Undercurrents

A cold voice rang out, carrying an undeniable authority:

-"She already said she doesn't want to talk to you. Are you deaf, or do you just not understand human speech?"

The commanding voice made the group of thugs turn their heads. Standing before them was a sharp-eyed woman with an aura of danger—Chirawan. However, instead of feeling intimidated, the men smirked as if they had just found a new source of entertainment.

-"Who the hell are you? This has nothing to do with you."

One of them squinted at Chirawan, scanning her from head to toe, his voice dripping with ill intentions.

-"You're quite the beauty. How about spicing things up? Come with us for a night."

Hearing this, Chirawan simply smirked coldly. Without a word, she picked up a glass of water from the table and splashed it straight onto the man's face.

-"Feel refreshed? You wanted to cool off, right? Then get lost."

This time, the man's face turned red with anger. He gritted his teeth and roared,

-"What the fuck?! Are you out of your mind?!"

He raised his hand, ready to slap Chirawan. But before he could touch her, a strong hand grabbed his wrist tightly.

-"This is a café, not an open lot for thugs like you to cause trouble."

Ryan's voice was icy, carrying a subtle threat.

The thug yanked his hand away, his face contorting with fury.

-"Who the hell are you? Trying to be some hero?"

Before he could say more, another voice cut in.

-"That's right, I'm the hero here. But it looks like you forgot—this place has security cameras."

Jay walked up slowly, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

-"What do you think will happen if I send the footage to the police? Harassing women and attempting assault—wonder what kind of punishment that would bring?"

The thug clenched his teeth, about to retort, but before he could, Chirawan suddenly landed a fierce slap across his face.

-"Pick fights with whoever you want, but if you mess with someone under my protection, you better be prepared for the consequences."

She calmly pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

-"Faisal, lend me a few men. There are some pesky mosquitoes buzzing around here."

The mention of Faisal made the lead thug freeze. The entire group exchanged uneasy glances, their arrogance vanishing.

-"Let's go."

The leader muttered, motioning for his men to leave.

Just as they turned around, a handbag flew from Chirawan's table, smacking the leader's back and making him stumble.

-"Chirawan, that's enough! Calm down!"

Jay quickly intervened, afraid things would escalate too far.

-"Calm down? They need to be taught a lesson!"

Chirawan was still fuming.

At that moment, Isra spoke softly.

-"Chirawan, let it go…"

Hearing Isra's words, Chirawan let out a small huff but finally backed off. She turned to Isra, her voice softening.

-"Are you okay? Did they touch you?"

As she spoke, she took Isra's hand, checking for any signs of harm.

Isra shook her head lightly.

-"I'm fine. Thank you, Jay, and…"

She glanced at Ryan and gave him a slight nod of gratitude. Ryan nodded back in acknowledgment.

Chirawan then turned to Jay, her eyes scrutinizing him before shifting to Ryan.

-"Jay, are you okay? And… who's this?"

Jay grinned.

-"I'm fine, don't worry. This is Ryan, my senior from France."

Chirawan nodded, but her eyes still held suspicion.

-"Just a senior? Not your lover?"

-"No! Of course not! Don't misunderstand!"

Jay waved his hands frantically in denial.

-"He's just a friend visiting for a few days."

-"Really?" Chirawan still seemed unconvinced.

Ryan smirked slightly, his voice light but teasing.

-"Well then, what kind of relationship would you like us to have, Ms. Chirawan?"

Chirawan raised an eyebrow, studied Ryan for a moment, then chuckled.

-"Nothing in particular."

She smoothly changed the subject.

-"This coffee is on me. Jay, are you hungry? Let's go have lunch."

Jay's eyes lit up.

-"You're treating?"

Chirawan laughed.

-"Of course. Isra, pack up—we're going to a restaurant."

She then turned to Ryan.

-"You coming?"

Ryan shrugged casually.

-"I'd be delighted."

