5

Sky stirs in his sleep as his phone rings nonstop beside his ear. Groaning, he turns his head to the other side and pulls a pillow over his ears.

He's about to drift back to sleep when memories from last night rush in.

His eyes snap open.

Slowly, he sits up, blinking in confusion.

He's no longer in the suite.

He's back in his own modest rental room.

The muffled sounds of the city leak through the thin walls, familiar and loud.

Sky looks down at himself.

Still wearing the fitted tank top from the night before and a pair of boxers.

His hair's a mess, sticking up in every direction.

Still groggy, he reaches for his phone.

A notification blinks at him.

One million baht has been credited to your account.

His throat tightens.

He taps the screen and calls the agency's number. It rings once, then silence.

Blocked.

A cold rush stirs in his chest.

They've cut him off. Just like that.

Sky sits motionless, the phone still in his hand, the bank message glaring back at him like a scar that won't fade.

One million baht.

It should feel like relief. Like the finish line.

Instead, it feels like the silence after a scream.Too quiet. Too final.

He runs a hand down his face. Flashes of last night linger behind his eyes—

It hadn't just been about work. It had involved something more. Something physical.

And now, just like that, it's over.

Sky rises and walks toward the bathroom.

He stares at himself in the mirror.Tired eyes. Tousled hair. And a hollowness in his gaze that wasn't there yesterday.

He splashes water on his face.

Again.And again.

Trying to rinse off what lingers.

But it clings to him.

The way Nani looked at him.The way he whispered, "Make sure I never see you again."

The way Sky had curled around him afterward, shielding him from a world that no longer scares him but clearly still haunts Nani.

Sky's jaw clenches.

He's been paid and erased.

Just a transaction.

But it hadn't felt like that.

Not when Nani moaned his name like it meant something.Not when he surrendered so completely.Not when he gave himself, body and soul, for one night.

Sky steps back from the mirror, wipes his face, and stares at his reflection.

Then looks down at his phone again. The money's still there.

His uncle's surgery can happen now. The reason he took the job in the first place.

Accomplished.

But somehow, Sky feels like he's lost something far more valuable in return.

He shakes his head, trying to rid himself of the feelings he's sure he's not supposed to have especially for someone as dangerous as Nani.

A mafia gang, no less.

Sky gets out of bed, determined to move on from the one-night stand that meant nothing.

At least, that's what he tells himself as he gets ready to visit Sunny at the hospital.

***

The bus ride to the hospital feels different today, strangely off compared to any other day.

Sky glances around at the other passengers, scanning their faces for anything unusual.

But no one stands out. No one looks suspicious.

He exhales softly and shrugs.

Maybe he's just overthinking it. Still shaken by the fact that just yesterday, he'd spent the night with a mafia.

Once the bus reaches the station near the hospital, Sky steps off, inhaling the fresh morning air.

He looks down at the plastic bag in his hand, filled with fresh fruit he bought for his uncle, and starts making his way toward the hospital entrance.

The hospital's as busy as ever.

Nurses in motion, patients waiting, monitors beeping softly in the background.

Sky moves through the corridors. He's been here enough times to know the way without thinking.

When he reaches Sunny's room, he pauses at the door for a moment, composing himself.

Then he knocks lightly and pushes it open.

The older man is sitting up in bed, flipping through a worn-out magazine with his glasses halfway down his nose.

He looks up and smiles when he sees Sky.

"There's my boy," Sunny greets warmly. "You're here early today."

Sky smiles back and walks in, placing the fruit on the bedside table. "Thought I'd surprise you."

"You always do," the older man says with a wink, eyeing the bag. "Brought the good stuff too, huh?"

Sky chuckles. "Only the best."

He pulls up a chair and sits down, letting the atmosphere settle into something quiet and comforting.

The kind of peace he hasn't felt since the night before.

Sunny watches him closely, his smile fading just a little. "You look tired, kid."

Sky hesitates. "Didn't sleep much."

A knowing silence passes between them. Sunny nods slowly, his voice softer now.

"Work?"

Sky nods vaguely. "Something like that."

Sunny doesn't pry. He never does.

Instead, he leans back against his pillows and changes the subject.

"Have you eaten?" Sunny asks, glancing at Sky, peeling one of the mandarins he brought.

Sky nods with a soft hum.

"I made myself some Phat Kaphrao before coming here," he admits.

Sunny smiles at that.

"I miss cooking something good for you," the older man says with a wistful sigh.

Sky smiles too. "You will, after the surgery," he says gently.

Sunny's smile lingers, and he nods, hope flashing in his tired eyes.

For a while, they sit together in the warm, quiet light of the hospital room. A young man and the person he's fought so hard to protect.

Sky peels another mandarin slowly, offering the slices to Sunny one by one.

The older man accepts them with a quiet smile, chewing slowly, as if savoring not just the fruit, but the moment.

"Are you sure you want me to go through with the surgery?" Sunny asks, looking at Sky with a hesitant expression.

Sky frowns but nods firmly. "Yes. Absolutely."

"If you're worried about money, stop," he adds quickly. "I've already figured it out."

