7
Me inside of me
This is the synopsis of a horror movie...
I look at myself in the video on the phone's screen. It's the video I asked my friend to record after I drank with her last night. It all went blank after only a little while, as usual, because I can't handle alcohol well. So I finally get to see 'Rung,' my split personality.
A woman who looks exactly like me, sounds just like me, But in terms of personality...
"You want to meet me so badly? Here... this is another you. You can call me Karakate."
I shrink my neck at the phone and look at Meen, who's looking at me wearily.
"Don't be afraid. It's you. Whichever series is in trend, you will call yourself by the name of a character in that series. When we were high school seniors, you called yourself 'Ungsumalin9' when we were drunk on the beach during our school trip because Dan D2B was dating Patty10."
"So deep inside, I'm very imaginative." I sigh and focus back on the phone as the clip continues to play. I am talking to the other me inside of me.
Ah... it's a clip. To be exact, the other me (in the clip) wants to talk to me. It's something like that.
But Karakate didn't pay that much attention to the phone. She kept giggling with Meen and talking about how the breast of the male lead in the series was larger than mine. They were also giggling about the possibility of directly messaging the male lead in order to schedule a sexual encounter at his condominium. In my normal state, I'm also very naughty, but I'm not that direct.
Wow... imagine what I did when I was with Aontakarn.
9 A very famous character in a very famous series played by Patty.
10 A very famous celebrity couple.
"Honestly, I didn't know that I'm such a slut. I can't imagine wanting to go to a male lead's condo for sex."
"Maybe you thought about it; you just never said it out loud. You may think that if you don't say it out loud, it means that you've never thought about it."
"I can fool even myself? At least I should know that I'm a slut."
"You are, but you keep it in."
"Then why haven't I gotten myself a husband yet?"
"Your consciousness probably held you back. Or maybe you're only a slut if it's someone you like."
I furrow my eyebrows and hunch my back, losing confidence in myself. I feel like I'm not the only ME in this world. There is a succubus who looks just like me, and she will come out when I'm drunk.
"What about what I asked you to do? Did you do it?"
"Fast forward." Meen grabs the phone from my hand and fast-forwards to when we started to talk about Aontakarn. "It's probably around here."
In the clip, Meen is talking to me about Aontakarn. She was trying to get me to tell her what I talked to Aontakarn about that day. I, who was intoxicated, looked merry. Though I seemed somewhat embarrassed in the clip, I'm a lot more daring than my usual self.
"I told Aontakarn frankly that I wanted to be her friend. Chris is too shy. It's so annoying. I can't even breathe when she's herself. She wants to talk to Aontakarn but is afraid that her voice will annoy her. She doesn't dare to even look at Aontakarn because she's afraid that Aontakarn will think that she's a psychopath. How can someone overthink so much?"
Who can know you better than yourself? Karakate is the perfect reflection of myself.
"And what did Aontakarn say?"
"She seemed embarrassed and a little bit shocked at first. She was like, oh... who's this? Is this really Chris? I almost told her that.. I'm Karakate, but it would be too shocking. So I just told her that I was Chris. Then I dove right in."
Dove right into what?!
I jump up from the bed and pace the mom nervously. I don't dare to continue to watch the clip. Meen looks at me wearily.
"You can't even manage to finish watching the clip?"
"You, what did she do?"
"Watch the clip."
"I'm afraid! Give me some spoilers."
"You are watching yourself, not The Walking Dead. Idiot. Just watch it. It's nothing."
When my friend gives me that confirmation, I decide to continue to watch the clip. Karakate is babbling about that day nonstop.
"What did you do?"
"Welt.. I pretended to be drunk, and I got clingy. I skinshiped11 her. We're both women; what's the big deal?"
"You're such a slut."
