Until We Meet Again - Red Thread

Chapter 4: Never Forget

"Khrab mae, I'm fine"

On a bright Sunday morning, Parm is bustling about in his apartment's kitchen while talking to his mother on facetime. The sweet smell of a dessert permeates the air, strong enough to make even passersby mouth’s water. He places a silver tray on the wooden table, where small baking cups are located on top. Parm slowly pours the light-blue coloured dough, made from the Anchan* flower, into these cups. [*Anchan flower = butterfly pea flower]

"Why did you wake up so early to make desserts today, son?" His mother asks, watching on as he cooks.

"Just felt like eating them, so I made some for my friends, too."

When Parm finishes pouring the dough, he turns to do the next step. He takes the coconut cream and rice flour and mixes it with a little bit of salt, puts the mixture inside a pan, and stirs it until the dough becomes white. Parm cooks it for a time and then sprinkles it with roasted golden beans.

''Who said that Thai desserts are difficult to make?'' Parm mumbles to himself, smiling. Too bad it is difficult to find banana leaves. If I had some, the snacks would surely be more fragrant.

"Mae misses making snacks."

"If Phoom tries to help, let him be the first to try it." Parm says and laughs, because his little brother can't make desserts. His fried rice is the best, though.

The mother and son talk for a while before she has to end the call, needing to prepare for the opening of her restaurant. When the call ends, He feels a little bit lonely. His desserts are done and just need to set to cool down. Then, he will put them into a box to refrigerate.

Parm decides to check his computer, where the time displays it is 1:30 in the afternoon. He opens the usual f*******: page, but this time he laughs because the pictures of the new members are posted. Team’s picture, due to him being the main member of the first years, especially has lots of comments from girls. Parm scrolls down to look, amused by them.

"Huh? ... Hey!" Parm shouts, finding a picture of him, ManNow, and Team together at one of the swim club meets, though ManNow is barely in it. The person who posted it tagged Team and added a caption:

[The number one supporter of @team teerayu]

Lemon: ... I was barely in the picture, who took it? T_T

team teerayu: Yay... I said, no I mean wowwww

Winnie the pooh*: @Lemon Come again next time, I'll take your full picture

(*the real account name is วินนี่ เดอะ กู read as "Winnie de gu" meaning "I am Winnie" I wrote it here as "Winnie the pooh." You can use either "winnie de gu" or "winnie the pooh")

team teerayu: Her name is ManNow, P’Win

Winnie the pooh: @Lemon It's ok. by the way, your sour name gets me*

[*I wasn’t sure how to fix this. I’m still not entirely sure what it means, so I'm scared to change it (;_;)]

Kritti: P’Win, don't just flirt with girls all the time. By the way, Team's supporter is very cute

Nawin: Team's friends are both cute. I keep staring at their pictures till now, really like 555*

(*In Thai, 5 is read as 'ha' or a laugh, similar to ‘lol’)

team teerayu: Stop it! they’re both taken!

Parm just laughs when seeing Team really do what he said he would the other day, but it seems to have made people misunderstand. Although, he doesn't really care about the gossip.

Parm is scrolling down the page when a post catches his eye:

"Competition schedule and collected score"

Rattanon_dean: For the Swimming Club schedule and score listing, look at the picture below.

THE SCHEDULE FOR USING THE POOL FOR PRACTICE IS 6:30 TO 9:30 AM AND 5:00 TO 9:00 PM.

"Seriously?!" he tilts his head and leans on his arm.

... He is just afraid that P'Dean will misunderstand.

***

"What is it? Ta-goh* ?" Team’s eyes widen. Right now, their afternoon classes have already finished and they’ll soon start making their way to their respective clubs.

(*ta-goh: coconut jelly wrapped with banana leaves)

Parm opens a box of desserts for both Team and ManNow.

"Not quite, though it is similar. This one is called leum gleun. It is actually more delicious to eat when freshly made, but I have classes in the morning, so I made it yesterday and put it in the refrigerator overnight."

ManNow gives him a confused look. She has never heard of this particular dish, so she just eats it. "I like it!" she exclaims, picking up another one "The color is such a pretty blue!"

"The color is from the Anchan flower. When mixed with the dough, it becomes brighter." Parm also opens the snack and eats it.

"Mmm ... Sweet! Very soft!!" ManNow’s eyes widen. "Team, try it! It is delicious, soft in the mouth."

A Thai dessert whose name he has never heard of, but when he tries it, he immediately smiles wide. "Delicious!"

"The dough is soft, right? It is so easy to eat, and the fragrance is from the jasmine water* in the mixing."

