Chapter 10: The Price of Being Seen

[POV. Naina]

The sound of my phone buzzing on the table echoed through the quiet of my room. I hadn't wanted to check it. I already knew what was coming, what the world was saying about me. But I couldn't stop myself.

I picked it up, half-expecting another wave of notifications, another wave of hate.

I was right.

One after another, they flooded in—disgusting, cruel words that made me feel smaller with each new message.

— "Stay away from him."

— "You're just using him for fame."

— "Who do you think you are?"

— "Don't ruin his career. We'll make sure you pay."

It was like a storm had descended on me, relentless and unforgiving.

I had never experienced this level of hate before. Sure, I had seen it online, read stories of idols being harassed, but never in a million years did I think I would be on the receiving end of it.

A part of me wanted to just turn off my phone, bury myself in my bed, and forget all of it. But the other part—the part that couldn't ignore the truth—knew I couldn't. I couldn't just escape this. I had stepped into Kilin's world, and there was no going back.

I opened my social media, hoping—no, praying—that the comments would be better there.

But no.

They were worse.

The photo was everywhere. People were calling me a gold-digger, a fame-seeker, accusing me of using Kilin for my own personal gain. My mind spun, trying to comprehend how any of this could be true. They didn't know me. They didn't know us.

But they didn't care.

The hate grew worse by the minute.

And the worst part? It wasn't just strangers. Some of the comments were from people I had once considered friends. People I had met in passing, who now seemed to think they knew everything about me.

My hands shook as I typed a message.

Naina: Kilin, have you seen it?

I waited.

But the response never came.

[POV. Kilin]

I was stuck in a conference room with my agency.

My manager was pacing in front of me, his face tight with frustration.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" he asked, voice low but sharp.

I didn't say anything. I had no excuse, no defense.

I had known the risks. I had known that letting anyone in—letting anyone see me for who I really was—could cost me everything.

But Naina…

She was just… different.

"She's a liability now, Kilin." My manager's words cut through the fog in my brain. "You need to stay away from her. It's the only way to protect your career. Your fans are in an uproar. The company is already considering pulling you from the next comeback."

The words hit me like a punch to the stomach.

"Pull me from the comeback?" I whispered, barely believing it.

But he wasn't kidding. The seriousness in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.

"Exactly," he said. "You need to sever ties with her, for your own sake."

My stomach twisted at the thought. I couldn't.

I couldn't just walk away from her. Not after everything. Not after she had become the only person who treated me like I was more than just an idol.

But this was the world I lived in. The world where every action, every word, could be twisted into something ugly.

The world where someone like Naina didn't belong.

[POV. Naina]

The message came hours later.

My heart skipped when I saw his name on the screen. But when I opened it, my heart sank.

Kilin: I'm sorry. We can't talk anymore.

I stared at the words, my mind going blank.

What?

I reread the message, hoping I had misinterpreted it.

Kilin: My agency... they're forcing me to stay away. They think it's too dangerous for both of us. I'm really sorry, Naina. I have to do this.

The phone slipped from my fingers, falling to the ground with a soft thud.

Tears blurred my vision as I collapsed onto the bed.

No. This couldn't be happening.

I knew the reality of his life, knew that he couldn't escape the pressure of his fame. But this? This was different. This wasn't just a part of the job. This was me. This was us.

I couldn't stop the sobs that escaped me, couldn't stop the sting in my chest.

Why did everything have to be so complicated? Why did we have to meet in the first place?

And yet, even as the tears kept coming, I knew the truth. I had never been a part of his world. I had been a fleeting moment—a whisper in the chaos of his life.

He had to choose his career. He had to choose the people who could protect him.

I wasn't one of them.

[POV. Kilin]

I paced in my apartment, the message still burning in my mind.

I had done what I had to do.

But it didn't make it any easier.

I couldn't stop thinking about her face, the way her eyes had softened whenever we spoke. How she made me feel like I was just Kilin—not the idol, not the superstar—but the real me.

I couldn't stop thinking about her laugh, her smile, her warmth.

But the company…

The fans…

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of it all pressing down on me.

I had made the right choice. I had to.

But why did it feel like I was losing a part of myself?

[POV. Naina]

The next few days were a blur.

I stayed off social media as much as I could, avoiding the constant reminders of what had happened. But it didn't stop the comments, the speculation, the hate.

I had become a symbol of everything wrong with the world—selfish, attention-seeking, a threat to everything Kilin had worked for.

But none of them knew the truth. None of them understood what I had lost.

The truth was, I wasn't angry at Kilin. I couldn't be.

I was angry at the world. Angry at the way it turned everything into a game—where even the smallest mistake could ruin someone's life.

And as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't help but wonder how long it would take before I finally stopped thinking about him.

But deep down, I knew I never would.