Love Case Vol. 1

Seven in the morning, Anupap stepped out of the elevator and walked toward the front of his residential condo. He greeted the security guard familiarly and handed him a box of sweets.

"These are delicious, P'Singh. A friend brought them from abroad." Anupap smiled. Singh grinned widely in return and thanked him.

Anupap was kind to all the condo staff. He was close with the security guards, receptionist, housekeeping staff, and even the manager because of his good nature and friendly personality. Anupap made everyone love him.

"What a handsome with a good heart. That's why everybody loves him." Aunt Nom, the building's housekeeper, once praised 'her Khun Nu.'

Anupap had once helped rush Aunt Nom to the hospital and handled all her medical arrangements smoothly. He even visited her home when she was recovering from a fall in the condo's laundry room.

Anupap walked through the parking area straight to the gate to call a taxi, but stopped short when he saw Atikom stepping out of a beautiful BMW sports car—the same car that had nearly collided with Atid's.

"Good morning. Please, step into the royal chariot," Atikom walked closer.

The police captain wore his half-dress uniform—a white tank top with dark red trim tucked into his pants, revealing a broad chest full of muscle. His khaki pants fit perfectly.

"How did you know I live here?" Anupap frowned suspiciously.

"Because I'm clever," he raised an eyebrow with a wide grin. "I'm a police officer. Catching criminals is easier than finding out where you live."

"That's invasion of privacy."

"Oh no, I'm keeping my word that I'd pick you up for work in the morning. Remember our agreement?" The young officer looked serious. "But you tricked me." He tilted his head and glanced upward as if remembering something. "I investigated and found out you lied about your address."

"I don't want people to know where I live. It's my privacy," Anupap said stubbornly.

"Oh really? I thought you'd say that night it was raining so hard you couldn't remember your own condo building," Atikom said mockingly.

Anupap lifted his chin, looking into Atikom's eyes without flinching. "I dare to do it, so I dare to admit it was just a trick to keep people from knowing my home."

"Did you use this trick only on me, or on your black Benz buddy too?" Atikom winked with a slight smile.

Anupap was too lazy to argue, so he moved to walk toward the exit gate.

"Hey, hey, get in the car. I'll drive you. I told you that while your car isn't ready, I'm responsible for your life. You challenged me yourself. I accepted the challenge. Are you not keeping your word?" Atikom protested. "This is typical of our people... saying whatever they want... probably forgot that one should die before breaking their word." The captain's voice drifted after him.

Anupap stopped, realizing Atikom was provoking him. He turned back toward the persistent cop.

"It's not because I feel guilty about your words, but because I'm too lazy to call a taxi and want to save money," Anupap rationalized.

Anupap thought it was still better than standing stiffly calling a taxi in the alley this early morning, carrying a large document folder, a computer bag hanging on his shoulder, and a backpack with gym clothes for this evening's workout. From experience, he knew it would take about twenty minutes before a taxi would pass by.

He told himself that letting Atikom make amends was good too. The cop rear-ended his car, and the garage he 'forced' him to use for repairs wasn't making progress. Without a car, transportation was difficult and inconvenient. Without a car, Atid kept pestering to drive him around. Most importantly, he had to bring up the issue of 'not keeping one's word' and twist it into 'die before breaking one's word' to provoke him successfully.

"Will you want me to pick you up in the evening too?" Atikom asked, breaking the silence while stopped at a red light at the Ekkamai intersection.

"Evening wasn't part of our agreement," Anupap protested.

"Oh right, but it's okay. Consider it additional service."

"My work hours aren't fixed."

"Really?" Atikom acted understanding, but when the car moved to the next red light, he made a pointed comment. "I see. Evening is the black Benz buddy's duty." Atikom's face remained neutral as if he wasn't being sarcastic, but Anupap knew he was provoking him.

Is this another aspect of his personality? Anupap shut off his hearing, telling himself not to listen to anything more from this provocative young captain.

The car stopped in front of the Echo Advertising building. The small parking lot in front of the company had four cars parked—Trin's gold Mercedes, Mark's four-wheel drive pickup, Atid's car, and another car Anupap didn't recognize. Eight spaces remained empty. Lush green trees spread their branches for shade. The walkway led to small steps in front of the modern-style building decorated with light gray limestone, with three small fountain pools on the side. The exterior of the office building stood out to passersby in the alley.

