Chapter 1: A Watchful Presence
Lin Yue finally stepped into his penthouse, dragging his feet from exhaustion. The city below never slept , neon lights flickered along the streets, horns honked, and distant chatter floated up from night wanderers. But inside, the apartment was still, almost eerily so.
He dropped his bag on the couch and ran a hand through his dark hair. Normally, he relished the quiet after a long day of fan events, rehearsals, and interviews. Tonight, though, the calm felt different, heavier, like the air itself had weight.
A knock at the door broke his thoughts.
"Krit," he said, trying to keep his voice even.
The door opened. And then he saw him.
Krit stepped in with quiet confidence, tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in black from head to toe, every movement precise and measured. His dark hair was neat, his eyes golden and sharp, scanning the room with a careful thoroughness that made Lin Yue's chest tighten in an unfamiliar way. He didn't smile, didn't speak more than necessary, yet his presence filled the room, commanding attention without effort.
"You should rest, Mr. Lin," Krit said in a calm, even tone. "Tomorrow's schedule starts at six. The agency requested twenty-four-hour protection. I'll be in the guest room."
Lin Yue nodded. "Right… I appreciate it."
Even saying it aloud made him feel slightly foolish. Krit was supposed to be just a bodyguard, professional, detached. And yet, something about him made Lin Yue's stomach flip, a strange flutter he didn't understand. His eyes lingered for a moment longer than he should have, noting the way Krit's gaze swept the apartment, alert, calculating, unshakably calm.
It wasn't a full-blown crush, not yet. Just… a spark. A flicker of curiosity. Something about Krit felt magnetic, compelling him to notice, to watch, to wonder. Lin Yue immediately shook it off. Professional. Keep it professional.
Krit gave a single nod and moved toward the guest room. Every step was deliberate, confident, and precise , as if the air itself obeyed him. Lin Yue couldn't help but notice the subtle strength in his frame, the way he seemed ready for anything without seeming tense. The man was a paradox: still, quiet, and completely capable of action.
After Krit disappeared down the hallway, Lin Yue went about his usual routine. He checked social media, replied to a few fan messages, and reviewed the script for tomorrow's shoot. But his gaze kept drifting to the guest room door. He found himself imagining Krit standing silently, alert, scanning for threats only Lin Yue couldn't see. His chest tightened again — that small, inexplicable spark refusing to fade.
Dinner was reheated leftovers, barely touched. Even eating felt automatic. His mind kept circling back to Krit, to the precision in his movements, the sharpness in his eyes, the subtle authority that made it impossible not to notice him.
Later, Lin Yue wandered to the window, looking down at the streets below. The city lights painted streaks of color across the room, reflecting off glass surfaces and the polished floor. Cars drove past, their engines humming, and for a brief moment, Lin Yue imagined Krit somewhere out there, watching, assessing, protecting.
He shivered — not from fear, but from something he didn't understand. Curiosity? Fascination? Maybe the faint stirrings of attraction, small and confusing, but undeniably present.
He climbed into bed, pulling the covers close, staring at the colored patterns across the ceiling. The apartment was quiet, calm, safe. And yet he couldn't shake the thought that it was about to change.
"Who are you really, Krit?" he whispered into the room.
Lin Yue didn't realize it yet, but the man now living in the guest room, the man who moved with silent authority and radiated control, would come to occupy more than just the space of his apartment. He would occupy his attention, his curiosity… and eventually, his heart.