Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Chased by shadow

The elevator ride down to the parking garage was silent.

Too silent.

Sky was on edge. His shoulders tense, breathing controlled, but Nani could feel the shift.

Something was off.

They reached the car. Nani moved toward the passenger side—

And Sky grabbed his wrist.

Firm. Strong.

Nani froze.

Sky’s fingers lingered for a second too long.

Then, without a word, he pulled him toward the driver’s side instead.

“Get in.”

Nani frowned. “Since when do I—”

“Just do it.”

Nani, still confused, got in.

Sky slammed the door shut behind him, scanning the area before sliding into the driver’s seat.

The second the engine roared to life—

Headlights flicked on behind them.

Not one.

Two.

Both cars lurking near the garage entrance.

Waiting.

Nani’s stomach dropped. “…Sky.”

Sky’s grip tightened on the wheel.

“I see them.”

Then—

The cars moved.

Straight toward them.

---

Sky didn’t wait.

He slammed the car into reverse—one hand gripping the wheel, the other reaching out, pressing against Nani’s chest.

Firm. Protective.

Nani sucked in a sharp breath.

The touch was instinctive, but it burned.

"Stay down." Sky's voice was low, sharp—more emotion in it than he intended.

Then—

Tires screeched.

Sky swerved sharply, maneuvering between parked cars, forcing their pursuers to adjust.

The two sedans behind them spun to follow.

Sky’s jaw ticked. “They’re persistent.”

Nani, pressing back against the seat, exhaled. “They’re professionals.”

Sky glanced at him. “How do you know?”

Nani’s eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, watching the perfect formation of their tail.

“…Because I used to do the same thing.”

Sky’s grip on the wheel tightened.

He didn’t like that answer.

Didn’t like what it meant.

His free hand pressed against Nani’s leg again—firm, grounding.

As if to remind himself that Nani was here, in his car, and not on the other side of this chase.

Nani felt it.

And for some reason, it made his chest feel tight.

----

As they hit the main road, Sky took a hard left, sending the car skidding for half a second before regaining control.

“Nani.”

Nani, already understanding, reached into the glove compartment, pulling out Sky’s backup weapon.

Loaded. Ready.

Sky’s voice was lower now.

“You trust me?”

Nani exhaled, watching Sky’s profile.

Sharp jawline.

Intense eyes.

The barely contained fury in his expression.

Not just at the people chasing them—

But at the fact that Nani was in danger.

Nani gripped the gun. “…Yeah.”

Sky’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

Just for a second.

Then—he reached over, fingers brushing against Nani’s forearm.

A light touch.

A promise without words.

“Then stay close."

-----

The Escape

Sky took a hard left, sending the car skidding before regaining control.

But the pursuers anticipated the move.

One car cut into a side lane, attempting to block their route.

The other gunned forward, too fast—

And slammed into their rear bumper.

The impact threw them forward.

Nani felt himself lurch—

And suddenly, Sky’s arm wrapped around him—pulling him against his chest.

Solid. Strong. Warm.

Nani’s heart nearly stopped.

Sky held him there, pressing him close, shielding him completely.

His other hand still on the wheel, controlling the spin—

But his grip on Nani didn’t loosen.

Not until the car steadied.

Not until the moment had passed.

Not until he was sure Nani was okay.

Then—slowly, reluctantly, he let go.

His hand lingered for just a second longer.

Then he exhaled, voice low. Rough. “You good?”

Nani’s pulse was erratic.

Not from the crash.

From something else.

He swallowed. “…Yeah.”

Sky’s gaze flickered over him once.

Then—back to the road.

“Hold on.”

And he slammed the accelerator.

---

The Final move

Sky’s car shot forward, weaving between lanes, forcing the second car to overcorrect.

The lead pursuer tried to cut them off—

And Sky used it.

Last-second swerve. Hard brake.

The second car lost control.

It slammed into the lead vehicle, sending both spinning.

Sky didn’t wait.

He took the next turn—two more, then another, diving into a back alley.

Nani pressed a hand against the dash, trying to catch his breath.

Silence.

Then—

Nothing.

No headlights.

No tail.

They were alone.

Sky exhaled, one hand braced against the wheel, the other against his thigh.

Nani, still catching his breath, glanced at him. “…You good?”

Sky let out a short breath. “Should be asking you that.”

Nani smirked. “I’ve had worse.”

Sky turned to him then, brows furrowing.

A second of hesitation.

Then—he reached out.

Fingers grazing Nani’s jawline, thumb brushing over a small bruise forming from the impact.

Not rough. Not distant.

Just… there.

"Next time, duck faster." Sky murmured, voice lower now.

Nani swallowed.

Because Sky was still too close.

Still too warm.

Still holding his face like it was something fragile.

Nani cleared his throat. “…Noted.”

