[The price of growing up is having to fend for yourself, no matter what. Without an umbrella in the rain, you have to run faster than everyone else. With no one to guide you, you must watch your steps carefully. And when there's no one to lean on, you absolutely cannot afford to collapse...]

_

The lights on the small stage reflected the radiant faces of those celebrating the New Year. It was a cozy party for all DMD members to welcome the new year. However, deep down in James' eyes, there was a hidden unconscious worry. That dream kept replaying in his mind, a reminder of the challenges ahead. He was ready to face them, but couldn't help feeling anxious about the unknown.

"When do you plan to announce LUAT to your fans?" - P'Aof asked James, who was sitting across from him at the long table, now empty except for the two of them.

"Oh, about that... According to the company's deadline, I think it'll be at the end of this month!" - James replied with a soft smile, his gaze wandering toward the stage. There was a mix of reluctance and a fierce determination in his eyes.

"Alright, it's up to you two. I believe everything will eventually work out!" – P'Aof nodded in understanding, patting James on the shoulder in encouragement.

The winding, dark path always appeared vividly in his mind. He had spent over half a year thinking and discussing the LUAT project with everyone involved. Thankfully, they had all chosen to support him. That was all he needed to reach the "green hilltop" he had always long dreamed of. James was deeply grateful for the successes of the past and firmly committed to not regretting the future. Even if he had to take each painful step with hurting feet, he would accept it wholeheartedly.

Sensing the conversation was getting a bit heavy, P'Aof changed the subject - "Oh, I heard you're planning to move, right? Have you found a place yet?" 

"I've been so busy that I haven't had much time to look!" - Regaining his composure he glanced at his colleagues who were enthusiastically singing, and added:

"P'Aof, if you know anyone, please refer them to me!" – Finally, he couldn't resist joining the lively atmosphere on stage with everyone else.

"Sure!" - P'Aof smiled knowingly - 'This is what you said, it's just the right time for me to test it out!'

_

[At Illuminate]

Faris was holding a delicate Italian-style mesh chain necklace. The most striking feature was the exquisite daisy pendant, with petals meticulously made from high-quality silver. The petals were finely detailed, with the center adorned by tiny milgrain gold beads, creating an impressive effect.

Set in the heart of the flower was a 3-carat Fancy Intense Yellow diamond that was captivating. This necklace was estimated at around $20,000, a birthday gift Faris had prepared for James this year. Though he wasn't sure if he would get the chance to meet him or have a reason to give it to him in person.

Lost in thoughts of how James would look wearing it, Faris couldn't help but be delighted when his phone suddenly rang—it was P'Aof.

"Hey there, CEO, would it be too much to ask you to be a real estate broker?" - P'Aof's tone was unusually cheerful today.

"Huh? Are you planning to move?"

"No, I have an artist looking for an apartment, but he's too busy to search for one."

"Who is it?" - Faris silently hoped it would be James.

P'Aof chuckled to himself, amused that Faris asked who it was rather than inquiring about the type of apartment or budget - 'Well, isn't that interesting?' - He thought.

"Not sure if you've heard of him, but it's James Su." - P'Aof finally revealed - "Though, how would you know, right? Lol... But can you recommend a few options?"

"I might have heard of him." - Faris responded—though, in reality, he knew very well - "Alright, send me the requirements, and I'll have someone handle it."

"Sure, can I give him your number?"

"Uh... y-yes... sure!" - Faris found himself surprisingly flustered.

"Alright then! Thanks, Faris. I won't keep you; I've got a meeting. We'll talk later!" P'Aof ended the call, leaving Faris smiling with both excitement and anticipation.

So, for the rest of the day, the CEO of Illuminate kept waiting for a message or call from that unknown number...

But it wasn't until the next evening that James finally reached out to the number P'Aof had given him. P'Aof had only mentioned that this was a friend in the real estate industry who could recommend suitable apartments, but he had concealed Faris's identity.

"Hello, I was referred to you by P'Aof. Are you a real estate consultant?"

'A real estate consultant? Did P'Aof really not tell him anything about me, or is it that...'

"Yes, that's right. Could you share more about what you're looking for?" - Faris sent the message, and within two minutes, his phone rang—James was calling! For the first time in his 30+ years of life, Faris felt nervous like this.

Should he answer? Not answer? Yes! He swiped right to accept the call.

"Sawadeekrup, this is James. I just texted you!" James's soft, slightly deep voice awakened all his senses in the quiet space. Faris had often heard it on live streams, but today, it was only for him—not for the fans. Yet, James seemed unaware of who he was speaking to.

"Sawadeekrup, James, you can call me Sanun!" - Faris replied, but he wasn't brave enough to face him, so he used a completely different identity.

"Sorry for calling after work hours, Sanun. I only have tomorrow free to view apartments in the next two weeks..." - Carefully listening to his voice, Faris felt both strange and a little wary, afraid of revealing anything unusual.

"So... would you like to see a few apartments? I happen to be free tomorrow and can take you around!" - Faris offered.

