Excellent closure to this week’s episodes of Hong Sabat Lai- things really do fall apart before they could be built back up. We will see some character arc for both Nay and Siwat- and that finally, Nay and Rabin are reunited. Ah, so good.

Episode 11 Recap

The beginning of this episode brings Chulongorn to a junction of severe desperation. She’s getting screwed by two powerful men. While one is notoriously “bad,” the one that claims he is “good,” is not so valiant after all. Tamrong considers himself a business man first and foremost- which is an important trait we have to keep in mind- because this will carry on to everything he does. Chulongorn begs him to help her: she is willing to do anything to avoid jail time, even being a witness against Ponglert and his cronies. But Tamrong doesn’t promise her light at the end of the tunnel, just that if she could bring him evidences that can put the bad guys away, he might be able to help. Yet he isn’t willing to risk his neck for her, because after all, he is the PM’s father, he needs to appear clean. Which is the last straw for Chulongorn. Like a dog backed in a corner, she grabs a large kitchen knife and stabs him in the belly. Even her action shocked her so she escapes out of the condo. Luckily Tamrong is quick enough to dial his son’s number and they escort him immediately to the hospital.

Rabin gets wind that Tamrong has survived an attack at his farm home. He mutters that things will only get worst from here and he wishes that Nay will be safe.

Ponglert on the other hand is pissed that not only did Tamrong survived, the blame fell on his shoulders instead. Ittiharn wanted to get rid of Chulongorn for creating more of a mess for them. But Ponglert is focused on going after the big fish: he is still convinced that he can clear his name by plotting demise against the PM and his crew. He will make it so bad that they won’t be able to clear their names this time.

Nay is visiting Tamrong on behalf of the whole household. Don’s father surmises that the end will come soon- meaning that everything that had happened to them, will be justified. Nay, with her simple cream slacks and white button down, still remains effortlessly chic and beautiful as she visits Tamrong. However, before she enters the hospital room, she sees Tee and Siwat standing before his father, more and more like a couple. Siwat asks his father what motive Chulongorn had in stabbing him and why did it happen in her condo- hah- but Tamrong evades the questions by telling his son he is still recovering and doesn’t want to be inundated with questions. After witnessing them, Nay backs away and tells the cop to give the flowers to her uncle.

She hides by the wall and is overcome with tears. Even though her heart belongs to another, it doesn’t make it hurt no less to see her boyfriend with another woman. And this time around, she doesn’t have her rock to console her. She heads back home and confines herself in the office, which was once Rabin’s room.

This concerns Kwan, who asks Wichate, what they could do to help Nay. Wichate tells her that when it comes to heart problems between three people, only they can straighten it out. Kwan concludes that if everyone was willing to open their hearts and be honest with one another, things would be much easier. Isn’t that the truth! Wichate (the sneaky devil) turns to Kwan and asks her that if it were her, would she dare admit her true feelings? Suddenly, things are not about Nay anymore.

Kwan smiles shyly.

He looks her in the eyes and says, “If it were me, I’d have the gumption to say it.”

This causes Kwan to blush beautifully.

Being lovesick is a sad and pathetic thing. Nay can’t stop thinking about Rabin. She recalls their first encounter and the scenes thereafter. She wonders what he’s doing right now and why he’s not taking her calls. While Rabin wants to take her calls, he doesn’t because he’s looking at the phone she bought him and the pictures they’ve taken. He apologizes and says he doesn’t have a choice. We are so used to seeing them together, 24/7, this little break is excruciating!

Don and Aor notices how sad she is and they proceed forward. Nay asks them a rhetorical question, “I have fought and endured so many hardships in my life- to the point that things are starting to pan out- but why is it that I can’t even fight and endure against my own heart?”

Don puts his arms around his sister and tries to cheer her up. He tells her that earlier, when he walked by their old house, he really misses it and couldn’t help but think about whether they will ever be able to live there again. Nay says that before everything ends (they keep hinting this, will it end next week??) she is determined to be in that house once more. She wants to find the evidence that will put the Ponglert’s away for good. Don recommends they sneak into the house right now because Ittiharn is away, he claims that this is the perfect opportunity.

