Chapter 2

Jes never expected his quiet world to come crashing down—literally.

It happened on an ordinary afternoon. He had just stepped out of the café, his camera slung over his shoulder as he scanned the street for an interesting shot. The city was alive with movement, but Jes had a knack for finding stillness in the chaos. He lifted his camera, adjusting the focus, when—

BAM.

A solid force collided with him, hard enough to knock him off balance. He barely had time to register what was happening before his camera slipped from his grip, falling in a sickening arc toward the pavement.

The crack echoed in his ears, louder than the city noise, louder than the hurried apologies spilling from the man in front of him. Jes stood frozen, his breath catching in his throat as he stared at the shattered remains of his most prized possession.

"Oh—oh god. I'm so sorry," the man stammered, his face stricken with horror.

Jes barely looked up. His fingers trembled as he reached for the broken camera, the fractured lens reflecting his stunned expression.

"Shit," the man muttered, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "I wasn't looking where I was going. I—" He stopped, his mouth pressing into a tight line as guilt flashed across his face. "I'll pay for it. Whatever it costs, I'll fix it."

Jes finally looked up then, his chest tightening with frustration. "You can't just throw money at this," he said, his voice quieter than he expected but laced with unmistakable anger.

The man in front of him—tall, polished, unmistakably familiar—flinched at the words. Jes recognized him instantly. Ngern. The actor. The celebrity. The man whose face was everywhere.

And now, the man who had just shattered his world in one careless moment.

.....................................................................

Jes wanted to walk away. Wanted to grab whatever remained of his camera, push past the stranger—no, Ngern—and pretend this never happened. But before he could step back, Ngern held up his hands, as if trying to stop him.

"Wait," Ngern said, his voice urgent. "I mean it—I'll replace it."

Jes narrowed his eyes. "You can't replace this."

"Then I'll fix it. Or—" Ngern hesitated, glancing at the broken camera with visible guilt. "At least, let me help in some way."

Jes exhaled sharply. He had no patience for entitled celebrities who thought money could solve everything. But the look on Ngern's face wasn't just guilt—it was something else. Something that made Jes pause.

"Fine," Jes said, crossing his arms. "You want to help? Find me another one. Same model, same condition."

Ngern blinked. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Jes wasn't sure why he said it—maybe because he thought it would make Ngern back off. But instead, the actor straightened up, a determined glint in his eyes.

"Alright," Ngern said. "I will."

Jes didn't believe him. But he was about to find out just how persistent Ngern could be.