A Friend Too Close

Chapter 29

It was the third day of the trip, and Sky was having a blast with his classmates. They sat in a circle on the beach, their laughter blending with the sound of the waves. The moonlight danced on the ocean, and the campfire crackled warmly in the center.

Song and Jame soon joined in, adding even more fun to the lively group. Everyone was relaxed, enjoying the moment as they joked and shared stories under the stars.

June, however, stayed a little closer to Sky than usual, her attention clearly fixed on him. Song and Jame noticed right away. They could see what June was trying to do, but they couldn't bring themselves to call her out directly. Instead, they decided to step in, using playful distractions to gently keep June from getting too close to Sky.

Sky, as always, was completely clueless about the situation. He laughed along with the group, enjoying the warmth of the moment, blissfully unaware of the quiet back-and-forth happening around him.

Sky stood up and walked toward the drink table, still smiling from the jokes his friends had been sharing. Noticing her chance, June quickly followed him. However, in her rush, she didn't see the broken glass hidden in the sand. She stepped on it, wincing in pain as blood trickled from her foot.

"Ah! Sky!" she called out, her voice soft but tinged with distress.

Sky turned, his cheerful expression shifting to concern. "June, are you okay?" he asked, hurrying to her side.

June looked up at him, her eyes slightly teary. "I stepped on something sharp. It hurts so much... Can you carry me back?"

Sky hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, let me help you." He crouched down, carefully lifting her off the sand.

But suddenly , a new arrival caught everyone's attention. The F4 gang had arrived, their presence impossible to miss. Groya led the way, her sharp eyes scanning the scene. She had kept her visit a secret from Sky, cleverly getting the location of his class activity from the class monitor.

"Sky." Groya called out, her voice breaking through the group's chatter. Her gaze immediately landed on him and the girl he was carrying. Her expression flickered with surprise and something harder to read.

The F4 gang fell silent as their eyes landed on Sky carrying June. Among them, Nani's expression darkened, frustration evident in his furrowed brow and clenched fists. Without a word, he turned abruptly and started walking away, his steps quick.

Win and Dew exchanged surprised glances, their confusion mirroring each other's. This wasn't something they'd expected.

Sky, realizing the shift in mood, quickly set June down on a nearby seat. "You'll be fine here." he said hurriedly, not waiting for a response. He spun around and ran after Nani, calling out as he went.

"Nani! Wait, where are you going?"

But Nani didn't stop, his steps growing faster with every call from Sky. The tension was thick, leaving the group behind in awkward silence.

"Seems like we showed up at the wrong time." Prim whispered to Win, standing close by. Her voice was soft but filled with concern.

Win smirked slightly, though his eyes showed a hint of worry. "Well, better brace yourself," he said in a low tone. " And be prepare for the storm that Nani gonna cause tonight."

Dew glanced between them, nodding subtly. "Let's just hope Sky knows how to calm it before things get out of hand."

Groya listened quietly to the murmurs around her, her sharp gaze fixed on the unfolding drama. Without a word, she grabbed Win's hand and began walking purposefully toward June. Win followed without protest, he already had a good idea of what Groya intended to do.

When they reached June, Groya crouched slightly to examine the wound on her foot. Her tone was calm but carried a pointed edge. "Looks like your injury isn't that deep," she said, straightening up.

"Maybe next time, you should watch where you're going before chasing after someone. Some people," she added, glancing meaningfully at Sky's now-empty seat, "might not be single or free to carry you around so casually. Right, Win?"

Win, catching her drift, nodded with a small smirk. "Exactly. It's always good to know where the line is, don't you think?"

June's face reddened. She opened her mouth to respond, but Groya didn't wait for an answer. She turned on her heel, pulling Win along with her, leaving June to sit in awkward silence by the fire.

Nani's steps were quick and long, his frustration fueling every stride as he tried to escape the fire burning in his chest. He couldn't shake the anger coursing through him, even though he knew deep down that Sky wouldn't do anything intentionally to upset him. Still, the image of Sky carrying June, the closeness had struck a nerve, and he couldn't seem to calm the storm inside.

Sky ran after Nani, his heart pounding in his chest. When he finally reached Nani, he didn't hesitate. He quickly grabbed Nani's hand, his grip firm but gentle, trying to stop him from walking away.

"Nani, wait." Sky pleaded, his voice soft but urgent.

Nani's chest heaved with quick breaths, the anger boiling inside him. He stood there, glaring at Sky, his fists clenched as he struggled to put his feelings into words.

Sky's grip on Nani's hand was firm, but his voice was soft, trying to ease the tension. "I didn't mean for this to happen. Let me explain."

Nani stayed still for a moment, but the heat of his frustration couldn't be ignored. He pushed Sky's hand away sharply, his eyes never leaving his.

June walked into the broken glass. I just helped, I swear I didn't think or do anything like you're imagining," Sky said quickly, his voice filled with sincerity.

Nani's frustration didn't ease. He shot back, voice cold and full of disbelief, "There were a lot of people out there. Why couldn't she ask someone else? Why does it have to be you?"

Sky shook his head, trying to get Nani to understand. "Nani, it's not like that. I just helped her."

But Nani wasn't having it. His voice grew sharper, the anger clear in his tone. "Sky Wongravee Nateetorn, don't tell me you can't sense that June is trying to flirt with you?"

