The plane landed at Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok on time. It taxied along the runway for a few minutes and stopped at one of the eastern gates. ‘Suvanampum’, as the locals call it, was a gigantic single-terminal airport, the brain child of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a Thai Donald Trump of sort—or was it the other way around? Initially much decried and subject to tremendous political pressure, the airport was forced to open well before it was ready. Some of the runways had holes in them, all the equipment had been provided by the lowest bidder while tax payers were charged top dollar, and there wasn’t a single shop in the building. Half of the water fountains didn’t work either.

  A triumph, had claimed Thaksin, whose family was rumored to own the marsh lands on which the new airport was built, a worthless asset sold at a thousand times its value. By now however, the place had become one of Asia’s largest travel hubs, handling over 60 million passengers a year and home to an extensive network of shopping facilities selling anything from watches to luxury cars and seafront real estate.

  Things have changed so much, Ma?l thought as he ushered Kaori along the familiar halls. He walked at a brisk pace.

  “About 500 yards to go. If we can make it to the immigration gates before the rest of the plane’s passengers, we can easily save half an hour of waiting.” he explained.

  Kaori nodded and she pressed the pace—she was still anxious about getting caught at the Thai immigration, but it was best to get this over with and the prospect of waiting half an hour extra pondering her fate didn’t appeal to her.

  They arrived into a giant hall, with counters stretching on both sides as far as she could see. In spite of the late hour, there were well over a hundred people queuing.

  “Score!” Ma?l exclaimed. “It’s almost empty!”

  He made a beeline to the far left side of the hall. She looked at him bemused. How was this ‘empty’? Traveling on her private jet was an entirely different experience. Unquestionably more comfortable, but also far more sanitized. She never had any opportunity to see regular people, hear their conversations, their worries, their interests, kids arguing amongst each other… and no one was paying her any attention! It was a fascinating experience, and not an unpleasant one. So she waited patiently.

  She didn’t wait long. Ma?l’s strategy had worked and she was now at the front of the line, facing an immigration booth manned by a pretty Thai woman in uniform. Staring back at her was a ID camera and the counter was equipped with a finger scanner. This was it. For all the marbles. She willed herself to look calm and walked to the counter, handing her passport and her plane ticket.

  The officer took the passport with a mumbled “thank you” and looked down to the computer. She paused and looked up, straight at Kaori, scrutinizing her face. Kaori’s heart was pounding.

  “Wow! You are sooo pretty!” the officer said with a wide smile.

  Dumbfounded, Kaori returned the smile. “Thank you!”

  “Please look at the camera—no smiling.”

  Kaori complied and the officer stamped her passport, handing it to her. Kaori looked at the fingerprint scanner, puzzled.

  “Oh, those? The system has been down for a week. These bloody things never work right anyway!” she explained. “Have a nice stay!”

  “Thank you” Kaori replied with a huge grin. How amazingly lucky was she?

  In Japan, broken equipment was replaced on the spot. This was Thailand, however…

  Ma?l joined her and they went to pick up the backpack. It had only been a week since he left, but he felt a deep sense of relief. He was at home here. He quickly guided Kaori through customs. “Don’t stop, don’t look at anyone.” were his instructions and indeed, the custom officers were seating chatting amongst themselves and paying scant attention to the arriving passengers. What did they care about one ratty backpack?

  Like everything else in this airport, the arrival hall was massive. Kaori looked around in wonder, but Ma?l walked to the left without hesitation, pushing aside the touts advertising “limousine taxi” and dodging the hordes of hotel representatives. Most major hotels had shuttle services and there were dozens of them, waiting eagerly to collect their last passengers of the day. Kaori followed in his wake until they reached a brightly colored booth advertising “the largest network in Thailand.” He pressed his hands together and nodded his head to one of the girls behind the counter.

  “Wadi, nong Lek.” he said with a smile.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  The twenty-something was cute as a button and beamed at Ma?l, “Sawasdee Kha! Sabai dee mai?”

