The next day, in the warmth of the weather, the birds were chirping, creating a soft melody that was sweet to the ears. The sun's rays gently touched the two men who were sleeping, curled up in each other's arms. As the warmth reached their faces, they frowned in response.
Eryx pulled the blanket higher to shield them from the sunlight, not wanting it to disturb their sleep. Braylon snuggled closer into Eryx's chest, holding him tightly. There was no space between them, and their breathing was the only sound around. Soon, Braylon began to wake from his slumber. When he realized their position, he tried to slip away from Eryx's strong embrace, but it was no use.
Eryx pulled him closer, holding him even tighter. Braylon's heart began to race, and his cheeks flushed with a soft pink hue. A small smile appeared on Eryx's lips, as if he hadn't been asleep at all. They stayed like that for a moment, until the sound of a door opening broke the silence and caught their attention.
Someone entered the room, and both men immediately tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps. They were prepared to defend themselves until they recognized the familiar voices.
"You lazy brats... still sleeping?" Revilla shouted, yanking the blanket off them. Eryx whined like a child as the sunlight hit his face, while Braylon quickly sat up, trying to avoid revealing their previous position. Alex was there too, though he looked unusually gloomy, unlike Revilla, who was her usual charming self.
"Revilla... just stop, okay? We need some rest," Eryx grumbled, pulling the blanket back. A tug-of-war ensued between him and Revilla, the poor blanket caught in the struggle. Meanwhile, Alex stood beside Revilla, watching them like a proud dad, quietly amused by the playful fight.
Things escalated quickly, and in the heat of the battle, Revilla lost her balance. She grabbed Alex's arm for support, but the sudden motion caused both of them to fall onto the bed—right on top of Eryx and Braylon. The two men groaned in pain, though the discomfort didn't last long.
"You..."
Revilla was about to yell when she was suddenly hit with a soft punch from a pillow.
"Damn it..."
She cursed and retaliated, hitting Eryx back. Meanwhile, Alex also got dragged into the pillow fight as Braylon took a swing at him. The four of them playfully battled with pillows, like children. After so many years, they were still like this—laughing and giggling, their joy echoing through the room.
After a few minutes, their energy began to fade, drained by the early-morning tussle. One by one, they collapsed onto the bed. Revilla rested her head on Eryx's chest, her body sprawled across Braylon and Alex. They were all panting, catching their breath.
They had missed this—the carefree moments of the past. Finally, it felt like those days had returned, but not quite the same. Time had changed things. Despite being close friends, there were now unspoken feelings between them. After a few moments of rest, Revilla got up from Eryx and sat up straight.
"Why are you two sleeping so much?" Revilla asked.
"We were out late for something, so we didn't get much sleep," Eryx replied, glancing at Braylon.
"For what?" Alex inquired.
"It's about the case. Just as we suspected... That company is the main culprit, and the village head was helping them," Eryx said, his teeth unconsciously gritting in frustration. How could the village head support the kidnappers? Didn't he feel any shame? What if it had been his own daughter? Would he just sit by and watch?
"Well, it sounds like we're almost done with the case then!" Revilla said excitedly.
"Maybe," Eryx replied, "but not entirely. We don't have solid proof yet. And that boy's death is tied to this case too. We need to gather more evidence about the company. Otherwise, they'll just find loopholes and escape."
Braylon nodded in agreement, as did the others.
"By the way, where's Franklyn? I haven't seen him around. He'd usually be here, right?" Alex asked.
"I sent him to investigate the murder case," Eryx replied, as the others rolled their eyes.
"He's just a kid. Why are you giving him such work?" Revilla said, smacking Eryx on the head. He whined in response.
"Stop defending him. If he wants to be a good officer, he needs to experience everything. And he's not a kid anymore—he's already a grown man," Eryx said, rolling his eyes.
"So, what do we do now? Do we need to gather more evidence?" Alex asked. Braylon shook his head and handed Alex a pen.
"We have a verbal confession, but we still need more concrete proof. We'll have to wait until Franklyn gets back with more information. Once we have that, we can take action. Also, we need to check that motel," Braylon explained.
"Then let's do it right now," Revilla said, her impatience clear. Maybe she was eager to leave this place. Alex's expression darkened immediately.
"No, we can't. If we act now, they'll realize we're behind the investigation, and they might try to destroy the evidence. We need to wait," Braylon insisted, rejecting her idea.
"But what if something happens to that kid? We can't afford to delay," Alex said, his concern for the child evident.
"They won't harm the kid. Even if they try, we don't have any other choice but to wait for the right moment," Braylon replied. He was right, but at the same time, they were gambling with the child's safety. It was a dangerous game—taking on a powerful company felt like a suicide mission, but they were committed to it.
"We could go to the motel without them knowing," Eryx suggested, noticing the restlessness on his friends' faces.
"But how?" Revilla asked.
"We'll need to act like we're not taking the case seriously, like we're just relaxing and enjoying ourselves. We keep up the act until Franklyn returns," Eryx explained, and they all nodded in agreement.
"Alright then, I'll start working on the case report. We'll need to submit it eventually," Braylon said.
"Come on, Braylon... Don't be such a workaholic," Alex teased with a gentle smile.
Just then, they were interrupted—not by something, but by someone. Braylon's phone rang. The moment he saw the caller ID, his face lit up. Without hesitation, he answered the call, paying no mind to his friends around him.
"Hello... What's my little one up to?" Braylon's voice softened instantly. Eryx rolled his eyes, still unaware that Alan was actually Eryx's own child—his flesh and blood. Alex and Revilla exchanged glances, quietly amused by the subtle jealousy unfolding between their friends. Revilla stifled a chuckle.
"Dad... I miss you. When are you coming? Auntie said you'd be here in a few days..." The tiny voice on the other end made Braylon's heart ache. Tears welled up in his eyes. He hadn't been able to spend much time with his son lately. No matter how important his career was, in front of his son, it felt insignificant.
"Just a few more days, little bun... I'll be home soon. Be a good boy, okay?" he said, his voice trembling with emotion. His friends didn't notice the tears he was fighting back. Alan hummed softly in response.
"Alright then... I'm hanging up," Braylon said, and Alan hummed in response once more before the call ended. When he turned around, he realized his friends were staring at him, not even blinking. Their intense gaze made him a bit nervous.
"Why are you guys looking at me like that?" he asked with a nervous chuckle.
"We just didn't expect our friend to be such a good dad," Revilla teased, causing Eryx to grit his teeth. Everything had been fine, but suddenly, something shifted. The thought of Braylon with another woman was enough to unsettle Eryx, making him lose control. Without a word, he stood up and headed for the bathroom.
"What's gotten into him all of a sudden?" Alex asked, confused. Braylon, on the other hand, looked concerned.