𝐅𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄{Ran H.}

Unspoken Tension

Chapter: five

UNSPOKEN TENSION

The car ride back from the party was suffocating. Layla kept stealing glances at Ran, who sat beside her in silence, his face unreadable. It wasn’t like him. His usual confidence had shifted into something more calculated—cautious even.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Every time she opened her mouth to ask, the words died in her throat.

“Ran…” she finally spoke, unable to bear the tension. “What’s going on?”

He didn’t look at her, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Don’t worry about it?” She scoffed, her frustration growing. “You’ve been weird all night, and now you’re telling me not to worry?”

Ran sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, but still didn’t offer an explanation. The tension between them thickened, the weight of what he wasn’t saying pressing down on her. Layla bit her lip, feeling a growing sense of unease.

When they arrived at her house, he walked her to the door. “Just stay safe while we’re in LA,” he said, his voice low, but his eyes more serious than she’d ever seen them.

She frowned, her fingers gripping the handle of her purse tightly. “Ran, what—”

“I mean it, Layla.” He cut her off, his tone firm. “Stay safe.”

And with that, he left, leaving her with a whirlwind of unanswered questions.

✧⁠*⁠。

The next morning, Layla sat on her couch, absently scrolling through her phone, still stewing over her conversation with Ran. She wasn’t used to being sidelined, and the idea of being protected—handled—rubbed her the wrong way.

Her phone buzzed, and she saw a message from her best friend, Hana, another model she had known for years.

Hana: Morning! Are we still meeting up later? I want ALL the details about Ran Haitani

Layla sighed, rubbing her temples. She needed a distraction, and Hana was always good at taking her mind off things, even if just for a while.

Later that day, Layla met Hana at a chic rooftop café in West Hollywood. The sun was out, and the view of the city helped ease some of her tension, but it wasn’t long before Hana’s curiosity got the better of her.

“So... you and Ran. Spill,” Hana said, sipping her iced latte with a smirk. “Are you guys actually together or is it just some celebrity stunt?”

Layla sighed, running a hand through her hair. “It’s... complicated.”

Hana raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Complicated, huh? That sounds like there’s more to it than just rumors.”

Layla crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. “We’re not really together. It’s just for show. For the media.”

Hana smirked, leaning closer. “So if you’re not really together, does that mean he’s up for grabs? Because, girl, I’ve seen the pictures, and let me tell you, I wouldn’t mind letting him ruin my life.”