  “Dee, dee. Khun Leuh?”

  “Aow arai a, wani?”

  “Muan dum pokati.”

  Hello, how are you, I’m fine and you? What do you want? Same as usual.

  A well rehearsed routine, he bought a new SIM card almost every time he came through, and Lek, the counter girl, had grown familiar with him, although not quite as familiar as he might have liked.

  Kaori stared at him with surprise. Ma?l speaking fluent Thai and acting all flirty was the last thing she had expected. And the way that girl smiled at him…

  Ma?l paused, just realizing his mistake.

  “Koh thot, pom pit. Yak dai song Sim wani. Fan ma duay”

  Sorry, I made a mistake. I need two sim cards this time. My girlfriend is with me.

  He pointed to Kaori.

  “Give me your phone, we need a SIM card for you as well.”

  Kaori handed him the phone. Lek briefly stared daggers at her, but then smiled.

  “Wow! Pooyin sooaey dee!” she said to Ma?l before turning to Kaori. She pressed her hands together and bowed in the Thai manner, the tip of her hands well below her chin, flexing her legs. A very pretty bow, but too casual for a customer. She’s more polite than that usually, thought Ma?l perplexed. She had said Kaori was gorgeous, but that was expected. She ignored Kaori.

  “Taeng nan le yan?”

  “Yan, mai taeng krap.”

  Ah. The “are you married?” routine. Another classic. Thai girls had no shame when it came to asking these kinds of questions.

  “Aow mia noi doué mai kha? Pen giik ke dai.” Lek said with a knowing smile.

  Ma?l blushed as Kaori looked at him in puzzlement. Did Lek just say that in front of Kaori? Do you also want a mistress? I can be your side chick.

  He had flirted with her before on a few occasions, while buying SIM cards, but it had just been lighthearted banter. He was single and she didn’t accept a date then.

  And now that he was (almost was) with Kaori, she propositioned him like that? Thai women are crazy, he thought.

  He picked up the phones and handed Kaori hers.

  “What did she say?”

  “Oh, that you are super pretty and that I’m a lucky guy!”

  Kaori relaxed a bit. She was sure there was more to this, but… Am I jealous of a booth girl? Come on Kaori, stop it! she admonished herself and she gave the girl a smile.

  “Thank you! You’re pretty too.” Not “very pretty,” just “pretty.” Girl-speak for “Stay in your lane.”

  Ma?l noticed nothing, he was busy updating his contacts from backup. He however noticed a new contact in his contact list:

  Lek (call me)

  Crazy girl! He made to delete the number, but changed his mind and changed the name instead, to Lek (AIS). AIS was the network provider. Having a direct contact with his cellphone provider was a good thing to have, he rationalized. A flimsy excuse at best, but, if he was right, Kaori would soon realize she was far out of his league and walk out of his life. It was bound to happen, he wasn’t good enough for her girl like her.

  What could he offer to Kaori? He had nothing and was nobody. He’d see her safe no matter what, and then he’d have to step aside and let her go. The notion tore at his insides, but he was a realist and what right did he have to hold her back with a loser like him?

  After a bit of searching through his contacts, he found what he was looking for. Saphan Noi. Little bridge. He called.

  “Allo. Kun Yu nai, ah?”

  “Ni krai?”

  “Tching, khun mai rutchak pom?”

  “Oooooh, Ma?l. Kun yu ti nai?”

  “Suvanampum.”

  “Soot yot. Yu chan song, ti satani tamluat!”

  Ma?l slid the phone in his pocket and looked at Kaori. She couldn’t quite figure out this version of Ma?l, speaking hundred miles an hour in Thai, teasing people and leading her around.

  “I have a contact we have to meet on the second floor.”

  With a start, Kaori finally realized something that had completely escaped her. In Japan, he was a visitor and she was in charge.

  Here, he was home!