Chapter 2

Nani adjusted the collar of his suit, staring at the crowd through the glass doors of the venue. Win's birthday parties were always extravagant, filled with influential people and high-profile guests. The kind of event that was more about business and power than actually having a good time. Nani wasn't in the mood for it, not tonight.

He leaned over to Win, who was chatting animatedly with a group of businessmen, and muttered, "Hey, Win. I'm not staying long. I'll head out for a bit."

Win raised an eyebrow, already aware of Nani's feelings about these types of parties. "You really gonna run off already? You know how many people are waiting to talk to you."

Nani shrugged nonchalantly, his expression cool and unreadable. "I'd rather not stay here with all these... . You know I hate this."

Win grinned knowingly, having seen this act too many times before. "Alright, alright. Go get some fresh air. I'll cover for you.."

With that, Nani slipped out of the party, stepping into the cool night air. He got into his car and drove through the city streets, the hum of the engine a quiet lull as the city lights blurred around him.

It wasn't long before he reached a red light, the bright glow of it making him stop, a brief moment of stillness in the otherwise constant rush of the night.

As Nani sat there, hands loosely gripping the steering wheel, he noticed a familiar motorbike beside him. And, of course, it was him.

Sky.

Nani sighed inwardly, already feeling the annoyance bubbling up inside. It was as if they were destined to meet everywhere. Just when he thought he could escape for some peace and quiet, Sky had to show up.

He tried to ignore the fact that Sky was next to him, but it didn't work. He saw Sky glance at him, a slow smile spreading across his face. Then, before Nani could even roll his window up, Sky knocked lightly on the glass.

Nani sighed, masking his annoyance with a faint smile as he rolled down the window.

Sky tilted his head, grinning like he couldn't help it. "I swear, it's like we're magnetically drawn to each other. Do you always drive around at this hour?"

"Not really." Nani leaned back, his voice steady but guarded. "What about you? Where are you off to so late?"

"One last delivery for the night," he said with a small shrug, as if it was nothing unusual. "Then I'll be free. Guess that's what happens when your family runs a restaurant—you can't just clock out." He chuckled softly, glancing over at Nani.

"Yeah, sounds exhausting" Nani muttered, his tone flat, but his curiosity peaked slightly. "Where's the delivery to?"

Sky glanced at his phone, a quick glance that was easy to miss in the dark of the night. "Funny enough, it's... your condo area," he said, raising an eyebrow as if it was some coincidence. "Looks like we'll cross paths again."

Nani blinked, raising a brow. "My condo areas? That's... odd." He gave a slight smile, trying to shake off the frustration of running into Sky once again. "Well, I'm stopping at the park for a bit. You can do your thing."

Sky chuckled and gave a nod.

As Nani parked his car by the park, stepping out into the peaceful space. The air was cool, the quiet calm wrapping around him like a blanket, away from the chaos he had left behind at Win's party. He found a bench in a secluded corner, leaning back and staring up at the stars, his thoughts drifting.

Not long after, he heard the familiar sound of a motorbike pulling up. He didn't even have to look to know it was Sky. His annoyance spiked once more, but before he could fully process it, Sky pulled up next to him, his helmet off and a playful grin on his face.

"I had a feeling you'd stop here," Sky said casually, putting the helmet down next to him on the bench. "Mind if I join you for a bit?"

Nani sighed, but managed a faint smile despite his irritation. "I'm not going to chase you off, if that's what you mean."

Sky's grin widened as he sat down beside Nani, stretching his legs out. "Good. It's nice to have some company for once, especially at this hour." His voice was surprisingly warm, much different from the playful teasing earlier.

The silence stretched between them for a few moments before Nani finally spoke up "So... what's the deal with you always popping up when I least expect it?"

Sky leaned back on the bench, eyes twinkling with amusement. "What can I say? The universe must want us to cross paths." He paused, eyes glinting as he glanced at Nani. "Or maybe you just need someone to mess with you a little."

Nani chuckled "I don't need any more of that." He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. "I'm already dealing with enough annoying people."

Sky let out a soft laugh, and for a moment, the tension between them seemed to dissolve. The ease in the air was something neither of them had expected, but they both appreciated it in a way they couldn't quite explain.

"Fair enough," Sky said, giving Nani a playful nudge. "But hey, we both know you're not as grumpy as you look."

Nani raised an eyebrow, shooting him a sideways glance. "Oh, I beg to differ. I'm definitely grumpy right now."

Sky laughed again, his lighthearted chuckle contagious. "Well, I've got a remedy for that. You need to loosen up, Nani. Life's too short to be this serious all the time."

Nani rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small grin that tugged at his lips. "Says the guy who never takes anything seriously."

Sky's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Exactly. And look at how much fun I'm having." He leaned back further, stretching his arms across the back of the bench. "The best kind of life is the one that surprises you when you least expect it."

For a long moment, Nani simply stared at Sky. Since form high school, Nani notice how different between them. Sky doesn't really take thing seriously and he always take thing too much seriously. He hated to admit it, but a part of him couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to live like Sky, to let go of the weight he carried every day, to breathe freely without the pressure of others' demands. How must it feel to live that way? It must be nice.

Nani shifted his gaze, looking at the city lights flickering in the distance. A soft sigh escaped his lips before he quickly masked it with his usual cool demeanor.

But as Sky continued to chat, laughing at something trivial, Nani couldn't help but watch him again. This guy is so strange. He made everything seem effortless, like life wasn't some big, complicated mess of obligations.

"Hey, Nani. You alright?" Sky's voice broke through his thoughts, drawing Nani back to the present.

"Yeah. Just tired, I guess." He gave a half-hearted shrug, not really wanting to dive deeper.

Sky studied him for a moment, his eyes narrowing with concern, but then he let it go, flashing a smile. "Well, if you need to talk, I'm here. You don't seem like the kind to just open up, but... just saying."

Nani chuckled, though it was a little strained. "You're right about that." Sky nodded knowingly, clearly not pushing further, but the brief silence between them was comfortable.

Something about Sky's carefree attitude made Nani's walls crumble just a little.