Chereads / Double Love [BL] / Chapter 10 - Caught in the Crossfire

Chapter 10 - Caught in the Crossfire

The studio is a hive of activity, but Kai moves through it like a zombie, his mind miles away. He can't shake the memory of Daewon's fierce protectiveness, the way his strong arms had pulled him close, shielding him from Haneul's advances. It's a scene that replays over and over in his mind, each repetition stirring up a confusing blend of anger, excitement, and something else he can't quite name.

Kai stands by the catering table, gripping a coffee pot.

He's so lost in the memory that he doesn't notice the coffee spilling over the edge of the cup until a voice snaps him back to reality.

"Hey, you're spilling." A crewmember's voice cuts through the fog.

"Shit." Kai mutters, hastily wiping up the mess, cursing himself for being so distracted.

Later, Kai is stacking equipment on a nearby table, his movements mechanical. A crewmember calls out, asking for a specific tool. 

Completely zoned out, Kai doesn't respond, his mind once again consumed by Daewon's possessive embrace and the lingering sensation of being pulled close.

"Hey! Kai!" The crewmember snaps, their voice finally breaking through his trance. 

Kai blinks, looking up in confusion as the request is repeated with an impatient edge.

"Oh, sorry, I–" He stammers, quickly handing over the tool.

Gripping the handle of a mop, Kai mechanically swipes it across the floor, the rhythmic motion almost hypnotic. His mind drifts back to the moment in the hallway, recalling the electric charge of Daewon's anger directed at Haneul and the surprising softness of his touch on Kai. 

He pauses, lost in thought, the mop idle in his hands, his heart pounding with the memory of that unexpected tenderness.

A sudden thud and a yelp snap him back to the present. He turns to see one of the crew sprawled on the wet floor, glaring up at him.

"Watch what you're doing, man!" They shout, struggling to their feet.

"I didn't mean to–" Kai begins, rushing over to help, but his words feel hollow, inadequate. The damage is already done, and the crewmember waves him off with a huff.

Later, Kai stands by the catering table, absently wiping down the counter. He's so lost in thought that he doesn't notice the looming presence behind him until he feels it.

Turning slowly, he finds Daewon standing there, his expression unreadable but his presence commanding.

"Iced americano." Daewon says, his voice low.

Kai's heart skips a beat, the memory of Daewon's hands flashing through his mind. The confusion of Daewon's behaviour clouds his thoughts– how could he act so protective earlier and now be so cold and rude?

Kai frowns and then hurries off to attend to Daewon's bidding.

Coffee clutched in his hand, he trudges back down the studio halls, his steps heavy with the weight of the day's distractions.

His thoughts keep circling back to the incident with Daewon and Haneul, the possessive grip, the mixed signals. 

He hasn't been able to concentrate all day.

As Kai steps onto the set, the air crackles with tension, a palpable pressure that sets his nerves on edge. The studio, normally a noisy swarm of coordinated activity, is now a scene of frantic gestures and raised voices. A cluster of crewmembers surrounds the cameraman, their faces etched with worry and frustration, their hushed whispers cutting through the air like the sharp edge of a blade.

The cameraman himself looks distraught, his complexion pale and his eyes wide with panic.

Kai inches closer, curiosity mingling with unease as he catches snippets of the heated conversation.

"The footage is corrupted." One of the crew says, their voice tight with anxiety. "We can't use any of it." 

The weight of the words meaning settle like a stone; it's a disastrous setback for the day's shoot.

In the midst of the chaos, the cameraman's eyes flit around the room, searching for something to blame.

Finally, his gaze lands on Kai, standing hesitantly at the edge of the set, iced americano in hand. 

The cameraman's face twists with frustration, and he jabs an accusatory finger in Kai's direction, his voice cutting through the din like an arrow.

"It must be the omega's fault! He's been making mistakes all day!"

