CRANIUM by ณลัน

Translated by iPfahl

Episode 01

"The 16-seat chartered plane, bound for Paris, crashed into a rice field and has now
been turned into a wreckage. Officials presume all fifteen occupants, including pilots
and crew, died. They are currently investigating the cause of the crash."

The neutral voice of a young reporter spoke into a microphone in front of the crash
site. Although the area was cordoned off so as not to interfere with the work of the
police and aviation safety officials who were tasked with finding out the cause of
the accident, several media outlets continually tried to get close and disrupt their
work.

A young woman dressed in a collared shirt with rolled-up sleeves and dark pants
exuded a confident aura. Although her eyes were visibly tired from the journey, she
gazed at the scene of the accident through square-rimmed glasses.

Dr. Busaya, or Bua as she was known, arrived at the crash site after receiving a
direct call from her supervisor that morning. A few hours later, Bua was speaking
with the officer in charge of coordinating the crash site.

— Just a moment, please. I need to check the name registration list first — Bua
nodded as she adjusted her glasses on her nose and brushed away a small strand
of short hair that fell over her face to improve her vision.

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— I am replacing Professor Dr. Nissara — explained Bua, handing over her doctoral
student identification card, which had not yet been returned to the Postgraduate
Directorate, to identify herself — At the moment, the professor is abroad

The officer responsible for registering the people involved at the accident site
looked down to consult the documents and check the list of names again.

— Here it is. Professor Dr. Nissara from the Institute of Bioanthropology — then she
looked at the list until she found Bua's name, which was right below the advisor's
name, listed as the professor's substitute.

— Yes, the professor is my advisor. She is attending a seminar in Panama, so she

asked me to come in her place.

— Please sign here and we will provide your identification badge – said the officer
in a calm voice — If you have any problems or need additional equipment, please
let me know, Dr. Busaya – added the coordinating officer, handing over the
registration documents for signature.

“All right,” Dr. Busaya said as she handed back the signed paper.

— Thank you very much for coming to help us. This way, please — said the
coordinator — The operations center and your work tent are on this side. Later in
the evening, someone will take you to the accommodation. We are getting
everything ready. This night may still be a little turbulent

— No problem, thank you very much.

Busaya stood in front of the access road to the crash site. It had been about twenty
hours since the small passenger plane crashed in a rural area in the central
province of the country. Estimates were that all fifteen passengers, including the
pilot and crew, had died, but the search for survivors continued unabated.

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She watched as rescue dogs were actively patrolling the area, and firefighters in
fluorescent orange uniforms were stationed around the area to be prepared in case
new fires broke out. About four hours earlier, Bua had received a call from her
supervisor, Prof. Dr. Nissara, asking her to come to the scene immediately to help
the police identify the victims.
Victim identification is a work related to anthropology, or more specifically,
forensic anthropology, which is usually carried out by forensic anthropologists or
identification specialists.

This field of anthropology studies human evolution since prehistoric times,

including ancestors and close relatives of humans, such as primates and mammals,
and sometimes other animals, to understand the evolutionary sequence.

Bua's specialty is physical anthropology, which examines humans and primates in

terms of structure and morphology, especially central bones and upper and lower
limbs, and interprets how life and society evolved for the survival of the species,
also using insights from social anthropology to investigate structure and context.
In addition, physiological structure can be interpreted in relation to evolution prior
to the modern human form.

“Please come in,” said the police officer in charge of the crash site, as he lifted the
yellow tape that cordoned off the area of the rice field, now containing the
wreckage of the plane, whose fire had already been brought under control. About
five hundred meters ahead, several people were working intensely, and some of
them were still searching for possible survivors.

Bua noticed about ten rescuers ready in the area, but they had not yet had the
opportunity to begin their work, as they had not yet found any survivors. It was an
extremely distressing moment. Another young police officer led her to the tent,
which Bua assumed was where she would carry out her work.

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— Later in the afternoon, there will be a meeting with everyone involved. If you are
ready, you can start working now. Thank you very much for coming.

— The pleasure is mine — she replied.

Busaya looked around the tent, which was equipped with six stainless steel
examination tables. She wasn’t sure how many victim identification experts had
been summoned, but experts in physical anthropology or forensic anthropology
weren’t easy to find. Maybe she was the only one.

Bua did not consider herself an expert, and was still far from achieving that title,
especially compared to her advisor, Professor Dr. Nissara, one of the respected
leaders in the field. The professor had worked in all areas and had already assisted
in several agencies.

In the field of victim identification, both nationally and internationally, she is a

respected authority in the field, having assisted several national and international
organizations in more than ten countries. In terms of academic publications,
although this field is not very well known, the professor has at least thirty articles
published in specialized journals. She is, without a doubt, one of the prominent
figures in the field.

And Bua was just a PhD student, in fact, she had graduated about three months
ago and had recently received final approval from the institution, with the dean's
signature stamped on the cover of her dissertation. She could already be called
"Dr.", but she was not yet completely used to the title; she had taken some time to
relax after more than five years of intense studies, preparing to take on a research
position at the research institute that her advisor had founded.

Bua packed her things, including a silver tool bag and a backpack filled with
clothes and essentials, and propped them on the side of the examination table,
thinking that someone would soon be taking her to her accommodation, which

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would probably be a tent. Working in the field is like that; you often sleep in tents
more than you do in hotels.

She stood next to the stretcher where the first bones were, brought in by the
rescuers. The bones were piled up without being separated, due to the rush. Some
were whole, others broken, and some burned. The sight made Bua exhale a long
sigh before she began searching for the necessary equipment, which included
gloves and a face mask.

She got to work immediately. The first bone she picked up was a collarbone, still
with some tissue on it because it hadn't been cleaned, and she separated it from
the pile. Piling up bones like this made her job a hundred times harder, because
normally the process would follow the principles of forensic evidence collection:
cordon off the area, photograph the items, collect them in parts, and then begin
identifying the victims.

By delimiting the accident area, taking photographs of the evidence and organizing
it into parts, the process of identifying the victims could begin.

— But look who I found here? — About forty-five minutes later, a voice dripping
with sarcasm sounded from the entrance of the tent, causing the young doctor's
concentration to break — I really thought you wouldn't come

11It was a voice that Bua recognized immediately, even after not hearing it for some
time. Although it was soft and pleasant, it was filled with sarcasm and irony.
Looking up at the visitor at the tent door, she couldn’t help but sigh for a second
before looking away, wondering why she could recognize this woman’s voice and
how much it bothered her.
16

Pinya, dressed in a light-colored rolled-up sleeve shirt tucked into dark pants, was
leaning against the entrance of the tent. With her hands in her pockets, her long,

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dark brown hair swayed gently in the wind, and her gaze was piercing, as if it would
devour.

— Welcome — Bua said disinterestedly.

— Really?

— Feel free to interpret it however you want... I can't believe they asked you to help
— Bua replied before bending down to focus on her work again — If I had known
before, I wouldn't have even come

Pinya had also been a PhD student of Prof. Dr. Nissara, just like Bua. However, one
chaotic day, she caused a huge commotion by accusing her advisor of favoritism,
which in turn affected Bua. After that, Pinya resigned and Bua learned that she had
gone abroad to continue her studies, and there has been no news of her since.

1— Where’s your mommy? — Pinya asked about Bua’s advisor.

— In Panama — Bua replied in a dry tone.

The two had been at odds for as long as Bua could remember. Pinya would often
tease her, calling her the teacher’s “sweetheart,” which Bua tried to ignore,
thinking it was nonsense. On top of that, there was Pinya’s habit of stealing
seminar topics to present to the teacher, which left the two of them almost unable
to look at each other. Until one day, Pinya made a scene and quit, leaving her
classmates bewildered.

11Bua’s disdain caused Pinya to approach the examination table filled with burnt
bones, likely the result of an intense collision and fire. Bua couldn’t help but look
up again, while unconsciously moving his glasses with the back of his hand.
— Don't cry just because your mommy isn't here — Pinya said.

— What do you want from me, Phinya?

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— Me? What would I need from you?

3— Then go play with your bones, my dear. I have work to do.

— GO PLAY WITH YOUR BONES, DEAR — Aren't you glad to meet an old friend?

6The question made her stare at Pinya's elongated face through her square-framed
glasses, and a sarcastic smile appeared at the corner of Bua's lips: "Friend? That's
an interesting choice of words," Bua said as she picked up a skull from one of the
victims and held it, still keeping her gaze fixed on the woman in front of her, who
had just called her friend, although in reality...
6

Then he continued: “You know, there is a theory that says that modern humans
have a larger frontal lobe, which leads to more complex emotions, and the ability
to think and analyze logic and reason in more detail than ancient humans. So
please act like a modern human, Phinya.”

These words made Pinya immediately grab Bua's wrist and come closer—You're
going too far, Bua!

— If you have nothing else to do besides teasing me, then help me with the work.
And then we can fight — Bua replied, pulling her wrist back and putting the skull
back in place while searching for a glove in the toolbox to give to Pinya. — Separate
this pile on the other table

Pinya shrugged, took what was offered, and began working without saying
anything else. She thought back to the old college days when the two of them
would argue all day long to the point that Professor Nisara had to separate them.
Bua also used to do her research at times when Pinya wasn’t in the building. The
situation made her find it almost comical that they would suddenly find
themselves in such a tragedy, a disaster that no one would want to see.

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Their work was just beginning. Some of the passengers' bodies were scattered
across the area, covering a field and the edge of a forest approximately three miles
wide. Furthermore, the Department of Aviation still had no conclusion as to what
had happened and was working intensively with other authorities to find answers.

“Do you have a magnifying glass I could borrow?” Phinya asked, normally this time.

— Why come prepared, right? — Even so, she searched the toolbox and handed
over the magnifying glass.

9— I got back from the airport three or four hours ago and came straight here. I was
hoping you could find one for me.
—So they couldn’t find anyone else and had to call you? — Bua couldn’t help but
comment.

“Still got the same sharp tongue, huh? Watch out for that,” Phinya said, picking up
the magnifying glass and looking at the first bone.

Bua listened, let out a sigh, and returned to focusing on the important work in front
of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 02

Busaya sighed for the umpteenth time that day. Not having a moment of rest after
years of sleepless studying was already karmic punishment enough. But having to
share a tent with Pinya? The universe was really demanding payment for past
debts. It didn't see her as a friend, nor did it see her as an enemy. In fact, the term
"personal karma" seemed more appropriate.

Bua stood there staring at the sign in front of the green tent made of a material
resistant to the sun and rain that served as a dormitory for the personnel involved
in the operation. The tent was about two hundred meters away from the accident
site, in a separate area where seven other tents were lined up in a row. On the tent
where Bua was staying, there was a white sign with black letters that read “Dr.
Busaya Methin.” But what really bothered her was the sign just below it, which
displayed the name “Dr. Pinya Thananon.”

Judging by the title “Doctor” in front of Pinya’s name, Bua realized that she had
finally graduated. After their last fight, Pinya disappeared without a trace, and no
one knew what had happened.

Like Bua, she was a physical anthropology major. However, her professors often
sent her into the field, especially to archaeological sites and studies of ancient
civilizations, which gave her additional experience in historical human civilizations.

Bua let out a resigned sigh, accepting what seemed to be her fate, when she heard
the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Pinya, who was holding a large
backpack, walked past her, purposefully bumping Bua's shoulder. For a brief

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moment, Bua felt a strong urge to reach out her foot and trip Pinya, but she
restrained herself with great effort.

8— You studied so much and still managed not to evolve into a vertebrate animal?
You disappeared and came back worse than before, without any education —
Although he had managed to get his foot out, his mouth was faster than his
thoughts. The words made Pinya turn quickly, his eyes shining with anger as he
reached out to grab Bua's collar. But Bua with a quick slap pushed his hand away in
time.
9— It seems that specialization has made your mouth especially sharper, Dr. Bua —
Pinya said, with a mischievous smile appearing at the corner of her mouth, keeping
her eyes fixed on Bua's lips — Be careful with that pretty little mouth, Dr. Bua. Who
knows, one day, some superior member of an inferior creature might hit you when
you least expect it — And with that, Pinya turned around — I'll sleep in the bed near
the entrance. You take the bed inside — it sounded more like an order than a
suggestion, given Pinya's tone that made Bua irritated at the time, but she didn't
answer, she didn't want any more trouble.
10

Bua squatted down at the entrance to the tent and picked up a handful of loose
soil, holding it tightly in her hand. She closed her eyes and said a short prayer,
asking for everything to go well. Slowly, she released the soil she held in her hands,
as a gesture of respect and asking permission from the spirits of the place to work
and rest there. This was a ritual she always performed when visiting a new place.
However, this time, it seemed that luck was not on her side from the start. Pinya
appeared again, passing by her.

1— I'm going to eat something, Bualoy — Pinya said, with a sarcastic tone, using the
nickname she had given Bua during their college days, without even looking back,
and then left the place.
1

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Bua decided not to fight back; it would only waste time and make her mood worse.
She knew Pinya’s temperament well: erratic and volatile, as if she suffered from a
nervous disorder or had an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, which affected her
ability to process logical reasoning. Pinya rarely listened to what others said, was
stubborn, obstinate, and had a habit of complaining constantly.

Once Pinya was out of sight, heading towards the temporary dining hall, Bua
entered the tent to arrange her sleeping spot. Of all the activities, sleeping was
undoubtedly her favorite.
4

Since it was the first day, progress was still minimal. The work became even more
difficult when those responsible decided to pile up parts of the bones found. When
Bua saw this for the first time, she almost lost her breath. She had to intervene
quickly, asking that the bodies of the victims be left at the scene of the accident, in
their original positions. Each body should be marked with stakes and tape,
separating them, so that identification could be carried out more easily and
quickly, instead of trying to separate the piled up bones piece by piece. Separating
the bones on the left side from the right would already be a difficult task.

The bones that had already been piled up would need to be organized,
categorized, and then it would be necessary to calculate how many bones each
passenger should have, separating them by type. After that, the height would be
calculated using specialized software and analyzed to determine which victim they
belonged to, so that the bodies could be separated and then handed over to the
police.

The records of all passengers were being collected and would be sent as soon as
possible. At the same time, the aviation department was searching for the black
box to find out what really happened to the plane that was now nothing more than
wreckage. Bua had heard from Pinya, in a heated exchange during work that

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afternoon, that the plane had simply lost contact and disappeared from the radar.
It was only when local residents called to report a deafening explosion, that they
arrived at the scene to find the wreckage of the plane and body parts scattered all
over the area.

Fortunately, no nearby residents were injured or killed, and there was no

significant material damage, which prevented the tragedy from becoming even
worse. Everyone was working hard to find the cause of this disaster. But what
puzzled Bua the most was why Pinya had appeared at that particular time.

"Never mind, Bua thought ," Pinya wasn't her problem, it didn't matter when he
had appeared, it was better to keep her distance, Bua thought sighing again.

It was something that had always intrigued her: what could she have done to hurt
Doctor Pinya so much, to the point that this rivalry would never end? Professor
Nisara had never shown favoritism, at least not that Bua could see. In fact, it
seemed that she liked Pinya more, since she always sent her on field missions
abroad.

11In fact, Pinya had much more field experience than Bua, perhaps a hundred or a
thousand times more, even though they were both the same age, thirty-four. Pinya
had already faced adverse terrains and situations, no matter how difficult or
extreme they were.
10

So why did Pinya insist on picking on someone ordinary like Bua? However, she
knew that thinking too much about it would only cause her a headache without
bringing any concrete answers.

4Bua decided to take a shower before looking for something to eat. She didn’t want
to wait for Pinya to come back, because just thinking about seeing her at dinner
time was already making her lose her appetite. Besides, after sunset, the air was

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starting to cool down, with a soft, cool breeze that promised a more comfortable
night’s sleep. Bua knew that the work there would be long. However, after her first
shower of the day, she ended up not going to the cafeteria as she had planned.
— One of the officers left a meal for you. I think they noticed you were taking too
long to come to dinner and are closing the kitchen. They also asked to let you know
that the meeting has been postponed until tomorrow morning — Hearing this, Bua
immediately looked in the direction of the voice, which was coming from someone
sitting on the canvas bed. Her eyes then turned to the box of food and the two
bottles of water on her bed, next to the badge she would wear during operations
there. Pinya was already starting to unpack her suitcase, while Bua took the box of
food and left to look for a quiet place to eat and relax before facing the next day.

Identifying the bodies was not an easy task, especially in a scenario like this, where
the remains were scattered, damaged by the explosion and impact, and some
burned by the fire. In fact, Bua knew that it would not be possible to send everyone
back home, and not all the body parts could be recovered so that the relatives
could perform the funeral rites. Some bodies would be so damaged that it would
be impossible to identify them. She estimated that the work would take at least
two weeks to complete.

She hoped she could finish sooner, but she knew that was unlikely. However, she
would do her best to speed up the process, because deep down she also wanted to
avoid having to see Pinya every day, and this was starting to affect her mental
health. It was as if being in the presence of Dr. Pinya, her long-standing karma, was
draining her energy, something that had been happening since her college days.
Almost every day, Bua would hear Pinya’s name echoing through the halls,
disturbing her peace of mind. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why the teacher
sent Pinya so often on missions abroad, something that made her classmates

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jealous. Even Bua felt this, but she understood that the teacher recognized Pinya’s
talent and wanted to encourage her.

There were not many talented anthropologists in the country to do this kind of
work. The pay was low, the work was hard, there was no prestige, and the field was
practically unknown, always relegated to the background. In fact, not even in the
background, at the crime scenes they investigated, the remains left behind were
only fragments, incomplete skeletons or isolated bones. Few people were
interested in these remains, but for them, these bones were like silent teachers for
anthropologists. They were excited by the opportunity to study ancient human
remains or even primates, such as the tailless apes (Ape), considered distant
relatives of humans in the evolutionary line. In fact, few people had the chance to
see these remains firsthand, until Professor Nisara recognized the importance of
collecting and preserving these fragments of prehistoric and historical humans. It
was she who drove the creation of the Institute of Research in Bioanthropology, a
collaboration between the public and private sectors, which received both national
and international funding, with the professor assuming the role of chief director.

At this institute, a large collection of real skeletons and replicas were assembled to
serve as study material for students and interested parties. Professor Nisara
worked hard to make this institute a reality. Bua started working at the institute as
a student and eventually took on responsibilities in collaborative research projects,
as well as assisting in teaching as a teaching assistant. And now she was there
representing her teacher. But that did not mean that the teacher cared more for
her than for others.

Bua left the tent. She didn’t want to argue with anyone at the moment, so she
decided to find a quiet place to eat. As the night wore on, the temperature

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dropped, bringing a sense of calm, almost as if she were on vacation after

graduation. However, the wreckage of the plane and the remains of the victims
made any sense of serenity disappear. The sound of footsteps nearby made her
look up from where she was sitting, leaning against a seven or eight meter tall
rubber tree. When she saw who was approaching, she snorted deeply.

Why couldn't fate let her rest for even an hour? The entire day had been a rush of
sorting through jumbled bones until her brains were about to spill out onto the
floor. All she could think about was lying down and letting exhaustion consume her
until she fell asleep.

— Please... I'm tired. And sleepy too — Bua said, anticipating what the other person
wanted, as she stopped in front of her. — Let me rest first. If you want to fight,
you'll fight alone, I don't even have the strength to talk to you

— I just came to warn you to be careful.

“Does it have to be now?” Bua replied as she began to eat her simple meal of rice
with dried vegetables. The day’s fatigue had made the taste bland and she barely
felt hungry. Arguing with Pinya now would certainly be a losing battle.

— That's all I wanted to say — Pinya said — Don't stay out here too late

13

Those words made Bua frown. As soon as he finished speaking, Pinya, who seemed
to be trying to be kind, walked away from the area. Bua watched his karma walk
away, but the darkness made it difficult to see clearly.

She sat there for a few more minutes after she finished eating. This was the first
time she had been out in the field outside the research institute building since she
had graduated a few months ago. Even though it was an urgent assignment from
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her teacher, she considered it a good opportunity to see the outside world. The
only thing that really bothered her was that she had unexpectedly run into her
beloved

In truth, Bua wasn’t sure who had called Pinya back. She suspected it wasn’t the
teacher, because otherwise she would have mentioned something earlier. Or
maybe the intention was to surprise her. However, she felt a little relieved when
she thought that Pinya’s presence could speed up the work, thanks to the
experience she had and who was now there by her side. Whoever had called Pinya
back had chosen wisely, because if there was anyone who specialized in
anthropology besides the people at the institute—who were all busy with
organization and other work—it was unfortunately Pinya. Bua just hoped that her
former classmate wouldn’t irritate her too much during the process.

She sat there for another ten minutes, seeking peace of mind, before deciding to
return to her tent, as she would have to wake up early to start work the next day.
She had hoped that her first night in the field as a physical anthropologist would be
a peaceful one. But perhaps she was sadly mistaken.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 03

The sound of footsteps outside caused Busaya, who was about to fall asleep, to
open her eyes in the darkness. She raised her arm to check the clock, which read
2:28.

Everyone knew that, in addition to being an expert in her field of study, she was
also an expert in the art of sleeping soundly. However, being in a strange place
made it difficult for her to fully relax. She needed to sleep at this time because she
knew that if she didn’t rest, she would wake up tired the next morning, possibly
delaying her work. However, the sound of footsteps continued to bother her.

Who would be walking around the place at this hour? Maybe it was some local spirit,
she thought. She had already made the necessary offerings and requests for
permission to the spirits earlier in the evening. Couldn't they wait until she fell
asleep to appear in her dreams? On the very first night, they were already trying to
disturb her. The doctor turned to the side, her back to her personal karma, trying to
ignore the uncomfortable presence outside.

Since the beginning of the night, Phinya had tried to provoke her in various ways,
but Busaya decided to ignore it and not fight back. She valued her sleep too much
to get involved in unnecessary arguments that would only serve to irritate herself.
She had even thought that if Phinya continued, she would just sleep in the
command tent and get it over with. She noticed that Phinya also stirred, before
slowly reaching under her pillow.

“Don’t turn on the light,” Phinya whispered in the darkness. “Don’t make a sound.
If you hear something, don’t come out.” Her voice was as soft as a whisper before
Busaya heard a click in the darkness.
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Even though she didn’t know what was happening, her intuition told her that it
wasn’t good. She decided to follow her advice and barely dared to move. She could
feel Phinya carefully creeping out of the front of the tent, and she tried to unzip the
entrance as quietly as possible, just enough to peek in.

“On the first night, the spirits around here are really harsh,” Phinya muttered
before disappearing from the tent completely. All Busaya could do was stand still
and pray that everything would go smoothly.

However... the situation was not as she expected.

Bang!

It seemed like the situation wouldn’t be as peaceful as he had hoped. A second

gunshot quickly rang out, followed by more gunshots, totaling more than ten.
Phinya had just run out… Was she in danger?

Even though she didn’t like her, it wasn’t like she wanted Phinya to get hurt.
Busaya felt like all she could do was lie there, holding her breath and jumping every
time she heard a gunshot. Within five minutes, Phinya snapped out of her thoughts
of Bua and ran back to the tent, which was lit from within by a flashlight. “We’re
safe now.”

This caused Busaya to quickly sit up, her face and eyes still revealing a state of
shock. Phinya, without delay, turned on the orange field light that was hanging in
the center of the tent.

“Are you okay, Bualoy?” Phinya asked, kneeling in front of him.

“I’m… fine,” Busaya replied, though his expression was still full of concern.

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— It's okay, they've already left.

- Who?

“I think they were thieves trying to steal something to sell,” Phinya replied, placing
a hand on Busaya’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay?” She simply nodded
before Phinya grabbed a bottle of water that was next to the bed and handed it to
her. “Drink some water first.”

— Are you okay, Phin? — she asked back.

— I'm fine. The police officers on duty at the scene shot them and they fled — she
said and then got up — Let's go to sleep, there's nothing else to worry about — she
said to Busaya, who didn't respond immediately

— I didn't know you carried a gun

— Only for emergencies — Phinya replied and turned to sleep — Sleep, Bualoy. You
have work to do tomorrow. If anything happens, I'll wake you up

That order disguised as advice made Busaya slowly lie down again, trying to force
sleep back. She noticed that her old classmate had also gone to bed, but Busaya,
exhausted, soon fell asleep. Meanwhile, Phinya lay down quietly, but spent the
night between naps and wakefulness.

Although it was difficult to fall asleep due to the events of the previous night,
Busaya eventually fell asleep from exhaustion. In fact, the next morning, she
wanted to thank Phinya, who at least made her feel safer by being there with her.
However, when she opened her eyes at dawn, her colleague had already gotten out
of bed.

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After a morning meeting to align guidelines and work boundaries between the
identification experts and the police department’s forensic officers, there was not
much more to discuss. The primary task was to identify the passengers so that their
remains could be returned to their families for religious ceremonies. The police
were also responsible for returning them. It was concluded that there was no
chance of finding survivors from the incident, and the rescue teams that were in
the area were cleared to return, with only two units remaining in case of
emergencies.

As for the disturbance the night before, the officers reported that it was an
attempted robbery, which was unfortunately not uncommon in situations like this.
Fortunately, nothing was lost, as the thieves were driven off in time. That day, two
other forensic officers from the police department joined the team, which eased
the workload for both Busaya and Phinya somewhat.

Half an hour later, the young doctor stood in front of the body of a victim whose
lower body was missing. The body had been found that morning, and officers had
marked the spot with stakes and yellow tape, covering the remains with separate
cloths for each body. She crouched down and closed her eyes.

Then she took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. “May you rest in peace,”
Busaya whispered to the wind, before taking another deep breath to regain her
composure. She rarely had the opportunity to work on-site, and this was one of the
few times she had been directly involved in an accident scene, and in an event as
devastating as this, it was her first time. She was not yet prepared to face
something like this.

She tried to focus and see what was before her as just work. In fact, the closest she
had ever experienced it was volunteering at an exhumation in an abandoned
cemetery. There, she not only demonstrated an unexplainable ability to predict
where bodies were buried, but also excelled at driving stakes into the correct

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

places, something she could only attribute to the supernatural. During this
experience, she learned to use hoes, shovels, and other tools, helping to dig graves
and exhume bones. These remains included recently deceased bodies, others
already in advanced decomposition, and even those that had been dead for a long
time. It was there that Bua acquired much of her skills in skeletal anatomy, in an
almost mystical volunteer work.

This was one of the reasons why Busaya felt that Phinya had an advantage and was
more experienced than her. Phinya had plenty of opportunities to work in the field,
and was rarely stuck inside a classroom.

The young doctor began searching for her gloves in her tool bag and tried to
concentrate on starting the day’s work. The files with the list of names and photos
of the passengers were being organized for comparison with the remains in order
to identify the victims – this was Busaya’s job.

She was, in other words, the link between the dead and their remaining family
members. Although she mentally wished she didn't have to do this kind of task so
often, she would rather be observing monkeys and studying primate extinction
than dealing with such a tragedy.

Her eyes fell on the charred remains before her, only a few recognizable parts. She
placed a yellow marker with a number next to the fragments and used a set square
to measure the parts before raising the camera hanging from her neck to take the
necessary photographs. The photographs needed to be taken before any of the
remains were collected or moved. The night before, she had found a right leg
submerged in a drainage ditch, from the knee down, about a hundred and fifty
yards from this location.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

In addition to identification, the remaining tissue fragments could be taken for

genetic analysis, an additional way to confirm the identity of the victims. This task
was the responsibility of coroners and forensic experts. Busaya's role was to help
confirm whether the parts found matched the physical characteristics of any of the
passengers.

Carefully, she grabbed a plastic evidence bag and began collecting the small,
scattered ribs. The biggest challenge was that in cases of explosions, the fragments
were so scattered that it was often impossible to collect all the body parts. This
was the most grueling part of the job. Some of the officers began marking the spots
where they found fragments with small stakes, and surrounding these areas with
yellow tape so that recovery could be done later.

Busaya glanced at Phinya, who had arrived today with a toolbox, probably
requested from one of the officers. Phinya was about fifteen meters away, focused
on her own work. When she noticed Busaya's gaze, the young doctor quickly
looked away, returning to what she was doing. When she finished examining the
first body, she moved to another area, further away.

— Dr. Busaya — called an officer who was in charge of logistics and who Busaya had
met as soon as she arrived at the location. She had been sent by the Aviation
Department to coordinate the actions between all the teams involved — The list of
names and photos of all the passengers has already been sent. It is now in the
process of verification — Busaya stood up when she heard the news — If you need
to use this data, you can request it at the command tent

— Myth Thank you, officer

“Oh, please notify Dr. Phinya as well,” the officer added before walking away.

"And he didn't even ask if I wanted to let him know" ... Busaya thought to herself.

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She looked for her small shovel and, finding it, walked over to where Phinya was
crouched in front of the body of another passenger, who was surprisingly not as
badly damaged and appeared to have died face down. Phinya was looking around
the area, preparing to take pictures before the officers came to remove the body.

“Will you hit me on the head with that shovel?” Phinya asked, not taking her eyes
off her work.

— Self-defense

“I would really love to attack you,” Phinya muttered as she pressed the camera
button.

11

- Who knows?

“What do you want?” Phinya finally asked, still focused on her photos.

— An officer informed me that the list of victims and the photos are already in the
command tent. If you need them, we can go and get them.

Phinya looked at her blankly, before nodding slightly, “If you go, bring a copy for
me as well.”

How loose

— Of course... — Busaya replied, dragging out her words, wanting to be sarcastic.

“What did you find today?” Phinya asked, changing the subject.

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Translated by iPfahl

— Two arms and a completely mangled body. I'm not sure if it was because of the
explosion or the fall, I haven't examined it in detail yet, but at least it's a complete
body — he explained, causing Phinya to let out a sigh.

— This is horrible — Phinya muttered — I never liked working in disasters or

explosions, especially because of this — She looked up to meet Busaya's gaze, who
looked exhausted — Did you get any sleep last night?

“Maybe an hour. And by the way… thank you for last night,” she said, and without
waiting for an answer, she walked away. She wasn’t sure if Phinya had accepted
her thanks, but at that moment, it didn’t matter and she didn’t care.

However, Phinya, who had listened, looked at her from behind, and then a faint
smile appeared on her thin lips for no apparent reason.

14

After that, the two didn't talk anymore, each one sped up the work to finish as
quickly as possible. It was already the third day and there was one more thing to
worry about: praying for the weather to help.

Although Bua didn't like strong sunlight – in fact, no one likes sunlight so intense
that it makes their eyes burn during the day – the last thing she wanted right now
was rain, until all the bodies were recovered.

Not to mention that, in the next 24 hours, the bodies or their fragments would
begin to be infested by worms and insects. Then, the natural process of
decomposition would begin. Of course, the unpleasant smell would be something
she wanted to encounter as little as possible, but she couldn't avoid it.

The tent for storing the bodies recovered from the plane wreckage was set up not
far from the work tent. Bodies and fragments that had not yet been identified
would be taken there, separated into complete and fragmented parts, and then
identified one by one. She was focused on working when she looked up from the
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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

mound of dirt that she had carefully removed by hand for the evidence items, and
before she knew it, it was almost one o'clock in the afternoon.

She decided to go out and get lunch while her stomach was growling. Even so, she
still felt like she didn’t want to waste time even eating. She walked slowly to the
command tent to request two sets of name documents, hoping that if she could
find Phinya, she could hand them over at once. When she reached the temporary
hut area that had been hastily built to serve as a mess hall for the personnel
involved in the incident, she noticed that Phinya was talking to an imposing man
dressed in a black suit not far away. Both of them had a tense expression on their
faces. She assumed that they were discussing the incident from the previous night.
She just hoped that there wouldn’t be any more unexpected events like the
previous night.

For a brief moment, a thought quickly crossed his mind, causing his heart to feel a
strange warmth. He felt strangely comfortable and safe in Phinya's presence during
this time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Translated by iPfahl

Episode 04

Dr. Busaya was about to get one of those headaches...

The scene before her was bleak. The young woman with a PhD in forensic
anthropology was leaning back and forth in front of a skull on the side of the plane
wreckage, which was now in pieces after the severe impact. The wreckage was
scattered everywhere, with barely any trace of the plane left.

However, what lay before her was surprising. Bua leaned over and used the
magnifying glass in her hands to examine and re-examine, not sure what she was
looking for. In fact, she needed to gather the fragments she had found and put
them in bags or wrap them in cloth before proceeding with a more detailed
analysis to identify the characteristics and compare them with the information on
the list of deceased passengers to identify who was who. Then, she would prepare
a summary report, one by one. But in this case, she felt that this fragment should
not be there, and that was certainly something to be astonished at...

She looked around. There was no one else around. Except for her personal karma
that always wore out her patience every time they talked.

10

In fact, Bua did not know exactly what the cause of the quarrel between her and
Phinya was. Perhaps it started because Phinya chose a seminar topic that was
almost identical to hers, or rather, a topic that seemed to be a copy, or perhaps it
was because Bua passed the Qualifying Examination and the PhD Proposal before
her, even though she had applied later. Phinya might have felt uncomfortable
without Bua knowing.
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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

Or maybe it was because she just looked prettier, considering the ethnicity
categories she and Phinya specialized in. If we look at it from the perspective of
physical anthropology, when classifying humans according to major ethnic groups,
we generally speak of three main groups: Asian, Caucasian, and Negroid. Or, to be
more specific, Bua was simply prettier according to the ethnicity characteristics of
the region where she lived, to be exact, Southeast Asia.

She was only slightly prettier than Phinya. In fact, there was a reason to support
this hypothesis, and when you look at it objectively. She was a little shorter and
smaller than Phinya, with a relatively round face and a younger appearance,
despite being the same age. Her hair, which was black and straight, despite having
been cut and dyed, and her dark brown eyes, were longer and smaller. The
almond-shaped eyes, the nose not so prominent but harmonious with the face,
and the thin and almost straight lips formed a proportionate figure. This is the
typical characteristic of the Asian group, which has its roots in Southeast Asia.

However, Phinya had a taller, stockier body, with broad shoulders that flared out to
her hips, but a waist that was not as narrow. Although her face was a little more
elongated, with features similar to those of the Mongoloid, her large, round, brown
eyes that were often half-closed, her long, fine hair that was the same color as her
eyes, and her lighter, yellowish skin made Phinya look unlike the typical
inhabitants of the region. Her nose was prominent and her lips were a little thinner
than Bua's.

Phinya didn't seem to be as Asian as Bua.

Therefore, it can be concluded that Bua seemed more in line with the local
ethnicity, according to the anthropological classification of the region. It is possible
that Phinya disliked her for this very reason. However, this did not seem to be the
crucial point at the moment. What really worried Bua was the skull burned by small

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Translated by iPfahl

flames that was in front of her. This was the real problem that made her adjust her
glasses and observe the skull repeatedly for about ten minutes.

The problem was that the skull should have shown signs of skin, muscle or tissue
rupture due to an explosion, impact or burn. However, the motionless skull before
her showed dry skin attached to the bone, something that should not occur in
someone who had just died or had been through an event as severe as a plane
crash. Furthermore, when searching for other parts of the body, the limbs that
should have shown similar characteristics were not found in the area.

— What are you doing, Bua? Are you going to sleep on the stretcher?

— If you don't mind trying to talk in a normal way, that would be great — Bua
replied with an irritated tone. There were already enough problems to worry about
without having to deal with Phinya's sarcasm that was getting tiring.

Busaya decided to put work aside for a moment, while other issues, such as
slapping his fellow doctoral student in the face, would be left for later.

— Since you're here, could you give me a hand? — Bua asked, seeing Phinya cross
her arms and smile.

—Did the stars misalign today, Dr. Busaya, asking for my help?

— If you can't help, go somewhere else, or I'll throw alcohol on you until you
disappear.

— You get irritated so easily, Bua. So, what's up?

Bua pointed to the skull fragment in front of her that was making her so disturbed.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

— I... I'm not sure how to ask

Phinya, upon hearing this, crouched down next to Bua, who noticed that she was
narrowing her eyes. “Let me take a look. Go take care of something else.” She was
expecting a response, but instead Bua received a direct order.

— This is mine. I found it.

— You're the one who asked me for help, to help you I need you to let me take a
look — The firm voice repeated the same answer.

— Do you still have this habit of wanting to steal other people's topics, Phinya? I
thought you would have given up on that as you got older

— I've never stolen anyone's thread. Don't come with those lies to me. You're the
one who likes to steal, aren't you, "teacher's pet". Teacher's pet gets everything
she wants whenever she wants it — Phinya replied back, with a defiant look. Still
looking at the skull, she asked: — Take a picture for me?

— As if you were in charge of me — Bua placed the yellow evidence identification

plate and the square to mark the size before lifting the camera and starting to press
the shutter button, following the instructions or rather, the orders — And I'm
nobody's darling

— Oh, no? You were the one who sat pretty, full and comfortable in the office while
I crawled around in the field, weren't you? Give me a bag of evidence.

— Well, the teacher wanted someone who was good at field work, and I'm not as
good as you. I can barely sleep, I probably would have died the first night — With

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Translated by iPfahl

one hand she handed over the requested bag along with the sticker to seal the bag
and write the details of the evidence collection.

“I’ll take care of this one myself,” Phinya said before taking the bag from Bua’s
hand. “Go do your job.”

— Your face may not look anything like your mommy's, but you're just as bossy,
right? I wonder why? — Bua continued to mutter, pushing the lenses of her glasses
up her nose, irritated, before getting up and going back to work as she had been
told, or rather, ordered — I already told you that you don't boss me around, right?

5“So what’s so important?” Dr. Busaya asked Phinya, who was standing and
observing the fateful skull, which had been collected around nine in the morning
and was now on the autopsy table. They had only completed about twenty percent
of the work, even though they had worked through the day and into the night. By
this time, some of the bodies or body parts had begun to give off an unpleasant
odor and were decomposing over time. This made the work more difficult, as they
had to fight against the smell that constantly affected their noses, and even
wearing a mask didn’t help much. The search for the black box continued, with no
sign of it being found.
— If I don’t tell you, you’ll just keep annoying me like this forever, won’t you, Bua?
— Phinya asked, irritated.

— It's not like I want to keep talking to you, Pinya. I just want to understand.
Curiosity must be a genetic trait of my ethnicity. — Busaya justified, looking to the
side.

— I don't have that... streak of curiosity.

— Then you must be of a different ethnicity than me. — Bua replied as she
approached to examine the skull more closely — Did you find anything?

— You tell me, Dr. Bua

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Translated by iPfahl

— If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you, Dr. Pinya — Bua retorted.

— So tell me, what did you see?

— A skull

6— Really? With such a clear description I think it's more like a kneecap, don't you
think? — Phinya gave an irritated look and a sarcastic comment upon hearing the
answer.
— Well, considering the condition, the appearance of the dry and dark, almost
black skin makes me wonder, but I'm not sure why it's here... — Busaya looked
closely before falling silent to reflect — It looks like an undecomposed body

- What do you think?

— Mummification process — Bua answered quickly — It’s not natural, because the
skin is smooth and adhered to the bone evenly. If it were natural, it wouldn’t be so
perfect.

“That’s interesting. With just one look and seeing just one piece, I could tell it was
artificially made,” Phinya commented in amazement, before seeing Bua raise her
hands in a gesture of reverence. “What are you doing?”

— I've never seen an artificial mummification — Busaya heard a long sigh

accompanied by an expression of disdain — I've seen a case of natural
mummification once, while I was helping to clean a cemetery

“Is your job in the field to clean cemeteries?” Phinya said, looking at Busaya with
an expression of disbelief.

— Why not? I’m good at digging, okay? And I have some skill with shovels and hoes.
— Bua replied, proud of her skills. — Where else would you find a complete sample
of bones, divided by different ages, if not in a cemetery? Besides, it’s important to
understand the decomposition process in different stages: three days, five days,

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Translated by iPfahl

two weeks, a month, even ten or twenty years. — She continued to speak while still
holding her hands together, as if in prayer.

— Put your hands down now, Bua — Phinya ordered.

4— That's why Professor Nisara tried to found an institute, so she could get these
samples so students could learn from real material — Bua said, with a frustrated
tone. — But how did this one end up here? Who's the crazy guy who did this? — Bua
asked, shrugging — And what should we do now?
— I don't think this is normal — Phinya opined, her eyes fixed on the mummified
skull that seemed to be in the wrong place — It looks new

— New... what does that mean?

— It means he’s not old — The answer made Bua widen her eyes in disapproval —
Very funny, isn’t it? — Phinya continued, not hiding her sarcasm.

— Look, a joke? — Bua makes a sarcastic comment — Come on, answer me

properly

— Well, it's still new. It's in great condition, with only a small burn in the region of
the temporal bone on the left side. The jaw has fractures that radiate from the
central point at the bottom, all the way to the base. One of the fractures hasn't
healed yet. That could be a cause of death — Phinya explained, pointing to the
slight burn mentioned earlier. — I think the burn could have been caused by the
accident. The teeth are still quite intact, although some are missing — She
indicated the dark area on the left temple — But I can't say for sure without
knowing the exact age of the antique object.

— I'm still in the "new" part. — Bua replied, with an expression of confusion — Can
you explain more?

