The Canvas Murders [KengNamping AU]

When a string of brutal murders shakes the quiet riverside town of Phayom, all evidence points to one person - Namping, a reserved art teacher whose eerily lifelike portraits of his neighbors suddenly seem less innocent. When a victim's body is discovered buried behind his apartment complex and his fingerprints are found on a bloodstained knife, Namping becomes the prime suspect in what the media calls "The Canvas Murders."

His unexpected ally comes in the form of his next-door neighbor - Dr. Keng Harit, a brilliant but unnervingly detached forensic pathologist with a reputation for being as charming as he is cold. Keng offers to help Namping clear his name, not out of compassion, but because the case fascinates him.

As the two men secretly work together, Namping realizes Keng's understanding of death goes beyond professional curiosity - his lack of empathy and calm fascination with the murders hint at something much darker beneath his surface. Yet, despite his fear, Namping finds himself drawn to Keng's intellect, his quiet intensity, and the strange safety he provides.

Each clue drags them deeper into a web of deceit, obsession, and copycat killings crafted to destroy Namping's life. But when the trail begins to connect back to Keng's past, Namping starts to wonder if he's been relying on his savior... or sleeping next to the real monster.

Now, trapped between suspicion and attraction, Namping must decide who he can trust before the next body shows up - and whether the danger lies outside his door, or right beside him.