Love Upon A Time.

Fleeting Moment.

My wish came true a month later.

 

"Mmn..." In the dead of night, with only the sound of insects calling for mates outside, I slipped out of my slumber, slowly opening my eyes groggily. Amid the faint glow from the lantern on the bedside table, I scanned the room, estimating the time in my mind. Even though this era didn't have precise clocks, my body had grown accustomed to waking up before the rooster crowed. 

 

I stretched my legs and lazily twisted my body, but I couldn't move much since someone's strong arms were wrapped around me from behind. I looked down at my bare upper body hidden under the blanket, then turned to see my bedmate in the same state. Even though his handsome face was a familiar sight every morning, my heart still warmed and filled with joy every time I saw it. As the time drew near, I had to set aside the tender feelings in my chest and nudge the person beside me.

 

"P'Phop, wake up. It's almost morning," I whispered, trying to pull his arm away. We hadn't had our wedding ceremony yet, so Aunt Prayong still forbade us from sleeping in the same room. But P'Phop would sneak into my room every night and leave before dawn.

 

"P'Phop, wake up," I called again. The person behind me grumbled but didn't open his eyes. He just tightened his grip around me, making me smile softly. In truth, P'Phop was a light sleeper. Just a small noise or a slight movement from me would wake him. But when it was time to return to his room in the morning, he always turned into a heavy sleeper. Look at him now, holding me so tightly that I couldn't tell if these were human hands or octopus tentacles.

 

"P'Phop, it's almost morning. Aren't you going back to your room?" I spoke while trying to pry his octopus-like hands off my waist and shook him until he finally opened his eyes.

 

"Can't I just hold you a bit longer?"

 

The taller man sat up on the bed and hugged me from behind, his warm lips kissing my shoulder and neck. The touch reminded me of our intimate moments from the night before, making my face flush, and a small fire ignited in my lower abdomen.

 

"No, if someone sees and tells Aunt Prayong, we'll both get scolded," I said, trying to push away the growing warmth and turn to warn my lover. The lantern's light faintly showed his furrowed brows.

 

"Who'd dare to blab?"

 

"Someone might. Better safe than sorry, right?" I retorted, making the older one fall silent for a moment.

 

"I wish our wedding day would come sooner." Mr Officer sighed in defeat, resting his handsome face on my shoulder before planting a heavy kiss on my

neck.

 

I smiled slightly, letting him cuddle for a few more minutes before telling him to go back to his room. P'Phop got up, wrapped a cloth around his waist, and walked back to his room. I got up, dressed properly, and lay down again, staring at the wooden beams on the ceiling, reflecting on everything that had happened over the past month.

 

Starting with the important news, the patrol managed to thwart a major opium shipment. Cherd and his gang were arrested. Shortly after, P'Phop and Phraya gathered evidence leading to the big bosses, Muun Han and Ok-phra Suntrapinit, and requested a search of their house. They found records of opium quantities sent to various towns buried on the property. When the minor opium dealers saw that their protectors wouldn't escape this, they confessed to lighten their sentences, providing solid evidence against the father and son. The entire opium network was exposed, including several officials who took bribes and facilitated the trade. They were all dismissed and punished, making headlines across the city.

 

As for my father, Luang Preecha-piban, Phraya, used the information in the letter my father left as evidence to investigate the officials in Phichit who colluded with Ok-phra Suntrapinit, eventually forcing them to confess. This cleared my father's name, and those who once gossiped and despised me now showed sympathy. I remembered everyone who'd wronged me. Now, when I walked around, those people would approach me, acting friendly and making my skin crawl. They seemed to forget they once cursed me to oblivion.

 

Gossip will always be part of human society, no matter the era. This taught me that people change faster than chameleons. Speaking of gossip, when news of my relationship with P'Phop spread, people didn't dare gossip openly out of respect for Phraya. But whenever P'Phop and I were together, we were always met with strange looks.