(*Jasmine water: float jasmine on a bowl of water, let it set all night, take out the jasmine, then use the water)

ManNow makes a face, having already eaten 3 pieces. "Haah... You are a boy, but very good at cooking desserts."

"Oii, don't talk like that! Most chefs are male." Parm exclaims.

"If you like cooking, why don't you take a Home Economics major?" Team asks curiously.

"Why did you study in this University? We don't have Home Economics here." ManNow adds.

"Yea, why?" Team asks impatiently.

"I've been cooking my entire life, I want to study something else." Parm purses his lips in a pout, making his friends laugh. After they eat 5-6 pieces each, the cook stares at his friends' faces as if he wants to say something.

"Hmm... What?" ManNow wants to eat again, but she can't eat too much. She has to control her diet.

Parm smiles and pulls out two more boxes of the desserts. "Take it, I made a lot. You can share them with your club members, too.”

"Oh, thank you." Team says while checking his watch. His seniors had already given him the schedule. He takes the box and puts it inside his bag, glancing at his shy friend who gives another box to ManNow. Team smiles teasingly.

"I'll make sure Phi Dean eats them."

Parm is shocked. His entire face lights up a bright red just hearing the senior's name.

ManNow smiles, observing Team who seems very happy with his friend's substantial reaction.

"Yes, I'll give a lot to Phi Dean." Team says while walking out, leaving Parm before he can retaliate.

"Team!!!"

Why is he always like this?

...

Today is the day the cooking club and the Thai dessert club begin their activities. When Parm reaches the club building and is greeted by the seniors, he presents them with a delicious snack to welcome himself into the club, making the girls squeal.

Usually, the club's rooms are in a single row building. The sports club had their room near their practice facility, but the cooking club stands separate. It is alone in it’s own building for safety. Also, the club receives full support from the University, meaning that their room is larger than other clubs’. Other than Thai cuisine, there are also Western cuisine and cakes. Though, the club's President said she had asked for a name change to become the 'International cooking club', because there are more and more orders for Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese food than Western or Thai.

Around the room, the ventilation windows are already open. On the left side, there are two Western-style kitchens and located right outside the room, there is a Thai-style kitchen. At the center of the room, there is a counter to prepare food on and a sink. At the right corner is a working table with loads of documents on it. There is also a bulletin board to post announcements, news, activities, schedules, etc, and a Japanese folding table.

"The Thai dessert club is also a part of this club." A senior says as she shows the five new members around the room. Peering into the storage room, everything is kept neatly: pans, paddles, bowls, steamers, etc. "When there are lots of orders, we have to stir the dough until our arms feel like they’re going to fall off, and basically have to stay in the club room all night." She continues, frightening the juniors.

After she is finished giving them a tour of the room and introducing them to all the members, the President explains the rules, including how to ask for permission to use the kitchen.

"Right now, we have an order to make 40 boxes of snacks. Who can help? You'll be included."*

[*Couldn’t think of a way to word this better, sorry ;_;]

"Who placed the order, P’, so that we can decide accordingly?" One girl asked.

"The swimming club. They plan to take their juniors to the beach, so they need snacks to eat on the bus."

Parm raises his head so fast he almost gives himself whiplash. There goes his damn heart again!

"Is there anyone free?" The club's President asks again.

Parm, ever so slowly, raises his hand.

"...I can help."

***

After a long tiring practice, the Swim Club is taking a much needed break. To the side, on their bulletin board, the score of each person is on display, where they post them to measure statistics.

"Oh ... So tired." Team complains, lying down on a long bench in the locker room.

"Go take a bath and change your clothes. Quickly!” Win yells. He kicks him lightly, making him scream. “Or wear a towel! Or is it that you want to show off your butt, huh?!"

"Oiii, P’! I don’t feel like moving to get my clothes," Team whines, covering his body with a towel.

"Why bother covering yourself, then?" Win teases, snatching one end of the towel, starting a game of tug-of-war.

"P’Win!!!" He protests, trying to fight back. His efforts are in vain, though, and he ends up on the floor.

"Go change! Hurry up!" Win extends his hand and helps his junior up from the floor.

"Hungry ... Tired!" Team moans, slumping back onto the bench.

Suddenly, his eyes widen. "Ha.. Yes!! I have snacks." The seniors laugh at Team’s sudden burst of energy as he runs to his locker, taking out a box. "No need to be shy, everybody can eat them." Team brings the snack box over and places it on the bench. Before he can dig in, he realizes how chilly the room is and finally decides to change his clothes.

