"Right now, we are with Little Oh, a first-grade student. Based on the information, Little Oh is a scholarship student at this school. Could you tell us why you received the scholarship, Little Oh?"

"I have musical talent," the boy answered.

"And how long have you had the scholarship?"

"Since I started my first year in kindergarten.”

Then, it was an account of how life in the school was, and what was hard or easy, according to a child’s experience. Upon watching it, Pimploy was quite interested in it.

"Eh?" The young woman exclaimed softly. Her daughter also had a special talent.

‘Let’s see where this school is located.’ Pimploy searched on Google. The result showed that the school was very close to her future workplace, it was only a few train stations away. Scholarships were available every year. She grabbed a piece of paper and jotted down notes. She would try taking her daughter to this place first. Studying for free at a school of rich people, nothing could be better than this…

The sky had darkened, but the lights in the mother and daughter’s room were still on. The mother sat on the floor in front of an old Japanese-style table, her laptop screen glowing brightly. Behind the young mother, there was a large bed with a mound of blankets on it. A small gap, just the size of a palm, was at the edge of the blanket. Looking inside, one could see darkness.

Within it, small eyes peeked out… Of course, it was none other than Pailin, the adult in a child's body.

The capital city lights at night, when viewed from the ground up, appeared as towering skyscrapers. But when looked down from above, all one could see was numerous lights.

On a tall building, through a large glass window overlooking a major river, two men sat in a living room. The luxurious sofa was blood red. The dim orange lights were set low, and the room was quiet, devoid of any attendants.

The first man rested his elbow on the long sofa, holding a wine glass in one hand while pressing his phone with the other. His fingers moved up and down, casting flickering lights in the dim space. The one with a white-yellow face and single-lidded eyes smiled a little.

"The production company really knows how to create something to boost views," the young man spoke softly, commenting on the view count of ‘Still Remember,’ the latest single by a famous male singer, a song he had personally written. His slender fingers with short nails tapped on a thread that boosted the song popularity. Then, his eyes caught onto one particular image.

"I’ve been in Thailand for so long, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone with the same eye color as you, Big Brother." He scrolled through pictures of a long-haired little girl, taken by the photographer on set. There was her smiling face, her serious face, her laughing face. Looking at them made him smile as well. She seemed to be about the same age as his daughter.

"Who?" a deep voice asked in return. His figure was obscured by a large chair, hiding him from view. On a Roman-style armchair, another man sat. Though the chair and the sofa were from different sets, their colors were in the same tone. The chair was covered in luxurious-looking velvet, with armrests, and was positioned facing the enormous window that spanned two levels of the penthouse.

The smoke from an expensive cigar lingered briefly before dissipating. The man sat gazing out at the emptiness outside, the atmosphere around him was silent and heavy.

"The little girl who acted in the MV of the song I wrote."

"People with my eye color are plenty. You just haven’t come across them before." An even voice responded.

The young man on the sofa inside shrugged indifferently. He locked his phone screen before slipping it into his pants pocket.

"Whatever. If there are many, then so be it. So, what will you do? Stella and Christine are coming soon. Are you going to pick them up?"

"I’m not free that day. I have things to take care of."

The young man sitting inside exhaled. His wife’s older brother was so busy with his work. The entire family had already come to terms with it, but there was nothing they could do. A man who wasn’t married wanted to work, they had to let him do it.

"I’m heading out. Anyway, if you happen to visit your niece, don’t forget to bring a gift. Oh, and one more thing—the documents I brought are important. Don’t forget to sign them." He gave a little reminder before standing up, slipping his hands into his pockets, walking to grab his coat draped over the chair, and walking out of the room.

By the window, the only man who was left here did not stand up and go elsewhere. He sat on the same spot, letting time pass to ponder various matters.

His white shirt was unbuttoned at the top two buttons, and the cuffs remained fastened. Beside him, a small round wooden table held a glass containing amber-colored liquid, there was just a small amount of it that was left in there. One arm rested flat, while the other lifted the large cigar to smoke. He took a long, deep inhale, then exhaled a cloudy smoke. His body relaxed, and he let out a long sigh.

A faint reflection on the glass before the dark night, which was a background,…

...was the smoke and a pair of grayish-brown eyes staring back.

