Kieran didn't dream that night. Or maybe he did and just couldn't remember. All he knew was that when he woke up, there was an odd heaviness in his chest—something pressing down on him, like the weight of an unfinished thought.
Why? he thought.
Caelum had left hours ago, but his presence lingered. The scent of his cologne still clung to the air. The sound of his laughter still echoed somewhere deep in Kieran's mind. But something was off. It was just... off.
That phone call. The one Caelum refused to talk about. The way his entire demeanor had changed.
Kieran wasn't stupid. He had built a company from the ground up, learned how to read people, how to predict them. And yet, he couldn't predict Caelum. It was too difficult. He was too different.
He picked up his phone, staring at the last message Caelum had sent before leaving.
"Sleep well, boss. I'll see you soon."
See me soon? What does he mean?
It sounded normal. Too normal. And for some reason, that bothered him more than anything else.
Kieran is at work, but Caelum is not around. He didn't call in sick. What could have happened? He had never texted Caelum first, but he had to.
"Where are you?" Kieran texted.
Caelum didn't reply. It was left there.
"I thought Caelum would stay with me forever," he cried silently.
"What is happening to me?" he asked himself.
Tears rolled down his cheek—he was very confused.
He kept checking his phone every few minutes.
"What am I becoming?" he kept asking himself.
Work wasn't like before. The light Caelum brought was dying. He didn't want it to die. He texted once more. Before he realized it, he had texted six times.
Caelum still didn't reply.
Kieran drove to work today, and it was time to leave. All activities for the day were postponed. He wasn't in the right state of mind to attend to anyone. He only came to work to see Caelum—and he didn't show up.
It was past work hours, and Kieran waited a few more hours for him—but nothing. Caelum still didn't show up.
It was 10:13 p.m., and Kieran walked out of his office. He was strolling out, dragging his feet.
"Am I missing him? Why?"
It was questionable. He's at his car now and sees a shadow behind him.
It's Caelum.
Kieran rushed to hug him.
"Did you miss me?" Caelum asked while hugging him back.
"Do I still call you boss?"
Kieran didn't answer. He was just glad he was in his arms.
It was a relief.
Caelum was fine.
While he hugged him, he saw a bloodstain on his shirt.
"Blood?! Why's there blood on his shirt? Was he in a fight?" Kieran thought.
He didn't ask, though. He was scared.
It's probably just ketchup.
It had to be.
Caelum drove, and Kieran stayed quiet. It was very quiet.
"What's wrong, darling?" Caelum asked.
Kieran answered, "Nothing. It's nothing."
He parked the car.
"I didn't come today because I had so much to do. My mom's sick, and I had to stay with her. I would have called, but I thought you'd be busy with work and—"
"Why didn't you answer my texts then?" Kieran asked, interrupting him.
Caelum was smiling so hard and asked, "So you texted? You missed me that much?"
Kieran avoided eye contact and stood his ground.
Why didn't he respond to my text earlier?
Caelum hugged him again and whispered in his ear,
"I told you I'll never leave, so stop doubting me."
Kieran hadn't heard him talk like that before.
What's going on?
Why's Caelum different?
They're home, and Kieran tried telling him goodbye, but Caelum comes down from the car, looking at him with blank eyes.
"What happened in just one day?" he thought.
They move to the door—
"Won't you welcome me in?" Caelum says.
But Kieran is scared to let him in, so he lets himself in—and pulls Kieran in too.
"Make yourself at home while I go freshen up," Kieran said as he walked away.
He didn't want to be close to him. Not after what he saw.
He walks to his room to change into a towel and have his bath when Caelum knocks on his door.
"Can I come in?" he says.
Why not? It's totally fine for him to see me shirtless, he thought.
It wasn't fine.
He had to put on a vest—exposing his well-defined arms and the sides of his tanned chest.
Caelum walks in and just stares at him, requesting he keep changing.
"Keep changing. Don't make this weird for both of us. I just want to be close to you..."
Caelum kept saying things like that, so Kieran eventually agreed.
He took off his shirt and changed to a towel while Caelum watched.
He was marveled by how graceful Kieran was.
Kieran walks into the shower and takes off his towel when he hears the door open behind him.
"Caelum is in here," he thought.
"I felt lonely outside, boss," he said while smiling.
Kieran burst out laughing. This was somehow funny to him.
He gave Caelum distance while they both showered.
They're out, and it's time to eat. Caelum offered to cook, and Kieran agreed.
He had a lot of leftover paperwork from the office today, so he went straight to it and didn't argue.
Caelum cooked and Kieran worked.
They had dinner, and it was time for bed.
It was a quiet meal.
Kieran hadn't forgotten about the bloodstain and the sudden change in character.
Something was very off about Caelum.
They're done eating, and Kieran shows Caelum to his bedroom, where he'll be spending the week, and he walks to his room where he planned to finish up work.
He pays no attention to Caelum while walking back, and Caelum follows him.
He tries to lock his door when Caelum walks in also.
Kieran is getting annoyed.
"Are you a kid? Why're you following me around?" he asks Caelum.
Caelum pays no attention and walks over to Kieran's bed, giving him a signal with his hands for him to lie down.
Caelum had left a text for the workers: Kieran and he won't be coming to work for a week.
Kieran sighs—his body is beginning to give up on him—yet he's uneasy.
He looks at Caelum, expecting reassurance, but his expression is unreadable still.
Exhaustion wins, and he eventually closes his eyes.
Caelum holds him tight. His voice is barely a breath.
"I'll never leave you, no matter what they do to me... never. Not even in death."
And kisses his lips.
Kieran isn't fully awake, but the words manage to sink into his dreams, sending a shiver through him.
But Caelum holds him even tighter and pulls him closer.
"Sleep, my darling," Caelum whispers, his lips brushing Kieran's ear.
His grip tightens—too tight. Not enough to hurt his darling. Just enough to hold.
Kieran's breath stutters.
The room feels smaller.
The air heavier.
Why?
This is wrong.
But exhaustion pulls him under anyway, leaving tears in his eyes.
This makes Caelum's hold feel possessive—almost like he's keeping Kieran there.
Kieran wakes up and his phone buzzes—just a single message:
"See you soon, boss."
Too normal.
Again.
Kieran stares at the screen, heart pounding.
Something isn't right. Everything feels wrong.
"What is happening to Caelum?" he thought.