Chapter 2 — The Man in the Rain
The rain continued to fall without a break.
The mountain road was wet and slippery, making it difficult to see clearly. Kim slowly reduced the speed of his motorcycle as he spotted a large wooden sign beside the road.
Sana Vans Coffee Plantation
"We're here..."
Kim let out a soft sigh.
This was his new workplace.
A coffee plantation high in the mountains, several hours away from the city.
He parked his motorcycle beneath a wooden shelter, removed his helmet, and shook the rainwater from his jacket.
His phone vibrated inside his pocket.
Buzz!
A message from his mother appeared on the screen.
Let me know when you get to work, dear. And don't forget to eat.
Kim smiled.
"Okay, Mom."
He was about to put his phone away when the sound of a car engine came from behind him.
Vroom...
A large black car pulled up in front of the office.
The door opened.
A man stepped out.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit.
His leather shoes were slightly wet from the rain.
His features were sharp, and his expression was unreadable.
Kim stopped and stared at him without realizing it.
There was something about this man...
He didn't look like an ordinary coffee plantation owner at all.
The man walked past him without paying any attention.
"Excuse me!"
Kim called out.
The man stopped.
But he didn't turn around immediately.
"Yes?"
His deep voice made Kim hesitate.
"I... I'm here to report for work. Today is my first day."
Than finally turned around.
His sharp eyes slowly scanned Kim from head to toe.
A white shirt.
Dark trousers.
Thin-framed glasses.
And a laptop bag soaked by the rain.
A new employee?
Than raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Name?"
"Kim. Kim Kimhan Wattanacharoenkitchara."
The moment Than heard the surname...
His expression changed for the briefest second.
Wattanacharoenkitchara.
The same surname he had seen in the documents the night before.
But Than showed nothing.
"What position?"
"Management and accounting."
"Follow me."
"Excuse me?"
Than walked past him.
"If you're going to work here, you need to know the rules."
"What rules?"
Than stopped walking.
He turned around.
Only a few steps separated them.
"First..."
He looked directly into Kim's eyes.
"Don't go into the warehouse in the back without permission."
Kim frowned.
"Why?"
"Because it's not a place for you."
Than's voice grew colder.
"But I work in management. If there are documents or inventory records—"
"I said no."
Silence fell between them.
Kim stared at him in confusion.
"Okay..."
Than turned and continued walking.
But after taking a few steps, he stopped again.
Without turning around, he said,
"One more thing."
"Yes?"
"Don't stay here after sunset."
Kim stared at his back.
"Why?"
Than finally turned around.
His eyes were cold.
"Because someone broke into the warehouse last night."
Kim's heart skipped a beat.
"Last night?"
Than didn't answer.
He simply walked away and disappeared into the building.
Kim remained standing in the rain.
Something about this place felt wrong.
And the man who owned it...
was even more mysterious.
Inside the Office
"You're Kim Kimhan?"
A young man's voice came from behind him.
Kim turned around.
A tall man wearing a dark shirt was standing there.
"Yes."
"My name is Tai. I'm Mr. Than's assistant."
Tai studied Kim for a moment before asking quietly,
"Have you met Mr. Than before?"
"No. Today was the first time."
Tai fell silent.
"Is that so...?"
"Is something wrong?"
"Nothing."
Tai forced a smile.
"Welcome to Sana Vans."
But inside, his mind was filled with questions.
Why had this man appeared today?
And more importantly...
Why had Mr. Than's expression changed the moment he heard Kim's surname?
Later That Night
After all the workers had left, the coffee plantation fell silent.
The rain had finally begun to ease.
A man wearing a black jacket stepped out from the shadows.
He looked toward the warehouse.
Then he pulled out his phone.
"I found him."
A voice came from the other end.
"Who?"
The man replied,
"The son of Wattanacharoenkitchara."
There was a long silence.
Then a cold laugh came through the phone.
"At last... he's back."
The call ended.
The man looked toward the office building.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"The game has only just begun."