The car stopped in front of Noah.
The driver got out, walked to the rear, and opened the door.
Noah had assumed the car was empty, but when he bent down to get in, he saw Asher.
The man sat in the back seat, wearing a charcoal gray suit, head lowered over his phone. He didn't even glance up.
Noah stood outside the door, frozen for a second.
Then he frowned and got in.
The door closed behind him, sealing out the noise of the street.
The car pulled into traffic.
Noah sat beside Asher, pressing himself as close to his door as possible, keeping his distance.
After a few seconds of silence, he spoke. "How did you know I was here?"
Asher finally looked up, giving him a brief glance.
"Your phone's location." His tone was as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.
Phone location?
"You're tracking me?"
Asher neither confirmed nor denied it. He simply looked back at his phone. "During the contract period, I need to know where you are."
Noah's expression darkened.
The contract.
Always the contract.
Did he have no personal freedom left at all?
The car continued forward.
Noah leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
His stomach was still bothering him.
He pressed his hand against his lower abdomen, brow furrowed slightly.
A thin sheen of sweat had formed on his forehead.
Asher set down his phone, his gaze falling on Noah.
He noticed the tight crease between Noah's brows and the hand clutching his stomach.
"What's wrong?"
Noah opened his eyes to find Asher watching him.
"Nothing." His voice shook slightly. "Just a little stomachache."
Asher stared at him for several seconds.
Then he reached out, gripped Noah's shoulder, and turned him to face him.
Noah found himself forced to meet Asher's eyes.
Asher's gaze moved from his face to the hand pressed against his stomach, then back to his face.
A few seconds of silence.
"Don't tell me you didn't clean yourself out?"
Noah froze.
"Clean out what?"
Asher looked at him, his expression unchanged. "The semen I came inside you with last night."
Noah's face flushed scarlet.
Instinctively, he glanced toward the front.
A raised black partition separated the driver's seat from the back. Completely blocked off.
Couldn't see them. Probably couldn't hear them either.
Noah exhaled in relief.
But the heat in his face hadn't faded.
This man... how could he just say something like that so bluntly?
"I..." Noah opened his mouth, not knowing how to respond.
Clean out?
He hadn't even known that was something he needed to do.
After last night ended, he'd been exhausted, in pain, and had gone straight to sleep the moment he got back to his room.
Asher read the answer in his expression.
"I figured." He said. "No wonder you're uncomfortable."
Asher didn't say anything more. He simply reached out and placed his palm against Noah's forehead.
Noah's body reflexively pulled back, but Asher was faster his hand was already against his skin.
"No fever." Asher withdrew his hand, tone flat. "Probably no infection yet."
He took out his phone and quickly sent a message.
---
The apartment was lit with dim amber light.
The two of them entered one after the other.
"Go clean yourself. The supplies are in your bathroom," Asher said.
Noah stood in place, not moving.
He didn't know how to do it.
That kind of thing... he'd never done it before.
Asher seemed to read his hesitation. His brow furrowed slightly. "You don't know how?"
Noah said nothing, but his expression said everything.
Asher stared at him for two seconds, then let out a scornful laugh.
"You have a phone, don't you? Look it up yourself."
With that, he turned and walked to the living room, sat down on the sofa, and picked up a document from the coffee table, flipping through it as if nothing had happened.
Noah stood rooted to the spot, his face cycling between red and white.
This man...
Really was...
He took a deep breath, swallowed his irritation, and turned toward his room.
---
Inside the bathroom, Noah found an array of items neatly arranged on the sink counter.
Cleaning supplies.
And... they came in different flavors.
Strawberry. Mint. Peach. Lemon...
Noah stared at them, silent for several seconds.
"Why does this stuff come in so many flavors?" he muttered to himself. "It's not like you're supposed to eat it..."
He shook his head in disbelief, took out his phone, and searched for instructions.
A few minutes later, his face had turned completely red.
So... that's how you use it.