"That would be great! Could you please arrange it for me, P'Sanun?" - James said with gratitude, before sharing more details about what he was looking for. They agreed to meet at 10 a.m. the following day.

"Thank you, P'Sanun, I'm really glad for your help. See you tomorrow!"

'See you tomorrow... see you tomorrow...' - Faris couldn't contain his excitement. He had a date with him?

He immediately called Mali, asking her to reschedule all his meetings for the following day. Mali, a bit puzzled by her boss's urgency, confirmed - "Weird! I've never seen my boss so urgent before."

_

[10:00 AM the next day]

For almost 10 years, Faris had stopped meeting clients or introducing projects directly – 'Only you would make me create another "version" of myself, James. Though I never imagined meeting you like this, everything has to start somewhere, right?' – He stood in front of the apartment, nodding thoughtfully.

"Excuse me, are you P'Sanun?" - James had already been standing beside him at some point. Due to their height difference, he tilted his head slightly, wide-eyed, looking up at Faris, who was standing there chuckling to himself, nodding, then shaking his head. James had noticed him acting that way from afar.

"Ah???" - Surprised, and he instinctively took two steps back. The sudden proximity made him a bit flustered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry..." James quickly stepped back when he saw his reaction.

"It's fine, it's fine. When did you get here?" - He asked awkwardly.

"I just got here too. This is the apartment, right? Shall we go inside?" James couldn't possibly admit he'd seen Faris standing there and smiling alone...

Faris pulled out a key card from his wallet. In reality, it was the CEO's master key, capable of integrating all passcodes for the products currently on sale. And this apartment, Faris had specifically chosen for James after hearing about his preferences.

With its simple, modern Indochine design and predominantly beige color scheme, the space was always bathed in natural light. Its expansive glass doors allowed for a perfect view of the sunset.

He carefully introduced James to the apartment layout, the amenities, as well as the costs, and the payment plan. Of course, James was receiving the most special offer Illuminate had made in years.

Today, James was wearing his usual simple outfit: black pants, a black-and-white patterned shirt, and sneakers. Faris recognized that shirt from a recent fan-meeting vlog James had done.

It felt surreal, walking alongside James, watching him as he immersed himself in the scenery outside. Walking behind him as he explored every corner of the apartment. Walking ahead of him to guide the way while James listened attentively. But it was Faris who found himself captivated by the stories hidden in James's deep gaze. Today, there was something different about him.

"So? What do you think, James? This is the best offer of the season. There's a significant 45% discount for customers with birthdays this month, and you can also pay in installments with no interest and no upfront payment!" - Oh, this was the most extraordinary case the CEO had ever handled. If anyone in the industry knew, he would have difficulty explaining it.

"I think it's great, P'Sanun. It's perfect for me. But how did you know my birthday is this month?"

"I just guessed... haha." - There he went again - 'But he called me P'Sanun... if it was P'Faris, it would be so much better.'

"But you said there were other apartments, right?" James remembered.

"Oh, right. Let's head to the next one, then." - Faris suggested they take his car together for convenience. James agreed to save time.

But... did it have to be this car? James was standing beside a Porsche 918 Spyder Full Black. Its imposing presence dominated the parking lot, and no other driver dared to park next to it. Sweating slightly, James glanced over at Faris. Sensing something off, Faris quickly clarified:

"It's the manager's! He lent it to me because I was in a rush earlier!" - Faris awkwardly pointed at his nearly 1 million USD car, hoping James wouldn't suspect anything.

"Ah... ah, okay, let's go then." - James got into the car, but thoughts swirled in his mind - 'Is it too late for me to switch careers?'

That afternoon, Faris showed him two other apartments, but the first one he had chosen specifically for James was clearly the most suitable. James decided to take it and planned to move in within the next two weeks.

_

Everything went smoothly until Faris found out that James had an accident while moving into his new house and had to get 15 stitches in his leg.

What hurt him even more was that Faris only found out about it through a social media post. He felt a mix of worry, disappointment, and self-blame washed over him - because he wasn't the first person James thought of when he needed help, but it was a harsh reality.

Perhaps... he still wanted to understand what had happened. Finally, Faris requested the building to retrieve footage from the stairwell cameras that day to see how James had managed on his own.

During a quiet afternoon in the emergency exit stairway, Faris saw a person struggling to carry an oversized box out of view. Due to the difficulty of moving, James lost his balance and fell hard, his leg colliding sharply with nearby objects.

Faris's eyes unconsciously narrowed as he fixated on the screen. He watched as James panicked, tried to steady himself, and stood up. His heart raced when he noticed the blood streaming from James's leg. James tried to calm himself down and quickly looked for his phone.

"You silly boy, you even have to be careful not to stain the floor with blood?" - Faris muttered to himself as he watched James limp into the elevator, painstakingly making his way down to the lobby, then down the stairs, alone, to catch a taxi to the hospital.

Faris stared intensely at the CCTV footage, his expression growing darker as he struggled to breathe. Feeling utterly helpless, knowing that his desire to care for and protect James remained just that—a desire locked away in his heart, unable to do anything.

"James, for the first time, I desperately want to see you right now! But how...?"

_