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— Judging by the condition, if we disregard the burn, it is intact and does not
appear to be deteriorated to the naked eye — Phinya clarified — It is quite
preserved, with no deformations related to time. The deformation in the jaw may
have occurred at the time of death or may have been the cause of death.
Deterioration occurs over time, for example, deformations or changes over time
are visible when wrapped in preservative substances such as resin for hundreds or
thousands of years, a skull wrapped in preserved resin would begin to show air
cavities and deformation or even fractures. But this one here is in excellent
condition, as if it had just gone through the mummification process, but we need to
use an X-ray to check for internal cavities or date it more accurately.

—"Just gone through a process"? You mean it was done recently? — Bua's
expression showed surprise.

“I’m not sure…” Phinya replied, her tone indecisive. “Some items can be well
preserved after hundreds or thousands of years if they are well-maintained and
undisturbed. But this is too good. There would usually be signs of insect gnawing,
damage, decay, or even fungus. I’m not sure because I haven’t seen other materials
to compare it to, such as linen used for body wrapping, jewelry, or other items. The
type and age of the fabric and the method of weaving can give a rough idea of
when it was made, but we need to determine the exact age first.”

—And why does the condition still look so good, even after falling from that height?
— Bua asked, perplexed.

“I imagine it was put in a safe,” Phinya replied, sounding certain.

—Is that the procedure? I don’t know much about it—Bua admitted honestly.

— Also, I noticed signs of resin applied to preserve the condition, which caused the
skin to become rough, rigid and dry — Phinya said, touching the top of the skull —
But perhaps it did not go through the final wrapping with tissues, so the bony parts

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Translated by iPfahl

of the skull are not deformed because they were not packed and tightened. In any
case, we need to find out the origin and the legality, because if it is not legal, we
will have to find a way to return it to the owner

— It's up to you. You know more about these things than I do — Bua commented,
shrugging.

— Have you found any other parts with similar characteristics, such as linen,
jewelry, or anything that might be related? — Phinya asked

— I didn’t find it — Bua shook her head. — Just that one piece, and even if there
were more, would it have withstood the fire?

“That’s why I asked if you found more,” Phinya retorted, making Bua frown.

— I didn't find it. And if I did, I wouldn't tell you either.

— If you keep annoying me, I'll torment you all night long and you won't be able to
sleep in peace — Phinya threatened, with a serious tone.

— Okay, okay, if I find anything, I'll let you know right away, Detective Phinya —
Bua replied, joking.

— Go to work now — Phinya ordered.

— I already told you today that you don't look anything like your mom, but are you
just as bossy?

— Go quickly! — Phinya insisted, firmly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

34
 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

Episode 05

That afternoon, Busaya managed to recover a few more body parts from the
passengers who had died in the accident. Among the finds were a wrist, an arm,
and a right ankle. These parts were almost intact, except for the fact that they were
completely separated from the original bodies and belonged to different people.
She, Pinya, and the forensic officers from the police department had to face the
arduous task of reassembling these disjointed parts to their respective bodies.

The dilemma was to join a leg to a torso, only to discover that they belonged to
different individuals. This is precisely where identification in disasters and
accidents comes in. The discovery of the mummified skull the previous morning
still disturbed her, to the point that she could barely concentrate on her work all
afternoon. It was intriguing that something like that was there, probably brought
by someone who had no idea that this would be his last flight. However, as she
looked through the passenger files, she noticed that some seemed to have some
connection to the antiquities trade, which explained a little of the strangeness of
the situation. Despite her desire to delve deeper into the victims' stories, the most
urgent task at that moment was to recover as many fragments as possible as
quickly as possible.

Bua remembered a rumor that circulates in the archaeological community about

how some mummified bodies or sarcophagi have curses that affect those who
disturb the eternal sleep of the deceased. Although it was not scientifically proven,
she never underestimated the forces that cannot be seen. There are phenomena
that science cannot explain. As a physical anthropologist, who studies the history
of humanity from prehistoric times to the behavior of certain animals, she knew

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Translated by iPfahl

that there are many things that science cannot answer or that cannot be seen and
explained through the eyes of science, especially when it comes to ancient times,
before the emergence of science.

Nature and humanity have existed for much longer than the first scientific theories,
which were only developed and recorded later. That is why Bua has never closed
herself off to stories that seem to have no concrete explanation. There are so many
things in the world that are still unknown, and the curse of the mummies is one of
them. It is a good thing that Phinya was there when this was discovered. Otherwise,
she would not have known what to do.

Another question that arose was: how did the skull get there? Busaya had heard
professors talk about the antiquities trade, where the older the piece, the more
valuable it would be. The process of mummification has long intrigued and
fascinated archaeologists. In addition to the method itself, which preserved the
bodies in an era without chemicals, this knowledge was developed through the
wisdom of the time and the resources available. Naturally, ancient relics like these
would have a high value.

In this world, there are many strange people who want to possess these relics,
rather than leaving them as cultural heritage and a source of educational value.
Over time, these items end up being lost, without ever bringing any significant
benefit. Busaya was well aware of this reality, as evidenced by a case that had
recently made the news. A skull of a Homo erectus , a distant relative of modern
humanity, had been stolen while being transported to another country for an
exhibition on evolution. The search was still ongoing, and it was almost certain
that it would be lost over time, representing a great loss to anthropology.

But that’s precisely why they’re important. Because specimens like these are
extremely rare. Finding an extinct human fossil is like looking for a needle that’s
been dropped into the ocean. Homo erectus is one of the most closely related

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Translated by iPfahl

human species to Homo sapiens, modern humans. The name “erectus” refers to
their upright posture, perpendicular to the ground. But why did they become
extinct? That’s a fascinating question for anthropologists, and these fossils could
help us understand, explain, or even answer that question. Unfortunately, some
people prefer to display these relics in their homes, like trophies.

“Where should I put this?” The young voice made Bua raise her head and look
toward the entrance of the tent. She was alone at the moment, as Phinya had left
about ten minutes ago to inspect a body found at the edge of the forest, about six
hundred meters from the wreckage of the plane.

- Put it on that empty stretcher, please. I'll finish this here and then I'll check

- Ok - replied the forensic officer, who seemed to be about seven or eight years
younger than her, before placing the newly recovered body, still wrapped in a
cloth, on the bed.

The officer placed the body in the place indicated by Bua. “Thank you very much,”
she said.

Bua continued to work for several hours. She had initially intended to check on the
newly arrived body, but when she realized that it had already been almost two
hours since dinner time, she decided that if she didn’t finish soon, she would end
up going without food.

The deadline for the work was fifteen to twenty days, due to the need to clear the
area and free it up for local agriculture again. Twenty days to locate all the bodies
and identify the fifteen victims with only five experts and investigators was clearly
not enough. Just putting the body parts together correctly was an extremely
complicated task.

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There was still a lot of work to be done, and if the police department requested
assistance, the research institute would still have to deal with the remaining parts.
And Bua knew that was exactly what would happen. At this point, they were
reviewing passenger records to speed up the identification of the victims and
investigating anyone who might be related. Not to mention the mummy, which
should never have been there in the first place.

In the past five or six days, Bua and Phinya had only managed to gather and
identify two complete bodies. The process of walking the area, photographing, and
then placing the remains in plastic bags took almost half a day. The department’s
forensics team officers were tasked with collecting tissue samples and sending
them to the lab for genetic analysis, which would be compared with the families’
data to confirm the victims’ identities.

By the time Bua finally returned to her tent, it was nearly nine o'clock at night. After
sitting down to eat and discussing the progress of the investigation into the cause
of the accident with the director of the Aviation Department, and curiously enough,
he hadn't mentioned anything about the mummified skull that had been found,
she assumed Phinya hadn't informed him yet. Although she found this odd, she
decided not to question it. Phinya had offered to take responsibility, and she
wasn't interested in prolonging a conversation with her pet stressor. In fact, that
conversation was probably the longest and most productive they'd had without
one of them trying to fly at each other's throats.

Perhaps maturity had softened the rivalries of the past, Bua thought. The heated
arguments of before now seemed insignificant. In truth, she had nothing against
Phinya. Bua saw this mission as a job opportunity, but also as a chance to
contribute to the common good. In her opinion, that made it worth it.

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She wasn’t sure who had summoned Phinya for this mission, nor if Professor Nisara
knew about it, but since the professor didn’t mention anything, she figured she
probably didn’t know. If that was the case, Phinya should already be known
outside of the academic circle.

When she entered the tent, she found it empty. She decided to write her report for
the day before getting ready for bed. She didn’t have much time to rest, and what
time she did have was more sacred than anything else. She sometimes wondered if
this intense need for rest was genetic or an evolutionary trait.

As a theorist, Bua was an expert on the evolution of primates and mammals,

especially humans and apes. Her interests focused on the evolution of humans
from prehistoric times to the present day, whether in terms of body structure,
behavioral patterns or the development of the central nervous system. She studied
how these changes were connected to the more refined perception and movement
of modern humans, who evolved from primates. The transformation from a
horizontal walking posture to an upright position perpendicular to the ground
altered the structure of the spine, and the change in the structure of the human
body over time, adapting to gravity, raises a central question: how modern humans
evolved, both in terms of physical structure and survival behaviors, to ensure the
continuity of their species.

Furthermore, Bua had an exceptional ability to analyze the physiology of

mammals, primates, and humans. His extensive studies in evolutionary research
gave him great expertise in identifying and classifying different body structures,
such as skulls or bones of various animal species. However, the one aspect that
Bua regretted was his lack of field experience, something in which Phinya easily
surpassed.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
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After about fifteen minutes of rest, her walking irritation returned. They didn’t
exchange a single word, and Bua was certain that Phinya wasn’t interested in
talking either. She heard her pacing back and forth for a while before finally going
to bed. In the middle of the night, Bua was awakened by a noise, the same kind of
sound she had heard the night of the robbery. She noticed Phinya moving, but this
time, she didn’t leave the tent.

- Don't turn on the light - Phinya whispered, as the sound of gunshots echoed - Stay
quiet Even without understanding what was happening, Bua decided to follow the
instructions.

She heard a familiar click and recognized the sound of a gun being cocked. The gun
was then pointed towards the entrance of the tent, while Phinya, who was holding
it, lay down. Sounds of footsteps coming from outside continued, making her hold
her breath.

The noise outside made Bua’s heart race, followed by gunshots that broke the
silence. Then, the footsteps began to quickly move away, each running in a
different direction.

- Fire! - Someone shouted outside.

- Don't go out, no matter what you hear - Phinya ordered in a firm voice - And don't
turn on the light until I come back - Phinya said this quickly before running outside.

The shouts from outside instructed everyone to put out the fire as quickly as
possible. Several times, Bua thought about going out to help, but Phinya's orders
kept her where she was. She knew that if she didn't obey her orders, she would
probably make a fuss and be looked down upon, very badly.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
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“If she doesn’t come back in ten minutes, I’m going out ,” Bua thought, feeling her
anxiety growing. Fortunately, about eight minutes later, Phinya came back and
finally turned on the light. Bua sat up in bed, eager for answers.

- What happened?

- Someone tried to find or destroy something - Phinya replied - When I ran outside,
the main tent was on fire. The work tent was also searched and was about to be set
on fire, but the officers managed to prevent the worst. But the perpetrators
managed to escape - She sighed, sitting forward on the makeshift bed - Change of
plans, Bua. Maybe we should collect the bodies and take everything somewhere
else. It's not safe here, there are too many thieves, and the place is too open to be
properly protected

- Are you okay? - Bua's voice came out hesitantly, without her realizing it, as she
nervously adjusted her glasses and looked to the side, trying to hide her concern.

“I’m fine,” Phinya replied, her tone surprisingly gentle.

“You said the work tent was searched?” Bua asked again after a brief pause,
frowning. “What should we do now?”

- Tomorrow, call the professor - Phinya suggested quickly - Ask for permission to
use the research building to store the remains while we wait for identification. It is
safer and more practical there.

- And you, Phinya? - Bua asked, still uncertain about what would come next.

- I need to resolve a few things first before I go back - Phinya replied directly.

- Okay, agreed then - Bua agreed.

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“Rest easy, Bualoy. There’s nothing left to fear,” Phinya said with comforting
firmness. Bua simply nodded before lying down again.

- Does this happen often when you go out on the field?

- In this world, there are greedy people everywhere, wanting what doesn't belong
to them - Phinya replied in a calm voice.

- I think so too...

- Rest, Bua. We'll deal with the rest tomorrow.

- Okay... - This time, Bua couldn't resist and remained silent.

-------------------------------------- 💀💀💀💀💀💀 --------- ---------------------------

- What the hell!

The already difficult job had just gotten even harder. Bua was on the verge of a
nervous breakdown. Which meant she would have to start the job all over again!

The things inside the work tent were completely disturbed from the previous night.
Some bones that had been carefully stored in bags or wrapped in cloth were all out
of place. And the paperwork, where she had recorded the identification of only
three bodies, had also been messed up. All of the work of more than a week was
destroyed.

Luckily, nothing was stolen. " As soon as I finish this job, I'll put a curse on those
bastards myself! " thought Bua, furious.

Phinya’s idea of collecting the remaining bodies and taking them to the research
institute seemed sensible. It was best to follow through with this plan before

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Translated by iPfahl

someone came back to rummage through and destroy all the hard work they had
done so far.

More than a week had passed, and Bua was feeling exhausted . “You have no idea
how hard it is to separate every bone from every individual, from every side of the
body,” Bua thought in frustration. And on top of that, there was the pressure of
making sure no parts were mixed up.

Even though Bua wanted to take some time to cool off, she knew she didn’t have
that luxury. In fact, this particular assignment was taking up too much of her life.
Beforehand, she had asked her advisor for some time to prepare for full-time
research. She also had to start writing lesson plans for her teaching position, since
she had previously been just an assistant. Not to mention the research project she
had been assigned to lead, and now this special assignment. There didn’t seem to
be time for Bua to rest and make the transition from PhD student to full-time
researcher.

She sighed deeply before searching for her gloves in the toolbox and getting to
work with a tired head. She bent down to pick up a forearm bone, the ulnar bone,
from one of the victims that had been thrown on the ground, and placed it carefully
on a cloth. Next, she picked up a male skull, approximately forty years old, which
still had fragments of tissue attached.

Bua's day would still be very long...

She focused on her work for about an hour, until the clock struck eight in the
morning. Then she got up to call her counselor, as she had arranged with Phinya.
Although she hadn’t been very happy to see her at first, she now felt somewhat
relieved to have Phinya around. At least she felt like she had someone to help her
think of solutions, even if she couldn’t exactly call her a friend.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
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Phinya had been through situations like this many times before, which made her
more capable of dealing with them. Perhaps that was why her teachers often sent
her to the countryside during her studies. Perhaps it was so that she could learn
how to deal with situations that were certainly not in the textbooks. There were
thieves interested in stealing the wreckage of the plane or the belongings of the
deceased passengers to sell them.

Another possible reason could be that the teacher had to keep Bua and Phinya
apart to prevent them from killing each other in the lab, where there were several
objects that could easily be used as weapons, such as arm or thigh bones, which
were large enough to crack a head, or even hammers and chisels. For Bua, modern
humans were a constant source of headaches.

This thought made her sigh with relief that Phinya was around, even if her arrogant
habits and sharp tongue hadn’t changed. Bua went out to call the teacher. At this
time, it must still be daylight in Panama, and she could see Phinya outside,
crouching down and hurriedly collecting human remains in bags. Their work that
day would definitely not end so easily.

Bua decided that in the afternoon she would go exploring and collecting evidence
outside the work tent, since she had spent most of the morning inside. She was
walking aimlessly, carrying her toolbox and a small shovel in her left hand, when
she passed what was left of the plane's tail, which was now in such a deplorable
state that it was barely recognizable.

She crouched down beside the wreckage and immediately got to work. Despite her
concentration, the question of the mysterious skull still lingered in her mind.
Carefully, she began removing pieces of the plane from the area that the police had
cordoned off with stakes, where they had found parts of the victims’ bodies.
Without moving anything yet, she spotted a bone that appeared to be the sternum

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

of one of the victims. Someone whose body had been so destroyed by the
explosion that there were barely any bones left was trapped under a metal
structure, which Bua had just removed. After sighing a few times, she began taking
photos and collecting evidence, doing her duty.

As she prepared to head to the next collection point, something about two meters
away caught her eye. Bua immediately approached it, using her hands to brush
away the metal debris, dust, and dirt from the object she saw. It was a silver box
that looked like an impact-proof safety box, about forty by eight inches in size. It
was turned upside down, and the lid, which had been locked with a small key, was
open. This caused Bua to tilt her head in puzzlement. She lifted the camera
hanging around her neck, took a few pictures, and slowly turned the box right-side
up, remembering Phinya mentioning a similar box the day before.

Inside the box was a roll of paper, tied with a black ribbon, in very poor condition.
The paper appeared to be pulp, with some of it torn, though Bua could not tell
whether the damage had occurred before or after the plane crash. In addition to
the tear marks, the paper was soiled with dirt and dust, and had been crumpled.
From what Bua could tell, it looked very old. She tentatively touched it with her
fingertips before reaching into an evidence bag to store the artifact, following
standard procedure.

However, something made her hesitate. After thinking for a moment, she decided
to take the radio attached to her waist and call Phinya. In less than three minutes,
Phinya arrived at the scene.

- Is there anything I can help you with, Dr. Busaya? - Phinya's sarcastic voice caused
Bua, who had her back to her, to let out a long sigh of frustration.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

- Why do you always make me feel like I'm wrong when I talk to you, huh? - Bua's
tone of voice revealed her tiredness.

- I was just joking around a bit - Phinya replied before crouching down next to Bua -
What did you find, Bua?

- Well... I found something that I don't even know where to start asking - Bua
replied, hesitantly - It seems... strange

The statement caused the newly arrived doctor from overseas to narrow her eyes,
staring at the crumpled roll of paper in the direction Bua was pointing. Phinya,
wearing gloves, picked up the curious object and began to examine it. After a few
moments, Bua noticed that Phinya’s eyebrows were furrowed in an expression of
deep concentration.

- It's really strange. To say that this is out of place is an understatement,

considering what we found yesterday.

- Now in Thai, please - Bua replied - I don't quite understand what you're trying to
say - This made Phinya look up and give Bua an irritated look, before turning her
attention back to the object in her hands.

- This is an ancient scroll with hieroglyphics. I remember seeing something like it

during a field expedition - Phinya explained - It's an excerpt from the 'Book of the
Dead'

“Oh,” Bua exclaimed upon hearing this. “The ‘Book of the Dead’ and a mummy…
that makes sense, considering the context.” The mention of the ‘Book of the Dead’
brought to Bua’s mind the time she had visited a museum and seen one of these
texts. It is said that in the earliest times, the ‘Book of the Dead’ was carved into
stone and reserved only for the pharaohs. Later, when it became more common, it
was written on papyrus, a flexible and weather-resistant material.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

The 'Book of the Dead' contained spells and prayers, and was placed in tombs with
the deceased, as it was believed that the knowledge contained in the book would
help the soul of the deceased navigate the underworld. The book was used to
overcome obstacles and fight demons on the way to the underworld, ensuring safe
passage. It was a belief about the afterlife of the ancient Egyptians.

- Exactly - Phinya agreed.

- Can you read this?

- I'm not exactly fluent, Bua - Phinya replied - but I recognize the writing style.
Hieroglyphics use images and symbols to convey meaning, so I can understand the
general message. I'll decipher this more calmly in the tent - Then she asked for a
ziplock bag to store the roll of paper as evidence.

- Okay - Bua replied promptly - Thank you very much, Phinya - Bua noticed a look
directed at her for a brief moment before nodding in response.

- I'm at your disposal - he replied, before moving away from the area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

47
 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

Episode 06

Baibua – means lotus flower, nickname used in an affectionate and informal way

-------------------------------------- 💀💀💀💀💀💀 --------- ---------------------------

— The teacher said there is a problem

Bua, who was approaching Phinya from behind, announced: — She also said that if
there was any urgency or if we couldn't get in touch, I was to act as I thought best
— This made the other Doctor turn around, looking away from the aviation officers
who were recovering the wreckage of the fuselage, broken into two parts and
scattered about fifteen meters away.

“Great, then do what you think is best.” Phinya nodded. “I’ve spoken to the
director of the center in charge. He’ll coordinate with the police department and
help transport the victims’ remains. We’re asking for three or four vehicles, and
they’ve requested that the institute help identify the remaining bodies.”

— No problem. I'll call to prepare the place in advance.

“Then we’re in agreement,” Phinya stated firmly.

—What did you find out about the Book of the Dead we found? — Busaya asked —
Have you managed to decipher it yet?

— Well... — Phinya paused, thinking — From what I've observed, I'm not sure if it's
authentic or fake. The text of the prayers written there seems to be from someone
wealthy, since the content is extensive, the hieroglyphics are elegant, clear and
organized. It must have been produced by a scribe who had knowledge or studied
a lot about the afterlife, which means it must have been someone well educated for

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Translated by iPfahl

the time — Phinya explained in detail. — It could have been a student, a priest or an
astrologer, someone who would certainly have had a good level of education. This
makes the cost of writing the Book of the Dead quite high. I believe that the owner
of this book we found must have been someone very rich or perhaps even from a
high class.

The doctor frowned thoughtfully before continuing, “Actually, you need to examine
the fibers of the paper to determine what they’re made of, since each era used
different materials. The type of ink and the content can also indicate what era the
document is from. I took some photos and sent them to a friend, but I’m not sure
when I’ll hear back.”

“This is getting weirder and weirder,” she said worriedly. “Some things seem out of
place.” Her eyes moved, considering the situation. “Mummies and the Book of the
Dead, those two items shouldn’t be here. I’ve heard that those things are cursed.”

— As for these curses, I prefer not to comment, as I don't know much about the
subject — Phinya replied in a neutral tone — But, even if they existed, over time,
they probably lost strength, or people simply no longer fear them. After all, we see
looters digging up tombs and robbing the graves without worrying about curses or
anything like that.

“Greed conquers all,” Busaya agreed, nodding in approval.

“Do you know what’s missing?” Phinya asked, raising a question that made Bua
raise her eyebrows. “We have a mummy and the Book of the Dead, but there’s
something missing.”

— What? — Bua responded with another question, uncertain about what she
should say, before stopping to think for a moment — The resin used to embalm the
body, which would be the final step

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Translated by iPfahl

“Clever,” Phinya commented, praising, which made Bua smile a little. The other,
watching, couldn’t help but smile too.

— What do you think about this?

“I’m not sure,” Phinya replied hesitantly. “What’s really strange is that the signs of
age on the skull have disappeared. As I said before, if it was an ancient artifact,
there should be stains, decay, or signs of mold. We need to confirm the age of the
object first.”

- I understand

“Maybe if we know more about the victims of the plane crash, we can connect the
pieces and figure out how the skull and the scroll ended up here,” Phinya said,
looking into Bua’s dark eyes through her square-framed glasses. “We’ll have to wait
for the police to investigate the background and question witnesses to see if we
can get any more information.”

“Alright, for now, let’s get on with our work,” Bua replied calmly, unsure of what to
make of the situation. This was one of her first field assignments, quite different
from Phinya’s experience, who seemed to know much more and have a better
ability to deal with the circumstances.

— I'm going to hand the parchment over to the police, in case any relatives of the
accident victims come looking for it. If it's authentic, it's of considerable value, but
I'm going to suggest they consult an archaeology expert to investigate further,
maybe it will reveal something new to us.

—I need to include this in my report to the teacher—Bua said, breaking the silence.

“No problem,” Phinya replied, before the conversation could fade away.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

— Um... Phin — Bua suddenly called, causing the other to raise her eyebrows in
question upon hearing her name — When this work is over, are you leaving? — The
question made Phinya turn around slowly.

— There’s no reason for me to stay here, is there? — Phinya replied.

— Oh... right

— Especially with you around, no way — Phinya joked, but Bua didn't let it go and
quickly retorted in a firm voice: — And have you ever wondered if I want to
continue working with you? — The comment made Phinya laugh out loud. —
Aaaaaah, I would love to continue working with you... but no. But anyway, thank
you. That's it, Bua — Phinya finished, leaving the tent, leaving Bua watching her
through her glasses, while contradictory feelings began to arise in her mind.

After the unexpected incident, it took another five days to complete the recovery of
the victims' bodies, without any other unforeseen events, thanks to the
reinforcement of security in the area, which now covered a larger area.

Bua sighed in relief as the last bone was placed in the black bag. During this period,
she and Phinya didn’t talk much beyond what was necessary for work. However,
the atmosphere between them, which had been tense before, began to improve, at
least they weren’t exchanging barbs like before. Perhaps it was because they were
focused on the work at hand or because their responsibilities had increased,
leaving them less time to think about the past.

“What are you going to do with the mummy’s skull?” Bua asked as they both stood
in the tent, organizing the last details before they began transferring the material
to the research building.

The next morning at the institute

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— Leave it to me. When I get back, we'll talk — Phinya said.

— When? I don’t have much experience with this, so I can’t make all the decisions
for you.

— Leave it to me — Phinya repeated — In the meantime, check the artifact. I want

to know how old it is

“I’m not an expert in that,” Busaya replied. “At the institute, no one specializes in
historical civilizations, and we’ve never seen an original artifact of that kind.
Besides, we don’t have the necessary tools.”

“You’re a researcher, so open a book and do some research,” Phinya suggested

impatiently.

“I’m afraid of messing it up,” Busaya admitted.

“Then don’t mess it up,” Phinya retorted irritably. “It’s exactly the same as when
you take any other skull to analyze.”

— Talking is easy when you already have experience. I've never done it — Busaya
replied — And we don't have the necessary equipment either

— Then light some incense and say a prayer first — Phinya said, mixing sarcasm
with frustration — Leave it to me. I'll tell you what to do

— And where are you going? Aren't you coming back to stay here?

— Stay where? I'm not a CLT like you, no — Phinya replied.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
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— Talk to the teacher. With your skills, you could easily become a teacher —
suggested Bua — Or maybe work as a researcher at the institute

—Work with you? No way — Phinya quickly denied, shaking her head.

— We don’t have to work together — Bua replied — We can have separate research
projects. Your office can be on another floor; I can move to a floor above yours

— Are you that worried that I have nothing to do?

— Even if we don't like each other, that doesn't mean I want you to be a failure —
Bua replied, making it clear that, despite their differences, she didn't wish Phinya
any harm — Alright then — Bua replied with a slightly hesitant voice as she
adjusted her glasses on her face, trying to hide her nervousness — Do as you wish
— she said, ending the conversation abruptly — Actually, I wasn't worried, I just like
to meddle in other people's lives — she concluded, turning quickly and heading
towards the door — Leave the skull with me, I'll come back to analyze it later

— Agreed

-------------------------------------- 💀💀💀💀💀💀 --------- ---------------------------

A black seven-seater SUV pulled up in front of Dr. Busaya as she waited for the
Department of Aviation’s transport to return to the capital. This would be her last
day at the crash site, as the recovery work was finally complete. The remains of the
fifteen victims, though incomplete, would be taken to the Bioanthropology
Research Institute for identification. As for the enigmatic mummified skull, it was
carefully stored in a large bag Bua carried over her shoulder.

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 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

To most people, walking around with a dead man's skull might seem bizarre, but to
one anthropologist, it was almost routine.

During her college days, during basic anatomy classes, it was common to take
anatomical specimens home to study in case she didn’t have enough time during
class. However, in recent years, the landlord of the apartment commented that he
would sometimes notice strange and unexplained events, which made Bua avoid
taking these objects home so often.

In addition to the mummified skull, which was duly recorded in the accident site
investigation report, Bua also brought back to the institute other fragments of
virtually unrecognizable bodies, with the support of the police. As for the papyrus,
Phinya handed it directly to the police, considering it essential evidence.

“Come on, Bua. I’ll take you,” said the driver of the SUV, which had been rented
from a local company at the airport. He rolled down the passenger-side window,
making Bua hesitate for a moment, but then he nodded and opened the door,
climbing into the car.

“Thank you,” she murmured in a soft voice.

— But let's stop for something to eat first, I only had a cup of coffee this morning

— Okay. Wake me up when we get there. I'm going to take a nap first.

— Besides being an Uber, now I'm an alarm clock too? — Phinya commented in a
sarcastic tone.

— I haven't slept well all week, let me rest a little, please, for the love of God —
replied Bua, closing her eyes and settling herself on the bench. Phinya, hearing
this, made a comment — You're still as sleepy as ever — but Bua was already too far

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Translated by iPfahl

away to answer, too exhausted to continue the conversation. She only woke up
about thirty minutes later, still groggy, moving to straighten herself up.

“Baibua, let’s not stop to eat, okay?” Phinya’s voice sounded slightly strained, and
Bua noticed a worried expression on her face.

- What there was?

“I’m not sure,” Phinya replied, looking at the rearview mirror repeatedly. “But it
seems like a car has been following us ever since we left the accident site.” Bua
immediately turned to look. She saw a black two-door pickup truck following at a
reasonable distance, but not too close.

— A black pickup truck?

“I don’t think it’s safe to stop now,” Phinya explained.

“Okay,” Bua replied, trying to hide the tremor in her voice, but Phinya noticed the
slight hesitation.

“Don’t worry, Baibua. It might be nothing,” Phinya said, trying to calm her down.
Bua looked at her, feeling the car speed up a little, while the truck also picked up
speed. “Take a deep breath, Baibua. It’s going to be okay,” Phinya said, noticing
that Bua’s breathing was getting faster.

—Uh-huh—Bua replied, though her voice didn’t sound as confident as she would
have liked.

“I’ll try to lose them,” Phinya said, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. “Open
the map and see where the nearest police station is. Let’s stay on the main road; no
shortcuts or alleys, it’s too dangerous. First we’ll look for the police, then we’ll see
what to do. If you get the chance, write down the license plate of the car,” Phinya

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continued, while Bua took out her cell phone, her hands shaking. At this point, she
was pretty sure the car was really following them.

— It's about ten kilometers from here

— Guide me there, okay?

— Oh, okay.

— Don't be afraid, Baibua. I won't let anything happen to you — Phinya said firmly,
trying to give confidence — If someone is going to do something to you, they'll have
to go through me first

Bua knew it was an ill-timed joke, but at the same time, it was a form of
consolation in Phinya’s typical style, always with a touch of sarcasm. However, this
time, Bua couldn’t crack a smile. She didn’t even have the strength to respond as
usual. Her heart started beating faster, and her hands were sweating as she looked
at the map on her phone. Her voice was shaky and uncontrollable, and she took
deep breaths every now and then, trying to calm herself down. In her mind, Bua
just prayed that all her years of study and effort wouldn’t be wasted here, on a
deserted road next to a forest, in the middle of nowhere.
“We’ll be fine, Bua,” Phinya said, more to herself than to her friend, as she kept her
focus on the road ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

56
 CRANIUM by ณลัน
Translated by iPfahl

Episode 07

— We'll be fine, Bua — The firm voice was an effort to comfort her. At this point, Bua
felt a hard lump in her throat and tried to swallow. Maybe this hard lump had a
name: fear.

Furthermore, she felt deep gratitude for whatever, or even karma, that brought
Phinya to her. If she had to face this alone, she might have already lost her mind.

She noticed that Phinya was checking her side mirror frequently, and although she
wasn't speeding up any faster than before, she still wasn't sure. Furthermore, the
car following them hadn't done anything other than continue in the same
direction. By the time they reached the police station, everything should be
resolved.

As fast as Bua’s thoughts, the black pickup truck suddenly accelerated and passed
by on the left. As it passed Phinya’s car, they both looked in the mirror as if they
had agreed, but they couldn’t see who was inside due to the dark film. Then, the
car passed them.

She felt Phinya ease off the accelerator to slow down, as she was unsure whether
the car was simply overtaking or had other intentions. The answer came within
seconds, as the car suddenly pulled in front of her, forcing Phinya to slam on the
brakes. If she had not eased off the accelerator earlier, the car would have probably
rolled over.

— How far is it to the police station?

— Five kilometers

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— Ok, please tell me the way.

Phinya swerved into the left lane and sped up. She didn’t know who these people
were or what they wanted, but they could be the same people who had tried to
steal a certain item a few nights ago and disappeared due to the increased security
in the area. Or maybe they were interested in the valuable papyrus scroll, if she still
had it with her.

One of the solutions that crossed her mind was to take these stalkers to the police
station. At least if they saw that the situation had been reported to the police, and
if the police were notified about the possible attempt to steal ancient artifacts, it
could help to avoid unexpected events.

Bua saw Phinya look at the camera mounted on the front of the car, checking if it
was still working properly. It was a good device for recording evidence before
speeding off again.

— Phin...

— It's okay, Bua — Phinya said in a firm voice — Don't be afraid.

Phinya, who was driving, took advantage of the moment to speed up and overtake
while the opposing car swerved. She knew she shouldn’t stop until she reached the
police station. Luckily, the road was a main road, which made it easy to escape.
The cars were far enough away that there was room to maneuver and escape.
Every time she noticed Bua’s breathing quicken, Phinya tried to calm her down.

— Everything will be okay, Bua

And it was just as Phinya had said. They finally arrived at the police station in less
than ten minutes. They filed a report before hurriedly heading back to the city that

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afternoon. Ever since the strange incident, Bua had remained silent the entire
journey back, with an expression of slight fear still visible.

— Are you hungry, Bua?

— I'm not hungry — Bua replied neutrally — I feel like I'm still having trouble
breathing

— Then let's find something to eat and rest a little — Phinya decided — Then, when
you calm down, you'll be hungry — Bua just nodded.

— Do you know who these people were?

“I have no idea,” Phinya replied, turning the steering wheel to enter a restaurant
she saw on the road. “They could be the same ones who came looking for things
before. The victims could have had valuable items, like the papyrus scroll we
found. They must all be businessmen and we don’t know anything about them.”

— But we have nothing

— But they don’t know that, do they? Maybe they’re people who know what was on
the plane and followed us because they saw us leaving the place. Maybe they just
wanted to find out who we are or where we’re going. It’s a good thing we noticed in
time and managed to lose them beforehand — Phinya said — But anyway, now that
we have the skull, we need to find out where it came from and then think about
what to do. You take care of the papyrus scroll with the police. And besides…
please make one or two models of the skull

— What are they for?

— Just in case

— I understand. I will do it — Bua replied, although she did not fully understand
what Phinya was asking — I need to talk to the teacher about this

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“It’s up to you,” Phinya said, starting to get out of the car. “But now let’s find
something to eat.”

The two spent about twenty minutes eating. Bua could barely eat anything due to
the shock of the recent event. She did not know exactly what was happening, and
when the police questioned her, she could barely answer because she was so
confused. It was Phinya who provided the information for about an hour before
they broke up.

— I'll drop you off at the institute. Leave your things in the building and then I'll
take you home.

— Don't worry. Just drop me off at the building — Bua said — You've helped me a
lot these days

— Don't be afraid, Bua — Phinya assured — I'll charge you back

2— So come to me when you want to charge me — Bua, now a little calmer,

couldn't help but make a scathing observation — And how will I contact you if I
need to?
1

— I'll call you back

— Why this mystery? — Bua’s voice began to get irritated.

— I still have to make up my mind — Phinya explained — I'm not sure whether to
come back here or stay there for a while longer. My work there isn't completely
settled yet.

— Really? — The young rookie police officer nodded — I thought you were done

— And I finished. I received approval last month — the calm voice replied — But the
research is not finished yet. There are documents that still need to be reviewed by
the professor

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— Okay, then I won't do anything until you get back to me. I'm going to see where
that skull came from.

— Can you do this as quickly as possible?

— I'll try to speed it up, but it won't be that fast, I'm not an expert."

— Okay... I trust you — Phinya replied, which made Bua immediately look at her —
Even with your sharp tongue, your brain's knowledge of " modern human" is
acceptable — Phinya continued, noticing Bua's gaze narrowing. Bua opened her
mouth to respond, but ended up saying nothing. The black SUV stopped in front of
the research institute building about an hour later.

— Thank you very much, Phinya, for everything — Busaya said, feeling that it was
time to say goodbye, as he reached out to take the bag with the mummy's skull.

— In two hours, I'll come back to get you — Phinya replied promptly — Don't look at
me like that, I'm not done with you yet. Keep this in a safe place and don't tell
anyone yet

Busaya just nodded, a little hesitantly, and got out of the car. Phinya waited until
she passed the security guard and entered the building. She let out a sigh of relief.
In the past two weeks, a lot of events had happened, especially between her and
that woman. No matter what she called her—Baibua or Bualoy—they were
nicknames Phinya had created because she didn’t like her since the time they were
students together.

How could you not feel that way? Suddenly, the woman appeared out of nowhere
as a scholarship student of Professor Nisara and passed the quality assessment
and defense of her doctoral project in less than a year, while it usually took at least
a year and a half or two years to pass. Some time later, Busaya began writing her
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first research paper; she wanted to finish her doctorate in three years, while most
people took four or five years. Then the professor began taking her on to help with
research projects, clearly intending for her to take on more responsibility, since the
position of principal investigator at the institute was being decided.

It wasn’t just Phinya who felt uncomfortable with Busaya. Many of her classmates
envied her too, even calling her “the teacher’s pet.” Meanwhile, Phinya was sent
abroad, carrying crates and sarcophagi, walking ten or twenty kilometers at a time,
not to mention the constant danger of thieves or bandits who stole antiquities to
sell them, as happened at the recent crime scene. Until one day, the teacher was
planning to send her on a mission to Portugal, where there was news of the
discovery of the oldest mummy in the world, with a preservation process different
from the known Egyptian methods.

“Why don’t you send Bua this time? I just got back,” Phinya suggested, trying to keep
her voice neutral, as if it were a normal conversation.

“Bua is still developing her research,” Professor Nisara’s deep voice replied. “Besides,
no one is as expert as you, Phinya.”

“But I wanted to stay here for a while,” Phinya, still a PhD student at the time, replied.
“You send me to other places all the time. When will I be able to finish? My colleagues
are already way ahead.”

Then, Phinya was faced with a question that left her speechless.

— Do you just want to get it over with or do you really want to be an anthropologist,
Phinya?

This simple question made her fall silent. Even though she was a PhD student, with
considerable knowledge in her field, she... didn't understand.
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— If you just want to finish, we can publish your work now and I'll schedule your
defense so you can finish it quickly. Is that what you want? — The teacher's voice
remained calm, but Phinya felt as if a stone had lodged in her chest, causing an
inexplicable discomfort.

She didn't know why the teacher was asking her that question... Had the teacher
already asked her "darling" that same question?

— I don't know what kind of answer the teacher expects from me.

— No, Phinya. That's a question you should answer for yourself, not for me.

—I don't see how that relates to the teacher sending me here and there—she
continued, not giving in.

— Listen carefully, Phinya. If you are studying just to get a degree, that is what you
will be: a person who has graduated. When you leave here, you can add
'anthropology major' to your resume. Anthropology is the study of human origins in
many dimensions, but I hope that what you will gain as my students is the ability to
see the value of humanity in a deeper way than others. — The teacher then looked
away from the student. — Think about it, Phinya, and next week, we will talk again.

The teacher’s words had been on her mind all week. Someone with a stubborn
personality like Phinya couldn’t understand the purpose of that question. Was this an
additional test of ethics or morality? It didn’t seem like it; she had already taken that
subject in her first year of studies. To be a true anthropologist? To see the value of
humanity? Someone like her would probably never understand that. There was no
answer in any book, and what did that have to do with her desire to finish the course
early?

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The following week, the teacher called her in for another meeting. As she walked into
the office, Phinya still didn’t have an answer to that question. She had spent the
entire week thinking, searching for information on the internet and in books.
However, all the answers she found were so confusing that she couldn’t draw a clear
conclusion. However… the first question the teacher asked when Phinya sat down in
front of her was:

— Have you heard about the stolen Homo erectus bones, Phinya?

The then PhD student just nodded slowly.

— If you had to put a price on it, how much would you estimate the nearly million-
year-old human bones to be worth?

“I don’t know,” Phinya replied simply.

— If our ancestors or distant relatives had known that their descendants had reached
the point of stealing even their bones to sell, they would probably have caused
sapiens (modern humans: Homo sapiens) to become extinct sooner. They wouldn't
have let evolution continue to see this, what do you think? Or maybe they became
extinct sooner because they didn't want to be around to see these things — The
teacher let out a light laugh as she finished speaking — Reaching this era, everything
has a price, including humanity — she concluded — As an anthropologist, I must say
that I am quite disappointed

Phinya just nodded, though she still didn't understand the point her teacher
wanted to convey.

— So, do you want to graduate or not?

— I... I'm not sure

— Then I will decide for you. Tomorrow, you must apply for transfer and submit your
credits to the graduate department. I will transfer you to study with a colleague of

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mine abroad on a full scholarship that I had already reserved for you. There, you will
be able to graduate in two years. The research work that you left unfinished here will
be continued by Bua.

- I don't understand

— You want to graduate fast, so I found a way for you

Phinya didn’t answer at all, she was completely confused. She left the room, not
understanding why her teacher suddenly wanted her to transfer to a university
abroad and leave the research work to someone else. At that moment, Busaya, who
was a third-year PhD student, crossed Phinya’s path from the opposite direction.
Upon seeing Phinya, Bua immediately turned her back.

— Baibua! — Phinya shouted, making the other turn around again — I heard that you
are going to continue my research

— Yes — Busaya replied, in a calm voice.

