Prologue
The sky was overcast even though it was only three in the afternoon. I'd already told In that it'd rain today, so there was no need to dress up so glamorously to walk outside. Or, to put it more accurately, there was no need to endure the heat. Despite being wealthy, the heir to a nationwide chain of department stores, and able to get anything she desired, she had to go through all this trouble just because I wanted to visit Sampeng Market.
"It's okay. I'd like to shop like a poor person for once."
It was a bit infuriating... but also kind of cute.
From a spoiled rich girl who used expensive things, she now looked thrilled with hair clips bought in bulk at wholesale prices, with enough change left to take home. I watched her short-haired, cheerful face as she enjoyed picking out items, even though I was the one who wanted to come here. Yet, I just stood there, not knowing what to buy.
"In, I'm going to buy some water at the entrance."
"Hurry back, or you'll get lost."
"You hurry up too; it's about to rain."
"What are you afraid of? We have an umbrella."
"The umbrella is with me right now."
"Inthe end, You'll come to get me anyway. Don't bother In; In is shopping."[1]
The usually aloof In went back to focusing on the hair clips, even forgetting to refer to herself as "I" as she usually did. I found her endearing as she happily picked out items, humming a Korean song in her thoughts.
Okay, if she was that content, I'd look at some things for myself.
Among the crowd, I often got annoyed by the noise of people's thoughts, sometimes to the point of getting a headache. The best way to avoid those noises was to plug in earphones and play loud music. Especially in a place like Sampeng, I had to protect my brain before it exploded from the noise of thoughts at the level of a super duper maximum category-6 scale hurricane.
Ah...whether it was summer, rain, or winter, this country was always hot. Theimpending rain only made the heat from the pavement more intense. I had to stepaside to buy some cold water to quench my thirst, only to be startled by the ringtone that got changed to that of the demanding rich girl.
Answer the phone now, Lay. I bought you that phone. Answer it now, now, now!
The female owner of a water stall chuckled at the ringtone. I gave a dry smile and answered the call through the Smalltalk, forgetting that the mic on the cord was broken.
I couldn't help but sigh. It looked like I had to take it off again, and when I was in the middle of the crowd at that...
As soon as I removed the earphones and brought the phone to my ear, the surrounding noise turned into silence. There were no thoughts from anyone else intruding as usual.
But suddenly... there was one sound that echoed clearly in my ears, familiar enough to make my heart race.
Ba-dum...
Ba-dum...
This wasn't the sound of my heart, but it pounded loudly in my ears. Startled and feeling a pain in my left chest, I clutched it tightly, realizing that my heartbeat and the sound in my head were in sync.
[Lay,you answered the call, but why aren't you responding? I'm done shopping. Whereare you?]
Miss Intuorn's voice still echoed from the phone speaker, but I wasn't paying attention. I was scanning the area, looking for the owner of that heartbeat.
Ba-dum...
It was too loud, and I sensed that he or she must be nearby.
[Lay, can you hear me? Are you using earphones? I told you the mic is broken; talk through the phone.]
Pitter-patter...
And then the rain started to fall from the sky. Everyone began opening their umbrellas and crossing the street hurriedly. Even though I was searching for the owner of that heartbeat, I didn't forget to open my own umbrella.
"I can hear someone's heartbeat."
[What?]
I responded absentmindedly, my eyes still searching for the person whose heartbeat matched mine. My legs began to cross the street as the traffic light signaled. Just as I was about to reach the other side, I felt like I was being electrocuted, stopping me in my tracks.
Ba-dum...
Ba-dum...
I slowly turned to look at the person walking past me. That person was holding an umbrella and looking at me with the same disbelief.
"Jom."
The adorable woman stared at me as if we knew each other. I stood there, frozen, unable to understand why. I only knew that tears were streaming down one side of my face. I felt the urge to call her name, but I didn't know what it was.
"Teach."