 

Now that my family's innocence was proven and P'Phop was recognised for his success in the opium crackdown, the rumours faded. Initially, we planned a small family wedding, but P'Phop decided to have a grand celebration. Was I worried about society's reaction? Not really. I only cared about being with the one I loved. But P'Phop had a reputation to uphold, so I couldn't help but worry for him. Even if no one dared to gossip, people in this era didn't accept same-sex relationships. I feared it might affect P'Phop's future if we had a public wedding. But if P'Phop decided he didn't care about others' opinions, I respected his decision.

 

People in this era mightn't be familiar with same-sex love, but unfamiliar doesn't mean wrong. This is our personal matter and doesn't harm anyone, so it's our right to do as we please. Thinking about the wedding, even alone, I buried my face in the pillow to hide my blushing face. I'd never had a boyfriend before, and my first love led to marriage. In my time, marrying before finishing college was considered early, but it was normal in this era. And thinking about it, I found myself excited, eagerly awaiting to start my life with P'Phop. I'd once died and left him. I didn't want to be separated again. Marrying soon was good; we'd be able to sleep in the same room every night without Aunt Prayong scolding us.

 

Somehow, news of my upcoming wedding with P'Phop reached my father's relatives. One day, they came to Phraya Pichaipadee's house, offering to be my elders at the wedding. But I refused, subtly rebuffing them until they left in embarrassment. Don't think I'm rude to elders, but when my father died, and I was struggling, they never cared, abandoning me despite my father's help to them. Now, I couldn't bring myself to reconcile. But a wedding needed elders, so I asked P'Jom's parents to be the elders on my side. They gladly agreed, having known me since I was young. 

 

In a few days, the engagement ceremony would take place, and I'd stay at P'Jom's house for three days as per tradition. P'Phop complained about not being able to hold me for three nights, but when I said we'd be together for life soon, he smiled so brightly that I had to look away with a blushing face. Many good things were happening, and my new life was about to begin, but there was still one concern.

 

"Phop, any news on the escaped prisoner?"

 

During breakfast, Phraya's voice drew my attention from the food. I glanced at my lover beside me, seeing Mr Officer's serious eyes.

 

"The patrol is searching the city, but there's no sign of Cherd yet, Father. He might've fled to another town," P'Phop replied solemnly.

 

Just when I thought everything would end well, a week ago, we heard the shocking news that Cherd had injured the guards and escaped from prison at night. Despite the patrol and soldiers searching his usual haunts like the liquor shop and the prostitute house, he was still at large. P'Phop was quite worried about this matter. Mainly, he was concerned that Cherd might come back to seek revenge on me. But I didn't think he'd dare to cause a commotion in the capital. Just escaping the patrols scattered throughout the city would already be a hassle for him. Besides... These days, I have never gone anywhere alone. Whenever I went out, I always had both the servants and P'Phop accompanying me. It should be safe enough. So, I was more interested in the upcoming wedding.

 

"Keep following up. No matter what, we must drag him back to face justice. Do you understand, Khun Phop?"

 

"Yes, Father."

 

P'Phop acknowledged, his sharp eyes glancing at me with concern. I beamed slightly when I heard Phraya address my lover with his new title. I was immensely proud to see him advance in his career. Due to his commendable work in capturing a major opium dealer in the capital, P'Phop was promoted from Muun to Khun at the age of twenty-two. It was considered a significant leap in his career, far ahead of his peers, and he also received a two-week vacation.

 

After the wedding, he planned to take me to Bang Lamung as he'd promised (it sounds like a honeymoon trip, right?). Once we were married, I'd move into P'Phop's more spacious room while waiting for our new house to be completed. After returning from Bang Lamung, Phraya would introduce me to the Accounting Department, marking the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

 

"I might come home early today," P'Phop said as I walked him to the stairs.

 

"Aren't you going to socialise with anyone?" I raised an eyebrow in surprise. Lately, P'Phop had been dragged by various people after work to celebrate his new title. Even though he didn't like drinking or socialising much, sometimes work required connections. So, he had to go out of courtesy, returning home late for several days.

