Next Saturday morning, Nina noticed happily she was having one of the best hair days in her adult life. She decided to complete her look with delicate makeup and her favorite party dress. Since the whole afternoon was reserved for celebrating Chompoo's birthday, she brewed coffee at home using the new moka pot she had bought at the Chatuchak Market. She took out the freshly ground Vietnamese coffee she had bought at Z coffee roastery and filled the bottom part of the device with water, pondering the surprise Chompoo had announced. Although she usually didn't like surprises, considering she wouldn't be in the center of attention at the birthday party, she let herself enjoy the ambiguity.

Just as she screwed on the top part of the coffee maker and placed it on the stove, the intercom rang. She glanced at the clock and realized she had indulged in a lazy morning a bit too much. Emmi had announced she would drop by for coffee before the celebration, but Nina thought she would have time to enjoy her first coffee in solitude beforehand.

Emmi entered her apartment looking elegant in a tight dark green dress that highlighted her slender legs. She had smoothed her hair into an elegant low bun and emphasized her eyes with minimally applied makeup. Her skin glowed with its usual radiance. Nina reminded herself that she once had to ask her about all the cosmetic treatments she underwent.

"You look amazing," she said, kissing her on the cheek and feeling a bit embarrassed about her worn pajamas.

"I'm sure you will too, eventually" Emmi replied with a playful smile while looking her over. She sniffed the air. "Smells great, is that the new coffee?"

"Yes, please pour us some, I'll be right there," Nina said and headed to the bedroom to change.

"Hey, it just occurred to me. Will Bo be at the party?" Emmi yelled from the kitchen over the hissing of the coffee pot. The beeping sound of the stove being turned off followed.

"Yes, I think he will," Nina finally answered and for a moment thought about wearing her most ordinary jeans. She didn't want anyone to think she was trying too hard.

"Interesting," Emmi called out. Nina pulled her favorite dress from the closet, and picked up the jeans she discarded on her nightstand the previous night. She re-entered the kitchen where Emmi was sitting at the high table, humming to herself and tapping her fingers on her thigh. She looked up at Nina who held one garment in each hand and presented them for judgment.

"You'll suffocate in those jeans, I don't recommend it," she stated simply.

Nina laid the jeans on the couch and held the bright fuchsia dress in front of her.

"Definitely," Emmi said approvingly, leaning back in the chair and raising her hands behind her head. "Bo will go crazy with lust."

"Emmi.. you know I really don't want anyone going crazy with anything. He's my first serious client since I started working independently. I just can't afford not to keep that business contact. Every time I even think something might happen between us, all I hear in my head is Rita laughing mockingly and wagging her finger in the air," she said, returning to the room.

"Who cares what your sister thinks? You can't let your mother and her control your life all the way from Europe," Emmi raised her voice.

Nina rummaged through the closet trying to find something casual. Suddenly she realized she didn't want to wear a dress that attracted attention. She pulled out a long, loose, navy blue striped shirt dress in which she always felt comfortable. The safe choice. She thought she felt confident enough for a daring dress before, but the thought of her mother and sister always brought her down.

"What's the point of moving to Bangkok if your behavior is still directed by their little voice in your head? That voice isn't you. It's time to get rid of it," Emmi suddenly stood in the doorway of the room and was looking at Nina with a gentle expression.

"I know, you're right, but I also don't want anyone to think I'm dressing up because of them."

"Look, if you want to maintain a professional relationship with Bo, I fully support you. You know how much I love strong, independent women. But that doesn't mean you need to dress in a way that hides your assets. Please, wear the dress you showed me. For me." Emmi's expression was pleading and Nina couldn't help but relent. After all, she really wanted to wear her favorite dress. There was rarely an occasion for it.

"Okay, if it's for you," she said, smiling as warmth spread through her chest and a smile across her face.

"Great. I'm going to drink my delicious coffee now. Take your time. Let me know if you need any more styling advice," Emmi concluded and fluttered out of the room. "Can I connect to your Bluetooth? I want to hear the song that won Eurovision last night."

Nina got dressed. "For Emmi," she thought as she checked herself in the mirror. "Oh, who am I kidding?" she sighed aloud. Still, she couldn't help feeling excited.

