BEHIND THE SPOTLIGHT

Chapter 2

The intense hug in the restroom lingered between them, but it was abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Gemini, P'Earn is calling " one of the staff members announced from outside.

Gemini quickly but gently pushed Fourth away, trying to regain his composure. "Enough of the hug, Fourth. We should leave now."

Fourth chuckled, still holding onto the warmth of the moment. "Thanks, Phi Geem" As they exited, Fourth casually wrapped his arm around Gemini's waist, making Gemini's cheeks flush a deep pink

They found P'Earn, their manager, waiting for them "The traffic is pretty bad right now," P'Earn informed them. "We'll have to take a motorbike home."

Fourth nodded, ever the easygoing one. But Gemini frowned, clearly tired and stressed from the day. "I've had enough for today, P'Earn. I don't even know how to face the fans outside."

P'Earn gave Gemini a reassuring hug. "It's okay, Gem. We'll get through this together. Let's just go home and rest, okay?"

Reluctantly, Gemini nodded. As they stepped outside, they were greeted by a throng of fans waiting eagerly with their phones out. The sight of Fourth and Gemini with P'Earn trying to manage the crowd only seemed to excite them more.

"Khun Fourth! Khun Gemini!" the fans cheered, capturing every moment on their phones.
Fourth smiled, naturally holding Gemini's hand, which sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd.
Gemini, on the other hand, was in a world of his own, his gaze locked onto Fourth as if he were the only person in the universe.

A fan suddenly shouted from the crowd, "Fourth, is Gemini your boyfriend?"

Fourth flashed his signature playful grin. "What do you think, khrap?"

The fans erupted in unison, shouting, "Faen!" (Boyfriend!)

Panic surged through Gemini, and he quickly shook his head. "No... no, my mom doesn't want me to have a boyfriend until I'm 30."

Fourth feigned a sulk, his expression exaggerated for the crowd. "See? He doesn't want me, but I still do." He leaned in, attempting another playful attack on Gemini's lips.

But this time, Gemini was quicker, blocking the attempt with a nervous laugh. The motorbike had arrived, saving him from further embarrassment.
They both boarded the bike, waving goodbye to their fans.

As they rode away, the fans lingered, buzzing with excitement over the sweet and romantic interactions they had just witnessed. "I want a man like Fourth!" one fan exclaimed, her voice echoing the sentiments of many others.

Gemini arrived at his condo, his mind swirling with emotions. He found Pond waiting for him at the door, and the moment he saw his friend, he broke down. "Pond... I love him. Only love can hurt like this," Gemini sobbed, burying his face in Pond's shoulder.

Pond held him tightly, trying to offer comfort. "Gem, you need to calm the fuck down. If you keep going like this, everything is going to crash down on you."

"I'm trying, Pond... I really am," Gemini replied, his voice shaky.

Pond sighed, rubbing Gemini's back soothingly. "I know, buddy. I know."

Meanwhile, at his own home, Fourth decided to go live on Instagram. Within moments, Satang and Phuwin joined him, and soon, thousands of fans were tuning in, eager to see their favorite stars

"Khun Fourth! Khun Satang! Khun Phuwin!" The comments flooded in, filled with hearts and questions.

Satang, always the mischief-maker, couldn't resist teasing. "So, Fourth, how's Gem doing? I heard things got pretty intense today."

Phuwin joined in with a sly grin. "Yeah, I saw the trending video. You two are something else."

Fourth laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling with genuine amusement. "What can I say? Phi Gemini brings out the best in me."

A fan asked directly in the comments, "Fourth, do you love Gemini?"

Without missing a beat, Fourth responded, "Of course, I love him. Gemini is my partner. He brings out the best in me, and I'm grateful for that."

The live chat exploded with hearts and excited messages, but Fourth was only half paying attention. His mind was elsewhere, on someone who wasn't there.

After the live ended, Fourth couldn't shake the feeling. He called Gemini, his voice light but with an underlying seriousness. "Hey, Phi Gemini. We've got a free day tomorrow. I'm coming over to your condo."

Gemini's heart skipped a beat. "Wh-why?"

"We need to practice singing, remember? My vocals aren't as good as yours, so I need your help," Fourth replied, his tone making it clear that there was no room for argument.

Gemini sighed, knowing he couldn't refuse. "Okay..."

The next morning, Fourth was getting ready to leave when his mom walked into the room. She raised an eyebrow at him, clearly amused. "Going to Gemini's again, are you?"

Fourth smiled, brushing off her teasing. "Yeah, we need to practice some songs."

His mom chuckled, shaking her head. "Say hi to my son-in-law for me."

Fourth just laughed, grabbing his things before heading out the door. His mom's words echoed in his head, but he pushed them aside, focusing on the day ahead.

At Gemini's condo, Gemini was already awake but exhausted, sprawled out on the couch.
The night had been a restless one, with thoughts of Fourth keeping him up. The door was slightly ajar, so when Fourth knocked and got no answer, he let himself in.

Seeing Gemini lying there, Fourth couldn't resist. He leaned in, intending to plant a kiss on Gemini's lips, but Gemini, sensing someone near, instinctively blocked the kiss with his hand.

They both laughed it off, the tension in the room thick but unspoken.

Fourth, ever the playful one, took out a hair clip and placed it on Gemini's head. "Ready for practice, Phi?"

Gemini, still half-asleep, nodded. "Yeah... just give me a moment."

Fourth observed him closely, noticing the tiredness in Gemini's eyes. "Are you okay? You seem a bit out of it."

Gemini tried to shrug it off. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

Fourth's expression softened with concern. "If you're too tired, we can skip practice and just rest."

"No, no, I'll manage," Gemini insisted, not wanting to disappoint Fourth.

Fourth frowned but let it go. "Alright, but don't push yourself too hard. If you need to stop, just say so."

Gemini nodded, trying to muster up some energy. Fourth then asked, "Do you mind if we go live while we practice?"

Gemini hesitated for a moment before agreeing. "Sure, but let's set the camera where no one can tell where we are."

Fourth set up the camera, ensuring that the background was nondescript, then went live. Within seconds, millions of fans tuned in, excited to see them together.

Gemini's anxiety spiked as Fourth sat down next to him, so close that there was barely any space between them. The screen was filled with hearts and comments, but all Gemini could focus on was the rapid beating of his own heart.

And so, the practice began, with Gemini trying his best to concentrate on the notes and not the man sitting so close to him.