ONE NIGHT

III

---

The next morning starts off with a sense of optimism. Fourth and I navigate the day with newfound confidence in our relationship, even if it's still a secret from the rest of our friends. However, just as things seem to be settling, an unexpected turn of events brings tension into our lives.

After breakfast, the staff gathers everyone in the living room to announce a surprise challenge for the day. They explain that we'll be split into teams to compete in a series of games, with the winning team getting a special prize. The teams are randomly assigned, and as luck would have it, Fourth and I end up on separate teams.

The games start off light-hearted and fun, but as the competition heats up, so do the tensions. During one of the physical challenges, Fourth takes a hard fall. He tries to laugh it off, but I can see the pain in his eyes. My heart clenches, wanting to rush to his side, but the game continues, and I have to stay focused.

After the challenge, I finally get a chance to check on him. "Are you okay?" I ask, my voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine, Gem," he says, though I can tell he's hurting. "It's just a bruise."

We manage to steal a few moments alone during a break. "Let me see," I insist, gently examining his injury. "You should rest. You're pushing yourself too hard."

He gives me a small smile. "I'll be okay. Don't worry about me."

Despite his reassurance, I can't shake the worry. Throughout the day, I keep an eye on him, making sure he's not overexerting himself.

Later that evening, as we're wrapping up the last challenge, P'Off notices Fourth's discomfort. "Fourth, you don't look so good. Maybe you should sit this one out."

Fourth, stubborn as ever, shakes his head. "I'm fine, really. I don't want to let the team down."

P'Off frowns but doesn't press further. As the final game begins, I feel a sense of unease. The challenge is more physically demanding than the others, and I can see Fourth struggling.

When the game ends, and we finally get a moment to breathe, Fourth pulls me aside. "Gem, I need to talk to you."

I can see the seriousness in his eyes and nod, leading him to a quieter spot away from the others. "What's going on?"

He takes a deep breath. "I know you care about me, and I care about you too. But this—" he gestures to his injury, "—isn't just about the games. It's about us."

"What do you mean?" I ask, my heart racing.

"I love you, Gem, but I can't help feeling like a burden. I don't want you to feel like you have to take care of me all the time. This is supposed to be a fun event, but I feel like I'm holding you back."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Fourth, you're not a burden. I care about you, and I want to be there for you, no matter what."

"I know," he says softly, "but I need to feel like I can stand on my own two feet too. This injury... it's just a bruise, but it makes me feel weak. I don't want you to see me that way."

I take his hands in mine, looking him in the eyes. "Fourth, loving someone means being there for them, through the good times and the bad. I don't see you as weak. I see you as someone who's strong enough to be vulnerable with me. And that means everything."

He looks at me, tears welling up again. "I don't want to lose you, Gem."

"You won't," I assure him. "We'll face whatever comes together. You're not alone in this."

As we embrace, I feel the weight of the day's tension lift. We may have challenges ahead, but we're stronger together.

---

The following days are a whirlwind of activities and recording sessions. Fourth's injury seems to improve, and he insists on participating fully, though I still keep a close watch on him. Just when it feels like we've found our footing again, a new challenge arises, testing our relationship even further.

One afternoon, as we're getting ready for another recording session, I overhear a conversation between P'Off and Phuwin. They're talking in hushed tones, but I catch snippets of their conversation.

"...saw them together last night," P'Off says, his voice laced with curiosity.

"Yeah, they seemed pretty close," Phuwin replies. "Do you think there's something going on between them?"

My heart skips a beat. Are they talking about Fourth and me? The thought of our friends finding out about our relationship fills me with both fear and anticipation. I step closer, trying to hear more without being noticed.

P'Off continues, "If there is, they should just be honest. We're all friends here. No need to keep secrets."

Phuwin nods. "True, but you know how things can get complicated."

I quickly move away before they notice me, my mind racing. Should we come clean to our friends? Or should we keep our relationship a secret a little longer? The uncertainty gnaws at me.

That evening, I bring it up with Fourth while we're alone. "I overheard P'Off and Phuwin talking today. They might suspect something between us."

Fourth looks worried. "What did they say?"

"They think we should be honest if there's something going on. But they also mentioned things could get complicated."

Fourth sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Gem, I don't want to hide our relationship, but I'm scared. What if they don't accept us? What if it changes everything?"

I take his hand, squeezing it gently. "I understand. I'm scared too. But we can't keep pretending forever. Maybe we should tell them, together."

He nods slowly. "Okay. We'll do it together."

The next day, we gather our friends in the living room. My heart pounds as we prepare to share our secret. P'Off, Phuwin, P'Tay, and the others look at us expectantly.

"There's something we need to tell you," I begin, my voice trembling slightly. "Fourth and I... we're more than just friends."

Fourth steps in, his voice steadier than mine. "We didn't plan for this to happen, but it did. We've been trying to figure things out, and we realized that we care about each other deeply."

There's a moment of stunned silence, and I hold my breath, waiting for their reactions.

P'Off is the first to speak, a smile spreading across his face. "I'm happy for you guys. It takes a lot of courage to be honest about your feelings."

Phuwin nods in agreement. "Yeah, we're all friends here. We support you."

P'Tay grins, clapping us on the back. "About time you two figured it out."

Relief floods through me, and I feel Fourth relax beside me. Our friends' acceptance means the world to us.

But just as we start to breathe easier, a new challenge emerges. One of the staff members approaches us, looking concerned. "Sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem."

We follow her to the control room, where we see the footage from the previous night's recording. To our shock, there's a brief moment where Fourth and I are seen kissing in the background, unnoticed by everyone else.

"Someone leaked this footage online," the staff member explains. "It's already spreading."

Panic sets in. The last thing we wanted was for our private moment to become public. Our relationship was just starting to blossom, and now it feels like we're under a microscope.

"We need to address this," I say, my voice shaky. "We can't let this get out of hand."

Fourth nods, determination in his eyes. "We'll face it together, Gem. No more hiding."

We gather our friends again, explaining the situation. They're supportive, offering to help us handle the fallout. Together, we draft a statement, addressing the leak and affirming our relationship.

As we navigate this new challenge, I realize that while the road ahead may be filled with obstacles, we have a strong support system and each other. And no matter what comes our way, we'll face it together.

---

This is long longggg lol.