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Lieutenant Pao and Lieutenant Han were elite detectives, who were always competing with each other.
Unfortunately, they were also the lead couple in a BL drama for an undercover mission.
Netizens were convinced that both of them were secretly dating, but Han would rather be in the interrogation room rather than reciting cheesy confessions; while Pao has made it his personal mission to annoy his partner between every take.
Meanwhile, on an entirely different case, famous manga artist Kay was under police protective custody after a copycat murderer began recreating the deaths from his bestselling series. Assigned to watch over him was Inspector Phat, who was determined to catch the culprit before fiction became reality once again.
Their separate investigations unexpectedly collided when both teams ended up at the same glamping resort deep in the Thai countryside…
Rows of white canvas tents glowed beneath fairy lights as the evening breeze rustled through the surrounding forest.
Inspector Phat stood with folded arms outside one of the tents, scanning the tree line for what felt like the 100th time that day.
Kay sat beside him. “I still can’t believe one of my fans to be a serial killer”. He groaned, “F*ck my life!”
Several meters away, was the filming location for “The Sky Carries Your Name”, a BL series that would be expected to become “the romance of the year”.
“Camera roll! Scene 25, Take 1!”
“ACTION!”
The main camera captured Pao stood beside a campfire. Soon, Han slowly walked towards Pao’s back, into the frame.
“Hey, Khun. Even if I hate you, you must not avoid me”, Han delivered his dialogue.
Pao turned around, paused to stare at Han, before he said his line, “You can hate me all you want, but I will always love you”.
“CUT! THAT WAS PERFECT! Let’s move on to the next scene! Good job!”
The director clapped enthusiastically.
So does Kay from the sidelines. “They’re so good! It felt so real! Hit me right in the feels~”
Phat chuckled. “They’re the best in their division”.
Kay’s lips twitched. “Can’t believe they’re detectives. Man, Thailand sure is amazing!”
Kay and Phat watched the filming throughout the day and considered it their free entertainment.
For most scenes, Pao and Han nailed it in a single take. But whenever they had to film the romantic moments, one of them would inevitably slip up, usually Pao, leading to arguments and a few extra takes before they finally got it right.
“SOMPAO YAOWARIT! I SWEAR! IF YOU MESS UP ONE MORE TIME…”, Han was already fuming.
“What? I’m following the blocking~”, Pao just smirked.
“YOU-! I HOPE MOSQUITOES ONLY BITE YOU TONIGHT!”
“But they prefer sweeter blood like yours, honey~”
“Ohh? So you’re saying you have bitter blood?”
Around them, the production crew were whispering excitedly and some even squealed.
“They’re arguing again. They’re so in character!”
“How cute! I swear they’re dating!”
“Fighting is their way of flirting! How adorable!”
Han seriously considered arresting everyone.
Filming finally wrapped close to midnight.
Pao stretched dramatically. “Oh God! I’m starving!”
“There’s catering. Let’s eat”, Han replied immediately.
Pao shook his head. “Nahh~ I want snacks. Let’s bother Phat instead”.
That was how the four of them ended up having hot cocoa and late-night snacks inside Kay and Phat’s tent. The detectives reminisced about the various cases they had handled, while Kay spoke about the inspirations that shaped his manga.
Kay discovered that Han barely spoke unless spoken to. Pao on the other hand…
“…and then this idiot walked straight into the wall!”
Han frowned. “It was dark! I couldn’t see anything!”
About an hour later, Pao suddenly stood. “I’m going to the washroom”. He looked at Han. “Come”.
“Huh? Can’t you go by yourself?”
“Aww? It’s dark outside. Come, accompany me!”
“No, it’s already cozy here, I don’t want to move!”, Han wrapped the blanket tighter around his body.
Pao looked betrayed. “You don’t love your partner!”
“We’re coworkers!”
“Still! Heartless!”
Phat sighed, shook his head and stood up. “I need to go too. Let me accompany you”.
Pao sticked his tongue out towards Han before he and Phat disappeared outside.
And then… the tent went painfully silent.
Kay looked at Han. Han looked at the table. Kay sipped cocoa. Han adjusted his glasses.
Minutes passed by with both introverts perfectly content saying absolutely nothing.
*crunch*
Both heads turned simultaneously.
