"Welcome our new Super VIP! From now on, every December and January, every Saturday night at midnight, when the spotlight finds you, you are The Dazzle's special person. Please stand perfectly still, don't move."
Suddenly an announcement echoed throughout The Arena, the large dance floor in the center of the club, followed by a countdown with the voices of partying guests joining in. The lights began to dim until it was nearly dark, then the spotlight began flashing and weaving as if searching for the chosen new Super VIP guest.
"Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two..."
At the count of two, applause and cheers of celebration thundered as the beam of the large light shone down on the tall figure of a handsome young man in a perfectly fitted modern white suit, standing motionless in the middle of the dance floor with a bewildered expression.
"Win!" Baramee exclaimed, eyes wide with shock, then his face fell when the announcement continued.
"Congratulations! We invite our new VIP to come up to Dusitia to receive your card and World Class welcome from us. Thank you."
As the announcer finished, dance music thundered up again, lights flashed back and forth, Wittawin's image still appeared on the giant screen hanging over the dance floor, then rotated around the large crystal chandelier, alternating with blinking text that read "Welcome Super VIP."
I gotta go. This is no good. I thought I'd get caught and thrown out for some fun, but instead I become a Super VIP without any fuss. What is Teeradon playing at?
Wittawin shouted to Baramee that he was leaving. The other shook his head in frustration, so the new 'Super VIP' dragged him off the dance floor to talk. Even so, they still couldn't communicate properly, then Baramee pulled Wittawin toward the restrooms.
"Since we're already here, why rush back?"
"They've caught on. Do you still want to stay? You don't know anything," Wittawin snapped.
"But you became a Super VIP! I think the spotlight just randomly picked someone, and it happened to shine on where you were standing."
"So what? When I walk up on stage to receive my crown, they will say, 'Hey, how did you get in here? You're not a member, are you?'" Wittawin shook his head, then continued, "Stay if you want. I'm going back."
"Win, come on, we're having fun. If you don't want to be a VIP, you don't have to go up. Just stay and keep dancing with me." Baramee pleaded. "We made the effort to come out together. You're the one who forced me to bring you."
"And now I'm forcing you to take me back," Wittawin said curtly.
"Seriously," Baramee shook his head, knowing Wittawin was stubborn—once he'd made up his mind about something, it was hard to change it.
Baramee raised his hand to scratch his head in frustration and led his friend away from the restrooms. But as they neared the bar in The Arena, both young men had to stop when two giant guards and a stern-faced rugged man in a white suit blocked their path.
"This way, please," the man in white gestured.
"Where to?" Wittawin asked.
"Dusitia, the Royal Super VIP room," the man in white answered clearly. "The Dazzle welcomes you, Khun Wittawin."
"I don't need to be a Super VIP. I was just about to go home."
"Please don't leave yet. Have one of our special drinks first. The club's CEO is waiting to present you with your Super VIP card."
"I told you I don't want it," Wittawin's voice hardened.
"We want you to have it," the man in white's voice also hardened. His manner suggested he wouldn't easily let Wittawin and Baramee walk away. This club employee's face was impassive, but his eyes were steely, ready to order the guards standing beside him to move immediately if the two young men thought about 'running.'
"Khun Baramee, please continue enjoying yourself," the man in white 'dismissed' Baramee.
Well then, since I've already stepped into the tiger's den, might as well go say hello to the tiger...
Wittawin shrugged and followed the man in white with the giant guards trailing behind, leaving Baramee standing there watching with a worried expression.
***
The upper floor of the club called Dusitia was decorated luxuriously in a modernized Thai style, as if imitating heaven's Dusit realm.
When he climbed the final step to stand on the pitch-black glass floor, Wittawin looked down to see thousands of tiny lights twinkling below, making him feel as if he were floating in the night sky.
The walkway stretched about ten meters with black curtains embroidered with gleaming gold Thai patterns. The ceiling was so high that Wittawin estimated it must be nearly ten meters. At the end of the walkway, he had to widen his eyes because this upper floor was almost as vast as The Dance Arena below, the difference being that the roof was a massive clear glass dome through which he could see the night sky and full moon.
"The Royal VIP room, please," the man in white gestured and led Wittawin to the right. The young engineer followed slowly, his eyes sweeping around to see the club's guests dressed elegantly—some standing and talking, others dancing in pairs. Many were singers and actors he recognized, including three famous foreign celebrities standing near a fountain, deep in conversation.
