Flashback – High School Days
High school turned Paing Say Yan into a full-fledged heartthrob.
Girls sighed over his tall frame, those broad swimmer's shoulders, the perfect skin, and that lazy, rich-boy charm that looked effortless.
Boys envied him—wanted to walk like him, talk like him, be him.
And Ngwe Nay Kha?
He watched it all with quiet amusement. Or at least, that's how he pretended to be.
That day, the two of them were walking side by side to their classroom, their uniforms slightly wrinkled from morning bike rides, shoes scuffing across the polished hallway floor.
Then it happened again.
A girl—cheeks flushed, fingers shaking as she clutched a pink envelope—stepped into their path.
She took a breath, lowered her head shyly, and confessed her feelings to Paing Say Yan.
For a second, the world went muffled.
Something in Ngwe Nay Kha's chest twisted—sharp, hot, and breath-stealing. His throat dried up, his feet moved on their own.
He turned away, eyes burning, and walked off quickly, shoulders stiff.
He didn't say a word.
He couldn't.
Even though he'd seen this scene play out countless times—Paing flirting, accepting confessions, joking with girls like he was born for it—he still hadn't figured out how to protect his own damn heart.
He ended up in the library, buried between books he wasn't really reading, slumped over the table with one hand covering his eyes.
It didn't take long for Paing Say Yan to find him.
"My babe," he announced dramatically, flopping into the seat across from him like a prince in exile. His voice laced with exaggerated worry. "Why did you leave so suddenly? I looked beside me and—boom—you were gone. I thought maybe the earth swallowed you whole."
Ngwe didn't look up. He didn't have the strength to play along today.
Paing tilted his head, studying him.
"Still ignoring me?" he said, a teasing pout curling his lips.
"I'm not," Ngwe mumbled, still avoiding his gaze.
Paing reached forward and snatched the book out of his hands.
"Liar."
Ngwe's glare was immediate—sharp, cold, but also a little too pained. "Why do you even care? You've got a hundred girls chasing after you."
There was a pause.
A silence that settled too heavy between them.
Then Paing said softly—so quiet it almost got lost in the pages—
"None of them are you."
Ngwe stared at him, stunned for a heartbeat.
"Bullshit."
He didn't know what to do with that kind of talk—if it was the truth. It will be great.
So he did the usual: he punched Paing lightly on the shoulder.
Paing just laughed, as always, that cocky grin back in place. From under the table, he pulled out a plastic cup with a straw.
"You said you wanted a milkshake yesterday, remember?" he said proudly, setting it down.
"I bought it for you. I'm the best, right?"
He tilted his head again—like a puppy asking for praise.
With a small, reluctant smile, Ngwe reached out and patted his hair gently.
"You are."
Paing beamed.
Ngwe hesitated before asking, casually—too casually—"So… did you accept that girl's confession?"
Paing opened his mouth. "No, because I—"
Before he could finish, two loud voices broke into their little moment.
"There you two are!" Myo Kaung and Myo Thant came rushing into the library, waving their phones like swords. "We've been looking all over the school!"
Ngwe blinked. "How did you even know we were here?"
"Look!" Myo Thant shoved his phone forward. On the screen was a fresh photo uploaded to the school's ship page—a page now infamous for posting secretly taken photos of popular pairs in school.
The image showed Paing Say Yan entering the library, milkshake in hand, expression softer than usual.
The caption read:
"Do you have someone who buys milkshakes for you?"
Ngwe stared at it. His stomach dropped.
It looked… real. Intimate. Like love.
"Do they follow us or something? I think they are stalking us" Ngwe muttered. "We need to be more careful, Paing."
Paing shrugged with a lazy grin. "Nah. Let them post whatever."
Myo Kaung leaned over. "Anyway, we were looking for you, Paing. Heard a girl gave you a love letter?"
Myo Thant added, "Yeah, and you didn't accept it? That's… rare for you."
Ngwe pretended not to listen—his eyes were locked on the same paragraph for the third time.
But his ears?
They were very awake.
Paing answered with a casual shrug. "Because I'm already dating someone. A girl confessed to me earlier this morning. She is cute so I said yes. I'm not the kind of guy who dates two people at once."
The twins froze. "HUH?"
They exchanged wide-eyed glances. "Wait—you're dating someone? Since when?"
But Ngwe? He didn't hear anything anymore.
He was still staring at the page in front of him.
Realizing with a dull ache…
He stared at the same page for over a minute and realized He hadn't read a single word.
Present Time
"Knock, knock," Paing Say Yan said, his voice casual—but his body already inside the room, leaning lightly against the doorframe like he belonged there.
Ngwe Nay Kha didn't look up right away. Just a fleeting glance, then his eyes returned to the laptop screen. His fingers moved across the keys with forced calm, pretending Paing wasn't even there.
Paing let out a small laugh, masking something unspoken beneath it. "Still ignoring me, huh? That's okay. That's okay. I just wanted to share some news."
His tone was teasing, but his eyes held that glint of anticipation—the kind of glint someone has when they're waiting until they react back them.