Kay was no longer sleepy and Han’s expression changed to alert mode instantly.
There was another sound.
Han slowly reached towards the bedside table where his phone rested and Kay quietly stood up.
*CRASH!*
The side window exploded inwards. Two masked men burst through with knives.
The first attacker lunged at Kay.
Kay sidestepped. Years of learning action choreography for manga references surprisingly translated well into instinct. His elbow slammed into the attacker’s jaw.
The second attacker rushed towards Han.
Han blocked the knife, twisted the man’s arms and kicked the man’s knee.
The attacker stumbled.
Han followed with a sharp punch to the ribs.
The tent descended into chaos.
Furniture overturned, a lamp crashed, bags flew everywhere…
Kay ducked another slash before driving a kick into one attacker’s stomach while Han swept the other man’s legs out.
Both attackers hit the ground.
Just when they thought they managed to subdue the attackers, one of them suddenly grabbed his dropped knife… and lunged directly towards Kay.
Everything happened in a split second.
Han shoved Kay sideways.
The knife missed Kay completely… but scraped across Han’s waist.
“UGH!”, Han hissed in pain.
The blade sliced through his shirt before the attacker immediately fled.
The second man scrambled after him.
Kay rushed towards the tent entrance at first as his brain thought of catching the attackers. But when he turned around and realized that Han’s shirt was stained in blood, he returned to Han’s side.
“Don’t worry”, Han said. One of his hands was holding his wounded side, while his other hand pointed towards the bedside table. “I pressed record since we heard the footsteps. Now we’ll know who they came for”.
Kay stared at him. “…You’re smart”.
Han shrugged, then let out a relieved breath. “Now…” He reached towards his backpack. “Time for first aid kit…”
Kay frowned. “Umm… I think we should call a doctor”.
Han looked up. “It’s only a scratch”.
“But that scratch is huge!”, Kay protested.
“It isn’t deep”, Han talked back.
Sure enough, the wound looked frightening.
Long, red, but shallow.
The bleeding had already slowed considerably.
Han calmly pulled out antiseptic and bandages.
Kay rubbed his face and sighed. “Come, let me help”.
Han blinked. “I can do this myself. I do this every time”.
“Yeah, but still, I want to be helpful. Please”.
They looked at each other for several silent seconds. Eventually, Han agreed.
He carefully laid on his uninjured side atop the mattress, the injured waist facing upwards.
One elbow propped up his upper body while the other arm rested beneath his head, leaving the wound exposed.
Kay knelt beside him. “Tell me if it hurts”.
Kay gently cleaned the scrape with antiseptic.
Han winced.
“Sorry”, Kay apologized instantly.
“It’s fine”.
Kay carefully spread ointment over the injury and Han quietly watched him work. When that was done, Kay’s one hand reached out for the bandage, while his other hand rested firmly on Han’s hip to steady him.
The tent flap suddenly opened.
Pao stepped inside first. “We’re ba—”
He froze after witnessing the scene in front of him: Han was lying sideways on the bed. Kay knelt beside him. One hand firmly resting on Han’s hip. The other gently brushing across Han’s bare waist.
Pao’s brain stopped functioning and several thoughts collided all at once.
Why is Han lying down? Why is his shirt up? Why is Kay touching his waist? Why does this look exactly like one of today’s filming scenes?!!!
His eye twitched.
Phat moved to the side from behind Pao so he could see what happened inside. He immediately noticed the shattered window, the broken furniture, the slashed tent wall, the blood on the floor…
“WHAT HAPPENED?!”
Kay and Han proceeded to explain the situation. While Inspector Phat was listening intently, the same could not be said for Lieutenant Pao. He heard them speaking, but he didn’t listen.
“…So we were attacked”
“There were two masked men”
“Han got cut protecting me”
Pao's loud cough cut through the conversation and all three pairs of eyes shifted to him.
“Pao? You alright?”, Han asked, worriedly.
Pao took a deep breath, then quickly walked over towards the bed. “Move”, he said as he forcefully took the bandage from Kay’s hand.
Kay blinked in confusion but obediently scooted aside.
“I’ll finish”, Pao said as he wrapped the bandage around Han’s waist with perhaps a little more force than necessary.
“OUCH!”, Han hissed. “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!”
