Beyond The Fine Line

Chapter XXV - Progress

As midnight descended upon the neighbourhood, the vibrancy of the bustling streets gave way to a quieter, more subdued atmosphere. Weathered buildings stood in the moonlight, casting long shadows over the maze of narrow alleys. The silence was interrupted by the rumble of a motorbike, its engine echoing through the night as it stopped in front of one of the apartment buildings.

Jay jumped off the bike, and with a casual, almost unnoticeable wave of goodbye, he walked towards the building, checking his phone for the first time in hours.

Sean watched his retreating figure with a slight sadness in his dark eyes. It had been only a few days, but he could already picture Jay's back in his mind down to the tiniest detail... slender with perfectly outlined muscles. He recalled the passionate kisses he had planted there while buried deep inside him just moments ago. Back then, Jay had felt closer than ever before. But now, as they returned to their separate lives, this intimacy stretched into an unbridgeable chasm. It was a bittersweet feeling as a small part of him acknowledged that this person, just beyond his grasp, was someone he could envision himself committing to.

Just as he was about to turn the key and start the engine, Jay unexpectedly spun around on the doorstep with a playful smile. Yet, beneath the surface charm, there was something that instantly put Sean on guard, a subtle shift in Jay's demeanour that set off alarm bells in his mind. The effect was magnified when Jay used Chinese – a recent discovery that made them laugh at how oblivious they were about it.

"Are you coming, or should I roll out a red carpet?"

"You can't blame me for getting distracted when you wear such skinny trousers," he quipped back at him, playing along.

"What's wrong with my trousers?"

Sean grinned. "Nothing, absolutely nothing... besides making me want to strip you here and now," he added, closing the distance between them and kissing him hard.

To potential onlookers, it appeared like any other hook-up or foreplay between the couple – nothing suspicious or alerting.

"What is it?" Sean whispered as he nibbled at Jay's earlobe.

"Unwanted visitors," he breathed out, tilting his head to the side and enjoying Sean's sensual kisses descending down his neck. "Art is here, and two others are watching from across the street."

"I still find it unbelievable that you have some special ops security following you around."

"They don't follow me per se. They just make sure no one else is following me. A completely different thing," Jay replied, gripping his chin and pulling him into a kiss.

"Fine, fine," Sean chuckled softly against his lips. "Shall we pretend I don't speak English and see what he wants?"

They suspected that Art must be running out of time and patience to come here out of nowhere. Was it possible Chaiyawat demanded either repayment or concrete information about their group? While it was undoubtedly risky for Sean to be here, the alternative was equally dangerous. Especially now, when they had been seen together. They both agreed it was safer to take control of the situation and set their own narrative before someone jumped to conclusions and invited unwanted trouble.

As they ascended the stairs, they maintained their facade, punctuating their progress with laughter and frequent pauses for kisses – though there wasn't much acting involved in those moments. Upon reaching Tay's floor, Jay halted in surprise at seeing Art while Sean gave him a questioning look, playing his part flawlessly.

"Who is this guy?" Art asked, hopeful it was someone from Tay's group.

"Is everything alright?" Sean asked worriedly in Chinese, leaning closer and wrapping his arms around Jay's waist.