Rai pulled up in front of the hotel, engine purring low. Before Sage opened the door, he paused, eyes glinting with something Rai couldn't quite read.
Sage, casually: "Maybe we're more alike than you think… Detective."
Rai's brow twitched. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sage smirked. "You'll figure it out."
And just like that, Sage was gone, sauntering into the lobby without another word.
Rai handed the car keys to a waiting guard and followed.
____
Inside, the atmosphere had shifted—students finally relaxed after the chaos, though shadows lingered in their expressions. Prez and Miana were resting in their room, Jean was also with them and VP Sir stood in the middle of the lobby, phone pressed tight to his ear.
VP: "Yes, sir… I'm extremely sorry. I should have been more careful… Yes… yes…"
From the phone, a sharp voice barked: "Cancel the trip immediately. Those kids are heirs to some of the country's most powerful families. We can't risk their lives—it would cost us dearly."
VP, nervously: "But… sir… the students are still hoping to continue. They've been looking forward to Phi Phi Island."
Voice: "It's even more dangerous there. A remote island is the last place you want to risk another incident."
Before the VP could reply, Ray stepped forward, quiet but firm. He reached out, hand extended for the phone. VP blinked, confused.
" Let me speak."
Ray: Dad. Don't do this.
On the other end, the voice—now clearly Ray's father, the Chairman of Daffodil High.
Chairman: "Ray? Do you have any idea how reckless you sound? Do you understand the consequences if anyone else gets hurt?"
Ray, calm but stubborn: "The students want to continue. Everyone's safe."
Chairman: "As Chairman, I can't allow it—"
Ray cut in, voice cool: "Then prepare to receive notices from every heir here tonight. You'll have their decisions in your inbox before midnight. Goodbye."
Without waiting for a response, Ray ended the call, turning toward Sam, Juli, Jake, and the rest.
They exchanged a knowing glance.
Sam: "Already called my sis. She's handling it."
Jake: "Miana's stable. Weirdest thing—she doesn't even remember being taken."
Juli rubbed his face, muttering: "She just thinks she passed out… no memory of the van or the warehouse."
Ray sighed. "At least she's spared the trauma."
Jake: "Prez took it the hardest. Tough girl."
Just then, the lobby doors opened—Sage and Rai stepped inside, both dusted with rain, both carrying the weight of secrets.
VP Sir's eyes widened. "Oh my God—where were you two? Are you alright?"
Rai gave a polite nod. "We're fine, sir. Situation handled."
Sage, all charm: "Next stop, Phi Phi Island… correct? I have a private resort there, high up on the cliffs. Consider it my treat—a chance for everyone to relax."
The students erupted into cheers, the tension in the room lifting.
But a few exchanged glances—Sam, Jake, Ray, and Juli—all knowing the truth. Sage's so-called 'resort' wasn't just luxury… It was his base.
Jean appeared from the hallway, after calming Prez and Miana he joined them again, eyes flicking to Rai. His expression shifted the second he saw the bruises. Rai caught the silent question and shook his head, mouthing, "Don't worry."
Sam: "How are they, Jean? Did they finally fall asleep?"
Jean exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Miana's surprisingly fine. Prez… not so much. It took forever to calm her down."
Sage, muttering under his breath, "First kill will do that to you…"
Sam, next to him, blinked. "What?"
Sage, smoothly: "Nothing."
Sam squinted. "What were you whispering?"
Sage leaned in, voice low and teasing: "Just wondering how to drag you back to my villa."
Sam flushed instantly. "Shut up."
VP clapped his hands. "Okay, kids! It's been a rough day, but we're all safe now. Let's get some rest—tomorrow, we head to Mr. Brown's resort."
"Hurryyy!!" the students chorused, their spirits lifted at last.
Jean tugged Rai toward the elevators. "Come on, you're with me."
Jake, Sam, Juli and Ray again exchanged a glance, now a mischievous one.
And all of them left for their rooms. Sage took his chance to drag Sam away from the crowd.
Meanwhile, across the hall—
Ray fumbled with the keycard, unlocking their room.