"The black Benz buddy is here too," Atikom couldn't help but tease.

Anupap thought about the consequences of his 'merit-making' following Sombat's advice and sighed. If he had known he'd have to deal with Atikom at the alley intersection near his home, yesterday he would have chosen not to 'make merit' instead.

What would Atid say if he knew he had earned the new nickname 'black Benz buddy'?

Anupap thanked him politely, shouldered his computer bag and work folders, and got out of the car. Before closing the door, the young man saw the stoic face of the teasing young officer.

Is he pretending to look serious to provoke me, or is he actually annoyed? Or jealous? That's crazy, thinking like that. Anupap thought and couldn't help but be sarcastic before closing the car door.

"Don't accidentally rear-end someone else's car again. I'd feel sorry for them," Anupap couldn't help but tease before turning his back on the driver and walking straight up the office stairs.

He didn't see Atikom smile immediately after pretending to look serious moments before. Atikom watched until Anupap walked through the large glass doors before driving away, turning on music, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel with delight, smiling the whole way.

Police Captain Atikom now knew that Anupap didn't really dislike him that much!

...............

Anupap walked past the receptionist. Atid was standing talking with Arisa. The young man turned to give Anupap a faint smile, his face lacking its usual brightness, contrasting with his normal cheerful demeanor of greeting everyone with a wide, bright smile.

Passing Mark and Pojanee's desks, both greeted him with teasing smiles as if mocking something. As for Sombat, Anupap saw him in the distance and waved hello.

He set his things on his desk, pulled his computer out of its bag, and arranged everything in place. Sombat walked over with a smile, deliberately clearing his throat loudly.

"Who?" Sombat opened the interrogation.

"Who what? What do you mean?" Anupap replied while plugging his mouse into the computer, not yet looking up.

"Don't play dumb. Who dropped you off? Tell us now. They want to know."

The young man stopped arranging things on his desk, straightened up, and looked up. "Oh, no wonder. That's why everyone made strange faces when I walked in."

Anupap hadn't expected several people to be "nosy" so early in the morning. Today there seemed to be many people at work bright and early.

"I suspect they all crowded at the windows to peek in a row, right?"

"No, Atid saw first. When I saw the sunrise became the sunset, I rushed in to comfort him. Pojanee and Mark rushed in to help, and then Joy grabbed a camera to take pictures," Sombat narrated scene by scene.

"Are you crazy? Taking pictures too? You've all gone completely mad," Anupap exclaimed.

Sombat laughed, saying he was joking, then insisted on getting the truth.

Anupap was bewildered. "A friend dropped me off," he finally mumbled quietly.

"Which friend? Do I know them?" Sombat wouldn't give up.

"Just a junior friend. You don't know them."

"Friend or friend with benefits? Ha ha ha," Sombat teased outrageously, laughing with glee.

"You're crazy. So perverted," Anupap shook his head, unable to help laughing at Sombat's hypothesis.

Atid walked over and stopped at the open doorway, knocking gently. His face remained impassive.

Sombat quickly walked out, but not without teasing, "I'm leaving. Don't want to be a third wheel."

"P'Nu, Khun Trin wants to see you," Atid announced, looking at Anupap's desk chair.

"Thanks, Atid." Anupap smiled faintly and sat down, pulling work out of his folder.

"Khun Trin said right now," Atid continued talking to the chair.

"Wow, this early?" Anupap complained. "If he wanted to talk, why didn't he call?" Anupap got up from his chair irritably.

When Trin wanted to meet with Anupap about work, he never called to invite him. He usually had someone come get him, and always said he needed to meet immediately.

Anupap walked past Atid, who was still standing motionless at the door. He smiled at his junior assistant. Atid looked at him reproachfully. Anupap pretended not to notice and walked down the hallway in front of the rooms. Atid followed with 'puppy dog eyes' as Sombat used to tease, except Anupap couldn't see from behind.

"Was traffic bad this morning, P'Nu?" the young man's voice followed.

Anupap turned back to answer while still walking. "Pretty bad. How about you, Atid?"

"Bad too," the young man answered quietly, then stopped still. "But even if it's bad, it's okay. Getting to sit comfortably in a car with nice cool air conditioning."

