KARMA COLADA

Chapter Twenty-Seven

PURE agony. That was how Naomi would describe the whole ferry ride to Koh Samui.

It hurt being within one foot of him. It hurt to hear his voice. It hurt so much she couldn't even look at him for longer than a second.

The way Leon acted right after they kissed was...despicable. She couldn't even find the right word for it. It was like he tore out her heart, stuck it into a blender and switched it on at the highest setting.

Maybe it wouldn't have hurt as much if the kiss had been terrible. But it wasn't. It was singularly the most earth-shattering kiss; the stuff of romance novels with half-naked men on the covers. Her head spun, her knees wobbled, and she was pretty sure she fainted for a spell.

It wasn't like she had much experience in kissing. Just Xavier (who had a tendency of using too much tongue) and Dustin from grade school (her seven minutes in hell). But she knew enough that kissing Leon was lightyears more enjoyable.

And if she were somebody else, she would've kept on doing it. Over and over.

But she wasn't. She was Naomi Wu. Lifelong hunter of good karma. And lifelong hunters of good karma don't go around kissing other people's fiancés.

It was fortunate, then, that Leon was treating her as if she were invisible. Even if it stung like a bitch, it was the best course of action for both their sakes. She couldn't be the third party in a relationship — not after what her mom went through with her dad and his mistress.

So when they drove out of the ferry onto Koh Samui, Naomi found herself praying that this would be their last detour, and they'd find Francine at long last. Then while Leon and Francine sorted their mess out, Naomi could finally go back to the sleepy arms of Burford — her safe haven — with a clear conscience.

"I'm taking you guys to a friend of mine at a famous karaoke bar. Nothing happens on this island without her knowing about it," Spivey declared, shattering the awkward silence Naomi was sure would last for an eternity. He glanced at the rear-view mirror and offered Naomi a tight-lipped smile.

Now she was positive Spivey could sense something happened between her and Leon. "Cool," Naomi croaked, vocal cords stiff from disuse.

"Is she another one of your exotic dancer friends?" came Leon's flat remark. She hated how her stomach flipped at the deepness of his timbre.

"I didn't say she was an exotic dancer. She owns the bar," Spivey clarified, bristling. "Her name's Koko with two Ks. And no matter what you do, don't stare at her for too long."

It was Leon's turn to go on the defensive. "Why would I?"

"Because she's a ladyboy."

Naomi shot forward to give Spivey a reprimanding glare. "You can't call her that. If Koko identifies as a woman, then she's a woman," she scolded. However, Spivey merely shrugged her off with a casual smile.

"It's different here than in the west. The Thais are more accepting of transgenders because of their Buddhist upbringing. In fact, 'ladyboys', or as they say here, kathoey, isn't a derogatory term because they're considered as a third gender. You'll see. She'll probably use it while introducing herself," he explained, although Naomi was still skeptical.

Spivey then issued another stern warning, "But still, don't stare at her like a rare insect. She'll probably beat the shit out of you."

"Well and duly noted," Leon curtly uttered.

Naomi retreated into the backseat after feeling his eyes on the back of her head. "Looking forward to meeting her," Naomi murmured. She tried summoning an ounce of enthusiasm, but her chest felt permanently hollow.