"Wait…" he paused. "Where's Sam?"
Jake, already throwing himself on the bed: "Forget about him. He's out there… taming the devil."
Juli raised an eyebrow. "Are we… talking about Sam… or Sage?"
Ray shrugged. "Who knows?"
Jake grinned. "Definitely Sage. Look at that guy—built like a damn tank. Honestly… I kinda feel bad for Sam."
Juli chuckled, toeing off his shoes. "Eh, Sam's got claws. He'll be fine. If not, we'll stage a rescue."
Jake folded his arms behind his head. "And sorry in advance for crashing the 'couple suite.'"
Ray, deadpan: "Idiot."
With zero hesitation, Ray pounced on Jake, dragging him into a wrestling match while Juli leapt into the pile, laughter filling the room. Exhaustion melted into playfulness as they collapsed in a tangle of limbs, letting the night wash away the madness.
For the first time in days, they let themselves breathe.
**********
Jean tugged Rai into the room, shutting the door firmly behind them.
Jean, arms crossed, voice firm: "Strip."
Rai blinked, a slow smirk curling at his lips. "Oh… we're getting straight to it, huh?"
Jean shot him a sharp glare. "Don't get cocky. Shirt off. I'm patching you up."
Rai's grin only widened. "You make it sound so unromantic."
But he obeyed, fingers leisurely working at the buttons, each pop of fabric revealing another bruised line of muscle, another scrape across smooth skin. His eyes didn't leave Jean—not for a second—as Jean rummaged through the first-aid kit, pulling out antiseptics and gauze.
Jean didn't rise to the bait. "Stop staring like that."
Rai shrugged, sliding the shirt off his shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. "Not my fault you make nurse duty… distracting."
Jean finally turned, gaze dragging over the marks littering Rai's skin, expression hardening with quiet concern.
Jean, softer now: "Sit down before I break something else."
Rai lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, head tilted. "At least buy me dinner first."
Jean huffed out a reluctant laugh despite himself. "Shut up and hold still."
But as he knelt before him, close enough to feel Rai's breath ghost against his cheek… it got harder to focus on just the wounds.
The room was quiet except for the soft patter of rain against the balcony doors. Dim yellow light bled from the bedside lamp, casting warm shadows that danced along the cream-colored walls. Jean's fingers worked in silence, tending to the angry bruises streaked across Rai's body, dabbing antiseptic with deliberate care.
Rai sat on the edge of the bed, muscles tense beneath Jean's touch. Each press of cotton stung, but not enough to distract him from the man kneeling before him—focused, lips pursed, lashes fluttering as he concentrated.
The air between them thickened.
Rai's gaze dropped to Jean's mouth, lingering too long. His throat worked in a slow swallow, heat pooling low in his stomach, coiling like something dark and needy.
Jean reached for his shoulder, tilting him slightly to dress the gash across his ribs. Skin met skin—fingers ghosting over bare muscle—and Rai's restraint cracked.
"Jean," Rai's voice was low, rough, teetering between warning and confession.
Jean glanced up, curious, unaware of the wildfire he'd ignited.
Then Rai moved.
A calloused palm cupped the back of Jean's neck, firm but unhurried, and in a blink, their mouths collided. A kiss—not gentle or coaxing—but deep, ravenous, like Rai was desperate to drink every last ounce of sanity from him.
Jean gasped, but Rai swallowed the sound, tilting his head, angling deeper, tongue parting lips, stealing breath, stealing reason.
Bandages fell, forgotten, rolling off the bed like an afterthought.
Jean pressed forward instinctively, fingers fisting Rai's damp hair, responding with equal fervor, meeting Rai's hunger with his own unspoken desire.
Rai's other hand roamed, mapping skin he'd only admired from a distance—skimming down Jean's spine, savoring the smooth muscle, the sharp angles of his waist.
Jean's shirt slid up under Rai's wandering palm, revealing heated skin, flushed and vulnerable.
The taste of antiseptic lingered on their tongues, but it didn't matter—not when Rai could feel Jean's heart thudding under his chest, when their breath tangled, uneven and needy.