—

Exactly at noon, they met with Chompoo, Stephan, and three other people Nina had not yet met at the exit of the BTS station next to Lumpini Park. Chompoo had only told them that their transport would be waiting there to take them to their final destination. The group squeezed into the shade at the edge of the sidewalk so as not to block the passersby.

Nina looked around, trying to spot Bo, but he was nowhere in sight. Chompoo introduced her friends, Chakri, Manop, and Lalita. Chakri and Manop were part of Chompoo's boxing club, while Lalita was her high school friend. 

"I didn't have many other friends in school," Chompoo admitted casually. The Bangkok sun was merciless, and all the birthday participants were lightly dressed.

"Bo is going to be late," she explained to Nina and Emmi. "I barely managed to convince him that Anan would survive a few hours by himself. I left Stormy with him, they'll keep each other company. He should be here soon."

Nina was chanting her mantra inwardly: "Be professional, be professional," but it was difficult. Her heart fluttered with excitement. She nodded to Chompoo and took out a bottle of water from her bag to give herself something to do.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him approaching, walking behind a young couple who were guiding a little girl between them. Bo looked like he had just stepped off the cover of Vogue. In long black linen trousers and a bright green knitted shirt, he couldn't go unnoticed. When he saw them, he took off his glasses and began greeting everyone, getting acquainted with people he didn't know in the process. Chompoo received a particularly long hug, and Nina couldn't help but smile at their obvious connection. With Stephan, he exchanged a quick fist bump, and then it was her turn. Both seemed unsure how to greet each other.

Bo moved forward to kiss her cheek, while Nina expected a hug and instead of turning her head aside, she moved it forward, resulting in a painful forehead bump. Then she turned her cheek, but Bo had then already given up on the kiss and was trying to hug her.

In the end, they shook hands awkwardly, which made Chompoo burst out in one of her loud infectious fits of laughter. She was still laughing slightly a moment later as she led them towards the van. Nina felt a flush creep across her cheeks. Emmi walked beside her and commented quietly:

"You two are too sweet, you're going to give me diabetes." Nina gazed at her, and Emmi winked playfully.

"Okay, folks, thanks everyone for coming, more or less on time," Chompoo started, giving Bo a pointed look as they reached the black van. The driver was waiting in the air-conditioned comfort and just briefly looked up from his phone to nod at them. "It might be time I finally reveal today's destination. I'm very proud that the information hasn't been leaked." She continued, rubbing her hands. "We are going to... tu tu ru ru," she drummed on the air with invisible sticks, "Pattaya!"

"Woohoo!" Chakri, Manop, and Lalita were thrilled and celebrated with little jumps in the air with their hands held high. Emmi soon joined in the celebration. Nina looked at Bo, who returned her gaze, smiling slowly and shrugging.

"She could have chosen a worse place," he said.

"Wait, really? You're not kidding? How long does it take to get there?" Nina needed a little explanation before she could let herself join in on the excitement.

"It's just two hours away," Stephan said as he got into the van.

"Don't worry. Chompoo is great at organizing these events," Bo added, suddenly standing next to her. As they entered the van one after the other, Emmi, Nina, and Bo took the same row.

"I like your dress," he said, looking at Nina as they sat down.

"Isn't it great?" Emmi interjected, giving Nina a significant look as Bo turned towards the back of the van.

"Can I recline my seat a bit?" he asked Manop, who was sitting directly behind him. "My height isn't exactly compatible with Thai standards."

"Sure, how about a twenty percent discount on my next tattoo in exchange?" Manop tried.

Bo laughed it off, facing forward again.

The van started slowly through the congested Bangkok streets, and lively conversations about the surprise awaiting them in Pattaya and the music Chompoo was playing ensued. Since it was her birthday, she said she would retain exclusive control over the playlist. The only exceptions were Nina, Emmi, and Bo, who each got a chance to represent their country of origin with one song.

"I've never heard Croatian language before," Bo said after they finished listening to the verses of Nina's favorite Croatian singer, Oliver Dragojević's song "Galeb i ja."

"Well, you do have to get ready for this autumn," Nina replied, and Bo's eyes gleamed.

"I've never been to Europe."

"I've never been to China," she replied thoughtfully.

