Chapter 17

Sky sat at the park near the river, his eyes fixed on the ripples in the water as he absentmindedly took another sip from the beer bottle in his hand. The cool evening air did little to calm his restless mind. The more he thought, the more the knots in his chest tightened.

He knew he had no right to feel jealous. Nani had made it clear that he wasn't ready for anything just yet. But that didn't stop the ache in his chest, the frustration gnawing at him.

Nani had promised an answer... someday. That word "someday" hung over Sky's thoughts like a heavy cloud. What if someday never came? Or worse, what if someday meant never? Was he supposed to just keep waiting around, wondering, as Nani lived his life? Nani had made no promises, no guarantees. But Sky's heart, his damn heart, just wouldn't listen.

He took another sip, feeling the buzz from the alcohol settle in, but it did nothing to quiet the turmoil inside. He closed his eyes and let the cool breeze wash over his face. What am I even doing?

It wasn't just a matter of figuring out what to do, it was a matter of what he truly wanted. And that scared him. What if, by some twist of fate, his feelings were something Nani would never return? What if he was just another person in a long line of people who would only be a passing thought in Nani's life?

The sound of a phone vibrating broke him from his thoughts. He glanced at it, seeing multiple missed calls from Nani. He let out a frustrated sigh, to turn the phone off completely.

He stared at the water once more. His heart pounded in his chest, not just from the alcohol, but from everything he was feeling. He knew he couldn't avoid Nani forever, but how was he supposed to face him now? How could he look him in the eye after everything that had happened, knowing that the uncertainty still lingered between them?

--

Nani stood in front of Sky's house, the cool night air biting at his skin as he glanced at his watch. It was nearly midnight. Sky still hadn't come back. The frustration and worry gnawing at him, making his thoughts race.

He should've never let things get so complicated. He should've just been honest with Sky from the start, but his own fear had held him back. And now? Now he had no idea where Sky was or how to fix things.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and Nani quickly pulled it out, hoping it was Sky. But it wasn't. It was just a message from Win asking if everything was alright. Nani let out a frustrated sigh before typing back, I'll be fine. Just trying to find him.

He glanced at the front door of Sky's house, wondering if he should go inside and wait, but something told him that Sky might not want that.

Just as he was about to dial Sky's number again, the sound of footsteps broke through the stillness of the night. Nani's heart skipped a beat, and he turned his head, hoping, praying that it was Sky. But when he saw the figure approaching from the shadows, his shoulders sagged with relief mixed with a tinge of frustration.

Sky was walking slowly toward him, his expression unreadable, his hands in his pockets. The faint glow of the streetlights reflected off his face, but Sky didn't look like he was in the mood for small talk.

"Sky." Nani called, his voice breaking the silence between them as he stepped closer.

Sky halted, but he didn't meet Nani's gaze. His posture was tense, and his hands tightened around the fabric of his jacket, as if holding onto something just to stay grounded.

"I tried calling you," Nani continued, his tone betraying a mix of concern and frustration. "Where have you been?"

Sky didn't respond immediately. Instead, he exhaled deeply, his breath slow as if trying to find the right words. "I needed some time," he murmured, his voice barely audible, distant.

Without another word, Sky began to walk past Nani, but Nani's voice stopped him.

"Sky Wongravee, I don't know what's going on in your head, but if you're not going to listen to me, then don't bother coming back to me again." Nani said, his words sharper than he intended, the frustration spilling out.

Sky froze, the hurt flashing across his face. He slowly turned to face Nani, his expression unreadable but the pain evident in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, as if no words could capture the depth of whatever he was feeling.

Without another word, Sky turned and walked into his house, the door closing softly behind him, leaving Nani standing there, the weight of his own words sinking in.

--

The next morning came, but the tension from the night before still hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Nani barely slept, the hurt look in Sky's eyes replaying in his mind over and over. His anger, mixed with confusion and frustration, bubbled up, and it wasn't long before it started to leak out in the most unexpected ways.

During the meeting, everything seemed to spiral out of control. The numbers were off, the reports were incomplete, and the presentation was a disaster. Nani, already teetering on the edge from the night before, felt his patience snap.

