Fragments Of Us [Completed]

The Manager

Krit had been working at Medica Pharmaceuticals for almost a month now. His job as an intern didn’t interest him much, but it was something to pass the time. Today, though, was different—he had a scheduled meeting with his manager. The name on the emails said Vel Naret, but Krit didn’t recognize it. He’d seen the name floating around but hadn’t cared enough to match it with a face.

Sitting at his desk, Krit tapped his fingers, bored, until he heard the door open. His gaze shifted, and his casual demeanor faded for a moment when he saw the man standing there.

It was him.

The man from the elevator, the one with the tattoo. *  your author didn’t it mentioned earlier sorry*

Vel Naret.

Krit’s eyes instinctively darted to the tattoo on the side of Vel’s neck, just barely visible under his crisp collar. Back when he first saw him in the elevator, that tattoo had caught Krit’s eye. He hadn’t known who Vel was at the time, but now, seeing him again, Krit was more intrigued than he had any right to be.

Vel didn’t seem to recognize Krit, though. His expression was serious, his movements professional as he approached Krit’s desk. “Good morning,” Vel said, his voice even and controlled. “I’m Vel Naret, your manager. We’re here to review your performance and discuss your potential future with the company.”

Krit leaned back in his chair, eyes briefly flickering over Vel again. He tried to keep it professional, but the fact that Vel was sitting in front of him, looking so sharp and cold, only fueled his curiosity.

Vel started speaking, his tone completely business-like. “You’ve been doing well so far. You’ve met your targets and handled your responsibilities competently.” He flipped through some paperwork. “Now, you’re at the point where we’d like to discuss whether you see a future with us beyond this internship.”

Krit tried to focus on Vel’s words, but his mind kept drifting. He wasn’t exactly thinking with his head, more like something a little lower, especially since Vel seemed so oblivious to his wandering gaze. Vel’s crisp shirt did little to hide the lean lines of his body, and Krit’s thoughts went in a direction that probably wasn’t appropriate for a meeting like this.

Vel continued, unaware of Krit’s thoughts. “Do you think you’d like to stay on with us after your internship? We’re prepared to offer you a position.”

Krit snapped back to the conversation, forcing himself to focus on the actual words coming out of Vel’s mouth. “Yeah, of course. I’d like that,” he said smoothly, his lips curling into a small, casual smirk. But his eyes were still on Vel, taking in every detail.

Vel nodded curtly. “Good. We’ll discuss the specifics at a later time, but for now, continue what you’ve been doing.”

With that, Vel stood and prepared to leave, his demeanor as calm and professional as ever. Krit, however, was far from composed. As Vel turned to walk out, Krit’s gaze drifted downward, and he shamelessly watched Vel’s ass as he made his way toward the door.

Nice, Krit thought, his eyes lingering a little too long on Vel’s retreating figure. Krit bit his lip, smirking to himself. The guy had no idea what effect he was having, and Krit found that oddly thrilling.

Vel reached the door and paused, turning slightly. “If you need anything, feel free to come by my office.” His voice was still cool, polite, as if the meeting had been nothing more than a routine check-in.

Krit’s smirk widened. “Oh, I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied, his voice dripping with a confidence that came naturally to him.

Vel didn’t seem to catch on to the underlying tone in Krit’s words. With one last glance, he left the room, leaving Krit sitting there, staring after him. Krit leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair, his mind already replaying the image of Vel walking out.

This job just got a whole lot more interesting, Krit thought to himself, already thinking about the next time he’d see Vel.

Vel sat in his cabin, his hands gripping the edges of his desk as he stared blankly at the reports in front of him. His focus was shattered, the growing tension with Nut clouding his thoughts. For weeks, Nut had been distant, coming home late and leaving early. It was as if they were living in separate worlds, with Vel grasping at fragments of the life they once had.

He glanced at his phone, contemplating whether to reach out. After a deep sigh, he texted Nut, asking him to come by his office. Maybe they could finally talk, break through whatever invisible wall had come between them.

A few minutes passed before Nut appeared at the door, looking casual as ever, his camera slung over his shoulder. “Hey,” Nut said, his tone neutral, as if this was just another routine moment.

“Hey,” Vel responded, trying to keep his voice calm despite the tightness in his chest. He gestured for Nut to sit. “Can we talk? It feels like... something’s off between us.”

Nut shrugged, his gaze drifting away from Vel’s. “I don’t know, Vel. We’ve both been busy. It happens.”

Vel leaned forward, his frustration creeping into his voice. “It’s more than that, Nut. You’ve been distant, avoiding me. You barely even come home, and when you do, it’s like you’re already somewhere else.”

Nut shifted uncomfortably in his chair, clearly not wanting to have this conversation. “I’m just trying to focus on work. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. You know how it is.”

“Yeah, but this isn’t just about work,” Vel pressed. “It feels like you’re... avoiding me, like there’s something you’re not saying.”

Nut sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, Vel, not everything needs to be overanalyzed. Maybe we’re just going through a rough patch. It happens.”

Vel felt the frustration knotting tighter in his chest. “You can’t keep brushing this off like it’s nothing. We need to address it. We can’t keep pretending everything’s fine when it’s not.”

Nut’s eyes finally met Vel’s, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m not avoiding you. I just need space to think, okay?”

Vel clenched his jaw, sensing Nut’s reluctance to face the problem head-on. “Fine,” he said quietly, leaning back in his chair. “But we can’t keep sweeping this under the rug forever.”

Nut stood, grabbing his camera. “We’ll figure it out later,” he said, his tone dismissive. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

As Nut walked out of the cabin, Vel was left staring at the door, the familiar weight of unresolved tension settling in his chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were drifting further apart, and no amount of pretending would fix it.

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Author's Note:

Hey everyone!

So, in this chapter, I made Krit and Vel work in the same company. I know, it might seem like a sudden decision, but... don't ask me why! It just felt right for the moment. 😅

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your votes, comments, and feedback mean so much to me and really keep me motivated to write more! Let me know what you think of this new development – I'm always curious to see what you guys have to say.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more! 💖