Crystal Boundaries

I. The Line We Crossed

Crowds screaming their idol's names and jumping to the beat of their music while water splashes everywhere as they get wet from head to toe without a care in the world is a common sight during the 3-day-long celebration of the water festival held all across the country on the 4th month of each calendar year. Tonight, like any other annual celebration of such festivities, a stage has been set up in an open space in one of the famous places commonly used for music festivals in the country as different artists sing some hit songs. Men and women alike jump to the beat as they scream their hearts out while watching the artists perform on stage, livening up the place.

"Sing with us," Net, one of the performers, said in a hurry in between the lyrics of the song before he proceeded to sing as he stole a glance in his co-star's direction. The other was holding an arm-length water gun with both hands while a big, toothy grin rested on his fair, glistening face from all the water dripping from his newly dyed light brown locks. He couldn't help but frown for a split second, seeing James cheerfully interact with an artist from another entertainment company they were performing with on stage. Knowing they are in front of a sea of people who can see their every expression, not to mention the raised filming devices, the bronze-skinned man cooled his expression as he sang the last stanza of the song before approaching the younger.

James, unable to feel the incoming presence of Net, jolts at the feeling of a strong arm sneaking around his waist. He whipped his head and saw the honey-toned man who looked at him straight in the eye, giving him a small smile. Seeing the man in front of him give the artist he was just talking to a quick glance, the fair-skinned man couldn't help slightly raising his brows before he chuckled and moved to face the other, closing the small gap between their wet bodies. Moving his body to the opening beat of the next song, the younger man tilted his head to the side, meeting the burning gaze of the man holding him by the waist as he sang his part.

🎶 Baby, I'm preying on you tonight
Hunt you down, eat you alive
Just like animals, animals, like animals, -mals
Maybe you think that you can hide
I can smell your scent from miles
Just like animals, animals, like animals, -mals
Baby, I'm... (Hey) 🎶

Ignoring the deafening scream from the people below the stage, James finishes singing his line without breaking eye contact. He slowly looked down, tracing the defined manly features of Net's face from his eyes down to his lips and sharp jawline, smiling at the way his adam's apple bobbed when he gulped. After a moment, the younger looked back into the bronze-skinned's eyes, and raising his left hand, he pushed some of the wet ash gray hair of the other that was covering his forehead to the side before flashing him the biggest grin.

Witnessing all this, Net subtly tightens his hold on the other's waist as he gets swept away by the cute smile he has always adored. Staring at the pink plump lips of his friend, he couldn't help but wet his bottom lips before looking away as he sang the following verse of the song.

🎶 So what you trying to do to me? (Hey)
It's like we can't stop, we're enemies (Hey)
But we get along when I'm inside you, yeah (Hey)
You're like a drug that's killing me (Hey)
I cut you out entirely (Hey)
But I get so high when I'm inside you 🎶

Feeling the tension between the two, Zee, a friend signed under the same company, approaches the both of them before wrapping his right arm around James's shoulder. He bit his tongue to stop himself from bursting in laughter upon seeing the displeasure that flashed through Net's eyes. Ignoring the way the honey-toned man looked at his arm draped around James's shoulder, he signaled Net with his eyes reminding the other of their surroundings.