Pimploy called the school to inquire about the scholarship. It turned out that an interview schedule had already been officially announced, along with a small test. The young woman didn’t quite understand—what kind of knowledge could a child this little possibly have to take a test? The school explained that it was an EQ and IQ assessment through pictures, this was a test for children.

The young woman felt somewhat relieved, since she hadn’t taught her daughter much—just how a three-year-old kid like Pailin could do addition and subtraction was already a blessing for a mother like her. Being a child these days wasn’t easy. Even getting into kindergarten required an interview. Some kids could barely even speak clearly.

After asking a few more things about other matters, she ended the call. The application process could be done via the school’s website, which was quite convenient.

Pimploy needed to compile a portfolio for her daughter to showcase her background and achievements. So, in the morning, after attending a class she couldn’t miss, she headed straight to the stationery shop on campus and bought three A4 folders. Since the mother and the daughter didn’t have anything about their background to boast about, Pimploy thought that she had to emphasize the quantity of achievements, which were something her daughter had in abundance. But this wasn’t something she could do alone. She would have to ask a certain person for help.

With that in mind, the young woman picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number. The ringing tone rang for a short moment before someone picked up.

"Hello, Dol? It’s me, Big Sister Pim," Pimploy greeted with a clear voice.

"Oh, hello, Big Sister Pim. How have you been? I haven’t seen you lately. Need me to help with something?" The one on the other end greeted her back. The surrounding noise seemed chaotic; he was probably at university as well.

"Wow, you’re good at guessing. I do need a favor. I’d like to ask for some of the pictures of Little Pailin that you took before. Could you send me a variety of them? Would that be convenient for you?" Pimploy stated her purpose, feeling a bit guilty about troubling another person like this. She didn’t have many pictures of Pailin on her laptop. She had only kept as many as the photographers had kindly given her—never once asking for more.

"Of course, no problem. I have plenty. What do you need them for?" Nawadol asked.

"Oh, I’m making a portfolio for Pailin. I’m taking her for a scholarship interview—one for special talents."

The other end of the line went silent for a moment, as if he was pondering about something.

"Uh… how about this, Big Sister Pim…?"

Sunday morning

Pimploy didn’t have work today. After cleaning the room and finishing the laundry, she took Pailin to bathe and get dressed. Nowadays, her daughter could bathe on her own. Besides, she would only wear clothes she picked out herself. Such an unpredictable child.

But never mind, she really liked it like this. She had met other people’s children and felt that no one’s child was as easy to raise as her own. But she couldn’t say that out loud, she feared others might accuse her of being exaggerated with her compliments.

Pailin stepped out of the bathroom and saw her mother brushing her hair and putting on makeup in front of the mirror. Her mother preferred light makeup—moist lips, just a little powder and lipstick, and she could already look beautiful effortlessly. Today, her mother wore a long dress that cost two hundred and fifty baht, which she had just bought. Pailin thought it looked ordinary when her mother bought it, but the moment her mother put it on, it suddenly looked great, as if it were an expensive one.

Well, it was like how some people carried Grade-A counterfeit brand bags, and others assumed they were real. However, some bought genuine ones, yet people still said that they looked like fake ones. In the end, the only ones who didn’t have to worry about such opinions were those who carried eco-friendly tote bags.

There were only a few types of people who looked good in anything: tall people, fair-skinned people, people with good figures, and those with a little bit of a bust. By sheer luck, her mother was also present in an overlap of all those mentioned characteristics. Pailin could only hope that these genes would be passed down to her someday.

She chose her clothes from the wardrobe, and she found a yellow dress with a slightly flared skirt, which contrasted nicely with the girl’s fair skin. On the shoulder was a single white flower, looking quite cute. Pailin pulled it out and put it on before waddling over to find her shoes. She chose a pair of white canvas sneakers for kids and placed them by the door in preparation before heading toward her mother.

"Mommy, please brush my hair." Pailin walked up and clung to the hem of Pimploy’s dress. The girl blinked repeatedly. Her mother bent down, her flawless, beautiful, clear face smiling sweetly. The young woman held her daughter and slowly brushed her hair until it was in place, mumbling to herself that her daughter’s bangs were starting to get too long.

Staring at her mother for a long time, the imagination kicked in.