Truly luxurious. No wonder that day when he wore a shirt and cargo pants, he didn't even make it to the top step before getting carried out and dumped in front of the club.
This time he's been invited up...
To the Royal Super VIP room, no less. How many VIP levels does this place have?
"Aren't you coming in too?" Wittawin turned to ask the man in white who had escorted him there and opened the door, waiting for him to enter.
"Doesn't talk when spoken to. No manners," Wittawin muttered quietly to himself when the stern-faced man walked away. Then he entered the room prepared to welcome the first Super VIP chosen by the spotlight.
Teeradon's having fun. Wonder who'll get chosen in January—Saturday night at six PM. I bet the guests will be running around chasing the spotlight like crazy...
Just wait and see. If he tries anything, and if I survives, I'll send a virus to destroy The Dazzle's entire computer system...
"Khun Wittawin," a cool voice called out. "My VIP."
"What do you want?" Wittawin spun toward the voice.
"What do you want, sneaking into my club?" Teeradon replied smoothly.
"I didn't sneak. I walked through the front door with dignity," Wittawin argued.
Teeradon smiled and walked closer, casually slipping his hands into his pockets, stopping about two steps away from Wittawin.
"The guard at the front door will be fired without a single dime in compensation."
"You can do that. You're the employer."
"And the person who brought you in will have their membership revoked and be banned from entering. What was the name?" Teeradon tilted his head thoughtfully. "Baramee, wasn't it? Son of Khun Baworn, the famous hotel owner."
"You can do that too. You own this club."
"It will be mbarrassing, getting kicked out of a club, being denied membership. In high society circles, they're terrified of things like this, you know." Teeradon spoke with a smile.
"I wouldn't know. I'm not in high society circles," Wittawin shrugged.
"And fined a considerable amount for violating Super VIP membership rules."
Wittawin raised an eyebrow, not realizing Baramee was a member of 'another level.'
"Want to know how much? But your companion probably has enough money to pay. No need to worry about him—worry about yourself." Teeradon smiled wickedly.
"Stop playing games and just tell me what you want," Wittawin was nearly out of patience. Teeradon's face and smug smile made him feel nauseated.
"Nothing," Teeradon shrugged. "I'm not going to do anything. You were chosen as Super VIP, that's all. I'm inviting you to receive your membership card and offering you a welcome as the club owner who got hit in the head with your wrench twice."
"Once," Wittawin corrected. "Once that connected, though I wish it had been both times."
"Ah, so you've been thinking this way all along. Was that time when it actually hit intentional?" Teeradon gritted his teeth, his voice suddenly harder.
"Couldn't help it," Wittawin shrugged.
"But your sneaking in that time was a separate matter entirely." Teeradon turned and walked to the bar, picking up a drink to offer Wittawin, but the young man stood with his hands behind his back, refusing to accept the glass.
"So you won't take it," Teeradon raised one eyebrow.
"No. I don't want to party here. I only came tonight for fun, but I don't think I can handle it. Someone like me belongs at pubs around Nawamin Road—way more lively and spirited than this place." Wittawin shrugged, pursed his lips, and made an annoying face.
"Condescending."
"Better to look down than to misjudge," Wittawin smiled at the corner of his mouth, feeling slightly satisfied at making Teeradon lose his temper. "Can I go now?"
"Please," Teeradon gestured toward the door.
Why is it this easy? That's it? Teeradon doesn't seem to have any real power...
Wittawin slowly turned and walked straight toward the door, but when he reached out to pull it open, he had to stop when Teeradon's voice rang out with a firm tone.
"If you agree to become a member, I won't kick Baramee out, and I'll sign checks for the computer system installation at your company and the computer system repairs at The Dazzle, plus..." Teeradon deliberately didn't finish the last part, intending to keep it as his 'trump card' to deal with Wittawin in the future if he became too defiant to control.
I really want to punch Teeradon's face right now...
"I had been to your company to see you and apologized as you ordered," Wittawin turned with a hard voice.
"Did I offer those terms back then?" Teeradon shrugged, lifting his drink for a sip before looking down at his glass coolly.
Wittawin gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. Sarayoot's face flashed in his mind, followed by Baramee's face and others from the company.
Did you think you'd win easily? You lose to me in every race. Teeradon's only good in closed rooms with walls all around like this...
When has someone like Wittawin ever given in to anyone…
***