So the two, brother and sister, sneaks into their old mansion, and rummage around for the evidence (tape). The risk and danger pays off when they discover the grandfather clock and remembers that it was very meaningful to their father when he was alive. Sure enough, Nay finds a tiny cassette tape in the corner of the grandfather clock. Elation, happiness sweeps over them at the prospect of putting the men away once and for all. But things are not that easy.. an onset of a storm has started and lightning lit the sky. Ittiharn’s minions discover them and they fight to escape.

Finally, with evidence in hand the case can be closed. Unfortunately they don’t have the equipment to play the tape. Lol, such a simple thing! Aor and Don remember that they have an old player and would need to fix it before it will work, so they are off to get it fixed. Nay asks him to complete a task for her.

Meanwhile Ponglert doesn’t deem it necessary to find out what Nay and Don discovered in the house. He wants to spend his energy on bigger things; little did he know that this “small” discovery can put them away big time. But Ittiharn can’t stand it so he sends Parn to silence the duo.

At the hospital bed, the former PM tells Tamrong that Nay hasn’t left for Rabin’s farm home yet. [I am going to surmise that the package she received at the end of the last episode is Rabin’s home address.] Tamrong tells the former PM to trust him because he has raised Nay with his own hands, he knows her true essence. Tee and her uncle are happy because they can start celebrating on her upcoming nuptials with Siwat. Tamrong adds that Siwat will do whatever he tells him to do.

Prior to getting the tape player to working order, Don and Aor stops by a cafe for a quick dessert. Don tells Aor that they must stop their part time work- especially Aor- because he doesn’t want Nay to be stressed out because of them. Aor asks him if that is an order or is he forcing her? (Is there a difference?) Don replies that it is both. His excuse is that Nay would be concerned about him because he’s her brother, but before he could say why he is concerned about Aor, Aor interrupts him and says it is because he considers her as his other sister. I don’t think that is what he meant to say, hah. But he lets it drop with a beguiling look on his face. Why so cute, Alex?

Rabin is telling himself that being alone is a good thing. Cooking for oneself is fine. He even plasters a smile on his face, trying to convince himself. Who you lying to, Rabin? A soft voice from the radio announces that the next song will make the listeners smile. But dammit, even the radio is trying to hold a mirror to Rabin’s face. Who you trying to fool, Rabin? The song playing on the radio was the same song he sang to Nay when she was hospitalized. The flood of memories of Nay overcame him. It is worse than the memories he has of Aim because Nay is very much alive!

The mood changes in his kitchen as he listens to the political news. The radio mentions that PM Siwat is rescinding Ponglert and his supporters out of their chair and condemning them with corruption cases. Rabin fears that this will back a dog to the corner, with no way out. Just like Chulongorn, they will fight, and fight dirty.

Back to Don and Aor, they get guilt tripped into doing one last event before quitting. I thought the manager was super annoying and I know Aor doesn’t want to seem ungrateful, but dang, just say no! Ittiharn is happy that Aor will continue with the event, I’m thinking he has big plans to wreak some vengeance on them.

Nay puts in her notice to Siwat. He wants to stop her but Nay needed some time off. Siwat even offers to take her on a vacation back to Paris but Nay says Mr. PM doesn’t have time for nonsense. Tee appears in time and starts listing all of his responsibilities for the month, confirming what Nay said earlier.

That night Nay did some soul searching and decided on her next course of action.

Meanwhile Kwan and Wichate contemplated the situation between their friends again. Wichate receives a phone call from Rabin who couldn’t help but ask his friend how Nay was holding up. When Wichate says that he is surprised that Rabin had the power to make Nay crumble despite always being so strong. Rabin denies that he had any control over Nay and ends the call. On the other end, Rabin is at home and he says that things are best kept this way. Time will make Nay forget him. He says that he is just a person that crossed paths with her in her lifetime. But little did he know that he is not someone who came and went in her life, he is the one who changed her, and someone like that is unforgettable. It is not like he could forget her.

