Translation 1: Grammar-Translation Method

“เมื่อกี้ ที่งานเลี้ยง คุณพยายามจะทำอะไรหรือ...ทราย” 

"Just now, at the dinner party, what were you trying to do...Sai?"

คำถามเรียบ ๆ เจือเสียงหัวเราะอย่างรู้ทันดังออกมาจากริมฝีปากของชายหนุ่มผู้ทำหน้าที่เป็นคนขับ

the straight question, laughingly and knowingly, came from the lips of the young man driving.

“ถามแปลกจังฌาน ฉันก็กำลังทำความรู้จักกับสังคมของคุณน่ะซิคะ 

“You are asking a strange question, Chan. I’m getting to know your social group, that’s what,

 
และก็พยายามทำให้พวกเขาชอบ ฉัน”

and also trying to get them to like me.”

“งั้น หรือ คนอย่างศรุตา พรหมมาสตร์นารายณ์ต้องใช้ความพยายามด้วยหรือเวลาอยากจะให้ใครชอบสักคน

“Is that what it is? A woman like Saruta Brahmasnarayana needs effort when she wants to get someone to like her?

แค่ยืนอยู่เฉย ๆ ทุกคนก็ยินดีเดินเข้ามาติดบ่วงคุณแล้ว”

You can just stand there and everyone will gladly walk into your noose.”

 
“ฟังพูดเข้า” หญิงสาวทำหน้างอ หากดวงตาดำงามนั้นซุกซ่อนร่องรอยเริงร่า

“Listen to you,” she pouted but those beautiful dark eyes hid traces of mirth.

“บ่วงอะไร พูดจาน่าเกลียด”

“What noose? That’s ugly talk.”

ฌานส่ายหน้าช้า ๆ เขารู้จักเธอมานาน

Chan shook his head slowly. He had known her for a long time.

ความสัมพันธ์ที่ลึกซึ้งกึ่งเพื่อนกึ่งคู่รักทำให้เขาอ่านเธอออกอย่างทะลุปรุโปร่งได้ ไม่ยาก

Their deep connection, half-friend half-lover enabled him to read her clearly, easily.

เพียงแต่ว่าส่วนมากเขาจะไม่เข้าใจว่าที่เธอทำไปทั้งหมดนั้นเพราะอะไรและเพื่ออะไร

It is only that most of the time he did not understand why and what for she was doing all of that.

ภายใต้ดวงหน้าสะสวยอ่อนเยาว์ ทีท่าเริงร่าและเป็นมิตร

Within that young pretty face and cheerful friendliness

มีอะไรบางอย่างซุกซ่อนอยู่อย่างแน่นอน...

there was something hidden for certain…

เงียบกันไปอึดใจหนึ่ง ศรุตาเอ่ยถามขึ้นมาในที่สุดว่า

They were quiet for a bit. Saruta finally spoke up,

“มีอะไรหรือคะ วันนี้คุณแปลกจัง ซักไซ้เหมือนคนขี้หึง...

“What is it? Today you are very strange, asking questions like a jealous person...

เราเข้าใจกันและยอมรับกันมาตลอดไม่ใช่หรือคะว่าคุณก็มีเกมของ คุณ

We have understood and accepted each other all this time, haven’t we, that you have your game

ฉันก็มีเกมของฉัน...แต่ก็คง จะมีสักวัน...ที่เราอยากจะหยุดและพร้อมที่จะเริ่มต้นชีวิต...”

and I have mine…though there might be a day…when we would want to stop and begin a life…”

หญิงสาวอึ้ง ลังเลนิดหน่อยจนแทบจะสังเกตไม่เห็นก่อนที่จะต่อคำสุดท้ายว่า

She stopped, hesitated so slightly it was hardly perceptible before saying the last word,

 
“...ร่วมกัน...”

“…together…”

 
ขณะที่พูดไปนั้น จิตใจของเธอเลื่อนลอย นี่เธอกำลังหลอกใช้เขาหรือเปล่า...

As soon as she said it, her mind wandered. Is she using him?...

‘เพื่อน’ คนที่แสนดี เปิดเผย ซื่อตรง และรู้จิตรู้ใจเธอเสมอมา 

this “friend,” this person who is so good, open, honest, and who always knew her mind so well.

Translation 2: Sample for Discussion

"What were you trying to do at the party, Sai?"

The straightforward question came with a knowing laughter from the man who was driving the car.

"What a strange question, Charn. I was just trying to get to know your society and to get them to like me."

"Really? Is it necessary for Miss Saruta Phrommasnarai to make an effort to get someone to like her? She can simply stand still and everybody is ready to talk up to her and get trapped."

"What are you talking about?" She made an angry facial expression but her beautiful black eyes showed some sort of satisfaction.

"Getting trapped! That sounds awful!"

Charn shook his head slowly. He knew her well. Their ambiguous relationship or friendship made it easy for him to read through her. The problem was just that he simply could not grasp why she did it and what it all was for.

Under the young pretty face and that cheerful friendly manner, she must be hiding something.

They were silent for a while before she started to ask,

"What's wrong with you, Charn? You're strange today, asking me this and that as if you were jealous. We've been understanding each other and accepting that each of us has our own games, haven't we? But there may be one day, when we would like to stop and be ready to start our life..." She hesitated slightly, almost unnoticeably, before saying the last word "together."

While she was saying that, she was wondering whether she was exploiting him...a "friend" who was always so kind, open, honest and understanding.

Translation 3: Sample for Discussion

"What were you trying to pull there at the dinner, Sai?"

The level question, tinged with knowing laughter, came from the lips of the young man driving.

"What an odd question, Jhan. I'm just getting to know your social circle, that's what. And trying to get them to like me."

"Yeah? A woman like Sharuta Brahmasnarayana needs to sweat to get someone to like her? You can just stand there and people will happily walk into your noose."

"What are you saying?" A pout but those beautiful dark eyes held mirth.

"Noose? Such language!"

Jhan shook his head slowly. He'd known her a long time. Their closeness, half-lover half-friend, gave him an easy insight into her, only more than half the time he did not know she was doing all of this because of what reason and to what end.

Beneath that young pretty face, that gaiety and amiableness, something was definitely lurking...

They were quiet for a spell. Sharuta eventually let out,

"What's going on? You're acting different today, questioning me like a jealous man...We've had an understanding and agreement all this time, don't we, that you have your game and I have mine?...Though perhaps there might come a day...that we might want to quit and start a life..." She paused with a barely detectable hesitance before the final word, "...together..."

As she spoke, her mind wandered. Was she using him...this "friend"? This utterly good person, open, loyal, and entirely acquainted with her thoughts all this time.