A New Safe Space

Fate's Second Glance

The morning after, Ray insisted on dropping Akk home. Akk, ever the guarded one, had tried to turn him down, but Ray was persistent. Something in the way Ray had asked—gentle but firm—made Akk relent. They didn't talk much during the ride, the tension from the night still lingering between them. Ray wanted to ask Akk for his number but a part of him hesitated too because what if the magic of the moment is only meant for a short time?

When they reached Akk's apartment, he slipped out of the car with a quick, polite thank you before Ray could even say a word, and Ray watched him go, unable to shake the feeling that something had shifted inside him and that Akk was someone who he was suppose to hold on to,

Days passed, but Ray couldn't stop thinking about Akk. He didn't know which exact apartment was Akk's and had no excuse to come back into his life. But he tried, visiting the bar a few times—not for a new conquest, but in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, Akk would return. Each night ended in disappointment, the empty seat at the bar mocking his unspoken desire.

Meanwhile, Akk was surprised to find that he didn't regret his stolen night with Ray. He expected to feel guilt or shame, but neither came. Instead, thoughts of Ray—his confident smirk, the way he had made him feel—lingered. Still, Akk rationalized it away. Ray was younger, and the whole thing was fleeting. He barely knew anything about him besides his name and the fact that they were both brokenhearted over other people—Ray with Mew, and Akk with Ayan. It was a night out of time, something he tried to move past.

Three months went by. Thoughts of Ray still occasionally flickered in Akk's mind, just as thoughts of Akk sometimes broke through Ray's daily routine. But both of them focused on rebuilding their lives. Akk, now rekindling his friendship with Ayan, who was happy with his relationship with Yok, found himself finally healing. Ray, on the other hand, had managed to patch things up with Mew—now content in his relationship with Top—though their dynamic had irrevocably shifted. The sting of their one-night stand had softened the pain of their brokenheart, and both Ray and Akk came to the quiet realization that life did go on after heartbreak.

*****

Then, one day, Akk was called into his director's office. As a manager in the planning department of a multi-company corporation, he was still adjusting to his role, but things were going smoothly and he was often praised. He was smart and hardworking and planning is his forte. His director greeted him with a serious look, explaining that the CEO's son would soon be arriving for his final internship. It was going to be Akk's job to take him under his wing, guide him through the company, and teach him the ropes.

"He'll be treated like any other intern, his real identity would have to be kept confidential" the director explained, "but keep in mind, he's not just any intern. He's the CEO's heir apparent, and once he graduates, he'll be groomed to take over the company."

Akk felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. He wasn't sure he was ready to mentor anyone, let alone someone with that level of responsibility. But if anything, Akk had always felt needed when he was trusted with a responsibility and he loved his new job. So he nodded, accepting the task in the usual stoic manner he does, already making plans and adjustments in his head to cater to this task.

A knock at the door interrupted his chat with the director. "Ah, Ray! You're finally here," the director said, looking up with a smile.

The name made Akk pause. Ray? His heart raced as the memory of a certain pretty boy with teasing eyes flickered to the surface, but he brushed it off. It's impossible right? There are a lot of Rays in the world, he told himself. It's just a coincidence.

But when Akk turned to be introduced to his new mentee, his breath caught in his throat. There, standing in front of him, was Ray—the Ray. The Ray who had listened to all his heartaches, seen every vulnerable part of him, the Ray whose name had slipped from his lips in the throes of passion. The Ray who was constantly in his head in moments he wasn't even suppose to be thinking of him. It turns out, the world is not so big after all.

Ray Pakorn, the heir to the Pakorn Group of Companies, was staring right back at him with a grin that Akk knew far too well. The stare from his moonlit eyes made Akk feel like every cell of his body was alive and dancing. The smile doing things to Akk he had never felt before.

"Ray Pakorn, meet Akk Pipitphattana—your mentor," the director said, completely oblivious to the tension crackling in the air.

Akk's mind raced, trying to piece together how in the world this could be happening. How is the young playboy who picked him up in the bar the rich heir to the company he is working in? How is it possible that his one night stand was standing right in front of him again? But before he could fully process the shock, Ray's grin widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief. And as the director turned away, Ray winked, just as Akk remembered from that night, making his knees almost buckle with the instant attraction.

Akk extended his hand stiffly, his pulse hammering in his ears and a painful smile on his lips. Ray took it, shaking it firmly but letting his fingers linger for just a moment too long, the teasing glint in his eyes unmistakable.

"Nice to officially meet you, Akk, please take care of me," Ray said, his voice smooth, dripping with hidden meaning and his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Akk felt his stomach twist. He had no idea how he was going to survive this and how he was going to keep pretending that his future boss was just a boy he was training for work. Just from the look on the little devil's face, Akk knew Ray was going to do everything in his power to make it very hard for him and to keep reminding him what they did that night.