"Mr.Adisorn? It's me, Gawin."
The familiar voice was followed by those sparkling eyes peering through the lens before pulling back to reveal a mischievous face with a deep dimple. The man outside tilted his head, trying to catch a sign of life from within.
Adisorn let out a breath so heavy his entire body slumped. The crushing tension shattered instantly. He loosened his grip on the wine bottle and turned the knob, opening the door with a mix of irritation and profound relief.
Gawin stood there in a bright yellow puffer jacket looking for all the world like a giant, fluffy baby chick. An orthopedic pillow was tucked under one arm.
As the door swung wide, Gawin beamed and waved a hand with cheerful enthusiasm. "I thought you were going to leave me out here forever," the CEO said with a playful grin, eyes crinkling shut.
Adisorn stood frozen, slowly closing his eyes to suppress the swirl of emotions. He didn't know whether to be furious at being scared half to death or simply exhausted by this man's apparent cluelessness. Or perhaps his deliberate provocation.
"Please… come in," Adisorn muttered, gesturing stiffly. Gawin grinned and marched inside, clutching his pillow and a large backpack. Adisorn watched his uninvited guest with weary eyes before locking the door and following.
"What brings you here at this hour?" Adisorn asked flatly.
Gawin tossed his bag and pillow onto the sofa, then turned. "Oh, I came to keep you company tonight."
"Keep me company…" Adisorn echoed, brows knitting tight.
Gawin nodded vigorously. "Well, you were just attacked, weren't you? How could we leave you here alone?"
"I'm fine now. And I can be alone… I always have been," Adisorn emphasized, putting on a stern face to intimidate him. But Gawin merely shrugged, unfazed.
"The team already took a vote. We're taking turns staying with you until we're certain you're out of danger." Gawin rattled off the explanation in one breath, as if afraid of being interrupted. "Oh! Forgot to mention the vote was 4 to 1. I think you can guess who that one dissenting vote belonged to."
Adisorn was speechless. He stared at the cheerful face and that dimple, feeling utterly defeated. He put his hands on his hips and let out a long, despairing sigh. "And where exactly do you plan to sleep?"
"Right here in the living room," Gawin said, patting the sofa.
"You can take the bedroom. I'll sleep on the sofa," Adisorn offered though in truth, he just wanted the man to go home.
"No need! I'm easygoing. I can sleep anywhere," Gawin said, already unzipping his backpack and pulling out a blanket to drape over his legs. Adisorn watched the scene in disbelief, exhaling through his mouth in pure exasperation.
"Seriously, no one needs to do this," Adisorn tried again, wanting to be blunt but settling for polite resistance.
Gawin shook his head. "Too late. The schedule is already set."
"It's not too late to cancel," Adisorn snapped. The thought of his private space being invaded made his skin crawl.
"That'll be hard. Tomorrow is Phueak and Ohm's turn and those two are more stubborn than mules, as you well know." Gawin replied with a crescent-moon smile that felt friendly yet maddeningly persistent.
"Fine. Do what you want. But don't expect me to be a gracious host."
"No problem at all!" Gawin waved generously toward Adisorn's own bedroom as if he were the one hosting the house.
Adisorn stood rooted to the spot. Wasn't that supposed to be my line?
In the end, arguing with this group was like shouting at a brick wall. They were going to do exactly what they wanted no matter what he said.
Late into the night, Adisorn emerged from his room after freshening up. He found Gawin still awake bathed in the glow of his laptop. The playful demeanor was gone, replaced by a sharp, professional focus that was nothing like the cheerful man from earlier. Adisorn settled into the armchair opposite.
"I'm going to be blunt," Adisorn began, voice cold and serious, eyes fixed on the other man. "I'm uncomfortable… having all of you in my private space."
Gawin looked up from the screen, expression unreadable. "I figured you'd feel that way."
"If you knew then why come?"
"Because we're a team."
Adisorn let out a mocking laugh. "I have never once seen us as a team."
"I know," Gawin admitted easily, nodding without argument. Adisorn frowned unable to wrap his head around the Wonder Package CEO's logic.
"I truly don't understand you. Why go to such lengths to be kind to me?"
"You've misunderstood…" Gawin replied softly, a faint smirk appearing. "I wasn't trying to be kind."
He paused.
"Because that one dissenting vote? That was me."
The confession left Adisorn stunned mid-breath. Silence swallowed the room entirely. He had assumed the dissenter was Rosé but it was the smiling man sitting right in front of him.
"Then why are you here?" Adisorn asked, voice laced with suspicion. "What's your play?"
Gawin closed the laptop. He tilted his head as if genuinely thinking it over, then gave a slow nod to himself.
"A play?" He blinked innocently, the bright dimple reappearing. "I don't have a single plan in my head."
A beat.
"But even if I didn't want to come… the vote passed. And I always fulfill my duty.