Capítulo 93: Chapter 93 - Tearing him apart

Muchen's heart pounded like a drum in his chest as he wrestled against Shao's grip.

"Let me go! I have to see him!" His voice cracked, raw with desperation.

"You going there will only make things worse, Muchen!" Shao growled, locking his arms around Muchen's waist, his feet digging into the floor as Muchen tried to drag himself out of the apartment.

"If you don't let me go, you're fired!" Muchen yelled, his hands clawing at the doorway as if the very act of leaving could somehow fix everything.

"I don't care if I'm fired!" Shao barked back, tightening his hold. "Just listen to me! You need to stay low for Yunfeng's sake! If you go out there now, it'll blow up even more. Don't be stupid!"

Muchen froze. His strength drained away as Shao's words sank in, leaving him slack in his agent's grip.

Shao didn't waste a second. He yanked Muchen back inside and slammed the door shut, locking it. "Pack your stuff. We're going to my place until this dies down. I'll get the agency to handle the fans, the media, everything. I'll even arrange for Yunfeng to move somewhere safe." His voice softened as he looked Muchen in the eye. "I'll take care of this. I'll take care of you."

Muchen's trembling hands clutched his phone tightly. "I'll… I'll call him. I need to explain."

"No!" Shao snatched the phone out of his hand with practiced precision. "Yunfeng's number has already been leaked. If you call, they'll track it, tap it, something. It's too dangerous."

"I don't care!" Muchen's voice broke, his face crumpling with emotion.

Shao grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him gently. "Muchen, I'll handle it! Please, just trust me. For once in your life, let me protect you. Let me protect him."

"How can I calm down, Shao?" Muchen's voice cracked as tears welled in his eyes. "Tell me, how? He must be so overwhelmed… so scared. And I'm hiding! Like a coward! I should be there for him. I should hold him, comfort him… not run away like this!" His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the couch, burying his face in his hands. "We didn't even do anything wrong…"

Shao crouched beside him, his hand firm on Muchen's shaking shoulder. "You're right. But this is the life you chose, Muchen. You knew what it meant to be a star. This is the price of fame. And being with you? Yunfeng has to face this too. It's not fair, but it's the truth."

"Why him?" Muchen whispered, his voice barely audible. "Why can't they hate me instead? He's innocent, Shao… he's innocent, and they're tearing him apart."

Shao sighed heavily, patting Muchen's back. "That's why we have to be smart about this. Let me handle it. Let's get out of here, and we'll figure it out."

Numb and defeated, Muchen let Shao guide him out of the apartment and into the car. The drive to Shao's place was a blur. Muchen stared out the window, his thoughts consumed by Yunfeng—his smile, his laughter, the way he scrunched his nose when he was shy. God, all Muchen wanted was to hold him and tell him it would be okay.

But he couldn't. Not now.

Meanwhile, Yunfeng sat on the living room couch, staring blankly at the TV. Every channel seemed to be talking about him. About them. The headlines blurred together: "Rising Star's Lover Sparks Outrage," "Muchen gay? Exposed!," "Fans Demand Answers."

"Shut that damn thing off!" His mom stormed in, snatching the remote from Hana's hand and switching the TV off with a sharp click.

"Yunfeng, go upstairs and study," she said, her voice firm but tinged with exhaustion. "You've got exams coming up. Focus on your future."

Hana groaned from the other side of the room. "Do I have to? I don't even like school."

Their mom shot her a glare. "Yes, you do. Now get ready and stop wasting time."

Yunfeng's gaze flicked to his mom. Her apron was dusted with flour, her hair slightly disheveled. She hadn't opened her shop in days. She was always in the kitchen or cleaning, her hands never still.

"She's been like this since it started," Hana muttered as she grabbed her schoolbag.

Yunfeng bit his lip, the guilt twisting in his stomach. He glanced at his phone on the table, its screen dark and silent. He had kept it charged, kept the volume high, waiting for a call.

But Muchen hadn't called.

Only Shao had reached out, giving him brief updates and instructions. But not a single word from him.

Yunfeng's heart ached. He felt abandoned, like Muchen had vanished into thin air when he needed him the most. The silence was louder than any of the hate thrown at him.

He clenched his fists, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "It's fine," he whispered to himself, his voice trembling. "He's probably busy… fixing things. That's all."

But deep down, he wasn't sure if he believed it.

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