𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐡

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sky's words came out sharper this time, like steel wrapped in restraint.

William finally set the glass down with a quiet clink. His fingers lingered on it as though he needed the weight to steady himself.

"They came for me," he said simply, as if that explained everything. "I didn't want to drag you into this mess. Not you. Not them." His eyes flickered to Nani, then to Pooh standing stiff at the doorway, his hands trembling.

Sky's fists clenched at his sides, the veins in his arms standing out. His voice was dark now, each word heavy.

"Who is it."

William's gaze lifted at last, meeting Sky's eyes. For a moment, the void in them cracked, something sharp flickering through.

"Don't we already know who?"

The silence hung, weighted, until William said it-his voice flat, bitter, final.

"Cornal Theerapanyakun."

The name cut through the room like a blade, leaving nothing but the sound of blood dripping to the floor.

The guards Sky brought with him moved quickly and quietly, dragging out the unconscious men and covering the bloodstains with sheets. The metallic tang of iron still hung in the air, heavy, suffocating.

Sky dropped onto the couch beside William, who wordlessly poured him a glass of scotch. Sky took it, their knuckles brushing for a moment, both men heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Nani returned from the kitchen carrying a first aid kit, his movements precise and calm, as if patching up bruised knuckles was just another routine. Kneeling before William, he dipped cotton in antiseptic and carefully began cleaning the cuts on his lips. William winced once, but otherwise remained still, his tired eyes following Nani's delicate hands.

"Your punches are good," Nani murmured softly, wrapping a bandage around William's hand, "but your skin isn't made of stone, you know."

A faint smile tugged at William's mouth. "I'll keep that in mind... doctor Nani."

From the other side, Pooh slumped into the couch with a groan, one hand holding his nose. His face scrunched in pure disgust. "Ugh, why does blood have to smell like that? It's-" He gagged a little. "It's like rust and rotten coins mixed together. Nasty."

Sky shot him a side glance, sipping his drink. "Don't act like you haven't spilled plenty of it in video games."

"That's pixels, phi," Pooh retorted dramatically, waving his hand as if the very air offended him. "Pixels don't stink like this. This is... this is trauma for my nose!"

Nani chuckled under his breath while fastening the bandage around William's knuckles. "Don't faint on us, Pooh. You'll make more work for me."

"I don't faint!" Pooh snapped, then quickly grabbed his tissue again when another streak of red caught his eye. "I just... respect my limits."

For a fleeting second, the grim tension of the room eased - William's lips curled into a small, tired grin, and even Sky's shoulders loosened, his hand rest against his brother's back in silent reassurance.

The room was starting to feel less heavy, thanks to Pooh's whining and Nani's gentle scolding, when the faint echo of footsteps drifted down from the wooden staircase.

Nani's head instantly snapped toward the sound, brows furrowing. A slim figure appeared at the landing, nervously scanning the living room. Nani blinked once, then his eyes widened.

"Phi Est?!" Nani shot up from the couch, voice sharp with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Est froze mid-step, his eyes darting between William's bruised face, the bandages, and the faint bloodstains still smeared across the floor. Worry flickered in his expression before he quickly looked down as if unsure if he had walked into the wrong house

William rubbed his forehead and muttered under his breath, "Shit. I forgot to mention that."

All heads turned toward him. Sky's voice came out calm, but edged with steel. "Care to explain?"

William cleared his throat, holding his glass of scotch like a shield. "So, uh-yeah, here's the thing. I met him yesterday here in Chiang Mai. Turns out your brother came here for some work, but it'll take longer than he thought. And -" he gestured vaguely toward Est, "-since he didn't book any hotel and it's tourist season, everything's full. So I told him he could stay here, since you guys were also coming."

By now, Est had descended the stairs and slipped quietly into the living room. Nani let out a long sigh, exasperation and relief mixing together.

"Phi Est..." Nani's tone softened, though his hands went to his hips. "You could have just told me. I could've brought you along with me instead of sneaking off like this."

Est gave him a sheepish smile, sitting down beside him on the couch. "I thought it wouldn't take too long. Just in and out. Didn't think it'd be such a big deal."

Nani shook his head, muttering, "It's always a big deal with you." But even as he said it, his hand found Est's arm, as if to reassure himself that his brother was really there and safe.

Pooh, still holding his tissue dramatically over his nose, peeked at Est. "So... does this mean we have another guest for the trauma-fest?"

Est blinked, confused. "...Trauma-fest?"

Pooh wrinkled his nose, still pushing his plate of food away from the bloody first-aid mess.

"So... you also experienced seeing William in his terminator era?" he asked casually, turning toward Est.

Est blinked, brows furrowing in confusion.

"...What?"

The room went silent. Sky, Nani, and Pooh all looked at William, then back at Est, then back at William again. The tension thickened like smoke.

Wait... how? Nani thought. Last night the living room had been a battlefield. If Est had been staying here, there was no way he could've missed it.

