𝓗𝓪𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭

Chapter 4: Fourth's POV

The first time Fourth set foot in NWT Space, he hadn’t expected much. It was just another gig, another stage, another night. He’d been to bars like this before—owned by rich kids trying to play at business—but something about NWT Space was different. From the moment he walked in, there was a strange energy in the air, a tension he couldn’t quite place.

And then, he saw him.

Gemini. He stood out from the crowd without even trying—calm, composed, with a sharp gaze that seemed to cut through the dim light. At first, Fourth thought it was just nerves getting to him. But as the night went on, he kept catching Gemini’s eyes on him, intense and unwavering.

He wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

---

Later, after the gig, Fourth had been leaning against the wall, sipping his drink and trying to wind down. That’s when Gemini approached him.

“You were amazing up there.”

Fourth had been caught off guard, but he smiled. Gemini’s voice was low, smooth, like he wasn’t used to complimenting people, but when he did, he meant it.

“Thanks,” Fourth had replied, studying him. Up close, Gemini was even more striking. There was something dark and magnetic about him, something that made Fourth’s pulse quicken in a way he wasn’t used to. He knew Gemini was the owner of NWT Space, but that wasn’t what intrigued him. It was the way Gemini looked at him—like he wanted more than just a conversation. Like he wanted to figure Fourth out, peel back every layer.

And maybe that should’ve scared him.

But instead, it made him curious.

---

Days later, Fourth sat with his friends—Phuwin, Dunk, Satang, and Ford—at a café near the university. They were laughing and joking, but Fourth’s mind kept drifting back to that night at NWT Space. He hadn’t seen Gemini since, but he’d felt those eyes on him in every performance since.

“Earth to Fourth!” Phuwin waved his hand in front of Fourth’s face, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Huh? Sorry, I spaced out,” Fourth said, shaking his head.

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately,” Dunk pointed out with a smirk. “What’s on your mind? Got a crush?”

Fourth laughed, but it felt forced. “Nah, nothing like that.”

Ford leaned in, eyes narrowing. “Come on, man. Spill it. You’ve been weird ever since that gig at NWT Space. You meet someone there?”

Fourth hesitated. How could he explain it? He barely understood it himself. Gemini had been in his thoughts constantly, but it wasn’t the normal kind of attraction. There was something unsettling about how much Gemini lingered in his mind.

“There’s this guy,” Fourth admitted, glancing around at his friends. “Gemini. He owns NWT Space.”

“Gemini?” Satang raised an eyebrow. “That guy is loaded, right? Son of that big businessman?”

“Yeah,” Fourth said, biting his lip. “But it’s not about the money. There’s something about him. The way he looks at me… it’s like he’s trying to figure me out, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing.”

Dunk shrugged. “Sounds like someone’s into you.”

“Maybe,” Fourth said quietly. “But it feels… intense. Like, too much.”

Ford frowned. “You’re not saying he’s creepy, right?”

“No, not creepy,” Fourth said quickly. “It’s just… I don’t know. There’s something dark about him. I can’t explain it.”

Phuwin nudged him playfully. “You like a challenge, don’t you? Maybe he’s exactly what you need.”

Fourth gave him a look, but deep down, he couldn’t deny the pull he felt toward Gemini. It was dangerous, but wasn’t that part of the reason he couldn’t stop thinking about him?

---

Later that evening, Fourth found himself at his mom’s house. Mae Pui, as everyone called her, was in the kitchen, humming softly as she cooked dinner. Fourth sat at the table, scrolling through his phone, but his mind was still on Gemini.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Mae Pui said, glancing over at him. “Everything okay?”

Fourth smiled softly. “Yeah, just thinking.”

“About that boy?” she asked, turning back to the stove.

Fourth blinked in surprise. “What boy?”

Mae Pui chuckled. “Come on, Fourth. I’ve raised you long enough to know when you’ve got someone on your mind. What’s his name?”

“Gemini,” Fourth said after a pause. “He owns a bar I played at.”

Mae Pui turned to face him, wiping her hands on a towel. “And what’s got you so wrapped up in him?”

“I don’t know,” Fourth said, frustration creeping into his voice. “It’s like… he’s everywhere. I only met him once, but I feel like he’s watching me, like he’s trying to get inside my head.”

Mae Pui walked over and sat across from him, her eyes soft but serious. “You’ve always been a little too good at getting into people’s hearts, Fourth. Maybe he’s feeling the same way about you. Maybe you’re the one haunting him.”

Fourth looked up at her, his chest tightening at her words. Was that it? Was that why Gemini seemed so obsessed? Or was there something more to it—something deeper, darker?

“I don’t know if I want him in my life like that,” Fourth admitted.

Mae Pui reached out and squeezed his hand gently. “You’re strong enough to handle it, whatever it is. Just make sure you’re doing what’s right for you, not for him.”

Fourth nodded, but as he stared down at their hands, he knew it wasn’t that simple. There was something between him and Gemini, something he couldn’t shake. And even though it scared him, part of him wanted to dive deeper, to see where this strange connection could lead.

But deep down, he also knew that once he crossed that line, there might be no going back.