 

"No, I want to take you out instead. You've been cooped up for days, haven't you?"

 

"Where will you take me?" My ears perked up at his words. P'Phop smiled fondly.

 

The temple by the river bend is having a festival with many stalls. There will be a lot of people, so it should be safe. Do you want to go?"

 

"Yes!" I agreed without hesitation. Previously, when P'Phop was working on the opium case, I had to stay home, almost dying of boredom. After catching the culprit, P'Phop was busy with paperwork, leaving us little time together except at bedtime. This would be our first outing in a month.

 

"Then get ready. I'll take you in the evening. I have to go to work now."

 

He pulled my hand and kissed it lightly as he did every day. I waved goodbye, watching P'Phop walk down the stairs with a smile.

 

"Mr Klao, are you tired?" Suddenly, Chuay asked, making me turn my gaze from P'Phop's back to my servant in confusion.

 

"Why would I be tired?"

 

"Well, I noticed that when you're with Khun, you smile almost all the time. So, I wondered if your cheeks or mouth get tired."

 

Chuay's eyes were full of obvious teasing.

 

"Are you making fun of me now?" I stopped smiling and lifted my foot as if to kick him. The young man quickly fled, and I shook my head, but soon, my lips curled up again uncontrollably. Chuay was right. I smiled a lot when I was with P'Phop, and he always smiled at me, too. I hoped we'd always have smiles for each other. We've had enough drama, haven't we? Let's not have any more tears.

 

After P'Phop went to work, I wandered around the house, played with the servants' children, and then went to the kitchen, offering to help Chuay and Aunty Muan cook. Technically, as a noble, I didn't need to learn to cook, but I was bored with doing nothing. So, I pestered Aunty Muan until she let me be her assistant. Once I started, it was quite fun, so lately, I ended up spending most of my time in the kitchen.

 

"Mr Klao, Mr Kaew is here to see you. He's waiting upstairs."

 

While I was sitting and shaping dough for khanom bua loi, a servant came to fetch me. I washed my hands and walked back to the house. On the way back, I saw the servants bustling around, some moving things, others cleaning. It was quite a different atmosphere because Phraya Pichaipakdee's house was usually calm and quiet. However, with the wedding next week, the servants were busy preparing under Khun Ying Prayong's orders. She said that since we decided to have a grand wedding, it had to be impressive and befitting of P'Phop's status as Phraya's son. A small ceremony wouldn't be appropriate for his father's status.

 

I heard there would be a festival at the house too. It sounded grand. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got because it was my own wedding. When I was still Klao, I never had the chance to attend anyone's wedding. This would be my first time seeing a traditional wedding.

 

"P'Klao." Before I could step onto the porch, I heard a clear voice.

 

"I pay my respects, P'Klao. I brought some sweets for you today."

 

Kaew ran up, looking more like a primary school kid than an eighteen or nineteen-year-old. He held up a large tiffin, smiling broadly.

 

"How have you been? Are you well?" I took the tiffin carrier and handed it to a servant to arrange on a plate, then turned to greet my junior, scanning his clean face. Kaew had initially planned to move to Pak Nam Pho, but after reconciling with P'Jom, he abandoned that idea.

 

I still remember Kaew's lifeless expression when he fought with P'Jom. Seeing him happy and bright again relieved me. "I'm well. You look so bright, too. It must be because the wedding is near. Oh, I almost forgot, congratulations on your marriage. This will be my first time being a... bridesmaid? Best man? Anyway, thank you, P'Klao, for inviting me."

 

Kaew shook my hand excitedly, more thrilled than I was, making me laugh.

 

"Thank you for agreeing to be my best man."

 

"Of course, I'm happy to."

 

Kaew smiled widely. I invited him to sit and chat at the pavilion. When the servant brought the sweets and tea set, Kaew eagerly pointed them out.

 

"P'Klao, try it. I made it myself."

 

He insisted. I took a bite of the sweet. It was quite delicious.