Ngwe glanced at him again. Paing was grinning like a child who had found a toy—his expression mischievous, lighthearted, almost too bright. And that made it even more irritating. Ngwe didn't speak. He went back to typing, colder now.
"Ngwe," Paing said, drawing out the name, "don't you want to know? I'm trending. On Facebook and Twitter."
Ngwe slowly lifted his eyes, narrowing them like knives.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he said flatly, his voice low and unimpressed.
"I'm not joking," Paing replied, lifting his eyebrows and gesturing with his eyes like a clue. "Check your phone. You'll see."
With a heavy sigh—half curiosity, half dread—Ngwe unlocked his phone.
There it was. The article.
The same reporter he'd met with. The same photos. But the headline?
"Girls Are Crazy Over That Businessman."
Ngwe's chest tightened. His jaw clenched. What the hell is this?
He had told the reporter: "Write what you want. Just tell the truth."
But this wasn't truth—it was glorification. The article praised Paing's looks, charisma, and magnetic appeal. The photos—intended to ruin him—only made people adore him more. Every image of Paing with a different girl was seen as charming, enviable, exciting. Comments flooded in:
"He's so hot!"
"If being a playboy looks like this, count me in!"
"I want to be the next girl in his arms!"
Ngwe's hand trembled slightly, holding the phone. His breath caught in his throat. His plan had backfired—completely. Instead of ruining Paing Say Yan, he'd made him go viral like a damn celebrity.
Meanwhile, Paing stood there proudly, watching Ngwe's reaction with shining eyes.
"Saw the article?" he asked, voice smug but soft. "Guess someone's working overtime to make me look even better. Weird, huh?"
Ngwe's nails dug into his palm. He didn't even realize he was doing it.
"Stop it," Paing's voice turned concerned and grab the hand to stop Ngwe Nay Kha doing. "Why are you hurting yourself? You never used to do that. I've noticed… since you came back from the UK, you do that when you're stressed."
Ngwe turned away, tightening his jaw, his voice sharp now. "That's none of your business. Mind your own."
"I have to make a call," he added abruptly, walking out of the room with his head spinning.
Outside, he called the reporter immediately, voice nearly shaking with frustration.
"What the hell did you write, huh? That's not what I asked you to write."
"I wrote what you told me to," the reporter replied coolly. "You said, 'Write what I want. Just tell the truth.' So I did. The truth is—he's attractive, and girls are crazy over him. That's it."
Ngwe barely held back a scream.
But before he could reply—
"Ngwe, who are you talking to?"
Paing Say Yan's voice, low and quiet, suddenly cut in from behind.
Ngwe stiffened, his back rigid. He didn't even know how long Paing had been there—or how much he'd overheard.
Startled, Ngwe hung up the call quickly, but didn't bother to pretend anymore. His shame, his frustration—it was already exposed.
Paing stood there with an unreadable expression, not smirking this time.
"Stop playing games," Ngwe hissed, his voice shaking not just with anger—but pain.
Paing raised a brow, walking closer with a cold calmness.
"Me?" he asked. "You're the one leaking company secrets. Sending out my photos. Trying to ruin my name." He tilted his head. His grin returned—smaller now, more dangerous. "Though I'll admit… it's been kinda fun. I've been bored for four years."
Ngwe's control finally snapped. He shoved Paing against the wall, hard. His voice cracked as he yelled, "Why won't you just fucking react? Fire me! Hate me! Just leave me alone!"
But Paing didn't budge.
Instead, he smiled.
"I've known you since we were kids, Ngwe. I know exactly how your mind works." His voice dropped to a whisper. "And I've been waiting for you to realize something."
Ngwe's breath hitched. "What?"
"No matter what you do… you can't run from me. Because I won't let you."
Ngwe's eyes burned.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out an envelope, and shoved it into Paing's chest.
"Fine. Here's my resignation. I quit."
Paing's jaw clenched instantly. His hand gripped Ngwe's wrist, tight.
"I don't accept it," he said, voice low and shaking with tension. "And I already warned you—I'll destroy every company you try to work for."
Ngwe let out a bitter laugh.
"Relax, boss," he sneered. "I'm not planning to work at another company. At least, not in Myanmar."
Paing's face twisted with confusion. "What are you saying?"
"I'm leaving. I'm going to Bangkok next week. I've already accepted a new job there."
Paing's eyes widened. All amusement vanished.
His expression turned cold, dark. Like a thunderstorm about to explode.
"You're running away from me again?"
He stepped closer, his voice deepening, every word heavy with fury.
"Fine. Try it. Four years ago, I let you go—because I didn't know. But this time… it won't be so easy."
He leaned closer, lips barely apart.
"Try to leave, Ngwe. And you'll find out exactly what Paing Say Yan is capable of."
He didn't wait for a reply.
He turned and walked away—his footsteps echoing like thunder in a war zone.
Ngwe stood frozen.
His breath trembled in his chest. His knees almost gave out.
And yet... something inside him whispered:
Tell me Paing... What am I to you? We are not even friend anymore...leave me alone already.