Ren didn't sleep much.
He lay awake staring at the ceiling, replaying Jun's voice, Jun's smile, Jun's bright eyes following Kai around the office like a sunflower chasing the sun. He kept trying to convince himself it didn't matter, that it was just an intern, that Kai was Kai and nothing could change that.
But jealousy didn't care about logic.
Kai noticed Ren's quietness the next morning, but he assumed it was exhaustion again. He made Ren coffee without mentioning it, ruffled his hair lightly like he always did, and went straight into his morning meeting.
Ren drank the coffee in silence.
By mid-afternoon, the tension started to grow roots.
Jun spent the day bringing files to Kai—files Ren usually handled. And every time Kai thanked him with that gentle, polite tone, something twisted deeper in Ren's chest.
It wasn't Jun's fault.But it wasn't not Jun's fault either.
At one point, Ren walked past Kai's office and found Jun standing beside him again, pointing something out on the tablet. Kai nodded, listening. Jun laughed at something Kai said, leaning closer. Ren's steps faltered.
He had a document to deliver.
He couldn't.Not like this.Not right now.
So he turned around and went straight back to his desk.
He didn't even notice Kai watching him leave.
Later, when Kai finally stepped out for air, he spotted Ren in the break room, staring at the sink like he'd forgotten how water worked.
"You've been avoiding me," Kai said quietly.
Ren jumped slightly, looking over his shoulder. "I'm not."
Kai crossed his arms. "Then look at me."
Ren forced himself to turn around.
Kai frowned. There was something fragile in Ren's eyes—something he didn't understand. Something he didn't even know how to name.
"Did something happen?" Kai asked. "You've been off all day."
Ren's throat tightened. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to say everything. He wanted to say I hate the way Jun looks at you. He wanted to say I'm jealous and I don't know how to deal with it.
Instead, he muttered, "It's nothing. I'm fine."
Kai's jaw tightened. "Ren… you're clearly not fine."
"I said I'm fine," Ren repeated, a little too sharply.
Kai blinked. Ren never snapped. Not like that.
"Okay," Kai said slowly. "Then what's wrong?"
"I told you," Ren bit out, "it's nothing."
Kai's irritation flared. "Ren. Stop brushing me off."
"I'm not brushing you off!"
"Then talk to me!"
The word hit like a whip crack.
Ren flinched.
Kai rarely raised his voice—not at Ren. But today, something inside him was fraying too. He'd had meetings piled up, board pressure, a lingering headache, and now Ren was acting strange without explanation.
"I don't understand what I did," Kai said, trying to control his tone. "You're mad, or upset, or something—and you won't tell me why."
Ren swallowed, eyes shining in a way that made Kai's stomach twist. "It's not about what you did."
"Then what?"
"Kai," Ren whispered, "just drop it."
"No." Kai stepped closer. "You don't get to shut me out like that."
Ren's voice broke. "Then what do you want me to say?!"
Kai froze.
Silence filled the room.
Ren looked exhausted. Emotional. Worn thin. Kai stepped forward, gentler. "I want you to be honest with me."
Ren shook his head. "You won't like it."
"Try me."
Ren hesitated. His hands trembled. "It's… Jun."
Kai blinked. "Jun?"
Ren looked away. "You've been spending a lot of time with him."
Kai frowned. "Ren, he's an intern. I'm supposed to spend time with him."
"I know," Ren whispered. "I know that. I'm trying. But he looks at you like—" His voice cracked, and he stopped.
Kai stiffened. "Like what?"
Ren hugged his arms. "Like he's in love with you."
Kai let out a short, frustrated breath. "Ren… he's just enthusiastic."
Ren's jaw clenched. "And he follows you around the office, and he leans in too close, and he laughs at everything you say—"
"That's what interns do!"
"Not like that!"
Kai finally snapped. "He's doing his job, Ren. Stop making something out of nothing!"
Ren jerked back as if struck.
Kai realized too late that his voice had risen again.
Ren's eyes went wide. Glossy. Hurt. "So I'm… making stuff up? I'm crazy?"
Kai ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "That's not what I said."
"You said stop making something out of nothing."
"Because it is nothing!"
"To you!" Ren shouted, instantly covering his mouth afterward, as if shocked he'd yelled.
Kai stared at him.
Ren never yelled.Ever.
Ren lowered his hand slowly, voice trembling. "To you, it's nothing. But it doesn't feel like nothing to me."
Kai opened his mouth. Closed it.
Ren shook his head, eyes burning. "Jun gets all this attention. He gets your time. Your patience. Your explanations. And I know it's stupid, but I hate it. I hate seeing him get so close to you. I hate it more than I want to admit."
Kai stepped forward. "Ren—"
Ren stepped back immediately.
That hurt Kai more than the words.
"Don't," Ren whispered. "Not right now. Please."
Kai stopped. His chest tightened painfully. "Why are you acting like I did something wrong?"
Ren laughed weakly. "That's the whole problem, Kai. You didn't do anything wrong. Not intentionally."
Kai stared at him, breathing uneven.
Ren wiped at his eyes with the heel of his palm, embarrassed. "You asked what's wrong? That's what's wrong. I feel jealous and stupid and clingy and pathetic, and I don't want you to think less of me for it."
Kai exhaled slowly, tension draining into frustration instead of understanding. "Ren… this is ridiculous."
Ren's face fell entirely.
Kai saw it—saw the hurt, saw the way Ren's heart seemed to fold in on itself—but the words were already out, irreversible.
Ren's voice was barely audible. "Ridiculous."
Kai cursed under his breath. "That's not what I meant."
Ren shook his head. "No. It is."
Kai stepped forward again, reaching for him. "Ren—"
"Don't." Ren stepped back a second time, voice breaking. "Please don't. I can't… I can't talk to you right now."
Kai froze in place, hand slowly dropping to his side.
The silence between them grew heavier.Thicker.Colder.
Ren looked down, swallowing tightly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. I shouldn't have made it a thing. I just… I just need space."
Kai stared, shock and frustration clashing in his expression. "You're walking away from this?"
"I'm trying not to make it worse," Ren whispered.
Kai's jaw clenched. "It's already worse."
Ren's eyes glistened. "I know."
He turned toward the door.
Kai didn't stop him.
He didn't move.
He just watched Ren leave, chest tight, breath stuck, irritation tangled with something he didn't want to name.
When the door closed softly behind Ren, the echo felt like a crack splitting through the air.
Ren walked down the hallway, vision blurring.Kai stayed rooted in place, breathing hard, confused and angry and lost.
And for the first time since the trip…they weren't walking toward each other.
They were walking in opposite directions.