The evening air was thick with tension as Harit confronted Jun in the quiet courtyard. Lanterns flickered, casting long shadows over the stone paths.
"Why didn't you answer me?" Harit demanded, voice sharp, eyes narrowing. "After… everything?"
Jun ran a hand through his hair, expression conflicted. "When I'm saving…" he began slowly, "…I lose my powers. Completely. And I thought… I thought you only wanted *my power*, not me. That's why I didn't answer."
Harit's chest tightened. His mind swirled with confusion, frustration, and a sudden pang of guilt. "You… you actually cared?"
Jun stepped closer, a dangerous softness in his eyes, and leaned in, lips brushing toward Harit's.
Harit recoiled instinctively, anger flaring. "Don't. Don't *ever* try that." His voice was low, controlled, but edged with fury.
Jun froze, caught between desire and hurt. "I… I just wanted you to understand."
"I *understand* plenty," Harit snapped, fists clenching. "Just don't think a kiss fixes everything. It doesn't."
Jun swallowed hard, his carefully constructed composure cracking. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension.
Harit turned, leaving Jun standing alone, his expression unreadable, but the spark of anger and betrayal still glowing bright.
"You kissed Ren!" Jun suddenly shouted, his voice cracking across the stone paths. "But… why didn't you kiss me? Huh? Was it… was it because you don't want me?"
Harit turned his gaze toward Jun, his expression soft but serious. "It's not what you think," he said quietly, the words carrying both calm and weight. "I… I didn't kiss you because I just… I wanted some feelings to be clear. Nothing more. Nothing less."
Jun's jaw tightened, and a flash of anger crossed his face. "Feelings? You're telling me feelings are more important than… than this?" He gestured vaguely between them, frustration and jealousy tangled in every movement.
Harit stepped closer, his voice steady but soft. "Yes. Feelings matter, Jun. And if I kissed you just because… just to appease you… it wouldn't mean anything. It wouldn't be real. You have to understand that."
Jun's face flushed, a mix of anger and hurt twisting his features. "So… I'm not enough?" he asked, his voice low but trembling.
Harit shook his head gently. "It's not about you not being enough. It's about me knowing what I feel, what I want, and what I can give. I can't force myself to feel something just because you want me to."
Jun's fists clenched, his temper flaring. "So… it's him. Ren, isn't it? You want Ren." The words came out harsher than he intended.
Harit exhaled, holding Jun's gaze. "Yes. Ren makes me… think differently. He makes me feel in ways I can't explain. But that doesn't make me careless or cruel toward you. I just… can't be the person you think I am."
Jun's shoulders sagged slightly, but his anger didn't fade entirely. "So, you're rejecting me… because of him."
Harit's voice softened, almost a whisper. "I'm not rejecting you, Jun. I'm just… being honest. I can't fake what isn't there. I can't give you what I don't feel."
Jun looked away, fists unclenching but his chest still tight. Silence stretched between them, heavy and charged, until Harit finally stepped back, giving him space.
"I hope you understand," Harit said quietly, his gaze unwavering. "I don't want to hurt you… but I won't lie to myself or to you."
Jun's eyes narrowed, and though the anger lingered, there was a grudging recognition in his expression. "You're… impossible," he muttered, half in frustration, half in awe.
Harit allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Maybe. But I'm honest."
Jun's lips pressed into a thin line, and he finally let out a long breath, the fire of his anger cooling slightly. The tension remained, unresolved, but for the first time, there was no shouting, no accusations only the quiet weight of truth hanging between them.
Harit turned and walked away, calm, controlled, leaving Jun standing in the courtyard, furious, frustrated, and yet… strangely aware that no outburst or scheme could change what Harit felt or didn't feel.
The sunlight shifted, casting long shadows over the courtyard, mirroring the distance and complexities now between them. And somewhere beyond the stone walls, Ren and his laughter echoed faintly, a reminder of what had started this storm of jealousy and truth.
---
On Set – Ren and Khem
The studio buzzed with quiet energy, sunlight streaming through the tall windows, illuminating the scattered equipment. Cameras, tripods, and lighting rigs littered the floor, but Ren moved through it all with ease, adjusting angles, checking focus, and giving quiet instructions to Bom and Anurak, who were fiddling with the lights.
"Khem, can you hold still for a moment?" Ren called, adjusting the lens on his camera.
Khem, leaning casually against a table, raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes curious. "Hold still? I'm not exactly a model, you know."
Ren chuckled softly, lowering the camera to meet his gaze. "You're fine. Just stand there naturally. I'm trying to catch the light hitting the side of your face perfectly."
Khem tilted his head, an amused smile tugging at his lips. "You really notice everything, don't you?"
Ren shrugged lightly, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "It's part of the job. Part of who I am, I guess. I notice people… moments. Things that matter."
Khem took a small step closer, folding his arms casually. "Even me?"
Ren's lips quirked into a small smile. "Especially you," he said, though his voice was light, careful.
Khem's eyes softened, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "I didn't expect that. Honestly… I don't usually meet people like you. Someone who notices… like that." He paused, glancing at the camera, then back at Ren. "I feel like… I don't know, I'm seeing you clearly, even though we just met."
Ren adjusted the camera strap over his shoulder, pretending to focus on the lighting but secretly noticing how Khem's gaze lingered on him. "You'll probably ruin my shot if you keep staring like that," he said teasingly.
Khem chuckled, shaking his head. "I guess I don't care about the shot. You're… distracting."
Ren blinked, startled by the honesty, then laughed softly. "Distracting? I'm just doing my job."
"You do more than that," Khem said quietly, stepping a fraction closer. "You make it… easy to want to watch you, even when I shouldn't."
Ren glanced at him, a mixture of surprise and amusement in his expression. "Careful, Khem. You might be flirting without realizing it."
Khem smiled faintly, a warmth in his gaze. "Maybe I am. Maybe I just… can't help it."
Ren shook his head, laughing lightly. "You're impossible. But alright, hold that pose for a second more." He raised the camera again, capturing a fleeting moment—the sunlight catching Khem's features, a subtle tension in the way he held himself, the faint curiosity and interest that lingered in his eyes.
When Ren finally lowered the camera, Khem's expression softened, his voice low and gentle. "So… after this, do you want to grab a coffee? I'd like to hear more about how you see things… and maybe about you too."
Ren smiled faintly, a small warmth spreading through his chest. "Coffee sounds good. But let's not get ahead of ourselves."
Khem's grin didn't fade. "Maybe not. But I think I can wait."
For a brief moment, the clatter of the film set, the lights, and the cameras all faded into the background. Between Ren and Khem, something quiet, unspoken, and undeniably real had begun to take root.