Falling for Danger (GEMINIFOURTH)

Chapter 12: A New Enemy

The tranquility they sought in their new life was fleeting. They had left Bangkok behind, escaping to the serene landscapes of northern Thailand. The mountains, with their mist-covered peaks and quiet villages, offered the peace Gemini and Fourth desperately needed. They rented a small house in a remote village, far from the chaos of the city and the underworld that had consumed their lives for so long. The simplicity of their new surroundings felt like a balm to their wounded souls, and for a while, it seemed like they had finally found the fresh start they longed for.

But peace, as they both knew too well, was often an illusion.

It started with small things—an unfamiliar face in the village market, a shadow that seemed to linger too long outside their home. Gemini's instincts, honed by years of living on the edge, told him that something wasn't right. Fourth, too, felt the unease creeping back into their lives, but they both tried to ignore it, to cling to the fragile normalcy they had created.

But the past had a way of catching up, no matter how far they ran.

One evening, as they sat together on the porch of their small house, watching the sun dip below the horizon, a visitor arrived. The figure approached slowly, emerging from the shadows of the trees that surrounded their property. Fourth tensed, his hand instinctively moving toward the knife he still kept hidden on his belt, but Gemini's reaction was different. He stiffened, his eyes narrowing as recognition dawned.

"Niran," Gemini said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The name sent a shiver down Fourth's spine. He had never heard of Niran before, but the way Gemini spoke it—with a mix of shock, fear, and something else he couldn't quite place—told him that this was no ordinary visitor.

Niran stepped into the light, revealing a tall, lean figure with sharp features and eyes that glittered with dangerous intelligence. He wore a half-smile, the kind that didn't reach his eyes, and there was a confidence in his stride that suggested he had nothing to fear.

"Hello, Gemini," Niran said, his voice smooth and taunting. "It's been a long time."

Gemini rose slowly from his seat, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I thought you were dead."

Niran's smile widened, though it held no warmth. "Many thought that. But as you can see, I'm very much alive."

Fourth's gaze flicked between them, trying to piece together the puzzle. "Who is he, Gem?" he asked quietly.

Gemini's eyes remained locked on Niran, his voice tense as he replied. "Niran... was someone I used to know. Someone who... meant a lot to me, once. Before everything went wrong."

Niran chuckled softly, taking a step closer. "Oh, Gemini, don't downplay it. We were more than just 'someone.' We were everything to each other. Until you betrayed me."

Fourth felt a pang of unease twist in his gut. He had never seen Gemini look so shaken, so vulnerable. The confident, determined man who had fought so hard for their future now stood face-to-face with a ghost from his past—a ghost who clearly held power over him.

"I didn't betray you," Gemini said, his voice low and firm. "You left me no choice, Niran. You were too dangerous."

Niran's smile faded, replaced by a cold, hard stare. "And yet, here we are. You survived. I survived. But now, I'm back, and I'm not here for a reunion. I'm here because Sathit's death has left a power vacuum, and I intend to fill it. But first, I need to settle old scores."

Gemini took a step forward, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. "If you've come for revenge, you'll have to go through me. But I won't let you hurt Fourth."

Niran's gaze flicked to Fourth, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Ah, yes. The new love. I've heard so much about you, Fourth. Gemini has a way of attracting people who don't know when to walk away."

Fourth's jaw tightened, but he held his ground. "If you're here to settle a score, do it with Gemini. Leave me out of it."

Niran's smile returned, though it was laced with malice. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. You see, Gemini and I have unfinished business. And you, unfortunately, are part of that equation."

Gemini moved to stand protectively in front of Fourth, his voice hard. "If you touch him, I'll kill you, Niran. I swear it."

Niran's eyes darkened, and for a moment, the playful facade dropped, revealing the cold, calculating mind beneath. "I don't doubt you would try. But you see, Gemini, I know you better than anyone. I know your weaknesses, your fears. And I know how to make you suffer."

He took a step back, his smile returning as he raised a hand in mock surrender. "But don't worry. I'm not here to kill you. Not yet. I just wanted to see you, to remind you that I'm still here. And that no matter where you run, I'll always find you."

With that, Niran turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows as silently as he had appeared.

For a long moment, neither Gemini nor Fourth moved, the tension between them palpable. Finally, Fourth broke the silence, his voice shaky. "Who is he, Gem? Really?"

Gemini let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair as he sank back onto the porch. "Niran... He was my lover, long before I met you. We were partners in crime, in everything. But he became... dangerous. Too dangerous. I had to leave him behind. I thought he was dead. But clearly, I was wrong."

Fourth sat beside him, the weight of the revelation settling over them like a heavy blanket. "And now he's back. And he's going to try to destroy us."

Gemini nodded, his gaze distant. "Yes. And he knows me, Fourth. Better than anyone. He knows my weaknesses, my fears. He'll use them against us."

Fourth reached out and took Gemini's hand, his grip firm. "Then we'll face him together. Just like we've faced everything else. He may know your past, but he doesn't know us."

Gemini looked at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination. "You're right. We'll face him together. But this time, we have to be smarter, stronger. We can't let him tear us apart."

Fourth squeezed his hand, offering him the strength he needed. "We won't let him. Whatever it takes, we'll survive this. Together."

They sat in silence for a long time, the threat of Niran's return hanging over them like a dark cloud. The peace they had found in the mountains had been shattered, replaced by the reality that their past would always find a way to catch up with them.

But as they held each other on the porch, watching the last light of day fade into darkness, they knew that they were stronger together. Niran might know Gemini's past, but he didn't know the bond they had forged, the love that had carried them through every trial.

And as the night deepened, they prepared themselves for the battle to come. A new enemy had emerged from the shadows, but this time, they would face him with open eyes and unyielding resolve.

Because no matter how dark the path ahead, they would walk it side by side.

And together, they would survive.