While we were eating, his phone rang. Chak picked it up and, without even glancing at the screen, answered in an icy tone:

"Call me back in ten minutes."

He put the phone down and continued eating, but something in his expression had shifted. He grew tense and only glanced at me briefly. A few minutes later, the phone rang again. This time, he stared at it for a while before answering.

"What's so urgent?" he asked coldly.

I recognized Pimin's voice, even though she sounded far away. She spoke quickly, almost too anxiously. Chak observed me for a moment, then quietly said, "I'll come," and hung up.

He stood up and said with concern, "We have to go. Something happened."

"What is it?" I asked, curious.

Chak just shook his head. "Please, don't ask right now."

I stepped closer and hugged him. "I'll stand by your side, no matter what."

For a moment, he stood there silently. "Thank you, Niran," he said with a faint smile, though his eyes remained troubled.

------

The car ride was silent. We were heading toward the company, but Chak was deep in thought, eyes on the road, though clearly his mind was elsewhere.

When we arrived, I entered first. The hallway was filled with an unusual silence and tense faces. I approached Non and quietly asked, "What's going on?"

Non whispered even more quietly, "Some man showed up. Probably a competitor. He asked for Chak, and when we told him he wasn't here, he went to Pimin and ordered her to call him and tell him to come. He said... he wants Chak's shares. Claimed he's a bad boss."

Before I could react, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Niran. Bring me coffee to the meeting room. Now."

I turned around. Chak stood there—cold, like he'd flipped a switch and became someone else. Wordlessly, I nodded and rushed to the mini kitchen. 

When I knocked and entered the meeting room with the coffee, Chak was already seated at the head of the long table. Kit was beside him, and across from them sat a young man in an elegant suit, with a strangely confident smirk.

There was something about him… like he was from the past. But I couldn't recognize him.

I placed the coffee in front of Chak. Our eyes met briefly. Without a word, he handed me some papers.

"Make three copies. Now."

"Yes, sir," I nodded and left to copy the documents.

When I returned, the atmosphere was even heavier. As if every word was dangerous.

The man loudly read a number from the paper. "Your revenue shows… decline. Three consecutive quarters. Doesn't sound like a company with vision anymore."

Chak replied, "My business is built on trust, not manipulation."

The man slowly crossed one leg over the other and said, "Trust is a thing of the past. Today, only power matters."

Kit rolled his eyes angrily. "If you're done playing boss, you can leave."

"Oh, far from it, Kit," the man said, then added, "Chak, you have one week.

 Then… we'll see each other again."

Without looking at me, he stood and left the meeting room. Chak closed the folder hard and took a deep breath.

"Let's go," Kit said.

------

That evening, we sat in Chak's living room. It was quiet, but this time, in an uncomfortable way. Kit sat to the side, arms crossed. I sat across from Chak, holding a cup of tea that had long gone cold.

"Who was that man?" I asked softly.

Chak and Kit exchanged a glance. Kit gave a small nod.

Finally, Chak spoke: "Once… we were friends. Me, Kit, and him. We had dreams of building something great together. But he… couldn't wait. He stole the idea and sold it as his own."

"Why is he back now?"

Kit added, "Because he knows the company isn't as stable anymore. And because he knows… Chak trusts you."

I froze. "How would he know that?"

Chak looked at me and said, "I have no idea. Maybe we're being watched."

"But why won't you tell me more? Who even is this guy?"

Chak shook his head. "It's not time yet. But… you'll find out soon."

In that moment, I realized I wasn't just worried about Chak's company. I was scared for a him—as a person.  

And worse still—for everything we were beginning to feel.

I left Chak and Kit in the living room and headed to the art room. I wanted to be alone for a bit and unwind. I took a sheet of paper and started drawing, but I couldn't concentrate. I put the paper aside, stood up, and opened the window. I heard the birds singing, their song floating through the quiet evening air.

Suddenly, I heard the door open. I turned around and saw Chak. He stepped inside and quietly said, "Dinner should be ready in an hour. Cook whatever you want. Kit will eat with us."

"Alright," I nodded.

Chak turned and went back to his office. I made my way to the kitchen and prepared something simple — fried rice with chicken and vegetables. When I finished, I knocked on his office door.

"Dinner's on the table," I said as I walked in.

Chak and Kit looked up at me and said in near unison, "We're coming."

I went back to the kitchen and sat at the table, waiting. They both showed up shortly after. We sat down and started eating. There was something unusually warm in the air. Everything felt simple, yet comforting. I felt like I was part of... something.

Kit looked over at me with a smile. "Fried rice, huh? Nice one, little chef."

I blushed. Chak didn't say much, but the small nod he gave me said enough — he liked it.

After dinner, I started cleaning up, while Kit got up, walked over to Chak, and gave him a quick hug. It was brief, but meaningful. Then he turned to me.

"See you, little guy," he said with a soft smile, looking at me kindly.

"See you," I replied quietly.

When the door closed behind him, I looked over at Chak, who stood by the counter with a cup of tea in his hand. We didn't say a word, but the silence between us was no longer tense.

It felt... like home.

After Kit left, Chak stood up, looked out the window for a few moments, then turned to me.

"Niran," he said softly. "Come to the living room? I have something I want to show you."

I nodded and stood up. I followed him to the living room, where he sat on the couch. When I sat down next to him, he got up and went to the corner where the guitar stand was placed.

Chak picked up the blue-black guitar and brought it to me. "I want you to play this," he said, handing me the guitar.

I looked at the guitar, confused. "I don't know how to play it," I admitted, slightly embarrassed.

Chak smiled, then sat back down on the couch. He grabbed the guitar and played a few simple notes. The sound was softly clear, each note carrying a mysterious energy.

I laughed when he finished. "I didn't know you could play the guitar," I said, completely amazed at how his fingers effortlessly glided over the strings.

Chak just nodded, a small smile on his face. "I'm not a great guitarist, but I like to play when I have the time."

There was something in that moment, something in the way he played, something that captivated me. He put the guitar back on the stand and sat back down next to me.

"You have talents too," he said, but his tone now sounded a bit more serious than usual. "I know you're hiding your art."

I blushed. I didn't know what to say. All I could do was sit quietly next to him and feel... more at home than I dared to admit.