"What is this?" Win asks, bending down to pick up one of the desserts. "The color is strange.” He sniffs it. “It’s blue and fragrant and there's no corn. How can you call it ta-goh?"

"No, P’, this is called leum-gleun. Haven’t you heard of it?" Team brags, showing off what he learned from Parm. Everyone moves closer, taking two pieces each.

"I’ve heard of it, but have never eaten it ... Hey, this is delicious." Win shouts as the soft snack melts in his mouth. The sweetness from the blue dough, the saltiness from the white dough, and the added coconut cream, all combine together to create a very tasty dessert. "Where did you buy it?"

Team shrugs and laughs. "My friend made them for me. I think he* is really great." He brags, posing to show off further.

"Your friend is a boy?" The seniors ask, surprised.

(*Team uses the word khao, meaning ‘he’. She: khae )

"Yes, his family owns a Thai restaurant. He made these snacks."

Suddenly the locker room's door opens, making the people inside freeze. The club's President walks in, becoming surprised when he sees everyone gathered inside.

"What are you doing?" Dean asks as he joins them. He sees the snack box in his junior's hand and furrows his eyebrows.

"Leum-gleun?”

"Hey, you know it, P’?" Team's eyes shine as he hurriedly hands it to his senior, "My friend made them. Try it."

Dean, without hesitation, picks up the snack and eats it. As it settles on his tongue, he freezes, his heart skipping a beat at the sweet taste. It’s as if the taste is familiar to him, making him feel nostalgic. He turns to pierce Team with a sharp stare, as if wanting to ask something, but stays silent.

Team doesn't let the chance slip away. "The France club that I visit doesn't make something like this.”*

[*I’m not quite sure what this means or if it’s relevant to the story, so I’m reluctant to change it. If anyone can give me some context or maybe could tell me if it would be bad to change it, I would highly appreciate it.]

Dean nods "But you better eat outside, or it will invite ants inside the room."

Upon being reprimanded, everyone scrambles to leave. One person grabs Team's neck, who quickly plucks the box from the bench. He smiles and stops to tease the President, batting away his friend’s hand.

"I'll give you the last piece. The person who made it is named Parm, and he’s a cute lover*" He says as he picks up his bag, giving the last snack to the club's President.

(*in Thai, there is a saying that whoever eats the last piece will get a lover soon. The word 'cute lover' can also be translated as 'cute to make him as lover' so what Team means is 'I hope you'll get Parm as a lover soon, because Parm is so cute')

Dean stares at the snack in his hand.

"So ... His name is Parm?"

His stare softens as he smiles slightly. He puts the snack on the bench and takes out his phone, taking a picture. Then, entering f*******:, he goes to post it, adding a short caption...

... The words from his aching heart ...

***

Parm sighs after taking a bath, happy to relax after a tiring day. He ended up coming home late due to a club meeting where they were debating what to make for the Swim Club’s order. Eventually, after a long discussion, they agreed to make mini hamburgers. It was also decided that he would help prepare and decorate.

Parm climbs onto his bed, reclining back on the bright yellow headboard. He waits impatiently for his tablet to open, then hurriedly opens Line to message Team and ask how his snacks were received.

#Ph@m#: How was the snack today, Team? Did they like it?

(*__*)/: Delicious! Everyone loved it!

#Ph@m#: Oh, next time I'll make sure to prepare more, then.

Lemonade: (touched cat sticker) Are you gonna ask if we liked it?

#Ph@m#: Hey, I was just about to ask!

Parm was sweating bullets .... he completely forgot to ask ManNow.

Lemonade: Yeah yeah, sure you were. Our club doesn’t have P’Dean.

#Ph@m#: Oii, hey it's not like that. Did ManNow's friends like it?

Lemonade: They loved it!

(*__*)/: heh heh (gym bear sticker)

#Ph@m#: I see, that's good.

(*__*)/: Tomorrow, I need more for P’Dean too, okay?

(*__*)/ : (send picture)

Parm abruptly straightens when he opens the picture. His cheeks heat up as his heart feels like it’ll jump right out of his chest.

The picture is taken from Dean's f*******:. It's the first post he’s made in half a year; a picture of a beautiful, brightly colored snack. Many comments are flooding in, but none are replied to by him.

All of a sudden, Parm’s entire body starts to shake when his attention is caught by the short caption below the picture.

____________________

(*never forget: ' mi khey leum' . The snack’s name is leum gleun , meaning ' forget to swallow' . He is making a pun: 'mi khey leum - leum gleun' as if he was saying "even if they ' forget to swallow' , I'll 'never forget'”).