It was Vikran.
He leaned against the frame, arms crossed, watching me with that unreadable smile.
"Looking for something, Niran?" he asked casually, but there was something in his voice a sharpness behind the charm.
I stayed still, fingers resting on a drawer.
"Just staples," I answered, holding his gaze. "Do you need something?"
He didn't move closer. Just stood there, eyes scanning the room, then returning to me.
"Maybe," he said. "Or maybe I'm just curious what kind of lies you're willing to tell to protect your secrets."
I blinked. My breath caught slightly but I didn't flinch.
"Or maybe you should ask yourself," I replied quietly, "why you're so interested in my secrets at all."
"I want to ask you something," said Vikran. "What were you doing at Chak's place yesterday?"
"How did you know I was there?" I asked, surprised.
"I saw your phone on the kitchen counter. There were two plates, and your hoodie was hanging on the chair," Vikran replied. "Did you two have dinner together?"
"I cooked dinner for him," I said. "Then he told me to take some too, that he wouldn't be able to eat it all. I forgot my phone when I left. When I came back to get it, he gave it back to me. That's all."
"I know you like the boss," Vikran said.
"No, I don't," I told him.
"Don't lie to yourself, Niran."
He narrowed his eyes slightly. "I have a feeling you and Chak are hiding something. What is it?"
"What kind of secret would we even have?" I asked.
"Don't imagine things," I added firmly. "I have work to do."
I walked out of the room, picked up my phone, and texted Chak:
"I need to tell you something."
I put the phone down and tried to focus on work, forcing Vikran's words out of my mind. What secrets of mine does he know?
Then my phone buzzed. I picked it up and read Chak's reply:
"Tell me on the way home."
Alright, I replied, and got back to work.
Later, I got up to slice some fruit in the mini kitchen and brought it to Chak's office. When I walked in, I set the tray on the small coffee table by the couch. Then I stepped toward his desk, looked him in the eyes, and said:
"Time for a little break." I leaned closer and whispered with a smile,
"My Chaky."
Chak stood up, walked over to me, and gently whispered into my ear:
"Thank you, my artist."
Then he pressed a soft, secret kiss to my ear that sent a shiver down my spine.
He sat down on the sofa and gestured for me to join him. Smiling, I walked over and sat next to him. But then Chak did something I didn't expect he laid his head in my lap.
I froze, surprised.
"Chak, not here," I said in a hushed voice. "Someone could see us. Please, get up."
But he didn't move. He closed his eyes and said softly,
"Just for a bit, please."
"Chak," I whispered, placing my hand on his shoulder and gently shaking him.
He opened his eyes, found mine, and said:
"When we're at Kit's place, you have to let me rest on your lap as long as I want."
Without thinking, I said, "Yes."
Chak sat up and straightened himself. I stared at him, confused.
"What did you just say?"
He leaned in and repeated with a sly grin:
At Kit's, you have to let me rest on your lap as long as I want."
"But Chak, Kit and Taeng will be there. You can't just lie on me like that. What would they think of you?"
He smiled. "That I'm yours. And you're mine."
I felt my cheeks burn red.
I stood up and took his coffee cups from the table. Just as I turned to leave, Chak called out, "Come here."
I walked over, and he gently placed a strawberry in my mouth. When I bit into it, he ate the other half from the same berry. We smiled at each other.
"See you soon, my Chaky," I said, before heading to the mini kitchen to wash the cups.
I returned to my desk. It was just before five when I entered Chak's office again right as he was heading toward the door.
"I'll wait for you in the car," he whispered and left.
I quickly wiped down his desk, took out the trash, checked that everything was in order, brought the plate to the kitchen, and washed it. Then I grabbed my things and headed to the car. I sat in the passenger seat and buckled in. Chak started the engine.
On the way home, he asked, "What did you want to tell me?"
"It's about Vikran," I said and told him everything Vikran had said.
Chak's face remained expressionless.
"Please don't tell him I told you," I added.
"I won't," Chak replied and reached for my hand.
"I think he's interrogating me to see if I have feelings for you," I said, "because he wants to protect you."
"What do you mean?" Chak asked.
"When Chai told you he was gay and had a boyfriend, he had no support. And I feel like if I told Vikran I'm in love with you, he'd tell me I shouldn't be because you're my boss."
"I think he just wants to protect us from the outside world," I continued. "He's scared of how people would react... especially in the business world."
Chak was silent for a while, then finally said softly,
"I think we'll have to tell him the truth. Otherwise, he'll only press harder."
"You're right," I agreed. "Let's tell him two days from now after the meeting. When my 'girlfriend' is supposed to arrive."
"Great idea," Chak said with a smile.
When we got home, I dropped off my things and started loading the dishwasher. I heard Chak's footsteps going up the stairs. When I finished cleaning up, I headed to my room. But just as I stepped inside, an idea struck me.
I turned around and walked straight into Chak's room.
He came out of the bathroom just as I entered...