His voice was cold, cutting through the air like ice. "Are you serious?" His gaze swept across the table, eyes hard and unyielding. "This is what you're bringing me? This is the best you can do?"

He turned to the manager, his jaw tight with frustration. "This report was supposed to be done last week. And this is what you hand me?" Nani's tone was sharp, every word dripping with icy disdain. "Do I really need to remind you how much I pay for this? Fix it. And don't even think about showing it to me again until it's done right."

The room froze. The manager's face paled. Even Win and Dew, who were usually unfazed by Nani's temper, sat rigid, their eyes flicking between each other.

The rest of the meeting passed in a tense, suffocating silence, with every small mistake pushing Nani further into his cold, angry zone. He barely spoke again, his presence alone enough to make the air heavy. His frustration wasn't just with the work. It was with himself, and more than anything, with the way things were going with Sky.

Nani stormed into his office, his anger practically radiating off him. Win and Dew followed closely behind but stopped just before the door, exchanging a glance.

"Well, if Nani explodes, promise me you won't run without me." Win muttered, his voice tinged with concern.

Dew, shaking his head at Win's dramatic reaction, shot him a look. "You're overreaction again, but... honestly, I'm not sure you're wrong this time." They both knew that when Nani was this furious, nothing good would come from it.

They pushed the door open and walked in. The sight that greeted them made both of them freeze in their tracks.

Nani began throwing folders one by one onto the floor, his actions sharp and deliberate. Each folder hit the ground with a thud, his brow furrowed in frustration. Most of the reports were wrong, riddled with mistakes that only added fuel to his already burning temper.

"How the hell could they mess this up?" Nani muttered under his breath. He flicked through each folder, tossing them aside when they didn't meet his expectations.

"He's really lost it this time." Win whispered under his breath, his voice laced with concern.

Dew, always the more composed of the two, took a step forward cautiously. "Nani..." His voice was soft, almost tentative, as he spoke his friend's name. "Come on, man. You've got to calm down."

Nani's response was a sharp, icy glance over his shoulder. "Do you see this?" He gestured to the scattered reports on the floor, his voice low and dangerous. "This is the kind of crap I'm getting from the people I pay to do their jobs."

"You're right, but throwing the reports around won't fix it. Let's just figure it out, okay?" Win spoke calmly, hoping to at least get Nani to breathe for a second.

Nani took a deep breath, his anger simmering, but he didn't reply immediately. Instead, he turned back to the pile of papers, picking up another folder and checking it with a steely expression on his face.

--

Nani had slipped back into his heartless zone, staying late to finish work and skipping lunch, which made it impossible for Win and Dew to stay silent any longer.

In Win office, Dew sighed. "He's really pushing himself hard again." he murmured.

Win, who had been quiet until now, nodded in agreement. He could see it. Nani was shutting down again, pulling into that cold, heartless zone where nothing and no one mattered except work. It was the same cycle that happened whenever Nani faced something he couldn't control, something that hit too close to home.

"I think I know what's going on," Win said suddenly, his tone sharp with realization. He picked up his phone and quickly dialed Tul's number. "I need to talk to her."

Dew raised an eyebrow. Win's call went through, and when Tul picked up, he didn't waste time with pleasantries. "Tul, are you free tonight? We need to talk, preferably over dinner."

On the other end, Tul hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yeah, I can make time. What's going on?"

Win looked over at Nani, who was still hunched over his desk, completely absorbed in his work. "Just... come. I'll explain when you get here."

After hanging up, Win turned back to Dew. "If we don't get him out of this spiral, it's going to be a lot worse. And we might be the one who died in Nani's hand first."

Win understood that Nani, having always had everything under control since he was born, couldn't stand when things didn't go his way. It especially irritated him when someone challenged him or ignored him, like Sky did when he walked away without listening to any explanation. It was no wonder Nani was so angry.







Dear reader I am currently on vacation on the island, but the boat sickness has made me feel terrible the entire time. I have uploaded two more chapters for you, as I might need to take a break for a couple of days. Love you. 🫶🎀