---
Half an hour later.
Noah emerged from the bathroom in clean pajamas.
He was still somewhat tired, but his stomach didn't hurt as much anymore.
He walked out of his room and into the living room.
Asher was still sitting on the sofa. A box of medicine sat on the coffee table.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up at Noah.
"Come here." He pointed to the spot beside him. "Sit."
Noah hesitated for a moment, then walked over.
He sat down next to Asher.
Asher pushed the medicine box toward him. "Take these."
Noah picked up the box, shook out two pills, and swallowed them with water from a glass nearby.
After taking the medicine, he was about to stand and go back to his room.
A hand suddenly gripped his waist.
Before Noah could react, he was pulled toward Asher.
The distance between them closed instantly.
Noah's heart lurched.
Asher's gaze fell on his face, then slowly drifted downward. To his lips.
That look... too direct. Carrying something dangerous.
Noah's breathing quickened involuntarily.
He thought Asher was going to kiss him. He'd even braced himself for it.
But Asher only stared at his lips for a few seconds.
Then spoke, his voice low:
"Next time, remember to clean yourself."
With that, he let go, stood, and walked toward his room without looking back.
Leaving Noah sitting alone on the sofa.
Face red as a boiled shrimp.
Heart still pounding wildly.
He pressed his hand to his chest.
Why was his heart beating so fast?
---
The next day.
Seven in the morning.
Two cars waited in the parking garage.
One was Asher's black sedan. The other was a white commercial van.
Vivian stood beside the van, wearing a deep blue knit dress today.
"Take your manager's car," Asher said.
Noah glanced at him. Then turned and walked toward Vivian's vehicle.
Vivian saw him coming and pulled open the door. "Get in."
Noah climbed in and settled into the back seat.
Through the window, he watched Asher's car pull past and head in the same direction.
---
The costume fitting for Desire Kiss was being held at a large studio complex on the outskirts of the city.
The car stopped at the entrance.
Noah got out and followed Vivian inside.
The studio was already bustling with activity.
Staff members hurried back and forth moving equipment, arranging sets, adjusting lights...
"Today's schedule is costume fitting and poster shooting," Vivian said as they walked. "After the fitting, they'll go straight into shooting the main poster for Desire Kiss. Be ready."
Noah nodded. "Got it."
They hadn't gone far when a familiar voice called out from nearby.
"Noah!"
Noah turned to see Sarah walking toward him.
She wore a cream-colored knit sweater today, paired with light blue jeans, her long hair loose over her shoulders looking soft and effortlessly casual.
"You're here!" Sarah stopped in front of Noah, her face bright with a warm smile. "Ready? Today's the costume fitting!"
Noah nodded. "Ready."
"Great!" Sarah looked pleased. "Come on, I'll take you over."
She pulled Noah deeper into the studio.
They hadn't gone far when they spotted a man in his fifties standing with several crew members, discussing something.
Slightly heavyset, wearing black-framed glasses, with a refined air about him.
Director Marcus.
Marcus saw Noah approaching and broke into a smile. "Noah, you made it!"
"Good morning, Director Marcus." Noah greeted him.
"Do your best today." Marcus clapped him on the shoulder.
"I will."
Just then, Asher walked in.
Seeing him, the surrounding staff members offered greetings.
Asher merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
He walked to Marcus's side and exchanged a few quiet words with the director.
---
The dressing room was small but well-equipped.
Bright lighting, mirrors covering an entire wall, the makeup counter crowded with cosmetics and tools.
The stylist was already waiting inside. Several outfits hung on a rack nearby.
"The costumes for both leads are here," the stylist said. "The changing rooms are over there."
Noah looked where she pointed.
Two changing rooms, side by side.
He was about to head toward one of them
"Hold on." Vivian's voice came from behind.
Noah turned.
Vivian walked into the dressing room, looked at the two of them, and said, "You two use the same changing room."
Noah blinked. "What?"