...When she grew up, she would definitely be good-looking…

Nawadol sat in a café, a shop owned by a fellow photographer he knew. The shop was located in the heart of the city, with air conditioning and charging ports—spoiling customers in line with social trends. Since the young man arrived early, he secured a table inside. The shop was decorated in an old Western style, with dim lighting that provided a good sense of privacy.

Securing a corner table with its own power outlet was the ultimate achievement for a freelance worker wandering outside to work.

Checking the time, he thought that the mother and daughter duo would probably be arriving soon. After receiving Pimploy’s call yesterday, he thought it would be better for the mother and the daughter to come and select the pictures themselves—since he had so many. The reason was the fact that after he hired Pailin as a model that one time, there had been subsequent shoots as well. And he also had some pictures from other photographers.

… Saying it out loud made him sound like a creep.

… But he really adored this child.

Nawadol waited for a while. Looking out to the front of the shop, he saw the mother and daughter walking his way—radiating an aura of fair complexion from afar. The mother and her kid had nearly the same hairstyle. The only difference was that Pailin had bangs while her mother did not. Their long hair was slightly wavy—one jet black, the other a dark brown. One wore pink, the other yellow. When they walked side by side, the surroundings seemed to be destroyed. Anyone who was a photographer like him would understand, he wanted to take a picture and post it online but was afraid it might be illegal.

Nawadol thought that he was getting out of hand…

The shop bell jingled as someone entered.

"Uncle Dolllllllll."

Pailin ran toward Nawadol at the corner of the shop. Upon reaching him, she raised her hands to perform a wai in an adorable way, just like how she loved to do. Then, the little one ran back to take her mother’s hand so she would quickly walk this way.

"Good morning, Big Sister Pim," Nawadol raised his hands in a wai.

"Good morning. You’re always here before me." The young woman set down her bag and took a seat.

"It’s just a bad habit of mine, haha."

Nawadol and Pimploy chatted about the girl’s scholarship interview and discussed what needed to be included in the portfolio. Nawadol was quite skilled in compiling portfolios, so he provided guidance and taught Pimploy how to write descriptions for various pieces. Meanwhile, Pailin walked and observed around the café casually, promising the two adults that she wouldn’t be mischievous.

Before the high counter, the young female barista was busy arranging newly delivered items. She was getting a headache because the other shift’s staff had placed everything in complete disarray.

"Big Sister."

"Yes? What would you like to order?" The young barista turned around, and she found no one there. She jolted in surprise. Then she thought about the shop history, and she found that ghost stories had never existed.

Suddenly, a tiny hand rose above the edge of the counter.

The young woman leaned over to look and saw a cute kid with long hair, gray eyes, giving her a sweet smile.

"One blueberry smoothie, one hot chocolate, and one cappuccino, please."

The little girl carried a crossbody bag with a pineapple pattern. The female staff saw her unzip it and pull out a small folded stack of hundred-baht bills.

"How much is it?" Pailin asked, tilted her head all the way back.

The young woman behind the counter snapped out of her daze, so she pressed the cash register.

"That'll be 270 baht."

The little girl slowly lowered her head and unfolded the bills one by one. She counted and had 300 baht. Pailin stood on tiptoe to place the money on the counter.

"Received 300 baht." Pailin waited for her change, then tucked it back into her bag. Seeing her be like this, she had savings too. Lately, her mother gave her a little money to buy snacks, but Pailin rarely spent it. With all the treats people loved to give her, she could hardly finish them.

There was an empty seat beside Nawadol, so Pailin walked over and sat down. Peeking at the screen, she saw an array of images. The two adults were carefully selecting photos and transferring them to a flash drive.

"Don’t you choose this one, Dol? I think it looks nice.”

"This photo is nice, Big Sister Pim, but it doesn’t showcase her skills or dedication," Nawadol explained, pointing at the image. "Take a look at this picture, Big Sister Pim. This was taken during her children’s clothing advertisement shoot where I was present with you. The first image was a candid shot of Little Pailin. If we just look at it, it is beautiful, but it’s just beautiful."

Nawadol clicked on another photo. "Big Sister Pim, try looking at this one. It’s also candid, but this was taken while she was working, with the crew visible in the picture too. I recommend using images like this. Even better, we should include the final work, which we can probably find on the brand’s website. That will add credibility."

Pimploy let out a small "Oh," beginning to understand things a bit more. Having a good advisor was this good.