“You’ll survive”, Pao replied nonchalantly.
“Are you trying to wrap me up like a mummy?!”, Han yelled.
Kay slowly leaned towards Phat. “This is jealousy that I’m seeing… Right?”, he whispered.
Phat nodded in agreement. “I don’t think he realized it though”.
Han had sent the recording to Phat’s phone.
The inspector watched the footage several times.
The recording had captured the broken window, the attackers’ builds, their voices, and several clear moments where their masks shifted during the struggle. Phat paused on the frame where one attacker’s face became visible for less than a second. “Hmm… Interesting”.
“You know him?”, Kay looked over.
“Maybe…”
Outside, Pao and Han slowly walked back towards their own tent beneath the glowing lanterns, accompanied by the chirping of insects and the distant crackling of a dying campfire.
Pao walked a step ahead.
Han followed leisurely with one hand tucked into his jacket pocket, the other carefully holding the bandage around his waist whenever the path became uneven.
“Does it hurt?”, Pao glanced back.
“…A little”.
“I mean your pride”.
Han snorted and stopped in his tracks. “Khun Sompao Yaowarit, I can see that you’re worried about me. You can just say so, you know”.
Pao immediately looked away. “I—I’m worried about paperwork!”
“Hmm…” Han simply nodded.
“If you ended up hospitalized, I’d have to explain everything to the Chief. And I’d have to write reports!”
“I see”, Han continued nodding.
“So… Don’t get yourself hurt next time…”, Pao said in a small voice.
A tiny smile tugged at Han’s lips. “I’ll try”.
Pao huffed, pretended to not notice Han’s smile.
They continued walking.
This time, Pao had a sudden thought that he needed to tell Han. He turned around. “Hey, Han. This is just my opinion…”
“Hmm?”, Han looked up. He saw Pao came closer and closer, with a serious look on his face. Han instinctively leaned his head back. “Wh-What?”
Pao raised his hands, then casually lifted Han’s glasses. Han blinked rapidly, trying to bring Pao into focus. “Oi, Pao! Why are you removing my glasses! You know I can’t see! Give it back!”
Before Pao even realized he’d spoken… “They’re beautiful”.
Han stared at him.
“I like looking at your eyes”, Pao continued, absentmindedly.
It took about 10 seconds before Pao’s own brain finally caught up with his mouth.
“I MEAN—I wasn’t flirting by the way! I was just saying my opinion! Your eyes are… nice… I wasn’t used to see you without your glasses so when I saw you on set, I—I—”
Pao scratched the back of his neck, struggling to find the right words to describe what he was feeling. The tips of his ears had also turned the slightest shade warmer. “Ugh! Just forget it! That was silly of me—”
“Thank you”, Han cut him off.
Pao’s heart gave one completely unexpected thump.
Han giggled. “Although, I do think you’ve been possessed by the BL script”.
Pao narrowed his eyes. “HAN”.
“Maybe I should call an exorcist”, Han playfully exclaimed.
Pao groaned and shoved him lightly.
Their tent finally came into view. But neither seemed particularly eager to go in just yet.
Pao looked towards the forest instead. “Our line of work… Is full of dangers, huh?”
Han followed Pao’s line of view. “It is what it is. We’ve taken the oath to protect this country and its people. There’s no turning back now”.
Pao smiled and nodded. “I forgot to say this just now when you accused me of getting possessed by the BL script. I’ve warned you now so don’t be disgusted”.
Han snorted. “Go on”.
Pao chuckled. “It’s my job to watch your back too”.
“You know what? Let’s just get inside”, Han grinned while pushing Pao towards the tent’s entrance.
Pao clutched his chest dramatically. “Aww? Don’t you feel anything after I said that?”
“I trust you to watch my back. And I’m willingly do the same for you. That should be a good enough response, right?”
Pao clicked off the lantern with a huff. “Yeah. Love you”.
Back inside the other tent…
Kay looked towards the dark forest beyond the broken window. “Do you think I was the target of tonight’s attack?”
“Or it could be my two undercover officers”, Phat answered.
The inspector folded his arms. “Either way…” His eyes settled on the shadowy trees. “Our cases just crossed paths”.
Not far beyond the lights of the glamping resort…
Somewhere among the silent forest…
Someone was already planning the next move.