Jun and Rey stand a small distance away, watching the exchange in silence. Kieran lifts his gaze to them for a brief moment, but he has nothing to say, no words that could change what has already happened. His throat tightens as he turns back to Ace.
Almost quietly, he says, "Ace, can we talk inside for a moment?"
Ace's stomach churns. Kieran looks
defeated. The weight on his shoulders is so heavy that even his usually strong posture seems to have caved in. There's no fight in him, no resistance.
Ace doesn't argue. He just nods and follows.
The walk to their room is quiet, but the silence is suffocating. Ace can feel his pulse in his ears, his mind racing with possibilities, each one worse than the last.
As soon as the door shuts behind them, he turns. "What is it?"
Kieran exhales, rubbing his face with both hands, like he's trying to gather himself, to find the right way to say what needs to be said.