𝐑𝐞𝐝

𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘶𝘺𝘴!

The afternoon sun spilled through the tall windows of the exam hall, golden and warm, almost celebratory. For the first time in weeks, Nani's shoulders felt light. He walked out with Gawin and Santa, laughing about a question they all answered differently. Their voices echoed down the hallway, the kind of carefree sound that only comes when the burden of exams finally lifts.

But then-silence.

Everywhere they walked, heads turned.

Whispers rushed like ripples in water. Phones were clutched tightly in hands, screens lighting up one after another. Nani frowned, his steps faltering. Why does this feel... different today?"

Ni," Santa said, suddenly serious. He unlocked his phone, eyes darting across the notifications. And then his face went pale.

Without another word, he thrust it toward Nani.

Nani's stomach dropped as he took the phone.

On the screen was an image of himself, kneeling in the classroom a month ago-the day the professor had dropped a stack of folders and he bent to pick them up. But from the wrong angle, captured in cruel still-frames, the picture told a different story. His head tilted low, the professor standing in front of him, and the caption screamed across the internet:

"Nani Hirunkit caught sucking off the professor for grades!"

There were dozens of them. Different angles. Edited versions. Thousands of shares.

Thousands of comments.

His breath hitched. Heat flushed his face, not from embarrassment but from a sudden, crushing panic. His hands shook as he shoved the phone back to Santa. Without a word, he turned and bolted, ignoring Gawin and Santa's voices calling after him.

He didn't even remember unlocking his car.

He just knew he had to leave, to run before the walls closed in. The whispers, the stares, the lies-they were louder than anything else.

Tires screeched as his car sped out of the university gates.And just as his car vanished around the corner, another sleek black car pulled in.

Ohm Pawat stepped out, his expression sharp, his phone still in hand. He had seen the viral posts that morning, seen the way the boy who had lingered in his mind for weeks was suddenly being dragged into the filth of rumors. He hadn't hesitated-he came straight here. But as he scanned the courtyard, his jaw tightened.

Nani was gone.

The sound of waves had always been Nani's refuge. The steady crash against the shore washed over his frayed nerves, drowning out the echo of whispers, the sting of staring eyes, the suffocating air of rumor. Here, at the edge of the world, the ocean never judged. It only listened.

He leaned back against his Porsche, the sea breeze tugging at his hair, eyes closing briefly as if the salt air could strip away the ugliness of the day.

But the low, throaty roar of a bike engine shattered the stillness. Nani's lashes lifted, gaze sliding to the side just as a Ducati purred to a halt beside him. The rider swung off smoothly, pulling off his helmet in one fluid motion. Sharp eyes, lips tugged into an easy smirk.

"Emerald," the man greeted, leaning against his bike like he owned the entire coastline.

Nani sighed. "Red."

"You and your Sky," Red drawled, folding his arms, "both of you won't let me live in peace."

That earned him a chuckle. "You're so dramatic," Nani teased. Then his smile softened into something wry. "You saw the news?"

Red's lips curved higher. "Yeah. And honestly? The professor wasn't even handsome, Nani."

That pulled a real laugh out of Nani. He tilted his head, voice dry. "Exactly. Not only did they spread false rumors, but they also insulted my taste. How foolish."

Red's laughter spilled free, sharp and genuine. "That's more like you. I knew you weren't losing sleep over that crap."

Nani exhaled, letting his head tip back against the car. The laughter faded to something heavier. "Of course I'm not. But still... it makes me so angry. I don't even know why. Even if Sky handles it-or already has-people will still whisper. Still say I was involved in some filthy rumor. Can you believe that?"

Red tapped his fingers against the Ducati's seat, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Forget people. Why don't you use it?"

Nani's brows arched. "Use it? How?"

"Think about it," Red said, shifting to face him fully. "The rumor's still circling about the professor, sure. But now they're saying Sky already knew about your so-called 'character.' That's why you two stopped showing up together. They think it's falling apart."

Nani's lips parted slightly, but Red kept going, voice smooth.

"We know the truth. Sky just wanted to keep you out of the spotlight, out of danger. But you know what else? He never labeled you two. Never gave the world a title. Nothing."

Nani's lashes lowered. "...So?"

"So," Red leaned in, eyes glinting, "isn't this the best chance to get what you want? Push him.Nudge him. Play the wounded lover if you have to. Make him feel guilty. You've wanted commitment. A promise. Use the chaos."

The corners of Nani's mouth twitched. He tilted his head, pretending to think. "Gaslight him, huh?"

"Exactly," Red said smugly. "Gaslight him. Who better than you, Emerald?"

A laugh slipped out, light and genuine this time. "You really are the best, Red."

"I know," Red said with zero humility, tossing his helmet onto the Ducati.

Nani smiled to himself, a knowing look flickering in his eyes. This was their secret. For years they'd been friends, closer than anyone guessed. And no one knew. Not Sky. Not the family. No one.

Only Emerald and Red.

The waves licked at the shore, silver under the moonlight. Nani tilted his head, finally allowing himself to breathe, the night breeze cooling the heat of his anger. Red rested one boot against his Ducati, arms folded, helmet dangling from his fingers.

"You know," Nani broke the silence, voice softer now, "we've met after such a long time.You always disappear like a ghost."

"Because your Sky loves dumping his problems on me," Red complained, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Overtime, headaches, cleaning up after idiots. Do you know how many nights I've been stuck babysitting grown men because of those missing containers? Your boyfriend owes me."

Nani chuckled, though his expression softened. "I've noticed. He's been stressed, frustrated... but he never tells me anything. It's always written on his face, though."

"Classic Sky," Red muttered.

"So what's going on? " Nani asked.

Red's eyes gleamed under the dim streetlight.

"Missing containers. Whole shipments. Drugs, gone without a trace. Not stolen by rats or rivals-it's too clean. No noise, no blood, no trail. If you ask me..." He leaned closer, voice dropping. "...it stinks of uniforms. Army or special forces. Someone on the inside."

Nani's brows knitted. "You're saying government?"

"I don't say. I suspect." Red grinned, sharp and dangerous. "But don't worry. It won't take me long. I've already planted bugs inside certain...resources. If they so much as breathe on a wrong word, I'll know."

Nani nodded, not even surprised. He knew exactly how far Red's reach extended. Still, he tilted his head, watching his friend with an amused glint. "You work too hard. Maybe that's why you haven't claimed what you want yet."

Red's lips curved into that infuriatingly confident smirk. "Emerald, don't start."

"What? I'm only saying..." Nani's eyes glittered, deliberately playful. "You've been obsessed for years. Patient, yes. But sooner or later, he's going to notice you're always hovering in the shadows. Maybe it's time you stop watching from afar."

Red exhaled a laugh, sharp and cocky, like he knew exactly where this was going. "Don't worry about me, Emerald. I've already marked him as mine. He just doesn't know it yet."

Nani shook his head, suppressing a grin. "You're insane, you know that?"

"Obsessed," Red corrected with zero shame, voice smooth as silk. "And when the time is right, I'll claim him. Completely. He won't even remember what life was like before me."