"Candid shots," Vivian explained. "For promotion. We need some natural, interactive photos. Take a few selfies while you're changing."
Noah made a sound of acknowledgment.
Asher showed no reaction. He simply picked up the outfit meant for him and pushed open the door to the left changing room.
The space was small maybe four or five square meters at most.
With two people inside, they could barely turn around without bumping into each other.
Noah pressed himself into a corner as much as possible, keeping his back to Asher as he started removing his jacket.
His movements were stiff.
He told himself it was nothing, but he couldn't help feeling... uncomfortable.
After all, they'd done that together.
Changing clothes at such close range made him feel.
"What's taking you so long?"
Asher's voice came from behind.
Noah's hands paused.
"Nothing." He continued unbuttoning.
But his movements remained slow, and he deliberately kept his back turned, not letting Asher see him.
A soft laugh came from behind.
"I've already seen everything. What's there to be shy about?"
Noah's hands stopped completely.
His face burned.
He turned his head and glared at Asher.
Asher had already changed his shirt and was leaning against the wall, watching him with an expression caught between amusement and something else.
Noah gritted his teeth, refusing to engage.
He turned back around, quickly stripped off his clothes, and changed into the white shirt the stylist had prepared.
He was buttoning it up when
Click.
The sound of a phone camera.
Noah froze, then turned.
Asher was holding up his phone. On the screen was the photo he'd just taken a selfie, but behind him stood Noah in profile, head lowered as he fastened his buttons, shirt half-open, revealing a stretch of collarbone and the skin of his chest.
"what are you doing!"
"Taking a selfie." Asher's tone was flat. "Vivian said to."
Noah was speechless.
She had said to take photos...
But this kind of photo...
"Delete it," Noah said.
"No." Asher pocketed his phone. "This one's good."
Noah wanted to snatch it back, but Asher had already slipped the phone into his pants pocket.
"Finish changing and come out." Asher pushed open the changing room door and walked out.
---
In the dressing room, after the stylist finished their hair and makeup, the shoot began.
Costume photos. Solo posters. Duo posters...
Every pose, every angle.
The shoot continued until past nine in the evening before finally wrapping up.
"That's a wrap!" the photographer announced. "We're done for today!"
Noah finally exhaled in relief.
He stepped down from the set and rolled his stiff neck and shoulders.
After an entire day of changing countless outfits and holding countless poses, his whole body felt ready to fall apart.
The crew began packing up equipment. People gradually filtered out of the studio.
"Noah."
Sarah walked over.
She'd been on set all day too, but still seemed energetic.
"Good work today," she said. "That was a long shoot for your first day."
Noah nodded. "It was fine."
"Where do you live?" she asked. "If it's on my way, I can give you a ride."
Noah hesitated.
Instinctively, he glanced toward Asher.
Asher was on a phone call.
His gaze swept over to Noah and he gave him a look.
The meaning was clear refuse.
Noah understood.
The fact that he was living with Asher couldn't be known by others.
"No need to trouble yourself," Noah said. "I'll just..."
"Noah's coming with me."
Vivian's voice cut in from nearby.
She had appeared without him noticing.
"I need to go over tomorrow's schedule with him," Vivian said to Sarah.
Sarah raised an eyebrow, looking from Vivian to Noah, a knowing smile curving her lips.
"Alright then," she said. "I won't steal him away."
She turned to Noah, her tone casual. "Get some rest. Script reading tomorrow. Don't stay up too late."
"I won't," Noah said.
Sarah didn't say anything more. She turned and walked toward the exit, her stride unhurried.
Noah looked at Vivian.
Vivian's expression was neutral, revealing nothing. She simply turned and headed out.
Noah followed.
When they reached the parking lot, Vivian stopped and turned to face him.
"Get in Asher's car," she said. "I was just giving you an out."
Noah paused, then nodded. "Thank you, Vivian."
Vivian said nothing. She got into her van and drove off.
Noah stood there, waiting for Asher.