Raye remained silent for a moment, digesting his words.
They did make sense.
If those files held anything significant, why weren't they tampered with back when they were active? Why now, when they had long since been closed? It felt deliberate, yet the reasoning behind it remained an enigma.
Raye observed Nani carefully, noting the way his shoulders remained tense, the distant look in his eyes that told her his mind was still elsewhere, tangled in something far deeper than he was willing to share. She didn't want to press him-she respected his space too much for that. Whatever was troubling him, he'd speak about it when he was ready. Until then, she figured a little distraction wouldn't hurt.
With a small, knowing smile, she decided to shift the conversation. "How's your current case going?" Her tone was light, casual, as if they weren't just discussing stolen case files and the possibility of something bigger lurking beneath.
Nani blinked, his mind momentarily snapping back to the present. "Oh, it's over." he replied, his voice carrying a hint of relief.
Raye raised an eyebrow. "When?"
"Just a day before yesterday," he answered. "The court declared life imprisonment for the culprit, and my client was proven innocent."
Raye's lips curled into a proud smile as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Oh great! As always, The Nani Hirunkit has never lost a single case in his career." she said, her admiration evident in her voice. "I really adore this consistency of success. You're such an inspiration."
For the first time that day, Nani allowed himself a small smile. He wasn't one to bask in compliments, but hearing Raye's genuine praise made him feel... lighter.
Even if just a little.
"Well then." Raye continued, her tone teasing as she tilted her head at him. "Just don't think too much and let those wrinkles grow even more on your face if you don't wanna get old too soon." A chuckle escaped her lips, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Nani let out a rare laugh, shaking his head. "I'll try." he said, though they both knew he wouldn't.
His mind never truly rested.
With a satisfied nod, Raye stood up, her presence bringing a brief moment of ease to the otherwise heavy atmosphere of the room. "Take care, Nani." she said before heading toward the door.
He watched as she left, the soft click of the door marking her exit. The office fell silent once more, and while her words had momentarily lifted his spirits, the weight of the missing case files and the dangerous path he was inching toward; remained.
His smile faded, his fingers instinctively drumming against the desk.
No matter how much he tried to push it aside, he knew one thing for certain.
Something wasn't right. And he wasn't going to stop until he found out what.
🂾
The low hum of the city outside was muffled as the door clicked shut behind them. Dunk Natachai stepped into his dimly lit apartment, the warmth of the interior contrasting sharply with the cold weight pressing against his chest. Yet, his business rival, Archen, followed closely behind, his presence unwelcome yet persistent.
"Mr. Natachai..." Archen's deep voice broke through the silence, drawing Dunk's gaze to him. His rival's eyes held something unreadable-determination, concern, perhaps even something deeper.
Dunk scoffed, moving to loosen his tie as he turned his back. "Mr. Archen, it would be better if you stayed out of my matters." he said, his voice calm but edged with irritation. "Why is it so concerning to you what's going on in my life?"
Archen let out a long sigh, the kind that carried unspoken thoughts and restrained emotions.
"Please, take note that we're rivals, not friends." Dunk continued, his tone firmer now, as if reinforcing a line between them.
But Archen, undeterred, suddenly reached out and grabbed Dunk's wrist, pulling him closer. The movement was swift, calculated, and before Dunk could react, Archen's other hand was firmly gripping his waist, closing the distance between them.
"What-?" Dunk's breath hitched, his heart hammering against his ribcage.
"Dunk..."
His name left Archen's lips in a whisper, thick with something that made the tension between them crackle like a live wire. Silence engulfed the room, but it wasn't empty-it was dense, charged. Dunk swallowed hard, feeling the heat of Archen's grip, yet the look in his rival's eyes held something different.
Not arrogance, not mere competition.
Concern.
"What's concerning you?" Archen murmured, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "Just, please, tell me..."
Dunk's eyebrows furrowed, his jaw clenching as he fought the turmoil stirring within him. He yanked his arm free, stepping back. "Why? Why should I?" His voice turned cold, pushing back against the warmth threatening to break through. "Please, stay away from me."
Without another glance, he turned on his heels, heading toward his bedroom. He needed space-needed distance from this unfamiliar tightness in his chest.
But just as his fingers brushed against the door handle, another voice sliced through the tension.
"Worried about the stolen case files, Mr. Dunk Natachai?"
A deep, calculated voice slithered into the room, sending a chill down Dunk's spine. The weight of those words made both him and Archen turn sharply, eyes snapping toward the entrance.
There, standing casually as if he owned the place, was a man cloaked in shadow.
