O-Negative (the group begins to fracture)

Prim's mom is feeling no pain

Episode 10 of the Thai TV show O-Negative (Episode 9) starts with Prim returning home after telling her friends about her father's death and her mother's drinking problem. She finds her mom passed out in a chair on the deck, with an empty wine bottle and an ashtray full of cigarette butts next to her. Prim gently wakes her mom up and helps her go inside to sleep.

Peun's father is a doctor and his mother is a dentist. The next morning at breakfast Peun asks if Mrs. Ben is available. They're concerned he asked because Mrs. Ben is a psychologist. He explains it is for a friend and tells them about Prim's mom and how she is handling the death of her husband so poorly. His parents are concerned that Prim's mom's mental condition could worsen, so they agree to help.

Meanwhile Chompoo is headed to school when her dad stops her. He had gone through her bag and found a Bic lighter. He starts yelling at her and accusing her of taking up smoking. She denies smoking and says that one of her friends who smoke must have put it in the bag. Her dad then declares that her cigarette smoking friends are going to get her hooked on drugs. Chompoo says that's an insane thing to say, reiterates that she doesn't smoke and storms off.

Prim suggests a trip during their school break

That same morning Art surprises Prim by dropping by her house to give her a ride to school on his scooter. On the way there he takes her to the Kor-Nom-Pang (eggs-milk-bread) café. One review of the place said there were a lot of students there, so I guess it is near their school. By the way, in the unlikely event that you're reading my silly recaps from Bangkok during  the pandemic lockdown, the café is doing take out and delivery at the moment.

It is near the end of the school year. Prim asks Art what he is going to do during the break. He's going to return to his home in Kanchanaburi. She wonders what's there to do and he tells her the Bridge over the River Kwai, the Death Railway, a reservoir and some temples. She suggests that O Group should take a trip there during their break.

She then asks Art to take a picture of her. As you can imagine, she doesn't exactly have to twist his arm to get him to do that. She poses on his scooter and then asks him to show her how to operate the scooter. They have a pleasant morning together.

When they get to the college she has to hop off the bike and run to the bathroom. He waits for her, and when she comes back Peun is with her. Her good mood from earlier has dissipated as Peun tells her about the psychologist and promises to give Prim her number.

She leaves and Art is furious with Peun. Art is angry that Peun has upset Prim by insinuating her mother is crazy. Well, not to take Peun's side in this, but thinking your dead husband is in the next room is a little bit around the bend. However, Art seems to think she is just grieving and, consistent with his approach to things, feels that she will heal naturally. Peun counters that therapy can be just to help a person heal.

To be honest, I think there was a cultural dimension to that scene that made it difficult for me to unpack. To go back to the coffin donation scene -- that act gained merit for the person doing it. Acts of charity in general gain merit for the person. Prim's father had been acting charitably, Prim's mother on the other hand was desiring money. That's what their argument was over. Could Art view her present sorrow as an outgrowth of that desire? Did Art view Peun's approach as being too secular? I don't know, maybe somebody who knows Thailand and Buddhism better could give me a more accurate read in the comments.

The final little bit of  that scene is Foon standing in the background and looking wistfully at Peun. Seesh, an entire school year and these two knuckleheads are still acting goofier than middle schoolers with a bad case of puppy love.

Chompoo's friends chastise her for goofing off on her final project

We join Chompoo at school. She is with two other students we've never seen before, Pakwan and a woman who's name isn't given. Chompoo is trying to claim she had to work hard to make the final project's deadline, but the other two are having none of that. They're teasing her that she's just lazy and a procrastinator, which is consistent with what we've seen of Chompoo.

Go joins them. He's miffed that she hasn't answered his texts about lunch, but she changes the topic by telling him the lighter he left in her bag got her in trouble with her dad.

We cut to a brief interlude of Foon confronting Peun. She asks him if he's not talking to her any more. He doesn't answer and just walks past her. She asks him why he's acting like he is. I dunno Foon, just spit balling here, but it might have something to do with your boyfriend Ong-art. Peun just ends up standing there without saying anything and she eventually tells him to suit himself and storms off.

We return to Chompoo and her friends who are at the freshman workshop building. Chompoo is still whining about having to do so much work on the final project when her mom calls. She asks Chompoo where she is and Chompoo lies and says at the apartment. I assume the captioning means the mythical dorms.

Chompoo taking her first step on the way to crack addiction

Chompoo's mom and dad are in there car driving to Chompoo's apartment to check on her. They're having trouble finding it and, as luck would have it, they stop at the Freshman workshop to ask for directions. The student they ask for directions finds out they are looking for Chompoo. He calls to her on the roof to tell her that her parents are here. As they all look up they see Chompoo yukking it up and smoking a cigarette.
 
Needless to say, her dad blows a gasket and starts yelling at her. He tells her she needs to quit art college and take the entrance exam to get a better major. The fight quickly escalates until Chompoo's  mom ends up slapping her. She  is told to pack up her stuff and come home.

Art calls Chompoo that night to see if she is alright and Prim stops by her house to help with her final project. When Chompoo comes out to greet Prim she is sobbing. However, apparently they do finish Chompoo's final exam because the next day at school, as Prim is undecided about calling the psychologist, Chompoo is telling Foon that the professor gave her a hard time over her project.

Prim suggests they celebrate the end of the semester at Go's bar. Chompoo has to go home and Foon offers to drive her there, begging off the rest of the night because she is supposed to be having a family reunion. The other three go to the bar and Prim suggests the trip during their school vacation. Peun is nervous about how to act if Foon goes as well.

You and me both brother

When Art leaves to call his mother Peun follows him out to talk to him. It is just the usual Peun whining and Art gives him the same advice -- to relax and take it slowly. Art also gives him a richly deserved 'I told you so'. Hilariously, after ignoring her when she tried to talk to him earlier, Peun is now indignant that she's not answering his text messages.

Finally, Art gets fed up with Peun and tells him to either be patient and wait or to give up on Foon. Instead Peun decides that he's going to confront Foon at her house and settle this matter for once and all. Yea, I don't think that's going to work Peun. Neither does Art, who tells him he is only going to make things worse.

Looks like a date to me  Foon

Peun arrives at Foon's house just as a car is leaving. Peun hides behind the gate and the car conveniently stops where he can see what's going on inside it. He sees Ong-art pointing out a good restaurant on the GPS and asks her if she wants to go there to eat. She does.

Peun ends back on the roof top and poor Art is stuck consoling him again. By this point Art doesn't have a lot of sympathy for Peun. He bluntly tells him that Foon is two-timing him, but then reprimands Peun for screwing up their friendship. Art tells Peun that, aside from the whole two-timing business, he still considers Foon to be a good friend. The look Peun gives him his pretty funny.

The next day it turns out that only Art, Peun and Prim are taking the school break trip to Art's home. Before leaving Prim has tells her mom not to drink while she's gone. When the three board the train Peun makes sure to sit in the seat next to Prim. Art notes it and doesn't look too happy over that development.

[Episode 11]

The start of the school break trip