CHAPTER 1

MANIAC LOVER

Chapter 1 — The Beginning of Chaos

Bangkok was loud tonight.

Music thundered through the walls of the nightclub while colorful lights swept across the crowded dance floor. Laughter, shouting, and the clinking of glasses blended together into a chaotic rhythm.

Some people came to the club to dance.

Some came to drink.

Dean Phatcharaphon Suthirak came to entertain himself.

Leaning casually against the bar, Dean swirled the wine in his glass and watched the room with relaxed amusement.

His phone buzzed again.

Another message.

Dean glanced at it and chuckled softly.

Unknown number.

“Hi Dean, remember me from the party last week?”

Dean typed back immediately.

“Of course I remember.”

He absolutely did not.

Across from him, Niran Chaiyaporn sighed.

“You replied again.”

Dean didn’t even look up from his phone.

“It's rude to ignore people.”

Niran gave him a flat look.

“You don’t ignore anyone.”

“That’s because everyone deserves attention.”

“You flirt with everyone.”

Dean finally looked up, smiling lazily.

“And people seem happy about it.”

That part was true.

Dean had always been like this.

Friendly. Charming. Playful.

A natural flirt who treated conversations like a game.

Girls liked him.

Guys liked him.

Dean liked the reactions.

But Niran knew something most people didn’t.

Dean flirted easily…

but never stayed long enough for anything serious.

Niran leaned back in his chair and glanced across the club.

Two people sat at a table near the quieter side of the room.

One of them looked relaxed, casually sipping his drink.

The other sat straight, his sharp eyes scanning the room like he didn’t trust anything around him.

Niran’s gaze lingered on the relaxed one.

Punn.

Dean noticed where his friend was looking.

“Oh?”

He followed Niran’s line of sight.

“Someone caught your attention.”

Niran looked away quickly.

“Don’t start.”

Dean grinned.

“You like him.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

Dean rested his chin on his hand.

“So who are they?”

Niran hesitated before answering.

“The one in the black shirt is Punn.”

Dean nodded slowly.

“And the human security camera next to him?”

“Mok.”

Dean studied the man.

Mok Thanawat.

Even sitting in a noisy club, he looked completely out of place.

Calm.

Serious.

Sharp.

While everyone else was relaxed, Mok’s posture remained straight and controlled.

Like he was analyzing everything around him.

Dean smiled slightly.

Interesting.

Niran sighed quietly.

“The problem isn’t Punn.”

Dean raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“The problem is Mok.”

Dean turned his head toward him.

“Explain.”

Niran rubbed his temples.

“Punn likes Mok.”

Dean blinked.

“Ah.”

“But Mok doesn’t like him that way.”

Dean glanced back at the table.

Punn looked comfortable talking.

Mok looked… unreadable.

“So what’s the issue?”

“Mok doesn’t want to hurt him.”

Dean hummed thoughtfully.

“So he just pretends not to notice?”

“Something like that.”

Dean tilted his head.

“That sounds complicated.”

“It is.”

Niran looked back at Mok again.

“I want Punn to move on.”

Dean’s eyebrow lifted.

“You’re very generous toward your romantic rival.”

Niran ignored the comment.

“If Punn sees Mok interested in someone else, he’ll probably give up.”

Dean slowly turned toward him.

“Ah.”

Now he understood.

“You want Mok to date someone.”

“Or at least flirt with someone.”

Dean leaned back in his chair.

“And Mok agreed to this?”

“Reluctantly.”

Dean chuckled.

“Let me guess. He couldn’t find anyone.”

“Exactly.”

Dean looked across the room again.

The cold AI engineer didn’t seem like someone who enjoyed flirting.

Then Niran suddenly looked at him.

Which made Dean nervous immediately.

“No.”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“You don’t need to.”

Niran leaned forward calmly.

“You flirt with everyone.”

“That’s not an argument.”

“Try flirting with Mok.”

Dean almost laughed.

“You’re joking.”

“I’m serious.”

Dean stared at him.

“That guy looks like he’d report me to the police for harassment.”

Niran smiled slightly.

“You like challenges.”

Dean glanced toward Mok again.

The man looked completely uninterested in the club atmosphere.

Cold.

Controlled.

Untouchable.

Dean felt curiosity spark in his chest.

“Well…”

He murmured slowly.

“That might actually be fun.”

Niran raised an eyebrow.

“Are you considering it?”

Dean picked up his glass and stood up.

“I always help my friends.”

Niran watched him suspiciously.

“That sounded too easy.”

Dean winked.

“Relax.”

Then he glanced at Mok one more time.

“I’m just going to say hello.”

Across the room, Mok looked up slightly as if sensing something.

Their eyes met for the first time.

Dean smiled.

Mok’s expression didn’t change at all.

No reaction.

No interest.

Nothing.

Dean’s smile widened.

Oh.

That was new.

Most people reacted immediately to him.

But Mok simply looked away like Dean didn’t exist.

Dean chuckled softly.

Now that…

was interesting.

Very interesting.

And without realizing it, Mok Thanawat had just become the most fascinating problem Dean had encountered in a very long time.

DEAN - TOP

MOK - BOTTOM

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