Beyond the Badge

Chapter 11

The faint chirping of birds filtered through the window as the morning sun painted the apartment in golden hues. Ohm placed two steaming plates of fried rice on the table, his eyes darting toward the bedroom door. Moments later, Nanon emerged, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his soft hair adorably messy, Ohm felt a sudden urge to touch it.

“Good morning, P’Ohm,” Nanon greeted with a yawn, plopping onto the chair.

“Morning, Nanon. Have you completed your morning routine?" Ohm asked him while preparing fresh juice.

"Yes I did. You have made our breakfast today again. I wanted to do it." He said with a pout.

"No issues. You can do it tomorrow. Now, eat up.” Ohm slid the juice glass toward him. “Big day today. We’re heading to the mall later.”

Nanon paused mid-yawn, his eyes narrowing slightly. “P’Ohm, is this really necessary? Your clothes are comfy enough for me.”

Ohm chuckled, shaking his head. “Nanon, my shirts are sometimes dresses on you. Trust me, you’ll feel better in something that actually fits.”

Nanon didn’t argue further, digging into his breakfast instead.

"Tell me honestly, don't you get outside? Are you afraid?" Concern reflected in Ohm's eyes.

"Um... A little bit... Maybe..." Nanon stared at his plate instead of Ohm.

"You don't need to be scared, Non. I'll be with you. I'll protect you. You're my responsibility." Ohm assured placing his hand on the younger.

Nanon just looked at his hand and nodded slowly.

"Trust me, Nanon, it will be fun." The inspector smiled at him and Nanon returned the smile before resuming eating his breakfast.

As Ohm finished his food, he glanced at the clock and stood. “Alright, I’m heading to the precinct now. Lock the door and remember what I told you. Don’t open it for anyone except me or Tu, okay?”

Nanon nodded but looked hesitant. “P’Ohm…you’ll be back in time, right?”

Ohm ruffled his hair gently. “Of course. Be ready when I get back. We’ve got shopping and a fun day ahead.”

As Ohm rode his motorcycle he observed a change within himself. Since Nanon arrived in his life how his perspective about things started to change. Ohm Pawat who hated to visit mall and only went there when his sister or mother insisted him told Nanon it would be fun to go there. He realised something was happening in his life but he didn't know what exactly it was although it felt nice.

At the precinct, the atmosphere buzzed with urgency. Ohm strode into the briefing room, where Force and Neo were already waiting.

“Morning, team,” Ohm greeted, his tone all business. “What’s the update on the trafficking ring?”

Force pointed to a map pinned on the board. “We’ve tracked another truck leaving the port early this morning. It’s headed north, likely to a secondary hub near Chiang Mai. We’ve managed to track its route till there ”

“Good,” Ohm said, leaning in to examine the details. “We’ll coordinate with the local precinct there. For now, keep tailing the vehicle discreetly. I want eyes on it at all times. We need concrete evidence before we can move in.”

The team nodded, their trust in Ohm’s leadership evident. For the next few hours, Ohm meticulously pieced together leads, his sharp mind working through possible strategies. Despite his focus, his thoughts occasionally wandered to Nanon and the promise of their outing later.