The four of them left the café together, chatting cheerfully.

But none of them noticed that, from a distance, a pair of eyes had been watching them the entire time.

Kanya took a sip of her coffee, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

———————————————-

At the restaurant, everyone happily picked their meals…

-"Order whatever you like, it's my treat today, no need to be shy," Chirawan said with the elegance of a true lady.

Jay chuckled, glanced at Ryan, and teased,

-"See? Ryan, just go ahead and order whatever you want. Don't hold back. Don't be fooled by her looks—Chirawan is a big shot. She's loaded…"

Chirawan shot Jay a look and tapped her chopsticks lightly on the table.

-"Oh ho… Jay, that mouth of yours is getting bolder, huh?"

-"So, you're saying you're not rich?" Jay grinned.

-"Not to that extent, but if it's to support you, I could do it for a lifetime." Chirawan smirked confidently.

Jay immediately folded his arms and bowed his head, speaking in a flattering tone,

-"Yes, mother!"

The whole table burst into laughter at their playful exchange. Ryan observed Jay, slightly surprised at how comfortable he was around Chirawan.

-"You two seem really close," Ryan commented. "Normally, aside from me, I don't see Jay being this casual with anyone."

-"We've known each other since we were kids," Jay replied simply.

Ryan turned to Isra.

-"What about you, Isra? Are you two as close as well?"

Isra hesitated for a moment but politely answered,

-"I'm just Ms. Chirawan's assistant, Mr. Ryan."

Ryan narrowed his eyes slightly.

-"But from what I see… it seems like it's more than that."

Isra instantly looked flustered.

-"I… I…"

Chirawan, who had been sipping her drink, suddenly choked and coughed. She put down her glass, staring at Ryan in disbelief.

-"It's just that we've worked together for a long time, so we're close! Don't get any weird ideas…"

Then, as if realizing something, she turned to Jay and Ryan with a sly look.

-"On the other hand, what about you two? You don't seem like just regular friends either."

-"Chirawan…" Jay was about to protest when Ryan calmly cut in.

-"That's right. We're not just friends."

Jay froze, his face turning slightly red, unsure of what Ryan would say next. But Ryan remained composed, speaking in a casual, nonchalant tone.

-"Our relationship is also that of a mentor and student."

Jay let out a quiet sigh of relief and quickly added,

-"Exactly! Ryan was the one who taught me how to play instruments, compose music, and guided me during my early days in the industry. He's really talented!"

Chirawan raised an eyebrow, picking up some food as she spoke.

-"Jay rarely praises anyone. If he says you're good, then you must be really impressive. If there's ever a chance to see you perform, I'd love to go."

Ryan shrugged and nodded.

-"I'd be happy to have you there."

After a few moments of enjoyable conversation over their meal, Jay suddenly recalled the earlier incident and curiously asked,

-"Chirawan, why did those guys back off the moment they heard Faisal's name?"

Chirawan placed her chopsticks down and replied in a matter-of-fact tone,

-"Oh… I guess you don't know yet. Faisal isn't like Ying. He's not the type to just bury himself in work—he's good at networking too. That's why he's well-known in certain… circles."

Jay frowned slightly.

-"Huh? What do you mean?"

Chirawan propped her chin up and thought for a moment before explaining,

-"For example, Ying always stays in his comfort zone, sticking strictly to his profession. But Faisal? He steps out of that zone, making a name for himself and building connections in all kinds of areas. Whether it's music, business, or even… the underworld."

-"Seriously?" Jay was surprised. "No wonder those guys turned pale when they heard his name."

-"Yeah, but keep this to yourself. Don't go telling too many people." Chirawan reminded him.

-"Got it." Jay nodded.

At that moment, Ryan leaned in slightly and whispered to Jay,

-"The person you're talking about… is he the one who sat next to you the other day?"

Jay shook his head and whispered back,

-"No, it's the other guy. The one sitting next to me was Ying—his house is the mansion right across from mine."