"Aontakarn went stiff' at first. She was like a rubber dolt But after a while, Awww seemed to be having fun. She was probably a bit drunk as welt So after that, we just chitchat. So, I told her... that I know her better than she knows it "
11 Skinship is a word from skin + relationship. It means touching or close physical contact between parent and child or (esp. in later use) between lovers or friends, used to express affection or strengthen an emotional bond.
Thump Thump…
My heart is pounding so hard that it almost pops out of my chest. Did Karakate also tell her that I'm the one who sent her those letters? No... If she did, the novel would end now. There's nothing more to write. Damned.
"And?"
"Aontakarn didn't believe me. She said I was babbling. So we played Q&A. I could answer every question because the original me did all the research about who Aontakarn is, where she's from, and when she was born (the exact second), but.. there's something that doesn't exist even on the internet, such as, Aontakarn's mother was a teacher."
"A h-huh."
"And we have the same blood type."
"Oh!"
"Oh!" I exclaim as well. Meen nods and smiles
at me.
"See? I told you that there's nothing to be afraid
of."
"Wait. The same blood type? But... My blood type is very rare."
"That's the climax. Continue to watch the clip."
"When we knew that we both have AB RH negative blood type, it was like the jigsaw pieces fit perfectly. I felt like there was a connection between us. Well... it's not a blood type you can easily find."
"And you just became close?"
"Yes... I took that opportunity to get closer to her. I told her, 'Awww, we need to exchange contacts in case something happens to one of us and we need blood. We can be each other's blood bank' Then, we made a pinky promise and exchanged contacts. And yes, we're close now."
"You called her, Awww?"
"I wanted to call her babe, but I'm afraid that my original self would bury herself"
"You're such a slut... You two got close because you have the same blood type... It's a blood bank deal?"
"Isn't that chic? Strangers who have the same rare blood type. If we're not friends now, what are we? So we're close now... End of story."
"So, that's the secret Aontakarn was talking about? I thought you told her that you're her fan, Apple."
Karakate went quiet before she waved her hand and laughed.
"Crary... If I said that, the novel would end too fast. This is my story... Karakate. A good story has to have good suspense in the storyline."
"Idiot. I was anxious about the secret "
"It's not really a secret. Awww probably just wanted to tease. Just saying that made the original me's tail and ears drop already... But it's a good start to a good relationship. We have the same blood type and all." I, who was talking to Meen, turned her attention to the phone. "I paved the way for you. Make the rest simple. Awww wants to be your friend, so please be her friend. Don't ruin it, idiot!"
I look at the phone and twist my mouth into an upside-down bell shape. What Karakate (her name for now) said was exactly what I would say, just without the 'Idiot' at the end. So the secret is that Aontakam and I have the same blood type?
Ah... now I know. And this is enough to make me smile. At least, I didn't let slip anything about 'Apple' when I was drunk.
But knowing so much about her is very strange.
"I think you can just relax. Aontakarn doesn't seem mad at you anymore, right? Just act like you're friends. Isn't that good? You badly want to be her friend, no?"
"What does one do when you're close to someone?"
"Why are you making it difficult again? What do you do when you're with us?"
"Nothing."
"So, do nothing."
"Can I not talk or look her in the eye like I used to do?"
"I'm really starting to become annoyed with you. Just act normal. If she waves at you, wave back. If she smiles at you or..."
Ding!
There's a message notification on LINE as Meen is talking. The screen shows the name 'Aontakarn'. It makes my entire body shake. I point at the phone nervously and hand the phone to my friend.
"She messaged me. What should I do?"
"I was about to say that if she messages you, reply to her."
"What should I reply to her? I don't know what she messaged me."
"Read it, idiot."
"Ah... you're right."
When I realized that, I opened the message and read it. Aontakarn sent me a delicate smiley sticker with a short message.
Aontakarn : Arc you ready to go get some drinks with me?
Wow, I just saw what the other me did in the clip. If I say that I'm ready, I must want to go to hell. But it would be the same if I didn't go. I can't ruin a friendship that's just budding.