The next morning Nay gives her farewell to Uncle Gan and Aunt Jan. They advise that she should prepare for the answer that she will receive from Rabin, whether that is good or bad. Nay tells them that she must know why Rabin left: if it has something to do with her, she would feel really bad. But it could also be that there is another reason and he couldn’t tell her at the time. They wish her a safe trip.

Nay is on her way to find Rabin, but as she is driving we hear Uncle Gan asking her how she knew where to find him. Nay simply answers that the former PM investigated the location for her and gave her a map. This seems peculiar to Uncle Gan and he asks why Tamrong would want to help her. At this time, Nay is not interested in the reasons why, only that she would find Rabin. Nay says out loud, “you can’t run away from me so easily.” Hehehe.

Everyone at the household is concerned that Nay went alone. But there isn’t anything they could do..

Siwat catches wind that Nay is following Rabin’s trail and he is furious at his father. Tamrong merely says that he’s allowing Siwat to see where Nay’s heart lies. Besides, because Siwat is a PM now, Nay is no longer suitable for him. Ooh, I think he has planned this all along. Break the two up so Siwat would be paired with Tee. Upon learning this, will Siwat still succumb to his father’s every order?

He tells his dad that he has done everything he has told him to do. He became a PM because he cares about the people, not to play stupid political games. Tamrong says that he’s the director (like movie director lol) so he has a say on what will happen next. If they don’t play the game then someone else will play them. This opened Siwat’s eyes to his father’s true character. And finally, he grew some balls! He tells his dad that he will remove himself from this little “game” that his father has put together, which shocked Tamrong to no end because he never imagined (in a million years) that Siwat would balk. Siwat says that his father is playing games with the country for his own profit and he wasn’t about to sit around and be his father’s little puppet, well no longer anyway.

Tamrong begs his son to walk the road that he has created for him and he will never encounter disappointment. Siwat apologizes and walks away from his father. Wow! He calls Wichate and obtains Rabin’s home address.

Rabin is about to meet some unexpected guests- one in which he had been running away from. Nay finally reaches Rabin’s correct street. She pulls her map away from her face and asks a man who is working on his car whether he knew if Rabin lives there. Surprisingly, that “older man” is Rabin himself.

It is their encounter after many nights ago when he saved her from a close call.

Rejoiced, Nay shouts his name, only to have Rabin walk away from her.

“You should leave. We don’t have anything to say to each other,” he says.

“But I do. You can’t just leave me so easily. You broke your promise,” she says. “Are you not going to turn around and look at me?”

After a while, he turns around reluctantly.

She smiles slowly at him, her expression says so much. I’ve missed you. But instead, she says, “you’ve only turned partly. Do you not want to see my face?”

He just looks at her.

“In the end, I finally get to see this place. It’s beautiful here,” she starts running into the house, “let me go and see it!”

Rabin calls after her, unable to stop her. Is he still surprised that she’ll do whatever she wants with him? Lol.

She made her way to the upstairs balcony and compliments the atmosphere.

“It’s not a normal evening- it’s going to rain,” he says. “You should hurry on back otherwise the road might be difficult.”

She changes the subject, “Uh, I think I will go and look at the inside of your house instead.”

The inside of Rabin’s farm house is spacious with shiny hard wood floors. The decoration is minimal but elegant. Nay tells him that the home is so darn cute then she scolds him for not treating his guest with a glass of water. He stomps away to do her bidding (heeh.)

It suddenly starts pouring rain.

“Ah look, it’s raining!” Rabin exclaims.

“It is raining.. it looks like I can’t go home now,” she says nonchalantly.

“Why are you so stubborn?! See now it’s pouring!”

Defiantly, she stands up, “ok so it’s raining now, how do you expect me to get home? Why must you be so scathing?”

“Well who asked you to come?” he threw back at her.

Ouch.

She looks at him, hurt.

“I came this far because I needed to be alone,” he says, “do you understand?”