Anupap thought. Is Atid being sarcastic?

Anupap turned left at the room's corner, heading toward the left side of the building where Trin and other executives had their offices, which P'Bud called 'the emperor's back palace.'

Anupap stopped in front of the oak door, sighing softly before knocking. He reached for the doorknob, but was surprised when the door opened almost immediately.

Trin opened the door and greeted him with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth in his typical stern manner.

"What's so urgent this early?" Anupap asked, walking to sit in the chair in front of Trin's desk. He noticed that Trin had opened the window curtains all the way, letting the soft morning sunlight stream in. The room looked more spacious than usual. Almost every time he came in, Trin would usually draw the curtains and turn on the desk lamp.

Sombat used to gossip that this room was like the emperor's chamber where he summoned people for judgment before execution. "If Khun Trin sentences me to be whipped, I won't say a word," P'Bud would act like a seductive slave. "But Atid has to do the whipping while Khun Trin supervises." Then Sombat would cackle with laughter. Anupap couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"You look particularly refreshed this morning," Trin walked closer, stopping beside the corner of the desk near the chair where Anupap sat. He felt that Trin looked more stern than usual. Already being a quiet, serious person, if other company employees had met with him this morning, they would probably be stammering nervously.

"Just thinking about something amusing," Anupap replied evenly. He was wondering what Trin was up to.

The stern-faced boss walked around to sit in the large black leather chair behind his desk.

"I know you're busy, but I have another project I'd like you to handle. Uh... Pano View, luxury waterfront condos. The timeline isn't too tight," Trin handed him a folder.

Anupap sighed. "Another rush job, and a concept you know I'm not particularly good at," Anupap protested.

"I know, but it's necessary. Your friend Prakarn referred it to us. He trusts us and asked us to help out. And right now, you know I'm short of staff," Trin explained in his measured tone.

"You are the best," Trin praised again—his forced type of praise. "Soon we'll have someone to replace Gigi.

"I'll do this job, but can you promise that at least for the next few projects, I'll get work that's my style?"

"Fine, I promise," Trin nodded.

The two sat discussing work for a while longer before Anupap excused himself to return to work.

"Is your car still not fixed?" Trin asked as Anupap was reaching for the door handle.

This was typical of Trin—discussing work seriously, then just as he was about to leave the room, suddenly blurting out personal matters without warning, catching him off guard.

"Not yet. Probably another week."

"Take my car for now," Trin said quickly.

"It's okay, thank you. I don't want to trouble you."

"I have two cars. It's no trouble," Trin insisted, following him to the door. "It's difficult getting to work in the morning. My other car just sits there unused anyway. Take my BMW."

Anupap was surprised. Why was everyone so concerned about his morning commute? True, not having a car made traveling back and forth and going places inconvenient, but it wasn't such a serious hardship that he couldn't bear it. And now suddenly Trin was offering him a car to use. His boss had two cars—a large gold Mercedes and a BMW X5.

Anupap couldn't help but startle when Trin suggested, "Take my BMW."

Or did he see someone driving a BMW drop him off this morning? Did Trin say that on purpose?

"It's okay. I'll just take taxis. No big deal," Anupa shrugged, opened the door, and stepped out of the room.

"Really, I meant it."

"Seriously, I meant it too." Anupap smiled at him then turned back down the hallway to the office.

Trin stood watching with an expression that was hard to describe. He had seen Anupap get out of a BMW Z6 sports car in front of the company. The young man had stood talking with whoever was in the car for a moment before closing the door. He couldn't see the driver because of the car's tinted windows reflecting the sunlight.

His heart sank in a way he couldn't explain. A deep feeling inside told him that the distance between him and Anupap, already far apart, was growing even further.

Trin was frustrated with himself for secretly liking someone and probably never having a chance to win that person's heart. He was probably no different from Atid, who also secretly liked Anupap. But Anupap would probably never accept a relationship. Atid had better advantages—working more closely with him and being able to express his feelings toward Anupap more openly. As for him, being the boss who liked his subordinate, it looked inappropriate no matter how you looked at it.

Trin couldn't help but wonder whether when Anupap quit to start his own business—as he had secretly overheard the young man discussing with Sombat—when they were no longer boss and subordinate, would he have a better chance then?