Rai's lips trailed along Jean's jaw, whispering along the edge of his throat. "You drive me insane," he breathed against sensitive skin. "You have no idea what you do to me."
Jean shivered, tilting his neck in silent invitation, his nails scraping down Rai's ribs, too distracted to care about bandages anymore.
Rai pressed Jean backward until his back hit the wall, crowding into his space, lips claiming every inch of skin he could reach. Fingers dipped beneath Jean's waistband, just enough to make him inhale sharply, legs instinctively parting to anchor Rai closer.
It was heady. Overwhelming. A reckless surrender.
But then Rai slowed—deliberate—restraint slicing through the haze. Jean's chest heaved against his; those defiant amber eyes stared up at him, dazed and starry, and Rai's heart twisted.
Not tonight, Rai thought. Not when Jean was this exhausted, this vulnerable.
With a soft murmur, Rai brushed Jean's hair back and pressed a final kiss to his temple—gentle this time. He reached discreetly for the syringe he'd tucked into his pocket, filled with a light sedative, something to ease tension, to coax sleep.
Jean blinked up, confused when Rai's grip shifted, when the sharp pinch registered.
"Wha…?" Jean's words slurred, lashes fluttering.
"Sleep," Rai whispered, voice soft with fondness. "You deserve a night without ghosts."
Jean's body sagged against him, tension bleeding out like a tide receding.
Rai caught him effortlessly, cradling him close as Jean slipped into peaceful unconsciousness. He brushed a lingering kiss to Jean's lips—quieter this time, reverent.
"I'll hold the monsters back tonight," Rai murmured against his skin. "Even… the ones inside me."
He tucked Jean beneath the covers, fingers lingering in his hair, the warmth between them not yet fading.
And when Rai finally settled by his side, eyes fixed on the soft rise and fall of Jean's chest… the war inside him only burned stronger.
___________
[Email pops up at 2:47 AM.]
> From: Unknown
Subject: Congratulations on your first unofficial cover-up, detective.
Attachment: Orphans_of_BETA.pdf
Message Body: A reward, as promised. Enjoy the quiet while it lasts.
Rai sits in bed, laptop glowing against his face, the world outside dead quiet—except for Jean breathing softly beside him.
Rai's heart sinks the more he scrolls.
> "Victims: Age – 5
Cause of Death: Organ degeneration due to experimental serum.
Known Symptoms: Acute infection, accelerated tissue failure within 24 hours.
Project Objective: Forced biological weaponization of orphaned children for pharmaceutical leverage."
And every guest at that gala? Names listed, signatures stamped, BETA's internal seal attached.
Rai mutters to himself, eyes narrowing:
Rai (low): "Monsters… all of them…"
His jaw clenches, nails digging into his palm. His next thought… is worse.
Rai (whispers): "But what… if one monster killed all the other monsters? Is it really bad? "
He closes the laptop. Jean stirs slightly but remains asleep, soft breath ghosting against Rai's chest.
Rai's breathing slows… the lines between "good" and "necessary" are fading.
Why didn't I send this to the commander? I should have forwarded it immediately. Why… did I hesitate? Why is my heart… calm?
Rai's hand hovers over Jean's hair, fingers trembling—not from tenderness, but fear of himself.
If Jean knew… If he knew I'm sitting here contemplating mass murder and calling it justice… would he stay? Would he look at me the same way?
Rai (muttering): "Would you run… or would you join me?"
His throat burns with the realization—he isn't disgusted by Sage's methods. He's… relieved the job was done.
And worse?
Rai (grim smile): "I wouldn't have done it differently."
Rai sneaks out to the balcony, whiskey in hand. The sea is calm—mocking him.
He whispers under his breath:
Rai: "I'm not like him… Am I?"
Then he remembers the smirk Sage gave him in the car.
Sage (memory): "Maybe we're more alike than you think… detective."
Rai downs the whiskey in one go.
Rai : "I'll burn in hell… but I'll make sure Jean stays in heaven."