Chapter 15: The First Spark
The evening light filtered softly through the studio windows, casting long shadows across the set. Lin Yue leaned against a prop table, exhausted from a day full of rehearsals, livestreams, and fan chaos. He was drained, but the quiet of the moment felt… almost intimate.
Mei Lin bounced in, a burst of energy as usual. "Last shot for the day! Don't make me wait!" she chirped, waving at the crew. Lin Yue gave a tired smile, nodding as he straightened his posture.
Wei Jun appeared beside him, clipboard in hand. "Lin Yue, you're handling this better than I expected. Keep it steady, okay?" His smirk hinted that he knew more than he let on. Lin Yue chuckled softly, grateful for his presence.
Across the set, Krit adjusted lighting, his golden eyes scanning every detail. There was a quiet intensity about him — focused, professional — but Lin Yue noticed something else tonight. Something unspoken, a subtle awareness that followed him in every glance, every movement.
As the crew hustled to set the last props, Lin Yue tripped slightly on a loose cord. Before he could catch himself, strong hands steadied him.
Krit.
"Careful," he murmured, voice low, calm, yet carrying a weight that made Lin Yue's chest tighten. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them — the ambient studio noise fading into insignificance.
Lin Yue swallowed, aware of how close Krit was, how warm his hand felt on his arm, how steady he was. "Th-thank you," he managed, voice barely above a whisper.
Krit's gaze didn't waver. "Focus," he said softly, almost a command, almost a reassurance. The tone sent a shiver through Lin Yue — the kind that had nothing to do with danger and everything to do with attention, presence, and care.
Fans had been buzzing online all day, shipping them relentlessly, but now, in this quiet, private moment, none of it mattered. It wasn't about ships or posts. It was just… Krit.
The fluster Lin Yue felt wasn't from embarrassment this time. It was anticipation. Something unspoken simmered between them — small, restrained, electric.
"I…" Lin Yue hesitated, words failing him. His heart pounded as he noticed the faint lift of Krit's brow, the slight tilt of his head, the subtle way he leaned closer without crossing a line.
Before he could think further, a soft brush of Krit's hand against his fingers sent a jolt through him. They froze, both aware of the space shrinking between them.
"I… should go check the last setup," Lin Yue whispered, trying to step back, but he didn't move fast enough. Krit's hand brushed his again, just lightly, holding him in place — patient, measured, and impossibly intimate.
The silence stretched, neither speaking, each aware of the slow, impossible tension binding them. Lin Yue's mind raced — all the moments leading up to this, the subtle glances, the sparks of protection, the quiet awareness. It all converged into this one fragile, undeniable feeling.
And then, slowly, deliberately, Krit leaned closer. Lin Yue's breath caught as their lips met, soft at first, tentative, as if testing the boundaries. The world didn't explode; there were no dramatic fireworks, just the quiet intensity of the moment, the restrained emotion that had been building for weeks.
Lin Yue's eyes fluttered closed, heart hammering. The kiss was brief, measured, but it carried everything unspoken: care, attraction, trust, and the spark that had quietly grown between them.
When they parted, Lin Yue's cheeks burned, his chest tight with emotion. Krit's golden eyes met his, unreadable yet intense, before Krit finally stepped back, giving Lin Yue space while maintaining a watchful, protective stance.
Mei Lin's voice echoed from the other side of the set, oblivious to the tension. "You two taking a break or something? We still have shots to finish!"
Lin Yue blinked, reality rushing back. He looked at Krit, who gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile before returning to work. That spark — emotional, restrained, and deeply personal — lingered between them, unspoken but impossible to ignore.
Wei Jun, peeking around the corner, smirked knowingly. "Finally," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head at how long it had taken.
By the end of the night, Lin Yue realized something undeniable: that spark — small, quiet, and personal — had ignited into something real. And with Krit by his side, he had a sense of safety, warmth, and something more that he couldn't yet name.