Sky.
Dunk's stomach twisted at the sight of him, and beside him, Archen's confusion was evident.
"Sky?" Archen's voice held disbelief as his gaze flickered between Dunk and the intruder.
But Sky merely smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief and something far darker. "Right, P'Joong." he drawled, stepping further inside. The dim lighting caught the sharp angles of his face, and behind him, two more figures followed suit.
Aou. Boom.
Dunk stiffened at the sight of them.
His mind raced.
What the hell was going on?
"Aou, Boom? You two?" His voice was sharp, demanding answers.
The two men nodded, their expressions unreadable.
Dunk inhaled deeply, crossing his arms over his chest as he tried to mask the unease creeping into his bones. "What are you all doing here?" His voice was low, controlled. "And how do you know about the stolen case files?"
Instead of answering immediately, Sky strode past him, making himself comfortable on the couch. He sat at the center, stretching one leg over the other in a posture that spoke of complete authority. Like a king on his throne.
Dunk's teeth clenched at the blatant arrogance.
"Exactly. How do you know?" Joong's voice was sharp, demanding, but it lacked the anger Dunk's carried. There was something else laced in it-wariness.
Then came the chuckle.
Dark.
Low.
Amused.
Sky tilted his head, his lips curling into a smirk. "Because," he said, his tone dripping with amusement, "it's me who's behind it."
The air in the room turned glacial.
Dunk's blood ran cold. His body locked up as the weight of Sky's words sank in, pressing against his chest like iron chains.
"You're joking." Joong scoffed, though there was an edge of disbelief in his voice.
Sky leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, his dark gaze unwavering. "You know I don't joke, Phi."
Dunk could hear the confidence in his voice, the way it sent a shiver of finality through the air.
"So, you're the one behind all of this?" Dunk's voice was low, controlled, but it carried the weight of authority. "You stole the case files... from every single firm in Thailand?"
Sky turned to face him, his expression unreadable. Then, without hesitation, he nodded.
"That's right."
A muscle ticked in Dunk's jaw. His fingers curled into fists.
"Why?"
Before Sky could answer, Aou spoke, his voice eerily calm. "Because there's a detective who's been prying into Sky's business."
Dunk scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.
"And that justifies stealing confidential case files from every major firm? You do realize the severity of what you've done, right?"
Joong, leaning against the armrest of the couch, let out a low whistle. "That must be one hell of an unlucky man." His voice was laced with amusement, but there was a glint of unease in his eyes.
Sky chuckled darkly.
"Unlucky? Maybe. But skilled? Absolutely."
Boom, who had been scrolling through a folder, finally spoke up, his eyes scanning over the details in front of him.
"His name is Nani Hirunkit. One of the best detectives in Thailand."
He lifted his gaze, meeting Sky's.
"He's never lost a single case in his entire career."
Sky's smirk faltered slightly at that, his expression hardening with intrigue. "Nani..." he echoed, the name rolling off his tongue as if tasting its weight.
Boom adjusted his glasses, scrolling further. "Korn sent me his file earlier, but unfortunately, Ms. Wongravee had to ruin it before I could go through everything." Sky said, his tone laced with irritation.
"Show me his picture." Sky ordered, his curiosity piqued.
Boom nodded, swiftly pulling up the file on his laptop. He turned the screen toward Sky, but before Sky could catch even a glimpse of the detective's face-The screen flickered.
Then, abruptly, the laptop shut down.
Sky's eyes narrowed. "What the hell?" His voice was sharp, laced with irritation.
Boom's face twisted in confusion as he tapped at the keyboard. "It just... switched off?"
Aou, who had been unusually quiet, gulped. His gaze flickered between Boom and the laptop, guilt evident in his expression.
Boom's jaw clenched as realization dawned. "Aou."
The younger man winced. "Uh... I may have forgotten to charge it earlier."
Boom closed his eyes for a long moment, exhaling through his nose before shooting a glare at Aou, who gave a sheepish grin.
"Shit." Boom muttered under his breath, yanking the laptop away from Sky's grasp and glaring at Aou like he wanted to strangle him.
Aou raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, okay?"
Sky rolled his eyes. "Forget it. Korn must've sent the file to my personal server by now-I'll check it later." He straightened, slipping his hands into his pockets. "For now, I have a visit to make at the Siam Crime Investigation Unit."
Joong let out a laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "A criminal voluntarily walking into a detective's den? That's a new one."
Sky merely smirked but said nothing.