Calm down... She's a friend, like Meen.
Think Chris Kitkat : Can we not drink?
The other side goes quiet for a long while before I see a 'Read' notification. I'm not sure if Aontakarn is losing confidence because she invited me out, but I pushed her away. So, I hurriedly sent her more messages.
Think Chris Kitkat : Let's go hang out, find something to eat, and grab a cup of coffee.
Think Chris Kitkat : Or I can go to your house.
Argh! What did I just send? I throw my phone on the bed and hug my knees like a pitiful drug addict who's about to sober up. Meen leans over to look at my phone when she sees my strange reaction. She then glances at me and smiles from the corner of her mouth.
"There you go, slut."
"What! I don't want to drink, but I don't know what to do. What did I just type? Sob."
Ding!
And I got a reply from Aontakarn. It makes me more afraid. Meen wants to know what Aontakarn replied to me more than me, so she grabs the phone and reads it. She then smiles from the corner of her mouth again.
"Read it."
"Give me a spoiler. I'm afraid..."
"Read it!"
My friend, who's really annoyed with me, slammed the phone in my hand. The screen is showing Aontakarn's message. It's not a message, but a cute sticker she bought. The sticker says...
Aontakarn : Sticker (let's go for it).
I blink blankly, trying to get a hold of myself. Meen laughs a bit and gives me some encouragement.
"Go for it, slut, whose heart is full of lust."
Though I am still very shy, I show up at the location Aontakarn shared with me in the end. I love the new innovations. Just a click, and I can go to her house easily.
Ah... her house is probably around here, if the pinned location is correct. But which house...
I better call her.
I'm so shy. I'm calling her to ask where her house is. CRAZYYYYY
As I'm about to dial her number, I see someone in the corner of my eye. I didn't pay attention at first, but something made me look again. He's a tall, slim man with fair skin and a handsome face. He has looked good since his university days until now. He's standing in front of a house with a bouquet.
I don't need to call Aontakarn anymore. I know which one is her house now since Toy, my ex-boyfriend, is pinning the location in front of a blue gate. He's talking to someone.
"We haven't met for almost a month. You're still angry? Just let it go."
Toy's voice, asking for tenderness, makes me twist my mouth. I can tell he's trying to make up with her, but he's also trying to throw his guilt far away from himself.
"Toy... we ended things. Don't be like this."
"Ended? We just decided to separate for a while. We did that, and I feel that ifs time we get back together. Don't make things difficult, Kam. Our lives are short. Let's make things easy."
"Make things easy, like when you asked me to sleep with you after we were together for only a week? You haven't changed at all, have you?"
The urge to butt in that I was born with makes me can't stand to just watch. I interrupt. Toy is stunned because he remembers my voice. He looks at me, surprised.
"Chris?"
"Yeah."
"Why are you here?"
"I came to see Karn." I point my head to the owner of the house. "And yes... I'm Karn's best friend. Hi."
Toy drops his jaw. He's not sure how to handle the situation. I, who know what's what from the start, wink and smile at him.
"You won't be making up with Aontakarn that easily because I'm right here. I will get in the way in every possible way that I can't. I won't let you get close to her. I won't let you fool her. I won't let you hurt her. Remember that son of a..."
I stop myself from saying the rude word at the end. I shut my mouth out of respect for the sweet-faced woman, who's looking at me, stunned. Yet Toy, who's right in front of me, won't back down. He talks back at me.
"Wait. How did you get involved in this? It's a matter between lovers."
"That was history. I don't know why you two broke up. But I won't let you back into her life."
I say that confidently. I'm ready to spread my wings to protect this woman. Toy, with a bouquet in his arms, doesn't want to lose to a woman. So he stood his ground.
"Who are you to be butting in like this? You're an outsider in this situation."
"I don't know how I'm involved in this. But MY Aontakarn will not suffer any pain. I will protect her from you. Just wait and see!"