Pa-ploy herself couldn't remember who came up with the idea to play the question-and-answer game and celebrate after final exams. It might've been Kram or Phee-mai since both were fun-loving and already a dynamic duo. But for sure, it wasn't her and Noppatee who preferred things simple and easy. Not to mention, they were both nerds, spending their days buried in their studies.
During her high school years, Pa-ploy was nicknamed "Prof" Ploy by her friends because five girls named Ploy were in her class, each with a nickname that reflected their personality and individual traits. As for her, "Prof" Ploy indicated the bookworm who excelled academically and was a favorite among all the teachers.
Being the only daughter of parents who owned a stable family business, Pa-ploy was raised from a young age to be the successor of the entire enterprise. Her parents trained her to be responsible for many things, including expectations regarding her academic performance and manners. Fortunately, she was bright and loved reading, which resulted in grades that always pleased her parents.
When she turned twelve, her father sent her to study in England, entrusting her care to a close family friend. Sadly, her father passed away three years later, and her mother, unable to cope with the loss, abruptly called her back home.
"I want you close by. I can't bear it without your father. Now it's just the two of us, my girl. I'm getting older every day, and my health is failing. I don't know how long I'll be with you."
Pa-ploy was admitted to a prestigious school where her mother's friend was one of the administrators, without needing to take an entrance exam. Her academic performance was so outstanding that it was widely recognized. However, as Pa-ploy was a "well-connected" student, the friend delicately suggested to her mother:
"Your daughter is as smart as the kids in the King class, but I'm worried people will talk about her not having to take the entrance exam. It shouldn't be a problem if she stays in the Queen class."
Pa-ploy didn't overthink things and wasn't particularly concerned. She disliked competition as her nature, so she saw no difference between the King and Queen classrooms and was confident that she could perform well in either Science or Arts program. She could study any subject and enjoyed reading novels just as much as textbooks. When her mother wanted her to learn science program because she believed it'd offer a better future, Pa-ploy accepted the decision without argument, even though she was more inclined towards the arts deep down.
But then, someone made her feelings change... That person made her regret not having the courage to tell her mother that she didn't want to study science but preferred the arts. If only she'd spoken up, she and he might've had the chance to be closer and perhaps develop a relationship beyond what it was.
But that's just it. It's just the past, and she can do nothing about it now. The future is what she needs to focus on.
The rhythmic knocking on the door made Pa-ploy's heart race. She checked herself in the mirror again, only to find that she still looked "bland," no different from her high school days. Finally, she turned away from the mirror and walked towards the door.
Kram stood there, freshly showered, his face looking bright. His thin white T-shirt and simple grey sweatpants shouldn't have made him look as good as they did, but Pa-ploy found that anything related to Kram seemed to affect her heart much more than it did with others, as it always had.
Images overlapped. Memories pulled Pa-ploy back to the past, to the days when that boy stood before her as she opened the door. She remembered he was dressed simply like this, in a T-shirt and comfortable jeans, yet he looked strikingly handsome. He was the last to arrive, following Noppatee and Phee-mai, the other two guests who had come about half an hour earlier.
If anyone knew, they'd be bemused that a plain-looking student like her was throwing a party at her home at the end of the midterm exam with three guys considered to be the school's heartthrobs. However, she became closely connected with all three because of academics.
Because she'd studied in England for three years, even though her exam scores weren't a problem, there were many subjects that Pa-ploy didn't understand and found confusing. Her scores at the end of the grade 10 were not as expected. Therefore, when she started grade 11, her mother hired a private tutor for her at home. Not wanting to study alone, she invited Noppatee, the nerdy, glass-wearing boy who sat next to her, to join her.
As for Kram, her mother invited him for a particularly unique reason, and to this day, only a few people know this secret... After studying together for two weeks, he came to her with an apologetic face, saying he wanted to invite his friend named Phee-mai to join because they were close. She didn't object because she already knew Phee-mai through the chess club. He was a good-looking and intelligent boy.
So, her home door was regularly open to the three young men, and each held a different significance to her.
However... the most important person turned out to be just one, the boy who spoke to her the least in the group, who scored the lowest in the group, but... was the best-looking in the group... from her perspective.