Chirawan, noticing their quiet conversation, rested her chin on her palm and smirked mischievously.

-"Hey… what are you two whispering about? Are you in love?"

-"Chirawan!" Jay groaned in exasperation.

Ryan, on the other hand, simply raised an eyebrow and smirked.

-"If we're in love, then that means you two are dating as well."

Chirawan was momentarily speechless. Just as she was about to retort, Isra cleared her throat softly, looking a little flustered but still managing to change the subject.

-"Let's eat. The food's getting cold."

Chirawan huffed lightly, shot Ryan a glare, then picked up her chopsticks again, but not without muttering under her breath,

-"This guy is seriously my nemesis…"

At that moment, Ryan's phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen before standing up.

-"I have a call. I'll step outside for a bit."

-"Alright," Jay responded, watching as Ryan walked out of the restaurant.

Ryan stepped out of the restroom after his call, only to unexpectedly run into Kanya right at the door. Unbothered, he intended to walk straight past her, but her voice called out from behind:

-"Hey, are you Jay's friend?"

Ryan halted for a brief moment, his sharp eyes scanning Kanya from head to toe. His voice was devoid of emotion:

-"So what? Who are you?"

-"I'm also Jay's friend. If that's the case, we can consider ourselves friends too. Let's add each other."

Kanya held out her phone in front of Ryan, her face filled with confidence, as if certain he would accept. However, Ryan merely smirked coldly, his tone carrying a hint of indifference—perhaps even disdain:

-"Jay's friend? Strange. I've never heard him mention you, and I don't see any reason to befriend a stranger."

Kanya's smile stiffened momentarily, but before she could react, Jay's voice rang out from a short distance away:

-"Ryan, why are you still standing there—"

Jay stopped mid-sentence the moment he recognized the person standing in front of Ryan. His expression immediately turned cold.

-"Kanya?"

The girl in question instantly flashed a smile, though her eyes held a subtle hint of provocation.

-"It's been a while, Jay. You've grown a lot… and you're looking more handsome too."

Jay didn't respond. His gaze toward Kanya was as if he were staring at a sworn enemy.

-"Not even going to greet your senior?"

Kanya extended her hand toward Jay, her smile unwavering. But instead of shaking it, Jay merely glanced at her hand with obvious disdain. A moment of silence passed before he let out a soft, mocking chuckle:

-"Well then, greetings."

Then, he lifted his gaze and coldly added:

-"Actually, forget it. Wouldn't want to dirty the hands of the rich."

With that, Jay turned on his heel and pulled Ryan away without sparing Kanya another glance.

Back at the dining table, Jay sat down with a huff, unable to hide his irritation. Chirawan immediately noticed the change in his mood, her sharp eyes narrowing in concern:

-"Jay, what happened?"

-"Nothing, sis," Jay replied curtly.

That answer, of course, did not satisfy Chirawan. She turned to Ryan instead:

-"Ryan, what exactly happened?"

Ryan set his glass down and calmly said, "Someone named Kanya approached Jay earlier—"

Before he could finish, Chirawan's expression darkened instantly.

-"What? Let me go have a word with her."

She abruptly stood up, fully intending to leave, but Jay quickly grabbed her wrist, knowing all too well how she was when she got riled up.

-"It's nothing, sis. Let's just eat and not ruin the mood."

Jay's words didn't seem entirely convincing, as Chirawan still looked displeased. At that moment, Isra—who had been quietly observing—spoke up in a gentle voice:

-"Chirawan, don't be upset. After all, Miss Kanya hasn't done anything serious yet."

Chirawan remained silent for a few seconds before exhaling sharply and reluctantly sitting back down. Still, the look in her eyes remained stormy.

-"Fine. But Jay, if anything happens, you tell me, got it?"

-"Mm… Now, let's just eat."

