at him.
"What?" He raised an eye.
I shrugged my shoulder before looking away. It was too cold but my top is thick enough to warm me up. I closed my eyes as I heard a familiar music intro, it was a song I like to listen to. I smiled before my mind sing along the radio without voice coming from my mouth.
"Tell me about your dreaming,
I believe I was there too"
"I could sense your breathing,
Lying in a different room"
I listen to this song especially when I'm looking for reasons to stay positive. I don't know why but I kinda enjoy the vibe of this song. Listening to random songs one night then suddenly this one played.
"Light it up, light it up
Like it's the first day of our lives"
"Fireflies , fireflies
They see us dancing in the sky"
I don't know when I fell asleep but I just woke up. Maybe while jamming with the song earlier. The car stopped already somewhere I don't know. The windshield is a bit blurry because it's cold and droplets of water formed. My blurry sight made it even harder for me to look. I can see trees... and houses. There are animals around too like cows, horses, and goats. When I looked beside me, the guy driving earlier was sleeping while his head was on the steering wheel. I didn't wake him up instead I went out of the car. Suddenly I shiver when the cold touches my skin.
I'm at a ... farm?
I walked a bit but not that far from the car. I stretched my arms as well as my body. A green surrounding like this is kind of refreshing and new to my sight, maybe this is the reason why mom wanted me to go here. The sunrises already. I took my phone out of my pocket to take a picture of the beautiful sight.
Arf arf!
"Polca wait!"
I saw a dog running towards me. It's a brown large one taking huge leaps. The outer coat is dense with straight hair that lies close to the body, and is wavy and wiry. And it looks like ... it wants to ... bite me??
I slowly stepped back trying my best to runaway because there's still a huge gap between us.
One step, two step, three, four, RUN!!!
I run as fast as I can them jump inside the car immediately. It was too cold outside that I'm not sweating at all. I watched the dog sit outside looking at me. The stranger following stopped to before she bend down to stroke the dogs head.
I sighed. I almost scream when I saw the driver's face near mine. He is frowning and observing my look. I distance my head while pushing his away from me.
"What happened to you?" He is raising an eye at me again, tsk.
I shock my head watching the dog and it's owner have fun outside. Did she forgot that someone inside here was almost bitten?
"Scared or dogs?" He asked before laughing, "what the—"
"I'm not! But it was taking a huge leap with tongue out that it looks like it wants to bite me!"
"Liar" he chuckled.
I'm looking at the owner of the dog until I notice something. She looks exactly like ... like my mom's friend??
I looked at the guy beside me who is smiling at me. I think he knew that I realize just now.
"That's mom, and that dog? It's mine"
I nodded.
"Polca is a sweet playful dog. He gets jealous sometimes when I'm with someone else. But I think he likes you"
Likes me? How can this guy say so. Look at those eyes staring at me, I can only see anger inside those scary eyes.
"He never approach my friends when they come here. When I saw him running towards you earlier, I can say that he likes you"
So he woke up the moment I run back towards the car, and pretend to be asleep before I went inside?
"Don't be scared, polca will not harm you"
"Polca?"
"Short for Pasuthorn Orion Light Chanisa Amporn, isn't it a nice name?"
I hissed watching him looking proud for naming a dog with that. He name it Polca as in the cute cartoon character in red and black.
I went out of the car slowly. The dog stand up and walked closer to me still with tongue out that it looks like it wants to devour the meatless me. He started sniffing around me then run to its owner who came out of the car.
I looked at the person in front of me. She looks as young as the girl in the picture. Her eyes are the same as her son. I saw the corner of her mouth raise forming a huge smiling.
"Hello" she gave me a waai and I also did the same, "You must be Renjun. Karen's son?"
I nodded with a little smile on my face, "You can call me Ren for short"
She walked towards me to give me a warm welcoming hug. It feels kinda strange because no one hugged me like this for a long time now. She stepped back still smiling at me genuinely.
"Welcome, this is the place where your mom grew up"
"R-really?"
She nodded