Kairo Yuen has spent his entire life in control — of his grades, his image, and his emotions. As the son of a wealthy but strict family, perfection isn’t a choice; it’s a requirement.

But perfection starts to crack the night he meets River Caelum — a free-spirited photography student with a smile like the moonlight and eyes that seem to see right through him.

What begins as an unwanted partnership for a campus project slowly turns into late-night talks, stolen glances, and the terrifying realization that Kairo might finally want something for himself… something his family would never approve of.

But River has his own shadows — secrets hidden under his easy smiles. And when those shadows begin to surface, Kairo must decide: cling to the safety of his perfect life… or risk it all for a love that feels like freedom.

Under the same moon, two hearts will meet — but will they stay in sync when the sun rises?

River had this way of ignoring the walls I'd built, slipping into my space without asking. He'd hum while editing photos on his laptop, ask questions about my favorite places, or randomly hand me his camera and tell me to "just try."


I didn't realize how much I was letting him in until one night, as we were packing up, he said, "You're not what I expected."


"Someone cold. Untouchable. But you're… careful. Like you're afraid one wrong move will make everything fall apart."


His eyes softened. "Not yet. But I want to."


For some reason, I didn't tell him to stop.


Chapter 4 - Chapter 4 – Cracks in the Armor