Kai's heart plummets, a cold weight settling in his stomach. The buzz of the room fades as all eyes swivel toward him, a mix of annoyance and suspicion in their gazes. He can feel the heat of their collective scrutiny, filling him with a frosty discomfort. The blame and anger directed at him are evident, each look a dagger piercing his already fragile composure.

"I... I didn't do anything." Kai stammers, his voice barely audible over the murmur of the studio. 

His protest is lost in the sea of accusatory murmurs and hostile glares. He feels small, insignificant, like a single raindrop in a storm.

The producer, his face stern and unforgiving, strides up to Kai. Without a word, he snatches Kai's lanyard, the plastic snapping under his forceful grip. The act feels violent, final, like the closing of a cell door.

"We don't have time for mistakes like you." The producer says, his voice a dagger of ice. "Leave."

Heartbroken and desperate, Kai's voice rises, trembling but defiant. "What? But I didn't do anything wrong!"

But no one listens. 

His plea hangs in the air, ignored. The set erupts into a flurry of frantic activity, crewmembers scrambling to salvage what they can in the wake of the corrupted footage. 

Amid the chaos, Kai stands alone, small and insignificant.

Tears well up in his eyes, hot and stinging, as the weight of humiliation and injustice presses down on him. He turns and runs off the set, the pain cutting through him like a fresh wound. The bustling sounds of the set fade, replaced by the hollow echo of his footsteps in the empty hallway.

Blindly, Kai stumbles through the corridor, his vision blurred by tears. The world around him is a hazy smear of colours and shapes. 

Suddenly, he collides with something solid and strangely familiar, the impact jarring him back to the present. 

It's Daewon. 

Kai looks up, his teary eyes meeting Daewon's intense gaze. 

At first, Daewon's face holds its usual apathetic mask, but as he takes in Kai's tear-streaked cheeks, his eyes soften with surprise and worry. His brows knit together, and his mouth opens slightly, as if searching for the right words. The concern in Daewon's gaze is apparent, a stark contrast to the usual blank stare Kai is accustomed to.

Kai sniffles and shoves the iced americano against Daewon's chest.

"Here." He mumbles, his voice cold and shaky, trying to brush past him.

But Daewon grabs his hand, his grasp firm yet tender, stopping Kai in his tracks.

Kai hangs his head, shame washing over him. The last person he wants to see him like this is Daewon.

"What's the matter?" Daewon's voice is a soft murmur, surprisingly gentle.

Kai raises his head, revealing his scorned expression, and yells, "Why do you care?"

"I do." Daewon insists. "I care a lot."

"Well, you have a really fucking weird way of showing it! If you care so much, why have you been such an asshole to me?" Kai's frustration boils over, his voice breaking as anger mingles with his hurt and confusion.

Daewon's usually serious and stoic expression now appears perplexed and nervous, a contradiction that almost causes Kai to laugh despite his tears. 

Daewon releases Kai's wrist, rubbing his own arm awkwardly as he searches for the right words.

"Um, I... I'm sorry," Daewon stammers, his voice unusually hesitant. "I've never been good at... at expressing myself."

Kai's brows twitch as he stares at Daewon, waiting for him to continue.

"I actually wanted to talk to you more," Daewon confesses, his cheeks growing flushed. "But... whenever I tried, I got shy. And I guess... I guess it came off as rude."

Kai pauses.

And then he laughs.

"So all this time you've been making me do all this shit is because you've been wanting to talk with me?" Kai asks.

Daewon nods earnestly, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink. His yellow eyes, usually so cold and distant, are now soft and filled with an awkward sincerity. Despite everything, there's something undeniably endearing about Daewon's honesty. It's as if the icy fortress around his heart has started to melt, revealing a vulnerable core.

Kai shakes his head in amusement, unable to suppress the fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That's dumb."

The words are harsh, but his tone is warm. It's as if a bridge has been built between them, fragile yet unmistakable. Daewon, noticing the hint of a smile on Kai's face and the absence of tears, takes a tentative step closer.

"Now," Daewon begins softly. "Will you tell me what happened?"