Chapter 4: His Mouth Was 30cm from Mine. I Died.

Outdoor shoot.

Which meant heat.

Which meant sweat.

Which meant me, slowly liquefying in front of the camera.

---

"NOA! LIGHT REFLECTOR!"

Daiki yelled from the far end of the set.

I grabbed the metal sheet like a weapon, shuffled toward the host, and squinted under the sun. My shirt was sticking to my spine, my bangs were attacking my eyes, and I could feel my bra doing something illegal to my ribcage.

Ren stood nearby, adjusting white balance.

Calm. Dry. Effortless.

Why did he look like he belonged in a Vogue spread, while I looked like I fell into a fryer?

---

Yuri, the host, struck her pose in front of a stall selling spicy rice cakes.

"This food is so hot," she said breathily. "I might need CPR."

Ren didn't flinch.

I almost snorted.

---

After take three, I ducked behind a parasol and wiped my face with a tissue that instantly gave up. I was overheating. Vision blurry. Brain fuzzy.

And then—

A cold water bottle appeared in front of my face.

Ren.

"You look like you're malfunctioning."

"Cool. You look like you walked out of a skincare commercial."

He handed me the bottle.

Our fingers touched again.

Still electric. Still silent.

---

I took a sip.

He watched me.

I hated that he watched me like that. Calm. Focused. Like I was a puzzle he wasn't in a rush to solve.

And I hated more that I wanted him to keep watching.

---

Later, Yuri called out, "Let's shoot the walking shot!"

Which meant me and Ren walking behind her as fake background crew. Easy.

Until the sidewalk narrowed.

And suddenly, Ren's arm brushed against mine.

Once.

Then again.

Then—

"Whoa," I muttered, tripping slightly.

His hand shot out. Caught me by the wrist. Steadied me.

My chest was heaving. My face inches from his.

I could count his lashes.

I could feel his breath.

I could *smell* his damn skin.

---

"Careful," he said quietly.

"Your mouth is very close to mine," I replied, also quietly.

"Is that a complaint?"

I blinked. "I don't know yet."

Neither of us moved.

The camera was still rolling.

Yuri yelled, "CUT!"

We both blinked back to reality.

Ren let go. I stumbled back.

Everyone else just carried on.

But my pulse? Still sprinting laps inside my body.

---

After wrap, as I coiled cables with shaking hands, Yuri wandered over with a smirk.

"You two dating?"

I choked. "Excuse me?"

She gestured between us. "You've got that look."

"What look?"

"The 'we're pretending nothing's happening but we've mentally made out four times' look."

I sputtered.

Ren, who was walking past with a tripod, paused. Looked at me.

Then shrugged.

"No comment."

YURI GIGGLED.

I had a full emotional meltdown in silence.

---

That night, while transferring footage in the editing room, Ren hovered behind me.

Literally behind me.

Monitor light casting a glow. His presence warm. Too warm.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm good."

"You flinched when I touched you today."

"That was surprise."

"Was it bad surprise?"

I didn't answer. My mouth opened, but no sound came.

He leaned closer.

"Because I didn't hate it."

I forgot how to breathe.

And just like that—

He walked away.

Leaving me with files to transfer, a heart rate monitor beeping in my head, and the very clear realization that:

I was screwed.