"Ready?" Kram's voice echoed faintly. Pa-ploy shook off the old stories in her head and gave him a bright smile.
"I've been ready. What did you bring?"
"Asking like that," Kram smirked, "I think today will be tough."
Pa-ploy looked at the two bottles of alcohol he was holding, and her eyes widened. One was a clear bottle of rum with a red cap, and the other was a Mint-colored whiskey bottle with a silver-gray cap. Both bottles were known to be among the strongest in the world.
"Are you seriously trying to get me drunk?" she exclaimed. "Wow, that's some strong stuff. Last time, we didn't go this hard, did we?"
"Just keeping up with the times," he replied. "And to say it wasn't intense last time would be a lie. Remember, you brought out your dad's old liquor to get us wasted. It was so strong, drinking it felt like getting punched."
"I wasn't trying to get anyone drunk," Pa-ploy retorted. "Saying it like that makes me look bad. Wasn't it you or Phee-mai who came up with the idea? Mhek and I had nothing to do with it."
"I can't quite remember who initiated it, but I do know that the three of us planned to prank the young lady. Who would've thought that you'd be such a heavyweight? Any teacher finding out would be shocked to discover that behind the façade of an exemplary student, 'Prof' Ploy has a hobby as a hard-drinking connoisseur!"
"You're exaggerating," Pa-ploy interjected with a cautioning tone. "If we're going to challenge each other like this, let's get started. I'm eager to see who clings to the toilet bowl."
Kram laughed out loud.
"Has anyone ever told you you're funny?" he said. "Come on, let's see who will be hugging the toilet first today."
They both agreed it was best to sit casually on the floor, using a coffee table to place the liquor bottles, with a sofa each to lean back on, dressed in snug-fitting clothes, T-shirts, and comfortable pants, ready to drink until they dropped.
"Do you remember when we first met?" Kram asked casually as he opened a bottle of liquor, pouring it into a tall, thin, clear glass, and Pa-ploy nodded in acknowledgment.
"Of course I do. I fell into sewer. It was so embarrassing."
"What's 'Prof' Ploy's brain made of, I wonder? I'd love to take it out and have a look. You remember everything so clearly. That's right, you were with 'Prez' Ploy, and then suddenly you just disappeared into sewer."
"And then you helped pull me out," Pa-ploy continued. "I'm still grateful. I would've been in trouble if you hadn't been there."
"Trouble? Someone else would've come to help. Don't you realize? All the guys at school wanted to get close to you, but they never had the chance."
Pa-ploy's heart skipped a beat, her gaze fixed on the person speaking, who seemed more interested in his glass of liquor than in her face. What did he just say? All the boys at school wanted to be close to her, but they never had the chance, did they?
Was he joking, or was he serious? And if he was serious, where did he get such a belief?
She shifted, about to ask for clarification, but he looked up before she could.
"You remember the rules, don't you? No need to repeat them."
"Take turns drinking. Whoever finishes their glass first gets to ask a question. The loser of each round has to drink another glass," Pa-ploy recited smoothly. "If you can't handle it, you have to admit defeat, and the winner gets to ask the loser to do one thing, anything."
"Did you memorize that from home or something?" Kram teased, handing her a glass. She rolled the glass between her hands as if weighing her options. If she won this game, what would she ask for?
"Ready?" He inquired.
Pa-ploy's grip on the glass tightened, a sign of her resolve.
"Ready. Let's go."
"On the count of three. One, two, three... down the glass!"
The present blurred into action as she and Kram took turns losing and winning, asking each other trivial questions about various topics.
"That time, you let 'Punk' Ploy copy your exam answers but played dumb and lied to the teacher, right?"
"Yes, we were slick, fooled the teacher. If we got caught, we'd all be in trouble."
"Kram's first kiss was at what age?"
"Nineteen, during my first drama."
"Who sent you your first love letter?"
"Wasin, the boy from the back-row."
"Who does Kram think is the prettiest girl in school?"
"'Pretty' Ploy, I guess. No one can dethrone her."
