A Tale of a Thousand Stars: Episode 6 Part 3

Everyone is hard at work on the tea sachets. Tian asks the children if it’s hard, and all the kids yell no. They manage to make all the tea sachets they need for their order.

Tian thanks everyone in the village for their help. The adults then leave and Tian gathers the kids around and tells them to pair up. Once in pairs they are to give each other hand massages after all the hard work.

Phupha watches Tian giving the kids a massage and decide to tell Ayi to go sit somewhere else. Phupha then takes Ayi’s seat so that when it comes time to switch partners for the hand massage, Tian is facing Phupha.

Tian is surprised but Phupha looks pretty proud of himself. Phupha says that the seat was vacant, can’t he sit here? Tian just gives him a look because he knows Ayi was sitting there. Phupha asks for Tian’s hands and then starts to massage them.

Tian wonders what Phupha is doing there since he can’t be there just to massage Tian’s hands. Phupha says that he was helping Dr. Nam deliver medications to the villagers and decided to drop by to see how the tea sachet business was going.

Tian says that they were lucky the adult villagers decided to help, otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to make the order in time. Phupha asks Tian if he is tired, then they do that loving stare thing that they do so well, then they both smile.

Just then Ayi’s Dad shows up and the two quickly pull away from each other. Ayi’s Dad has brought three sacks of tea leaves this time because he noticed that the one sack he brought yesterday wasn’t enough.

Meejoo quickly runs over to show off her tea sachet with her name on it. Her dad tells her to do it well and to not forget to embroider Ms. Torfun’s name as well in case she comes back. This hits Phupha, Tian and Longtae pretty hard since they all know she is dead.

A little while later, Tian has separated from the group to stare outside and Longtae comes over to check if he’s okay. Tian tells Longtae that after they make the tea sachets he will tell everyone the truth about Torfun. Longtae puts his arm around Tian and pats him on the shoulder to comfort him.

Phupha watched the whole thing and got his jealous face on, just when Dr. Nam arrives and asks if Phupha is ready to go. They both leave the school together.

Outside at the Jeep, Dr. Nam asks Phupha if he has talked to Tian yet about his extending his stay in the village for the kids. Phupha says not yet, which confuses Dr. Nam. Dr. Nam tells Phupha that he thought the two had already talked, but Phupha says that Tian was busy with Longtae.

Dr. Nam says that they will be busy for quite awhile with the tea sachets. Phupha says that he hopes it’s just that and that they won’t cause any trouble. Dr. Nam says they are both young and speak the same language so it was only natural that they would hit it off.

Phupha says that’s right, since who would want to be with a strict guy like him? Dr. Nam wonders why Phupha is snapping at him. Phupha denies that he did, but Dr. Nam quickly figures it out. Dr. Nam tells Phupha that he’s angry because he’s jealous of Tian and Longtae being close.

Phupha says he’s not jealous but before Dr. Nam can call him on it, Tian comes out with a box of tea sachets. Dr. Nam asks Tian where he’s going and Tian tells him that he was going to Khama’s house to get the motorcycle so he could drop off the tea sachets. Dr. Nam quickly volunteers Phupha for the job since he was going to the city center.

Dr. Nam gives Phupha the keys and leaves the two alone. Phupha takes the box to put into the Jeep but all of a sudden, Tian is giving him the paper with the shop address on it, a list of snacks to buy for the kids and the receipt for the sachets. Phupha asks if Tian isn’t coming with him.

Tian says that he was going to at first but he feels he should stay and help with the tea sachets. Longtae comes out with another box, and Tian tells him to hand it over to Phupha as he’s going to deliver it for them. Longtae puts the box on top of the other box Phupha is already holding, then he and Tian talk about what a long night it’s going to be working on the sachets as they head back up to the school.

At the shop, the woman is surprised that Chief Phupha is doing the delivery. Phupha says it’s because they were short staffed so he’s helping out. He asks her how well the sachets are selling, she tells him that she can’t keep them on the shelf as they sell so fast.

Just then she starts to tell a customer about the sachets, only it’s Mr. Sakda. Mr. Sakda picks up a sachet with Tian’s name on it, and says that it’s a good idea. Phupha sees the danger in it though, so he says the tea leaves weren’t selling, so they came up with a new idea and it shouldn’t impact Mr. Sakda’s business.

Mr. Sakda notes the name on the sachet he picked up as that of Tian the teacher. He says Tian has a lot of passion. Phupha knows it’s a threat though so he promptly says that Tian is like other capital kids and will go home when he’s bored.

Mr. Sakda says that he will buy all of the sachets including the ones still in the box as he wants to help. Phupha doesn’t believe that for a second but the shopkeep is happy to get the profit not realizing the danger.

Back at the school, Tian and the kids are singing work songs to keep in the flow of things. Phupha arrives with the snacks. Tian takes the bag from Phupha and starts handing out the snacks, the first person to get their snack is Longtae of course.

Tian is just giving the snacks away to everyone but Phupha, all the while Phupha is waiting for his turn. Tian walks past him, to realize that Phupha might want some too. Phupha pretends that’s not what he’s after but it’s very obvious. Tian starts grabs the container to give some to Phupha but the container is empty.

Tian promises that next time he will buy Phupha a snack. Dr. Nam offers Phupha some of his but the answer is a very clear no (he just wants Tian’s).

Dr. Nam comes up to Phupha and asks him why is he so damn slow, it’s no wonder he’s empty handed. Dr. Nam offers to help him out, the two bicker as Dr. Nam calls out for Tian. Phupha tries to get him to shut up but it doesn’t work.

Dr. Nam asks Tian if there are any tea sachets left as his friend wants one for his closet.

Tian sees what’s going on and tells Dr. Nam that the tea sachets are reserved for selling. Then smiles because he knows what was behind the question and who the “friend” was.

Later that night the load up the tea sachets into the storeroom in the school and lock it up. They will deliver them tomorrow. Longtae and Tian are the only ones left after the storeroom is locked up. Tian comments on how it’s unbelievable and Longtae says that he knows as he didn’t think they would be able to finish.

Tian says that’s not what he means though, he means that he never thought he could do something like this. Longtae laughs and says that Tian must be proud.

Tian agrees but then says that if Longtae had met the previous version of him, he would hate that Tian. Longtae just blinks, but doesn’t say anything even though it looks like he wants to. Tian says that this must be the feeling that comes from helping others.

Longtae remembers that his father was going to have porridge for everyone, and asks if Tian wants to come. Tian tells Longtae that he can go first as he wants to recount the sachets. Longtae tells him not to stay too late.

Tian is counting when Phupha stops by. Phupha interrupts Tian’s counting to tell him that it’s good to go. After all Tian has counted it many times with Longtae already. Tian asks Phupha why hasn’t gone to eat with the others yet.

Phupha says he wanted to talk Tian first. He asks Tian if he told the kids that he was strict. Tian smiles then tells Phupha that he didn’t have to say anything as the kids know all about it.

Phupha says that he speaks bluntly and that his words may sound harsh unlike those of Tian’s age. Tian asks what he means, but Phupha says that he’s just speaking generally.

Tian says that he honestly like it though, he likes people that speak bluntly as they get straight to the point. Tian says he doesn’t like people that won’t say what’s on their mind. Now it’s Phupha’s turn to ask what Tian means. Tian just repeats what Phupha said about speaking generally.

They both share a bit of a laugh at that. Then Phupha asks Tian how long he’s been in the village. Tian replies that it’s been about 2 months. Phupha points out that his term is near the end and finally asks Tian if he wants to stay longer.

That’s the end of Episode 6 Part 3!