The rain just stopped and left the leaves on the trees glistening under the soft afternoon light. Bass has just finished enrolling himself at the New Siam Institute of Arts & Sciences. New Siam is a school for Thai descendants in the Philippines or those who wish to study the language and culture.
Bass did not want to go to New Siam. He wanted to go to a local university. But his father wanted him to study at the said school to prepare himself in moving to Thailand in the next three years. His mother, though a Filipina, agrees to it as she sees it best for the whole family. The Philippines was in a struggling state, she thought.
As Bass treads the path going to the exit, he pressed the snap button of his umbrella to close. Whisks of raindrops flew in all directions, and he heard one voice bawled over. When the umbrella was stowed away, a young man showed up looking pissed. He wiped off the droplets of water all over his face and shirt. He gave a glaring eye back to Bass.
"Ngoh Khwaai!" he shouted.
"Sorry!" Bass uttered in shock. He did not understand the Thai language, let alone how to speak it.
The young man hissed and shoved Bass on the side and stormed off. Bass stood there, shocked and embarrassed. This was the reason why he did not want to study here. He can't fit in.
Bass looked back to see if the young man was still there. Much to his surprise, the guy was still at the curve of the road glaring back at him with contempt. He then strode off past the building to his right. Bass was pissed, shouting "asshole!" as he went straight home.
Classes were to start a week after enrollment. Bass has been trying his best to learn Thai from the language books his family bought for him. He picked first a book about daily Thai expressions since it would be helpful to learn basic communication skills once school starts. Bass scanned through the table of contents to have a general view of its lessons. In the last chapter of the book, it said, "Bonus: Cussing in Thai" Bass smirked, thinking it would be fun to cuss in Thai so that his own friends won't know when he pokes fun of them.
Bass scrolled over the chapter and read across something familiar:
"โง่ – Ngoh" and "ควาย – Khwaai"
A voice suddenly echoed inside his head. In an instant, memories came flashing back to him. He recalled the day he met the arrogant young man. His words echoed and echoed over inside Bass's head. When he looked for the English translation on the next column, Bass was filled with rage.
"stupid," the text wrote in" โง่" and "buffalo" came after "ควาย" Stupid Buffalo.
"Asshole!" he said again, steaming in anger for not cussing back at him.
A week has passed, and classes finally began in New Siam. Bass sat quietly at the back of the classroom. He took up International Relations Major in Thai Language and Culture. He did not even know basic Thai, yet he went up for a "very-Thai" course. Oh well, pass or fail, they will still move to Thailand. He'll just take a random white-collar job there and continue his already-boring life.
The room was filled with students, and everyone was just waiting for the instructor to arrive. Unlike other tertiary institutions, New Siam practices block-sectioning. This means that the cluster of students taking up one particular course will remain as classmates until their senior year. Bass looked around the room, observing the people he will be classmates with for the next three years. No one looks like a Filipino. "Damn, looks like everyone here is a pure Thai national," he said to himself. Perhaps, he's the only Filipino-Thai student in class, or worse, in the whole school.
Bass's midday crisis went to a halt as everybody retreated to their seats. The classroom adviser has arrived. "Good day everyone, I'm Professor Nontawat Juttarapatapong," said the man in crisp, light blue sleeves, who is presumably in his 40s. He continued introducing himself to everyone, switching between English and Thai, which Bass could hardly follow. Bass got bored eventually and paid no attention any longer to his instructor. The professor then paused momentarily and moved to another topic. "At the International Relations Department of New Siam, we offer student-exchange programs with partner-Thai schools," he began. "This year will be our first program exchange with Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, and they have sent one of their best students to work with us for this school year,"
Bass's attention was caught again. He wondered who could be this "best student" all the way from Bangkok.
"Please welcome to the class, Godt Suttirat," announced Professor Nontawat enthusiastically and gestured his hand to the student to come inside and present himself.
"Sawatdee Khrap. I'm Godt Suttirat, 25, from Bangkok," said the young man and folded his hands together as he bows to everyone. Bass, on the other hand, could not be more surprised.
"What the?!" he exclaimed. It was the same dude who pushed him over last time. Bass gave a condescending look back at Godt as he continues to introduce himself to the class. But the longer Bass glares at him, the more he was driven to the features of his face.
Unexpectedly handsome, Godt's eyes were bright and wide. His face was spotless similar to television stars. The dark, subdued-brown color of his hair brushed up to one side, and his smile beamed white as if it came straight out of a toothpaste commercial.
Bass shook his head off to get out of thought. He exhaled deeply and stared back again distastefully. "That asshole must have extensive skincare regimen," he said to himself and shrugged off any silly thoughts further.
"Godt, you may take your seat over there," pointing towards Bass's direction. Bass jerked from his seat and groaned over the suggestion. The only vacant seat was next to him; everyone else was huddled in groups since they've known each other since high school. New Siam has a high school department apart from operating as a tertiary institution.
Godt walked straight in his direction and pulled up the chair to sit. When their eyes met, Godt's face twitched in surprise. "Hai? Bpen khon nan eeng!" he mumbled.
"What? What did you say?" retorted Bass.
"Khoon keuy khon thii phom hen meuua waan nii" said Godt again.
"Why is it that this guy was sent here?! You can't even speak English!" Bass hollered at the back of his mind. "Whatever! You called me stupid last time and I won't forget that!" yelled Bass and looked away from Godt.
"Because you were not looking your way,"
Bass turned his head back to Godt. Did he just hear him speak English?
"You can speak English?" Bass asked, to which Godt nodded in affirmation.
"Dammit!" Bass hollered. "You were rude that day, you know that? I didn't do it on purpose," he grumbled in exasperation as he tried to sound correct in English.