Though her mouth kept answering questions, Pa-ploy's mind drifted back to the distant past, when she and Kram were just teenagers who didn't think much about life. Life was entirely fun and free from today's rules.
Drinking after final exams at Pa-ploy's house.
March, 2006.
Second semester of Grade 11.
That day, Pa-ploy's mother wasn't at home, having gone to participate in a charity association event as a committee member. With no adults around to supervise, Pa-ploy took the opportunity to sneak several bottles of liquor from her father's display cabinet with ease. Many of the bottles were aged and expensive, worth tens of thousands of baht, but she didn't pay much attention to their value at that moment.
Noppatee looked shocked when he saw the number of bottles she had brought.
"That much, really? Can you handle it?"
"C'mon, we're just having some fun," Phee-mai mediated.
"And Kram isn't here yet, right? Wasn't he supposed to be here by eight? Should we cancel or postpone?"
Phee-mai glanced at the speaker and then laughed.
"If you're gonna chicken out, just say it, Mhek."
"Hell no, I just want us all to be together," Noppatee denied, his voice slightly weaker as Kram stepped into the room. His face showed fatigue, but his smile was bright and cheerful.
"Are we planning to get completely wasted with all this booze?" he exclaimed in good spirits. "You sure you can handle it, 'Prof' Ploy? If word gets out, they'll say we corrupted an outstanding student. The shame would be unbearable."
Instead of replying, Pa-ploy opened one of the bottles and poured the liquor into four glasses lined up in front of them.
"This round is just for fun, like an appetizer. The game hasn't started yet."
Noppatee blinked intelligently while Phee-mai glanced at Kram as if asking what to do next. Kram just shrugged his shoulders and replied with a half-joking tone.
"Bring it on. We're not stopping until we're drunk today!"
After only a few glasses, Phee-mai was the first to raise the white flag and excused himself to nap on the sofa. Noppatee was the next to surrender, disappearing into the bathroom and not returning. That left only Kram and the hostess to continue their duel.
"Quite a hard drinker, aren't you?" Kram grumbled under his breath after losing several rounds in a row. Pa-ploy, overhearing him, offered a sweet smile despite feeling the weight in her head. Ever since she was in high school, her mother had allowed her to drink alcohol on special occasions, but she'd never consumed as much as she had today. Counting the glasses, it seemed she was approaching ten. She'd always thought Kram could hold his liquor, but she hadn't expected him to be this resilient.
"Why, you think I can't drink? Just because of my looks, I should only drink milk?"
"You sure get talkative when you're drunk," he chuckled, pouring another glass and sliding it over to her. "I'm starting to feel dizzy. If I lose the next round, I might have to admit defeat for real. But tell me, are you out of questions yet?"
Pa-ploy pondered momentarily, and then Ploypang's nagging voice echoed in her memory.
"I'm so curious if Kram has a girlfriend yet. He never talks about it and didn't say a word during the interview."
As quick as the thought came, she asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eye for a moment before he answered with a clear, no-nonsense tone.
"Not yet. Haven't had the chance."
Pa-ploy was about to ask another question, but he handed her the glass of liquor first, effectively cutting her off.
"Here, if I lose to you again this round, I'll really give up. I can't take it anymore; my headache and I want to sleep."
Pa-ploy's heart raced at the mention of surrender. She took the glass from him, waiting for his signal.
"One, two, three."
At the end of the count, she closed her eyes and ears, lifting the glass to drink it all. When she opened her eyes, she realized he hadn't moved; his glass was still full, not a drop missing. Seeing her gaze, he shook his head with resignation and amazement.
"You've won. So, what do you want? Say it quickly before we both pass out."
Pa-ploy's eyes widened. Had she really won?
At that very moment, the tension and the desire to win dissipated. The several glasses of alcohol she'd consumed were starting to take effect, blurring the vision in front of her until she had to blink rapidly. Kram's face became a double image, inducing dizziness.
It seemed like Kram understood her condition because he laughed.
"You can't handle it anymore, can you? Should we save your request for later? You can come back and claim it tomorrow."