“You want to be alone? Is this your excuse?” she shakes her head, “that can’t be it. There’s something more than that.”

He looks away, “I have nothing to say. I beg you, just leave. I can’t protect you anymore.”

Nay’s eyes begin to water from the pain his words have caused.

He continues, “Please don’t make me feel even worse than I already am.”

She blinks away the tears. “Rabin, do you know how hard it has been just to find you here?” She cries. “You are only concerned about how you feel; you don’t realize how others are feeling.”

He solemnly looks at her while she’s wiping at her face. The thunder rumbles in the background.

“Fine,” she relents, “I will go and you will never see my face again!”

Nay storms out of his house. He stands alone for a while, absorbing the reality.

Nay is walking to her car in the rain. Rabin’s figure soon follows her as he stops her.

“You wanted me to leave, why are you stopping me?” Nay asks. “You wanted me out of your face, right? Let me go!” she pulls her hand angrily away from his. But he doesn’t let go.

He comes around to stand in front of her.

“Step aside!” she cries. He doesn’t move.

She tries to run from him but he finally pulls her into his arms to stop her. The rain is pelting on them, she is crying hard. He pulls her closer and holds her tightly.

Once she calms down, they look at each other through the rain and he slowly lets her go.

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes, “I’m sorry I told you to leave. I’m sorry I was rude to you.” His voice is shaking, “please forgive me. Please..”

[The water works starts from yours truly.]

Back at Siwat’s mansion, he obtained the directions to Rabin’s from Wichate. He has a determined look on his face.

Night has fallen at Rabin’s farm home. The crickets are loud and clear. Nay and Rabin have changed into dry clothes. She is determined to get the truth out of him, she wants to know why he left without saying goodbye, left with a drop of a hat.

In the city, Aor says her goodbye to her father, she is prepared to attend the final event. Don is pissed off because she’s lying to their father to the extent of getting him to sign her permission slip (you know, the ones you would need to go on a field trip!) Don lets her get away with it but made her promise that it was the last event she will work at. He looks so worried about her!

Rabin finally explains everything to her- we didn’t hear it- but I get the gist that he told her Siwat talked to him about his concerns- and that if Rabin was in Siwat’s shoes, he wouldn’t want him around either. So Rabin didn’t want to complicate her relationship and decided to leave. She tells him that he’s only thinking about it on simple terms, without even consulting her feelings. He says he didn’t want her to lose her reputation because of him. But Nay says that no matter what others think, she no longer wants to fool her own heart.

Rabin takes a seat by her.

“Khun Nay..” he says, his eyes begging for her to explain.

“As for the way I feel- some things are hard to explain with words.” Meaning, her being there should say it all. She followed her heart.

She looks at him with a soft smile. He looks surprisingly at her, blushing.

And that closes this week’s installment of Hong Sabat Lai! If it’s any indication, the ending is near. Do stay tune for an action packed, vigorous wrap up to follow.. next week that is!

Thoughts:

I think as much as we’ve seen Nay being so strong from the very beginning of this series, her flaw (to me anyway) was letting people lead her life. From the onset, Tamrong has sort of guided her along. She has so much trust in people. To exact a revenge, Tamrong has come up with an elaborate plan, allowing Siwat to lead it by running for PM. She’s still in the back seat, watching them run the show. Then she meets Rabin who becomes another rock in her life, someone she could lean on. But in many ways, he has changed her. Meeting him taught her to be independent and make her own decisions. Nay putting in her notice shows us that she isn’t going to be in this weird third wheel with Tee and Siwat anymore, she had found the tape and in essence, found the evidence to put the bad guys away. And to go after Rabin is not only going after her heart, but finally paving the way for herself. Good for you Nay.

As for Siwat, he goes through his own arc when he tells his father that he will no longer abide by his orders, but unfortunately I fear, it is too little too late. Which is just as well, because sometimes in order to completely learn a lesson, you have to lose something truly valuable.

I love how this episode is filled with so much character growth. But moreso, I’m glad for the reunion between our leading characters. And that the air is cleared in such a poetic way.