Chapter 20: The Weight of Silence
The morning sunlight crept through the blinds, falling across Lin Yue's face. The room was too quiet, too heavy. The air between them still carried the taste of last night , unspoken, trembling, fragile.
Krit stood by the window, his duffel bag slung over one shoulder. He looked at Lin Yue sleeping, peaceful yet exhausted. For a moment, he wished he could freeze time, stay in this stillness where no one judged them, where no headlines screamed their names.
But the world outside wasn't kind.
The phone on the bedside table buzzed again , messages, notifications, another storm of news. Lin Yue stirred awake, his eyes immediately finding Krit.
"You're leaving again," he said quietly. It wasn't a question.
Krit nodded, his jaw tightening. "Your manager said it's better I lay low. Until things calm down."
Lin Yue sat up, his voice trembling. "So, you're just walking away again? After everything?"
Krit turned around. "You know I can't stay. The more they see me, the more they'll attack you. I can handle myself—but you—"
"I'm not weak, Krit!" Lin Yue snapped, his voice cracking. "I'm tired of hiding how I feel, tired of pretending none of this matters!"
For a long second, neither spoke. Only the faint hum of the air conditioner filled the silence.
Finally, Krit stepped closer, lowering his voice. "It matters to me more than anything, Lin Yue. But sometimes… love isn't enough to fight the world."
Lin Yue looked at him, heart breaking at how calm his voice sounded. As if he'd already accepted the distance between them.
He wanted to say something—anything—but his throat felt dry. Instead, he stood up, walked over, and placed something in Krit's hand. A small silver pendant with a single star.
"It's for protection," Lin Yue said softly. "Even if you're not beside me, carry it. So I'll know you're safe."
Krit hesitated, then closed his fingers around it. His chest ached as he met Lin Yue's teary gaze. "I'll come back," he said finally, though he didn't know when—or if—he could.
As the door shut behind Krit, Lin Yue sank to the floor, the silence pressing around him like a weight. His reflection in the mirror looked almost unfamiliar—a man learning that fame could take everything, even love.
Outside, Krit looked up at the rising sun. He touched the pendant, whispering under his breath, "I'll protect you… even from myself."