His words were choppy, like a faltering signal. Pa-ploy felt a sharp headache, the world spinning like a top, forcing her to lift a hand to steady her head on one side. But her determination made her refuse to give up. She'd been waiting for this day for months, the day she'd win and ask Kram for something. She'd already secretly thought of her request, only hesitating, worried whether it was right to voice it out. Would he think less of her?
Oh well, there was nothing to lose, and everyone was drunk. They'd probably forget once they were sober. Should she just go ahead and ask?
"Let's continue this tomorrow then. I'll call your maid to clean up. Are you returning to your room now? I'll sleep here with Noppatee and Phee-mai."
Kram's silhouette rose, about to step out of the room. It was now or never. If she missed this chance, there mightn't be another.
Pa-ploy, forgetting herself, blurted out.
"Kiss me, Kram. Please, kiss me."
"You're still a heavyweight as ever," Kram teased, pulling Pa-ploy back from her past. She shrugged, glancing at the bottle of alcohol that was now more than half empty, thanks to their combined efforts.
"I've lost my touch, haven't been drinking much since I started working," she confessed.
"That's true. Work must be tough, but you've always been capable. You were smart in school, and you're excellent at work. Is there anything you're not good at? I'm curious."
Matters of the heart, Pa-ploy thought but didn't say out loud.
She watched Kram's strong hand pouring more alcohol into the glass. The urge inside her began to stir strangely. It seemed the alcohol was diminishing her ability to control herself and making her want to challenge something.
If she could win this round, she thought she might ask him about that matter.
"What's with that look?" Kram's question caught her off guard. When she looked at him, she realized he'd been watching her with a suspicious, almost amused glint in his eyes. "It's like you're plotting something."
"Scared, are you?"
Kram chuckled lowly. He didn't answer her question but instead poured her a drink.
"This feels familiar, doesn't it? Just like old times."
Pa-ploy's heart fluttered. She didn't know which 'old time' he was referring to, but a nagging suspicion made her think back to her own outrageous request.
Could he be talking about that?
"What time are you talking about?" she asked, feigning ignorance with an indifferent air.
Kram smiled but didn't reply. Instead, he changed the subject.
"If you win this glass, I'll concede defeat. You can prepare to ask for anything."
His tone sent shivers down Pa-ploy's spine, not to mention the strange sparkle in his eyes. But since he wasn't elaborating, she let it slide for now.
Pa-ploy waited for him to count down. She saw him narrow his eyes slightly, a gesture that made her suspicious and threw off her timing as she lifted her glass to drink.
She realized she'd been tricked when Kram burst into laughter, waving his empty glass in the air.
"Did you cheat?" she exclaimed. "What's this about?"
"Cheating what? I didn't do anything. Now, what should I ask for?" He wore a sly expression. "Since we're already talking about that time, let's discuss it."
Pa-ploy nearly sobered up. Seeing his determined face and eyes, she began to sweat. Could it be that he was really going to ask about that?
"What were you thinking when you asked for something like that?"
The room fell silent with his question. The cool air turned stiflingly hot. Pa-ploy felt like she couldn't breathe, and she knew this wasn't because she was drunk but because of something else... How should she explain herself to him? Or should she just tell him straight what she was thinking?
"Well..." She stuttered, unable to find the right words, and he cleared his throat as a warning.
"You can't just pretend not to answer. You've lost, and now you must answer."
A whirlwind of thoughts clashed in a chaotic turmoil, and finally, in a state of panic, feeling the heat and the need to save face, Pa-ploy blurted out a half-truth...
"Well, back then, I'd never kissed anyone before, and you were the most handsome guy in school, and I just wanted to see what it'd be like, and well... well..."
She found herself at a loss for words upon seeing the other party's expression. Kram quirked an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling with amusement, and surprisingly, Pa-ploy could sense that he didn't believe what she was saying. Yet, he didn't press further, seemingly going along with her.
"So you think I was the most handsome in school?" he asked mirthfully, drawing out his words.
"Well..." She felt her face must be blushed, but at this point, there was nothing left to lose. "Everyone thinks so. You must know that, right?"
Kram shook his head slightly.
"Know that I'm so handsome that the top student wants to kiss me? I had no idea."
"For heaven's sake!" Pa-ploy cried out in anger and embarrassment.