When the van finally reached the highway, the conversation began to wane. The back row, made up of the young boxers and Lalita, fell collectively asleep. Nina watched the road ahead, somewhat terrified by the speed of the drive and the fact that their driver, like most others, used the shoulder lane for overtaking. She soon began to wipe her sweaty palms on her thighs and was swallowing hard. Beside her, Emmi looked completely unbothered, scrolling through Instagram reels on her phone.

On her other side, Bo also appeared quite relaxed, leaning back slightly behind her seat. He raised the ankle of his right leg onto the knee of his left, and every time the van swayed, she felt a light touch of his leg on her bare thigh. He held his hands crossed over his chest, while Nina nervously pulled at the hem of her dress.

"It's all right," he whispered to her at one point, bringing his head close enough so that only she could hear. She felt his warm breath on her earlobe and from that moment on, became aware of every movement that brought their legs or elbow brushing against each other. She retracted her leg in a quick motion.

"Okay," she managed to let out.

Two hours later, the driver gently parked the van in the shade of the entrance to Sanook Park in Pattaya. The back row woke up and, upon realizing where they were, started to emit squeaky sounds of excitement. In the seat in front of her, Stephan turned pale.

"Bungee jumping and human slingshot? We're just here to pick something up, right? Do they have good food here?" he said while Chompoo was jumping out of the van. "Do they have good food here, Chompoo?" he called after her.

Chompoo opened the back doors of the van and cheerily high-fived Chakri and Manop, who almost pushed Bo out of the van to get out. Nina and Emmi remained seated.

"Come on, you two. What's the holdup?" Chompoo demanded, peeking her head into the van.

"I can't do this," Nina said in a faint voice. "Emmi? Emmi. What do you think?" she shrieked, gripping Emmis knee.

Emmi lifted her head from her phone. "Sorry, a friend told me about a discount with Lufthansa so I was checking out tickets." She looked out the window and caught sight of the bright red doors marking the park's entrance.

"Oh, I can't do bungee or slingshot. I have back issues," she said calmly. "But I've been to these kinds of events before. Even the spectators have a great time. Nina, you have to do it, I'll film, you'll have the best memory ever. Honestly, I always feel a bit sad that I can't experience it."

Nina still hadn't moved from her spot. Chompoo lost patience and stepped into the van to pull her towards the exit. Emmi quickly joined in her effort and pushed Nina's back from the other side. Before she knew it, she was stepping out of the van.

"Here we are, it's nicer outside, isn't it?" said Emmi sympathetically, hugging her around the waist. Bo looked at her with a worried expression.

"Are you afraid of heights?" he asked, approaching them.

"Well, I don't know if it's fear of heights, or just respect for heights and a love of life. I don't understand why someone would voluntarily put themselves in danger," Nina said feeling nerdy.

"Jeez, you sound like my grandma," Chompoo teased. "Listen, Nina, the more something scares you, the more you can gain from the experience," she continued with a self important tone.

"Chompoo is right," Emmi chimed in. "Jung said, 'Where your fear is, there is your task.'"

The rest of the group had already headed towards the entrance, and Nina felt uncomfortable that Bo, Emmi, and Chompoo were standing behind because of her.

"Where your fear is, there is your task," she repeated mockingly, then laughed with Emmi. "You know what, I think you missed your calling. You should have been a therapist!"

"I'll consider it," Emmi accepted as they walked together behind Bo and Chompoo. "Especially if you go through some kind of breakthrough today."

They caught up with the rest of the group, who were already filling out forms at the reception desk. When he saw them, the young man at the reception squealed, ran up to Chompoo and lifted her in a hug. Nina saw Stephan watching with his mouth in a tight line.

"This is my friend Sarawut," Chompoo declared solemnly. "He'll take care of us today."

"Okay, everyone. First of all, welcome. Every friend of Chompoo is my friend, and today you are our most important guests," said the charming man. Though slight in build, his well-defined muscles hinted at his athletic prowess. "Fill out the disclaimers, and after that, refreshments and drinks await you. We won't feed you too much for obvious reasons," he laughed.

