[Akk's POV]
When I finally opened my eyes, the sun had already come out. I must have fallen asleep when I came to my senses again but I still had a strong migraine as if I was partying the whole night.
"My head... aghh..." Suddenly I felt a wet cloth on my forehead... so I had company.
"W-who is that?" My vision was still blurry.
"Man, you can't take a little pain now? Are you getting old or what?" That voice belonged to him!
"You! How dare you kidnap me?!" He chuckled.
"With your state, I doubt you'd even return to your house, Chief. You are also pretty skinny, were you not eating lately or are you paid worse than maids?" I frowned.
"That's none of your concern. I'm just doing my work."
"Workaholism can be as damaging as alcoholism. You ain't sleeping, you ain't eating and go to action with that low energy of yours. I knew you wouldn't be so easy to get if you were satisfying your needs." I didn't want to admit it but he was right... my strength and reflexes are below average now...
"Where am I?" I asked but he didn't respond.
"Can't tell ya, you'd send your men here just like yesterday! I was so pissed off at you that I robbed that guy on purpose! To lure you out!" So he's mad that I was trying to do my job and punish him? I don't get him at all.
"Don't you have any self reflection?! What you did was against the law!" He stood up out of sudden and walked away.
"You don't get me at all... Akk..." My name! How did he-?! I shoved my hand in all of my pockets just to find an empty wallet. He stole even my identity card! Driver license! Gun! Handcuffs! Police badge! He sure doesn't want to let me go away.
I sighed... a cop who let himself get kidnapped and robbed... reporters would write a long article about it...
I wiped my face with the wet cloth he lent me and could finally see the place where I was more clearly. I saw cracked walls and raindrops falling from the ceiling... it was autumn and his place wasn't heated. Just in what conditions is he living? Maybe that's why he was stealing... to afford a better place...
He came back with a hot bowl in his hand and I could look at him more clearly now. His hair was a mess and his grey T-shirt had some holes in it. He was only wearing boxers on his legs and I noticed some scars on his body but what caught my attention was his tattoo on his thigh.
"You don't have money for clothes but you have tattoo?" He rolled his eyes.
"I had to sell my clothes so I kept just those worn-out. I got the tattoo way before I got... into difficult situation." He put the bowl on the floor and sat down next to me on a cushion.
He kept staring at me as I was eating the instant noodles soup.
"For a chief, you ain't scary at all and are the only one I was able to seduce." I gagged.
"You. Did. Not. Seduce. Me!" He smirked.
"But the bulge in your pants when you were sitting on my waist kept telling me opposite. Are you into me, Officer?" Fuck... he noticed...
"I'm just... single for too long, that's all."
"Single? You are literally married to your work but I can help you with that." I looked at him with disbelief... why is he so friendly towards his enemy?
"How?" Suddenly he leaned closer to my ear and whispered: "I think you know." I quickly pushed him away!
"I'm not into friends with benefits and definitely not with a criminal!" He looked disappointed.
"You just missed your chance. Still... I'll need something from you." I looked at him while I was slurping the noodles.
"I need you to erase all of my crimes-." I coughed so much that I thought the noodles will suffocate me in my throat. He quickly brought me a glass of water and hit my back several times.
"You'd get... cough... rid of me... cough... if you let me be..."
"Right and I'd be accused of killing the cop. I have enough crimes to go to jail so no thanks."
"Wait... were there more than two robberies?"
"Some street fights, damage to other people's property, arson... but don't you dare poke your nose into it!"
"It's my job!" He crossed his arms.
"I opened up to you to get closer to you! Forget about your job for a second, okay?!" I stayed quiet as I didn't have enough energy to argue with him.
"So... why shouldn't I investigate it?" He suddenly walked away and came back with an old photo in his hand.
"This is my family." I closely looked at those people but... they can't be related! There were at least ten children and one older man in the middle of the photo. The thief was the oldest of the children and was sitting on the older man's back. They all looked happy even though they must have lived in poverty.
"How is it related?" He bowed down his head as if he had a hard time to tell me. His life must have been very tough.
"Hey... don't you at least want to know my name? Since I got yours..."
"Right! Give me back my things!"
"I won't give them back till you promise to help me!"
"I can't erase your crimes! I would be prosecuted for fraud!"
"I guess I'm gonna keep that gun then... your credit card... phone... handcuffs... badge..."
"You shouldn't do crimes if you regret it now. It's not too late to return the money back-."
"I NEED THE MONEY!!" He snapped at me and smacked the floor. He's very poor but it's still not too late to find a well paying job. Is it really worth risking to be sentenced to prison and lose his chances in his future works?
"You are ruining your life this way. Go with me willingly and your sentence won't be so harsh." He clenched his fists and coldly glared at me.
"You don't want to understand me... you just want to have it easier."
"I do my job very properly and I wouldn't say this if I didn't want to help you. It's in my competence unlike erasing your crimes."
"Then at least... get the rest of the money I need and I'll go to the prison willingly." Money is more important to him than his future life? What in the hell could happen to him?
"I'll listen to your story then and decide what to do next."
"My name is Ayan..."
"I didn't ask about that."
"Right..." He squeezed his thighs with his hands.
"... still, you should know so you don't call me a thief anymore."
