"Even where the city sprawls beneath him like ants—
He towers in the realm of my heart."
—Kao Neptune
"Nil..."
"Ungrateful wretch. Abandoned his own blood. Fled Bangladesh, left his mother behind."
"They say he crawls under tables to sign contracts—with his body."
"What's it like, I wonder, when a man of power keeps you as his plaything?"
"I heard his father died young. Raised by his mother alone. And now—he abandons even her."
"Pitiful."
"Selfish."
The whispers pricked like needles, every syllable lodging beneath his skin. Nil's steps carried him forward beside Paithoon, the bodyguard clearing a path with rigid courtesy. He inclined his head, lips pressed thin, but his eyes—flat, unreadable—betrayed nothing.
"Bet he still calls him 'Boss' even in bed."
"People forget—Neptune doesn't bend for anyone. Not his time, not his pride."
"Look at Nil. Knees must be raw from all those... meetings."
Paithoon turned once, and the hallway snapped into silence.
Nil's lips curved faintly, too tight to be a smile. "It's fine."
They stepped into the lift. His fingers curled, knuckles whitening, the only sign of strain.
"Everyone knows—it's Nil who chases him. Sir Kao doesn't beg."
"Careful what you say. If half these words reached Sir Kao's ears, someone would vanish before morning."
The lift carried Nil to the fifth floor.
Paithoon stepped ahead, pulling open the heavy glass door. "Sir, please—"
But the office was empty.
Nil turned, question unspoken. Paithoon answered before it formed. "Sir Kao is on the third floor. An important meeting."
Nil's expression did not shift. Only his thoughts echoed with the stinging whispers left behind. "Mn."
He walked inside and sank into the sofa. Arms stretched, head tilted back, eyes closing as a muted groan slipped out. "...Ugh."
Drowsiness stole over him—until a sharp knock jolted him upright.
"Come."
The door opened. A woman stepped in, graceful and bright, a few years older than him.
"Good evening, Sir."
Nil only nodded. His gaze dropped briefly to the badge pinned to her chest: Malee.
She smiled faintly. "Sir Kao instructed me to take you to the private Presidential Suite."
Nil's brows drew together. "Suite?"
Nil had only wanted a moment to rest, but he went anyway. Malee led him higher—far higher than expected—to the thirty-fifth floor.
The silence here was heavy, unlike the noise of the lower levels. Nil glanced about as he followed, eyes narrowing. Stranger never once mentioned this place.
They stopped before a door. Malee pushed it open with a polished smile. "Please, sir."
Nil stepped in.
The suite spread vast before him, like a miniature Neptune Sawan hidden inside Neptune Music itself.
But exhaustion dulled all sense of awe. He crossed the room without pause, drawn to the balcony.
There, rows upon rows of blossoms greeted him—two hundred, three hundred, perhaps more. Petals spilled fragrance into the night, yet he only rested both hands on the cold rail, shoulders sinking.
From this height, Bangkok sprawled endlessly. Cars crawled like fireflies, people below reduced to specks, no more than ants.
Nil stood above it all, silent, wind tugging at his damp shirt, expression unreadable.
From behind, Malee's voice murmured, careful, polite. "Do you need anything, sir?"
Nil did not look back. A faint nod—silent affirmation. No.
"When will Kao Sir arrive?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
She exhaled softly. "Within... fifteen minutes, I think."
"Mm," he muttered.
With that, she withdrew, steps quiet on the polished floor.
Nil set the bag down, shoulders sagging as if the weight of the world clung to him. Alone, the room seemed larger, emptier, and somehow colder.
Across the city, Achara sat at a bustling restaurant, surrounded by the chatter of friends and the clatter of plates. Saylee leaned forward, fork in hand. "Did you ask your brother for permission for the Mount Mokoju tour?"
"I did," Achara replied, tone measured, "but he refused. Said he would sponsor my Bora Bora trip—with the two of you, naturally."
Duan blinked, frowning. "But we already went to Bora Bora last summer, didn't we?"
Achara sipped her water, gaze lifting toward the ceiling, restless. "I want... something wilder. Something that makes the blood rush. But—"
Duan snorted between bites. "He's far too possessive. Demands you go only where he owns resorts. And those two ancient bodyguards trailing us the entire tour? Exhausting. Infuriating."
Saylee leaned back, eyes bright with curiosity. "Your brother so handsome, of course. But... I heard he's... involved with someone?"
"With Nil," Duan added quickly, glancing at Achara, testing her reaction. "Do you... approve?"
Achara did not hesitate. Her voice was steady, unwavering. "My brother knows right from wrong. Sensible. If the choice is between the world and his happiness, I choose him."
Duan gave a slow, approving nod, eyes flicking to Saylee. "Then find someone else."
Saylee pouted, a sly grin forming. "But I want to meet Nil... to see how he captured the heart of someone like your brother."
The soft clink of a tray announced the staff's arrival. He set down snacks, called Nil once—twice—but the boy did not stir. With a quiet nod, he retreated, leaving Nil to the evening air.
Nil lay on the balcony floor, hands beneath his head, eyes closed. The world was hushed; only the scent of countless flowers drifted in the night.
A sudden warmth brushed his lips. Soft. Gentle. He opened his eyes to find the most familiar face in the world, yet impossibly distant—cold and unreadable. Kao.
"How have you been?" Kao asked, words even, carrying that weight Nil could never resist.
Nil's lips curved, hesitant but inevitable. "One more..."
Kao's lips met his again. Softer this time, patient. "Is this enough?"
The chill of the air wrapped around them, but it could not touch the heat blooming between them. Nil shifted, sitting up, and Kao mirrored him, close enough to feel the faint tremor of his breath.
"You haven't eaten," Kao remarked, tone low but insistent.
"I wasn't hungry," Nil replied, eyes flicking down.
Kao's gaze sharpened. Something was off. "What happened? Did anyone say something to you?"
Nil swallowed hard, eyes dropping. "Why... you love me?" His words trembled, barely audible, raw with disbelief. "Someone like me... no status, no beauty... nothing the world would deem worthy."
A pause. Then, quieter still, "Aren't you afraid... of losing everything—your reputation?"
Kao's gaze lingered on Nil, a quiet pause hanging between them. Just as he opened his mouth, Nil burst into laughter, eyes sparkling.
"Stranger... look at your expression!" His laughter was light, teasing, a ripple in the quiet.
Kao said nothing, letting the moment stretch. Nil reached for the bag beside him, pulling out a small box. He opened it deliberately.
Kao's eyes caught the gleam of the platinum ring. His lips parted, just slightly, caught between awe and disbelief.
"Don't you like it?" Nil asked softly, voice low but steady.
Kao nodded once, a single, measured motion.
"Mn..."
Nil leaned forward. "I wanted to gift you something. I've been saving for this... though it's not muc...hh"
Kao pressed his lips gently against Nil's, soft, fleeting.
"Mph..."
"You speak too much," Kao murmured, with restrained amusement in his tone.
Nil lifted his hand, guiding the ring onto Kao's long, slender finger. The platinum gleamed against skin, perfect in its simplicity. A soft smile curved his lips as he worked carefully, but beneath it, Kao sensed an unspoken weight in Nil's movements.
Nil rose from the floor, body tense, and took a hesitant step toward the room. Before he could move further, a hand closed around his wrist from behind. Firm. Restrained. Kao held him there for a heartbeat. Nil did not turn.
Then, with a sudden, deliberate pull, Kao drew him close, chest against chest. Nil's eyes widened, voice catching in disbelief.
"Stranger..."
Kao pressed a single finger to Nil's lips, warm and insistent.
"Shhh,"
"...silence,"