Nina didn't think that was particularly amusing. Her face took on a slightly grayish hue, and she felt unusually cold despite the typical warm weather. She listened to Sarawut but didn't quite understand what he was talking about. Emmi had wandered off to the restroom. Nina realized she was beginning to panic and needed something to hold onto. Bo was standing next to her. She grabbed his forearm, her knuckles whitening.

"I can't do this," she whispered, glancing at him.

"Hey. You don't have to do anything yet. We'll sign the statement and then go eat some mango. You don't have to worry about the jump yet. There's still time," he said gently.

"How do you know they have mango?" she asked, a tiny bit calmer.

Bo smiled confidently. "We're in Thailand."

"Have you ever bungee jumped? Aren't you scared?"

"I tried it once or twice when I was younger. There's nothing to be afraid of. Really, one step at a time. What do you say about that mango?" he asked, taking her hand.

"I love mango," she managed, letting him lead her to the reception where they quickly signed the statements and headed to the table and chairs in the shade of three huge palms. The rest of the team were sipping refreshing drinks, talking excitedly. If anyone noticed that they were approaching hand in hand, no one commented.

The conversation was heating up about everyone's bungee experience. If she had felt even slightly braver a moment earlier, Nina's fear returned at lightning speed and then some. When Lalita began recounting an incident with the slingshot, she was already on the verge of giving up. Bo seemed to notice.

"Hey, how about we take a walk?" he asked. Nina just managed to nod her head. "Shampoo, we're going to take a walk," he said, to which Chompoo looked at him with a disapproving gaze. "Trust me, if you want Nina to jump today, I need to get her away from this group."

"Okay okay, if you think you can distract her," Chompoo winked. Nina didn't pay too much attention to Chompoo's teasing and implications. She felt her limbs trembling and for a moment, nearly lost the ability to speak. Bo led her to the water park where children excitedly screamed as they jumped on rubber structures and trampolines. They sat on a bench, and Bo handed her a bowl of mango sticky rice he had picked up from the table.

"I don't know if I can eat now," she said, taking the bowl.

"Not even mango? Then it's really serious," Bo laughed.

A cool breeze blew, and suddenly Nina felt exhausted. She wanted to put her head on Bo's lap, close her eyes and forget all about bungee jumping.

"You know what? I have an idea!" he said suddenly with a cheerful tone.

"Will you sneak me out of here and take me to Pattaya for coconut coffee?" Nina hoped, although she wouldn't do that to Chompoo. She wondered why she simply didn't give up on the idea of jumping. She could watch the rest of the team having fun while drinking coffee with Emmi. But deep down, she knew she didn't want to give up on things because of fear. She wanted to jump. Figuratively and literally.

"We'll get some coffee after the jump," he replied. "But I have an idea which could help with your nerves." Looking her in the eyes and raising his chin he suggested, "We can jump together."

"What do you mean, is that possible to do?" she asked, regaining some confidence.

"Of course. You don't have to think about anything, just let go. They'll attach you to me, and I'll take care of the rest. You don't have to decide, you don't have to take the jump. Just enjoy." His tone was convincing. Nina realized that by not having to decide to jump, her fear would be substantially diminished. "You can even close your eyes. Although I don't recommend it, it's better to look."

"That might work, but what if I chicken out at the last moment? I would be so embarrassed."

Bo thought briefly. "There's a quote I picked up somewhere that always comes to mind in these kinds of situations." He said, concentrating. "It goes something like this: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is a death that brings total destruction. I will face my fear."

Nina was looking at him with her mouth open, not saying a word.

"What is it?" he asked, suddenly looking unsure of himself.

"Did you just quote from Dune to me?" she burst out laughing.

"Is that where it's from?" he asked, joining her.

"I love that book." they said simultaneously, which made them laugh even harder. Nina touched his knee playfully.

"Okay, okay. You've got me with that one," she said, feeling a bit of strength return to her voice. "Let's get back to the party though, I don't want you to be missing out on all the fun because of me. I've been a drama queen for too long."

"We were only gone for ten minutes, I don't think Shampoo will mind," Bo said, but Nina was already getting up from her seat, prompting him to stand as well.

When they returned, the conversation had shifted to what awaited them after the bungee experience. Chompoo wasn't ready to reveal it yet, insisting they should just enjoy the moment and let her take care of the rest.