— You're going to get the job done, aren't you? I've already done half of it.

— The teacher said you won't be here, so I agreed to continue — Bua replied. — Isn't
that right?

“You really are the sweetheart,” Phinya said in a sarcastic tone.

“Think what you want,” Bua quickly cut the subject short. She didn’t want to prolong
the conversation. She didn’t want to argue, she didn’t want to fight. In fact, it was a
good thing that the teacher had arranged a scholarship for Phinya to study abroad.
Whenever Bua arrived at the building, she felt like she was on the verge of a nervous
breakdown, because every time they met, Phinya would always try to provoke her
with some sarcastic comment.

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She never understood why Phinya had such a grudge against her, since they had
hardly ever spoken. At work, they usually communicated through their supervising
professor or Bua’s close friend Fang. In the case of the research Phinya was accusing
Bua of “stealing,” it was also the professor who had called Bua in and asked her to
take over the project, something Bua had agreed to because she knew she couldn’t
refuse a request from the professor. Now, however, the project manager was here,
confronting her. Maybe this was some kind of karma. Maybe Bua hadn’t done enough
good deeds lately.

— If you want it back, you can take it. It's yours, after all. I would never take
something from someone without their permission.

— I don't want your name on my work. And I'm not interested in selling the name
credits.

In the published research, the first name is that of the principal investigator and the
second and third are those of the collaborating investigators. “I don’t want your
name on my paper, you hear me?” Phinya said.

— Well, don’t think I want your work — Busaya replied — Talk to the teacher directly,
then. Then, let me know what you decided, or let someone else do the work. I’m really
not interested in something that’s yours. If the teacher hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have
gotten involved in this. And even if the work is published, I’ll have to do a purification
ritual with the monks because you’ll definitely come back to haunt me.

— Baibua! Enough! You want to take my work and you still have the audacity to talk
to me like that! — Phinya's voice rose so high that the people around her started to
approach, but no one had the courage to intervene. — Someone bring Fang to calm
this down — someone whispered in the background. Fang was Bua's close friend,
who had known her since their master's days.

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— You're the one who's overreacting, Phinya. Just know that if the teacher hadn't
asked me to, I would never have gotten involved, especially in something that's
yours. It bothers me. All this drama, yelling, and confusion is just a waste of time. I
need to sleep — Bua replied before quickly turning to leave.

“You’ll pay for this, Baibua,” Phinya muttered. But Bua didn’t care, and didn’t even
turn around to answer. She left the place irritated, feeling even more sleep deprived.
And now, this fight only worsened her mood. The next day, Phinya handed in her
resignation and disappeared from the university. A week later, Busaya received a
notice from the graduate school informing her that she would be investigated for
academic and ethical misconduct, accused of work grabbing. It was the height of it. It
wasn’t impossible that she would be expelled for this. Phinya had left a gigantic
bomb for her to deal with. If she had the chance, she would definitely get revenge.

But if I never had that opportunity, I would at least wish Phinya would go far away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 08

Bua: means Lotus

Kong: means resistant, persistent (Buakong would be a nickname meaning Bua's

stubbornness)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phinya kept her promise and drove to pick up Busaya two hours later. Bua soon
found herself sitting in a restaurant not far from the research institute building. Up
until that moment, she had been sitting quietly and eating peacefully, looking
much calmer than Phinya had imagined.

—Haven’t you recovered from your shock yet, Buakong? You’re quieter than
usual— However, Phinya only received a nod in response.

—I don't know how I should feel—Busaya replied ambiguously.

— Are you scared?

— A little. I mean, it was the first time I’ve ever experienced something like this. —
Busaya paused, taking a deep breath to regain control. — So, I don’t really know
how I should feel.

— Take a deep breath — Phinya advised — And you'll be fine.

— How do you deal with these things? — This time, Bua was the one who asked —
Or how do you accept these situations? — The question made Phinya smile slightly,
her eyes shining for a brief moment before erasing the expression soon after.

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— When I first started doing fieldwork, there was a time when I was sleeping at the
dig site, next to a campfire in Guatemala. At that time, we found fossils of
Australopithecus (an ancient species of human). Suddenly, in the middle of the
night, there was a great commotion, followed by the deafening sound of gunshots,
like the ones we just heard.

— And what did you do?

“My brain was telling me to find shelter,” Phinya said. “But you know, at that
moment, I remember being completely paralyzed, like I was completely paralyzed.
All I could do was roll over onto my stomach and drag myself along the ground with
my arms and legs. I was so terrified that I couldn’t even stand up. I was breathing
heavily, and after moving just a few feet, I went still. I thought my life would end
there, in a foreign country. I only survived because a friend came and dragged me
to shelter.”

This was the first time Phinya had spoken to Bua in such a simple way, as if they
had actually met, a conversation that seemed more like an exchange of words
between old friends who had not seen each other for a long time.

“You’ll be fine, Buakong. Trust me,” Phinya said, with a softness Bua had never
heard before. At that moment, their gazes met, Phinya’s eyes shining with
confidence, while Bua’s were still filled with fear. She bit her lip before nodding and
looking away.

— When are you going back abroad?

— Why? Are you tired of me yet?

2— I'm just asking — Busaya replied — I mean, when I want to offer you a thank you
dinner for helping me
3

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— I need to talk to them first

After that, the meal continued with few words exchanged between the two. Bua
only glanced discreetly at Phinya from time to time, with a mixture of admiration
and surprise. Phinya, who was usually talkative, now seemed quite calm and
ordinary. In fact, Bua thought that Phinya seemed much more mature, perhaps due
to the many experiences she had experienced during her time away.

— So, you're not really going to come back to work here, Phinya?

“They’ve already reserved a position for me there,” Phinya replied in a calm voice,
“but I haven’t given my answer yet.”

“What a shame,” Phinya’s rival said. “The teacher would probably like you to come
back and help us here.” Those words made Phinya raise an eyebrow.

“The teacher already has you,” Phinya replied harshly.

— You see I'm not much — Bua said — When I panic, I get completely lost."

— You were just scared, Bua — It was as if these words were meant to comfort Bua,
something she wasn't prepared to hear, making her look directly at Phinya through
her square-framed glasses — Everything will be okay

— I would feel much more at ease if you were helping the teacher.

— Why would I come here just to reassure you? — Phinya shook her head, letting
out a smile without realizing it — No, thank you

“The teacher has high expectations for you, Phinya. I’m telling you this in case you
didn’t know,” Bua said seriously.

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— But the teacher always sends me to other places and insists on not letting me
finish anything — Phinya replied, not really believing what Bua had said.

— Look at you now. If I were the teacher — Bua looked directly at Phinya — of
course... I would be proud

5These words caused Phinya’s hand, which was holding a spoon, to pause in midair
for a moment. She looked up and met Bua’s eyes, which were full of sincerity,
which caused a strange feeling of gratitude in the left side of her chest.
Before this, she had always wondered why her classmates, seniors, and everyone
around her seemed to like Bua so much. Bua seemed to be the teacher’s favorite,
and she was often called upon to help with important tasks. Among the seven
classmates, five always sided with Bua when conflicts arose between them, while
the other two preferred not to get involved. Now, Phinya was beginning to
understand a little more why.

— I'm sorry if I said something wrong — Bua said, noticing Phinya's silence — Did I
say something that offended you? — After that, the conversation fell silent

— Don't forget the work you promised. I'll come back to check

— Okay, but don't be mad if I take a while. I need to take care of identifying the
victims of the plane crash first. It's a mess and it's more urgent — Bua justified —
Besides, I'm not very good at archaeology

— You already have a doctorate, you know? Why do you keep saying that?

— It's normal for people not to be good at everything or not to master certain
areas.

— Your area of expertise is complaining about sleep, Bualoy

—That's true—Bua replied immediately—I haven't been sleeping very well lately.

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— Does your mom know you're working so hard?

— For now, I'm the only one who has graduated. Some have dropped out, others
haven't passed their thesis defense yet, and Fang is still in the Netherlands — Bua
mentioned, referring to another PhD colleague she was close to — It might take her
another year or two to finish. And if she stays there like you, I'll ask for help

— The teacher's darling has to bear a heavy burden, Bua — a mischievous smile
appeared on the corner of Phinya's lips, who then shrugged — There's nothing to
be done

— I'm not the favorite — Bua retorted this time — Stop talking like that. You
received many more scholarships than everyone else, and you still come and say
that I'm the favorite?

1This time, Phinya didn’t respond. She just continued to smile until the meal came
to an end.
“Also, I almost forgot,” Phinya’s calm voice rang out as they waited for the
restaurant employee to bring the bill. “During this time, try to avoid going back into
the building. Luckily, we managed to lose whoever was following us before we got
back. According to the rules, in situations like this, the names of the experts or
those involved are not disclosed. They probably don’t know who we are, but it’s
better to be careful, you know?”

— So you won't tell me what happened, but you want me to do all this? — Bua
asked.

— I'm not telling you because I don't know myself — Phinya replied

— Okay — Bua nodded easily — This time, I'll just follow you. I'm not in the mood to
argue.

— I'd like to see you try to contradict me, Bua

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— So now you're going to be my mother too? — Bua replied with a slight irony —
You love to be in charge, huh?

— Being the darling is hard work, Dr. Bua

— If you're not going to stay and help, you'd better keep quiet, Phinya.

After dinner that night, Phinya disappeared, as if she had never been there. Bua,
meanwhile, was completely absorbed in the work of identifying the victims of the
plane crash, a task that had come on so suddenly and overwhelmed her that she
could barely breathe, to the point that she had almost forgotten all about the
troublesome mummified skull. Until, about a week later, she finally found some
time.

Bua contacted a laboratory that had the necessary equipment for dating ancient
objects, since the research institute where she worked was waiting for the budget
to acquire the essential instruments. In fact, she had some knowledge and
experience in this area, but the problem was the lack of suitable equipment, which
in this case forced her to hire the services of another laboratory to carry out the
tests.

However, the lab in question was already overloaded with other projects, which
extended the deadline for dating the mummified skull. Bua was told that the
process could take about a month, but that they would do everything they could to
speed it up if feasible. In addition, Bua was busy preparing the bone cleaning
procedures for the next stage of identification, not to mention the classes he had to
teach in place of his advisor, who was still in Panama for a technical visit and to
develop a curriculum for cooperation between the two institutions.

A week after Phinya’s disappearance, Professor Nisara returned from an

anthropology conference abroad, but asked for about ten days to finalize the

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documentation for the cooperation project. During this time, Bua took
responsibility for all the tasks.

“How are you, Bua?” Bua’s advisor, a fifty-nine-year-old woman with a kind face, a
sturdy body, short hair, and a dark suit and pencil skirt, asked as she called her in
for a meeting a week after her return to the country.

— I'm fine, teacher.

— You look tired — commented Professor Nisara when she noticed her former
student’s exhausted look — I saw the field report you sent me by email. Thank you
very much

— You’re welcome, teacher — Bua replied, thinking it was something the advisor
should know.

— And Phinya, how is she?

— She seems fine — he replied — From what I understand, she finished

— Of course it ended. She wanted to end it quickly, and I helped her with that —
commented the counselor.

— Is there anything specific you would like to discuss with me?

— Actually, I wanted to inform you that I hired a new researcher — said the teacher,
observing her former student closely — He will help you with your classes. I would
like you to focus more on your research. Besides, he will be the main researcher

Upon hearing this, Bua immediately bowed in thanks. “Thank you very much,
teacher,” Bua said, feeling relieved.

— He just finished his studies in England — the teacher informed in a calm voice.

— Ah, I see — Bua replied simply — When does it start?

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— Probably within a week

— Understood. Thank you very much, teacher.

— Bua, I need you to speed up the work related to the plane crash. The Aviation
Department informed that the police, who are in charge of the case, mentioned
that there might be something suspicious. They want to know if there are any
anomalies in the victims’ bodies — explained the counselor.

“I don’t think we can examine much more,” Bua observed. “I only brought back
some of the body parts we were able to recover. The bodies of the victims that
were in better condition and allowed identification were taken by the police to the
Forensic Institute. Unless there were injuries that affected the bones before the
accident, we will be able to examine that.”

— Did you find anything suspicious during your inspection of the site? — asked the
teacher.

— Apart from the mummy’s skull and the scroll I mentioned to you, and the fact
that there was an attempted theft, I found nothing else — replied Nisara’s student.
— I am now sending the skull for antiquity analysis

“I looked at the pictures of the skull and the parchment in the report you sent. They
look strange,” Nisara commented.

— Phinya thought so too — Bua agreed — But we can't draw conclusions without
knowing the exact age

“Currently, antique collectors have shown more interest in these items. I’ve heard
that prices on the black market are rising. The older and more authentic the piece,
especially if it’s from the early era when traditional methods were used, the higher
the value. If the pictographic text is from a time when the ‘Book of the Dead’ was
still restricted to the upper classes, the price may increase even further,” Associate

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Professor Nisara observed, interested in the conversation. “Did Phinya mention

anything else?”

Bua shook her head negatively — I couldn't get in touch with her

“You two are still the same,” Nisara said, making Bua smile awkwardly.

— I tried, teacher, but I think Phinya really isn't okay with me — Bua admitted.

— I see. Well, if Phinya comes across anything new, please let me know.

— Of course, teacher.

— Hm, Boo...

One night, as Busaya was about to go to bed, a message notification appeared on

the right corner of her laptop screen before she could turn it off.

[How is the work I asked you to do going?]

“A message from the teacher asking for payment?” Bua, still sleepy, squinted as
she adjusted her glasses and looked at her laptop screen. It was 11:33 p.m., and
she was about to go to bed, preparing to wake up at 5 a.m. to go to the research
building the next morning.

But upon seeing the name in the notification, Bua sighed deeply before adding the
contact and starting to type a reply.

[I only have one mommy who can hold me accountable]

The answer came quickly: [So you've already recovered from the scare, right? Are
you brave enough now?]

[It's been almost two weeks] Bua quickly typed in response.

[How is the work I left for you going?] Phinya repeated the question, insisting.

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[Which one? Between identifying the remains of the plane crash, teaching, and
researching, which one do you want to do first?] Bua replied with a mixture of
frustration and tiredness.

[Boo, stop annoying me, or I'll come back and rip your head off] the message came
loaded with a playful threat.

[Then you better come back soon] Bua replied [If you take any longer, not even my
head will be left]

[Being the darling gets tiring, doesn't it?] Phinya on the other end typed with a clear
irony that Bua could almost hear in her mind.

[I was going to tell you, but I haven't gotten anything yet. The X-ray was installed and
calibrated today. Tomorrow I'll try to use it, and then I'll send the skull to another lab
to calculate the age. But it'll take a while, the line there is long.]

[I've been gone for so long and you still haven't solved this?]

[Don't rush me] Bua, now an experienced researcher, typed quickly [I'm doing it as
fast as I can, but the plane crash work has gotten in the way. Without the professor
here, there was no one to take care of things. And this age analysis can't be done
alone. I've barely had time to breathe. I only managed to start identifying the victims
of the plane crash two days ago. If you're in such a hurry, come back and you can
follow up on this yourself. And bring money to send the samples, because I had to pay
for it out of my own pocket. They still haven't been able to release the emergency
budget, and the employee who approves this has just returned]

1[Boo...] Phinya's frustration was evident.

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[I'm serious] Bua replied [If you're going to insult me, don't. I'm going to sleep.
Tomorrow morning I'll read what you sent me. Good night] With that, Bua left the
chat and went offline.

1— Next time I see you, Bua, I'm going to kill you! — Phinya yelled at the computer
screen, frustrated.
1The next morning, however, Phinya left no other message than that. Since they
had last had dinner together, Phinya had disappeared for two weeks, without
giving any news. Bua didn't know if she was still in Thailand or another country,
and with all her workload, she didn't have time to find out, since the two of them
didn't have each other's contact information or social media.
It was strange to think that they had come to this. The truth was that Bua and
Phinya had never been very good friends, and even now, even after everything they
had been through, the sarcastic words still slipped out every now and then. It was
as if they couldn’t help it, even though Bua had already gotten over most of the
resentment. After all, with Phinya already having finished her studies, what else
could matter?

Back then, Bua was just an ambitious student, but not quite sure why she was
trying so hard. But now, she just wanted some peace. Her life had been entirely
consumed by studies, and it seemed like the rest of her days would also be
swallowed up by books, lab work, and scientific papers.

Unlike Phinya, who had the opportunity to travel and see many places, Bua felt
buried under a mountain of work, stuck in the same building every day, suffocating
under her responsibilities. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy towards
Phinya.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 09

Bualoy ( บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The black ziplock bag containing the bones of one of the victims of the small
chartered plane crash in the central area of the province was placed on the
stainless steel table in front of him. Busaya hadn’t lied when he told the annoying
Phinya that he barely had time to breathe, sleep, or even look away from the
computer screen, let alone other additional tasks.

Although the advisor had returned from Panama, she was still busy with the
paperwork for the cooperation with the Graduate School, which prevented her
from returning to full-time classes for two weeks to a month. In other words, all the
work and responsibilities fell on Bua, who had to take care of everything during this
period.

— Phi Bua, the teacher asked me to let you know again that the new researcher will
start this week, but the date and time have not yet been announced.

—Okay, I already got the email about it this morning—Bua replied, without looking
up at her colleague.

— The students are already waiting

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— Let them come in in about ten minutes. I need to get ready quickly — Busaya
replied to the secretary of the research institute, a young woman of twenty-seven.
In a few minutes, Bua would have to change roles, from researcher to professor in
charge of the Physical Anthropology course of the first year of the university’s
master’s degree, where the students were coming for a workshop at the institute.

And Phinya still had the audacity to send messages demanding the work. If she
wanted it done quickly, she should go back and do it herself. This thought made
Bua let out a long sigh. Why did the 'dearest' insist on appearing in her thoughts
now, when before she had barely remembered her existence, having almost
forgotten her completely? However, after the plane incident, the mysterious
mummified skull, and Phinya's disappearance, Bua found herself thinking about
her frequently, to the point of getting irritated by it sometimes.

She herself did not quite understand why; at times, Bua felt as if she were waiting
for Phinya to return, unsure whether she would decide to continue living abroad.
Soon, Aon took the eight students to the laboratory, where Bua was already
staying, keeping them in an area separate from the one containing the bodies of
the victims of the plane crash. After twenty-five minutes of explaining the purpose
and procedures of the workshop, Bua, now in her role as teacher, returned to her
work, letting the students begin the activities as originally instructed, with Aon
supervising.

She would still be stuck with these victims for quite some time. At the moment,
only two bodies had been identified and confirmed. Meanwhile, the officials in
charge were rushing to find the cause of the accident, which, according to the
rumors, could take a while longer, as they had still been trying to locate the black
box since returning from the crash site. In addition to Phinya, who was constantly

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on her mind, Bua also couldn't stop thinking about the problematic skull and the
papyrus that accompanied it.

She carefully placed her hands on the sternum (sternum), which still had some ribs
attached, of one of the victims, slowly removing it from the ziplock bag before
carefully placing it on the stainless steel table, along with the other bones that had
come in the same bag. She gently placed the newly removed bones in a glass
display case, which was approximately five feet long and two feet high.

After arranging all the bones in the display case, she retreated to the staff room and
brought out a round glass jar about a foot in diameter. Bua opened the lid and
carefully poured the contents of the jar into the display case. Thousands of fly
larvae, often used to clean bones in museums, fell into the display case. This was
the safest way to remove the tissue attached to the bones while causing the least
possible damage. She then let the larvae do their work, which would take about a
week.

“Eat plenty, little animals. There’s no need to rush, but it would be good if you
finished soon,” she said, almost as if she were talking to children.

About three hours later, after he had finished teaching the students, the lab was
empty and quiet. Bones, one after another, were placed in the glass display case,
followed by the fly larvae, which would remove the dead tissue and leave the
bones completely clean. Although this method took longer, it was the safest way to
preserve the evidence. The bones would not show any damage, unlike the boiling
method, which was faster but strictly prohibited, or the use of corrosive substances
such as bleach or hydrogen peroxide, even when diluted in a small percentage,
these chemicals could still cause damage to the pieces.

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Although the mummified skull had already been sent to the lab to determine its
age after undergoing X-ray examination, its origin was still uncertain. If one were to
ask why someone would take an ancient relic, the body of a person who had
undergone a mummification process, the answer would probably include at least
two or three possibilities.

First, there are collectors of antiquities who sometimes resell these items on the
black market, as Professor Nisara mentioned. Second, a more sophisticated
hypothesis could be that the skull was used for worship. One of the concepts put
forward by archaeologists is that mummification was not just to preserve the body
awaiting resurrection, but to create a divine statue for veneration. In fact, these
two reasons alone would be enough to disturb anyone.

Although black magic and occult rituals are practiced in the country,
mummification is something extremely far removed from everyday life. Therefore,
the idea of using the skull as an idol for worship or as an amulet seems unlikely, not
to mention that the flight was leaving the country, bound for Paris. However, the
papyrus found with the skull could be more understandable if the intention was to
sell or auction it for profit. The whole case seemed disjointed and it would
probably be necessary to wait for information from the black box to shed more
light. For now, Bua could only continue identifying the remaining victims, hoping
to find some additional clues.

She was almost certain that she wouldn’t like the answers to these questions in the
end. A plane crash, dead people, a mummified skull, and an ancient papyrus… Was
this something normal? She wasn’t sure. Some parts were still missing, without any
definite shape, and then there was Phinya… She had left the work behind just like
that… If Phinya didn’t come back… Bua promised herself that she would go after
her and wouldn’t let her have a moment of peace.

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Phinya realized that she was sitting in the driver's seat of her black sedan after
more than three weeks of being missing. She also realized that she was driving
towards the building of the Bioanthropological Research Institute, after having
returned home, showered, changed her clothes and packed her things. She herself
did not know why, but instead of resting to relieve her fatigue, she found herself
driving towards this specific place.

"If I were the teacher, I would be proud of you..."

Those words echoed in her mind during the three weeks she was away, and even
all the way back to Thailand. Bua had said that she was proud of her. The Earth
must have been spinning backwards. The moment those words reached her ears,
Bua, who Phinya had always considered a rival, suddenly… for a brief instant,
when she heard that sentence coming out of her mouth… The only thing Phinya
felt was that she had completely lost to Bua.

Those words circling around in her head made her uneasy. In fact, she almost
didn’t hesitate to turn down the academic position that the teacher had found for
her. But then again, it was Bua who deserved a good lecture, because when Phinya
texted her, she acted like she didn’t want to reply and even told her to curse and
leave a message that she would read when she woke up. Bualoy cared more about
sleep than about her… or about work.

She had known about Bua's reputation for being a sleepyhead since college, but
from what she remembered, it wasn't that serious back then. Just being able to fall
asleep in five minutes when they were on the field together was impressive
enough. But now... Bua couldn't even have a conversation before running off to
sleep. Phinya just wanted to check on the progress of the work and even gathered

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the courage to send a message saying she was coming back, but she didn't even
have time to tell him, she cut the conversation short.

"If I find you, Bua, I'm gonna break your face, for real this time"

Despite this, one thing the young doctor couldn’t understand was why she couldn’t
wait until the next day to go after Bua, she had just landed less than three hours
ago. Phinya thought about this the whole way there, and she couldn’t understand
what she was feeling either. It was as if she didn’t want to wait, because even if she
tried to sleep, she wouldn’t be able to. She kept remembering the last time they
worked together, Bua’s frightened face, and even though it had been almost a
month ago, she could still remember it clearly. In the five years they had known
each other, this was the first time Phinya had truly looked at Bua differently.

Bua was still Bua, the same Busaya Phinya remembered from the first day of her
doctorate until today. Five years had passed, and even though she had a doctorate
degree, she still had the same nerdy face with square glasses as always. But her
eyes looked tired, exhausted from the research work and lack of rest.

Bua was more concerned with sleeping than anything else. Whenever she had a
free minute, Phinya would see her hiding and looking for a place to sleep, as if she
had been sleep-deprived for a long time. Although she still remembered what it
was like to have Bua as a classmate, it seemed that her feelings towards her had
changed. Changed to such an extent that even as a doctor who had studied
humans from many different eras, Phinya could not define this human feeling.

What was wrong with her that she couldn’t stop worrying about Bua? During the
entire time she spent abroad, she could barely find peace. She wanted to send a

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message, but she hesitated for a long time, until the last day, when she finally
decided that she would pretend to ask about the progress of work and suggest
meeting for dinner. However, this plan backfired because, as soon as Bualoy
realized that she was trying to collect on the work, he cut the conversation short
and left her hanging.

Phinya tried to convince herself that she was worried about work, but after
promptly turning down the offered academic position and deciding to go back, she
still wasn’t quite sure why. Maybe… it was because she missed home. Although,
deep down, she knew it wasn’t just that. Because every time she felt homesick,
someone’s face would always pop into her mind. The more she remembered Bua’s
frightened look that day, the harder it was to get that image out of her head.

During the two weeks she was away, she dedicated herself to finishing her PhD and
taking care of any pending issues before returning home. Interestingly, even
though her professor told her that she could return whenever she wanted, the idea
of returning never crossed her mind. Phinya was certain that Professor Nisara
would be happy to hear of her decision. Although anthropology was not a new field
in Thailand, it was not something that generated much interest. It would be great
to have another expert in the field.

During the whole time she spent finishing her pending tasks, she couldn't
concentrate on anything. All she wanted was to get back as soon as possible. She
wanted to see Bua's irritating face and imagined that, when they saw each other,
she would be surprised and start to tease each other like they always did with each
other and this thought made the young doctor smile without realizing it.

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She was determined to get revenge on Bualoy for daring to run away from her,
preferring a bed to her company. If Bua didn’t respond to her messages, she would
go find her personally. That wasn’t wrong, was it? Thinking about it, she stepped
on the accelerator to speed up a bit. In her mind, the image of the face with square-
framed glasses that had always made her turn away and get irritated before
flashed through her mind. But now, everything had completely changed… ‘The
teacher must be proud of you.’

Phinya, however, felt that those simple words came from Bua's own feelings, and it
warmed her to the core of her heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 10

Bualoy ( บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

Baibua ( ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

-------------------------------------- 💀💀💀💀💀💀 --------- ---------------------------

Busaya, who had spent nearly half the day with the victims’ bodies, finally emerged
from the Research Institute building, exhausted. It had been nearly a month, and
the police had yet to obtain any significant new leads, as the plane’s black box had
not been found. This was delaying the investigation process more than expected,
except for the testimonies of witnesses, which included the company that operated
the plane rental service.

As she stood there, undecided about what to do next—whether to go back to her

dorm or go get something to eat at the market near the institute—a familiar black
sedan pulled up right in front of her. Bua felt a strange sense of foreboding.
Although she didn’t immediately recognize the car, for some reason she had the
feeling that she knew the owner of the vehicle. Then the passenger-side window
rolled down, revealing the driver’s face.

"I knew..."

— Why didn't you reply to my messages? — The familiar voice made Bua snort.

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— And why didn't you tell me you were coming? — Busaya replied with another
question — So I wouldn't come

— Get in the car

— Can it be another day? I'm sleepy today

— And are there any days when you're not sleepy, you sleepyhead?

Bua just shrugged before walking away towards the market, where she planned to
buy something for dinner that day and then do whatever she wanted most at that
moment.

Sleep...

Everyone knew about Bua’s reputation for sleep. Dr. Busaya was known as
someone who could sleep at any time and in any place. She herself wondered
where she had inherited this habit from. Her first hypothesis was that it could have
come from early human ancestors, who perhaps had nights longer than days,
which made them spend more time sleeping than living like modern humans.

Or maybe, in fact, Bua had just been accumulating fatigue since her college days
and the beginning of her career. She valued her sleep time more than anything
else. If someone or something interrupted the time she had planned to rest, she
simply ignored it. But there was only one person Bua allowed to interfere in this
moment: her advisor. As for the others... no way.

Phinya got out of the car and stood in front of Bua and said: — Get in the car — the
voice insisted, now closer.

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— Can it be tomorrow? Or send me a message complaining and I'll answer right

away, I promise — said Bua, exhausted from spending the whole day in the lab,
while pretending to pick up her cell phone to answer the messages.

— If I were to talk tomorrow, I would come tomorrow — Phinya said — I wanted to

come today

— Okay, okay — Upon hearing this, Bua couldn't help but respond with a slight
irony: — And when did you come back?

— I just arrived, three hours ago

— Leave thinking about me for last, you don't need to come running to see me —
Bua said — The work you left isn't that advanced, no, it's just what I already told
you

— Who said I missed you?

— Okay, then... if that's all. I'm going to go, I'm going to find something to eat —
Bua quickly cut the conversation short and started to walk away, but was
interrupted before she could leave.

— Get in the car. I'll take you to eat and then you can rest.

— No, thank you, Thank you very much

— Boo, why don’t you listen to me? — Phinya exclaimed — Get in the car, or I’ll keep
annoying you anyway

— You're not my mother, stop giving me orders — Bua grumbled, but ended up
giving in, because she knew that, otherwise, Phinya wouldn't leave her alone.

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2-------------------------------------- 💀💀💀💀💀💀 --------- ---------------------------

— How long will you stay this time?

— Why...? Did you miss me just in the time we spent apart?

— No, I just wanted to know if you're going to stay two or three days to finish YOUR
work — he replied — You're not going to throw that responsibility on me, no

— I wonder how you managed to survive until now, with that sharp tongue —
Phinya commented as they waited for the food they had ordered.

— And your mouth is really a blessing, right? — Bua replied — If you don't finish the
job, I'll hand over the skull to the police to continue.

1— Boo... — Phinya replied irritably

— Or you can do it yourself. I'll talk to the supervisor so she can give you access to
the lab and the equipment. But bring money to pay for the tests.

— Baibua, this is important, can you do it in a hurry, please?

— No one said it wasn't important — Bua's voice came out harsh — But I'm doing it
as fast as I can. The work is piling up to the point that I'm going to end up buried. If
you have nothing to do while you're in Thailand, help me work instead of pushing
work onto others — Phinya was getting ready to argue, but Bua cut her off — And if
you dare call me 'sweetie' again, I'll shove that fork down your throat myself —
Bua's expression was one of pure hatred, and her tone was thick with sleep, barely
disguising the tiredness she felt at being disturbed in her precious moment of rest.
This made Phinya burst out laughing.

— It's not funny, it's not funny, and there's no need to laugh — Bua retorted,
frowning — The Civil Aviation Department called you back just so you could appear
pretty on the scene and then run away, leaving all the work to me?

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— Why do you complain so much, Bualoy? — Phinya, teased her — Even when
you're sleepy, you can complain non-stop. Doesn't it get tiring?

— If you don't want to hear me complaining, go to work — said Bua — Otherwise,

you have to put up with me because I'll keep complaining

— Okay, okay, I get it. But can't you wait for me to sort out my personal stuff first? I
just got back.

— Again? — Bua replied — Why so much drama?

— Hey, Baibua, I was away for quite some time. Now that I'm back, of course I have
things to take care of.

— So you’ve decided to come back for good? Didn’t you say you had a job offer
there? — Bua asked, as she watched the restaurant staff serve the food to the table.

— I'll stay here for about six months and then I'll decide. Who knows, maybe I'll find
something interesting here.

— What is an anthropologist going to do here besides being a teacher or

researcher? — Bua commented, leaning back in her chair and pinching her nose in
a sign of tiredness before taking a sip of water.

— So, do you want me to help you or not? Didn't you say you were going to talk to
the teacher? — Phinya asked.

— If you're going to work with the institute, the professor will definitely give you a
position — Bua replied — Right now, I'm the only lead researcher here and I need a
vacation. If Dr. Phinya can help, I'll be able to travel for a while, and you'll still earn
points for it, it's a win win

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— I don't want any benefit, I want to irritate you — Phinya said — I won't leave you
alone

— So, please go back to when you hated me? — Bua asked.

—And no one ever informed you that I definitely don't like your face? — Phinya
replied, with a tone that made Bua feel like she had been slapped in the face and
looked away to the side.

— Really? — Bua's voice trembled a little, trying to swallow the uncomfortable

feeling — Well, and I'll remember that from now on

— Bua... — Phinya began to speak, but Bua did not continue the conversation and
diverted her attention to the meal in front of her, her mind already thinking about
her bed in the room. Phinya remained silent, watching her eat. For a moment, she
felt a pang of guilt for the words she had said earlier, something she had never felt
before during an argument.

— There haven't been any unusual incidents lately, have there?

— No, actually, most of the time I sleep in the building, so nothing happened — Bua
replied, shrugging.

After that, the two continued to eat in silence. Bua ate calmly while Phinya began
to realize that something was wrong. Soon after, a black car stopped in front of the
building, not far from where they were. The institute was silent.

— Thank you for dinner. I hope we won’t have to meet again anytime soon — After
speaking, Bua started to get out of the car.

— Bua — Bua's hand was held by Phinya — Let me take you there

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— It's my apartment, I can get back by myself — Bua replied, adjusting her glasses
on her nose.

— I need to talk to you

—Can it be tomorrow? You said that after eating I could go to sleep

— It will only take a minute — Seeing the nod, she parked in front of the building
and followed Bua, who walked with her head down, in silence.

— What is it about? I'll only give you ten minutes. After that, I'll probably be too
tired to listen to you — Bua said, as they entered the apartment and she invited
Phinya to sit on the couch. Phinya began to look around the room, she was seeing
Bua's apartment for the first time.

The interior looked tidy, as if no one had spent much time there. Everything was in
its place, with a large bookshelf that was nearly two meters wide and reached all
the way to the ceiling. The bookshelf was filled with books and volumes on history,
world civilizations, anthropology, anatomy, and a variety of other books neatly
arranged. In one corner was a work desk with a computer, and next to the
keyboard, a stack of research papers were piled up.

— Bua — Phinya called, standing up — I... I... — This made Bua look at her with a
curious expression.

— Okay, stay there thinking and I'll be right back — Bua then walked away, went to
the kitchen and got two bottles of water from the fridge. Then she came back and
handed one to Phinya

— Here... — Bua, now with a softer tone of voice, asked back — Is everything okay?
Your face doesn't look so good

— It's nothing

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— If it's nothing, then I'm going to sleep. The lock is automatic. Good night.

— Boo...

Bua didn’t listen and went into the room. About fifteen minutes later, after taking a
shower and changing her clothes, she came out again to see if Phinya had left yet,
but Phinya was still sitting on the same sofa.

— Phinya — Bua called when she heard her name — Is everything okay? — Bua
approached with a worried expression.

— I don't know — Phinya's voice was full of hesitation — Did I upset you in any way
at the restaurant?

— You always bother me

- And truth

— Anyway, don't worry about it — Bua said, trying to comfort her — I guarantee I
won't hate you anymore

— I'm relieved to hear that.

— That's how I feel when you talk to me too. So I'd rather not prolong the
discussion.

— Bua... — Phinya's serious tone made Bua narrow her eyes and look at her
through her rectangular glasses.

— Is something wrong? — Bua approached and Phinya looked indecisive — Are you
tired from the flight? Do you want to get some sleep before you go?

Seeing that Phinya was still standing still, Bua stopped in front of her, timidly
raised her hand, and brought her fingertips close to Phinya's face. The instant her
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fingertips touched Phinya's cheek, she quickly withdrew her hand, afraid of what
Phinya might do.

As Phinya remained silent, Bua approached and gently placed her hand on the
right side of Phinya’s face. “Are you okay? Are you feeling sick?”

4— Ever since I got back, I've been feeling strange — Phinya raised her left hand and
placed it over Bua's — Very strange
What seemed strangest was that when she returned, even when Phinya spoke to
Bua rudely, as she usually did, she felt as if she was being slapped in the face.
During her time abroad, she had often wanted to send a message to Bua, typing
and deleting it several times, until she decided not to send it. She only contacted
her recently, using work as an excuse.

It was even more painful to see that Bua didn’t seem to care at all, and even had
the audacity to ask her to leave a message before going to sleep. In truth, Phinya
shouldn’t feel anything. She shouldn’t feel any pain. However, deep down, it felt
different, as if a new feeling was emerging, something that even she couldn’t
define.

She should hate Bua like she always did. Her mind told her so, but a part of her
heart was beginning to disagree. And it was unbelievable that after only three
hours of arriving, she went to Bua almost without thinking. That's what Phinya
found strange... Too strange for her.

— If you don't explain what 'strange' means, I won't be able to help you, Phinya.

— Actually, I ran here because I wanted to talk to you.

1— I think you're sleepy — Bua concluded with the authority of a sleep specialist. —
Come, rest. I'll get you some clothes to change into. Take a shower and go to sleep.
I'll sleep in the living room.

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— There's something I don't understand. Why am I here instead of... I'm going back
to rest

— You really are acting strange — Bua replied, without giving a clear answer — How
can I know what is happening to you?

— All the way driving, I wondered why... — Phinya tilted her head down — ...why am
I feeling this way? I wonder what's happening to me — She leaned her forehead
against Bua, almost touching her nose to Bua's — I wonder why, even the whole
time I was there, I only thought about being here

— Phinya...

“During the five years we’ve known each other, I’ve always wondered why the
people around you seemed to admire you so much. Everyone around you has
always supported you.” Bua could barely hear what Phinya was saying at that
moment. She only saw Phinya’s lips approaching hers, and more importantly, she
didn’t back away. Bua should have pulled away, but instead, her lips moved
towards Phinya.

5— If you want to know, you might have to open your heart to me

— Really, Dr. Bua?

— Maybe so, doctor. Phinya

Then, the last feeling Bua experienced before closing her eyes was the soft touch of
Phinya’s lips against hers. The drowsiness she felt instantly disappeared, and her
mind seemed to explode at that moment. It was frustrating that she hadn’t thought
of refusing to move away from Phinya.

6"I must have fallen asleep without realizing it and now I'm dreaming"

1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 11

Bualoy ( บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

Buakong ( บัวคง) – Meaning: "Buakong" combines "Bua" (lotus) with "Kong"

(stubborn or resistant). Therefore, the nickname can be interpreted as "stubborn
lotus" or "resistant lotus", highlighting Bua's determination and persistence.

Baibua ( ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

--------------------------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀--------- ---------------------------

— What are we doing, Phin?

Despite having asked the question, all Bua could see at that moment were the full
lips getting closer and closer, so close that it almost made her breathless.

— Tell me, is this what they call 'opening your heart'? — Phinya got even closer,
and the space between their lips was almost nothing. Bua, half lying and half
sitting on the sofa in her own living room, felt Phinya's left arm gently resting on
her back.

— We're just two people who can't stand each other... — Bua murmured, as if she
was trying to convince herself

— And how does someone who can't stand me want me to stop?

There was a moment of silence from Bua.

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— No — The answer came, and the tone of her voice was not just a denial, but
rather an permission. And then, before Bua could react, she felt Phinya's hot and
eager lips press against hers, leaving her completely without the strength to resist.
Within a few seconds, Phinya slowly pulled away.

— I'm not sure what I'm doing

This time, it was Phinya who seemed hesitant, as if for a brief moment she stopped
to think about what was happening, almost stepping back, but Bua's hand on the
back of her head stopped her from going.

— Not yet... — Bua whispered with a trembling voice — I still haven't kissed you
back — The previous hesitation was broken by those words.

This time, Phinya let Bua do whatever she wanted. Her body and lips moved
towards Bua as if she had lost control. Even though she wasn't sure what that
meant, she just followed what her heart told her. They had always been rivals,
always teasing each other... But why, after that last meeting, where one couldn't
stop thinking about the other, had things gotten to this point? Bua was kissing...
Phinya, the same temperamental and loud Phinya that she could barely stand to
look at or get close to before, because she irritated her so much. And it seemed like
the situation was only going to get worse, because neither of them seemed willing
to hold back. One of Phinya's hands began to slide under Bua's favorite pajama
shirt.

4For a moment, she wanted to stop Phinya, surprised by what was happening, but
in the next second, she let herself go and even lifted herself up slightly, allowing
Phinya to take off her shirt voluntarily.

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— Are you sure, Bua?

Phinya's hoarse voice whispered the question.

— And you? — Bua returned the question.

— I want to try — Phinya's nose brushed against Bua's neck, followed by a soft kiss.

She lightly rested her hand on Bua's left shoulder before standing up a little to look
at her colleague below. “In any case, we won't like or hate each other any more
than we already do.” Phinya's lips descended again, gently touching the side of
Bua's face, as if she couldn't contain herself any longer. “And since we've come to
this, why don't we try... doing something different together? Who knows, at the
very least... it's a win-win.”

Phinya’s words made Bua stare into those dark eyes. “Fair enough,” she replied
after a brief pause.

— I still don't like you — Phinya said, without taking her eyes off Bua.

2— I still want to hit you with a shovel — Bua replied in a hoarse voice.
4

Then, Bua saw a strange smile appear on the corners of Phinya’s lips for a brief
moment, before she leaned forward again, starting with a kiss that soon moved to
her neck. At this point, she only wondered why she was allowing her body and
mind to surrender so completely to Phinya’s intense touch, as if she had lost all
strength to resist.

And it seemed that the answer to the question of why Phinya had chosen to go
there instead of returning home was slowly beginning to emerge. Perhaps the
answer was simple: she missed Bua. That was all.