Sky blinked, his face filled with confusion. "Nani, you can't be this unreasonable. I just helped her, there's nothing behind this."

The words stung. Sky's attempt to explain himself only seemed to make Nani angrier. "Good then," Nani snapped, voice tight with hurt and anger. "Go stay with your reasonable girl." He turned sharply and started walking away, each step heavy with frustration.

Sky stood frozen, his mind racing as he tried to process everything. No, it can't be true, he thought, June is just a friend, there's nothing more to it. But the weight of Nani's words lingered, gnawing at him, making him second-guess everything.

Before he could get too lost in his thoughts, the F4 gang caught up to him.

"Sky, Nani's angry. Let him stay alone for now." Prim said gently.

Sky shook his head, confusion clear on his face. "I just don't understand why he's like this. June is just a friend."

Groya couldn't hold herself back any longer. With a swift movement, she stepped forward and punched Sky's cheek, her action sharp but not overly hard. Sky stumbled slightly, more in shock than pain, but before he could react, Groya spoke, her words cutting through the confusion.

"Sky, Nani's not angry because of June. He knows you don't think anything of her, but June is trying to flirt with you. That's what's bothering him. He's angry because you didn't distance yourself, and you walked right into her trap. You're not seeing what's happening right in front of you, Sky. That's why he's upset."

Sky's eyes widened at Groya's words, his mind finally starting to piece things together.

Win, unable to hold it in, let out a quiet laugh. Sky's reaction was exactly as Nani had often described, slow to catch on to these things.

Dew also chuckling under his breath. "You really are as slow as Nani says." he teased lightly, his tone playful. "Takes you a while to notice things, huh?"

Sky sighed, feeling a little embarrassed"I guess I need to start paying more attention," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Nani entered his hotel room, the soft hum of the air conditioner barely audible over the storm raging in his chest. The waves outside crashed against the shore, but they were nothing compared to the turmoil in his heart.

He headed straight for the shower, hoping the warm water could wash away his frustration. As the droplets cascaded over him, he leaned against the cool tile wall, his thoughts circling back to Sky.

"Idiot," he muttered to himself, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and self-reproach. "How could I fall for someone so silly... so stupid." He closed his eyes, letting the water drown out the rest of his thoughts.

After his shower, Nani changed into something comfortable. He ran a towel through his damp hair when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Nani didn't need to look. He knew exactly who it was. Of course, it's Sky, he thought bitterly. And probably with a little help from F4, since this is a private hotel and only guests can enter.

Nani sighed, grabbed his headphones, and put them on, deciding to ignore the knock. It continued for a while, but eventually, it stopped, leaving the room quiet again. Even with the music playing, Nani couldn't fully block out the emotions swirling inside him.

"Don't expect me to forgive you easily, puppy." Nani muttered under his breath, the frustration still heavy in his voice.

Around midnight, Nani was still wide awake, tossing and turning in frustration. He finally got out of bed to grab a glass of water, but just as he reached for it, his phone buzzed. The caller showed Win's name.

With a sigh, Nani picked up. "What is it, Win?"

"Nani, open the door." Win said, his tone too casual for the hour.

Nani frowned and hung up without replying. But just as he was about to ignore it, the sound of knocking came again. He swung the door open harshly, Sky's body tipped forward, collapsing into him.

"Sky!" Nani exclaimed, instinctively catching him, his arms wrapping around Sky to steady him.

"Well, take care of your puppy." Win said casually, standing there with an amused grin. "He's already drunk."

Nani shot Win a glare, his eyes narrowing in confusion and irritation. Before he could ask anything, Win gestured toward Groya, who stood just behind him.

"We were just eating and had a little beer," Groya explained, shrugging. "Who knew Sky couldn't handle alcohol?"

Nani's jaw tightened as he looked down at Sky, who was barely conscious, leaning heavily against him.

"Nani, look after him tonight." Dew said, his tone calm but with a hint of teasing. "Tomorrow, you can continue your little pout."

Before Nani could respond, Dew waved a hand, guiding the group away. They disappeared down the hallway, leaving Nani alone with a drunk and half-asleep Sky in his arms.

Nani sighed deeply, glancing down at Sky, whose head lolled slightly against his shoulder. His annoyance melted just a little as he noticed Sky's flushed cheeks and dazed expression.

"You're such a mess," Nani muttered, shaking his head as he helps Sky into the room.

He guided Sky over to the bed, carefully laying him down. Sky stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open for a moment. His gaze, though unfocused, landed on Nani, and a small, sleepy smile tugged at his lips.

"Nani..." Sky mumbled, his voice soft and slurred. "You're here..."

"Yeah, I'm here." Nani replied, his tone flat, though his heart gave a small, traitorous flutter. "Now sleep. You're a disaster."

Sky gave a faint hum, his eyes closing again. "Don't go..." he whispered, almost too quiet to hear, before falling back into a deep sleep.

"Idiot." Nani muttered, pulling the blanket over Sky. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Nani brushed a strand of hair from Sky's forehead. "You really have no idea how much you drive me crazy, do you?" he said softly, more to himself than to Sky.

As the night stretched on, Nani stayed by Sky's side, unable to shake the lingering frustration but also unable to leave him alone.