The Best Of Me || GeminiFourth RPF

2. Coming To Terms.

i

The next day, Fourth did his best to cover the hickeys adorning his neck, hoping to avoid any awkward questions or knowing looks from their team. Not only would P'Tong, their ever-meticulous makeup artist, probably have a minor heart attack, but Gemini was bound to notice—and Fourth wasn't ready for that conversation just yet.

As expected, the moment P'Tong laid eyes on him, his attention zeroed in on Fourth's neck. He rubbed his temples in frustration. Fourth tugged his collar higher, feeling sheepish under the scrutiny. Thankfully, Gemini hadn't arrived yet, so at least he had a moment of reprieve.

"You used the wrong foundation, nong," P'Tong said with a sigh, wiping away Fourth's hasty attempt at concealment. "Might as well have drawn arrows pointing to them."

By the time Gemini arrived, Fourth's makeup was done, but the hickeys still peeked through—barely noticeable unless someone paid close attention. And knowing Gemini, with his sharp, observant gaze, Fourth knew he was on thin ice. But for now, Gemini just gave him a casual smile and a high-five before rushing off to get dressed for the event.

As Fourth waited for Gemini to finish his makeup, he found himself sprawled on the sofa, scrolling aimlessly through Instagram. Part of him was tempted to snoop through Gemini's girlfriend's profile, but another part of him didn't want to fuel his jealousy over someone who hadn't done anything wrong. Instead, he busied himself uploading pictures from a recent Tommy Hilfiger shoot.

Would Gemini see the photos? Would he like them?

Stealing a glance over at Gemini, Fourth noticed the soft smile playing on his lips as he stared at his phone. He was probably messaging his girlfriend, and Fourth's stomach twisted. Closing his phone to silence the stream of notifications, Fourth let his head drop onto the sofa cushion.

"Ai'Fot!" P'Tong's sharp voice cut through the room, making Fourth groan as he reluctantly sat up, "What have I said about full faced make-up?"

"No lying down in full makeup," he recited in a monotone, knowing the rule by heart. Gemini giggled from his seat, clearly enjoying Fourth being on the receiving end of P'Tong's scolding.

"Exactly," P'Tong said, nodding sagely. "Now sit up straight like a good boy."

Pouting, Fourth sat upright and pulled up a video on his phone. Their upcoming concert was at the forefront of his mind, but he didn't notice P'Tong swatting Gemini, who had been too busy watching Fourth to keep his head still for lipstick application.

Once the event started, Fourth and Gemini played off each other as they always did—earning laughs and teasing from the fans. Everything felt normal on the surface, but Fourth was more distant than usual, focusing on the MC rather than on Gemini. Yet every time Gemini burst into one of his infectious fits of laughter, Fourth couldn't help but smile despite himself.

After the event wrapped up and they thanked the fans, Fourth walked off stage, drenched in sweat. P'Tong's team swooped in with tissues, patting him down and wiping away the remaining makeup. Once he'd had a quick shower and changed, Fourth collapsed onto the sofa backstage, finally feeling the weight of the day's exhaustion.

He was planning to hit the gym later with Phuwin and Satang, but right now, rest was the only thing on his mind.

"Fot," Gemini's voice, chipper as always, broke through his tired haze.

"Hm?" Fourth mumbled, barely opening his eyes to acknowledge him.

Gemini wasn't looking at his face—his gaze was fixed on Fourth's neck. Fourth tensed, suddenly very aware that nothing was hiding the marks anymore. He swallowed and raised an eyebrow, drawing Gemini's attention back to his face.