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She had feelings for Bua, there was no doubt about that. Although she didn’t know
what would happen after that night, Phinya was ready to accept anything. Five
years of living together, three of them wanting to hit each other over the head with
a shovel or exchanging barbs incessantly. Until that moment, Phinya realized that
she had wasted all that time. It was all because of rivalries, a fight for recognition at
work. Now, those things seemed meaningless.

Bua was always there, right in front of her. Their work desks were only a meter
apart, but Phinya chose to ignore Bua countless times, leaving her hurt each time.
Now, ironically, Phinya was the one who felt hurt by her own words.

— Phin

Bua’s deep voice caught her attention again. In truth, Phinya wasn’t sure what was
going on between the two of them. Ever since the plane crash, all the time she had
been back to take care of her university affairs, she had found herself thinking
about Bua almost all the time. And the first person she had looked for was Bua.
Maybe she was losing her mind. But despite that, she felt like she had made the
right choice in coming here.

— If I had known you tasted so good, I wouldn't have wasted so much time arguing
with you, Bualoy

Bua’s hands gripped the collar of Phinya’s shirt, her eyes asking for permission.
Seeing her nod, she began to unbutton the shirt with her hands trembling slightly.

— Calm down — Phinya said, unable to contain her smile when she noticed the
slight blush on Bua's face, caused by embarrassment.

— It's just... I don't have much experience unbuttoning someone's shirt.

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— Okay, take a deep breath.

It wasn’t long before the dark shirt was slid back, while Bua stood up and gently
pushed Phinya down. Taking advantage of the moment, she quickly took off Bua’s
glasses and hurriedly threw them onto the coffee table. With her fingertips, she
brushed away the stray strands of hair that fell over her shoulders, so that she
could look straight ahead without any obstacles.

—What we're doing seems... to be beyond what I expected— Bua muttered, which
made Phinya laugh when she heard it.

“If you want to stop, there’s still time, Bualoy.” Phinya’s voice was soft and slightly
trembling, something Bua had never heard before, and it made her heart skip a
beat. Besides, at that moment, when she heard her name being called, the word
“stop” barely existed in her mind. She leaned over and kissed Phinya’s neck, who
responded to the gesture by moving closer.

— Do you want to continue? — Bua asked back.

— Do whatever you want, Bua

— I still want to hit you with a shovel

— Well, after tonight, you might want to save my mouth for something more useful.

Bua only realized that her shorts were on the floor when it was too late. And
suddenly, she felt her body being pressed against the white sheets of her bedroom
bed. Her sharp-tongued karma had made her lose control. Now, stopping... was the
last thing she would ask for. Their naked bodies responded to each other's touch in
a way they could no longer contain.

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Kiss after kiss, there was never a moment when Bua did not respond with
enthusiasm. She only realized at that moment that, besides the biological purpose
of perpetuating the human species, there were other reasons for this activity. One
of them was... she could no longer ignore the feelings she never thought she would
have for Phinya.

She had never liked the annoying Phinya from the beginning. Even if it wasn't
enough to use the word "hate", it could be said that she definitely couldn't stand
Phinya's presence. And almost every time, Phinya managed to irritate her.
However, on the other hand, she admired the skills of the Doctor, now her...
bedmate.

Bua’s classmate was anything but ordinary. Phinya had gone through every
possible level. She was able to tell the ethnicity, gender, and even age of a human
skull she had found with a single glance. Aside from Professor Nissara, only Phinya
could do this out of all the people Bua had ever met.

Furthermore, if we consider her physical structure, Phinya, despite not having

exactly the typical appearance of her ethnicity, had an incredibly balanced body.
About 1.80m tall, she had a large frame, an oval face with a wide forehead and dark
brown hair as soft as silk, her round eyes shining brightly. And going even deeper,
her wide waist, combined with her broad shoulders, indicated, according to the
principles of physical anthropology, an ideal structure for motherhood and the
perpetuation of the species.

Oh my God... She was going crazy! What was she thinking about Phinya? Two
people who had never gotten along, always trading barbs, and now, suddenly, they
found themselves together, in bed, without a single piece of clothing covering their
bodies. Bua's life was clearly turning upside down.

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Her hand, almost without realizing it, landed on Phinya's chest, who was on top of
her. Her eyes were filled with fascination and desire.

— Don't stand there admiring my pectoral muscles or my humerus, Buakong. If you

start reciting some anatomical classification now, I swear I'll kill you. This is not the
time for that...

These words made Bua bite her lips. Phinya seemed to read her thoughts... Bua
didn't answer, her mind completely lost as Phinya began to kiss the pectoral
muscles she herself had mentioned. Bua's fingers went down Phinya's right arm,
squeezing it lightly, while she shivered when she felt Phinya's teeth on her neck.
And at the same time, the words Phinya had said the day they met came back to
her mind.

In years past, what seemed like a basic rule of caution regarding the lower body
parts of animals seemed so far away. Now, the extremities of those limbs were
moving toward the desired area more than anything else. Before the owner of
those extremities stopped and looked at the person lying below.

— Are you ready, Bua?

— Yes... — The answer came half-drowsily. At this moment, Bua, with her eyes
closed, was still not sure if she was dreaming or not, but she was no longer as tired
as she had been when she returned to the room.

— If you feel pain or want me to stop, you need to let me know immediately,
understand?

Bua just bit her lip and nodded in response.

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— I don't have much experience with this... — Phinya said, looking away, a slight
blush appearing on her face — I may not be so good in practice, but I'm quite
confident in theory

— Really, Baibua? — The bedmate whispered and laughed — So, in practice, let's
forget the theory and respond to what you feel

— Speak as if you were an expert

— In a few minutes, you'll find out for yourself.

Phinya’s touch on her body was gentler than Bua had imagined. In fact, she had
thought about what Phinya would be like in bed, whether she would be aggressive
or gentle. Even though she knew it was a bit inappropriate and somewhat
disrespectful. But now, she was getting an answer that she never expected to
discover for herself.

Bua wasn’t sure what it meant to be good at this, but her mind disappeared. The
moment she felt Phinya, it was a mix of sensations so varied that it confused her
brain. Not to mention the kisses that spread across her body with desperate
hunger. In that moment, she was unaware of anything other than the desire she felt
and the hands that moved inside her body. She could do nothing but respond as
Phinya told her, not only with her body but also with her mind. Her fingers moved
with a gentle rhythm.

— Phin...

— Is everything okay? — The hoarse voice whispered — Does it hurt?

— No, I just...

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— You're doing great, Bua — Phinya whispered again, but Bua couldn't understand
anything else at that moment — Don't be tense, relax

Bua’s nails dug into Phinya’s back involuntarily. The only thing she could feel was a
growing heat manifesting in her lower body due to Phinya’s touch. It was a long
and endless period, just as Bua had dreamed. During this entire time, it felt like a
combination of pleasure and urgency at the same time. Bua’s breathing quickened
with each passing second. The only thing she could feel was Phinya’s touch on her
body.

— Phin

— Calm down, Bua. You'll be fine.

- Oh yes...

Unbelievably, Phinya made that night one of the most enjoyable in Bua's life.

Dr. Busaya stood, putting on her shirt in front of the mirror, and noticed that there
was another person lying in her bed. Someone she had never liked. Someone she
used to argue with, to the point where she wanted to hit him with a shovel.
Someone who was now sound asleep, having only had two hours of rest, just at the
time Bua used to wake up every morning.

This morning felt strange, and Bua still felt tired from the activities she had with
Phinya. Thinking about this, she couldn't help but look at Phinya sleeping, her
features calm and serene in a way she had never seen before.

The same feeling as the night before. Her pet karma who used to be so noisy, was
more serene than Bua could ever imagine. Whenever Phinya addressed her, it was
with soft, whispered words close to her ear:

"Boo, are you ready?"

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"Does it hurt?"

Or else...

"You're doing great"

It was only after a while that the two of them were able to rest. At this point, Bua no
longer knew which Phinya was the real one. She simply gave a subtle smile
towards the bed before turning back to tidying up and getting ready for the day. As
she thought about the time they had spent together, Bua’s body was…

A hug coming from behind from someone who was still naked.

— I still don't like you. Even now, knowing that you can have something better than
just your pretty little mouth — Phinya teased, saying the same sentence as before,
before they both ended up in bed. However, the difference was in the tone of voice,
which was so soft that it made Bua want to turn around and kiss the owner of that
voice. In addition, the owner of the voice pressed her lips to Bua's neck, who was
getting ready.

— I know — Bua replied.

— So why are you in such a hurry? Won't you rest a little?

“I need to go to the lab,” Bua replied in a dry tone, before turning to face Phinya,
whose hair was still messy. She couldn’t help but lift a finger to smooth her long
hair back and then run her hand along the distinct structure of her face.

— Phin... — Bua's voice trembled a little as she called the name, as she looked at
the face in front of her with a look of deep concern — We haven't seen each other
for two years. Are you okay? I think you look a little thinner. Are you so overworked
that you can't eat or sleep properly?

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The question made Phinya bite her lip before meeting Bua’s gaze. Suddenly, tears
began streaming down her face, and Bua quickly raised her hand to wipe away the
tears.

— Boo...

— Actually, I've wanted to ask this several times, but... well, you know that
whenever we start talking, we end up fighting. I think now is the right time to ask.

Phinya’s dark eyes moved from side to side, hesitating, not knowing how to answer
this simple question. At this point, Phinya finally understood why everyone around
seemed to be easily enchanted by the Lotus Flower.

— Don't start crying now — Bua said in her small voice, while still using her
fingertips to wipe the tears under Phinya's eyes — You're making me lose my self-
confidence, crying after you just went to bed with me, Phinya — She continued,
raising her hand to wipe Phinya's tears, and then she was pulled into a hug — I
already told you last night that I'm not very confident with these things

1— If you’re not confident in something, you need to practice more, you know? —
Phinya’s voice murmured into the doctor’s neck.
— You say it like it's a joke. How am I going to practice on my own? These things
can't be learned just through theory — The observation made Phinya laugh, before
moving away a little.

— Then stay with me a little longer — she said with a pleading tone of voice and
look — I want to get to know you better...

— We’ve known each other for three years. If you count the time you disappeared,
five. We had the same advisor, studied in the same room, took exams together, and
our lab tables were only a meter apart, but back to back, until you freaked out and
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disappeared. Now, out of the blue, you want to get to know me better, please,
okay? You won’t be able to get to know me today, I have to go get the chimpanzee
bones I got with so much effort from the zoo, I had to humiliate myself to get them.

— Then have dinner with me tonight — Phinya proposed, making Bua raise an
eyebrow — Pleeeease, Bua

— I don't promise anything, because I don't know how long it will take me there —
Bua refused, as she picked up some pants to put on.

— You'd rather be with the chimpanzees than be with me?!

4— Chimpanzees don't irritate me — the doctor answered quickly — They don't

fight, they don't freak out and they don't cause trouble.
—But I only did it once—Phinya protested.

— And that was enough, the mess you caused was huge. Phinya, you got me
investigated for ethics. I did everything I could to avoid being fired — The words
made Phinya step back. Raising her hand in a gesture that resembled a vow, Phinya
said: — From now on, I will try to behave with you

2— You're just saying that because we just went to bed — Bua replied.
— No...— Phinya quickly replied — Trust me

Bua stopped to look at Phinya's face for a moment, thoughtful. "I'm going now. If
you want to talk, we can talk later."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 12

Bualoy (บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

Baibua (ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

Buakong (บัวคง) – Meaning: "Buakong" combines "Bua" (lotus) with "Kong"

(stubborn or resistant). Therefore, the nickname can be interpreted as "stubborn
lotus" or "resistant lotus", highlighting Bua's determination and persistence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

— Phi Bua, I’m just looking for you! — Aon called hurriedly.

— What is it? — the Doctor replied as she walked down the corridor, distractedly
reading the documents about the chimpanzee bones that she was waiting to
receive.

— Can you welcome the new researcher in place of the professor for a moment?
She is on her way, but he has already arrived before her

— Oh, really? I didn't even know he was going to arrive today — Bua replied in
surprise.

— The teacher just called me, it wasn't official — Aon explained quickly.

— Hmm, no problem then. Just hold this for me, please — Bua handed the
documents to Aon, while adjusting her hair, adjusting her glasses and straightening
the collar of her shirt, preparing to receive the visitor.
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Bua knew beforehand that a new researcher would arrive this week, but she didn’t
expect to be the one to receive him, since the professor hadn’t given any clear
instructions about it. It wasn’t something official, but leaving the visitor waiting
alone in a room definitely didn’t seem like a good idea.

— How do I look? — Bua asked as she ran her hands through her hair, trying to get it
in order.

— Phi Bua is beautiful as always! Today she even seems more cheerful than usual
— Aon replied with a smile.

3— Which room?
— The small one, the meeting room upstairs

— Ok, I'll go. Aon, please prepare some water and come later, okay?

— Yes, Phi Bua. Thank you!

- It has

Busaya walked to the door of the conference room, which had been prepared to
receive the important visitor. The research institute did not receive distinguished
visitors often, much less to collaborate on the research. The institute had been in
operation for less than two years, and there were days when even the local
cemetery seemed busier. The research staff consisted of fewer than ten graduate
students under the supervision of professors, and the total number of staff was no
more than thirty. Bua raised his right hand and knocked on the door a few times
before entering.

- Excuse me

She caught sight of the visitor, his back turned, wearing a black suit. Something
about his figure seemed strangely familiar. He was looking out the window at the

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small canal that ran behind the eleven-story institute building. At that moment, the
visitor turned to her.

— You... — Bua barely managed to complete the sentence, her eyes widening in
surprise.

— Hello, Doctor Busaya — The visitor said with a slight smile and tilting his head, as
if making a joke — We meet again, don't we? — And then he walked up to Bua and
hugged her.

Phinya leaned against the edge of the table, leaning in and placing a kiss on Bua's
cheek, a familiar touch from the night before, while Bua stood with a startled
expression.

3“How did you end up here?” Bua asked, still being hugged, with Phinya resting her
forehead on her shoulder and tightening her embrace around her.
— Someone invited me and of course, I came — Phinya murmured softly against
Bua's neck — Tonight, come sleep with me, Buakong

“You’re crazy! We’re at work, and you invite me to spend the night?” Busaya
exclaimed, raising her hand to slap Phinya’s arm, which made Phinya let out a loud
scream and pull away. Soon after, she lightly touched Bua’s chin with her fingertips
and leaned in closer.

— Baibua... — Upon hearing her nickname, Bua closed her eyes instinctively, as if
she was ready to receive the approaching kiss — Last night... did I do something
that didn't please you? — Phinya whispered when their lips were a breath away.

— No — Bua replied shortly, and that made Phinya smile — You made me feel...
very good — Let's have dinner together tonight... yes?

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Just then, the sound of a knock on the door caused both of them to quickly move
away.

- Teacher!

Professor Nisara, in her usual formal attire, entered the room with an expression of
relief. When she learned from Aon that Busaya was receiving the visitor alone in the
meeting room, she feared that the two would end up punching each other before
she arrived.

1Bua watched as Phinya bowed respectfully to her former advisor, before rushing
to warmly embrace the fifty-something teacher who had once signed Phinya’s
resignation letter. The other student, watching the scene, was completely
confused.
— Are you okay, teacher? — Phinya asked, after pulling away from the hug — How
are you? — She asked with a smile — You're still strong and as beautiful as ever —
she replied sweetly.

— You and your idle talk, it's no wonder that both women and men fall in love with
you, isn't it, Phin?

— Men? Where did you see that? I think it’s more like… women — Phinya turned to
look at Bua, whose face and gaze behind her square glasses were still a mixture of
confusion and disbelief — Women, for sure — Hearing this, Bua looked away,
pretending not to understand.

“Thank you for coming,” Nisara said, addressing her former student.

— I'm your student, teacher. All you have to do is ask, and no matter where I am, I'll
always come back — Phinya replied, taking a step back. Bua, on the other hand,
just watched the scene through her glasses, absorbing the words in silence.

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As she watched, Bua’s mind wandered, remembering the last time Phinya had
caused a stir before she quit. The former colleague, who had once been a close
friend, now seemed completely different. In the past, Phinya had always bothered
her, believing that Bua was the teacher’s “protege.” Now, however, that didn’t
seem to matter anymore…

“Actually, I should have come back a long time ago,” Phinya muttered.

— What did the teacher say about this? — Nisara asked.

“He didn’t say anything,” Phinya replied before the director of the institute
gestured for her to sit down. “Who would dare criticize a student of the Queen of
Anthropology like you? As for the report of the two years I was away, I will do my
best to deliver it as soon as possible.”

— Do it in your own time. We are grateful for your contribution to the institute,
Phinya. Thanks to you, we have been able to secure support funds from overseas.

“I’m happy to help, teacher,” Phinya replied calmly. Meanwhile, Bua sat listening to
the conversation without making any comments.

— From now on, you will finally stay in the office and let Bua go out into the field for
a while — Both the teacher and Phinya turned to Bua, who remained motionless,
still trying to understand the whole situation.

— Maybe I got used to working in the field... — Bua said, with a slight smile. — Oh,
professor, I sent my graduation documents here, as you requested.

— Perfect — Nisara replied with a nod — Welcome back, Dr. Phinya

That night, Bua didn't go out to dinner with Phinya because she wanted to go out
to dinner with Phinya, but because she insisted until she couldn't take it anymore.

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In fact, she ended up getting tired and went, but the dinner that was on the table
had barely been touched.

— Phin... — Bua's shaky voice called to Phinya, her entire body filled with panting
breaths as Phinya's fingers moved inside her. They both knew that the night
wouldn't end with just dinner.

4“Does it hurt?” Phinya asked in a soft whisper.

— N-no... I just... — Bua's words came out jumbled, and she hugged Phinya even
tighter with one arm — Phin

— I love it when you call me that. Do it more often.

Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to fall for Dr. Busaya.

1— How many times? — Bua murmured.

— As many as you want

— Phin...

- Oh yes

And then, Bua got lost again, for the second time that night.

“Thank you,” she whispered, coming to her senses.

— Thank you for what?

“You make me feel good, like I’m letting something out,” Bua confessed, her voice
soft.

“If you practice often, you’ll get the hang of it,” Phinya replied with a teasing smile.

— You mean... practice with just you?

SHOVEL!

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“You like violence, do you?” Bua exclaimed loudly, surprised by the sudden slap.

— What do you mean by that? Of course it's just me, Baibua! — Phinya retorted in a
firm voice, visibly irritated.

— What if you did this to someone else? — Bua asked, defiantly.

— I don't need to do it with anyone else. I'm already good enough — Phinya replied
confidently.

— I didn't know you were so conceited, Dr. Phinya

— And isn't that true? Or am I wrong? Didn't you like it? Just now you even thanked
me

— Do you want the truth or do you want me to lie?

“Choose your next words carefully, Bualoy,” Phinya warned her, his voice carrying
a subtle threat, before pausing thoughtfully. “I don’t think… I’d want to do that to
anyone else. I mean… anyone else.”

— Phin, listen to me — Bua raised her face, staring into Phinya's deep brown eyes,
which shone with an almost childlike innocence — I don't want you to close
yourself off to other opportunities — Bua said sincerely — I don't know exactly
what to say... I still don't understand these things very well, nor do I know what to
do, but I also don't want you to... well...

— Then stay with me longer. Maybe that way you'll start to understand better —
Phinya suggested, still lying naked next to Bua — Or go out and see the world,
instead of spending so much time with chimpanzees — she joked, leaning on her
elbow.

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Perhaps this was the first truly mature conversation they were having, without
arguments, without harsh words. Looking at Phinya at that moment, Bua realized
that, despite everything, she was charming. Plus, she was finally acting like a
civilized person.

Maybe it was working...

— Now that we're so open, there's nothing left to hide — Bua commented with an
impassive expression — Don't you think?

Phinya didn’t respond right away. She just lay there, staring at her, while Bua
stared at the ceiling. Slowly, Phinya reached out and placed the back of her fingers
on Bua’s cheek.

— What happened? — Bua asked, turning to her.

— It's strange... I've never seen you like this

— It's because you never really saw me — Bua replied, her voice containing a slight
hesitation — You always chose to see what you wanted, and I was never among
those things

“That may be true,” Phinya admitted hoarsely. “But now… maybe that’s changed.”
Bua wasn’t sure what Phinya meant, but she didn’t try to interpret her words.
Maybe the chemicals released in her brain after the activities were making Phinya a
little confused, or maybe she was just saying whatever was necessary to keep Bua
as her bed companion.

“At least now we’re not trying to hit each other over the head with shovels,” Bua
said, changing the subject and laughing, trying to hide the sudden acceleration of
her heart after Phinya’s words. “Now that I think about it, it’s funny, don’t you
think?”

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“Before, I thought the teacher favored you,” Phinya confessed. “She always sent
me away, while you stayed comfortable at the institute. In the end, we received the
same diploma, but I was exhausted, almost without strength.”

— Did you know I was jealous of you? — Bua revealed.

- Why?

— I was the student who was stuck in the institute, never going anywhere, afraid of
not being able to get by. I never really saw anything, while you had already been to
many places — Bua explained — The experience you had... is something that
cannot be compared

“You?... Jealous of me, Bua?” Phinya asked as she leaned her face closer to Bua’s.
Before she could answer, Bua cupped her face with one hand, and Phinya lowered
her lips to hers, kissing her passionately. After a brief pause, she returned to the
kiss. “I finally heard that Dr. Busaya is jealous of me... I guess my life was truly
worth living.”

— I'm serious — Bua reaffirmed. Soon after, she felt Phinya put a leg over her body
and rest her forehead on her shoulder.

Bua responded to the gesture by raising her right hand and placing it on the back of
Phinya's neck. She slid her hand gently down her spine, which made her let out a
soft moan in response.

— You say you don't have much practice, but you seem to know exactly what to do
to please a woman, Bualoy

— I study the sensory system and movements related to the erect posture of the
spine in primates, so I thought it would be useful to apply it here. Otherwise, why
would I have studied it? — Bua replied, feeling Phinya lower her head and lightly
bite her neck.

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1— If you want to practice more, just come to me, Bualoy — Phinya said.
— It's not easy to find someone to teach such specific practices, like the spine
aligned with the ground — Bua replied in a low tone — Especially when the
instructor has... — Her fingers slid down Phinya's arm — A physical structure like
yours, which is hard to find — She then placed her hands on Phinya's hips.

—What kind of physical structure? — Phinya asked with a smile.

— Considering your hips, which align perfectly with your broad shoulders... — Bua
paused to think about the best way to continue, and Phinya laughed, realizing
exactly what she was talking about.

— Not counting the ten, twenty kilometer walks carrying equipment

— Perhaps you should thank the teacher for providing you with such an... attractive
structure — Bua teased — I mean... balanced and suitable for perpetuating the
species, in the style of the genus Homo

Phinya couldn't take Bua's words anymore and let out a loud laugh again.

— You really know how to choose your words so as not to make the conversation
seem too suggestive, but honestly, I can't stop thinking about something else —
Phinya still had a big smile on her face — And I'm the type who believes easily, so,
okay, I'll believe you

— You'd make a great case study, you know? — Bualoy continued — Dr. Bua always
has her eye on waistlines, is that it?

— Don’t forget that I’m a physical anthropologist — Bualoy replied — It’s kind of...
automatic... for me to look at the waist first, like when we analyze the structure of
primates or monkeys and make assumptions about why their populations are
declining or why some species are extinct. Modern primate females have smaller

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pelvises that seem less suited to carrying a pregnancy, because of the narrower
angle. After looking at the pelvis, the next step is... — she hesitated, and her face
began to blush slightly — It’s... well...

— The breast — Phinya completed, knowing exactly what Bua was thinking —
Because it has to do with milk production, right? As mammals, we pay a lot of
attention to this area first...

— Stop being perverted, Phinya, I see this as a case study — Bua argued in a serious
tone, frowning, clearly not agreeing with the joke. This made Phinya lean in to
affectionately nibble the tip of Bua's nose — I mean, it was a quick and
unpretentious glance... but... I end up getting distracted — she admitted, a little
embarrassed.

— If I see you looking at another woman the same way, I'll get even with you,
Bualoy — Phinya warned.

— How absurd, who would look at another person like that? That's invasive... —
Bua quickly denied — Besides... you're only saying that because you're in bed with
me — she added, as if she already knew what the other was thinking — Soon, when
you get tired, you'll stop being so possessive, like a territorial animal at the
beginning of mating or something like that

— Why do you always turn everything into animal behavior?

— Humans are primates, they are part of the ecosystem — Bua replied with
impeccable logic.

— I'm starting to go crazy being in bed with an energetic recent graduate like you.

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— So, what do you say we go get something to eat? At dinner, I barely ate anything
and then... I used up a lot of energy. I knew that if I gave in and came with you, I
wouldn't be able to eat dinner properly.

—But at dinner, you were the one who started it all—Phinya countered, trying to
defend herself.

— Really? — Bua asked in a carefree tone — I wouldn't even remember that if you
hadn't mentioned it — she said as she started to get out of bed — I'll look for
something to eat first

— Bualoy, HOW could you abandon me halfway like that?! — Phinya exclaimed,
indignant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 13

— Bua... do you feel uncomfortable with Phinya coming to work here? — The
question made Busaya look up at her advisor, who had returned to work after
returning from abroad and completing the cooperation documentation. Phinya, in
turn, would take on the role of principal researcher at the institute, in addition to
being the supervising professor of postgraduate studies.

2— Uncomfortable... Me? — Surprise was faintly evident in Busaya's voice — I agree

with whatever you decide, teacher.
— I'll try to keep the research projects separate, then. Each one does their own
work, and if you need anything, you can come talk to me directly. You don't have to
go through Phinya.

— I have no problem with that. Whatever you decide, it's fine with me — he replied
calmly.

— Hearing that makes me feel at ease — said Professor Nisara, smiling with clear
relief on her face — So, regarding the vice-principal position, which we discussed
before your graduation... have you decided whether you will accept it?

“Vice-principal?” Bua repeated the question, with a hint of hesitation. She had
almost forgotten about the offer her advisor had mentioned before her graduation.
Advancing so quickly in her career had its benefits, especially considering she was
about to turn thirty-four, thirty-five. If she accepted the position, accumulated
teaching hours, and published research quickly, she would soon be able to apply
for a more prestigious academic position.

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However… what for? She still wasn’t sure what the purpose of it was. She didn’t
see anything so special about taking on the role beyond what she was already
doing. More importantly, Bua valued her downtime more than anything.

“Besides you, Bua, I don’t see anyone else for the job,” the teacher argued. Without
a doubt, among all the students, Bua’s name always came to mind first when it
came to an opportunity like this. She was the teacher’s favorite student and
trained with dedication, along with, of course, Phinya.

— You are the most qualified. I had already prepared the documents before I even
went to Panama. All that was left was for you to accept.

— I just graduated — the doctor replied, divided — I don't think it would be

appropriate, I still have little experience. I think the professor is forgetting
someone... — Busaya paused, observing her advisor's confused expression —
Phinya

The teacher's expression indicated surprise at what she had just heard. "But
Phinya graduated after you."

— Just a few months. I think Phinya would be a better fit. If you want to bring more
attention to this area, I think Phinya would be a better representative than me,
who just stays locked away in the lab. Besides, she played a bigger role in the
creation of the institute than I did. In fact, I think the professor should have thought
of her first.

— You're exaggerating. At that time, Phinya hadn't decided to return yet, so I put
you as the first option — Nisara replied, trying to encourage her — You and Phinya
have different specialties in prehistoric physical anthropology, I believe you are my
first option. As for Phinya, she is more focused on the historical period — said the
female advisor — That's how I had planned things

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— Let Phinya take over that position, teacher. It doesn't matter if she graduates
earlier or later. And I'm not as good at coordination as she is. I think she's better
suited — Bua replied.

— Are you sure?

“Yes,” Bua’s voice was firm and confident. “Besides, Phinya just got back. For those
who are new or unfamiliar with the environment, it will be easier to respect Phinya
as someone you trust. I, on the other hand, already know everyone here, so that’s
not a problem for me.”

— If you think so, I will respect your decision, Bua. In that case, you can take over as
head of the lab.

“Lab head?” Bua repeated, surprised. She had just avoided one position and was
already being pushed into another. “Is that a good idea?”

— Of course it is — her advisor replied with conviction — It's decided then — And
this time, she didn't wait for Bua to refuse.

“I… okay,” Bua said reluctantly. Given this insistence, there was no way around it.
She just wanted to be a simple researcher with time to rest every now and then,
but currently, her responsibilities were eating up all of her downtime.

Before she could say anything else, there was a knock on the door of the institute
director's office, followed by Phinya entering, closing the door behind her.

“Come in, Phinya,” said the headmistress. Seeing her, Bua stood up.

— Excuse me, teacher, I'm going — She clasped her hands together in a gesture of
respect, bowing to the counselor and starting to leave. As she passed Phinya, she
felt her colleague approaching, until their hands lightly touched. This made Bua
look at her, their eyes meeting through the square lenses of Phinya's glasses, which
were shining. Embarrassed, Bua quickly lowered her head and, in doing so,

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stumbled, almost falling over the chair, but quickly adjusted the chair next to the
small coffee table near the door.

“Sorry,” Bua said to her advisor, as Phinya moved even closer. “I just... I couldn’t
sleep well last night.”

“Are you okay, Bua?” Phinya asked in a whisper, wearing an elegant black suit.

“I am,” Bua replied shortly, and then hurried out of the room.

— Teacher, did you call me for something? — Phinya asked as she closed the door
behind her.

— Yes, I have something to talk to you about — the teacher replied.

"Phinya, you're the reason I haven't been sleeping much lately, Bua thought. From
now on, if there's any more trouble, you're the one who's going to take
responsibility."

--------------------------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀--------- ---------------------------

A few minutes later, a knock on the door of the future vice-principal’s office
interrupted Dr. Phinya Thananon’s concentration, as she was immersed in reading
a recently published scientific paper. She looked up and called the visitor in. It was
Professor Nissara, her advisor and now her direct superior, who entered with a
brown envelope in her hands.

“Appointment papers,” the middle-aged woman said, placing the envelope in front
of Phinya, who stood up and bowed politely.

— You could have called me up, teacher.

“My legs are still fine, don’t worry. I can still come down and meet you,” Nissara
said with a smile, which made her former PhD student chuckle slightly. “Officially
welcome, Dr. Phinya.”

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“Thank you very much, teacher,” Phinya replied with a grateful smile.

— I'm glad you came back to help us. I thought you would stay there forever,
especially with the teacher wanting to hold on to you as long as possible — said the
counselor as she sat down, and Phinya did the same in her office chair.

— No, teacher — replied Phinya, now officially vice-principal — I always knew that
my home is here

Those words brought sincere smile to the advisor.

— It's good to hear that from you — said the teacher with an affectionate look.

— I confess that at first, I thought you would give the position to Bua — Phinya
commented, noticing her boss's evaluating look for a brief moment.

— I won't hide anything from you — he said, looking at his former student — I
talked to Bua, but she refused

— Really? — Phinya replied in surprise.

— Yes — Professor Nissara nodded — Bua said you would be more suitable

That revelation made Phinya smile involuntarily, feeling her face heat up for no
apparent reason.

—But I graduated after her—Phinya argued.

— She said it doesn't matter. She thinks you represent the institute better and have
more capacity to attract new generations to this area.

— I had no idea Bua thought of me that way.

— I have no doubts about either of you. You both have always worked very hard,
and for me, it doesn't matter who holds the position, I have complete trust in both
of you. In fact, you are students of whom I am deeply proud.

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These words brought to Phinya’s mind something Bua had said when they had first
met in two years, over dinner. Now, hearing the same thing from her advisor’s
mouth, Phinya’s heart raced.

It was exactly as Bua had said...

— Since Bua sees things that way, I respect her decision — said the counselor — I'm
happy to know that she thinks that way, we all know that you two had a somewhat
troubled past

— Don't worry, teacher. I don't hold any grudges anymore — Phinya assured — I'm
sure Bua doesn't either. In the past, we were just young people competing to stand
out in the field, nothing more.

— You two really stood out — praised the teacher — And now, how are things?

— For me, these issues are no longer important — Phinya replied sincerely — There
are much more important things now

“I’m relieved to hear that,” the counselor said, standing up, and Phinya followed
her. “Congratulations again, Phinya.”

— Thank you very much, teacher — he thanked, bowing with a smile.

— Then, excuse me. I have to go now.

After the advisor left, Phinya went to the institute's secretary: — Aon... where is Phi
Bua?

— Phi Bua is in the lab. Today, the master's students are taking part in a workshop
on how to clean bones that will be exhibited

“Okay,” Phinya said, placing the coffee on the secretary’s desk. “I bought coffee
and some sweets. I have something for you too. And please put Bua’s in the fridge.”

— Do you need something urgent, Phi? I can call her for you
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— No, you don't need to. I just wanted to leave the presents.

— Ah, congratulations on your new position!

“Thank you very much,” Phinya said. “As soon as things calm down, I’ll arrange a
celebratory dinner.” The secretary smiled and nodded in agreement.

“Actually, I wanted to discuss something with Phi Phinya,” Aon said, causing Dr.
Phinya to raise an eyebrow.

— What is it? — Phinya asked.

— I plan to apply for a PhD next year. Would it be possible to have you as my co-
advisor? Would that be a problem?

— Have you talked to Phi Bua about this?

— Yes, I spoke to her a few days ago. She suggested I speak to you to see if you
might be interested and mentioned that you might be a better fit for the role.

“So Phi Bua said that?” Phinya asked, and Aon nodded in response.

“Phi Bua mentioned that you have more experience, better connections, and that
you might be able to send me to a field trip to gain practical experience. And that
you are also more rigorous,” Aon explained. “She said that if I had Phi Bua as my
advisor, it might take me longer than five years to complete, as she doesn’t rush
her students.”

"So she's trying to pass the job on to me..." Phinya thought.

—How many years do you plan on taking to complete it? — Phinya asked.

— I'm not in a hurry, I already have a job here — explained Aon — But I also don't
want to take too long. Seven, eight years would be too much

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“Then send me a study plan for review,” Phinya said seriously, lifting her coffee for
a sip. “Specify how many years you plan to take to complete it, the type of research
you want to do, whether you plan to go to the field or to which country. I’ll check
with my colleagues to see if there are any available positions for you. And if you’re
thinking about doing a postdoctoral fellowship, include that as well.”

— Sure. But I'm thinking of doing my postdoctoral studies right here — Aon replied.

— Do you have any suggestions of where I could go? — she asked.

— Hmm... — Phinya looked thoughtful — If you go to desert areas, you will have to
walk long distances... or if you go to graveyard areas, you may face a lot of bandits.
If you really want to go, it is good to prepare your body and learn how to defend
yourself or even use weapons.

— Bandits? — Aon asked, curious.

— Do you know how much a well-preserved mummified body of a nobleman is

worth? Not counting the adornments or treasures that might be inside — Phinya
explained.

Aon's eyes widened, and his face showed surprise.

— There are more rich people obsessed with these things than you might think.

—Why would anyone keep bodies in their home? — Aon asked, perplexed.

— To bring good luck and prosperity. It is a belief from ancient times — said the
new vice-principal — But to make things even more macabre, some people used
these bodies to make medicines

Aon's expression was one of disgust upon hearing this.

— I'm serious — Phinya confirmed — But I recommend that if you're interested in

primate behavior, evolution, or anatomical structure of the genus Homo and

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prehistoric humans related to adaptation or migration for survival, Phi Bua is more
specialized in those subjects. I... I'm more of a historical expert. Even though I work
with ancient anthropology, I'm not as specialized in prehistory or extinct ancestral
species as Phi Bua — Phinya suggested — Phi Bua must be a kind of Homo erectus
or Neanderthal reincarnated — Phinya joked, and Aon laughed lightly at the joke —
Think about it

— Okay.

— When you decide, write a plan and send it to me. I'm willing to be your co-
advisor. Now, I need to go — Phinya said before leaving.

“Yes, thank you very much!” Aon replied, nodding before walking away. However,
less than five minutes later, Busaya walked in through the opposite door.

— Phi Bua, Phi Phinya was looking for you just now — Aon informed.

—Oh, really? I was about to borrow the phone to call her — Phi Bua replied.

“Is there a problem?” Aon asked, noticing Bua’s worried expression, who had
already picked up the phone and started dialing before waiting for the call to be
answered.

— Dr. Phinya, please come to the laboratory on the third floor. There was a
problem with the equipment. — After that, Bua hung up. — Here is the coffee
Phinya brought for you, ma'am. — she said, holding out the cup of coffee.

Busaya frowned as she looked at the cup of coffee Aon offered her.
“What could have put Phinya in such a good mood today?” Busaya asked, raising
the cup of coffee to her lips. The bitter taste seemed to bring a sense of freshness.
“I’m going to head out now. I have some urgent work. When she gets here, ask her
to come after me. Thank you very much.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 14

Baibua ( ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

Bualoy ( บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

Buakong ( บัวคง) – Meaning: "Buakong" combines "Bua" (lotus) with "Kong"

(stubborn or resistant). Therefore, the nickname can be interpreted as "stubborn
lotus" or "resistant lotus", highlighting Bua's determination and persistence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

— Phin, come down to the lab on the third floor, I need help — The voice on the
other end of the line on the office phone made Phinya's heart race — There's
something about the plane crash case

Five minutes later, Dr. Phinya appeared in front of the main laboratory of the
Bioanthropology Research Institute. She walked in and saw Bua, dressed in a long
white lab coat with blue gloves, standing with her hands on her hips in front of a
65-inch screen. The screen was connected to a twenty-fold magnification camera
with high-intensity lights. Bua stared at the screen, her brows furrowed in
concentration.

— What happened, Baibua? — Phinya asked, stopping near a stainless steel table,
where part of a rib cage was exposed. Bua pointed to the television screen. — Look
at this, what do you think of these marks? — Phinya looked at the monitor and saw
a sharp mark on the fifth left rib of the plane crash victim. — This mark is recent.

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— Have you identified this person yet?

— Not yet. But I found this and called you to take a look first.

— Are there more brands elsewhere?

— Not yet — replied Bua — What do you think of these marks?

“I’m not sure,” Phinya said. “From the shape of the cut, I don’t think it’s a bladed
weapon. The mark is too wide and rounded. If it were a blade piercing through, the
cut would be narrow, like a slit or triangular. But this mark…”

— A bullet — Bua interrupted — Could that be it?

— It is possible — Phinya replied — Considering the effect of the bullet’s spin when
it hits the bone, it could cause an injury with that kind of cut. Or any object long
and rounded enough to penetrate and cause damage. In that case, it would have to
be used with considerable force

— Do you think this happened before or after the accident?

Phinya didn’t respond immediately. She just moved to adjust the camera’s zoom,
magnifying the image to forty times, examining the mark more closely.

— It’s hard to say, but the mark is recent — the doctor commented — If it occurred
before or after the accident, it was within a short period of time. There are no signs
of healing, and even though it’s rounded, the injury is still very noticeable.

“I knew something was wrong with this case,” Bua exclaimed. “A plane crash victim
with a bone injury caused by a gunshot? The more we investigate, the weirder it
gets.” She stared at the screen for a moment before grabbing her camera and
taking pictures to send to the forensics team.

—None of this is normal since this skull appeared on the scene—Phinya agreed—By
the way, how is the dating process going?

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— I called yesterday. They said there are still two cases left in the queue. They will
probably only start analyzing them next week — Bua replied.
— Okay — Phinya replied — And about the skull X-rays you mentioned, have you
gotten them yet?

— I got it, but I haven't opened the email yet. I'll open it later and send it to you.

— Since I'm here, I can help — Phinya offered.

“Thank you, Dr. Phin, you’re always so kind,” Bua replied, causing Phinya to tilt her
head slightly, which she followed with a soft smile.

— I'm kind to everyone. But with you, of course I always want something in return
— Phinya said in a mischievous tone.

1—How cruel— Bua retorted immediately.

— If you want me to stay nice, come to my room tonight — Phinya whispered,
leaving Bua uneasy, quickly looking around to see if anyone had heard.

1— Please, I just want to sleep — Bua replied in a soft, almost pleading voice, which
made Phinya's heart race — Please...
— Don't think I'll give in so easily, but I will take pity on you.

— Dr. Phin, you are always so kind — Bua joked again.

— If you repeat that sentence, I'll shove an L1 (first lumbar vertebra) down your
throat — Phinya threatened, laughing, as she reached out to grab the bone, but
Bua was faster and took it out of her reach — Bring the list of victims so I can take a
look

1“Go get it, it’s on my desk,” Bua said, nodding toward the desk in her office, which
was in the next room, separated by a large glass window. Phinya gave her a
disapproving look before going to get the papers. When she returned, Bua asked,
“Are you looking for something in particular?”

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— I don’t know for sure. Most of the information says that almost all of the victims
worked in private businesses — Phinya replied, frowning as she thought — They
probably rented a private plane to travel and discuss business at the same time

“Do you recognize anyone’s name?” Bua asked, still focused on photographing the
bone in front of her.

— How would I recognize someone? I don't watch the news — Phinya replied — I'm
just curious about how one of these individuals managed to own a mummified
skull

— Some of them probably have strange beliefs — Bua agreed — Actually, I have a
hypothesis, but I prefer not to jump to conclusions. It is better to follow the
evidence to avoid any assumptions interfering with the work

— I think the same as you, Bualoy

— And how do you know what I'm thinking? — Bua teased, making Phinya look up
at her, while still focusing on the bones in front of her — Having strange things like
that in someone's possession is already strange, but it's even stranger for them to
end up in the wreckage of a plane.