Sunny gives him a curious look, prompting a soft sigh from Sky.

"I know you're wondering where I got the money. My boss at the café lent it to me. So you don't have to worry about anything," he says, trying to sound casual.

It's a complete lie.

But Sky can't bear the thought of his uncle knowing what he really did to get the money.

After a moment, Sunny nods, and Sky lets out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Focus on getting better," Sky says, his voice soft with concern. "That's all I need from you."

Sunny smiles, reaching out to ruffle Sky's hair affectionately. "You've grown up."

Sky groans. "Come on, Uncle. I'm almost thirty."

They both laugh, the sound light and warm, echoing softly in the hospital room.

The laughter slowly fades, leaving a peaceful silence between them.

The late afternoon sun filters through the hospital curtains, casting a soft glow over everything.

For a moment, Sky lets himself believe things will be okay. That the hardest part is behind them.

"I should go now. It's my shift at the café until closing time," Sky says as he gets up from his seat.

He bids Sunny goodbye and walks out of the ward, down the quiet hallway.

He glances to the side when he catches a glimpse of a shadow near the corner wall but he doesn't react.

Sky keeps walking, calm on the outside, even as his senses stay alert.

Only when he reaches the hospital's central lobby, surrounded by the usual crowd of visitors and nurses, does he finally exhale sharply.

Something's off.

Sky doesn't know why, but he feels like someone's been following him ever since he left his house.

He tries to shake it off as he makes his way along the sidewalk toward the café, which isn't far from the hospital.

But when he reaches the front door, his steps halt.

View stands there with a horrified look on her face, and beside her is Madam Godji, the café's owner, equally pale.

"What happened?" Sky asks, hurrying toward them.

They say nothing, just point.

Sky follows their gaze and swallows hard.

The glass door is shattered, with a rock still lying on the ground nearby.

It's not random.

It's a message.

A warning.

Maybe from a gang. Maybe something worse.

"Get inside," Sky says firmly, pushing open the remaining door and ushering the two women into the café.

His expression hardens as he scans the street, eyes sharp and searching.

Whoever did this isn't just trying to scare them.

They're looking for something.

Or someone.

Sky locks the door behind them, flipping the sign to CLOSED even though their afternoon shift hasn't started yet.

Madam Godji wrings her hands, her lips tight with worry. "Do you think it was a robbery attempt?"

"No," Sky says almost instantly, his voice low. "Nothing's taken. Just the door. Probably someone trying to mess with us."

View stands nearby, arms wrapped around herself. "Shouldn't we report this to the police?"

Sky doesn't answer at first.

Instead, he kneels beside the rock used to smash the glass. Something is scribbled in red marker on its surface. Two words.

STAY AWAY.

His breath catches. His grip on the rock tightens before he hides it, expression hard.

"I'll log the report. And I'll get someone to fix the door," Sky says, looking at both of them. "You guys don't have to worry, okay?" he reassures them.

He then walks to the back room and retrieves the cleaning supplies. He starts sweeping up the glass without another word.

But inside, his thoughts are racing.

Someone's watching.

Whether it's Nani's people or someone else entirely, Sky doesn't know.

But one thing's clear now.

He might be out of that world but that world isn't done with him.

Not yet.

Once Sky finishes cleaning, he moves behind the counter to prepare ingredients as usual.

At the same time, Godji flips the sign back to OPEN.

"I'll be right back," Sky announces.

Both View and Godji nod, watching silently as he steps out of the café.

Sky walks along the row of neighboring shops, looking for a repair service to fix the broken glass door.

As he passes the alley beside the convenience store, he catches a glimpse of someone dressed entirely in black, watching him from a distance.

His hands curl into fists, but he says nothing, continuing down the quiet alley.

The man starts to trail behind him.

Sky, always sharp, quickly registers the pace of footsteps that match his own.

Once he's sure the stranger is following, he makes his move.

In one swift motion, Sky spins around and shoves the man hard against the rough brick wall.

The man lets out a pained grunt as his back hits the surface, and Sky wastes no time yanking the hood off his head.

Sky's brows furrow in confusion at the face staring back at him.

"I—I'm not here to hurt you," the man stammers, wincing. A fresh bruise colors the corner of his lip.

"Then who the hell are you?" Sky demands, his voice low but sharp.

His body stays tense, ready to strike if the man so much as twitches the wrong way.

The stranger swallows, breathing shallowly.

"I came to warn you," he says quietly.

Sky's eyes narrow. "About what?"

"You're in danger and so is your uncle," the man says, his eyes flashing with panic.

Sky catches the urgency in his expression, the way he keeps glancing over his shoulder as if someone is watching.

"I can't say much," the man continues, his voice low and rushed. "But your involvement with Nani last night it's caused a misunderstanding."

He looks around nervously, clearly afraid he's being followed.

"I have to go," he adds quickly. "But if you ever see Nani again, tell him this. Dunk is doing fine."

There's a line of conflict in his eyes, something unresolved.

In a quick move, he shoves past Sky and runs off, disappearing around the corner before Sky can stop him.