"Who would've thought you felt that way? Just blurting it out all of a sudden."
"So, did you end up kissing me or not?"
Kram's eyes darkened, and he looked at her with an intensity she'd never seen before. When he answered, his voice was grave.
"You really don't remember?"
Pa-ploy nodded, and he sighed.
"You have to answer," her voice was firmer than intended. "I'm sure I'll win the next round, so answer in advance."
A smile returned to Kram's face as he shook his head.
"You're unbelievable, you know that?"
"Just answer, please. I want to know."
"We didn't kiss."
The response came so quickly that Pa-ploy was caught off guard. She hesitated, looking at him as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Her voice was on the verge of tears. "We didn't kiss?"
"No kiss, nothing happened. You fell asleep."
"I fell asleep?"
"Yep, out like a light. Like, asleep in mid-air."
"And then..." Pa-ploy began to ask more, but she stopped herself just in time. It was true, wasn't it? After reviewing all her memories, she started to understand why she couldn't remember such a significant moment—it'd never happened at all.
Despite the disappointment, deep down in her heart, Pa-ploy felt a sense of relief. At least now she knew the truth and wouldn't have to feel confused and troubled every time she thought about it. Even though asking Kram about it might be a bit embarrassing, it was good that she finally knew the truth.
Even if that truth was rather unpleasant to hear.
"Why that face? Are you disappointed or something?" Kram's voice floated to her, somewhat distant. Pa-ploy met his gaze and offered a forced smile.
"Um..." She hesitated to admit her disappointment and deflected, "So, in the end, I just won by default, got wasted, and got nothing in return?"
"Do you still want that right? The right of the victor?"
Pa-ploy was momentarily baffled, and he repeated the question, this time with a more serious tone.
"It's been over a decade, but I haven't forgotten. If you want it back, I'll gladly give it to you. It's up to you, Miss."
Something in Kram's eyes signaled danger, a warning alarm blaring in her brain, but Pa-ploy's heart told her to ignore it. This might be her only chance to get close to that boy she'd longed for and yearned for. If she rejected him today, she might spend the next ten years regretting letting everything slip through her fingers.
Her expression and the look in her eyes must've given everything away because Kram moved closer, his strong hand cradling her face with a gentle gesture.
"An opportunity..." he murmured softly before asking again, "I'll ask one more time. Are you sure?"
Pa-ploy closed her eyes as her answer. She heard a deep sigh of relief, and then a warm breath touched her face before her lips were met with a tender kiss.
Kram's kiss was sweeter than she'd ever imagined. Throughout her life, she has fantasized about it countless times. Still, when it actually happened, she found that everything she'd envisioned was merely a faint shadow, a fleeting illusion. But this reality was far more intense.
The taste of the liquor she'd just consumed seemed to fuel the passion when ignited by Kram's lips. Pa-ploy had never felt anything like this before. Kram's kiss was like magic, transporting her to a world she'd never seen, known, or even imagined existed.
She thought Kram would stop, but he didn't. The kiss lasted longer than she expected. At first, he teased her lips gently. The kiss deepened, becoming more intense and meaningful—a kiss that conveyed all the emotions he'd never spoken, never revealed and left her utterly astonished.
"Kram," she called out hesitantly, realizing that things were starting to go further than she'd anticipated.
"If you want me to stop, tell me now!"
It seemed to be the first time Pa-ploy had heard such a tone from Kram—a voice filled with urgency, confusion, and a loss of self-control, not the cheerful, teasing tone she was accustomed to. And strangely, she found herself liking it. It awakened something within her, creating a longing she couldn't ignore.
Whatever, Pa-ploy whispered to herself as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his body closer to hers. She had nothing to lose. Was she supposed to let him go and leave everything hanging unanswered like it'd been a decade ago? Not a chance!
Kram appeared to understand her body language, for his arms tightened around her, pulling her so close that her body almost seemed to melt into his embrace. The alcohol made Pa-ploy feel warm, but Kram's touch set her ablaze even more.
She heard him murmuring something indecipherable, only to come back to her senses when her bare back touched the softness of the bed. Then, her body was enveloped by another, equally bare form. After that, everything faded to black.