— The anthropologist working on the case is also strange — Phinya joked back

— You're so normal, aren't you? — Bua immediately retorted— Hey, Phin...

- What?

— Do you think this has something to do with...

— Bua lowered her voice, almost whispering — Some mummy curse or something?
Like, the Book of the Dead could have a curse or something like that?

— Why are you whispering? You know that even if you speak softly, ghosts can
hear, right?

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1“Do you think this has anything to do with mummy curses?” Bua repeated in a
normal voice.
— How many mummy movies have you watched?

— Not many, I usually sleep more than watch

1Phinya let out a long sigh, clearly mocking, while Bua laughed, “I know that, you
sleep with me.”
— You have class this afternoon, right? First class since you got back, right? — Bua
quickly changed the subject after the provocation.

— Yes — Phinya replied calmly — About the spine and extremities of mammals. I
borrowed the bone from a chimpanzee

Bua, who was now the head of the laboratory, nodded in approval.

— You borrowed it and you're only telling me now? — he replied, giving her a
sideways look, mocking her again: — "You can take it, Dr. Phinya, feel free. Oh, can I
watch your class? I'd like to review some concepts."

— I can review it with you personally, Buakong. Any part you want

— Better leave it alone — Bua replied hurriedly, declining the offer.

“If you have so much free time, I’ll ask the teacher to find you some work,” Phinya
said, watching Bua as she picked up the radius (forearm bone) and began
measuring and photographing the bone.

— So, do you think this has to do with a curse or something? — Bua asked the
question again curiously — I heard that some archaeologists opened the tomb of a
pharaoh, but there was a curse warning them not to disturb his eternal rest, so one
by one, they started dying mysteriously, out of nowhere.

— We still don’t know who the skull we found is or where it came from — Phinya
observed — To be honest, considering the skull, it doesn’t even look like someone
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from that region. If we’re assuming it’s Egyptian, the truth is that the ancient
Egyptians were a very diverse ethnic group, both in the north and in the south.
Most had mixed African, European and even Middle Eastern ancestry. But the
mummified skull we found has a rounder face, a narrower lower jaw, and the brow
ridges aren’t as prominent as theirs. The forehead is also narrower, so I’m more
inclined to think it’s Asian

“Asian?” Bua repeated, puzzled. Phinya just nodded briefly.

— Ancient Egyptians cannot be categorized ethnically in the same way we do today

— Phinya explained — There were many mixtures of races. Some regions had light
skin, others were darker or tanned, and many people were mixed race. So when we
look at them, there is a very large morphological diversity, it is not possible to
classify them as clearly as we do today.
— At first, I was skeptical — Bua commented — But now I agree with the hypothesis
that it was Asian — continued the doctor — When I first saw the skull at the
accident site, the upper and lower jaw, the cheekbones and the shape of the teeth,
both in condition and size, reminded me of when I helped excavate a cemetery. But
then, I saw the papyrus, and I thought it could be something acquired at auction or
in trade, since I heard that the sale of mummies is something that still happens.

— Yes, it still happens, but less frequently, and in a clandestine way, because it is
illegal — Phinya commented, providing more details — That is why these relics are
difficult to find, and newly discovered tombs are often looted because of this

— I heard something about this about five or six months ago, that a tomb had been
looted. But, Phinya... — Bua spoke as if something had just occurred to her — What
if the skull is not that of an Egyptian mummy, but of someone from here?

—It's possible, but remember what you said yourself, that it seems to have been
modified? Phinya observed.

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— What if... it was modified by someone here?

— We cannot draw this conclusion without knowing for sure the age of the skull or
finding more concrete evidence about the facial features.

— I'll call to speed up the test results — said Bua, excited.

— Oh, I almost forgot — Phinya commented, as if she had just remembered

something — When is Fang coming back? Maybe she can help us with this case —
referring to a colleague from her PhD who was doing research in bioanthropology
in the Netherlands. Fang was a close friend of Bua and also quite close to Phinya.

— Probably in a week or two. She said she was already looking at tickets to go
back.

— When does she finish her doctorate, anyway?

— She mentioned in passing that it would be next year, after publishing another
article, when she would ask to do the final defense.

“That’s great, so she can help,” Phinya said.

— Ah, but she’s still not sure if that’s what she wants to pursue — replied Bua.

— After five years of studying, she's still not sure? Don't you think it's a little late for
that? — he teased — At her age, she's still thinking about changing fields?

— If her heart isn't in it anymore, what's the point? She won't be happy —
commented Bua.

— You're right — Phinya nodded without looking up from the documents — Why
can't we get any information about the victims?

— Because the company didn't want to provide, or even give a statement. They're
afraid of tarnishing their reputation — explained Bua, who was crouched down in
front of the autopsy table.
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— Another possibility is that they rented the plane for something illegal and that's
why they're not saying anything — Phinya suggested.

— Ah, I need to call the police and send them the photos of the mark left by the
brooch to see if they need any more information — Bua said, offering.

“You can leave that up to you,” Phinya replied, in an almost authoritative tone.

— Of course! — Bua promptly retorted — Dr. Phinya just walks around the place
acting like an elegant hottie and then leaves, I already know how it is

— I look beautiful just by standing there existing, don't I? — Phinya replied, making
Bua frown immediately — Am I wrong?

— I won't even comment — Bua replied in a mocking tone.

— You should know that better than anyone, right, Buakong? — Phinya winked at
her — Or am I wrong?
— If you're so beautiful and you have nothing else to do... — Bua sighed
dramatically as she saw Phinya raise her chin, proud of herself — Come and help
me work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 15

Baibua ( ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

— Alright, everyone is here, right? — The counselor’s voice echoed through the
room as she noted that it was time to start the monthly meeting at the beginning of
the month.

Dr. Nisara, currently an Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for
Research in Bioanthropology, took her place at the rectangular table in the
conference room. The institute had been founded about a year ago with support
from both the public and private sectors, as well as collaborations with several
universities. It was the first institute in the region to focus on concrete research in
anthropology and other related disciplines. The institute also offered postgraduate
programs for master’s and doctoral degrees.

The veteran professor in the room swept her gaze over the researchers present,
most of whom had once been her graduate students. With a slight smile, she
surveyed the twenty-six meeting attendees, which included both researchers and
other staff members in various roles.

At the research institute, the meeting continued.

“Today, I would like to officially introduce the new vice-principal of the institute,”
the teacher announced before giving a slight nod to the person sitting to her left.
Next to Phinya was Aon, the institute’s secretary, and next to Aon was Bua.

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Phinya, wearing a light-colored collared shirt under a matching black suit with
matching pants, stood up and made a greeting gesture with his hands.

— Sawadee ka, it's a pleasure to meet you all

— Dr. Phinya Thananon will officially start her work here starting this week —
continued the director of the institute — But I believe many of you already know
her. In addition to her role as vice-director, Dr. Phinya will also be the principal
investigator and teacher of the graduate students. If anyone has not yet chosen a
co-advisor, you can talk to Phi Phinya directly

The meeting participants nodded almost in unison, and soon some began to
exchange glances with one another. Those who had been PhD students at the same
time, or within three years of each other, were certainly aware of the complicated
past between Phinya and Busaya. Everyone was aware that there was a tense
history between the two, and suddenly Bua, who had always been considered the
favorite by many, saw her position taken away in front of everyone. Without a
doubt, something interesting was about to happen.

The gazes of some colleagues and former students who knew the history between
the two well turned to Busaya, who was leaning back in her chair, still looking half
asleep, as if they were expecting some kind of dissatisfied reaction from her. Even
Phinya was watching her friend and rival carefully.

However... Bua just stood there, with her head lowered, ignoring the gazes around
her. She concentrated on keeping her spine straight, holding a cup with her right
hand, and continued to hold her coffee the entire time. After all, what no one knew
was that Bua herself had been the one responsible for placing the vice principal
position in Phinya's hands.

At least people would finally stop saying that she was the teachers’ “darling,”
which Bua found extremely annoying. Phinya was more competent than her, had

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more experience, was more personable, and represented the institute better. Bua
couldn’t deny these truths. Furthermore, she herself had little experience and
would not be able to handle the workload or such an important position. She had
graduated from her doctorate less than a year ago. Although Phinya had also just
graduated, her skills in the field were unmatched, they were simply not on the
same level. Another important reason was that Bua did not want the responsibility
of being a director.

She was currently involved in two government-funded research projects, with

more on the way. Not to mention the occasional physical anthropology and basic
anatomy class for master’s and doctoral students. And on top of all that… there
was the work of identifying the victims of the plane crash, which was still far from
complete. She had delegated some of this work to Phinya as a way to make up for
the ethics investigation Phinya had faced after accusing her of plagiarizing her
research topic, which had delayed Bua’s graduation by almost a year.

In fact, she was looking for every possible reason to justify herself for giving the
position to Phinya. She convinced herself that her decision had nothing to do with
her recent physical attractiveness or anything else. It wasn't like she was that
enchanted by Phinya. She had simply decided to give the position to someone who
was truly more competent. She swore... that her feelings for Phinya were nothing
more than...

"Bedmates"

2— In addition, Dr. Busaya will also be responsible for the position of principal
researcher, as well as head of the laboratory. If anyone needs to use the physics
laboratory, they must notify her in advance — The teacher's voice reached Bua's
ears, who, still sleepy, nodded her head.
The meeting continued, while Bua, exhausted from a bad night’s sleep, tried to
stay awake. The night before, she had spent hours preparing lesson plans and

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working out the details of the research project that Professor Nisara had just
secured funding for. It was her first project at the institute, and that day she still
had to discuss with the sales representative the scientific equipment that would be
purchased for this project.

Just thinking about the amount of tasks she would have to face every day made
her head start to throb. So she let Phinya take on other responsibilities. She
needed some time to breathe and regroup.

An hour and forty-seven minutes later, Dr. Busaya practically dragged herself out of
the conference room, an empty coffee cup in her hand. It was her second coffee of
the day. Her laptop was propped up in her other arm.

1“Bua, are you okay?” Fang, who had just returned from the Netherlands after her
research, asked as she walked beside her. Fang was a young woman about the
same age as Bua and Phinya, petite, with short hair and a slightly lighter skin tone
than Bua. She was a biomolecule specialist, the most experienced in this field in
the entire institute.
Fang's work primarily involved studying human genetic sequences, especially from
historical periods, to identify trends and analyze migration and settlement. In
simple terms, she was looking at whether people from different countries might
actually be genetically related.

“I come back after a week and I’m greeted with such a surprise,” Fang commented
in his deep voice.

— It's okay! — Bua replied in a high-pitched voice, unintentionally, still sleepy from
tiredness and the cold air conditioning in the meeting room — It's okay

“I’ll buy you lunch to make up for it,” Fang said.

— Compensate? Compensate for what? —

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— For Phinya getting the job

—And why would I need comfort for that?

— I saw you quiet the whole meeting

— I'm just sleepy, Fang... very sleepy, if I lie down now, I'll fall asleep...

— Is there ever a time when you're not sleepy, Bua?

— Dr. Bua, please follow me to the room — Phinya said, passing by the two as she
spoke.

— Yes, of course... — Bua replied, dragging her words, exhausted, before

exchanging glances with her colleague and following Phinya.

--------------------------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀--------- ---------------------------

— What's wrong? — Busaya asked as he threw himself into a chair, watching Phinya
close the door and sit in his large work chair.

— I saw the x-rays of the mummy's skull that you sent me.

— And what did you think?

“Not good, I’d say,” he said, a worried expression on his face. “It’s not as old as we
thought. The bones show no signs of erosion or deterioration, at least on X-rays. If
it were anything very old, there would be evidence of wear and tear, and the
interior would be full of air cavities where the bone mass has degraded. But that’s
not the case. It’s in a surprisingly well-preserved state. I’d say the person died
relatively recently.”

Bua, hearing this, just bit her lips before asking, “And what do you think we should
do now?” Bua asked.

— Wait for the results of the dating tests to confirm this hypothesis first.

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—Okay—Bua replied calmly.

— In the meantime, let's leave this issue aside until the final results. We have other
more urgent work to do.

— Deal, boss — Bua said, nodding, getting up to go back to work.

— Baibua — Phinya called, making Bua raise her eyebrows.

- What it was?

— I heard you talking to Fang just now

— And...?

— The teacher mentioned that you were the one who suggested that I take over as
vice principal.

— So what? Do you have a problem with that? Because I'm telling you right now
that I'm not going to change my mind — Bua replied quickly.

— I just want to thank you. I never knew you trusted me so much.

— You are better than me — Bua replied simply — I cannot deny that. But if I were
your boss, would you really obey my orders?

— Bua... you must have noticed that lately I've been... more... how can I say...
willing to make it up to you and compromise, right? — Phinya said, trying to argue.

— That’s only in bed, Phin — Bua replied with a knowing air — But at work, it’s
different. Anyway, I have to admit that you have more experience than me and deal
with situations better. Just look at what happened on the day of the accident scene

— I never thought so, Baibua, but then, consider this as compensation on my part.

— Compensation? For what? You’re the one who got the job at the Institute.

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— I mean, because I almost broke your head once, I'm still upset that you managed
to dodge it. And also because of the time I accidentally chose a research topic
similar to yours. And of course, because of the time I threw the shovel at you back
in Ayutthaya.

1— So that day, you did it on purpose?

— Of course not... — Phinya answered quickly, in a loud tone, denying

— Let’s consider that I’ve already… made it up to you for that… and, well, there are
several other things too, if we’re going to talk about it… — She concluded with a
somewhat forced smile, which was soon followed by a soft smile on Bua’s face.
Phinya then stood up and approached, stopping in front of her. With a gentle
gesture, she ran the back of her hand over Bua’s face, caressing it lightly, while her
eyes shone charmingly.

— Let's have dinner together tonight

— When you start saying 'tonight', it never ends with just dinner — Bua replied with
a slight provocation.

— So let's have dinner tonight

— Okay... if I can finish reviewing the cooperation plan with the university in
Panama. The professor is putting a lot of pressure on me, she wants the document
ready in two or three days. Unless you want to help me with that

— You can send it to me, send it to my email — Phinya replied promptly — Go there
and finish the job, that night, I'll come down to meet you

— Deal... — Bua took a step back, but was stopped when Phinya grabbed her arm
and gently kissed her cheek.

— Phin...

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“Just a little bit more,” Phinya said, repeating the gesture.

— Oh, one more thing, I almost forgot — said Bua, whose face was already starting
to get slightly flushed, as if she had remembered something important — There are
still seven bodies brought from the plane crash that we haven't identified.

— And why are you telling me this...? — Phinya asked, curious.

— Doctor Phinya, do you happen to have an hour or two free? — Bua asked, with a
touch of irony, making Phinya laugh — I have the student lab manual to finish, as
well as a meeting with the equipment sales representative today

— For you, Baibua, all you have to do is ask, and I'll give you all my time, the whole
day and night if you need it.

1— Today alone is enough. Seven bodies... if my boss would be so kind as to take a

graceful walk into the lab and look at the victims' bodies, separate the bones, take
pictures, measure and input the data into the program and write the report...
Phinya, with a playful smile, replied:

— Leave it to me, I'll go down and take a fancy walk around there

— Actually, I didn't want to bother you... — Bua smiled broadly when she heard
Phinya's answer — But, thank you very much... Dr. Phinya is always so kind and
charming... — She said jokingly.

— You have to be careful not to fall for Dr. Phinya's charm.

— It's been a while since you came back, have you managed to win anyone over?
Not that I want to know, I'm just asking for the sake of asking — Bua teased, trying
not to seem genuinely curious.

1— I sincerely hope that this charm you mention is enough to win over someone
around here — Phinya replied with a subtle smile.

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— Oh, another thing! — Bua quickly changed the subject, seeming worried about
not forgetting what she needed to say — I've already told the police about the
marks we found on the ribs. They're going to send an officer to review them and
participate in the meeting to discuss the progress of the case.

— Yeah, you really are the boss in the lab. When the agent arrives, please let me
know. I want to attend the meeting too.

— Agreed! I'll get on with what I need to do.

— Wait, Baibua — Phinya called her, approaching before stealing a kiss on Bua's
lips. Without hesitation, Bua returned the gesture naturally.

1— I'm going down to do my fancy walk now — Phinya whispered as she pulled her
face away, leaving only the space of a breath between them — And I'll sort out the
rest all at once tonight
She whispered again, before planting a kiss on Bua's neck, making the heat of
Phinya's breath send goosebumps across her skin, while Bua tilted her head
slightly, trying to dodge.

— That includes the part where you put me as a co-advisor at Aon.

— She was very lucky to get someone as talented as you to mentor her — Bua said
in a hoarse voice.

“You’re really good at finding justifications for everything, aren’t you, Dr. Bua?”
Phinya replied playfully, as she used her fingertips to adjust Bua’s glasses on the
bridge of her nose. Then, she leaned in to give her a soft kiss on the cheek. “I
wanted to solve everything right now,” she whispered in Bua’s ear, before watching
with a smile as she quickly left the room, visibly disconcerted.

1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 16

Phinya ( ภิญญา ) : means "wisdom" or "intelligence" in Thai

Yô ( โย ) : suffix, it is an affectionate and colloquial form that can be used to give a

lighter and more intimate tone to the conversation. It is similar to saying "dear" or
"friend" in Portuguese, expressing a level of affection or playfulness.

Baibua ( ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

------------------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀----------------- -----------

It was another busy day for Dr. Busaya. The reason? The forensic officers from the
Police Department were coming to photograph the bones, after Bua had reported
an anomaly found in the fifth pair of ribs on the left side of the as-yet-unidentified
victim, which bore gunshot wounds. In addition, a meeting was called to update
the progress of the investigation into the plane crash, to ensure that everyone was
on the same page in understanding the case and what to do next.

The officer in charge of the case sent a female officer to the job, equipped with her
tool kit. Bua did not interfere with the officer's work, but simply reported what she
had discovered and shared the progress made in identifying the victims, but there
were still seven bodies to be identified.

Up until that point, the police hadn't been able to gather much more information.
The fact that the victims were reduced to fragments or skeletons made it difficult
to obtain substantial details about the case. Sure, the bones could accurately
reveal the victim's sex, age, or ethnicity, but as for the injuries... Death by an

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unnatural means could not be caused without clear signs or obvious injuries, and
this was precisely the case.

Bua watched the officer, dressed in a black lab coat with the words
" พิสูจน์หลักฐาน " ( Forensic Science) emblazoned in white on the back, as she
moved, crouching and standing up in the forensics room to take photos of the
evidence. Bua watched her from the other side of a large glass window that
separated the room from her work area. Despite noticing the door opening, she did
not turn around, continuing to pay attention to the officer.

From the sound of the footsteps, Bua knew immediately who it was. The figure,
about two inches taller than her, stood right in front of her, blocking her view as
she leaned against the table, looking out the window, whose curtains were open.
Phinya. She handed her a piece of toilet paper, in a teasing tone:

“To wipe off the drool,” Phinya muttered, her voice acidic. This made Bua,
distracted, automatically bring her hand to her mouth, as if she were wiping
something away.

1— You're kidding, right? — Bua replied, defending herself — I wasn't drooling or

anything
— I almost saw your ears flapping. Please try to control yourself so you don't
embarrass the teachers — Phinya replied, her eyes fixed on what she was holding —
a clear glass about thirty centimeters long, with a pink daisy inside and water
halfway up.

—Ear movement is common in mammals, a leftover ability from when primates

were still evolving into the genus Homo — Bua replied, with a mischievous smile.

This made Phinya sigh deeply. Bua interpreted everything as animal behavior, and
sometimes it was annoying. Even though she knew that in many cases she was just
trying to provoke her. Phinya couldn't find the words to retort, because most of the

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time, the theories Bua mentioned were quite consistent with anthropological
hypotheses. Arguing with Bua was often frustrating.

— I know... — Phinya said — Don't forget that we studied together — Bua just
nodded, before looking at what Phinya was holding in her hands — This place is as
dry as the lab chief. Some flowers will bring some life — Phinya placed the glass
with the flower on the desk of the lab chief, whom she had just mentioned.

This made the lady at the table cross her arms and twist her lips in discontent — Do
you prefer someone else's pelvis to mine, Doctor Bua?

1— I wasn't looking at that — Bua quickly replied — And I've never seen anyone's
pelvis better than yours, Phin — Bua replied, with a slight smile — I've told you
before... — From where she was, leaning against the table, Bua moved away and
went to sit on the work chair — That your structure is perfectly in accordance with
the theory of the survival of bipeds that walk upright on Earth. And your 'S' shaped
spine is also impressive — She looked up, with a curious expression — It really is...
- True?

— I was just taking a look as a case study... looking at your face. If I looked at
anything lower than that, I know it wouldn't be appropriate.

1— Case study from which area? Anthropology in general or specifically on the

evolution of species?
— It's been a while, and you're still attached to something so simple? Friend...

Hearing 'Friend' even though she knew it was sarcasm, something strange stirred
inside Phinya. Maybe it was karma... in the past, she had always been a rival with
Bua, but now, everything seemed to have reversed in a surprising way.

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She knew very well that she was completely enchanted by Bua, to the point that
she could barely shake off that feeling. However, what made it worse was the fact
that she wasn't sure what Bua thought about what had happened between the two
of them. She didn't like that look. The look Bua gave that young agent, even if it
was for a brief moment, irritated her deeply. She felt like dragging her 'friend
karma' to bed and fixing this once and for all. Maybe, after they resolved this mess,
the two of them needed to have a serious talk.

1— Don't call yourself 'simple' in front of me

— You know it's true. I'm just a newly graduated doctor, stuck in my own little
world, with no one interested — Bua argued — What's wrong, Doctor Phin? —
Busaya asked in a deliberately formal and sarcastic voice.

— Nothing. I just came to see how things were going.

— It's all right — Bua replied — Everything under control

— Are you sure? Just now you were almost drooling

— Hey, Phinyô...

— You don't call me 'Friend' in bed — Phinya immediately retorted, unable to resist
the provocation, with a mischievous look, making Bua laugh out loud.

— We are adults now, and you still behave like a jealous child.

— I'm not jealous — Phinya retorted, making Bua shrug.

1— Well, if you say so — Bua replied, standing up — I'm going to get some water. My
mouth is dry from swallowing so much saliva... — And she left the room without
hesitation.
'Watch out, Boo...'

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Within two or three minutes, Phinya felt her anger rising again when she walked
out and found Bua talking to the young agent. The doctor's eyes met Busaya's, who
was offering a bottle of water to that same agent from before. And she even had
the ability to say that it was just a case study, but it really wasn't.

1 — Dr. Bua, if you’re done here, come to my office, please — Phinya’s voice echoed
before she walked between the two, going straight towards her office on the fifth
floor. She heard Bua saying goodbye to the agent and walking away.
— Did you get her number?

— The shoe... size? — Bua replied with an expression of false innocence.

1— Our species has adapted to survive and evolve to the point of having skulls large
enough to accommodate 3-pound brains. It shouldn't be that hard to understand
my question.
Busaya couldn't help but laugh, as Phinya had used a sarcastic criticism based on
the theory of evolution, something Bua often used to tease her. This time, the spell
had backfired on the witch; 1.35 kilograms is the average weight of a human brain,
much larger than that of other primates.

— My brain must be as small as a bean, because I'm an ancient primate who likes to
keep his body parallel to the ground. My skull looks big because it's full of sawdust
— Bua said with a smirk — And a big brain doesn't necessarily mean being smarter

— Boo!

— Oh, the hot agent's number? I got her card this morning — he answered, pulling
the card out of his pants pocket — Want it? You can keep it — And he placed the
small card on Phinya's desk, feigning indifference.

“Bai–bua,” Phinya said through gritted teeth.

— If we were dating, my 3-pound brain would think you were jealous, Phinya.

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1 — Bua approached with a teasing smile, while Phinya visibly boiled with anger.
— It's nothing, trust me. But even if I told you, you probably wouldn't care, right?

Bua concluded alone, not giving Phinya a chance to respond. “And don’t forget to
call her, okay?” she said, pointing to the business card before leaning in again,
clearly intending to tease. “She whispered to me a little while ago that she’s
interested in you, so I gave her your card.” Bua winked playfully through her square
glasses, making Phinya’s heart almost skip a beat. “Dr. Phinya, always so
charming…”

Bua turned around, ready to leave, but was quickly grabbed by Phinya, who
wrapped her in a hug from behind.

— Baibua... what is this about taking another woman's card for me and giving mine
to her?

— Well... — Bua replied as she turned to face her — It's in case you want to study a
new case

— What kind of case?

— Think of a topic on your own, don't come to me with silly questions — Bua said in
a light tone — Research from the same institution cannot have the same topic. And
please, don't copy my study on the pelvis. It took me a while to think about it...

— Baibua...

She was really annoying, in a way Phinya had never imagined. It was like trying to
catch the wind: impossible. Bua played with words, feigning innocence, leaving
Phinya completely confused. It made her want to bang her head against the wall,
because she didn't really know what Bua thought or felt about her.

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And worst of all... she was still handing out cards and suggesting another woman to
her with the utmost ease. Didn't Bua see Phinya as anything other than a simple
bedmate... and workmate? Or was it Phinya who was going crazy on her own?

— Will you accept this? — Phinya asked.

— If the reason is for the advancement of anthropology, that’s fine — Bua’s voice
rose a little — I can’t stop you, right? But look, friend, you’re just having fun, aren’t
you?

— Stop calling me that

- Like this?

- Friend

— Okay, boss — Bua replied promptly — Or should I call you vice-principal? You
haven't even started yet and you're already using your position to pressure me...

— Tonight, come to my room

— Is that an invitation or an order, boss?

— An order... for reasons of advancement of anthropology

1— Hmm... that makes sense — Bua nodded, as if accepting — But, sorry, vice-
principal, I already have an appointment
— With whom?

— It's definitely not up to you. If there's nothing else for me, I'll be going, Dr.
Phinya.

Bua wasn't committed to anyone, but she wasn't lying. She just needed some time
to regroup and be by herself.

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A lot had happened since the plane crash that had caused her to meet Phinya for
the first time in two years. It seemed like nothing more than a reunion between
people who didn't get along. Phinya wasn't much different from before, she was
still as arrogant as Bua. Maybe even more so, since they both now had their
doctorates and changed jobs.

But before she knew it, she found herself lying in the same bed as Phinya, without a
single stitch of clothing on her body, wondering how they had gotten to this point.
She had been sleeping next to Phinya almost every night. Some of the nights, they
were dressed, but many others, they were not.

Bua tried to convince herself that it was nothing more than a physical relationship.
Two people who used to hate each other, who competed fiercely in seminars and
research, always wanting to be one above the other. The way they had looked at
each other in the past had almost been one of contempt, and Phinya had even
stormed out in anger, leading to Bua being investigated for ethical reasons. What
else could there be but... A case study in physiological structure.

She had been repeating this like a mantra since the first night they were together,
and the jealousy she felt was just a childish reaction, a typical possessiveness of
someone who doesn't know how to handle a new toy. Eventually, Phinya would get
bored and lose interest.

With one hand, Bua raised a white can to her lips. Tonight would be devoted to
writing reports and self-evaluating. As for the problematic mummified skull, she
would need to wait for a more precise date before making any decisions.

The faint bitterness of the alcohol cleared her mind as she swallowed. After
emptying half the can in one go, she set it aside and picked up another. The doctor
leaned back on the long sofa, where folders and documents were scattered, her

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laptop folded up; she had not yet begun working as planned. Then she closed her
eyes.

The image of Phinya’s face and irritating smile immediately flashed in his mind. It
was so vivid that he almost felt like he could hear her whispering his name next to
his ear. The scent of her perfume lingered in the air, almost touching Bua’s nose.

— Hmph... — Bua exclaimed, frustrated, because the last person she wanted to
think about on that quiet night was her 'personal karma', or friend, the
nomenclature was still being defined. In addition to letting herself go, it seemed
like she was losing control of her feelings. Would Phinya really care about someone
like her?

Thinking about this, she let out a deep sigh, feeling heavy in her heart. She picked
up the can of drink next to her and opened it, just as a knock on the door
interrupted her. With her mind starting to get foggy, Bua frowned and walked to
the door. She peeked through the crack, trying to figure out who it was, especially a
certain someone she hadn’t told her about beforehand. She hadn’t ordered any
food for dinner, as she wasn’t hungry. Seeing who the visitor was, she let out a sigh
and put on the glasses she had propped on her head before opening the door.

— There’s no one here — she drawled in a sleepy voice — Boo, are you drunk or are
you sleepy? — Phinya asked, noticing the faint smell of alcohol coming from her — I
brought food

— Leave it at the door, delivery man — Bua's response made the visitor look at her
with disdain — Phinya, it's just that tonight...

— I didn’t come for that — the new board replied — I just brought food. Your
favorite pad thai

Hearing this, Bua kept her gaze fixed on Phinya for a moment.

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— Okay — Then, he opened the door for her to enter — What's on today's agenda?
Phinya asked as she entered and noticed the cans of white beer, half a dozen in
total, with two already opened and consumed.

— Organize the documents for you

— So to write the report, you need to drink a beer to cheer yourself up?

— Your face irritates me. Besides... tomorrow is my day off, I want to get some
alcohol into my bloodstream. That way my liver will be stronger... Do you have
something important to say? Can you call me, or did I leave it on silent?

— I said I just came to bring food — Phinya put the things she was holding on the
table, along with a large bag that she left on the small sofa — You're the type who
worries about sleeping and forgets to eat — After that, she took a can of beer,
opened it and sat down.

— Feel free, okay? — Bua couldn't help but tease her, as was her way.

— Am I bothering you?

— Why don't you wait and ask when you leave?

— I'm not thinking about leaving

— Phinya...

— That's why I came, seriously — he said firmly — I just wanted to see if you were
okay. I noticed that your face wasn't looking so good since you drooled during
lunch.

— It's just tiredness. You know these days have been a rush

— Actually, I intended to ask to stay here — Phinya revealed her goal — With all the
clothes in place, I promise

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— Are you needy, do you want someone to talk to?

— Something like that — Phinya replied — It feels like we haven't talked about
random things in a while

— Seriously, we never talk, except about work — Bua commented, before letting
herself fall on the sofa and looking at Phinya, thinking that it was a good idea to
have someone to keep her company on a tiring night, even if that person was the
reason for most of her tiredness.

- And truth

— Thanks for the pad thai — Bua thanked, feeling hungrier at the mention of the
food — Go take a shower first, I mean, if you're really going to spend the night here

That comment made Phinya stand up and start taking off his jacket. Bua moved
back and picked up the garment, placing it over her arm. “I’ll hang it up for you,”
the soft voice said as Phinya turned to look at her. Then, the face of the
(un)welcome visitor slowly approached. “You didn’t say no…”

— Just a kiss

Bua decided not to refuse what she also wanted. Her body was pulled close by
Phinya's arms, and she felt the familiar lips, but they soon moved away in just a few
moments.

— Enough for now — This time, it was Phinya who stepped back, resting her
forehead on Bua's neck — I don't want to break my promise

— Thank you, and I will reward you

— Don't worry, Bua. I just want you to be honest with yourself. If you ever feel
unwell, just tell me, okay? — Phinya said before pressing her lips gently against the

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other. — I'm going to take a shower now. — Then she went to the table to grab her
bag and went into the bathroom.

Bua sighed silently as she watched Phinya disappear. How long could she deny the
feelings she had? A feeling of fear quickly rose in her left chest, accompanied by
uncertainty about what she would do when the day came that Phinya wanted to
leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Chapter 17

Bualoy (บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

Baibua (ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

---------------------------- 💀💀💀💀💀💀 ------------------- -------

Phinya came out of the bathroom about twenty minutes later, wearing a T-shirt
and shorts. She glanced at Bua, who was still sitting on the couch with her eyes
closed, as if she was exhausted and powerless. The things Phinya had been kind
enough to buy earlier were piled up on the small glass table in front of the couch,
along with two sets of bowls and plates.

“Have you eaten yet, Phin?” Bua asked, without opening her eyes.

— I was waiting to eat with you — Bua heard, getting up to serve the food on the
plates. The 'uninvited', in turn, threw herself on the sofa, grabbing the can of beer
that was no longer cold, and took a sip. Phinya kept her eyes fixed on Bua almost
the entire time.

— What's wrong? What are you thinking about? — Bua asked, still without looking
at her.

— Remembering the past

— In the old days, when we used arm bones to hit each other? — Bua replied, finally
opening her eyes.

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“Thigh bones,” Phinya corrected with a smile.

“That’s right, femur,” Bua said, moving the plate of pad thai towards Phinya, who
had brought the food to her with such consideration. “Too bad you managed to
dodge it,” Bua added, with a touch of humor.

— If I hadn't dodged, I would have cracked my head — Phinya replied — Baibua...

— Why are you so serious? — Bua interrupted, frowning — I don’t like it when you
talk like that.

— Don't you want me to be serious?

— I remember how seriously you took your work. But right now, I don’t want to talk
about work — The statement made Phinya raise her eyebrows.

— I didn't know you were so observant.

“Besides having keen eyes and a good memory for anatomical structures, I also pay
attention to other things,” Bua replied, leaning back against the small sofa.
Actually, Phinya was right. The two of them had never had the opportunity to talk
about trivial matters like normal people. They always ended up arguing or talking
about work. Maybe this was the first time that had happened.

— I've known you for five years, Baibua. We're already entering the sixth — Phinya
said, taking the plate of pad thai and starting to eat without adding any seasoning
— But at the same time, it feels like I don't really know you

— Because maybe I'm not that interesting after all.

— Who said that?

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— Myself — replied the newly graduated doctor — Someone who spent so much
time studying, without even raising their head to see how the world was
progressing, cannot be so interesting

— You just don't care about the world — Phinya said.

— Maybe you're right — Bua took the plate, looking at Phinya before silently
putting some pad thai in her mouth — The world doesn't interest me much. People
don't either.

— But you study people's ethnicity, you should take your eyes off the books and
really look at what you're studying — Phinya said — I see that you're not very good
with people, but you're amazing with animals

— And don’t you find animal behavior interesting? — asked Bua.

— I never imagined I would hear this from an anthropologist who studies the social
behavior of humans based on their anatomical structure and adaptation for the
survival of the species.

— If you believe in the idea that we are part of an ecosystem and evolved from
animals — Bua justified.

—But you can't interpret every behavior as if it were an animal.

— Why? — Bua replied, pulling the conversation back.

— Because that could make the teacher withdraw his diploma

“Again… Detective Phinya using her positions to intimidate me,” Bua said
playfully, while her mouth was full of pad thai, making her cheeks look even
plumper. That scene made Phinya smile, watching Bua struggle to swallow the
food. “You really like using your pack leader behavior to intimidate me, don’t you,
Phinya?”

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— Hey, Baibua, I'm not a wolf

— Did I say that? — Bua hurried to say — When I said that, I wasn't thinking about
wolves... — And she prolonged the last word in a provocative way — But dogs also
have this behavior, they like to dominate, to protect their territory and their objects

— Instinct and reason cannot be compared — Phinya commented, unconcerned.

— Are you saying that possessiveness is justified? — Bua frowned — Okay, I don't
want to know

— I'm not trying to say that either

— Okay, I really don't want to hear it...

— Baibua

— Outside of working hours, you can't intimidate me

— I can intimidate you even without my position — Phuinya replied — Want to see?

— I surrender — she replied.

— No matter how many years pass, sometimes I still want something to make you
shut your mouth.

Phinya’s eyes sparkled for a brief moment as she said this. Bua, hearing this, let out
a sigh and shrugged, putting her dinner aside.

Phinya was struggling not to fly at Bua. Sometimes, Bua’s carefree attitude made
her irritated. If it were before, she would have certainly thrown sharp words or
ironies. But now… in her mind, all she could think of was the image of having that
woman under her control, doing other things.

However, tonight, she herself decided that she would not act in that way. Phinya
did not like to force anyone in this regard, especially Bua, and she intended not to

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do anything. But sometimes, Bua was so… She noticed that Bua was sitting there,
frowning as if she was deep in thought.

— Is everything okay, Bua?

— I can't stop thinking about the plane crash — Bua replied — It's been going
through my head since morning. The police said this might not be a common case

— Of course it’s not common — Phinya commented — There are bullet marks on
the victims’ bones. How could it be normal?

— That skull gives me a strange feeling — Bua continued, with a worried expression
— It must be ancient and very valuable

— I wouldn't bet on it — said Phinya, who was a doctor specializing in archaeology

— It doesn't look much like what I usually see at dig sites, it looks new and in good
condition — Phinya continued — There are no signs of wear, cracks, or signs of
rodents or anything else that indicates the passage of time, even though the
external appearance, like the dry skin attached to the bone, is very similar

“Are you saying it’s fake?” Bua exclaimed, her eyes wide.

— It would be more appropriate to say that it might be a new piece that was
recently made. I looked at the photos you took, and the more I look at it, the more
convinced I am of this idea — Phinya said — Speaking of which, did you manage to
make the model I asked for?

“I already did,” Bua replied quickly, and Phinya nodded. “Why would anyone make
a new mummy these days?”

“Do you believe in the idea of making quality copies?” Phinya said enthusiastically.
“These days, these cult items are highly valued. If you had to guess the selling price
of an original, could you guess? Do you know who else goes there besides the
thieves who come every night?”

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- Who?

— The rich people who like to collect these things, who get in touch to buy directly
from the place — Phinya’s words left Bua with wide eyes.

- Serious?

“They come, look at them, and ask to buy them before they’re taken to the registry
office, or if they’re put on display in a museum, that’s it. Some pieces are so
coveted that people almost auction them off in front of the grave,” Phinya
explained, as she put her plate of pad thai aside and took a sip of her beer. She
realized that talking to Bua without fear of being pinched, kicked, hit, or suspicious
made her happier than she could have imagined in years.

Perhaps it was because they no longer had to argue, which made the atmosphere
between them more relaxed. Phinya felt that all that irrational anger she had felt
before, at that moment, seemed to be the biggest mistake she had ever made in
her life.

She looked at Bua, who was listening attentively to what was being said. The
sparkle in her eyes through her square glasses was captivating.

— So, they sold it?

“In this world, there are people who value money more than justice. Even those
with a lot of knowledge sometimes give in to the power of money,” Phinya said,
causing Bua to let out a sigh.

— Even I have received underhanded offers of value several times. In the museum,
there are many items that have not yet been registered and displayed in display
cases. These rich people know this very well. Some even have catalogues in their
hands to choose from — Phinya explained.

- Serious?

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— An Irectus skull was stolen from a back room and sold. Do you know how much
was paid for it? — Bua shook her head. — What you earn in ten years would be just
a fraction. If we consider the entire body, it would be multiplied by two.

—Irectus's skull is worth much more than Dr. Busay's salary—Bua joked, letting out
a dry laugh.

— My teacher once told me that, nowadays, the value of humanity has been
reduced to numbers — Phinya continued, remembering what happened clearly —
In a short time, I realized that this is true and I can only wonder how our species
evolved so much physically, but it seems that our mental evolution has regressed
— She paused to catch her breath, and her gaze seemed a little tired.

Bua just watched her with a sparkle in her eyes and a soft smile, before listening to
Phinya continue.

— Our brains are capable of analyzing more, but we seem to be using this in a
search for an advantage, even in relation to our extinct ancestors — the doctor said
— Our fingers evolved to be able to bend and handle objects with precision, but we
end up using this to hurt each other. And even with our upright body, which allows
us to see further and we have developed a nervous system that allows us to see the
world in three dimensions, we ignore those who are closer

Busa just nodded, agreeing with Phinya's words, as he paid attention to the
conversation.

— It may be that all this evolution over millions of years was in vain. We have a
more complex structure, shape, and brain to cause harm to our own species or
harm others — Phinya continued.

As she finished, she felt Bua's gaze shining brightly under the light of the room. The
wide smile that appeared on her former rival's lips made Phinya's heart warm.

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—Is everything okay, Bualoy?

- Yes

— Then why are you looking at me like that?

— Because right now, you make me feel grateful to have met you, Phin — Those
words made her smile widely, a smile she couldn’t contain. Her face suddenly felt
hot, and her heart raced with excitement — You really weren’t wrong about people

The compliment made Phinya look down at the ground as she ran her hand
through her hair nervously. It was unbelievable how Bua’s simple words could
make her so embarrassed, and this was the second time her words had left her
speechless.

“I’ll take a shower first,” Bua said, standing up. However, as she tried to walk past
Phinya towards the bathroom, her body was grabbed and pulled into a tight hug,
followed by a kiss on the cheek.

— Phinya!

“I’m starting to understand why everyone seems to like you, Bualoy.” Phinya lightly
pressed her nose into Bua’s neck.

— Phinya, I haven't taken a shower yet.

— I know, you didn't want to take a bath with me today — Then, he tightened his
embrace around Bua's waist and looked up to meet her gaze.

At that moment, Bua leaned in to kiss Phinya’s lips, which were waiting there. His
hands wrapped around her neck, moving towards her impulsively.