Dunk, who had been silent for a moment, finally let out a long, exhausted sigh. He loosened his tie even more, his fingers working the knot as he collapsed onto the couch. The weight of everything settled onto his shoulders, and for the first time tonight, he looked tired.
Joong's gaze flickered to him, watching the way Dunk's head tilted back slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he exhaled.
He looked... troubled.
Sky noticed Joong's lingering gaze, and his own smirk faltered for the briefest second. He turned his attention back to Dunk, his expression unreadable.
"Mr. Natachai," he started, his tone less taunting now, more assured, "don't worry. Once this is all over, your case files will be returned to you safely."
Dunk scoffed, a humorless chuckle escaping his lips as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His eyes met Sky's, unwavering, sharp.
"You should be grateful," he said slowly, each word deliberate, "that I haven't had you arrested yet-despite me being the head of one of the biggest law firms in Thailand." His voice lowered, thick with barely contained anger. "And do you know why I haven't?"
Sky remained silent, his gaze steady.
Dunk smirked, but there was no warmth in it.
"Because of your father."
The words landed heavy, and for the first time, Sky's expression shifted-just slightly. His jaw clenched, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes.
"If it weren't for him," Dunk continued, standing up to his full height, "you wouldn't be standing here right now."
The room fell into a sharp silence, thick with tension.
Aou and Boom exchanged glances, sensing the change in atmosphere. Sky, however, merely exhaled through his nose before giving a lazy shrug.
"Noted." he said coolly.
Without another word, he turned on his heels and headed for the door, Aou and Boom following closely behind.
Joong remained on the couch, his gaze still fixed on Dunk, watching the way his hands clenched into fists before releasing, the exhaustion settling deeper in his features.
For some reason, Joong didn't want to leave just yet.
So, he didn't.
Instead, he leaned back against the cushions, letting the silence stretch between them.
For now, he would stay.
Even if Dunk wouldn't say it, Joong knew-he needed the company.
🂾
The golden hues of morning filtered through the buildings of Bangkok, casting long streaks of light across the city streets. The air was crisp, carrying the lingering scent of night's silence, soon to be swallowed by the chaos of the day. But inside the car, there was no rush-only a controlled, deliberate stillness that spoke of something darker beneath the surface.
Sky sat in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, though his mind was elsewhere. He was restless, his fingers tapping against his knee as the car hummed beneath him.
Morning had come, yet for him, it felt no different than the night. Darkness wasn't bound by time-it followed him like a shadow.
Aou, his usual smirk playing at the corners of his lips, adjusted the rearview mirror before gripping the steering wheel with ease. "You seem tense.." he remarked, his tone light, but there was an edge of understanding behind it.
Sky exhaled, rolling his shoulders back. "I'm just thinking."
Boom, settled in the backseat, didn't look up from his laptop as he worked. The faint beeping of the device filled the air, each sound a rhythmic pulse against the silence. He was busy, but he was listening. He always listened.
It hadn't been long since they had left Dunk's apartment. That conversation had been... unpleasant. Dunk's anger had been evident, his words laced with frustration, but Sky hadn't been surprised. Dunk had every right to be furious after what had happened to the case files. Not that it changed anything.
"Thinking about what?" Aou pressed, his foot steady on the accelerator as they weaved through the thinning morning traffic.
Sky tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Newton's First Law."
That caught Boom's attention. His fingers stilled over the keyboard as he glanced up. "Are you seriously bringing up physics right now?"
Aou chuckled, shaking his head. "Let him have his moment. Sky gets philosophical before he kills someone."
Sky ignored them, his mind already falling into calculation. "An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force," he murmured. "Nani is in motion. He's investigating. He's searching. He's getting closer."
"And you?" Boom asked, arching an eyebrow.
Sky smirked, leaning back against the seat. "I'm the external force."
Boom let out a low sigh. "That detective must be a real pain if you're thinking about him this much."
Sky's expression darkened, his fingers curling into his palm. "He's a problem. And problems have solutions."
Aou nodded in understanding. "So, what's the plan? You said we're heading to the Siam Crime Investigation Unit. What exactly are we doing there?"
Sky's eyes gleamed with quiet amusement. "Information. Every system, no matter how secure, has a flaw. And I intend to find it."
Boom glanced at the laptop in his lap. "And if there isn't one?"
Sky turned his gaze toward him, his smirk deepening.
"There's always a flaw."
The car continued forward, the towering buildings of Bangkok reflecting the morning sun, painting streaks of gold and amber along the windshield. Despite the brightening day, an unmistakable tension settled between them.
A storm was coming.
And Sky?
Sky was ready to be the force that changed everything.
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