IN another gxy, at the Capital Star.


    As the afternoon sses at Redwood Academy came to a close, Kiran headed toward the Acting Department to find Snow. Earlier at lunch, they had agreed to head to Pris together, so it only made sense to meet up. Since Snow''s final ss was closer to the school gate, Kiran had suggested they meet up there, making it easier and quicker for them both.


    So why was he going to Pris again? It''s because the head of thepany''s music division had requested a meeting with him.


    He didn''t need to be exceptionally perceptive to figure out the reason for the meeting. Given the sess of the album he''d produced, they were almost certainly nning to offer him another project. Yet, despite the likely opportunity, he felt a wave of reluctance.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to work with Pris again. In fact, his experience with them had been excellent, and he wouldn''t mind taking on another album project for them. He was genuinely grateful for the opportunity they''d given him.


    Thanks to their belief in his talent, Kiran was now earning more than he''d ever imagined—certainly more than he''d expected at this stage in his career. His ie had grown to the point that, even after sending half of his monthly royalties to the orphanage, he still had more than enough left for himself.


    The issue, however, was that Mirabelle''s debut song still hadn''t been released. If he took on another album with Pris, people in the industry might start assuming he was working exclusively for them — even though that was not the case at all.


    Kiran didn''t want to be confined to just onepany, which was why he had turned down the exclusive contract Pris had offered him. He envisioned working with a variety of artists, singers, and producers, expanding his creative horizons and building a diverse portfolio. He wanted his music to be known across the industry, to reach different audiences, and to make an impact beyond any singlebel''s influence.


    To make that goal a reality, he needed an agent—not one tied to a specific entertainmentpany, but someone from a talent agency that specialized in representingposers and simr artists.


    The problem was, he had no idea where to even begin. Fortunately, there were people around him who were more than willing to help.


    His friends were one, as was Miss Rose, his boss at the piano lounge. Yet, despite all their suggestions, he still couldn''t make up his mind about what to do.


    Miss Rose had mentioned just yesterday that she wanted to introduce him to someone who had recently founded a talent agency specializing in representingposers. Perhaps, if they met, they could find somemon ground and explore how they might work together to support his career goals.


    She assured him that this person was trustworthy, and reminded him that if he wasn''t satisfied with what they had to offer, he could simply decline.


    Kiran owed a lot to Miss Rose, so he couldn''t refuse and agreed to the meeting. Hopefully, this person she wanted him to meet would be someone he could see himself working with—and, if not, they would be able to handle rejection gracefully.


    Before long, he arrived at the lecture building where Snow''s ss was held and immediately spotted Snow waiting out front. Without hesitation, he made his way over.


    Experience more on mvl


    "Sorry, have you been waiting long?" he asked.


    "No, my ss just ended," Snow answered. "Shall we go?"


    Kiran nodded. "Let''s go."


    ---------


    Lauren sat in the studio chair, focused on his Terminal screen as a makeup artist applied foundation to his face. He had a photoshoot today, but his attention kept drifting back to his Terminal. Even as the makeup artist meticulously worked, Lauren''s gaze repeatedly returned to the screen.


    There was only one reason, really. Since that morning, when Reas had messaged saying they''d arrived in Delryria, there hadn''t been a single follow-up. The silence was starting to worry him.


    The sudden need for Reas and Astrid to return home before the school year ended suggested that something important hade up back at their home. Although gctic travel had advanced enough to allow journeys across gxies in just a few days, it was still unusual to leave mid-term without apelling reason. The fact that the twins were prepared to be away for five days implied that the matter was truly significant.


    Reas had mentioned it was a family emergency, but reassured him there was no need to worry. Still, theck ofmunication since then—yes, even just a couple of hours—was enough to make him feel increasingly uneasy.


    Since Reas had left for Delryria, he and Lauren had stayed in constant contact, whether through messages or video calls. So, going this long without a word from him was definitely concerning.


    Of course, it had nothing to do with him being a clingy boyfriend—definitely not.


    Still, he couldn''t help but wonder what kind of family emergency it might be. His imagination had been running wild, spinning up endless scenarios—from a long-lost sibling suddenly appearing to one of Reas'' parents being abducted by pirates.


    His overactive imagination was making it hard to think clearly. So, even though Reas had insisted it wasn''t anything serious, he couldn''t shake the feeling that it was.


    Lauren sighed deeply, admitting to himself that he was probably overthinking. He promised that when Reas finally contacted him, he wouldn''t nag. He''d just ask how he was and if something really did happen, he would try his best tofort him.


    Just then, a message notification popped up on his Terminal. Without a second thought, he clicked on it at lightning speed, barely ncing to see who it was from.


    [I told my parents about us.]


    Lauren blinked, then blinked again, but the words on the message remained the same. Hoping he was mistaken, he checked the sender''s name for confirmation.


    ''Reas''.


    Sure enough, the message was from Reas—his first and recently-official boyfriend.