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— Bua — Phinya said hoarsely, as she removed her lips and looked over her glasses
— I don't want you to regret meeting me — Then, she gave Bua a quick kiss and
released the hug — Go take a shower. I told you that today you will sleep

“You’re always so kind, Dr. Phinya,” Bua joked before disappearing into the
bathroom.

'Bualoy...'

She was actually falling for her 'sleepy karma' disguised as a friend. Friend?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 18

Baibua ( ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

Even though good things were happening in the last few days, it still couldn't be
said with full conviction.

In truth, Bua considered what was happening between her and Phinya to be one of
those rare once-in-a-lifetime events. Even though she knew deep down that it
would eventually come to an end, she preferred to wait until that time came and
deal with it later.

However, that was not a good day for Bua.

Dr. Busaya finally had time to open and print the results to read the dating test
results of the mummified skull found in the plane crash, which had just been sent
by email two hours earlier after a long wait for the analysis.

The report was printed on an A4 sheet of paper that trembled in her hands. She
read it over and over, scanning the paper as she called the laboratory that had
performed the test, which confirmed the same result. The analysis had been
repeated three times, following standard procedure: the accuracy was confirmed
at ninety-five percent.

It was not old, as Phinya had supposed from the X-ray. The dating results
confirmed it. This was not a mummy... In fact, it was a mummy, but not of the age

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of a generally known mummy. The analysis done with the correct equipment and
procedures confirmed this.

Busaya glanced at the results once more, for the umpteenth time at that hour. She
hurried out of the lab with the report paper in her hands. She walked so fast that, in
a few minutes, she was already running towards the fifth floor, where the assistant
director's office was. Deep down, she was hoping that her friend would have
arrived by now; she was in such a hurry that she didn't even knock on the door
before entering.

— Phin!

Phinya sat facing the window, staring blankly outside, reflecting on everything that
had happened up until that moment. Of course, she was also thinking about the
events between her and the person who had just barged into her desk.

1The noise Bua made made her turn around quickly, she stood up and walked
towards her.
— What's wrong? Are you missing me already, Buakong? I told you we should go
together.

— The lab sent the dating results. See if I misunderstood — Bua said, agitated, as
she handed the paper to the other, who, frowning, took the sheets to read.

Phinya was silent for a moment, as if she was processing what she read. Her thin
eyebrows were furrowed tightly.

— I knew it! — Phinya exclaimed — You checked if they did the analysis three times,
right?

— Yes, they checked three times. The result is ninety-five percent reliable. They
were unable to determine the age — said Dr. Busaya — Tell me what's going on?

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— It's not old enough to calculate the age — Phinya replied — It's 2023. For the
carbon-14 dating method to work, the object needs to be older than 1950, that is,
older than seventy-three years.

— So, it's a fake mummy

“Does it look fake to you?” Phinya asked, her eyes remaining fixed on the words on
the chart on the white paper she had just received.
- In truth no

- Exactly

— And what do we do now?

— Let's get the skull back, and then we'll figure out the next step.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~

Bua was pacing around the stretcher where the troubled mummy’s skull lay for the
hundredth time that hour. Finding it at the site of the private plane crash was
already strange enough. Now, finding out that this skull was less than seventy
years old and could not be considered an ancient relic was even more intriguing.
The next question was: what was the true origin of this skull?

The situation became even more disturbing when one thought that someone could
be playing at making a mummy using ancient methods on a person from the
modern era. And the horror multiplied when one imagined that this person's death
could have occurred in an unnatural way.

Tampering with the body of a deceased person was already illegal, but in this case,
it was not the entire body, only the skull had been found. The question that now
arose was: where was the rest of the body?

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“Are you going to keep going around in circles for long, Buakong?” Phinya asked,
glancing at Bua.

After a while, Phinya asked: — I'm feeling dizzy

— Then don't look — Bua replied quickly — Turn to the other side

— I let you look at my pelvis, why can't I look too?

Bua noticed Phinya's gaze drop a little, in a playful tone. "My pelvis isn't something
worth looking at," Bua replied, slowing down and using the height of the autopsy
table to hide from Phinya.

— Are you going to be embarrassed now? Don't you think it's a little late for that?

— Phi... speak more quietly, someone might hear and misunderstand — Bua said
quickly, looking from side to side cautiously.

— I'm not afraid of anyone hearing it. And frankly, I don't care if they get it right or
wrong.

- Shut up

— Then stop walking — Phinya threatened — Let's focus on figuring out what to do
now

— You always push everything onto me — Bua retorted.

— Don't give me that, no — she replied, clearly anticipating the comment — Is there
any other work you haven't given me yet, lazybones?

— You were away for two years and left all your work behind, now it's your turn to
do some work. If you want to publish your research, take it with you. I haven't had
time to write it and send it to the professor to review, so you can keep the main

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name. The one I wrote while you were away, I won't charge you anything — Bua
said — I remember that at the time you kept it like a treasure

— You can publish it yourself, I don't want it anymore.

— Oh, really? Last time you looked like a snake protecting its eggs, hissing and still
trying to bite me.

— I should have switched from biting to... what would be good? Helps me think.
Anyway, now I have something more valuable to protect — Phinya smiled,
watching Bua's expression, who looked away to the autopsy table where the
problematic skull was.

— Don't you want to know what I'm protecting so carefully? — Phinya asked
teasingly.

1— No — Bua replied shortly and dryly — Let's work — she said, pretending to look
for tools, avoiding looking at Phinya, who was on the other side, arms crossed, with
a satisfied smile on her face.
— Then let's get to work. That way we'll finish quickly and we can do other things
later — Phinya's smile widened even more when she saw Bua's face start to blush,
the blush spreading from her cheeks to her neck and ears.

1— D-do what? — Bua asked hesitantly.

— You know very well. Tonight I'll show you — Phinya replied.

—Tonight what? Who said you’re going to sleep with me? — Bua’s voice sounded
small and she avoided looking directly at Phinya.

1“Then I’ll sleep at your place,” Phinya suggested casually.

—But you said I was going to sleep tonight— Bua retorted.

— But you will sleep, yes. I didn't deny that at all — Phinya replied without missing
the chance to provoke.

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— Doctor Phinya, can you explain again how mummies are made? I'm confused.
What exactly happened? — Busaya quickly changed the subject, realizing she was
losing the argument.

“What era do you want to know about?” Phinya asked, crossing her arms again. “If
it’s from the early days, they would place the bodies in the sand under the sun. If it
was in an area near a river or where there used to be a lake, the sand would have
salt mixed in, which would help the process. With the heat of the place, after about
forty days, the water in the body would be completely removed. In fact, in the early
days, there was no deliberate technique. Someone from the time noticed that
when the bodies buried in the sand were exposed to the wind, the sand would be
blown away and reveal a dry and preserved body, without decomposition. That’s
when they started thinking of ways to preserve the bodies.”

— So, the main factors are sand, salt, sun and dry air that remove water from the
body. In addition, burying in the sand makes it difficult for bacteria to proliferate,
insects cannot bother or decompose the body, which prevents the deterioration of
the skin, which ends up becoming dry and attached to the bones.

— Exactly, Dr. Bua — Phinya confirmed — That was in the first era. Later, they
began to develop a more elaborate technique — Phinya continued the explanation
— They used natron, a mineral composed of different types of salt found at the
bottom of lakes, to preserve the bodies. The first step was to open the body and
remove the internal organs. Then, they applied natron to both the body and the
organs, and buried the body in the sand for at least forty days. After that, they
covered the body with a resin made from tree sap. Finally, they wrapped the body
in several layers of linen soaked in this resin. But do you know what was the most
intriguing part?

— What? — Bua asked curiously.

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— When they used a stick to make the brains run down the nose. Imagine that! —
Phinya said, making Bua frown and adjust her glasses uncomfortably. — What
about this case here, what do you think? — Bua asked as she saw Phinya putting on
gloves and picking up the problematic skull, turning it from side to side, examining
it closely.

— It was a good job — Phinya replied — The body must have gone through a very
well-done preservation process, similar to ancient techniques. But the fact that the
lower jaw is deformed makes me suspect that the person may have been injured
before death.

Busaya, who had been listening intently, nodded as Phinya continued to explain,
“The technique was very well done. At first glance, it looks like a legitimate
mummy, even if it is more recent. The person who did this clearly had some
knowledge. This makes it difficult for us to accurately assess the time of death.”

— Because the body was turned into a mummy first — Bua concluded, watching
Phinya frown.

— Looking at the X-ray, the bones are still young and haven't deteriorated. He must
have died recently — Phinya commented.

— And what do we do now? — This time, it was Bua who asked the question.

— We continue to do what we can do — Phinya replied — We can start to find out

who he is... from the forehead and the eyebrow arch, which makes me believe he
could be a man, we need to know who he was and how he died.

“The first point is easier than the second,” Bua commented, with a worried
expression, adjusting her glasses on her nose as she pondered how to solve the
problem Phinya had just proposed.

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Typically, the remaining parts, such as a skull or bones, can indicate sex by the
shape and size of the skull, by looking at the angle of the lower jaw, the arch of the
eyebrow, and the shape of the nose. Age can be estimated by the fusion of the bony
plates of the limb bones or the fingers and toes. Height is often estimated from the
length of large bones, such as those in the leg.

In some cases, it is possible to identify previous bone injuries or certain bone

diseases. In the case of death, there must be some type of visible trauma, such as a
fractured skull, broken bones, or injuries caused by sharp objects that exerted
enough force to damage the bones. These details can help infer the cause of death,
although not exactly.

In general, forensic anthropology is only a small component of an event or case,

and must be supported by physical evidence or testimony. You can't conclude
much from just analyzing the bones. But in this case... all they had was a skull.

— We need to see what the only organ we have can tell us

— Where do you want me to start? — Bua asked.

— You already know and you still ask — Phinya replied — You know, Bua, that I
trust you more than anyone else here

— Don't pressure me like that — he replied with a grimace — If I had known, I would
have bought a hologram — The small voice grumbled, regretfully.

— The hologram won't solve anything. We have to do it ourselves — Phinya teased,

with a smile on the corner of her mouth — Dr. Bua, the disciple of the goddess of
anthropology

— Yeah, if the stress continues like this and I have to do this alone, I'm going to
freak out and run screaming down the lab hallway — Bua promised, with an
irritated expression.

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— If you need help, just let me know.

— I just need a camera and pins to mark the points on the bones, that should be
enough. I'll try to create a 2D model on the computer first and let the program
calculate it, it will be faster and more accurate.

— I thought you were going to make a 3D model, I wanted to see it up close

— I've only done this a few times. Besides, it's going to take a while and I've already
forgotten how to shape facial muscles — Bua explained — I'll save this for when I
have no other choice. In the meantime, I need some time to review my facial
muscles

The two were talking about a method called forensic facial reconstruction, which is
a forensic anthropology technique. This technique creates a facial representation
from an anonymous skull, either in two or three dimensions, to show what the
person looked like when they were alive, or more specifically, what the owner of
that skull looked like.

However, before the era of three-dimensional modeling machines or two-

dimensional computer reconstruction, the technique consisted of molding the
shape with clay or modeling clay.

— Using manual modeling. But to be able to mold the face, you need to have
knowledge about the anatomy of the facial muscles, of which there are more than
fifty, to observe the patterns of how the muscles connect to the bones of the face,
in addition to the depth and thickness of the important tissues, to make the
molding as realistic as possible.

— So, I need to remember everything. That way, next time, I'll be able to look at
your face, and not just your pelvis. If you don't let me, I might look for other faces —
Bua replied.
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— Baibua, wait! — Phinya exclaimed — Finding someone with the same

proportions as me is not easy

— Oh, but Dr. Phinya is so beautiful! — Bua retorted.

— No, wait, what do you think? — Phinya said, smiling, trying to explain herself —
Ask the person who sleeps with me every night and you'll see

— So, today you will sleep alone

— Bua — Phinya's smile instantly disappeared, as she dragged her voice in a

pleading tone — no...

— About the facial molding, if you find Dr. Wan, let me know — Bua commented —
If he has any ideas, he can help

— Okay, I'll talk to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 19

- Masculine

“Hm?” Phinya, who was focused on the laptop screen, muttered the question. She
turned to look at Bua, who was standing next to her. In the researcher’s hands were
a tablet and a white pen.

“Who?” Upon hearing the question, Bua handed the tablet to Phinya. On the screen
was a two-dimensional facial reconstruction of an anonymous male skull. He had a
round face, small but relatively deep-set eyes, thick lips, and a wide nose.

— That skull — Bua began to speak — It is of a man, adolescent to middle-aged. The

age was estimated from the x-ray, observing the already closed cranial sutures and
calculating the average of the points in each area. The age range is between thirty-
five and sixty-five years old.

Age assessment based on cranial sutures typically covers a relatively wide range.
From adolescence to middle age, the sutures tend to close completely. However,
for adolescents and young adults, assessment by cranial suture is less accurate
because the bones are almost fully developed.

In newborns, the bones of the skull are not yet fully fused together. This explains
the old saying that babies have a "soft spot," because the bones of the head are
still cartilage and have not fused into a rigid structure, as they do in adults. The
bone cells are still developing, and when x-rayed, the sutures (the lines where the
bones join) can be clearly seen separated. As a person ages, these sutures begin to
close, indicating bone maturity.

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In adults and the elderly, the bones of the skull are already completely fused and
begin to show signs of bone degeneration, visible as porosity in the bones, after the
age of sixty-five. Forensic anthropologists use this knowledge to estimate the
approximate age of unidentified bones found. In addition to the skull, bone
development in other parts, such as the femur, humerus, and bones of the hands
and feet, can also provide clues.

— Rounded face, oval nasal cavity, eye sockets slightly deeper than average — Bua
continued — The x-ray showed that the lower jaw is fractured, which deformed the
jaw by about one centimeter to the right, compared to the midsagittal plane — She
paused to think before continuing — Based on all this information, we can
conclude that...

— Asian — Phiny interrupted her — I already suspected

— I adjusted the angle of the deformed jaw millimeter by millimeter — Bua

explained — From working so hard, my pen is completely worn out. Can I ask you
to buy another one?

— Besides being lazy, you still complain — replied Phinya, responsible for
authorizing the institute's budget — How did you manage to do this in five days?

— It wasn’t me — Bua said with a dry smile — The program does the calculations.
The license for this software costs the equivalent of five months of my salary. So, it
needs to be more efficient and faster than I would do it manually — She let out a
sigh before continuing — But it took so long that my shoulders started to hurt. And
drawing the muscle fibers was a challenge, in addition to having to adjust the
depth of the key points on the face. I didn’t want to let the program generate it
automatically, for fear that it wouldn’t be accurate.

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—Still, I would love to see a hand-made reconstruction — Phinya commented — I

believe you have a talent for delicate work — The compliment made Bua give a
slightly irritated look.

— You should know that very well...

— Which part exactly? About the hominid thumbs, which evolved so that modern
humans can hold objects and perform delicate work? — Phinya asked, with a hint
of irony.

— Yes... after all, we studied together — Bua replied. "You were in the front row,
while I slept in the back.

— When it comes to the structure of Homo, I will never be able to compete with you
— Phinya admitted — If we tried manual reconstruction, it would take us at least a
month to get something that resembled a face — The doctor pondered — For now, I
think that is enough. What do you think?

— I'm still stuck on the idea that he's Asian — Phinya replied calmly — He's
definitely not Negroid or Caucasian, which have smaller skulls.

— The program’s database confirms this — Bua explained — I tested the

comparison between Asian, Negroid and Caucasian, based on the morphological
characteristics of the skull: the shape, size, width of the frontal bone, the adjusted
angle of the mandible, the shape of the supraorbital arch and the zygomatic
process. All this, considering the skull in its correct anatomical position, in the
Frankfurt horizontal reference plane.

— The horizontal plane is parallel to the ground, using a horizontal reference line
that goes from the lowest point under the eye socket (inferior orbital margin) to the
external auditory canal — Bua explained, as she slid her finger across the screen,
indicating the mentioned points. She then continued her explanation.

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— I adjusted the 3D calculations and applied the muscle layers based on the
average tissue depth in relation to the bone positions of each ethnic group, using
at least sixteen reference points (osteometric markers) on the skull — he said,
pausing to take a breath.

Phinya just nodded. She knew that when it came to theories in physical
anthropology, especially regarding the morphology of primates and the various
species of Homo, she could never match the level of knowledge Bua demonstrated
now.

— After that, the program calculated the comparison between the skull
characteristics and the tissue depth in relation to the database. The result was:
89% Asian, 62% Negroid and 37% Caucasian.

Bua was talking about the three main ethnic groups into which Homo sapiens are
divided.

Asians are ethnic groups originating and residing in Asia, especially Southeast Asia.
Their general characteristics include a shorter stature, yellowish skin, and dark
brown to black eyes. Negroids are ethnic groups originating in Africa, comprising
populations with dark skin. And finally, Caucasians are people living in Europe and
North America, with light skin.

However, as Phinya has previously mentioned, ancient civilizations that thrived for
thousands of years tended to have much greater ethnic diversity than today, due to
migration and mixing of peoples. Population diversity makes it difficult to
distinguish ethnicities or racial groups as we do today. To be certain, genetic
analysis would be needed, a process that can take decades.

Therefore, the fact that the analysis indicates more than 80% Asian features
suggests that the owner of this skull was not an ancient Egyptian, as initially
assumed, but rather someone who lived in modern times and may have died

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recently. Compared to the recently received age test, the skull is less than 75 years
old.

Then, Bua continued:

— And I also did the additional calculations you suggested, about some ancient
Egyptians having mixed ancestry. I included variables for Europeans, Americans,
Africans, and Middle Easterners. However, the results were below 20% for each of
those groups, so I ruled that out. I can say that this has no connection to Egyptian
mummies. Based on the X-rays, the dating, and the facial reconstruction, the
preliminary conclusion is that this skull is recent, and the person was probably
from our region, if not our country, then a neighboring country.
“Since we saw the mummy and the Book of the Dead along with it, we focused on
that and didn’t consider other factors,” Phinya said, and Bua nodded in agreement.

“Who would have thought something like this could happen? Just finding a
mummy in a plane crash is strange enough,” the lab chief commented, pushing her
glasses up her nose with her finger.

The newly revealed information made Phinya let out a heavy sigh.

“That’s terrible,” she said, looking at Bua.

— Don't panic yet. I've barely started... — Bua replied softly, which made Phinya
turn to face her — I had a bad feeling, so I added a few more variables to better
characterize it, I used the ethnic characteristics of our region: the average angle of
the jaw, the arch of the eyebrows, the cheekbones, the depth of the eye sockets,
the shape of the nasal cavities. I also added the characteristics of hair, eye color
and skin color. Then, I calculated it back, comparing it with the data of the
Southeast Asian population stored in the database and in comparison with the
skull found. Do you know what the significance value was?

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— Zero point zero five? — Phinya asked, raising her eyebrows — Really?

If the significance value of a calculation or experiment is equal to or greater than

95%, it means that the experiment is acceptable, with a margin of error of 5%. This
result is usually called the 0.05 significance level. However, Bua shook his head and
slowly replied, “Zero point zero one.”

This meant that the confidence interval for the test was 99%, with only a 1%
margin of error. Phinya let out another sigh before Bua continued.

— I think you were dealing with an unusual case. If we look at the facial
reconstruction we obtained, although it is not 100% conclusive, this unknown man
is probably someone from here, from our own region. There is no Egyptian mummy
involved.

Phinya shuddered when she heard this.

— So, I came to say that I will send the image of this unidentified man's face to the
police. Maybe they can release it or compare it with the missing persons database.
If he is not from our country, he could be from a neighboring country, based on the
characteristics of the skull — concluded Bua.

— Send it now! — Phinya replied, agreeing — Have the police given any news about
the plane crash?

— What do you think about this? — Bua’s face showed concern — Now, the airline
that offered the charter flight service has been closed indefinitely

— Damn — Phinya exclaimed — And now we have this situation — She let out a sigh
— I'll talk about it with the teacher this afternoon. Will you come with me?

— Agreed, Dr. Phin.

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Both Phinya and Busaya were standing in front of the desk of the director of the
institute, who was watching them with an expression that was difficult to decipher.
A slight smile appeared on the lips of the woman they both respected and who
could be considered the person who had guided and shaped them since the
beginning of their doctoral studies.

Phinya, wearing a formal suit, held a document folder in his right arm, pressed
against his body. Bua, meanwhile, held a tablet in his left hand.

— I never imagined I would see this scene — said Professor Nissara in a relaxed
manner, looking at her two former students, while leaning back in her chair — Sit
down

The two obeyed, but the teacher frowned in surprise when she saw Phinya pull out
a chair so that Bua could sit. Bua murmured a 'thank you' and looked up at her
taller classmate, with a smile and eyes shining behind her square glasses.

1“I still remember the time when Bua was holding a shovel and Phinya was holding
a hoe, ready to fight in the middle of the field work,” the principal commented,
making her two former students laugh. “If I hadn’t run to stop it, someone would
have ended up with a cracked head.”
1“Back then, I was just a rebellious girl, teacher,” Phinya said first.
— What now? — Professor Nissara raised an eyebrow and asked, as she saw Phinya
look at the person sitting next to her.

1“Whatever,” Phinya replied, and soon heard the teacher chuckle softly.
Meanwhile, Bua just stared at the table, listening to the conversation without
making eye contact with anyone.
— So, what’s today’s topic? You two came to find me together — asked the teacher.

—The plane crash case—it was Bua, who had been silent for a while, who
answered.

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- What happened?

— I had already spoken to you about this before, when I was still in Panama... —
Busaya began — We found a mysterious skull that shouldn't be there

— Yes, I remember — confirmed the supervising teacher — You asked for

permission to use the lab and requested extra emergency funds.

— That's right — Bua nodded — The problem is that the result showed that we were
unable to determine the age, as the sample is very recent

— I see. And you, Phin, what do you think about this?

— When I first saw the X-ray, I also thought it wasn't old... — Phinya began to speak
— So, I waited for the final results to know for sure. If it was an ancient relic, I would
have tried to return it to the owner, but the result was that we can't date the skull
as antique because it's too new — She saw the teacher nod her head — So, I don't
really know what to do now

—Do you remember what we discussed about this before you went abroad?
Remember what I said about the commodification of humanity? People who, even
after death, cannot rest in peace?

— Yes — Phinya replied firmly, before looking at Bua beside her — And I was even
more intrigued because it seems that the buying and selling of these remains is
done as if it were something legal — The young doctor explained: — But, as I don't
have concrete data, I didn't dare to draw any conclusions

— You did well. An assumption should remain just an assumption until it is proven.

— Until there is reliable information to confirm it — the director stated in a deep

voice — In theory, this is how it should be

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— That's why Phinya asked me to do a facial reconstruction — Bua added —

Initially, we were inclined to believe it was an Asian person before we started

— "We were," was it? — asked the teacher, with a raised eyebrow.

— Yes — they both answered almost at the same time, exchanging glances without
meaning to, and then quickly looking away.

1— And what happened next? — The teacher asked, smiling.

— So I used the parameters of an Asian man to do the facial reconstruction in two
dimensions and then added the calculations in three dimensions. The result was
that there were 89% Asian features

— Oh... really? — The director's tone revealed a certain concern.

— So I adjusted to represent someone from Southeast Asia, taking into account the
width of the forehead, the angle of the jaw, the depth of the eye sockets, the shape
of the nasal cavities, and the depth of the facial muscles. I also added independent
variables such as thick, dark hair and black irises. The result was that the margin of
error was reduced to 0.01

— That’s not good — commented Professor Nisara after hearing the explanation.

“I actually made a considerable mistake,” Phinya admitted calmly. “Although I had

my suspicions, I did not think that this skull could have originated in our own
country. I also cannot say for sure that it is a forgery.”

— Forgery or not, that is another question — commented the director — The main
question is: who is this unknown man?

— And how far have you gotten with the investigation? — asked the director.

— I'm about to send the reconstructed image to the police, in case anyone
recognizes him.

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— We were going to report missing persons, but Phinya said it was better to talk to
you first.

— Okay, you can take care of it, Bua.

— What if this unknown man's skull was really produced here? What should we do,
teacher? I don't like this feeling, I'm really scared, because this might not be the
first one — Phinya's calm voice was filled with concern — I've seen negotiations like
this before, but I've never felt this bad

— That's why I'm trying to get you to go to the field, because this isn't just an
academic goal. The experience you're going to have will teach you how to deal with
this kind of situation — the teacher argued, smiling proudly at her student — Did
you see how these things are closer to us than we think?

— I think I'm beginning to understand

— I already imagined that you could find a situation like this in the country

— Really? — Phinya asked.

— As anthropologists, this affects us emotionally.

“That’s true,” Busaya replied, after listening attentively for a while.

— And now, what should we do, teacher? — Phinya asked again.

— First, let's send the case to the police and see what they can find out. In the
meantime, I'll try to ask if anyone else has any questions about this.

The two former PhD students nodded in agreement. “As for identifying the victims
of the plane crash, we have managed to identify eight so far, but there are still
seven remaining,” Phinya said. “One of them appears to have signs of assault, but
the police have not yet prepared a report because they have not found the
weapon.”

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— Okay, I understand — confirmed Professor Nisara — If they need something and

I’m not there, Phinya is responsible, otherwise, Bua takes responsibility

— Okay, teacher — Bua replied, while Phinya nodded in agreement — We don't

want to bother you anymore, thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 20

Baibua ( ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

Bualoy ( บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

-----------------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀------------------ --------

Busaya slumped down on the long, soft gray leather couch, exhausted. She had
spent the entire day meticulously reviewing the accuracy of the facial
reconstruction and trying to insert other variables to see if she could get any
different results, but nothing new had emerged. Luckily, there are now programs
that speed up and make this work much more accurate. Even though it was only a
two-dimensional model, it saved a lot of time. Phinya, however, stubborn as ever,
insisted that they should create a three-dimensional model manually, which Bua
thought was unnecessary at this point. However, stubborn Phinya kept pushing
until she began to get irritated. Bua was one step away from ordering Phinya to do
the work herself if she made one more peep.

The daily work had Bua almost crawling back to her room, but she felt that fate was
still on her side by bringing Phinya from somewhere far away. She vaguely
remembered hearing her casually comment the day before that the last country
she had been to was probably Spain. She was back from carrying crates and
transporting corpses from the last field operation, traveling to Madrid, while
sprawled on a four-star hotel bed in the capital. A country that had once had a
prosperous civilization.
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It was during this trip that Phinya received a call from her former advisor, asking
her to return to Thailand after being absent for two years. Furthermore, Professor
Nisara surprised everyone by appointing Phinya as the vice-principal of the
institute, leaving everyone confused.

In any case, the decision was the sole prerogative of the institute’s founder, and
Bua never questioned her advisor’s decisions. In fact, in the end, this also benefited
Bua, as she was able to pass on more than thirty percent of the responsibilities that
would previously have been hers to Phinya.

The vice-principal position, which Bua hadn't wanted in the first place, included
sharing classes with undergraduate and graduate students, as well as having
Phinya help supervise research projects and mentor new graduate students who
were about to arrive.

Busaya then had more time to breathe. Why should she worry about other matters?

Many at the institute were well aware of the history between her and Phinya,
especially her classmates and younger students, who had witnessed the conflict
between the two for the position of the advisor’s favorite. At that time, Bua was still
ambitious and determined. She was a recognized expert in the theory of human
evolution, particularly in the study of primates of the order Homo, which was the
heart of the field. In terms of both morphology and social dimensions, it was
difficult to find someone as knowledgeable as she was. Although she tried to keep
a low profile, it was impossible not to be noticed due to the vastness of her
knowledge. But Phinya was no slouch.

She, in turn, was the mentee of a renowned expert on historical human

civilizations, and had had numerous opportunities to participate in field missions
abroad even before she entered her PhD program in the same program as Bua.
Phinya had previously lived in another country that had experienced a genocide,

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where she participated in the recovery of human remains to identify victims. As

such, she had much more practical field experience than Bua.

This situation meant that Professor Nisara had two brilliant students in the same
environment.

Perhaps that was why they were always fighting. Even though their desks were just
a few feet apart, they rarely spoke without ending up arguing. Each was excellent in
her field and had a unique perspective… until eventually, it became better for both
of them to stop talking. When her advisor realized that things were not going well,
she decided to separate the two, offering Phinya scholarships to do fieldwork
abroad frequently, while leaving Bua in charge of research and paperwork at the
institute.

This situation led the other students to regard Bua as the advisor’s favorite, and
many believed that she would become the star of the field in the future. However,
Bua secretly felt a certain envy of Phinya. Although she never mentioned it, she
wished, at least once, to go out into the field like Phinya. Still, she knew that her
calling lay more in theoretical research.

It was then, in her third year of her PhD, that Phinya unexpectedly accused Bua of
stealing her research and resigned. She also filed a formal complaint, which led to
Bua being investigated by the postgraduate ethics committee on suspicion of
plagiarism and misappropriation of academic work, and she disappeared shortly
after causing all this commotion.

When Bua realized, she was lying on the long sofa, in a room that wasn't hers.
"Reviewing facial muscles all day has left my eyes sore," she murmured, almost
sleepily, before lifting her legs onto the sofa and closing her eyes.

— If you're going to sleep, at least take a shower first — said the owner of the room,
in a firm tone, as she spoke.

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— Just a quick nap... please, boss — In a matter of minutes, Bua was already fast
asleep, overcome by exhaustion.

Phinya went into the next room to get ready, and when she returned, she found her
friend sleeping peacefully, the rhythm of her breathing indicating a deep sleep.

“Baibua...” Phinya murmured, a soft smile on her lips. She sat down next to the
sofa, placing the bottle of water on the small table beside it. Then, she rested her
chin on the sofa, watching the sleeping Bua.

Almost unconsciously, Phinya raised her hand and began to play with the strands
of hair that fell on Bua's face. "What did you do to get so exhausted?" She gently
removed Bua's glasses and placed them next to the bottle, which was already half
empty. Then, without resisting, she leaned over and placed a soft kiss in the middle
of Bua's forehead.

— Phin... — Bua murmured sleepily, trying to open her eyes. Instinctively, she
moved her face towards Phinya, gently capturing the other's lips for a brief
moment, while her left hand rose to hold the back of Phinya's neck, pulling her
closer.

— Sleep — Phinya whispered as she pulled her lips away, but Bua's hand was still
holding the back of her neck, pulling her back in for another soft, lingering kiss —
We'll leave today for another day...

Bua fell asleep again soon after. Phinya sat there watching her for a few moments,
absentmindedly playing with her hair. As she stared at Bua, she couldn’t help but
wonder why she had never looked at her so closely before. Bua had always been
right in front of her, but Phinya had let time pass her by, wasting all those
opportunities.

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The back of Phinya's hand slid gently across Bua's cheek, and she couldn't resist
leaning in to gently brush her nose over her skin.

“Sleepyhead,” Phinya murmured, before settling herself on the couch, which

seemed too small for the two of them. As she pressed herself against Bua, she
instinctively turned around, snuggling her face into Phinya’s chest.

1“You smell so good,” Bua murmured sleepily.

— I took a shower, right — Phinya replied, in a casual tone — Now go to sleep

— I'll make it up to you later, I promise... — Bua said, in a whisper.

— Just sleep. Stop talking.

— Uh-huh... — Bua snuggled in even closer, and Phinya couldn't help but smile,
wrapping her arm around Bua, closing her eyes as well. In a brief moment of
reflection, Phinya felt that this was where she truly belonged.

----------------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀------------------- -------

— So... you weren't really bothered, Bua?

— Bothered? — Bua repeated the question, looking up from the cup of black coffee
that rested next to a stack of documents on 3D facial reconstruction. — Bothered
by what?

Fang looked at her in disbelief as Bua took a slice of bread from her breakfast box.
There was still a long day ahead.

— With the fact that the teacher appointed Phinya as vice-principal in her place

— And why would I be bothered? — Bua replied casually, biting the corner of the
bread — Phinya just appeared out of nowhere... and took your position, that's all.
Not bothered at all? Really? — Fang insisted.

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— Not me. I'd rather sleep — Bua replied simply — I respect the teacher's decision,
whatever it may be. It doesn't matter to me — She shrugged and took a sip of
coffee — I'm just sleepy

— And since when have you been friends with Phinya?

— Of course not! — Bua replied hurriedly — Did you happen to see anything that
indicated that I get along with her? — Her voice took on a defensive tone, as she
fired off a series of questions — Or did you see something?

— I didn't see anything, I'm just curious. Because, before, you would have definitely
complained or made a fuss — Fang said, with a provocative smile.

— If complaining doesn't solve anything, then it's better to let it go, I'm tired of
fighting. As long as she leaves me alone, I'll even appreciate it — Bua replied with
an air of acceptance.

“Do you still want me to buy you lunch to comfort you?” Fang asked hesitantly.
“You really don’t seem upset at all.”

— If you want to pay, I accept. I won't refuse anyone's generosity — Bua said
quickly — But it doesn't have to be to console me, you know?

— To be honest, I came back thinking I would see you two killing each other, like
before... — Fang continued, now with an amused tone.

— If, with this level of education, my IQ was not accompanied by an increase in EQ,
I would have given up studying, it would be a waste of time — Bua replied with a
hint of irony.

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“I think P’Phinya is really nice,” said Aon, who was sitting eating a plate of sticky
rice with grilled pork for breakfast. “When I asked her to be my mentor, she didn’t
hesitate. She’s polite, speaks in a soft voice, gives great advice… and smells nice.”

“Does it smell good?” Bua repeated the last part, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

— Oh, you mean her perfume. I don’t know what brand she uses, but I wanted to
buy some too — Aon explained with a shy smile, as he picked up a meat skewer and
put it in his mouth, handing another to Bua, who murmured a thank you.

— And have you already talked to her about the orientation? — asked the head of
the laboratory — What did Phinya say?

— She asked me to prepare a study plan, indicating which direction I will follow —
Aon replied, excitedly.

Bioanthropology is hard, P'Fang, Aon asked curiously, looking at Fang.

— Run while you can...— Fang replied seriously — I'm serious

— Don't scare her like that, Fang — Bua scolded her friend, laughing a little. Aon
then turned his attention to Bua.

— And your field, physical anthropology, P'Bua? What is it like?

— As we discussed briefly before, in this area you need to be very creative — Bua
replied in a playful tone — In the theoretical part, you need to have a good
imagination, especially when writing articles. But when you go out into the field...
Well, all you do is dig holes. It's not as exciting as it sounds, unlike that one over
there — she added, making a slight reference to Phinya.

— P'Phinya said he'll find a good job field for me — Aon continued — but I'm scared

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— Don't worry, Aon. Just don't waste energy trying to compete with your future co-
adjunct — Bua said, joking — She has so much energy that the teacher told her to
carry crates and do heavy work, otherwise she would complain all the time — Bua
concluded with an ironic smile — But historical anthropology is interesting.
Phinya's line of research deals with the development of body structure, larger
skulls and brains, while the human body decreased in size. This is all linked to
environmental factors that influenced migration, sedentarization, the formation of
societies and cultures, the emergence of language and changes in the way we live.
Ancient civilizations went through many transformations and, in the midst of all
this, our species changed in many ways. P'Phinya is really good at this subject

— I think I just heard you praising Phinya? — Fang interrupted in a surprised tone —
And you called her P'Phinya instead of 'annoying Phinya'

— And what about it? — Bua asked with a challenging expression.

— You look different, Bua — her friend commented, intrigued — Before, you could
barely look at her face

“We’re growing up, Fang,” Bua said, shrugging as if she was torn between her old
feelings and her new ones. “And that girl… She’s really good at what she does, and
I can’t deny that,” Bua admitted with a reluctant shrug.

— Don't go down that path — Fang, with furrowed eyebrows, warned Aon once
again seriously — Go with Bua in physical anthropology or go to the historical
research line with P'Phinya. This area is not for being locked in the laboratory all
the time

— You're exaggerating a bit. Nowadays, molecular biology in our field is very

popular — Bua contested.

—And that's exactly why I told her to run away—Fang replied, joking.

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“Then I guess I’ll go with P’Phinya anyway,” Aon decided, starting to stab the sticky
rice on his plate with a fork and bringing it to his mouth. “But… Is she really that
strict? I heard the others saying she had problems before she left.”

The question made Bua and Fang exchange glances immediately, without needing
to agree.

— Ah... — Bua pretended to chew the pork skewer, even though there was nothing
in her mouth.

— Ask Bua, they are old rivals. They even threw shovels and hoes at each other until
the teacher ran to separate them.

— Seriously? — Ann turned quickly to Bua, her eyes wide — P'Bua?

—That was a long time ago— Bua replied, trying not to sound uncomfortable—
Phinya probably forgot about it... or at least I think so— she murmured uncertainly.

— Uh huh — A discreet cough interrupted the conversation. Phinya, wearing a black

dress shirt, appeared at the entrance to the researchers' break room. The sound
made everyone in the room jump in fright. Bua quickly picked up his coffee cup and
took a sip, trying to hide his surprise, exchanging a quick glance with Fang, who
was now silent.

— P'Phinya, Sawasdee ka — Aon quickly put his fork aside and gave a formal salute
to his future advisor. Phinya responded with a slight nod and entered the room,
walking over to the coffee maker, grabbing a white ceramic mug for herself.

The room fell into an immediate silence, so heavy that even Aon, who was focused
on her food, felt the room suddenly freeze, as if the temperature had dropped
without warning. No one dared to start a new conversation. The atmosphere in the

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room was tense, and Aon hurriedly packed his things in silence, deciding it was
best to leave.

Phinya, who had prepared her coffee, turned around and leaned against the table.
Fang had her back to her, while Bua sat facing her. With the coffee cup in her hand,
Phinya brought it to her lips, pointing a finger at Busaya, who was doing his best to
hide any hint of discomfort.

For Phinya, it was better that others thought she and Bua were still on bad terms.
In reality, Bua didn’t feel good about it, but she accepted that if Phinya didn’t say
or show anything beyond friendship, they could be considered just friends. It was a
fragile friendship, sustained by mutual interests but not by any real connection.
What made her tolerate Phinya’s presence was, well, a physical need.

"Oh, what a pain, Bua" she thought.

— I'm going out for a quick while, I'll be right back — Fang announced before
leaving the room, leaving Bua and Phinya alone, as if two predatory beasts were
trapped in the same cage.

As soon as Fang was out of sight, Phinya approached Bua, her gaze gleaming like
that of a tiger stalking its prey.

“Why did you leave so quickly this morning?” the vice principal asked, making Bua
look around nervously, searching for other people. She adjusted her glasses
hesitantly as she met Phinya’s eyes.

— I saw you sleeping and I didn't want to wake you up — Bua replied, her voice
shaking slightly.

— I thought you were coming with me

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“I... didn’t mean to disturb you,” Bua said, watching Phinya sit at the table next to
her, right next to her coffee cup. The atmosphere was tense, and Bua felt the
pressure of Phinya’s presence as if she were being scrutinized.

“Sorry about that,” Phinya said, leaning closer to Bua, causing her long brown hair
to almost touch Bua’s face. With a gentle touch, she lifted Bua’s chin, forcing her to
look into her eyes.

— So come meet me in my office, sleepyhead.

“Of course!” Bua’s tone was sharp, almost ironic, but in truth, she had never shied
away from Phinya, much to her own surprise.

— I need to discuss some things with you

— Yes, boss.

As Phinya walked away, Bua still looked a little groggy, even though she had slept
better than most the entire night. Suddenly, Bua's absent-minded hand hit the
coffee cup, causing it to fall to the floor, where it shattered and the black liquid
spilled out.

— Sorry, sorry! — Bua hurriedly crouched down to pick up the shards of glass — I
have so much — Her eyes searched the room for a cloth or broom to clean up the
small pieces of glass.

A moment later, someone who heard the noise hurried in. “How clumsy,” Phinya
commented, clearly enjoying the situation. “Where did you get this lack of sleep?”

At this moment, Fang also rushed in, calling out, “Hey, you two! Split up!”

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Fang's words reminded Phinya of old discussions, when she would often use that
expression whenever the tension between her and Bua began to rise.

— I didn’t do anything! The sleepy Bualoy knocked over the cup by herself —
Phinya said

— Let me take care of that, P'Bua — Aon said, in a helpful tone — It'll only hurt your
hand — he added, already holding a broom and a dustpan.

— Thank you, Aon. I've been a bit distracted lately, I'm sorry.

“Do you want to ask for permission so you can sleep?” Phinya interrupted, her
voice firm.

“Can I order one directly from you?” Bua asked, a little hesitantly.

— Ask your mom — Phinya replied, already moving away — When you're done here,
come to my room — With that, she left quickly, holding her cup of coffee.

—Wasn't everything okay between you two? — Fang asked, trying to understand
the situation.

— No, it's not.

— I thought everything was fine, I was just gone for a minute

— No, and now I still need to go talk to her about work — Bua replied, turning to
Ann — Thank you, Ann

2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 21

Baibua (ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

-------------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀---------------------- --

— Bua, please come in — From inside the small meeting room, the voice of the
advisor Ajarn Nisara called her student. Nisara was talking to someone Bua
recognized immediately, along with them, a young woman was sitting next to him.
Phinya was on the right side, next to the chair of the institute director, and next to
Phinya was Aon.

— Nong Bua! — A man who looked about 39 years old stood up — Long time no see!
How are you?