Pailin exclaimed ‘excellent’ in her mind. After listening to the young man’s lecture, she felt that she was so lucky. Nawadol was like a person who appeared at just the right moment, the moment when she needed help. The little girl thought that, perhaps, heaven might have sent her an assistant.

"Uncle Dol, you’re amazing." She complimented him for a bit. Seeing Nawadol’s shy smile, Pailin felt a sense of accomplishment.

The young barista walked over with a tray to serve. Normally, she would let customers pick up their orders at the front. However, as for this customer, if she let her pick up the order herself, it might spill on her way.  

The two adults made bewildered faces. Nawadol recalled that he had ordered one cup of coffee since he arrived and hadn’t placed any further orders.

"I didn’t order this," he said.

The shop worker smiled. She gestured toward Pailin and spoke. "This little one ordered them."

Pimploy, the mother, raised an eyebrow.

Pailin smiled, though inside, she felt like she had done something wrong. "Pailin ordered them for Uncle Dol and Mommy. And this one is Pailin’s." She used both hands to grab the blueberry smoothie and took a sip, making a remorseful face as best as she could.  "Look at that face. Mommy’s not going to scold you, but next time, tell me first, okay?" Pimploy narrowed her eyes and raised her index finger in a gesture that suggested a punishment in the future.

"How much is it?" the mother asked, preparing to take out her money to pay for it.

"The little girl already paid for it," the young female barista smiled before walking away.

The mother turned back and smiled sweetly in a terrifying way. "You’re secretly saving your money now, clever kid?"

Pailin made an awkward face. She felt like she wasn’t acting like a child convincingly enough. Maybe dying and being reborn once had affected her acting skills. She kept blaming this and that, but the truth was that she wanted a smoothie.

Slurpppp… The tangy taste of blueberries was truly refreshing.

She sucked on the straw until there was no air in her cheeks. The drink in the cup was finished, and the two adults hadn’t finished their conversation yet.

Leaning her head against the wall, the little one dozed off unintentionally…

Someone once said that life is like a dream, anything that passes would become faint clouds and fog. As for the matters of the past, sometimes one would recall it, but sometimes they wouldn’t. It’s hard to remember.  

Little Pailin’s life was the same. Originally, she was a famous actress. Then, she was murdered and became a ghost. She was floating aimlessly before she was reborn as a child. The time seemed long, but in the blink of an eye, today, she was standing in front of a school gate.

The school sign was large and luxurious. In front was an enormous lawn. The lush green grass was cut short, indicating that it was nicely taken care of.

The school was empty and quiet due to the semester break.

Pimploy and Pailin got out of a taxi. Mother and daughter held hands as they walked inside. The security guard, who stood there, approached to inquire.

He then directed them toward the designated interview area. Following the posted signs, they soon arrived at a small conference room.

Opening the door, a cool air hit their faces. Inside, there were five children around Pailin’s age, each seated with their guardians.

Pailin held her mother’s hand as they walked in. The gazes directed at them weren’t exactly friendly. The room was silent, no one had any intention of chatting. The girl noticed that some of the guardians were dressed like well-off individuals. Judging from their conditions, they shouldn’t be applying for their kids’ scholarship. These people were either stingy or had a wannabe style.

After a long while, more people trickled in. In total, there were twenty applicants, but there were only four scholarships.

Pailin felt weary. Three years old, and they already had to struggle in a competition this much. No wonder half the country suffered from depression.

Drowning in parental expectations. Carrying the weight of their own disappointments. How could childhood be happy?

She saw an adorable girl arrive in a ballet outfit. Pailin didn’t even dare to think how young she must have been when she started learning.

An elderly teacher entered, gave a little explanation, and handed out schedules to the guardians. The test was divided into morning and afternoon sessions. The elderly teacher opened the floor for questions. A few people raised their hands. Once there were no more people asking…

The children and guardians were separated.

The children were taken to another room. Inside, there were twenty mini desks spaced apart. Everyone was led by another group of teachers to the desks, one person per desk.

Pailin sat properly, behaving herself. She thought everything should go smoothly. However, she hadn’t expected that five minutes later…

The entire room would be filled with the sounds of children... who were crying for their parents...

Pailin Kamonanan, the girl seated at the very back of the room, had one thought rise in her mind.

‘Sigh, being a kid really isn’t easy.’