 

"Is it good?"

 

"Yes, your cooking skills are excellent."

 

"Really? I'm relieved. I'm learning to cook because I want P'Jom to eat it."

 

He smiled so broadly that it reminded me of my junior year and made me think of something. If I could be reborn after death, maybe Thi, Pun, and others I knew could've been reborn too. We might've met again without realising it. It was truly fate.

 

"P'Klao, I have something to ask."

 

"What is it?" His voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Kaew stuffed a sweet into his mouth and chewed noisily before opening the topic.

 

"Do you and P'Phop ever feel upset with each other?"

 

"Huh?" I blinked. "Why do you ask?"

 

"I'm curious about other couples. P'Jom and I have ups and downs all the time. Sometimes I'm upset with him, and sometimes he's upset with me. It's quite a headache." Kaew pouted, grabbing another sweet. I thought of the stern-faced officer who was probably busy at work.

 

Our relationship was quite smooth, but there was one thing P'Phop often felt hurt about: when I told him to go back to his own room.

 

"Sometimes. Mostly, it's P'Phop who feels upset."

 

"Really? So it's normal for couples... But what do you do when P'Phop feels upset?"

 

"Not much. He usually gets over it himself," I replied, but Kaew shook his head, looking at me as if to scold. "No, no. If you do that, P'Phop might think you don't care about him. If he feels upset, you should comfort him."

 

"..." I was speechless at Kaew's words. I'm not good at comforting people, especially those my age. The only person I'd comfort was my overly sensitive mother. If she got upset, I'd go and soothe her. But when I fought with friends like Thi or others, we wouldn't apologise and make up. We'd just cool down and talk again. Having a boyfriend for the first time, I wasn't sure how to handle it, but I did think I shouldn't ignore these things.

 

"How do I comfort him?" I asked, feeling helpless. Kaew glanced around, making sure no servants were nearby, then leaned in to whisper.

 

"Use your body to comfort him."

 

"What did you say?" I was utterly stunned. I always thought Kaew was innocent. Maybe I was wrong...

 

"I said, use your body. When P'Jom feels upset, I just hug and cuddle him a bit, and he feels better. When P'Phop feels upset, you should try cuddling him." Kaew spoke with innocent eyes, making me feel guilty for doubting him.

 

So, Kaew wasn't being sly. It was I who had the dirty thoughts. But a hug to make up, huh? Interesting. Maybe next time, if P'Phop got upset, I'd try that method to cheer him up.

 

We sat and chatted, eating snacks for quite a while before Kaew excused himself to return to his house. As l stood up, intending to walk him to the pier, something came to mind, so I asked. "There's a festival at the temple near the river bend today. P’Phop and I are planning to go for a walk. Are you interested in joining us? It'd be nice to invite P'Jom, too."

 

"I'd love to go, but I probably can't."

 

"Why not?"

 

"I've been forbidden to leave the house tonight."

 

His answer made me raise an eyebrow. Seeing my questioning look, Kaew explained further.

 

"My father heard from a revered monk that there might be an eclipse tonight. So, he forbade anyone in the house from going out at night, saying it might bring bad luck. But I don't think it matters." Kaew grumbled, his face already sour. I let out a soft "oh."

 

This is a matter of personal belief-some people, especially those from the past, considered solar or lunar eclipses bad omens. During an eclipse, they'd beat drums and make noise to drive away the shadow. Even though it's just a natural phenomenon, this belief persists to the present day. Come to think of it, the night I drank beer and sat in the garden, there was a lunar eclipse, too, wasn't it?

 

"I don't even know if there will really be an eclipse, but I'm definitely missing out on the festival. It's so boring, P'Klao."

 

"Never mind, there will be another time," I consoled him as we walked to the pier.

