Love Case Vol. 1

Before noon, Atikom stormed into Anupap's company. He parked across the street, waiting to spot the 'lunch convoy' but saw nothing, so he crossed over to the small parking lot in front of Echo Advertising building.

He walked past the row of parked cars, unable to help looking for the "black Benz." When he didn't find it, he strode quickly up to the company and informed the pretty receptionist of his purpose.

Arisa was flustered. Working at this company, she'd encountered many handsome men—Khun Trin was strikingly handsome in a stern way that made her barely dare to look. Atid was handsomely boyish, modern and cheerful. Wuttichai was handsomely mixed-race and wild. Mark was suavely handsome. Khun Nu was coolly, quietly handsome. Tong was roughly, tensely handsome. The models who came and went were polished, clean, made-up handsome. But this young policeman standing before her was sexily handsome... intensely heart-stopping. The khaki uniform with stars on the shoulders made him even more thrilling than all the other men.

"Khun Nu is at lunch. Cap— er..." Arisa counted the stars on his shoulders. "Oh... Captain, um... do you have an appointment? I can call him if you'd like," Arisa stuttered.

"No need," the young man replied, glancing down at the nameplate on the counter. "Don't trouble yourself, Khun Arisa." He smiled, turning on the charm.

"If you don't have an appointment, it'll be hard to see him," a stern voice said nearby. Atikom turned to see a boyish-faced young man, tall and slender, standing with a serious expression. He had fashionably styled hair, a clean white face, long narrow eyes, sharp dark brows, a prominent nose, and naturally red lips. His physique showed just the right amount of muscle—'the type Tongrob likes.' At first glance, he looked like a popular young actor.

Atikom studied the young man closely. This was 'the black Benz kid'—the one who drove Anupap around and followed behind him like a cat guarding its owner in the lunch convoy he used to tease Anupap about. His protective stance over Anupap was quite apparent.

"I'm Khun Anupap's assistant. You can leave your name and number with me, and I'll let him know."

"That's alright," Atikom replied with matching sternness, then turned to thank Arisa with a sweet smile and charm offensive, hoping for future assistance before nodding to the sweet-faced young man trying to look fierce. He estimated the age at no more than 24-25 years old.

Atikom felt annoyed. What an obstacle. Maybe he should get Tongrob to hit on this one instead, he thought playfully as he walked along the sidewalk toward the shops where he'd seen the 'lunch convoy' head for meals, scanning for restaurants where office workers were currently eating.

He passed a small restaurant with beautiful blue-toned décor. The front was floor-to-ceiling glass windows with colorful potted flowers arranged near the entrance. Inside weren't many customers. Anupap sat eating with Sombat—no energetic young woman or suave young man with them, and certainly no 'little guard cat' creating obstacles since he'd just been glaring at him back at the office moments ago.

The coast was clear. He opened the door and walked in.

Anupap froze, raising his eyebrows in surprise at seeing Atikom standing before him. This was especially the first time he'd seen the police officer in full khaki dress uniform with complete insignia—the fitted uniform emphasized his physique even more prominently.

Every time they'd met since the accident, he'd seen Captain Atikom in casual half-uniform—khaki pants with a white t-shirt trimmed in crimson around the collar and sleeves, sometimes tucked in, sometimes hanging loose. Today Atikom looked sharper and more intense in his police uniform, wearing a dark cap pulled low over half his forehead, revealing dark brows and sharp, glinting eyes beneath.

Atikom greeted them and boldly sat at their table without waiting for an invitation. Sombat's jaw dropped, her spoon suspended mid-bite.

"Hello Khun Nu, P'Bud. Is the food good?" Atikom smiled slightly, but his eyes sparkled as they fixed on Anupap.

"Delicious... let me wipe the drool first," Sombat set down her spoon and reached for napkins, but Anupap had already handed him one, his eyes still fixed on Atikom's face.

"What brings you here, Captain?" the young man asked coolly.