Sky blinked, as if snapping back to reality.

Then—he pulled away.

“We need to move.” His voice was back to business. "HQ. Now."

Nani nodded.

But as Sky pulled the car forward, hands back on the wheel—

He didn’t say anything about what just happened.

And neither did Nani.

Because right now, they weren’t ready to.

------

The chase didn’t last forever.

Sky was too good of a driver.

By the time they reached a more secluded area, he had successfully lost one of the cars, forcing the second into a tighter space.

His phone buzzed.

Joong.

Sky put him on speaker. “Talk.”

Joong’s voice was calm but urgent. “Santa traced the number from earlier. The call wasn’t local.”

Sky’s eyes flickered toward Nani. “…Meaning?”

Joong hesitated.

Then, quietly—

“Meaning whoever warned you isn’t working alone.”

Nani exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. “Great. More unknown enemies.”

Dunk’s voice chimed in. “And just for extra bad news—whoever was using your alias? They just made another move.”

Sky’s jaw locked. “When?”

Joong answered. “30 minute ago.”

Silence.

Nani and Sky exchanged glances.

Sky exhaled, one hand gripping the wheel, the other still resting against Nani’s arm.

Then, his voice dropped.

“…We’re coming in.”

------

Squad room

The moment Sky and Nani stepped into the squad room, the atmosphere shifted.

Joong, arms crossed, was already waiting. His sharp gaze flicked between them, assessing.

Santa, perched on the desk, exhaled. “You look like shit.”

Dunk, mid-sip of his energy drink, nearly choked. “Wait—what the hell happened to you two?”

Perth, ever the quiet observer, simply tilted his head. “…You were followed.”

Sky tossed his keys onto the table. “No shit.”

Nani sighed, rubbing his temple. “They weren’t amateurs.”

The squad exchanged glances. The teasing could wait—this was serious.

Joong’s expression darkened. “How bad?”

Sky exhaled. “Two cars. Coordinated. They were waiting for us.”

That got everyone’s attention.

Santa straightened. “Not just tailing? They had a setup?”

Nani nodded. “They were ready.”

Silence.

Then, Dunk frowned. “…Are you okay?”

Nani blinked. “What?”

Dunk crossed his arms. “You’re acting like it’s no big deal. You almost got run off the road, right?”

Santa leaned forward, serious now. “Yeah. And from the way Sky looks, I’m guessing it wasn’t a clean escape.”

Nani hesitated.

He wasn’t used to this.

People actually checking in.

Sky, arms crossed, exhaled sharply. “He’s fine. Minor bruises.”

Santa’s gaze flickered between them. “…You sure?”

Sky’s jaw tightened. “I wouldn’t be standing here if he wasn’t.”

The room stilled.

Because that meant something.

Sky never spoke lightly when it came to protecting people.

Joong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Dunk, shifting awkwardly, muttered, “…Okay, but just to be safe, let’s not make a habit of this.”

Nani smirked. “Noted.”

Santa sighed, rubbing his temple. “Great. Another thing to add to our list of problems.”

---

After a beat, Santa’s expression shifted.

“Wait.” His eyes flickered between Sky and Nani. “…How bad was the escape?”

Dunk, still eyeing them suspiciously, narrowed his gaze. “Yeah. Did Sky do the whole ‘dramatic action hero’ thing again?”

Nani opened his mouth—

Santa smirked. “Let me guess. Hand on the chest? Maybe even a little ‘stay close’ moment?”

Sky, exhausted: “…just-shut up.”

Perth, not even looking up from his screen, murmured, “I bet 500 baht there was at least one unnecessary touch.”

Joong exhaled. “Santa, Dunk—focus.”

Santa grinned but held up his hands. “Fine, fine. Just saying—it’s rare to see Sky this worked up.”

Dunk tilted his head. “Yeah, usually he just glares until the enemy dies from fear.”

Sky’s eye twitched. “Do you all have a death wish?”

Nani, rolling his eyes, finally cut in. “Can we talk about the actual threat instead of my personal space?”

Joong, shaking his head, turned back to business.

But the squad wasn’t going to forget.

---

The duty shift

As the teasing finally died down, Sky turned back to business.

His eyes flickered toward Nani.

Assessing him.

Looking for injuries he hadn’t noticed before.

Nani felt it.

That silent concern.

And the way Sky’s hand twitched slightly—like he wanted to reach out but didn’t.

Instead, Sky exhaled sharply and turned to Joong. “Until we know who they are, Nani isn’t moving alone.”

Joong nodded. “We’ll reinforce shifts.”

Sky’s jaw tightened. “I mean it. No solo movements. If he steps outside, someone goes with him.”

Nani raised an eyebrow. “Am I still allowed to breathe on my own?”

Sky gave him a flat look. “Debatable.”