 

Talking about this made me think of something. After seeing Kaew off, I went back to my room, opened a chest, and took out a set of clothes. I absentmindedly stroked the white T-shirt and long pants in my hands. They were the clothes I wore when I first came here, the ones that made people look at me strangely because they were different from the era's attire. Chuay had cleaned and returned them to me. I used to take them out often, missing home, but after deciding to stay here with P'Phop, I hadn't looked at them again. I probably won't return to the present era, so I don't need them anymore.

 

I sighed deeply, putting the clothes back at the bottom of the chest. At least they serve as a memento from the present era to look at when feeling nostalgic. I wondered how my parents were doing. I wish I could say goodbye to them, tell them not to worry, and tell them that I'm about to marry a man who loves me very much. And I want to tell them that I'll try to live the rest of my life happily.

 

P'Phop returned home in the late afternoon. As the sun began to set, we set off for the temple by the river bend, where the festival was being held to celebrate the renovation of the new chapel. Like other villagers' boats heading in the same direction, the usually quiet evening canal was bustling with chatter. I glanced at both sides of the river, unable to help but compare it to how I felt when I first saw these scenes.

 

Back then, I was so shocked I couldn't function, never thinking I'd get used to it. But before I knew it, I'd been here for half a year. These scenes had become familiar, and the more I remembered my life as Klao, the more attached I felt to this place, almost forgetting my previous lifestyle.

 

The breeze in the early winter was colder than usual. I wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing my exposed arms for warmth as I stepped off the boat, with P'Phop's eyes watching me.

 

"Cold, isn't it? I told you to wear long sleeves."

 

"I didn't think it'd be this cold," I mumbled, rubbing my goosebumps. I don't like wearing long-sleeved Chinese-collar shirts outside; they feel too formal, unlike P'Phop, who always dresses formally.

 

"Stubborn." The older man pinched my cheek lightly. I pouted. "I'm not."

 

"How are you not? You never listen to me and always talk back. If that's not stubborn, then what is?"

 

"I'm just... being myself," I retorted, winking playfully. P'Phop laughed and pinched my cheek again.

 

"Suit yourself. But what will you do about the cold? Should I hold you while we walk to keep you warm?" He asked calmly, but his eyes hinted at something more.

 

"No need. Once we get into the festival, it should warm up," I declined, squinting at him knowingly. He likes to find excuses to touch me. It's fine when we're alone, but this is a festival with lots of people. Just walking together already draws enough attention; we don't need to attract more.

 

"Then let's hurry," P'Phop said, and we walked side by side into the festival with the crowd.

Since Cherd escaped from prison, P'Phop hadn't allowed me out at night. But today, with the bustling festival and guards around the temple, I got to wander around. P'Phop let Chuay and Khong explore on their own while he took me around. The festival was similar to the Songkran fair, with food stalls, shops, and traditional performances.

 

After buying food, we sat by the river, listening to poets recite verses from boats. The breeze from the river made me shiver again. I was about to use my waist cloth as a shawl when P' Phop put his arm around my waist.

 

"If you're cold, sit closer to me." He whispered. I glanced around, noticing people watching, but P'Phop didn't care. His dark eyes reflected only my face. Realising he always looked at me this way, warmth spread through my chest, making me smile. I let him hold me, ignoring the stares. We listened to the verses, laughing at the playful exchanges. It was a simple, happy moment.

 

As twilight passed, the moon rose high. We continued to enjoy the festival, but the sky seemed darker than usual, with the stars hidden by clouds. Maybe it was because winter was approaching. Or perhaps, as Kaew mentioned, there would be an eclipse. I frowned, recalling his words, and looked up again. The full moon shone brightly, but I suddenly felt uneasy.

 

"Do you still want to walk around, or should we head back?" P'Phop's deep voice asked.

 

"...Let's go back," I mumbled. Initially, I wanted to stay longer, but the unease made me change my mind. We were about to leave the temple grounds when we heard a scream from the crowd and saw someone step

in front of us.

 

"Long time no see."

 

"You seem to be enjoying yourselves," the menacing voice made my skin crawl.

