Once we stopped hugging, Chak placed the drawing on the dining table. His hands were cold, but his touch was always soft. He went to the kitchen, and I quietly followed him. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and washed his hands before setting a pot on the stove.
"What are you doing?" I asked with a slight smile, as I was always curious about how he moved through his world. Despite his cold exterior, there was something calming in the way he moved that always relaxed me.
"Dinner," he replied briefly and nonchalantly, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. And it really was.
I sat down on a chair and started watching him. Every gesture he made had something special, something that made me lost in thought. For a moment, I forgot everything around me and simply watched him move around the stove. My thoughts began to drift. Without thinking, I smiled. So simple, for no reason. I was just enjoying the moment.
"Why did you smile?" Chak suddenly asked, without turning around. He was clearly attentive to every movement I made, every change in my expression.
"I like watching you cook," I answered honestly. There was something about this moment that made me feel like it was all I needed. Nothing else mattered.
Chak took a spoon, dipped it into the pot, and brought it to my mouth. "Open your mouth and tell me if it tastes good," he said with a slight smile that hid a bit of nervousness. He knew that my answer would mean more to him than just the taste of the food.
"Mhm, it's very tasty," I replied, smiling back. It was indeed excellent, as always, but more than the taste of the food, I was enjoying the moment, being here with him, without a care in the world.
I stood up and went to him. I hugged him from behind, touching his back with my head. "I like being with you," I whispered to him. My voice sounded soft, as if everything in the world was just right.
"If you keep hugging me like this, I won't be able to finish cooking," Chak said, but I could hear in his voice that he too felt at home in that moment. Maybe that was the special thing about our relationship – despite everything going on around us, we could find moments of peace and closeness.
"I'll help you," I said.
Chak turned towards me. "Set the table," he said, and I immediately got to work. I took two plates, two forks, and placed them on the table. From the drawer, I grabbed a glass and took mango juice from the fridge. I sat down and waited for everything to be ready.
A few moments later, Chak brought the food. It smelled amazing. "It smells great," I told him, smiling, enjoying the moment, this simple yet very special moment we were spending together.
While we ate, there was silence between us. Nothing needed to be said. Sometimes words are unnecessary. We were just here, each in our own world, yet together.
When we finished eating, I decided to clean up, and he went to his office. When I was done, I go to his office. I knocked quietly and entered. I sat on a chair and watched him seriously going through documents.
"What are you going to do?" I asked quietly. "You're not going to give Raeng your shares, are you?" My heart was filled with concern because I knew the decision was difficult. The shares were important to him, but I was the one who mattered most.
"I have to give them to him, or he'll want you. And you're more important to me than the shares," Chak said tiredly, but I could sense the determination in his words, contrasting with his weary tone.
I stood up and went to him. I hugged him. "Let's go to bed. We had a tough day." I took his hand so he would stand up. We both went to our rooms
After I showered, I knocked on the door of Chak's bedroom. I entered and saw him with his back turned to me, looking out the window. I walked up to him and said, "Goodnight." I turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him.
"We're not going to bed without a hug. You can sleep in my room," he whispered in my ear. In that moment, I felt like I wasn't ready to leave, that this moment was too important.
I looked at him and said, "If that's what you want."
We went to bed. Chak turned off the light, he hugged me and I laid my head on his chest. "Goodnight," I said to him. "Goodnight," Chak whispered back.
A few minutes passed when I heard Chak's phone ring. He answered it, and from his voice, I immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Chak hung up the phone, turned on the light, and looked at me. "Kit is coming," he said with a worried expression. My heart skipped a beat. I knew something was wrong.
Chak put on a t-shirt, and he handed me his sweater. Moments later, the doorbell rang. Chak went to open the door, and I followed him. Kit stepped through the door. His face was pale, worried—something was definitely wrong.
We sat on the couch, and Kit began to speak: "Someone broke into my office. Everything was scattered. Desk drawers were open, the computer was on... as if they were searching for something."
Chak immediately became focused. He stepped towards him and asked, "Did you call the police?"
Kit nodded. "Yeah. It looks like they were looking for something important. Nothing seems to be stolen, at least at first glance," Kit added, "but the investigators say it was targeted. Someone knew what they were looking for."
Chak clenched his jaw. This wasn't good. And although he was worried, he knew we had to act immediately.