Santa grinned. “Damn. Sky, I’ve never seen you like this. Showing to much boyfriend material, huh?”

Sky’s expression didn’t change.

But his ears?

They turned just slightly red.

Dunk, watching closely, stared. “…Wait a damn second.”

Sky turned to Joong. “If I shoot him, will it count as a justified kill?”

Joong sighed. “Unfortunately, no.”

Santa chuckled but kept his tone light. “Just saying—this is new.”

Nani, arms crossed, frowned. “I’m still in the room, you know.”

Sky didn’t even look at him. “You’re the reason we’re having this conversation.”

Nani rolled his eyes. “…Charming.”

But despite the banter, Nani could feel the weight of Sky’s words.

He wasn’t joking.

He was making it clear—Nani’s safety was now his priority.

And Nani wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

---

Before Santa and Dunk could push the teasing further, Perth suddenly spoke up.

“…We have a problem.”

The entire room snapped to attention.

Sky strode over to the monitor. “What?”

Perth’s eyes narrowed. “The attackers didn’t just tail you. They were also watching HQ.”

The air changed.

Nani stiffened. “What?”

Perth enlarged the surveillance feed. “Look.”

On the screen—a car parked a block away.

Joong muttered, “They weren’t just tracking you. They were tracking us.”

Santa exhaled, cracking his knuckles. “Well, shit.”

Sky’s entire body went rigid.

And Nani saw it—the way his hands clenched into fists.

Because this wasn’t just about protecting him anymore.

This was personal.

Sky turned to Joong, voice dangerously calm.

“Find out who they are. Now.”

Joong nodded. “On it.”

Perth kept working through the surveillance feeds.

Dunk, suddenly more serious, muttered, “…This just got worse, huh?”

Santa, eyes locked on the screen, simply responded—“Yeah.”

Nani exhaled slowly.

Sky’s gaze landed on him again.

And this time, he didn’t bother hiding it.

The protectiveness.

The frustration.

The silent promise behind it.

“You’re not going anywhere alone.” Sky’s voice was low, final.

Nani held his gaze.

And for once—

He didn’t argue.

------

The Hidden Truth

Perth’s fingers flew across the keyboard, scanning through surveillance feeds and decrypted messages. His face was unreadable.

Santa, arms crossed, was watching him. “Well? Tell me we got something.”

Perth exhaled, adjusting the screen. “…We do. And it’s worse than we thought.”

The squad instantly tensed.

Sky stepped forward, voice sharp. “Explain.”

Perth tapped on the screen, enlarging two sets of surveillance images.

One showed the attackers from the chase—aggressive, armed, clearly looking for an opportunity.

The other?

A separate team. Different cars. Different patterns.

Just watching. Following from a distance.

Not intervening. Not attacking.

Just observing.

Nani’s stomach tightened.

“…They’re not the same people.”

Joong frowned. “You’re sure?”

Perth nodded. “The first group? Definitely professionals, but they’ve backed off for now. Maybe regrouping.”

Santa narrowed his eyes. “And the second?”

Perth’s expression darkened. “They don’t want to kill him. They just want to know what he’s doing.”

The air thickened.

Sky’s jaw clenched. “Someone else has their eyes on him.”

Silence.

Then Santa muttered, “Well. That’s unsettling.”

Dunk nodded. “Yeah. Because one murder attempt isn’t stressful enough—let’s throw in a mysterious second party.”

Joong tapped his fingers against the desk, thinking. “Whoever they are, they’re patient. Not making a move yet.”

Sky’s gaze flickered toward Nani. “…But eventually, they will.”

Nani exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Great. More people are watching me.”

Santa smirked. “You should be flattered.”

Nani shot him a flat look. “Yeah, thrilled.”

Sky turned to Joong. “Keep monitoring. If they change tactics, I want to know first.”

Joong nodded. “Got it.”

Perth typed in a few more commands. “We’ll keep tracking their movements. For now, they’re keeping their distance.”

Sky’s fists tightened.

“They won’t get a third chance.”

The warning in his voice was clear.

But for now, they had no choice but to wait.

---

The squad was still processing the discovery of the two groups following Nani when Sky’s phone buzzed.

Chief Sakda.

Sky exhaled sharply before answering. “Yeah?”

Sakda’s voice was calm but firm. “Come to the house tonight. And bring Nani.”

Sky’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

Sakda sighed. “You think I don’t know what’s going on? Half the higher-ups are whispering about you two being tailed.”

Sky didn’t respond.

Sakda continued. “Come for dinner. No work talk—just come.”

Sky glanced at Nani across the room—still reading surveillance reports, posture slightly tense.

After a beat, Sky muttered, “Fine.”

Sakda chuckled. “Good. Dew’s here too.”

Sky’s expression darkened immediately. “…Why?”

Sakda laughed. “What, worried?”

Sky hung up.