 

"You... Cherd," I hissed, recognising one of my murder accomplices. The crowd scattered in panic. P'Phop quickly pulled me behind him, standing protectively.

 

"Enjoying your happiness, are you?"

 

Cherd stepped closer, glaring at us with deep hatred. He held a short flintlock pistol, making me grit my teeth in frustration. I never thought he'd dare show up in such a crowded place. And where did he get the gun? P'Phop was equally surprised. He only had his long sword, no gun, as it was off-duty hours. I had only my usual short knife, putting us at a disadvantage.

 

"I heard you two are getting married. Perfect! One is queer, and the other is some kind of ghost. How fitting for you two to be fucking each other."

 

Cherd laughed maniacally, his bloodshot eyes showing he'd lost his mind. Luckily, the crowd had dispersed, so only P'Phop heard his words.

 

"Shut your mouth," I growled in a low voice.

 

Cherd just laughed. "Pfft. You want me to shut up because you're afraid your lover won't be able to handle the truth, right? That you're not really human."

 

He twisted his lips into a crooked smile, hatred mixed with scepticism evident in his sunken eyes.

 

"A dead man climbing back up from hell, how amazing. How did you do it, Klao? I saw you die for sure back then. How are you still standing here now?"

 

"I'll stall him. You go get the patrol and the soldiers outside the temple," P'Phop whispered to me, his rough hand moving to the hilt of his sword at his waist and drawing it out. The surroundings were growing unnaturally dark. I glanced at the sky without thinking and saw the once-bright moon being slowly swallowed by darkness. There really is an eclipse tonight.

 

I heard the crowd murmuring about a lunar eclipse, and the sound of drums and wooden clappers filled the air. The moonlight was almost completely obscured now.

 

"Go!" P'Phop ordered sharply. I hesitated, knowing he was skilled, but the thought of leaving him to face Cherd alone...

 

"A criminal like you can't escape the law. Surrender!" P'Phop shouted just as I heard the voices of a few patrolling soldiers nearby. Their footsteps were quickly approaching. The villagers who had scattered earlier must've been called here. I felt a surge of relief.

 

"Cherd, you can't escape the law. Surrender now, and you might still have a chance to live." 

 

P'Phop tried to buy time. But in that moment of darkness, Cherd raised his gun and aimed at me.

 

"Never. If I have to go to hell, you're coming with me!"

 

Bang!

The last sliver of the moon disappeared, accompanied by the deafening roar of the gunshot. The sound shattered the silence. Everything happened so fast. I only felt the force of P'Phop's hand pushing me out of the bullet's path. In that split second, I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, everything was pitch black. There was no sound of movement.

 

"P'Phop!" I scrambled up from the ground, looking around frantically for him. He'd pushed me away to save me from being shot, but he couldn't have dodged it himself.

 

Only the sound of insects responded. I couldn't hear anything else, just the pounding of my own terrified heart. Just moments ago, there were P'Phop, Cherd, the approaching patrol officers, and the distant sounds of the festival, the drums and clappers driving away Rahu. But now, there was nothing. It was as if I stood alone in the darkness.

 

I looked around anxiously. The darkness made it impossible to see anything. Each second felt like a year until the darkness finally began to fade. I looked up at the sky. A sliver of the bright moon was reappearing. The moon was moving out of the Earth's shadow. The eclipse was over.

 

I lowered my gaze and looked around again, hoping to see my lover safe. But the scenery had changed drastically. Moments ago, P'Phop and I were in the temple grounds, heading back to the riverside pavilion. Now, I was surrounded by large trees with no one else around. Looking closely, I realised this was a place I knew well. A chilling cold spread through my body. I felt like my heart had stopped when I realised I was in the mango grove behind my house.

 

A terrifying truth crept into my mind. My hands and feet went numb as I looked around in panic. Though I was still wearing traditional clothes, when I turned to the base of a tree, I saw an empty beer can lying there. I heard the distant sound of karaoke music. Everything was just as it was before I travelled through time. In the blink of an eye, I'd returned to the present.