“Phi Phon!” Busaya exclaimed happily. “Savadee ka,” she said, clasping her hands
in a gesture of respectful greeting. Plakorn, or Phon as he was called, had been a
doctoral student of Ajarn Nisara almost ten years ago. When Bua began his studies,
he graduated the same year. After that, he took a teaching position at a state
university in the south of the country. Bua had met him several times during his
final year of studies, while he was still engaged in a research project for Nisara. He
had finished it about a month before taking up his position as a professor in the
department of social anthropology.

That day, Phon had brought his coworkers and students to visit the institute. Bua
heard his advisor mention that Dr. Phon’s colleague, Dr. Kulnida, wanted to
conduct postdoctoral research there, which was promptly approved by the
institute’s director.

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Phon then took the opportunity to introduce Dr. Kulnida, Cream as they called her,
whom he had mentioned. “If Dr. Cream and I could visit the lab, would that be
convenient for you, Ajarn?” Phon asked, referring to the short-haired woman who
was sitting next to him. She was dressed in a formal, dark suit, and seemed to be
around Bua’s age. Dr. Kulnida was a professor in the same department as Phon.

— I'll ask Bua to take them — In a few minutes, everyone went down to the
laboratory.

— When I graduated, this place wasn't fully set up like this yet — Phon said,
observing the laboratory room around him — Today, in addition to being very well
structured, the institute has gained young, energetic talents like Phinya and Bua to
help — His gaze expressed satisfaction with his words.

— If Phi Phon wants to come back, I think Ajarn would be happy to welcome him —
Bua commented — We still need a lot of people here

— Let me stay at my post in the south, it's better this way — Phon laughed — To be
honest, I've never been that good at lab work

— Neither do I — Phinya herself commented, smiling — That's more up to Bua or

Fang

— Phinya is from the field area — Phon commented, already aware — Ajarn told me
a long time ago that they needed someone strong on the team, and they ended up
choosing you — He laughed — If Dr. Cream wants to work in the laboratory, I'll
entrust her with that mission

— For now, it's just Phinya and I who are taking care of everything — Bua replied —
Fang hasn't graduated yet. If anyone wants to come into the bioanthropology field,
they'll have to wait for Fang to finish or come train with her first, but she's not fully
available yet.

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— Cream hasn't decided which field to pursue yet — Phon continued, turning to his
co-worker who was with them — But it seems like she's leaning towards the
physical field, isn't that right, Doctor?

“I’m not sure yet,” the woman replied calmly, looking back and forth between
Phinya and Bua. “I want to try out a few things before I make a decision. Anyway,
I’m counting on you two.”

— Why count on us? — Bua said — We are all from the same generation, both
Phinya and I have just graduated

— You can consider me the youngest in the lab, then — the visitor replied with a
smile — If I stay, I will be the first postdoctoral student here

The head of the lab intervened: “But for the history area, you should talk to
someone else,” she said, nodding to the other doctor. “That’s beyond our skills,”
she added.

Bua glared at Phinya, who narrowed her eyes back, as if she wanted to strangle her
for passing on the work.

You're throwing everything at me again, Baibua! Just wait...

Phinya's look said it all.

Who played? I didn't play at all — Bua thought.

“Dr. Dream is very nice, don’t you think?” Bua commented absently.

— Hmm...— Phinya replied without much attention, nodding disinterestedly as she

continued to stare at the paper in front of her — So what?

— Do you like her, maybe?

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This question made Phinya, who was reading a research paper, raise her head and
look at her.

— Why would I like it?

— I'm just asking out of curiosity — Bua justified — She seems more inclined
towards the history area

— And archaeology too, like you. I thought you two could get along well.

— I already like someone — Phinya replied irritably, cutting off the conversation,
already predicting what Bua was trying to insinuate.

— Ah... — Bua replied in a low voice — Then, it's better if I don't intrude — she said,
before turning around and trying to leave the room. However, she was pulled back
and sat on Phinya's lap.

— Don't you want to know who it is?

- No

- Why?

“If you want to tell me, tell me. But if you don’t, I won’t force you.” Phinya pressed
her lips gently against Bua’s neck.

— I know what you're thinking. Don't come here and encourage me to flirt with
every woman who walks into the school. And also, don't give me anyone else's
business cards.

— I was just about to give you her card — Bua said, feigning regret — Oh, what a
shame...

— Baibua...

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— Just in case you’re interested — Bua continued — I found her very cute, polite,
and she speaks so well.

— I've met people much more charming than her — Phinya replied — but I'll tell
you right now, I'm not interested.

— Okay, sorry for butting in on your business.

— You can meddle all you want, I don't care— Phinya said, resting her chin on Bua's
shoulder — But if you're going to try to push me into five or ten more people, I'll let
you know right now: I'm not interested. You don't have to try — Her tone was firm.

— Okay... I'll remember that — Bua said, moving away slightly from Phinya's face,
who was approaching.

— I'm not interested in anyone else because you're already enough of a problem.

— I didn't say anything like that — Bua replied immediately — I understand that
protecting the territory and what is yours is part of the instinct of...

— I'm not a dog

— I wasn’t talking about dogs — she replied — It’s the instinct of most mammals —
she continued, looking smug — As soon as the levels of certain chemicals in the
brain stabilize, the possessive behavior disappears. The body gets used to it and
boredom starts to set in, so you look for something new to stimulate the release of
these chemicals

“Do you think I get bored easily?” Phinya nuzzled Bua’s shoulder.

— Who knows? — Bua dodged — You said yourself that you've met a lot of people,
but you haven't been with anyone yet. I can only assume that you get tired quickly.

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— You're making things up. To you, I'm always the villain — Phinya said against
Bua's neck.

— Because you're a villain, Phin. I know you better than anyone.

— And why don't you ever think that maybe I'm just not interested in anyone?

— Oh, don't come with that... I remember very well that, in college, you were super
popular — This made Phinya laugh — Dr. Phin was always irresistible

— It might have to do with my body structure and morphology, as you like to say —
Phinya commented, with a hand sliding around Bua's waist — after all, you yourself
said that I'm attractive

— Who said that? — Bua retorted, hiding her blushing face in Phinya’s shoulder —
You must be confused

— If I'm confusing, then so be it— Phinya laughed.

At that moment, they heard a knock on the door, which made Bua quickly stand
up, and Phinya straightened her wrinkled clothes, trying to look presentable.

— Come in — It was Fang who entered through the door first, casting a glance at
Bua, who was looking out the window, avoiding eye contact — What's up, Fang?

— I came to talk about what we discussed the other day — Their PhD colleague
said, sitting down on a chair — I want to go to the lab in Germany

— You just got back, do you want to go again? — Bua interrupted.

— Before I went to Holland, I already wanted to go to Germany — Fang explained —

but the teacher couldn't find a place for me

— You should get some rest. Why is it only the two of you who travel and I never get
to go? — Bua complained with a hint of irritation.
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“Now, if you want to go, just ask Phin to send you,” the doctor suggested, nodding
toward Phinya, who was sitting silently.

— Staying here is fine. Where else would I go? — Phinya replied — There won't be
time for you to turn your body 180 degrees parallel to the ground.

— Then I don’t want to go anymore — Bua replied immediately, quickly rejecting

the idea.

— What do you mean, you gave up so easily? — Fang looked at Bua — Just because
you won't be able to sleep there, right? That's good — commented Bua's friend —
But why is your face red? Didn't you sleep well? — These words made Bua raise her
hand to cover her face, while she glared at Phinya, who just smiled discreetly,
keeping a serious expression.

— So, are you really going to do it? The Bioanthropology department here is
understaffed. The professor has already planned to open more courses in the next
year or two. Who's going to teach them? This lazy woman and I can't handle it. I
gave the Cell Biology course back to the professor when I finished my master's
degree exam.

— You just want to travel and play, how are you going to finish your doctorate like
that, friend? — Bua added.

— That's right — Phinya agreed — If your research paper is published...

— You could take the final exam right now.

— I'm still undecided. If I go, I might end up extending another year.

— Are you going to study for seven years? Or eight, I'll prepare incense and candles
to venerate you as the obsessive spirit that guards the institute — the laboratory
chief joked — That way, you won't even have to get married anymore

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— I don't even plan on getting married — said the other — When I'm done, I'll start
planning on having a child.

— Having a child... with whom — It was Phinya who interrupted.

— With my boyfriend, of course.

— Boyfriend? Since when do you have one?

— I'm not like you two — she replied quickly, making her friends exchange glances
— You work too much. Be careful, they say that those who fight a lot end up
together

— Who said that? — They both said almost at the same time.

— Seriously, be careful you two, okay?

— I don't want to carry any more karma in my life — Bua replied, looking around,
adjusting her glasses nervously — Don't involve me in this

— You speak as if you know what we're going through, Fang — Phinya replied
sarcastically, pursing her lips slightly — Do you think you're that smart?

— By the way, Bua, speaking of which... what about that guy who was flirting with
you? Did he disappear?

— Who? — This time it was Phinya who asked, casting a sideways glance at her
friend, who seemed to be trying to hide beside the file cabinet.

— No one! — Bua replied, her voice raised, shaking her head quickly — Who would
want someone who only sleeps, like me? — She said, picking up the documents she
had left on the vice-principal's desk — I'm going. I'm going to get some coffee, I'm
sleepy...

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Fang watched as Phinya kept her gaze fixed on Bua until she left the room.

— Has anyone actually tried to flirt with her, the way she is? — The vice principal's
firm voice asked, trying to maintain a neutral expression.

— She said that before I went to Holland — Fang replied — But nothing came of it.
They only went out for dinner once. She doesn't care about anyone, she just wants
to sleep. Whoever disturbs her sleep, she cuts out

— To flirt with that person, the person must be sleepwalking. Who would risk that?

— Why do you want to know? You don't even like her — Fang asked, curious.

— It's just that natural curiosity of the human species — Phinya replied, repeating
the excuse Bua used to use with her, while shifting uncomfortably in her chair,
which made Fang narrow his eyes in suspicion — I keep that to joke

— You never stop teasing her, do you, Phin?

— I can't help it. Your friend is annoying sometimes — Phinya replied, relaxed.

— So, who was it?

“He was a professor in the sociology department, I think. They met at an academic
seminar, it must have been last year,” Fang said. Phinya nodded, pretending to
look at the papers on the table, as if it were a trivial conversation, without giving it
much importance. “It seems he invited her to do research with him, but at the time
she was rushing to finish her doctorate, so she probably didn’t keep in touch.
Besides, if she had any free time, she would spend it sleeping. Who could stand
that? Sometimes it takes her days to reply to my messages.”

“True,” Phinya agreed, nodding.

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— The good thing is that she is very good at what she does. If she weren’t, I wonder
if she would finish in ten years. Honestly, I don’t know how she finds time to do
research or write articles. I lose sleep myself, working all day, and I still can’t keep
up. But her? You send her a message and she’s asleep, but she manages to finish
her PhD in five years. I think that’s why her professors never send her abroad. She
wouldn’t be able to manage, it’s too dangerous.

— Yes, I think I understand — Phinya agreed. Of course she knew how much Bua
slept, after all, sometimes Bua slept next to her in bed — So, what do you think of
Germany? — Phinya asked next.

—What do you think I should do? — Fang returned the question.

— Stay and help the teachers here — the vice-principal suggested again — Things
haven’t been so good lately, and I might need your opinion. Publish it soon, defend
your thesis and finish it so you can start planning to have children.

— I could study and get pregnant at the same time, raise the baby while it's still in
my belly — Fang joked about herself — And you? — she returned the question to
Phinya.

— I... what's wrong with me?

— Have you ever thought about having a family?

— No — Phinya replied, refusing the idea — My way of being doesn't suit being a
mother, even if they tell me that my body structure would be perfect for it.

— If I decide to go to Germany, could you arrange something for me there?

— Hmm... I don't know anyone there, but I can try to see if you really want to go.
Using Professor Nisara's name might make it a lot easier — Phinya offered — But I
can't promise anything

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— You're actually pretty cool — Fang commented.

— I've been nice for a long time, but you always have this wrong impression that
I'm mean — the assistant retorted — But if you change your mind and go to
England, it'll be fine. The professor is desperate for someone, since I refused —
Phinya said before taking a sip from the paper cup of black coffee that was next to
her.

—By the way... I wanted to ask. Why didn't you stay there, Phin? — Fang asked
curiously.

— I thought that by coming back, I would have more things to do, you know? And
also, I didn't want to bother the teacher — Phinya answered, still hesitating — And
it was the right decision, for sure. That's why I came back — Phinya said, sketching
a soft smile on her lips — But it was good to come back, the teacher made me vice
principal right away

“I think it suits you,” commented Fang, who had also studied with her. “When are
we going to celebrate the promotion?”

— After we finish the plane crash case, we will definitely celebrate — the doctor
replied.

— Great, I'm looking forward to it — Fang agreed as he stood up — I'll go now. If I

decide anything, I'll come back to consult with you. Thank you very much, friend.

— Sure, anytime. I'm available.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 22

Baibua (ใบบัว) – Meaning: "lotus leaf". As the lotus is a symbolic plant in Thai
culture, representing purity and resilience.

----------------💀💀💀💀💀💀----------------

The image of the troubled mummified skull loomed large on the sixty-five-inch
television screen to the left of the physical anthropology lab. On the screen to the
right was the face of an unknown man, the skull’s owner, which had been
reconstructed by a 2-D modeling program. The lab manager sat, alternating
between looking up and down, in front of the autopsy table, preparing to separate
the bones of the plane crash victims.

Seven other victims remained to be identified and analyzed. Although some of the
victims could not have all of their remains taken home, there was uncertainty as to
the completeness of the remaining remains. Upon assessment of the situation, the
number of bones available seemed insufficient, due to the damage caused by the
explosion and the fall, which resulted in many of them being severely
compromised.

However, when it came to her role as an identification expert, Dr. Busaya could say
that she had done her best. Bua stared at the pile of bones on the table, alternating
her gaze between them and the image on the television. She had barely been able
to concentrate on her work these past few days. The story of the mysterious skull
had been playing in her mind incessantly, making her feel the need to display it on
the screen in the hope that something might be revealed.

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Phinya didn't seem bothered, but Bua knew she was probably thinking of ways to
get more information other than waiting for the police to help.

She didn’t want to think about the worst-case scenario: what if someone had
intentionally done this, and the origin of the body was unknown? Since there was
only one piece, there was no answer to that. But what if… the body of this unknown
man had been stolen from somewhere? Or, in the worst case scenario, what if it had
been brought in in an unnatural way, considering the state of the lower jaw, which
was significantly deformed?

Normally, fracture or deformation of the jaw does not occur easily. Without a
significant impact or blow, it would be unlikely for a fracture or dislocation to
occur, as it is quite resilient. When he used the facial modeling program to
calculate and create the image of the face, he noticed that there was a deviation
towards the right, originating from the fracture on the left side, with about a
centimeter of deviation in the lower jaw. This could have occurred during
transportation, but it was also possible that the person had been beaten before
death. Busaya let out a deep sigh at the thought...

Whatever the purpose for which this mummified skull had been created, it seemed
clear that it had been obtained illegally in some way. This could have been a
reflection of the words of his teacher, who used to say: “ Even the peace of the
departed is stolen. What kind of species are we? Have we evolved more than others to
do this to each other?”

It was really regrettable...

The lab chief tried to focus again, preparing to work on identifying the victims of
the plane crash. She reached out and picked up a pelvic bone, which she had not
yet been able to find.

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Before starting to measure, Bua positioned the bone. By carefully observing the
subpubic angle on both the left and right sides, which were greater than ninety
degrees, she was able to conclude that it was a female body. On the fateful flight,
there were three passengers identified as women. One of them had already been
recognized at the scene of the accident, as her body was not badly damaged, and
her face was still usable for confirming her identity.

There were only two left, and they remained unidentified. The problem was that
the pelvic bone found appeared to be that of a woman, but there was only one
piece recovered from the accident site. This meant that there would be a young
woman who would return home without all her fragments, a reality that Bua did
not like at all.

However, she also understood that this was the kind of work for forensic
anthropology does. Sometimes the truth that comes out of it can be heartbreaking.
After measuring the angle and dimensions, and taking photos of the pelvic bone,
Bua moved on to the arm bone. It looked large and robust in size, and from visual
assessment, she guessed it belonged to a rather tall man.

Why the mummified skull was on the plane remained the biggest question,
perhaps as big as why the charter flight to Paris had ended in tragedy. The next
question was: why was only the skull on board the plane, and where were the other
parts?

Phinya had already said that in many cases, if there were a sale, the entire body
would have a much higher market value. The price could increase ten to twenty
times if an entire piece were sold. Furthermore, no one who sold it would be
interested in separating the parts, as the value would drop drastically.

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But who would be crazy enough to transport an entire body on an international plane
to sell? The more he thought about it, the more questions popped into his mind.

After a few moments, the owner of the thought Bua had just remembered walked
through the door with a tense expression, holding some documents. Phinya didn’t
even look up at the hallway, concentrating on reading the content on the paper in
her hands.

—What brought you here, boss? — asked Bua.

“Did the police send any news?” Phinya asked, still not looking.

“There’s nothing new,” Bua replied. “But they probably can’t say much anyway,
since they’re still in the process of investigating. As for the face of the unknown
man we sent, we don’t have anything concrete yet. Besides, I already had to send
the mummified skull to the police. It’s now evidence in the missing person case. Do
you need anything to check? If not, I can ask the professor to hold it until we can
send it back along with the last body found.”

— You've already done the reconstruction, but you can keep it in case you need to
check anything — Phinya said in a neutral voice.

— I'm still puzzled by the ribs that have impact marks. What happened on the plane
before the crash? — Bua asked.

— Have you found similar marks on other bones?

— I haven't seen anything yet

— I'm starting to wonder about our mummified skull too. It's here, but where are
the other parts? — Phinya commented.

— That's right — Bua agreed.

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“This morning I tried to find more information about the passengers on the
internet. I found some interesting people,” he said. Then he handed the documents
to Bua, who read them excitedly for about three or four minutes.

— Wow... there are as many businessmen as antique dealers here — Bua observed.

— I'm seeing if a friend can see if there was an exhibition or event in Paris the week
of the accident — Phinya replied.

“Do you know what I think when I see these names and professions along with the
evidence we found?” Phinya asked. Bua just shook her head in response.

“The black market,” Phinya continued, leaning against a shelf of tools behind her.
“When I was there, the first person you contacted was always a middleman. These
people get the news faster than anyone else, and they contact you behind your
back to make deals. Sometimes they even end up getting to know the workers
there. If they’ve been in the same place for months, they end up seeing these faces
every month.”

Bua listened attentively, before looking at Phinya.

— Maybe what disappeared from the workplace wasn't a robbery. If any worker
disappeared along with the items, it's this guy.

— If the remains that are being bought and sold are still breathing, that's no
different from human trafficking — Bua commented — But the world is funny...
When someone dies, the price is higher than when they're alive. People's lives have
reached a point where they seem to have no value at all.

Bua let out a heavy sigh.

— Not even the dead are spared... That reconstruction was done, wasn't it?

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Phinya gestured to the skull, which he had asked Bua to reconstruct, and the
misshapen jaw was set.

“What did you use to make this?” she asked, noticing that the replica was cleaner
and whiter than the original.

— Latex molding rubber — Bua replied, while Phinya nodded.

— And why is it on a stand?

— I put it up there in case anyone feels inspired to shape their face — Bua replied.

— Ha ha... — Phinya laughed, her eyes were shining — I want to see!

— Just in case, Dr. Phinya. We don't have time now — Bua replied — Don't get so
excited, you've seen so much that you must be tired

— Who said that? — Phinya defended herself — Making a 3D face from a skull is not
something easy to find, because they use holograms now. Skill and patience make
them have different values

— I studied a little, but I'm not an expert. In practice, I've only done it once — Bua
commented modestly — And I haven't done it for a long time

“Let’s see,” Phinya replied.

— Hey... I heard that in ancient Europe they used to eat mummy remains as
medicine. Is that true? — Bua started a conversation, while continuing to work in
front of her.

— That’s true. But I’ve never seen anyone actually eat it. I’ve only seen pictures of
recipes on walls preserved in museums.

— And today, does it still exist?

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— No, because tea is rare. If there were tea for sale like before, I don't think there
would be any left.

— Humans are a strange species — Bua commented nonchalantly — They even eat
the tea of the dead

— Look at the Homo lineage, and you'll see — Phinya said, as she stood next to Bua
and began to put on gloves — Where has our species gone and where will it end up?

— The human species? Where will it end? It won’t end, not as long as we continue
to be so greedy. Evolution follows greed. Millions of years ago, we could only grab
branches with both hands, our thumbs weren’t flexible. Look at us now, doing
math, precise calculations! — Bua opined, continuing — We started out as animals,
primates, no, we weren’t far behind single-celled beings. In the beginning, we
walked on all fours, resting only our knuckles on the ground, our spines parallel to
the ground. Later, we adapted and became bipeds, walking upright, running fast,
with three-dimensional vision. The brain and nervous system have evolved so
much that somehow, our species won’t disappear so easily. Even if an extinction
happens, another, even more advanced one will soon emerge... In fact, I think that
ambition is what drives and makes the species constantly evolve and adapt. As you
said, the brain has developed and become more intelligent, but also more
exploratory — said Bua.

— Like I said, right? — Phinya laughed, unable to deny it — Actually, that's why I
understood the teacher and decided to come back.

Phinya’s words made Bua look at her carefully behind her square-framed glasses.

— If she knew, she would be very happy — Bua said, smiling.

— Knowledge can be acquired, but it is rare to find people who value experience
more than academic recognition or money. These days, that is quite hard to find. —
Then she turned to Bua: — Actually, there are other reasons too.
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— I thank you for coming back, Phinya — Bua suddenly said, smiling.

— I'm also happy to be back

The sound of the door opening caused the two women to refocus on the work in
front of them. It was Fang, who walked through the door with a folder of
documents in her hand.

— Phinya! — she called — I saw you were here. The teacher is not here, I need your
signature

She handed the documents to Phinya, who had already removed the glove from his
right hand and accepted the papers.

— Are you going to ask for a loan or something? — Bua commented — With
Phinya's signature, you can even get a guarantor for the loan

“That’s funny, Baibua,” Fang immediately replied. “What about the Germany trip?
Or do you want to go somewhere else? I can take a look.” Phinya asked Fang as she
looked through the documents, and then remembered that she hadn’t brought a
pen. Then, she reached out and touched Bua’s shoulder, making her turn around.

“Can I borrow a pen?” Phinya asked, waving at the pen that was tucked into the
pocket of Bua’s white lab coat.

“I’m wearing gloves, it’s going to get dirty,” Bua said, as the pen’s owner walked
away. Phinya approached and took the pen from the back pocket of her lab coat,
making Fang raise his eyebrows at the familiarity between the two friends.

— Next time, bring yours — Bua joked.

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“It’s just a loan, no need to be jealous,” Phinya said, looking around before finding
a suitable place to sign the documents. Fang watched the two of them curiously.

— I'm not going anymore. My boyfriend wouldn't let me — she answered the
previous question — So I'm thinking about choosing between Germany or my
boyfriend

Fang said this in an almost provocative manner, but his expression was not funny.

— Then choose Germany and find a new boyfriend there — Bua suggested.

— Good idea, Boo! What useful advice. That’ll make the two of them fight — Phinya
commented, distracted.

— Fang is not like you — Bua retorted — Who has been to a lot of places and has not
managed to win over anyone

— Seriously? You really couldn’t win anyone over? Think carefully before you
speak.

— At least I didn't meet anyone

— I'd rather stay and be like you — Fang said, listening to the conversation between
the two friends.

“What does it mean to become ‘like us’?” Bua asked, as she accepted back the pen
Phinya had taken and put it in the back pocket of her white coat.

— Beautiful and single

— Don't include me in that, no — Bua replied quickly, before she turned around,
almost breaking her neck to look, while giving him a warning look.

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— If you let this one go, I think you'll lose your chance at having children, Fang.
You're already getting old — Phinya, who spoke with the best of intentions, tried to
correct: — I mean, if you plan on having children.

— Having children is good, but nowadays not having children is also good — Bua
said, shrugging — If you don't want to have children, that's fine — Fang said

— I already told you not to include me in this — Bua repeated the same sentence —
And why are you saying that? Phinya may simply not have anyone interested in her

— Really? — Phinya replied defiantly — Do you really think so, Bua?

Bua's teasing and Phinya's response made Fang look at them, intrigued by the
dynamic between the two.

— I'm just saying what I see

Shovel!

“Hey, wait a minute!” Bua yelled as Phinya hit her in the shoulder before she could
dodge. In response, she used the tip of her foot, a round-toed shoe, to lightly kick
Phinya in the shin.

— Boo!

— You started it!

Then, Bua picked up the rubber mallet that was lying next to the stretcher and
pointed it at Phinya, who was standing with her hands on her hips, pointing back at
her.

— Hey! Move back! — Fang, who had always been the mediator since college days,
quickly intervened — Boo, back up!

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—But that idiot started first! — Bua argued, turning to face her rival.

— You provoked it first, Bua!

— You guys fight all the time. Be careful... you'll soon end up together! — Fang's
calm voice commented, before noticing that her friends were looking at each other
with hatred — Be careful, Doctors!

— What? Who's going to end up with who? I told you not to include me! — Bua
shouted, as Fang walked away from the lab.

— Shut up, Bua! — Fang heard Phinya's voice resound as he left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 23

Doctor Phinya stopped in front of the laboratory head’s office at the Institute of
Biological Anthropological Research before knocking on the door a few times, but
there was no answer. Upon realizing this, she decided to open the door and enter.
She found the owner of the office fast asleep in her chair, her face resting on a
pillow on top of the laptop desk. Her square glasses were next to her, and she was
still wearing her long white lab coat.

Phinya smiled before closing the door. Then she walked over and crouched down
in front of Bua who was sleeping peacefully. She was very tired, it was already close
to the end of the day, and she had just finished a class for the students about
fifteen minutes ago, after a long day of work dedicated to identification.

One of Phinya's hands rested on Bua's shoulder. "Sleepyhead," she said in her
deep voice, calling out, "Working hours are over," but there was no sign of an
answer. "Bualoy."

— Uhm... — The sleepy voice was heard, turning his face to the opposite side while
still keeping his head on the table — I just need a minute to rest my eyes

— Go back to sleep in your room

— You can go first, I'll meet you there — Then she reached into her pants pocket
and handed her class card to Phinya, who accepted it and left it on the table next to
her notebook — You can go first

— Hey... how do you hand over your class card like that, Bualoy?

— Uhm — and then it was silent again.

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— Boo — This time, the tone of voice sounded firmer — Go back to your room, eat
something and then sleep

— Uhm — After nodding, she sat down and kept her eyes still closed, looking
sleepy.

— Go ahead! I already ordered food through the app

— Tonight, I want to sleep — Bua said, looking up and looking at Phinya who was
standing with a pleading look — And tomorrow, I want to come with you

1— I'm not ordering you to do anything — Upon hearing this, Bua quickly stood up
and began to undo the buttons of the lab coat, which she was wearing awkwardly
— Come — Phinya offered to help, while Bua raised her hands to rub her eyes,
making a sleepy sound.
Phinya gently lifted Bua’s blouse and took it off, placing it on the chair. Then, he
lifted his fingers to brush a few strands of hair from her face and placed his glasses
on her nose. His thin lips gently touched her forehead, which made a soft
murmuring sound. Phinya gently pulled away a moment later.

— Are you tired?

— Uhm... — Bua replied in her usual way — I'm more sleepy than tired

— I know, you're always sleepy

— Lately, people have been making me sleep little.

— So tonight, I'll just hold you to sleep

— Who said I want to hug you? — Bua asked in a sleepy voice.

— Are you sleepy and still want to start a fight?

1— If you want to hug me, just say so.

— I never wanted to just hug you, Bualoy. I want to do much more than that.
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— Uhm — After saying that, she let herself fall, leaning her forehead against the
shoulder that supported her — Phinya — Bua's voice sounded against her shoulder.

— Huh?
“Thank you.” Although she seemed a little confused from sleep, Bua said clearly.
“No matter what your role here is, I really want you to know that I’m grateful.” This
caused Phinya to wrap both arms around her.
— No matter what role you give me, I'll accept it, Bua — Phinya said — Come on,
let's go to the room. We'll talk about this tomorrow

-------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀-------------------

“Bua.” Phinya’s voice made Bua turn her head. Fang joined them in the hallway,
heading towards the workroom on the third floor. Bua was reading research papers
on the morphological structure of the tail and limbs of tailless apes, while holding a
gorilla skull that seemed to be baring its teeth.

— What are you doing, friend? New toy? — Fang commented when he saw what
Bua was holding — Did you just arrive?

— Yes — Bua confirmed — I'm teaching a class about it this afternoon, so it'll be
good to have it here.

— The students are watching. What do you have?

— Why did you come with Phinya today?

The question made Bua stop abruptly and turn her face to look at her friend behind
her square glasses, her expression a little pale. The sleepiness she felt before
disappeared in an instant.

“Who came with Phinya?” She retorted, trying to keep her expression neutral.

— I'm asking you! Why are you asking me back? — Fang said — I saw you get out of
Phinya's car in the parking lot
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Fang had seen her, even though she had made an effort to be discreet.

— You might have seen wrong. That idiot might be with someone

— Boo

— And why couldn't I be with Phinya? — This question made Fang narrow his eyes
to which Bua retorted.

— I think you two have been acting strangely, like you're suddenly close and
looking at each other differently.

— Looking differently? — The doctor asked back — In what way? Explain to me,
please

— I notice Phinya has been looking at you

— That idiot might just be staring at me because she's looking for a femur to beat
me up with — Bua defended herself in a low voice.

1—I don't think that's it—Fang rushed to say—Her gaze seems more like she wants
to devour you.
— Devour... my head?

— Devouring doesn't exactly mean eating the head or the food — Fang explained —
It's more like... taking a bite

1“Didn’t you get enough sleep last night, or haven’t you slept at all?” After saying
that, Bua gestured to take off his glasses and offer them to Fang. “I’m getting old. I
spend all day reading ATCG DNA sequences, and now my eyesight is getting weak.
Here, borrow these.”
— And you have a sharp tongue — Fang said, pushing Bua's hand that was holding
the glasses away — I'm the same age as you, and you're already wearing glasses —

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Fang continued to look suspiciously — Do you have something you're not telling
me?

— What do you mean by that?

— That you are coming to work together

“You’re thinking too much. Phinya just saw me coming here and gave me a ride.”
Bua’s voice became slightly high-pitched, revealing her agitation. She wasn’t ready
for anyone to know about her relationship with Phinya yet, as she wasn’t sure what
she thought of her.
It would be hard to say that she wasn’t confused about the situation. In fact, she
still wasn’t sure where this was all headed. If she declared herself too much… she
didn’t know how this would end.

— But if it were the old Phinya, she would have stepped over your foot — the future
doctor said, as if she already knew everything — Since when did you two become
so close?

1— Who is close to whom?

— Fang! — The subject shouted behind them. Then Phinya approached — The
money to send the samples to the laboratory in Japan has already been approved
by the professor. I will send the documentation by email

— Finally! It's taking a while because Dunk hasn't shown up. It'll take a month to
send it and wait for the results — Fang exclaimed happily, looking at her two
colleagues alternately — So, you two aren't having anything with each other, right?

— Is there something? — Phinya's voice expressed confusion upon hearing the

previous question — What do you mean?

— It's nothing! — Bua replied, with a higher and more suspicious tone of voice — If I
said it doesn't exist, then it doesn't exist!

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Then she reiterated, “Today, Dr. Phinya was nice and gave me a ride.”

— If in this life I can see you two getting along, even if I don't have children, I can
die peacefully — Fang said, placing his hand on his chest, showing relief.

— Who? — Bua asked, looking at the vice principal who was still there, trying to
understand the conversation — No, we are not getting along. Anyway, I'm going
now. I need to review the gorilla skull before class — With that, she quickly left the
room.

— What’s going on? — Now it was Phinya who asked Fang

— I told Bua I saw you two together when I arrived

— Did you see?

Fang nodded.

— Yeah, I saw it in the parking lot in front of the building.

— So? — Phinya asked.

— I just wanted to know if you guys have anything you haven't told me.

— And what did Bua say?

— She said there's nothing wrong with that.

— Then there is no

— So, what's going on between you two? — Fang asked again — If you're getting
along, then great. That way I don't have to feel uncomfortable in front of you
anymore, because I don't know which side to take when you start fighting. I'm tired
of having to separate you two.

— And weren't you on her side from the beginning? — Phinya asked — Either way, I
always end up being the villain

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— Before, yes — Fang admitted easily — But now you're my boss, so it gets
complicated. And another thing, Phinya... — Fang lowered his voice to a whisper —
Haven't you ever noticed that when you're with Bua, you act differently?

— Different how?

“Even though I graduated later than you, I’ve seen a lot of life,” Fang said, smiling
proudly at herself. “And I’ve known you for years. Back when we went to the
countryside, we ate and slept together.” Then she reached out and touched
Phinya’s shoulder. “If it’s nothing illegal, I promise I’m a good friend. If you need
help, just let me know.”

— Can we continue this conversation in my office? It’s not very convenient here

Fang just nodded and followed Phinya to the fifth floor.

— I want your opinion on something — the owner of the room sat on the chair and
gestured, inviting Fang to sit — Hmm... how do I start talking?

— You like Bua, don’t you? — However, the one who got straight to the point was
Fang.

“Is it that obvious?!” This made Phinya exclaim in a loud voice, with an expression
of disbelief.

2— You devour her with your eyes practically every day. You two don't get along,
but I see you two together all the time and I see her following you. You're not going
to attack her, are you? — Fang asked.
— The problem is... I don't know what Bua thinks. I have no idea — Phinya replied.

— I noticed... She changed the subject so quickly when I caught her in the act —
The future doctor commented — But that's understandable. Let me tell you,
friend... that woman will never open her mouth to say anything unless she's sure —
Fang commented, knowing Bua well, more than anyone else in her class — Besides

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being excellent at sleeping, she's more stubborn than anyone I know — This made
Phinya nod, letting out a sigh of concern, before Fang continued.

— And it's you, Phinya, the person she's always competed with. Bua always
thought you were better than her. Who would have thought that someone like that
would want something serious? Trust me, even if you tell her this directly, if she's
not ready to believe it, she simply won't believe it.

— I know that things started to go wrong between me and Bua — Phinya said in a
tone that showed her insecurity and slight nervousness.

— You were competing to see who was the favorite, everyone knows that — Phinya
nodded when she heard that — It's a common thing among nerds

— I don't know what to do

“And where have you two gotten to?” Fang asked in a neutral tone, but Phinya just
looked at her before biting her lips, not knowing how to answer that question
without exposing Bua. “It seems like you’ve gone too far,” Fang said, knowing the
truth, before seeing Phinya nod slightly. “And how much time do you spend
together? Well... it must be more than before,” Fang answered ambiguously.
“Hmm,” Fang agreed thoughtfully. “Since you came back, I’ve seen you two
together a lot. Compared to before, you worked at separate desks, and when there
was an argument, you were like boxers waiting to get back into the ring. But now,
even though you’re on different floors, I almost always see you together and never
far from each other. In the lab, in the workroom, in the meeting room, you keep
looking at each other, especially you, Phinya.”

— Why are you paying so much attention to this?

— If I hadn't noticed, I wouldn't have known — Fang replied.

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— But I feel like Bua is closer to me than before, but when I start talking about it,
she changes the subject and doesn't talk to me. If it were before, when I tried to
provoke her, she would stand on the other side of the room and stare at me,
answering me right away — Phinya let out a long, heavy sigh — If she gave me a
shovel and hit me right in the face, I would feel better than when she pretends she
doesn't know anything, as if she were pushing me away from her — Her face
showed sadness as she said these words — I don't know what to do

— Do you intend to take this seriously?

— I don't dare to think too far ahead, because I'm afraid the final choice won't be
mine — Phinya's voice became low, almost like a whisper — What do you think I
should do?

— If you want to develop the relationship, I say you have to take risks and show
your commitment — Fang suggested — Take care, give support and... — She
stopped to think — I don't know if you've thought about it to this point... but if one
day that happens... love a lot

— Love?

— Yes — Fang confirmed — Understand, trust, and most importantly, accept,

especially regarding her abilities, because she always thought she was inferior to
you in that aspect — This made Phinya look at Fang.

“I already accept that,” the vice principal said. “Even back then, I never doubted
her abilities. That’s why I was afraid she would excel more than me.”

— So you were looking for trouble with her the whole time?

—That's more or less it — Phinya agreed.

— So, don’t just talk, show her. You need to remember that you didn’t start out
knowing each other like normal people, or as friends, but as if one of you was

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holding a hoe and the other a shovel, ready to attack and provoke each other,
competing to be the star of the field. In this... between you and Bua, everything
started with distrust and fear from the beginning, especially for those who think
they are inferior. Bua has always thought that way. She may even think that you are
being nice to her because you are waiting for the opportunity to attack her behind
her back, as if you were just going to make her feel good and then leave her behind.
Do you understand that?

— That's it! — Phinya exclaimed — Bua always says that I'm just a spoiled girl, and
that when I stop being spoiled, she thinks I'll leave, because she suspects that one
day I'll leave her

— This girl is sleeping so much she's going crazy — Fang nodded — If she's not
looking for a place to sleep, she spends the whole day memorizing theories like a
crazy person. I really have a headache because of you two. Before, you were almost
killing each other and now you're eating each other. Why did you come here? To
swim and die on the beach? — Fang complained in a low voice — I already
suspected it, I saw you two looking at each other several times. And did you see it?
When I asked her directly, she still dodged, didn't want to admit it and just fooled
me

— Don't tell Bua that I'm talking to you about this.

— Why not? Are you afraid of her or something? — Fang asked back — You're in
love, right? I can tell when you look at her

The previous words left Phinya red-faced.

— Phinya... Phinya, this is what we call karma. You tied a knot with Bua and now
you can't untie it. So be careful. Don't tie it any tighter and take the solution of this
knot seriously. This is the price you have to pay for what you've already done to
her. So make an effort, be honest and give yourself time to gain her trust.

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Phinya nodded attentively as she listened, until Fang continued, “And seriously, as
a friend, are you thinking of getting revenge on her, Phinya?”

— I admit that in the past I may have acted very badly — Phinya's voice was full of
sincerity — But now it's not like that anymore, and I feel bad every time I think
about the things I've done to hurt her.

— If you feel guilty, have you apologized to her?

— Excuse me? — Phinya repeated the word, frowning.

— Yes, apologize for everything that has happened so far. Apologize to show that
you are no longer the Phinya you used to be. Apologize to show that you are
willing. Don't forget that you made Bua be investigated by the faculty. You know
that accusations of plagiarism or copying work are a serious violation of ethics and
are unacceptable in academia, especially at our university. The punishment is
severe because, if she were found guilty, she could even be expelled. It's already
great that she can still at least look at you — Fang explained — By apologizing, you
are acknowledging, no matter how she is, and understanding that her feelings are
more important than yours. Do you understand that?

1“I think I can understand, thank you very much, Fang,” Phinya replied. Now that
she thought about it, she had never apologized to Bua even once.
— So why did you come back to mess with her of all places? You've traveled to so
many places — the question made Phinya let out a soft laugh — Wasn't there any
woman that pleased you out there?

— I don’t know, I didn’t like it — the doctor said, shrugging her shoulders — My
English isn’t that good

— And you end up liking the girl who only sleeps, don't you? The teacher will
scream with joy! You two are her favorites, I'll tell you that! — Fang said

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enthusiastically — If you need anything, just let me know. Don't let me or the
teacher down.

— You're exaggerating. The teacher takes care of all the students.

— It's normal for a teacher to have favorite students to continue her work with —
Fang retorted — And the teacher chose the right people. I myself don't know if,
when I'm done, I'll continue down that path. Sometimes I feel like I've had enough
because I've been doing this for a long time and I want to do other things.

— Don't abandon me, okay? The Bioanthropology course is the best there is!

— New students will soon appear to replace you — Fang said as he stood up — So,
don't forget to send me the approval document for my budget, Dr. Phinya. I need
to get something to eat. Today I'm going to have a long day, between lab and
progress report

— Okay, thank you very much, Fang.

— Hang in there, okay? If she gets too carried away, you just have to find a way and
resolve it soon. I'm rooting for you two. It really had to be this way. I still want to
see the day when you two are ready to tell the teacher. Just imagining her face
makes me laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 24

Phinya entered the physical anthropology laboratory room inside the research
building and saw the head of the laboratory standing in front of a platform with a
mummified skull, made of latex rubber and molded in a clean white, while Bua, did
not turn to look at the visitor.

In the center of the skull's forehead was a white pin with the number 8 written on
it, stuck in a single place. This area was known as the Glabella point, which is the
most prominent point on the face where the line between the eyebrows meets the
vertical line down the middle of the face. She needed to mark all of these points, at
least sixteen in total, to determine the depth of the tissues and muscles before
beginning the molding.

The reference points that Bua was marking were known as osteometric markers,
which are used to define the thickness and depth of muscles and tissues in each
bone. Just like the skull, the other bones in the body such as the bones of the arms,
legs or any other bone also have these markers as reference points,

Each bone acts as a support and attachment point for muscles, as well as tendon
tissue, which are visible to the naked eye on bones that have been properly
cleaned. When an unknown skull is found, facial reconstruction becomes
necessary. These landmarks must be used to determine the placement of the
different muscle groups to ensure that the reconstruction is ethnically accurate
and that the resulting face is as realistic as possible.