"The Captain is so handsome," Sombat interjected. "Devastatingly handsome. Even more striking in uniform. If this commercial airs, it'll explode—you'll become the heartthrob of the entire nation. There'll be millions of people trying to court the Captain." The last sentence was directed at Anupap.

"P'Bud, the Captain hasn't agreed to the commercial yet," Anupap chided.

"My business is... asking to join you for lunch," he smiled, removing his cap.

"We're almost finished."

"But I'm having dessert," Sombat countered.

"Just happened to be passing through and got hungry?" Anupap couldn't resist the jab.

"Exactly," Atikom agreed smoothly. "Such good luck that I looked in and saw Khun Nu and P'Bud." He addressed Sombat familiarly.

"What perfect timing," Anupap glanced at Sombat, suspecting he was definitely behind this.

When had they become so familiar? They'd only met once when he came to pick him up that day, the day he'd miscalculated his departure time.

Anupap had no idea the two schemers had been 'talking' off the record.

"Actually, my business is to apologize to Khun Nu about the car. I was going to wait until evening, but you said you weren't free. Since we can't have dinner, lunch works too," Atikom softened his voice.

"I'm full already. I'll head back to the office," Sombat excused herself.

"Didn't you want dessert?" Anupap reminded Sombat, grabbing his senior colleague's hand while still staring at the police officer. "Forget it. What's done is done. I'll remember it as a lesson," Anupap said flatly.

"The Captain should be punished for this," Sombat interjected. "He needs to do community service to make amends."

Anupap knew what Sombat was about to say and quickly interrupted: "P'Bud, that's not necessary. The Captain didn't do anything wrong. He was even kind enough to help fix the car when it wasn't insured." Anupap didn't realize he was pouting—Atikom found it endearing.

"I'll accept whatever punishment," he laughed, pretending to look sad while his eyes sparkled.

"Nu, the deadline is Monday morning and we still haven't found our lead. We've got Mr. Perfect right here and you still don't see it?" Sombat persuaded. "Just try it first. If the client doesn't like him, we don't have to use him. Then we can think of other options. Worst case, we'll go recruiting at police stations. Self-made solution—I like it," Sombat spoke seriously but couldn't resist ending with her usual humor.

"Khun Nu probably doesn't want me messing with work matters," Atikom feigned disappointment, his voice drawling.

As infuriating as P'Bud. These two were perfectly in sync. Anupap gave up.

If they got along so well, he'd let P'Bud take the lead role completely while he stepped back to work on the Panoview commercial that needed a businessman model with a beautiful woman as a romantic couple preparing to buy a luxury condo.

"So what about it, Captain? Have you decided?" Sombat asked.

Atikom nodded. "Just say the word, Khun Nu, and I'll do it." Atikom smiled at Anupap.

Anupap was speechless. Sombat looked back and forth between them, then nudged Anupap gently with his elbow.

He nodded. Sombat grinned with delight. Atikom smiled slightly and turned to call the waiter to order food.

Sombat arranged for the police officer to come test on camera at the studio.

"One o'clock Saturday afternoon, Captain. The studio's a bit far, around Pinklao area. I'll draw you a map," Sombat pretended to just remember. "Oh, since you live near each other, Captain, you can pick up Nu and go together. Nu knows the way."

"You could have just told the Captain to pick me up from the start, P'Bud. No need for games," Anupap said irritably.

"No games, I really just thought of it," Sombat laughed happily while the captain just smiled without saying a word.

"Actually, someone like the Captain doesn't even need a camera test because he's devastatingly handsome. Even more super handsome and heart-stopping in uniform. But we still need to create a portfolio to send to the client," Sombat gushed over the uniformed police officer uncontrollably.

Neither of them knew that the man who was so devastatingly handsome he barely needed a camera test would create big amount of headaches when in front of the camera.

Captain Atikom still had plenty of craftiness he hadn't unleashed yet!