The car door shuts with a dull thud, the sound slicing through the tense silence between Ace and Jun.
The ride back feels heavier than the air around them, weighed down by unspoken words and growing suspicions.
Jun grips the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning pale as his thoughts swirl with doubt.
He can't take it anymore.
"What's going on between you and Kieran?!" Jun blurts out, breaking the fragile silence as they pull out of the driveway. His voice is sharp, almost pleading. "Every time you're around him, it's like he does something to you. The other day, after we met him, I heard you crying in the bathroom. I didn't ask because I thought maybe you'd tell me on your own, but you didn't. And now—now you look like you're about to cry again after leaving his place!"
Ace freezes in his seat, his hand gripping the edge of the door like it's the only thing keeping him grounded.