Particularly in cases where a face may be needed to identify the criminal, each
point of the face varies between different ethnicities. Next to the skull platform was
a tray of modeling clay.
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“Has it started yet?” Phinya asked from behind, before Bua turned around and
nodded.

— It will take a few weeks, I want to do it gradually, I don't want it to affect the work
time, because anyway we already have a 2D mold. If not, it will just be double the
work. For now, I will focus on the deeper muscles — Bua explained — Do you have
something in mind?

— I had something to discuss, but I can wait another hour until the end of the
workday. I'd rather just watch you model.

— No, I don't want anyone watching. It makes me nervous — Bua replied, as she
pressed the tablet she had in her hands. In a short time, the image of the muscles
of the face appeared on the screen of the monitor mounted above — You can talk

“Can I just watch in silence?” The question made Bua raise an eyebrow before she
absently used the back of her hand to adjust her glasses. “It’s just that I like
watching you work.” Phinya then jumped up to sit on top of the waist-high storage
shelf located behind her.

— We've been working at the same table for three years, Phinya.

— Yes, — confirmed the vice-principal — It's strange that I've never seen how
fascinating you are.

1The praise, said in a deep tone, made Bua's heart race, and she felt a sudden heat
on her face.
— Maybe I just took a while to realize it
— Then I won't do anything else. I'll just tidy up and call it a day — Bua pretended,
changing the subject as if she was afraid Phinya would say something she wasn't
ready to hear or respond to yet — With the boss here watching, I can't think of
anything

—But this is your lab. Here, you are the boss.

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— Do you want to take on the role of lab chief as well? Are you interested?

— Don't put that responsibility on me.

— Who's taking responsibility? It's not me!

— What else do you have that you haven't thrown at me yet, Baibua? — Phinya
asked, as she jumped down from the bookshelf and supported herself, putting her
hands in her pants pockets — Ever since you became the boss here, you promised
to help with the projects and publications, and now you still want me to take over
as lab chief?

— You need to make up for the time you were away, I couldn't sleep because of it —
Bua countered — Besides, now you're messing up my sleep again

— In order for me to work, I need something in return — Phinya replied

— Besides, you didn't go down to help identify the victims of the plane crash, you
know? You were hired just to act like a hottie at work, weren't you?

— Didn't you know that you're the boss here? You're an expert in physical
anthropology. The job of identifying victims is yours — Phinya answered quickly —
When the accident happened, the teacher called me just to help — Those words
made Bua frown.

— Wait a minute! — Bua exclaimed, surprised — So the teacher knew you were
coming back?

- Yes

— I don't understand — said Busaya's soft voice — Did the teacher always know
where you were?

— I got in touch about a year after I went to England — the vice-principal explained
— To apologize and to help raise funds here to make things up to us.

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— Why didn't the teacher ever say that?

— She must have thought you didn't like me very much, that's why she didn't say
anything.

— So you decided to tell me everything when you invited me to be a researcher? It

was a surprise to celebrate my graduation, right? Wow, no pressure. You didn't say
anything about the accident either.

— And I should talk to your shovel, is that it? — Phinya joked — You didn't even
want to look at my face

— You said you only came to help on that specific occasion.

— Yes — Dr. Phinya nodded — At first, I really only came to help because I didn't
want to upset the teacher — She then met Bua's gaze — But I'm glad I made that
decision — A subtle smile appeared on her face.

— I thank you too, because if it weren't for you, I would be screwed.

— See? So I'm not here just to look pretty at the institute. After all, just by standing
still, I'm already beautiful.

— If you think so, then sleep well and have sweet dreams — the head of the
laboratory said, waving her hands — Pack your things and wait for me in the office.
As soon as I finish cleaning the instruments, I will call you and in the morning you
will come down to help

- It's OK

-------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀-------------------

“Have any old things or antique items been coming in here lately, the unofficial
kind?” Phinya asked one quiet evening after dinner at Bua’s apartment, as she

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leaned on the long sofa next to the room’s owner, who was preparing her classes
for the next two days.
— What kind of unofficial things?

— Like the ones the institute hasn't registered yet — Phinya explained — Is there
anything the teacher asked for help with?

— Nothing special. I just asked them to register when things arrived here. We have
the Homo habilis skeleton from Kenya that should arrive within two weeks and a
replica of an ape skull that is being made. I don't know when that will arrive, we've
been waiting for almost six months.

“Is it the real Homo habilis?” Phinya’s voice sounded a little surprised, and her eyes
widened. Bua nodded and took a sip of water.

— He comes from the University of Nairobi, we have a partnership, the professor

has a friend there. I heard that next year they will start sending students to observe
Southeast Asian culture, but they haven't sent anything yet.

— And what do you have now that has not yet been registered?

— There's a Neanderthal skeleton. I'm waiting for the number to put in the display
case. Why are you asking? — Bua narrowed her eyes, looking suspiciously — What
are you planning?

— Don't you want to know about the mummy?

But the answer was just a question.

— And does that have anything to do with these things?

— I want to lend it to sell

— Lend it to sell?! — Bua repeated, incredulous — What does this have to do with
the mummy you mentioned?

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— Don't you trust me?

“Are you trustworthy?” Bua’s direct question made Phinya hesitate, remembering
the conversation she had with Fang the day before.

Phinya couldn’t deny this truth. And the situation wasn’t anyone’s fault. As she told
Fang, the beginning between her and Bua had always been rocky. Ever since they
met as PhD students more than five years ago, until this moment, the relationship
between the two could be called quite a peculiar beginning.

She had never imagined that the story between them would take such an
unexpected turn. More than that, the feelings she had for Bua were also
complicated. Who could have predicted that one day she would fall in love with
someone who had always been her rival, the same person who stood out as the
professor's "darling", the one with whom she competed to be the star of the field,
who exchanged victories and defeats in research and seminars without giving in an
inch.

Although they never fought seriously enough to break off relations, they often
attacked each other with words, throwing tools at each other, and exchanging
barbs that were intended to make the other feel defeated.

Even though the beginning of their relationship was strange, their last encounter
was even more chaotic, ending in a bed and without clothes. She knew there was
something more than friendship between her and Bua, but nothing beyond that,
except for the feelings she carried.

Phinya didn’t know what Bua thought about what had happened between them,
and perhaps she didn’t want to know. For her, just the fact that Bua didn’t reject
her was enough. She herself was beginning to realize that the person who had once
fought to win over Bua had now become extremely modest about their
relationship.

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If Bua still didn’t trust her, as Fang had suggested, that was inevitable. Phinya had
caused enough hurt, especially by causing Bua to face an ethics investigation for
allegations of plagiarism and research appropriation. If the paper were published,
that investigation could prevent publication.

Furthermore, being suspended from her course and delaying the submission of her
doctoral work was a huge risk. If the dean had considered the situation critical, Bua
might not have become the Dr. Busaya she was today. Phinya’s actions were
coming back to haunt her, and Bua still felt suspicious and paranoid.

She didn't know how to solve the most difficult equation of her relationship with
Bua. Maybe time would be the best answer. Time would prove that she was no
longer the Phinya obsessed with winning over Bua, but rather a Phinya willing to
give in, only if Bua asked her to. She was trying to show that, and she hoped, from
the bottom of her heart, that Bua would notice.

“I didn’t mean to say that,” Bua’s soft voice said hesitantly. Even if she said she
wasn’t thinking about anything other than friendship at the moment, it would be a
lie. She didn’t want to hurt Phinya’s feelings with words that the two of them had
used against each other before. “I mean…”

— Bua — The name left her lips with palpable seriousness, causing Bua to look into
Phinya's eyes — Listen to me — Phinya's left hand rose to hold the other side's face,
while her thumbs gently touched below Bua's eyes — I... I'm sorry for everything
that happened

— I also need to apologize for feeling this way — Bua replied, trying to look away by
lowering her head, but was stopped by Phinya's hand holding her face.

— It's my fault for not trusting you... and yet acting like this towards you, leading to
all this. It feels like I'm manipulating you, Phinya.

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“You don’t have to worry about whether you’re manipulating me or not. And you
should also give yourself time to figure it out, okay?” Phinya’s words were soft and
reassuring, and the small smile on her lips made Bua’s heart race. “I’ll wait until
you’re ready to decide.”

— I don't want you to wait — Bua said what she always felt — Because I don't know
when this feeling will go away. If you ever want to go, Phinya, you can leave here at
any time

— Feeling suspicious of me is your choice, but staying here is my choice. I decide

that alone.

— Phinya...

— I'm serious, so stop trying to get me a woman — Phinya's voice was firm —
Because I don't care about that

— I'm sorry, Phinya — Tears began to run down Bua's face, but were quickly wiped
away by Phinya's fingers, who seemed to have been waiting for this moment — I
didn't want to feel like I couldn't trust you

— I've done a lot for you, so I understand — Then, Phinya's thumb gently ran down
the thin lips he knew so well, followed by a kiss.

Bua let herself fall onto the couch, giving in to the feelings she had. Although she
knew that she had thought of the person in front of her as something more than a
friend for a long time—perhaps since that first night—a certain distrust still lingered
in her heart.

It was a feeling generated by old memories between her and Phinya, making Bua
feel uncomfortable about holding her. Or even if she loved her, it was a form of love
that was not entirely happy or fulfilled.

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She needed to get those feelings out of the way first, she needed to erase the
mistrust before she could share her own feelings. Whenever Phinya tried to broach
the subject, Bua would often deflect, hoping that Phinya would get tired and go
away on her own. Sometimes, it was hard to believe that someone like Phinya
would be interested in someone as insecure as her, who had always felt inferior
compared to someone so capable.

— If I wanted to borrow the Neanderthal, would you? — The teasing request

whispered in her ear made Bua laugh until she cried, but she didn't wait for an
answer before kissing Phinya again.

— Ask your mommy to lend it to you — Bua said, still smiling — I can't authorize it,
because it's not up to me — Before Bua could finish speaking, Phinya leaned over
and kissed her chin — What are you thinking of doing?

— I just want to know if, besides the victims of the plane crash, there are more
people involved in this. If we wait for the police to act, I'm afraid it will take too
long. So, maybe we need to do something. After all, the information we found
involves both businessmen and antiquities traffickers. We can investigate whether
these people have anything to tell us. In fact, if they are relics related to Ancient
Egypt, I think that might make it easier to attract their interest.

—But is that a good idea, Phinya?

— I'm trying to think of the best strategy — he answered — If we think about the
worst-case scenario, looking at that skull we found, if there was someone who was
hurt or, even worse, used to...

“I don’t even want to think about it,” Bua interrupted, before Phinya’s lips pressed
against hers again, a few times, softly. Phinya then sat down. “But we can’t deny
that it’s a possibility. Doing something like that to a corpse is illegal anyway.”

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— It's complicated because to do mummification you need a body that has died
recently. That's why I don't want to leave this issue open for too long.

— I think there's something that could be useful if you borrow it. But you'll have to
ask the teacher — Bua suggested.

-------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀-------------------

— Where did you get this from? — the archaeological anthropology expert asked —
The scarab is not easy to find

— It must have been something someone sent as a souvenir when this place was
founded — said the head of the laboratory — It's very beautiful

The scarab was an insect similar in shape to a beetle, used in various amulets. The
Egyptians believed that it was related to the sun god (god Ra). They are often seen
in Egyptian paintings and can also be found in funerary texts, linked to rebirth.
Sometimes, these scarabs can be found positioned on the heart, which is removed
during the mummification process.

— It's just a suggestion, it doesn't mean I support this idea, Phinya — Bua added,
knowing full well what she was thinking of doing.

— It's just a possibility. For now, let's wait and see if the police can identify that
unknown man. If we know who he is, maybe we can get some information. Let's
hope luck is on our side.

— I think so too — Bua nodded — Don't act without thinking, otherwise I'll report
you to the teacher — Bua said, narrowing her eyes.

— Are you 5 years old or something to still be running off to tell mommy?

— No matter how old I am, I will rat you out

— I don't want to have a third mother

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“As you wish,” Bua said, shrugging, but had to let out a scream when Phinya’s arms
pulled her close.

— I want to have other things — After speaking, she placed her lips on Bua's cheek
— Hey... Bua

- There is?

— I'm no longer the Phinya you knew — Those words made Bua look up and meet
Phinya's eyes.

— I'll try to believe you, Phin. I want you to know that I'm trying to erase the bad
feelings I have towards you.

Phinya slowly rested his head on her shoulder and said, “Then I’ll wait for you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Episode 25

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Bualoy ( บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

-------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀-------------------

— Look... Today Dr. Phinya arrived early at the lab

The mocking voice of the head of the laboratory of the Bioanthropology Research
Institute rang out as she saw the deputy director enter through the door, wearing a
long white lab coat, who, as promised, would help identify the victims of the plane
crash that had occurred more than two months ago. So far, nine victims had been
identified.

— Why don't you go plant a banana tree, huh? — he said playfully.

As she passed by, Bua pretended to follow her suggestion and leaned forward as if
she were going to turn herself upside down. Phinya, realizing the joke, quickly
stretched out her leg so that Bua would trip, but then caught her before she fell.
Bua, agile, managed to dodge it by jumping in time.

— Phinya! If I fell and hit my head, what would I do?

— Simple, don't fall with your head. Try to fall with your mouth. Maybe that way
you'll stop talking a little — Phinya replied, before heading to the stainless steel
bench, where several bones were still organized, he looked around before picking
up the humerus and starting his work.

She measured the length of the bone to use in calculating the height, which would
be compared with the victims' records.

— You can enter the numbers into the program — said Busaya, who was facing a
table where he was preparing a simulated skull for facial reconstruction — I have
already entered the formula to calculate the height

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— Are these formulas accurate when calculating using a single bone? I haven't used
them in a while — Phinya commented, as she saw Bua, leaning over, examining the
skull and the tablet screen, where the points for the facial reconstruction were
displayed.

— The most recent studies have a smaller margin of error. Calculating height based
on bones results in a difference of, at most, eight centimeters, but I still think it's a
large margin; I wish it were only five centimeters. Before, with a single bone, the
margin of error was ten to twelve centimeters. Now, they've reduced it a little. The
good thing is that there are more studies with Asian samples. But the accuracy
varies between men and women. For Asian women, the most accurate calculation
uses the humerus, and for men, the tibia (Tibia) is the most accurate.

— It's a good thing there are only a few victims left to identify.

Bua nodded and then took small white pins, the size of a phalanx, measured them,
and with a scalpel cut them to the desired size. With a black permanent ink pen, he
wrote the letter — H — and positioned the pin in the center of the eye socket, on
the line that demarcated the nose.

The next bone Phinya picked up was the left shoulder blade (scapula) of one of the
victims, completely clean, as the larvae had consumed all the tissue. A hole near
the center of the bone caught his attention.

— Bualoy, have you taken a look at this lot?

— Not yet, I was waiting for you — Bua replied, turning to meet Phinya's steady
gaze — This batch was cleaned by the larvae yesterday. I asked Aon to remove it
from the chamber and give it a final clean, but I haven't checked yet

“Then come and see this,” Phinya called, waving for Bua to come closer. “I’m sure
there was some kind of assault before the plane crash. And I think we can confirm

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that the mark on the rib bone is what I was thinking, even though we didn’t find the
weapon.”
“Gunshot,” Bua said immediately, understanding what Phinya was talking about.
She narrowed her eyes and looked closely at the small hole in the bone Phinya was
holding, clearly visible. “If something was strong enough to pierce the scapula and
make a round hole like that, I can’t think of anything else.”

— It is possible that a firearm was used up there.

— Let's calculate the height now. I want to know whose bone this is.

That statement made the vice principal move quickly. Phinya measured the bone
again to be sure before inputting all the numbers into the computer. After pressing
‘Enter’, within a few seconds the height of the victim, who owned that bone,
appeared on the screen.

— 181 centimeters, with a margin of error of up to 8 centimeters. This means that

the height varies between 173 and 189 centimeters — Bua explained, as she went
to pick up the file with the victims’ data. She quickly leafed through the file,
examining the information — We have two possible candidates. One is a male
passenger, 45 years old, 177 centimeters tall. The other is the main pilot, 183
centimeters tall, and he was 33 years old

— Let's take the bone for an X-ray to see if the bone plates are closing or
deteriorating. That way we can calculate the age and get a better idea of who it is
— suggested the doctor — Now we can start to understand what happened.

— There was a shooting before the plane crashed — Phinya added — The pilot may
have been injured or the aircraft may have suffered damage that caused it to lose
control. We need the police to investigate who had a gun and how they managed to
get it on board. But these bullet holes don’t tell the caliber, so it’s hard to confirm
without the gun at the crash site.

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— At that meeting there was also no report that weapons were found — Bua
informed — But if we found two bullet holes like that, we can conclude that it was a
shooting. I'll ask one more time to be sure.

“This flight is getting scarier and scarier,” Phinya commented thoughtfully. “And
everything seems extremely suspicious.”

— Have you talked to the teacher about the beetle?

— Not yet — Phinya replied shortly — I'm still deciding what to do.

“I don’t agree, just to be clear,” Bua said quickly, worried. “For me, it’s too
dangerous to take that kind of risk. Do you remember what happened when we
found those people at the accident site? I’m afraid the risk isn’t worth it.”

— I understand — Phinya replied — Give me some time to think of another solution

— Bua just nodded, relieved.

— What do we know so far?

— The plane crashed possibly due to a fight on board, with gunshot wounds on two
bones, one of which may be the pilot's. We have the mummified skull, made from
an unidentified male skull — Bua summarized — And this mummy was created for
some specific purpose and taken on the plane to be transported to Paris

— I'm waiting for information from a friend to find out if there was an event in Paris
at that time — Phinya added, before returning to focusing on the work in front of
her.

If no new work came up for Bua, the bodies of the plane crash victims would be
sent to the police for investigation, and soon they would be back home. However,
there was one person whose identity Bua prayed the police would be able to
uncover: the unknown man whose face had been recreated from that skull.

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Busaya stared at the mummified skull she had reconstructed. A feeling of sadness
washed over her, hard to explain. A question echoed in her mind: Who would do
something like this to another human being? Has humanity reached such a low
point?

When human life is assigned a monetary value, and even corpses are traded,
instead of being left to rest in peace for all eternity.

Busaya sighed deeply, exhausted, as she realized that there were strange people
out there, willing to turn corpses into mummies. She didn't even want to imagine
where they had brought those bodies from. She placed another white pin, with the
letter — M — in the lowest point of the lower jaw (Lowest point of mandible),
known in the field of facial reconstruction as — Menton —

She breathed heavily, feeling uneasy, as she concentrated on adjusting the

reference points to ensure that the facial recreation was as accurate and complete
as possible. At the very least, this would be a final service to the deceased.

Phinya’s phone’s ringtone rang, catching Bua’s attention. She saw her frown as she
stared at her phone screen for a moment.

— There was an antiques exhibition in Paris at the same time as the plane crash —
Phinya commented thoughtfully — I'm not very surprised

Bua approached.

— Is something wrong?

— My friend sent me information that there was an antiques exhibition at that time.
It was an exhibition — It was a private event, for invited guests only. But of course
there were a lot of millionaires showing off their collections — Phinya commented
authoritatively — The guests were all VIPs

— Have you ever been to any of these events?

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— Yes, once or twice. Some people wanted to take me into the world of the illegal
market, so they invited me to come and talk to them as an expert — she replied —
These events are like a gathering of children showing off their toys. And, of course,
that’s not all. In addition to the exhibition, there are exchanges, sales or auctions.
Money flows freely there.

—And did they manage to catch you? — Busaya asked jokingly, until Phinya looked
directly at her.

“What do you think?” Phinya asked back, narrowing her eyes. She knew that Bua
still held a certain level of distrust towards her, and rightly so, considering what
had happened between them in the past. Phinya didn’t blame anyone but herself.

— I don't know, that's why I asked.

— I am a person who does not let money buy me — She paused to breathe —
Unless it is a good amount

— I knew it! — Bua exclaimed — I imagined it

— Hey — Phinya answered seriously this time — If I was interested in money, I

wouldn't have come back here, Bualoy. Do you know how much they offered me to
get involved? The commission for each piece sold? Some pieces were worth more
than this entire building

“Then why did you come back?” Busaya asked without thinking much. However,
Phinya didn’t answer immediately. She just stared at Bua, her expression
unreadable.

— I hope, Bua, that one day you will find the answer to that question within
yourself. Because even if I told you, you wouldn't believe it.

“I already told you that you can leave if you want, didn’t I?” Bua’s calm voice broke
the silence that followed for a few moments. Phinya was quite certain that Bua had

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understood the meaning of her previous words. “I want you to go to a place where
you can be happy, without depending on someone else’s happiness or something
external.” Bua looked directly into Phinya’s eyes, noticing the hesitation in them.

“I won’t give up,” Phinya suddenly declared firmly. “I’ll show you that I’m not the
same Phinya I used to be. If I leave now, it would be like admitting defeat.”

— You still see this as a competition — Bua sighed — Feelings are not a matter of
competition or comparison, Phinya. There are no winners or losers in this

— Of course it does— Phinya retorted — I am proof of that myself. If it were the old
Phinya, I would have given up a long time ago.

— True — Bua agreed with a slight nod — And before I left, I would have made a
scene, as always — She laughed lightly — You've changed, I know. You've changed
a lot. You're more skilled, more mature, you think more before you act. You don't
freak out like before

This made Phinya lift her chin a little in pride.

— You better not end up falling in love with this new Phinya — she teased.

— You can keep dreaming — Bua replied, joking — What do you think we should do
now?

— Wait for the police and see what they find out — Phinya suggested — About the
gun or the unknown man

— It will probably be like that — Bua nodded — In the meantime, we can continue
with our work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 26

Bualoy ( บัวลอย) – Meaning: Refers to a traditional Thai dessert consisting of sticky

rice dumplings in coconut milk. It is a delicate name, usually associated with
something sweet and mild.

-------------------💀💀💀💀💀💀-------------------

“Hi, Bua!” Phinya’s voice resounded on a random afternoon. The two had just
returned from the institute and were preparing for dinner in Busaya’s room, who
was holding research documents to review the content before submitting them for
confirmation and publication in an academic journal. This research was her first to
be accepted after completing her studies.

Upon hearing the call, Bua, who was already seated and starting to open a beer,
looked up over her glasses and arched an eyebrow, asking:

- What?

— Where do you find time to write your research? When you have some free time,
you sleep. When you get back to your room, you toss and turn and you're already
asleep again — Phinya replied, determined to provoke.

— I write while I dream — Bua said teasingly back

— I have the raw file of the experiment results saved. It's been a while, but I haven't
had time to write it down.

— How about I help you? If you want, you can email me — Bua made the proposal
— If you want, you can send it to me

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— But Dr. Bua is so helpful, isn’t she? You’re eager to publish for the vice-director of
the Institute, aren’t you? — Phinya commented — You’ll be the third author, the
professor will be the second

“Then let me do it myself,” Busaya replied, bending down to read the contents of
the paper in her hands.

— Seriously, where do you find time for this?

— The time I don't spend sleeping — he replied — While I'm listening to lectures or
in progress meetings. Sometimes, there are meetings all afternoon and I take
advantage of those moments

— I'm going to report you to the teacher for not paying attention in the meeting.

— I hear with my ears and type with my hands. They are different nervous systems,
you can separate them — Bua defended herself — If I stay still, without moving my
hand, I fall asleep. The air conditioning in the room is very cold — She continued: —
And since when did you become a X9?

— I learned from you

— So, you'll sleep in your own room tonight.

— Buaaaa — the voice with a sly tone that she had been using more often lately
rang out immediately — No! — As soon as he finished speaking, he got up and went
to sit next to her, resting his head on her shoulder — If I don't sleep with you, I can't
sleep

— You're exaggerating — Bua felt her former colleague, who was now more than
that to her, rest her forehead on her shoulder — Is something wrong, Phinya? —
However, Phinya only made a low sound of inquiry before Bua heard a deep sigh.

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— I just... never thought the two of us would get to this point.

— You're welcome, you come with this drama — Bua, who was questioning, moved
to look into her eyes.

— Are you saying you feel bad about what happened between us?

— Yes... — Phinya replied, before falling silent for a moment, reflecting on the
words she wanted to say.

—I already told you that you can get out of this situation at any time. I feel bad that
our beginning was like this— This made Busaya put down the paper he was
holding.

— And now? Do you feel bad? — The firm voice asked the question and received a
shake of the head in response — If you don't feel good now, don't think about what
happened anymore — Bua spoke seriously — Because if we had started differently,
maybe we wouldn't be like this now

The words made Phinya look into Bua's eyes.

— Do you really think so?

— Listen to me, Phinya — Bua continued, before smiling, making the other unable
to resist returning the gesture — My jealousy is not your fault. Didn't I tell you that I
just wanted to make it go away before we decide what to do next? So stop feeling
guilty

Phinya looked at Bua for a moment before leaning over and planting a kiss on her
cheek. Of course, Bua never rejected this gesture, not even once.

— You sleep at the Institute with Aon every night. Sleeping there is not synonymous
with rest, do you still worry about something? I'm sorry, Bua, for acting like that

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— You weren't that horrible — Bua replied — And why am I having to comfort
someone who almost got me fired?

—It's true— Bua said, letting out a laugh.

— Why was I such an idiot for so long? — Phinya’s hand came up to touch Bua’s
face before leaning in for a kiss.

—Lead author... — Phinya said, parting her lips before pressing them together
again — Keep the research, and ask the vice-principal for this

— You're crazy! — Bua exclaimed — How can you just hand over your work to
someone else like that? — The irritated voice sounded, accompanied by a smile
that emanated from Phinya's kindness just a few inches away from Bua.

— If you want anything, just tell me and I'll give you whatever you want.

----------------💀💀💀💀💀💀----------------

Bua, who had entered Phinya’s office in the morning to discuss the research
papers, hesitated before raising her hand to knock on the door. She heard the
doctor’s voice, who was behind the door, talking to someone in English, so she
listened for a moment. Before she could understand the conversation, it ended,
and Bua decided to knock on the door.

The owner of the office gave permission to enter.

“Who were you talking to?” Bua asked as she approached. She placed the
document folder on the table before dropping into the chair.

— With a friend — The answer was brief, while his eyes remained fixed on the
computer screen.

— Is there something wrong, Dr. Bua?

— Of course it does. If it didn't, I wouldn't be here.

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— Oh, I shouldn't have asked... — Phinya replied sarcastically, dragging out her
words as if Bua was mocking her.

—So, who were you talking to? — Bua repeated the question.

— A friend

— If I ask you again, you'll answer 'a friend' again, right?

- Yes

— And who were you talking to? — And then she asked the same question again.

— Ah... Bualoy! — The office owner exclaimed, clearly irritated. — Is that how you're
going to ask me?

— If you don't answer, I'll keep asking. Who were you talking to? Who? Who? —
Bua's speech flowed quickly, almost forming a melody — It was a woman, with a
very beautiful British accent

1— So, who were you talking to?

— With a friend... who's in England — The answer made Bua raise an eyebrow.

— I know you were talking to someone from there, I just mentioned the British
accent

— Aaff — Phinya let out a deep sigh, visibly worried.

— What were you guys talking about?

— What do you want to know for?

— At first I didn't want to know, but I ended up hearing the end of the conversation
and didn't understand. That's why I asked, it's easier

— Curiosity is a trait in your genetics, isn't it?

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— No, it's just my way — Bua replied, with a smile — So, what were you guys talking
about?

— I won't tell

— If you don’t answer, you’ll do my work — With that, Bua slid a stack of thick
papers about half a ream heavy onto the table — Review the draft of Professor
Nisara’s master’s dissertation, please. There are two dissertations, about three
hundred pages long

—I was talking to a friend in England about mummies— The answer Bua wanted to
hear came in a flash, as Phinya slid the documents back to her.

— And is your friend pretty?

— So do you want to know about the mummy or the friend?

— About both of them — The answer made Phinya's eyes widen — Let's start with
the mummy

— Then you'll have to give me half the work, because I'm not going to answer
whether your friend is pretty or not.

— Just tell me if she's pretty or not — Bua tried to negotiate.

“Give me the documents,” Phinya said, reaching out to take the papers again. “And
please, go watch two students during their dissertation presentation rehearsal. It
will be next Monday at nine o’clock in the conference room on the second floor.
And ask them a few questions.”

“If I answer your previous question, will you come watch with me?” Phinya frowned
before making her counterproposal. “I’m worried that during the presentation, the
questions will be too difficult. If the students can’t answer, they’ll lose confidence,
you know?”

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— If you tell me whether she is pretty or not, you don't need to review anything and
you don't need to go either — Bua made an offer — So, what were you talking
about with your friend?

— She is an expert on Egyptian civilization. She is the same person to whom I sent
the contents of the scroll we found. Since she had been missing for a long time, I
decided to ask her — Phinya finally agreed to answer.

— And what did you discover?

— There was nothing but the Book of the Dead — he replied — As I said before, this
probably belonged to someone with wealth, the paper used was expensive. The
writing is clear, orderly and detailed. In addition, it has a prayer of praise to a god,
with drawings to venerate Osiris, the Egyptian god of the afterlife and souls.
Common people would not generally have access to this text, the cost of
transcription was high.

— And what do you think of the roll of paper we found?

— Considering the evidence and information we have gathered, I would say that
both items are related to trade or auctions — Bua received the answer — About the
event in Paris — she added — They did not happen at the same time

— So whoever brought the mummy's skull to the event didn't know it wasn't an
ancient Egyptian mummy?

“It’s possible,” Phinya agreed. “At first, we weren’t sure about it yet, but the thing
is, there’s a possibility that this could become a homicide case due to the fracture
in the lower jaw, which seems like the bone hasn’t healed yet.” Hearing this, Bua
couldn’t help but sigh.

— That's what I feared, I already imagined it would be like this — She said with
concern.

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— That's why I didn't want to wait for the police, Phinya said. — But for now, we
haven't gotten much. We're trying to find information from people we think might
know something.

— We did everything we could, Phin. I really believe that.

— I want to do better than that — Phinya replied — I don't like knowing what's
going on and not being able to do anything, or having to wait for something

— Don’t you like waiting? — Bua commented, her expression full of questions.

“Except for you,” Phinya said quickly, afraid of being misunderstood. Bua’s hand
reached out to touch the back of Phinya’s hand, seeking encouragement, and they
exchanged comforting glances for a moment.

— I have to go now — Bua said, picking up the documents that were on the work
table.

— Leave it there, I'll review it for you.

— No need — Phinya's voice replied — I've already reviewed it. In fact, I brought it
to use as blackmail to get you to open your mouth — As she finished her sentence,
she raised the documents that were in her arms — It seems to have worked — Then
she left the room with a smile, before hearing the voice of the owner of the room
shouting behind her.

— Bualoy, watch out! I'll get revenge!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Episode 27

A brown wooden box with a clear glass lid, a little bigger than the palm of a hand,
sat on the desk in front of Doctor Phinya, who had been sighing for ten minutes.
What was inside could be worth more than a mansion. Her advisor had given it to
her a few days ago.

At first, Phinya thought that the teacher would forbid her or refuse to give her such
an expensive gift. However, she simply gave her a smile that, no matter how many
times she saw it, always conveyed a sense of comfort as she opened the locker and
handed it to her without hesitation.

"I'm glad you're worried about it. Take it, you can have it. I just hope you know how to
use it well."

The teacher said only this before sliding the box towards her. Inside was the scarab
that Bua had mentioned, although she did not know that it came from the coffin of
an ancient pharaoh, worth much more than the scarabs found in ordinary tombs,
and was adorned with precious stones and had beautiful gold carving work on the
top.

When she said the price was equivalent to that of a mansion, Phinya wasn’t
exaggerating. In fact, she felt herself getting more and more involved, aware that
this case wasn’t common. There was someone trying to make a mummy for some
purpose that she knew wasn’t good, and she also knew that Bua probably felt the
same way.

Soon, she received confirmation from a friend that her suspicions were correct. As
an anthropologist, she was unsure whether or not it was right to pretend she knew

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nothing about this, since it was not her or Bua’s responsibility. Phinya had been
struggling with this dilemma for days. Should she do what she could?

Something was very wrong right in front of her. This case was disturbing and also
shaking the anthropological community. What should she do? Even though the
police were already aware of the case, she couldn't predict where or when it would
end. Maybe it was time to make a decision. The ringing of the phone on her desk
interrupted her thoughts, making her sigh deeply before answering it.

[Phinya] — a familiar voice sounded on the other end of the line. Phinya was also
unsure who was really the boss in this relationship, since Boss Bua seemed to have
a knack for convincing her to work, or rather, throwing the responsibility onto her
shoulders, and of course Phinya never refused.

[If Dr. Busaya calls, tell her that Dr. Phinya is on vacation.] — Phinya said.

[That's as funny as a seashell fossil telling a joke, it's almost funny to you] — The
voice on the other end answered seriously — [The teacher is stuck in class. Can you
come down to sign for the receipt of the habillis?]

[Have you arrived yet?]

[No] — he replied provocatively — [I probably called you by accident, by

coincidence the line went dead in your office to get your signature and receive the
seashell fossil]

[If you miss me, just say so. No need to be funny or act like you don't understand]
— Phinya responded quickly, also sarcastically — [And since you're the head of the
lab, sign it yourself, since it's yours]

[Ah, whatever. If it's that hard to call you, just stay there in the office, boss] — Bua,
on the other end, replied brusquely before hanging up.

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[Hey, you sleepyhead! I didn't understand anything you were saying!] — The vice
principal quickly hung up before leaving the room.

She made it down to the area in front of the lab within a few minutes. During this
time, Bua and the security guard were helping to push a wooden box large enough
to hold a human body, about two meters long, to place it next to the large table.

“Sign for me!” the lab manager shouted when she saw Phinya. For her, seeing the
remains of a primitive human that was almost a million years old was something
impressive. These fossils always carried hidden stories. The long journey of
humanity’s ancestors had always been fascinating to study, even though she knew
full well that today the human race could be lost. As Bua had said, this long journey
would probably never end.

If an era of humans were to become extinct or disappear from this world, a new
species would need to evolve, just as our ancestors or close relatives had already
experienced. The world did not stop turning, just as time did not stop moving
forward, and of course, humanity did not either. It still continued.

Phinya joined Bua, where Aon and some PhD students were waiting excitedly. The
security guard, Man, about thirty-eight, was dressed in a light blue uniform and
held a drill in his hand.

Bua raised her hand and saluted the wooden box, muttering something that made
Phinya frown. Then she smiled. Although the fossils inside the box could not hear,
it seemed like a way of asking for permission or, to make it more solemn, a way of
respecting the professors by bringing the body for study. If there were no such
remains or fossils to study, knowledge and science in various fields would remain
stagnant.

“Open it, Man,” Bua said as she lowered her hand. At that moment, no one said
anything, just waited anxiously to see what was inside. Soon, the four sides of the

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wooden box were opened, revealing a transparent acrylic case that contained a
skeleton that was over a million years old. Of course, it was not complete, but it
was well protected inside the packaging, arranged in a way that simulated a resting
position.

“Here are the verification documents, Phi Bua,” Aon said, handing Bua the papers
to confirm that the amount of bones matched what had been mentioned. The
students began to move, coming closer to observe with interest. In the life of an
anthropologist, there are not many opportunities to see something real like this.
This was definitely one of the first and most complete discoveries in the Southeast
Asian region.

Homo habilis was a species of early human, but its appearance was quite different
from that of modern humans. This species still had morphological characteristics
and stature similar to Australopithecus or chimpanzees, and was recently
reclassified, being removed from the genus Homo and transferred to
Australopithecus. Most people still knew it as Homo habilis.

In the name Homo habilis, the word "habilis" means "skilled" or "agile" in the use
of the hands. In addition to their handling skills, they were also known for making
stone tools.

— Wow! — Bua exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining through the lenses of her
glasses.

“It’s really amazing,” Phinya commented. “I’ve only seen fragments, some skulls
and finger bones.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen something real. Most of the time, I only see models
and pictures in books,” Bua replied, as she bent down to check the list. “There are
forty-seven pieces. Where else would I find this? I’m almost fainting, I can barely
breathe.”

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Bua looked at the fossil, which was certainly impressive for an anthropologist,
especially someone in the field of physical anthropology like her, who was finally
seeing a real early human body, something she had studied for so long. Such
specimens were not easy to find; most were kept in museums abroad. Bua wasn’t
sure how the professor had managed to negotiate for them to send her such a large
item.

— Take a deep breath, don't faint yet — Phinya said, giving a loving smile — Take
out the list and I'll check the parts for you — Then, she took the documents from
Bua's hand.

— Tonight, I'm going to stay awake

— Are you crazy?! — Phinya’s voice sounded louder than usual, shocking everyone
present.

— Why can't I?

- Why not

— Hey, you guys! — Fang's voice intervened between the two friends — Are you
going to start fighting again?

— Dr. Bua wants to sleep here tonight just because she's in nerd mode.

— Leave her alone — Fang commented — Let her freak out, Phinya

— See? Fang agrees.

— Who said I agree? — The future doctor turned and said — I'm just a good friend,
and I support you both. If you want to stay awake, stay awake. It's good that I take
advantage and stay with you. I have to collect the lab samples at two in the
morning

— But the lab is on another floor, Fang, we won't be together

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— You can come up and stay with me up there

— No, that's not enough — Phinya replied, looking at the transparent display case
and writing it down on the checklist — Why do you have to take samples tonight?

— It seems that the equipment's timer was set wrong, so it will generate the results
at two in the morning — he explained — That's why I have to collect at one in the
morning

“Can you do it, Fang?” This time it was Bua who asked, but he didn’t wait for an
answer before turning his attention back to the Homo habilis fossil.

— I can't let that crazy girl stay with you. You're the one who needs to stay with her
because she's going to faint.

This made Fang come closer.

— Are you jealous or something? — The friend whispered, trying not to be heard.

— Who? — Phinya asked, answering in a brusque tone.

— You! — Fang replied, with a satisfied smile — You're jealous of her, aren't you?

— What are you guys whispering about? Did something happen? — Bua then
approached, curious.

“It’s none of your business,” the vice principal replied, looking down at the
documents in her hands.

— Fang? — Bua turned to ask her friend.

— It's nothing — Fang replied with a smile on his lips, making Phinya roll her eyes.

Bua watched closely.

“If you don’t tell me, you’ll be alone in the lab,” she said.

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— I already knew — replied the friend.

— Did you know? — Bua retorted — What do you know?

— I know you're not normal, Bua — Fang said and then turned to Phinya, touching
her shoulder, who just remained silent — I'm rooting for you, Phinya — and left the
lab room with a soft chuckle.

—What's gotten into her? — Bua turned to Phinya who was still there.

— She didn't get enough sleep, she looks like a zombie, just like you.

— You better not make me talk about who kept me up at night.

—I was just going to ask that... Has the teacher talked to you about the press
conference yet? — Phinya immediately returned to serious mode the next second.

— He mentioned it, but they haven't set a date yet.

The two were discussing the date of the press conference for the creation of the
institute, which would be a way of publicizing the information to academics,
students and interested parties, and which would open to visitors in two months.

— I think it could be next month. That way, I can start preparing the invitation for
the academics.

— Let Aon do it — Bua suggested — You need to prepare for the speech in front of
the cameras

— Just the invitation? I can do it myself. Why use Aon?

— I can do that — Aon offered upon hearing — The teacher asked me to prepare the
invitation for the press

— And the study plan, how is it, Aon? — Bua asked — Have you decided what you're
going to do?

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— I'll stay with Phi Phinya — Aon replied.

— Great! — Bua exclaimed, causing Phinya to look at her with a glare — Having Dr.
Phinya's name as my advisor will be an honor and a source of pride for my
dissertation. Just looking at her resume and experience is enough to impress
anyone!

— Pretending not to understand — Phinya replied, noticing Bua’s tone — According

to the rules, you can’t include consultants’ resumes in your dissertation. Did you
really graduate, Bua?

“Choose where you’re going to do your field research,” Bua suggested excitedly.
“Phi Phinya can contact you in advance.”

— I would like to go to England — Aon replied.

— Perfect — Phinya said — If I make some calls today, you can go tomorrow

— Besides the invitation, do I need to prepare anything else for the day of the press
conference? — Aon asked.

— Don't worry — Phinya replied — I'll ask the lab chief to take care of the rest

— Great, the vice-principal just needs to pose pretty for the cameras, really — Bua
immediately retorted, with a sarcastic tone.

— It's my job... you gave it to me — Phinya replied.

— But I think Phi Phinya looks beautiful in front of the cameras — Aon commented.

— Oh, don't compliment her, no. She's already stuck up enough — he complained
— And there are already too many people sucking up to her

Bua's words made Phinya shrug her shoulders. "I can't do anything about it."

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— Just think about what you want to say during the press conference, so I can
prepare myself — Bua said, in an irritated tone.

— We'll show off the habilis, of course. To highlight the Institute — he nodded,
looking at the fossil that was on the table — If you have anything cool, just bring it

— Agreed... boss

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You have read all published chapters.

269