Strangely, I didn't know who she was, but I said the word "Teach" out of the blue. The woman in front of me covered her mouth, dropping her umbrella before rushing to hug me tightly.
"Jom, my dear Jom."
As I was about to hug her back, someone soaking wet from the rain, because I'd taken the umbrella, stared at me with a sorrowful expression. Intuorn looked at me. Even though I was being embraced, the usually moody rich girl said nothing. Yet, her thoughts were as clear in my mind and heart as the heartbeat of the person hugging me.
'I don't want to lose you, Lay.'
*-*-*-*-*-*-
Seven years ago...
Room 211, 7 points.
Room 412, 8 points, three of a kind.
Room 305, 6 points.
"Jom, should I draw a card?"
"Draw. Everyone has high cards."
My father nodded in understanding after I whispered in his ear, reaching out to draw the last card, sweating profusely. But then...
"Zero."
"Oh... no luck today, Dad, you poor thing."
I laughed heartily as I watched my father pay everyone around the table, leaving almost no money to be the dealer. Just as he was about to ask me to borrow some money, a call from my mother came, asking him to go to the apartment office to continue his duties. I felt grateful that she called at the right moment because Dad never returned the money he borrowed.
Great, during the holidays, I didn't have to do anything but watch him play cards with the tenants and screen new tenants for Mom. It'd been like this ever since I could remember.
Well, it couldn't be helped. Being able to hear and perceive people's inner thoughts was a special ability I had. If used wisely, it could be beneficial, even if some things were good and some were bad.
It took me about two minutes to get from the rooftop to the office on the ground floor to meet my mother. The new tenant, who was sitting with their back to me, surprised me a bit because I couldn't see anything and only heard one unmistakable sound.
Ba-dum...
Ba-dum...
What is this...? It sounds like a heartbeat.
"Hey."
Mom called me down to read the new tenant's mind, speaking briefly as if it were a secret code. I frowned and tried to listen, but I heard nothing except...
Ba-dum...
The very clear sound of a heartbeat.
"Excuse me," I said, reaching out to touch the shoulder of the person sitting with their back to me, apologizing politely. Usually, I could hear people's thoughts or see vague images when passing by them. But if it wasn't clear, I'd have to touch them. The thoughts in their minds would appear like images on a TV screen, more vivid than 3D.
But with this tenant, I saw nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Is there something wrong?"
As soon as she turned to look at me, I was taken aback. Her light brown eyes had a certain magnetic pull, making it impossible for me to look away.
Ba-dum...
"How is it?"
Mom tilted her head, asking again to confirm whether we should accept the tenant or reject her. The tenant looked puzzled, not understanding what the middle-aged woman meant. I could only stare at the cute woman. And judging by her attire and other indicators, she must be older than me. I shook my head because I couldn't hear anything except...
Ba-dum...
The sound of a heartbeat.
"She's fine..." I replied simply, nodding. Mom looked back, baffled by my vague answer. Usually, I'd give a straight-up yes or no.
But I'd never given such an ambiguous answer like "she's fine," which could be interpreted in any way.
"Alright, then. Pay the deposit, and you can move in at the end of the month."
"Thank you."
"The rules here are no gas stoves, no children, no pets in the building..."
Mom recited the rules as if she'd memorized them, speaking automatically. The new tenant politely acknowledged everything my mother said, then turned to smile at me.
"You're adorable."
"Who are you?"
"What?"
Mom, who was picking up the contract book, looked up at me in surprise. My strange behavior made her frown in confusion, unable to resist asking.
"Why are you asking that?"
This meant, "If you can read people's minds, why do you need to ask who this lady is?"
But... since I couldn't read anything about this woman, there was only the sound of her heart pounding loudly whenever I was near, and it made me curious.
Who are you...?
Whycan't I hear anything... except for the sound of your heartbeat?
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[1] It is normal for Thai people to refer to themselves by their own name ornickname, as this is considered to be a more relaxed and informal way ofspeaking.
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