"Any other nickname is fine?" He nodded.
"Then... tell me your story, Shortstop."
"As you wish, Bigfoot."
"It's Officer for you."
"Okay, Akk..." He grinned and I knew I won't win this.
"I think you noticed that I grew up without parents... my uncle brought me up all by himself and I couldn't wish for more. He was kind and very nice to me. He bought me everything I wished for but when I saw how hard he had to work for it, I stopped asking for expensive things... I love him the most. When I was thirteen, he suddenly brought home ten orphans who lived in outskirts without parents. They were living on the street together and became beggers for any kind of food and money..."
"I'm sorry for stopping you but why didn't he take them to orphanage?"
"Do you think there's not many children growing up without parents? He looked everywhere but they were full! He's just too kindhearted so he couldn't let them live on the streets in cold nights and no food. He worked even harder to feed all of us and those kids or rather my siblings were much happier."
"Do you want to help your uncle by stealing?"
"I wouldn't steal if working was enough!! My uncle... he's sick and he'll die if I don't have enough money for his heart surgery..." I noticed how he was shaking when he said the word DIE and I put my hand on his.
"150 000 baht... that's what you stole. How much do you need?"
"I've got 10 000 baht from selling my things and uncle had savings for us but saved just 40 000 baht. I still need 160 000 baht but that's just for the surgery... as you can see, this place is dilapidated."
"And also... where are the kids? Don't you live with them?" He shook his head.
"I live here alone so no one would come for them if I was caught. This was all I could afford from my previous stealing... but they don't live too far away from me and that's why I was scared your men would find them. I don't care what happens to me! I just can't let anyone attack my family!" I smiled. He may live tough life but he still has a loving family. When I remember my parents... my father was very disappointed that I prefered to become a police officer over lawyer and did not want to speak to me again... mom stayed on his side of course. I refused to stay with them and became fully independent after I finished my studies.
"This place is terrible and not good for living... it's also dangerous when you say you are living near them..."
"What do you have on your mind?" It's the best I can do for him right now...
"I'll let you live with me." He widely opened his eyes and his jaw dropped.
"WAIT! WAIT! SERIOUSLY?!"
"But on one condition!"
"I'm listening."
"You won't do any crimes when you'll be staying at my place! And you won't steal my things!"
"And what if I steal something else?"
"Like what?"
"Your V-card?" I laughed. Wait... he looked serious. I smirked.
"How old do you think I am?"
"Forty?" He's still getting on my nerves.
"Twenty-seven!" He smiled.
"Well, I'm twenty three, I think we'll get along, babe." I should not offer him anything...
"You don't mind the age gap?"
"And you are thinking about that? About me taking your V-card?" I think I'll disappoint him.
"I had my first time... when I was seventeen, sorry to disappoint you." He smirked.
"You are still a loser, I had my first time when I was sixteen." Are we seriously competing in this?!
"With a man?"
"With a girl."
"Then why are you after me when you are straight?" He smirked.
"Who said I'm straight? I prefer to be pan, a lot of options. Are you curious if you have a chance?" He flirted with me again.
"I'm not curious about anything."
"And you are? Bi, pan, demi, ace... definitely ace."
"Straight?"
"I don't buy that. Not after you were so quick to get turned on by me." Shit, he was right... I was never into women but I can't let him know...
"I think that your first time was... one of your colleagues."
"Hell no! It was my classmate in high school! For boys..."
"So you are gay, good to know." Great, now he won't stop talking about it. I shouldn't let my guard down and talked to him in friendly way...
"Grab all of your things, we are going."
"All I have is my black hoodie and black ripped jeans in my laundry." I raised my eyebrow.
"You want to tell me you robbed people with bare hands?"
"Fine... a pocket knife... but it's mainly for cooking." I nodded and let him take what he got and his old bag was enough for his belongings.
"The weather will be bad these days... you'll need more clothes."
"Are you saying you'll buy them for me?"
"Don't think it'll be for free. I don't have any time for my chores and cooking so I'd like you to take care of it."
"Okay but you need to teach me how to use washing machine and other appliances." Right... I need to teach him.
"And give me back what you took." He frowned and I kept pointing my palm at him to give it back. He shoved his hand under the mattress where was everything.
I quickly grabbed it back and wanted to pin my badge on my uniform but he snatched it from me and pinned it on my vest himself.
"Is it golden?" He smiled but when he saw my grumpy face, he stopped kidding with me.
"Oh, when you were sleeping, your friend Khan called so I told him that you are with your one-night-stand right now and that he shouldn't disturb us."
"YOU DID WHAT?!" He shrugged.
"Should I tell him you almost died from sleep deprivation? I think he's more understanding when it comes to this and it doesn't have to be a lie, you know?" I don't have enough patience for this.
"I have my things so let's go. And don't try anything on me in my sleep."
"Do I look like such a loser? I'll wait for you to want it yourself." I give up, he's too delusional.
He grabbed his photo and stroked it...
"Take it so you can look at them... I'll try to find a way to help all of you." He looked at me in disbelief and what I didn't expect were his hands wrapped around my waist when he embraced me from behind.
"I knew you were the one..." He whispered and I suddenly felt curious about what he meant but seeing him so emotional made my heart beat a little faster.