Williams sharp glare cut through Pooh like a knife. Without a word, he tilted his chin toward Nani, a silent command.

Nani instantly understood. He placed a hand on Est's shoulder, forcing a bright smile. "Phi Est, come upstairs with me. I need help unpacking my bag."

Est opened his mouth to protest but Nani was already tugging him toward the staircase.

"Wait, I-"

"No buts." Nani's tone left no room for argument, and soon the sound of their footsteps faded upstairs.

Downstairs, the air shifted. Pooh leaned back against the couch, eyes wide. "The fuck, Will... how come Est does'nt know anything about the massacre that happened here last night?"

William exhaled, sipping from his glass, voice flat. "Well... I kinda mixed a sedative in his water. Strong enough to knock him out till morning."

Pooh's jaw dropped. "You drugged him?!"

William's gaze hardened. "Better than letting him wake up to this." He gestured at the faint bloodstains on the floor.

Pooh let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Damn... you're scarier than I thought."

William didn't even bother responding, pouring himself another glass.

Sky, meanwhile, sat back in silence, eyes locked on William. His expression wasn't anger-it was that dangerous calm that meant he was thinking ten steps ahead.

Pooh caught the look and immediately went quiet, shoving another tissue to his nose as if it could shield him from the brewing storm between the brothers.

The next morning, the atmosphere felt deceptively normal.

The yard in front of the wooden house glowed beneath the early Chiang Mai sun. Birds chirped lazily, a soft breeze rustled through the trees, and for a moment, it seemed like peace had returned.

Nani was walking ahead with Est, animatedly giving him a "tour" of the house, though it quickly derailed into a string of embarrassing stories. "-and here, right in that corner, William once tripped over a watering can and almost cried because he thought he killed Mama Selina's orchids," Nani said with a mischievous grin.

Est burst out laughing, while William, crouched nearby inspecting the flowerbeds, narrowed his eyes. "I did not almost cry," he muttered, brushing a petal as if to soothe its feelings. Still, he checked each flower carefully, the way someone might handle fragile glass.

On the porch, Pooh sat slouched in a chair, his eyes unfocused, lost in whatever daydream carried him away. Nani's voice in the distance and the faint hum of the yard barely touched him.

Sky, ever composed, sat at the table with his morning tea. Steam rose in gentle curls from the porcelain cup as he glanced at the horizon. His calm was interrupted when his phone rang, sharp agt the serene morning.

He lifted it to his ear. "What?"

A man's voice crackled on the other side. "Boss, things here are going in another direction. Your uncle's making problems."

Sky's eyes darkened, though his voice stayed calm. "Pull the strings. Start from higher up. As for Cornal... I'll deal with it myself."

"Yes, boss." The line cut.

Sky set the phone down, exhaling slowly, then placed his cup onto the table with a deliberate clink. His gaze flicked toward Pooh, who was still drifting in his own world.

"Pooh?" Sky's voice broke the silence.

Pooh blinked, looking over. "Yeah?"

"How much time do you need to activate Code: Blue?"

The daydreaming melted from Pooh's expression, replaced by sharp focus. His back straightened. "When do you need it?"

"As soon as possible," Sky replied smoothly, eyes steady. "People are forgetting where they stand. The police think they have power. It's only a matter of time before they do something reckless... and drag us down with them."

The air grew heavier with the weight of those words, though around them, the yard remained quiet, flowers swaying gently as if nothing had been spoken at all.

For the world, Pooh was simply a genius a robotics prodigy far removed from the political mud Sky was entangled in. And though that was true, it wasn't the whole truth.Robotics was his passion, yes, but chemistry... chemistry was his obsession.

The family had always guarded a secret: a rare compound, so potent that five milligrams could create a thousand doses of elite-grade drugs. For decades, it had been their underground crown jewel - until betrayal from one of their own doctors nearly destroyed everything.

Vegas, Sky's father, had tried to revive it, but no one could replicate the substance. Reluctantly, he buried the project.

Until one day. Pooh was just thirteen, wandering into Vegas's study with Sky, when his eyes caught on a thick folder of failed reports. He asked, with childlike certainty, if he could try. Vegas, half amused, let him. Four days later, Pooh walked into that study again holding the exact and more developed substance in his hands.

From that day, everything changed. Vegas focused on politics, but Sky carried the weight of the business. And Pooh... kept creating. Not just drugs, but acids, toxins, chemical nightmares that the world wasn't ready for. The markets never saw him - all supplies were handled and distributed globally by The Rainbows, their most trusted partners. To everyone else, Pooh was untouchable genius. To Sky, he was the silent weapon behind their empire.

And Code: Blue was his deadliest creation yet. Not meant for profit. Not meant for business. It existed for one reason alone - Sky.

Pooh leaned back now, eyes steady, his usual teasing absent. "You'll have it before things go out of hand."

Sky's expression didn't change, but his hand tightened slightly around his teacup. "Good."

The conversation ended there, casual to an outsider's ear, but beneath the quiet morning, war was already being prepared.