Nani raised an eyebrow. “That sounded aggressive.”

Sky shoved his hands into his pockets. “We’re going to Chief Sakda’s for dinner.”

Nani blinked. “We?”

Sky gave him a look. “Do you have a death wish? I’m not leaving you alone.”

Nani smirked. “What, you don’t trust the 24-hour security plan?”

Sky’s jaw tightened. “…let's go, now.”

And just like that—the tension shifted.

Nani watched Sky’s back as he walked away.

This wasn’t about duty anymore.

This was personal.

And that?

That was far more dangerous.

------

Dinner at Chief Sakda’s house wasn’t just a meal.

It was an experience.

The warmth of the home, the smell of freshly cooked food, the easy banter between the family—it was something Nani hadn’t had in a long time.

And for the first few minutes, he didn’t know where he fit.

“Oh, you’re so thin.”

The voice belonged to Chief Sakda’s wife, Auntie Malee, who had barely let Nani step through the door before fussing over him.

Nani blinked, startled as she cupped his face gently, inspecting him. “Are you eating enough? Sky, is he eating enough?”

Sky sighed. “He’s fine.”

Malee ignored him, already pulling Nani toward the dining table. “Sit, sit. You need a proper meal.”

Nani, feeling a bit overwhelmed, glanced at Sky. “…Help?”

Sky shrugged, betraying zero sympathy. “You walked in here willingly.”

Dew smirked from the other side of the room. “Welcome to the family, Officer Nani Hirunkit.”

Nani wasn’t sure if he should feel grateful or trapped.

---

The meal was hearty, home-cooked, and far too much food.

Malee kept piling Nani’s plate with more, despite his protests.

“You need meat on your bones.” She huffed. “Sky, how can you let your teammate starve?”

Sky, deadpan: “He’s not starving.”

Malee pointed at Nani’s plate. “Eat, child.”

Nani, defeated, picked up his chopsticks. “…Yes, ma’am.”

Dew, watching with far too much amusement, casually said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sky look this concerned about someone before.”

Sky stabbed a piece of meat a little too aggressively. “Dew.”

Dew ignored him. He leaned in slightly, watching Nani. “So, Nani, how are you adjusting?”

Nani paused, formal as always. “I’m managing, Captain Dew.”

Dew smirked. “Oh, so polite. I like that.”

Sky’s grip on his chopsticks tightened.

“You don’t have to be so stiff, you know,” Dew continued smoothly. “We’re practically family now.”

Sky’s eyes twitched.

Nani, still chewing, hesitated. “…Are we?”

Malee smiled warmly. “Of course, dear. You’re under Sky’s care now, which means you’re under ours.”

Nani felt something tighten in his chest.

This warmth. This easy acceptance.

He hadn’t had this in so long.

He didn’t know what to do with it.

---

Dew watched him for a second, then smirked. “You know, Nani, we should spend more time together.”

Sky’s hand paused mid-motion.

Nani raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

Dew grinned. “To get to know each other. I mean, we’re both captains’ favorites.”

Sky set his chopsticks down. Firmly.

Nani blinked. “…I don’t think I’m anyone’s favorite.”

Dew’s grin widened. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Sky exhaled sharply. “Dew, I swear—”

Dew leaned in slightly, resting his chin on his palm. “What? Just making conversation.”

And then—he reached out, lightly brushing something off Nani’s sleeve.

A meaningless touch.

But Sky?

Sky saw it.

His jaw clenched.

Dew definitely noticed.

“You’re awfully quiet, Captain.” Dew smirked, glancing at Sky. “Something wrong?”

Sky’s voice was calm, clipped.

“You don’t know the meaning of that word.”

Dew chuckled. “Jealous?”

Nani picked up his drink, sipped it slowly—then met Dew’s gaze, unblinking.

Dew’s smirk widened.

Oh, this was fun.

Malee, sensing the tension, sighed dramatically. “Honestly, Sky, if you like the boy, just say so.”

Sky froze.

Nani choked on his drink.

Dew grinned like he won the lottery. “Auntie Malee, you’re my favorite person now.”

Sky shot him a murderous look. “Shut. Up.”

Malee huffed. “What? I just think it’s nice you’re taking care of him.”

Sky pinched the bridge of his nose. “…why does this feel like in the squad room.”

Nani, still flustered, muttered, “Can we talk about literally anything else?”

Sakda, calmly sipping his drink, finally joined in. “Sure. Nani, do you have a girlfriend?”

Nani stared. “…Seriously?”

Dew laughed. “Oh, this is the best dinner I’ve had in years.”

Sky, flatly: “I’m leaving.”

Malee pointed at his plate. “Not until you finish your food.”

Sky sighed.

Nani hid a small smile.

For all the teasing, for all the awkwardness—

This felt nice.

Even if he wasn’t sure he deserved it.