"Alright, who wants to go first?" she asked as Bo and Nina took the remaining chairs. Manoop and Lalita raised their hands simultaneously and then laughed when they realized it. Nina concluded that if she watched others jump, she'd lose her nerve.

"Would you mind if I go first? I think that's my only chance of actually jumping," she said, eliciting raised eyebrows all around.

"Well would you look at that," Chompoo teased mercilessly. "Bo, please remind me to invite you to my next boxing match when I chicken out against a double-sized opponent."

"No problem, I'll show your coach how hyping up champions is done," Bo answered. Then he looked back at Nina. "Are you sure?"

"Now or never," she replied with a shrug.

Ten minutes later, they were climbing the platform, and Nina realized Bo was trying to distract her by showing particular interest in life in Croatia. As soon as they climbed up a few meters, she decided not to look down anymore, but still struggled to find words to answer him coherently.

"We mostly eat Mediterranean cuisine—fish, meat, vegetables, all generously drizzled with olive oil. And wine," she said, recalling family dinners when her father was still alive and everything was somewhat functional. "There's also a lot of Italian food. My grandmother taught me how to make homemade pasta, gnocchi—"

"What's gnocchi?" Bo asked just as they reached the platform.

Nina focused on recalling the ingredients for making the dough, "They're made from flour mixed with mashed potatoes, then kneaded into dough, cut into thumb-sized pieces, and cooked in salted water," she explained while they were being prepared for the jump. She knew Bo probably wasn't interested in the minutiae of making Italian pasta, but she realized that if she stopped talking about it, she'd start thinking about the upcoming jump, which she didn't want to do.

"Wow, interesting. Do send me that recipe. I could make it for my grandmother sometime; she loves trying out foreign cuisine."

"I'll email it to you," she said as the technician turned her to face Bo and nudged her to cling to him. While they were being secured with safety harnesses, Nina's hands dangled by her side. For a moment, she felt awkward about the sudden closeness in front of others, but then she leaned her head beneath his neck and closed her eyes.

"Your hair smells nice," Bo said, inhaling and wrapping his arms gently around her. Suddenly, she forgot about the pasta, the jump, where they were, and why. She was in Bo's embrace, and everything else faded into the background. Then even that background disappeared into a mist. In the sudden silence the only sound she could hear was Bo's calm breathing, his chest rising and falling against her own. "We're ready," he said. Nina embraced his back and agreed, "Yes."

In the next moment, Bo jumped, propelling them through the air, and Nina's stomach lurched into her throat. Once, she had jumped off a cliff into an icy river from a height of a few meters. The feeling now was similar, except it lasted longer and was somehow less frightening. Soaring freely through the air, she felt safe and guarded.

She heard Emmi shouting her name amidst the other cheers, and two seconds later the rope tightened at its maximum stretch and flung them back into the air. Bo tightened his grip, and feeling his chest contract, Nina couldn't help but laugh. If this was to be the last moment in her life – she felt there were worse ways to die.

The rope finally slackened, and they hung upside down a few meters from the ground.

"Are you okay?" Bo asked, gently stroking her side.

"U-huh," she replied, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

"Great, I was a bit scared you'd have a heart attack," he admitted.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?" she looked up at him.

"How would that have helped?" he asked quietly, returning her gaze. Nina's hair covered her face. He brushed it aside tenderly and holding it in place, brought his lips close to hers, stopping there and waiting for her to close the remaining distance. She marveled at the feeling of looking into his dark eyes from a close proximity. Smiling slightly, she pushed any remaining thoughts of restraint to the back of her mind and gave him the smallest, most tender kiss. The softness of his lips surprised her. Bo got all the permission he needed. He took the back of her neck and pressed his lips to hers, deepening the kiss. It started out slow and patient but thorough and methodical. There was no sloppiness in Bo's moves, despite their upside down position – he wasn't in any rush. Soon though, control went out the window and Nina once again forgot where they were.

"I wanted to do this for quite some time," he said between breaths.

When her tongue slid playfully across his lips, he let out a muffled sound, revealing the effect the kiss had on him.

Nina felt the rope slacken again, and soon they were slowly descending toward the ground. But even though she once again stood firmly on her feet, she felt like she was higher than ever.