The meal continued, but the lively atmosphere from earlier had faded. One thing was certain—knowing Chirawan's personality, this matter wouldn't end here…

———————————————

Inside the Office, Ying and Faisal Were Still Discussing Their Project.

-"I might go there in two days to check things out," Ying said, his voice calm and steady.

-"Hey… if you're busy, let me go instead. Even though our companies are different, we're collaborating on this project. If there's any issue, just let me know," Faisal leaned back in his chair, exuding confidence.

-"Alright. If I get tied up that day, I'll let you know."

-"Okay! By the way, are you heading home soon? I'm planning to drop by Jay's place. If you're leaving, let's go together," Faisal said enthusiastically.

-"Why are you going there?"

-"I just composed a new song and wanted Jay to review it. Gotta consult the experts, right—"

Before Faisal could finish, the office door suddenly swung open. Normally, who would dare to barge into the chairman's office without knocking? But looking up, oh… it was Chirawan.

She marched in with a scowl, her eyes flashing with barely concealed fury.

-"Ying!"

-"Oh damn! You scared me," Faisal exclaimed before laughing. "What's this? Who pissed you off? And why did you 'borrow' my guy earlier?"

-"Faisal, what are you even doing here?" Chirawan ignored him and fixed her sharp gaze on Ying. "Ying, I need to talk to you."

Ying calmly closed his documents and looked at her. "What is it?"

-"It's that Kanya! Can't you do something about her? She bothered Jay and his friend today!" Chirawan fumed.

-"You were with Jay just now? Where is he? I want to see my little Ido!" Faisal chimed in, still cheerful.

-"Faisal, not now! Ying, do you know how annoying that girl is? We were having a great time, and then she just showed up out of nowhere, completely ruining the mood. In the end, Jay left early."

Ying leaned back in his chair, his tone unchanged. "But I don't have any connection with Kanya. How am I supposed to control her?"

Faisal also frowned in confusion. "Why didn't you just handle it yourself? You're not usually this passive."

Chirawan bit her lip. "I was going to, but Jay and his… well, his friend stopped me. So, we ended up leaving early. Jay wasn't happy at all."

Silence filled the room. After a moment, Chirawan spoke again, her voice slower this time.

-"I don't know exactly what happened back then, but can't you see? Jay is drifting further away from us. And I'm sure Kanya is part of the reason."

Ying sighed quietly before replying, "Alright. Say no more. I'll talk to Kanya."

-"Wait a second!" Faisal suddenly interrupted. "You just said… Jay and his what? Does Jay have a boyfriend now?"

Chirawan hesitated slightly before nodding.

-"I saw Jay with a guy today. He said they were just friends, but the way they interacted… they were perfectly in sync. They looked like a real couple."

Faisal shot up from his chair, eyes gleaming. -"That guy's name is Ryan, isn't it?"

-"Yeah! You know him?"

-"Of course! Ryan is a singer too, super talented. He often performs with Jay, and a lot of fans ship them as a couple. I'm a fan of this pairing too!" Faisal said excitedly, clearly thrilled.

-"If you saw them in person, you'd feel the same way," Chirawan agreed.

While the two continued their animated discussion, Ying remained silent. But in his mind, the scene from the bar the other night replayed—Jay running up to hug Ryan, his eyes glowing with happiness, their closeness unmistakable.

-"So, where are they now?" Faisal was still curious.

-"Jay was upset, so he went home. If you want to see him, wait for another day. He looked really down."

-"Alright, I'll visit him later then," Faisal nodded, then suddenly remembered. "Wait, earlier you said you 'borrowed' my guy. What was that about?"

-"Well…"

Chirawan began recounting the entire situation.

Faisal listened intently, occasionally reacting with enthusiastic exclamations. The two chatted away like fish in water, completely oblivious to the fact that Ying hadn't said a word since earlier.

But there was one thing…

His gaze was growing darker and more unreadable.

END OF CHAPTER 9.