Noah had always known that his world and Kai's barely touched—two parallel lines never meant to meet. But when Shiphier's words hit him like a dagger, those unspoken insecurities surfaced, gnawing at him from the inside.
"You should leave Kai for good," she had said, her voice dripping with superiority. "Idols don't date commoners like you. It's not meant to last."
Noah had laughed it off in front of her, masking the sting of her words with his usual indifference. But later, when he lay beside Kai that night, staring at the ceiling while Kai's slow, even breaths filled the quiet space, the doubts refused to leave. Maybe Shiphier was right. Maybe Noah was holding Kai back. Maybe he was nothing but a temporary distraction in Kai's dazzling world.
