Chapter 7
Understanding Each Other
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[Special Note: Thanwa]
For over a week, I was restless in my search for Aiye. I didn't know where she’d disappeared to or why she was avoiding me for this long. We were a couple, you know? We should talk and consult with each other about things, not vanish and run away like this.
Then one day, Aiye finally agreed to appear and meet with me, but I had to help her transparent spirit friend in return. No matter what she asked me to do, I would agree to it all. And what did that get me? When in battle, she'll kill the general? She's going to run away from me again.
Luckily, I can touch her body. Otherwise, I wouldn't know where to go looking for Aiye.
[End of Special Note: Thanwa]
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"You know who I am?” I turned to ask Thanwa in surprise.
"Yes, I know who you are now. Come, let's go back to my office and I'll explain everything to you."
Thanwa walked into the office before locking the door. The two of us sat together on the small sofa in the corner of the room.
Thanwa brought over three or four photo albums and placed them on the coffee table in front of us.
I could only sit and stare without saying a word.
"Aiye, look at this. Does it jog your memory? Your full name is Aiyares Aphiwattiwichok. Your nickname is Aiye. You're twenty-three years old and just graduated with a pharmaceutical degree. You hadn't started working yet when you got in a car accident and fell into a coma. It’s been more than six months since then." He pointed at a date on a piece of paper listing my birthdate and basic information. This is when you were born, when you entered kindergarten, primary school, and high school. You were even the star of your faculty in college!"
Thanwa slowly flipped through all the albums, explaining my life stages from birth to graduation.
"Where did you get these albums, Thanwa?"
"The person in these photos is none other than my fiancée.” He gave me a meaningful look. “The one I have to go take care of as ordered by my mother."
"Your fiancée? This is me? Then that means… I'm your fiancée? Me?"
As I lifted my face from the photo album, I felt so incredibly shocked.
"Yes."
"Fiancée… I'm not dead yet. And I'm your fiancée."
I was stunned by the unbelievable coincidence. Because the words “fiancée” and “accident” made my memories gradually resurface.
I remember who I am now.
I had just graduated and wanted to have fun before starting work at the family drugstore. Because I followed Thanwa on Facebook, I knew he would be returning to work at the hospital.
So, I wanted to sneak a peek at him first. It turned out that his start date wasn't that day. I went a whole month ahead of his actual start date because of that confusing American date format with the month and day switched. In my disappointment, I spaced out while driving, which led to the car accident.
As my memories returned, I recalled how much the man in front of me had hurt me. Since I was seven, I'd tried my best to be good enough for him.
Even as a spirit, when Manop tried to court me, I wasn't interested. Throughout university, I hadn’t had a boyfriend because I wanted to be Thanwa's bride alone.
But what I got in return for my dedication was his coldness and his disappearance to study abroad for several years.
All those painful memories of my failed efforts to be good enough for him resurfaced, and tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.
"Aiye. Aiye!"
Thanwa's voice calling me seemed to fade away. My awareness went completely dark along with the copious tears flowing down my cheeks.
And then I lost consciousness.
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[Special Note: Thanwa]
"Aiye. Aiye!"
I tried calling to her, but she seemed lost in her own thoughts.
I panicked even more when I saw her form gradually fading until I could no longer feel her presence at all. I reached out to hug Aiye as I always did, but this time there was only emptiness.
I shouted for her for a long time with no response. Then I sat down weakly. The image of Aiye with tears streaming down her face made my heart ache.
I could only cover my face in despair.
When Friday came around again, I drove back to my parents' house as usual. I had promised Aunt Ladda that every Saturday and Chanday I would go take care of Aiye.
After having breakfast at home, I brought all the albums back to return to Aunt Ladda, along with my doctor's bag. I intended to provide physical therapy for Aiye so that she would be stronger when…if…she ever woke up.
"Uncle Sorn, did the family get a new car?" I asked Aunt Ladda's driver after seeing a brand-new, red-plated black sports car parked there.
"Oh, Doctor. Hello. That's Chan's car. He’s Aiye's friend. Aiye is upstairs in her room chatting with him," Uncle Sorn replied.
I faltered slightly. "Aiye is awake?"
"Yes, she's awake. When Chan found out, he rushed over to visit Aiye and has been coming every day," Uncle Sorn, unaware of the brewing storm within me, answered without noticing my darkening expression.
He deserves a spanking! And she was awake but didn't even call to let me know...? Hmph.
After greeting Aunt Ladda, I excused myself to go see Aiye upstairs. As I approached the bedroom, the sound of her clear laughter, though still a bit hoarse, rang out. I could sense she seemed quite happy indeed.
I eavesdropped for a long time until I couldn't stand it anymore.
[End of Special Note: Thanwa]
The sound of knocking on the door made me glance over before giving permission to enter.
"Come in. Is that you, Mum?" I called. Chan, who had been keeping me company, turned to look toward the door as well.
But the person who walked in was a young man carrying a medical bag in his hand.
"You must be the physiotherapist. Hello," I said thankfully.
"Aiye, it looks like you have a guest, so I'll take my leave for now. Get plenty of rest, okay? I'll come visit again tomorrow. Is there anything you want?" Chan, stood up and gently ruffled my hair.
"Chan, my hair is all messy now. I don't want anything. Just having you visit me every day makes me happy. See you tomorrow," I replied with a sweet smile.
"I think it's better if you don't come visit for a while. I want the patient to get lots of rest. Especially since she just regained consciousness, it'll take some time before she's back to normal," the doctor turned to tell Chan in a flat tone. I felt a strange pressure in his words.
"Doctor, I'm already well. I'm just a little tired and don't have much strength, that's all. It should be fine if Chan just visits me, right? It's not like I'm going anywhere," I asked in confusion.
"No," the doctor refused curtly, raising his voice.
"Uh! No, the patient must obey her doctor’s orders. When you're ready, I'll inform you again. Let me examine the patient for a bit," the doctor told Chan firmly while gesturing for him to leave the room.
"It's okay, Aiye. I'll go. As soon as the doctor allows visitors, I'll come right away. I’ll be off then, bye," Chan replied before leaving the room.
"Hey, Doctor, isn't this a bit too dictatorial?"
"Aiye, you woke up and didn't tell me? Do you know how worried I was?"
I stared at him, stunned. What was this doctor talking about? He spoke as if we knew each other. He walked over and sat on the chair beside the bed that Chan had just vacated.
"And who are you? Why should I have to tell you? You're the physiotherapist, so shouldn't you already know?"
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