"I got soaked from the whisks of your umbrella," Godt replied. "I think you should be sorry,"
"I said I was sorry," Bass retorted. "But you were so arrogant you did not hear a word"
"What did you say?" Godt replied, unable to understand his last statement. "Whatever!" Bass responded and turned his back from Godt. Seeing Bass's rude behavior, Godt ended up getting irritated and turned the other way around as well.
"Bass, please come to my office after your class," Professor Nontawat called out. Bass was surprised, but he managed to nod at Professor Nontawat, or Mr. Pong, as he prefers to be called. Juttarapatapong was a rather lengthy name to say.
Class ended at three in the afternoon for first-year students of the International Relations program. Bass collected all his books and placed them inside his bag. Just as he was about to move out of his chair, Godt bumped against him. He was about to leave too. Godt gave him a pissed-off stare, to which Bass glared angrily back and pushed him aside. "What's this dude's deal?! Looking at my direction as if he's the school's dean!" he said to himself and went to the IR Department.
* * * *
"What?!" Bass remarked, utterly shocked by Mr. Pong's request.
"You just have to show him around the city," said Mr. Pong. "Teach him a thing or two about going around and give some helpful tips on how to get along with the locals,"
"But sir, I'm not good in Thai!" rebutted Bass. "Why me?"
"Well, in your class, only you have been raised and born here in the Philippines, everyone else grew up in Thailand and only stayed here after a few years," explained the professor. Bass looked agitated about his new task. It's only been the first day of class, and his adviser is already giving him unbelievable demands. "Oh God! Sir can you please ask someone else? I am not good with being a tour guide!" Bass protested, his English barely catching up with his thoughts. "Hirap naman mag English buong araw! Eh di ko nga pinapansin English books ko nung highschool at elementary!" (Dammit! It's so hard to speak in English for an entire day! Heck, I didn't even bother reading my English books back in high school and primary!) Bass complained further. Bass is not really bad in English. In fact, he's really good at it. It's just that his mind is not so fast in translating thoughts to speeches.
"Bass," Mr. Pong continued. "do this as a favor from your adviser. And when you ever need one, use this 'card' and you can get anything you want from me,"
"What kind of a teacher are you? Bribing your students to do your work," he thought suspiciously.
"It's supposed to be my task but I have other things to do for the semester," Professor Nontawat added. "Whatever you will be doing both, I'll cover both of your expenses,"
Bass, feeling trapped and out of options, reluctantly gave his yes. Mr. Pong thanked him warmly in return and said, "Wait outside the office, and tell Godt to come inside... once we're done, you two can go home,"
"You're not serious right? It starts right now?!" Bass remarked in disbelief. "Yes, now please call Godt" and gestured him to leave.
Bass went outside the faculty room and met Godt by the door. "Professor Nontawat said you can come in," he said blandly. For the next 15 minutes, Bass waited by the bench outside the IR Department. When the doors were opened, Godt Suttirat came out looking equally pained as well. Starting this day, they will have to endure their unexpected pact together.
"Professor Nontawat says you are to show me around the city," he murmured awkwardly, his eyes looking elsewhere.
"Don't make it sound as if you're the victim" Bass's eyes rolled out. "But yes, I am here to help you get around," Bass replied.
"So be good," he added.
Godt did not say anything and just nodded quietly. His eyes still not looking back at him.
"Shall we go?" Bass said and started walking out of the building. Godt tailed him from behind.
Bass and Godt walked in silence towards the exit, with Bass walking a few steps ahead from Godt. The sky was glowing a bright orange hue, and lights began to glow from surrounding households. Both were quiet, waiting for the other to say something. The soft afternoon wind brushed away as the birds in the sky retreated back to the hanging cable wires along the busy downtown road. Bass hated silence. To him, it feels as if he's acting a little rude to those around him, so when they were at the gates of the school, he asked:
"Hey moron," Bass called out, the last word he voiced out low enough so Godt couldn't hear it. "Where do you live?"
Godt looked up to him, a little startled. "Why?" he asked.
"Well," Bass started. "If I were to accompany you around the city, at least I should know where you live so I could tell you where to take a ride and what to ride,"
Godt, with a rather shy look on his face, pointed the road going up the hill. "I live over there, three houses away,"
"Malapit lang pala, okay lumayas kana!" (So you live close by, get lost then!) Bass spewed jokingly.
"I don't understand Philippine" replied Godt.
"It's nothing, and it's Filipino, if you're referring to the language," replied Bass.
Godt nodded and smiled. For some reason, Bass's chest skipped a beat. "Y-You live alone?" he asked out of the blue.
"Yes, all by myself!" Godt said proudly. His eyes and lips smiled as if it was one of the best things Godt had ever had in his life. Inexplicably, Bass also smiled at the thought of it. Godt, being independent… or Godt, smiling at him. It was hard to tell.
"Let's just plan where to go, tomorrow" Bass said and waved him goodbye. Godt bid farewell as well and turned towards the opposite direction.
Bass started trailing down the road to his house when suddenly, "Khoon Bass!"
Bass turned around and saw Godt running in his direction. When he was right before where he stood, Godt bent down and paused to catch his breath.
"What?" Bass asked.
"Uhm..." Godt murmured, his hand still resting over his knees as he tried to normalize breathing. "Can I get your number?" he asked.
Bass blushed. "Why?"
"So, we can call each other tomorrow?" Godt replied and handed over his iPhone. Bass looked hesitant at first. A bit sheepish, but he eventually took the phone away and gave his number.
"Khaawp Khoon Khrap!" Godt responded and fashioned his hands in prayer. Then again, they parted ways.
"Ano ba yun..." (What was that all about...) Bass thought to himself, puzzled by the scenario but mysteriously happy.