DANGEROUSLY

A Little More

Sky felt a bit resentful towards Rain and that grew. Was it because he cared a bit about Pai or just a sense of duty. He sensed there was more to everything but just left it like that. He wanted to leave so badly but found himself hesitating. All of this was too much for him, feelings. He was unfamiliar with it. He looked at Pai again and left the house. The next day he didn't resume for work. He laid on the bed thinking and contemplating so many things. He got a lot of calls all from Pai but he didn't pick up. He just lay there. He momentarily went to get food and do other things but that was it. He couldn't explain why. It was different, different from the way he felt about Payu. He was beginning to get attached and interested. Their relationship is meant to be strictly business but why was he feeling this way? The boredom was getting to him so he went to the office and found everyone busy. They had a case that was taking too long to solve because the agents sent were not experienced at all. Sky to get his mind of things decided to go. It was in China. He switched off his phone and handed it to Gun, suited up and was ready to leave. He told Gun and his boss not to disclose his whereabouts to anyone most especially Payu and Pai and went off to the mission. Pai noticing the phone was off walked around and asked who knew where Sky was. No one knew. He was a bit relaxed feeling he would show up any minute. The day rounded up and Sky didn't come. Since they had known each other, a day did not go by without seeing each other so he was beginning to get anxious. He went back home and the number was still off. Pai rested but could not sleep " I shouldn't have told him. I should have kept it to myself."
On the fourth day mark Pai became desperate. He had been calm earlier but now, it was aiming towards absolute desperation. He knew that was what it was because what would make him go over to Rain's company to ask after Rain. When Rain heard this he could feel shivers. What was Pai going to tell him? Why was he even here? Payu stood by his side as moral support. When Pai came inside.  He went straight to the point
" Payu, have you seen Sky?"
" What?" He was perplexed and both of them looked at each other
" I haven't seen him for four days and I was thinking you'll have an answer for me but clearly you don't." Payu's face changed
" Two days!"  Rain looked at his face and saw the change, his face dropped, he couldn't explain what it was but something was just off. It was more than worry. That was when Payu picked up his phone and saw that Sky called him some days back. He called but no response. It was glary how irresponsible he was as his friend and stormed off. He went straight to the headquarters. No one was telling him anything, he went to Gun.
" Where is Sky?"
" WOW, you're just coming?"
" What does that suppose to mean?
" It took you four days to notice Sky was missing. Has he become that irrelevant to you?"
" Gun, it's nothing like that, I've been too..."
" Too what? Preoccupied? To notice your friend is missing? That's incompetence in the highest order."
" Don't talk to me like that or I will..."
" You will what? Beat me up? Your best friend went missing... I know where he is but he instructed me not to tell you."
" And you won't tell me?"
" No!"
" Gun!"
" P'Payu! Seems like you fell on your head these past few days that you completely forgot who was important and relevant to you."
" Gun, please tell me where Sky is, I fucked up, just tell me."
" He's in China, went for a mission there, he's done so he's on his way back."
" What was the level of the mission."
" Recovery mission with a few casualties."
" Was he mad when he left? He's not one to take missions without consulting me."
" Looking at you right now, I understand why he didn't consult you or shouldn't in the nearest future."
Payu put his hand over his head abd heaved. He was quite conflicted by so many things.
Sky arrived back in Thailand, he was supposed to report physically but he did it on phone. He went to a call booth and called Pai to meet him at his house, giving address and all.
He admitted but needed to be sure. He went to the headquarters to pick up his phone and was met with a distraught Payu who went to meet him.
" You're getting bold, going on missions without informing me."
" You're not one to be a baby so why are you behaving like this?"
" I'm sorry for not calling."
" He didn't call?" Sky faced Gun to which he nodded in affirmation.
" I went missing for days and you couldn't call me? Facing Payu.
" I didn't think anything of it."
" How  did you find out I was gone then."
" Pai came to Rain's office to ask if I knew anything."
" He did that?"
" Yes he did."
Sky didn't even wait to hear another statement and motioned with his hand for his phone and car keys.
" You never use your car." Payu looked at him shocked " I think I want to now."
Sky walked out and drove his car that that been in the garage for a very long time. It was the first thing he got when he saw his first pay. It was so huge he exclaimed. The car had sentimental value so he didn't ever carry anyone inside. Once in a while he serviced it but that was it. When Gun confronted him about buying such a nice car and not using it, his answer was " I'm going to carry someone important one day, and that will be the person that will be allowed the honor of riding in my passenger seat." Gun and Payu were never given this honour. They teased him about it but he didn't budge. Now he was going to drive it to his house. He stopped by the market and picked things up and hurriedly went home. He was tired and fatigued from the flight but pushed that aside
Payu took it as his cue and went back to the office. It was getting dark and work had closed but he asked around and was told the boss had not left so he went straight to Rain's office. Immediately Rain saw him, his countenance dropped. Rain was one to speak his mind at all times and never minced his words. He stood up, walked up to Payu and asked " Are you in love with him too?"
" What?"
" Its obvious Pai loves the Sky person, but do you too?