Chapter 13: Rumors in the Air
Lin Yue arrived at the studio to find the atmosphere unusually tense. The crew whispered quietly among themselves, glancing at their phones more than at the sets. His stomach twisted. Something was off.
"Lin Yue, did you see this?" one of the assistants asked, showing him a trending post online.
"Lin Yue distracted on set again… someone close to him influencing his focus? #KritYueShip #DistractedIdol"
Lin Yue groaned, running a hand through his hair. The rival had clearly escalated his efforts — this time, publicly fueling fan speculation and attempting to sow discord.
From across the room, Krit stood silently, tablet in hand, observing the scene with calm precision. His golden eyes scanned Lin Yue, the rival's digital interference, and the buzzing online reactions. Not a word was spoken, yet his presence was a quiet anchor. Lin Yue felt the familiar flutter in his chest — subtle, restrained, but impossible to ignore.
Mei Lin bounded toward him, oblivious to the tension. "Lin Yue! Fans are losing it over you! Look at all these comments — everyone loves seeing you with Krit!" She waved her phone, showing him the flood of shipping messages.
Lin Yue's face burned. "M-Mei Lin… maybe… don't show me all of it?"
She pouted dramatically, teasing. "You can't hide from your fans! And honestly… it's cute how flustered you get."
As Lin Yue tried to steady himself, Krit moved slightly closer, not touching him, but adjusting his stance just enough to subtly shield him from stray glances or prying assistants. The spark between them — small, restrained, almost imperceptible — grew quietly in these moments of shared proximity.
During a rehearsal break, the rival posted another subtle jab online, hinting that Lin Yue's "professionalism was compromised" by people around him. Lin Yue felt his chest tighten at the thought of fans misinterpreting.
Krit leaned just slightly closer, lowering his voice enough for Lin Yue alone to hear. "Ignore it. Focus on your work."
The calm authority in Krit's words, the careful watchfulness, and the slight proximity made Lin Yue's heartbeat quicken. That restrained spark, unspoken and carefully hidden, flared in a way that both excited and terrified him.
Mei Lin, oblivious to the tension between the two men, clapped her hands. "Come on! Let's get back to shooting before Lin Yue melts under all this attention!"
Lin Yue laughed nervously, stealing a glance at Krit, who returned it with the faintest lift of his eyebrow. The unspoken understanding, the quiet protection, and the restrained awareness all combined into something Lin Yue couldn't quite name — yet couldn't ignore.
By the end of the day, the rival's attempts had been largely neutralized, thanks to Krit's silent vigilance. Fans continued to buzz online, shipping #KritYueShip relentlessly, while Mei Lin waved cheerfully, promising more chaos tomorrow.
Lin Yue exhaled, heart still racing. That small, subtle spark , that quiet tension between him and Krit , had grown yet again, threading its way through his day, lingering like an invisible tether he couldn't shake.