ASTRID sliced a piece of beef from his own plate and ate it. He glanced at the two people sitting across from him. Kiran was talking to Shir, enthusiastically telling him how good each dish was, clearly trying to make sure Shir knew he had chosen an excellent restaurant. Kiran looked visibly happy every time Shir gave him the tiniest bit of attention. Astrid also saw the corner of Shir’s mouth turn up in a small smile, clearly watching Kiran with amusement.

On the surface, it looked like Kiran was simply being an attentive employee to his agency’s owner. But Astrid could tell it was more than just professional courtesy. There was a distinct spark in Kiran’s eyes whenever he spoke to Shir or looked his way. The more surprising detail, however, was Shir’s reaction. He showed no sign of being bothered by Kiran’s attention. Instead, he seemed quietly entertained by it, even encouraging it with his small smiles and patient listening.

Astrid wasn’t sure what that could mean. He just hoped that Kiran wouldn’t be hurt at the end of this. That’s really all that mattered.

He watched the pair across the table once more. His plan had been to remain a passive observer, but curiosity was getting the better of him. He now actively observed Shir’s reactions, trying to spot any subtle sign that the man might have deeper feelings for Kiran.

And he knew exactly how to do that.

“This is an excellent restaurant, Mr. Atkins,” he began. Then he turned to Kiran. “Should we bring Snow here next time, Kiran?”

Kiran’s face brightened at the suggestion, clearly liking the idea. “Yes, let’s do that! Snow will definitely like it here.”

Shir looked up from his plate. “Snow?” he said. His voice was quiet, and he said the name as if he was testing it out.

Astrid turned his gaze back to Shir. He kept his tone friendly and answered, “He’s a friend of ours from school. He’s also a new actor, and he’s signed with Polaris.”

Shir ignored the second part of Astrid’s explanation. His mind focused completely on the first sentence instead. He remembered what Kiran had said earlier about Astrid bringing food and sharing it with him. He wondered if this Snow person had also been part of those lunch gatherings.

That thought somehow made him feel weird. And he didn’t know why. Could it be because he felt oddly excluded? They were all sitting here together, but they were talking about a common friend he didn’t know about. It’s like the two of them were privy about something he’s not a part of and that annoyed him. Why would it though?

“He and Aster are my best friends,” Kiran said with a bright and open smile. “One of my dreams is for the three of us to work on the same project someday.”

Shir stared at Kiran’s smiling face. The other’s wish sounded completely sincere, as if it was something he truly hoped for one day. Shir knew he should feel supportive, maybe even offer some encouragement. But instead, that same irritating, tight feeling returned to his chest. He didn’t understand it. Why was he suddenly being so petty? This kind of reaction was not normal for him, and he didn’t like it at all.

He shook his head. Maybe he’s just having indigestion. Yeah. That’s probably just it.

Astrid watched the rapid shift of emotions cross Shir’s face. Most people would have missed it entirely, but Astrid had always been skilled at reading people. He noticed the subtle tightening around Shir’s eyes and the brief, almost invisible flicker in his gaze. It was clear Shir was bothered by something. Given the topic of conversation, Astrid just knew that something was related to Kiran.

But he still had to make sure.

“Do you think Snow will like the food here more, or will he still prefer my cooking?” Astrid asked Kiran, acting as if he was genuinely curious.

“Of course it’ll be your cooking!” Kiran replied without a second of hesitation, his voice full of sincere belief. “I’ve tasted nothing better than the food you made for us.”

Kiran’s direct and honest answer genuinely touched Astrid. But he also knew such a blunt compliment could be difficult for Shir Atkins to hear, especially if his suspicions about Shir’s feelings were correct. He took a quick, discreet glance at Shir across the table and saw the slight but definite frown that had appeared on the other man’s face.

“I understand the film is finished shooting,” Shir said, shifting the topic toward Ellis. “When will Kiran be able to view the final edit? He needs to understand the film’s tone before he can begin composing.”

Ellis, who had been quietly eating, looked up. She answered Shir’s question smoothly, as if the sudden shift in topic was perfectly normal. “We can do that right after lunch if Mr. Hope is available.”

“Yes, I’m free for the rest of the day,” Kiran said quickly.

“Then I’ll go with him as well,” Shir said. He picked up his napkin from his lap and wiped the corner of his mouth. “Since I’ll be overseeing Kiran’s work, I should also understand what this movie is about.”

Ellis gave a firm nod. “Of course, that won’t be a problem at all.”

Astrid bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Watching Shir’s behavior, he no longer had any doubts. Shir Atkins was not completely indifferent to Kiran. It was clear his friend could easily influence the other man’s mood.

Still, he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

***

Astrid walked into his apartment building and took the elevator up to his floor. He had decided not to go with Kiran and the others to Director McCann’s small private studio, where the key editing work on the movie had been done.

If he went along, there was a good chance he would end up watching the movie. He didn’t want to risk that. If he’s going to see it, he preferred to wait and watch the fully edited version in a theater. So, he decided to just go home instead.

He arrived at his apartment door and unlocked it. When he stepped inside, he came to a complete stop when he saw a familiar person standing in the dining area.

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