The Trials of Being Loved

Part 3 - The Polar Bear Learns

New felt more at ease after that morning. He was relaxed, more confident on the the promotional tours. After that morning, everything took on a dream like quality. He set aside so it really didn't matter to him. Like a favored memory, he had no choice but to move on. There wasn't a chance Tay would repeat it. It did what it needed to do... gave him release with another person.

It was different for Tay.

That morning opened a world of questions he had no real answers to and he wanted them! He needed those answers! He found himself really paying attention and studying New often. Was he gay? Was he bi? Was New? Why did he care? What did New kiss like when there was no other people around? Why did he care?

Their acting improved. Their managers were very pleased. The other cast members were happy. It made for a very pleasant work environment under all the constant scrutiny.

G-TV listened once again to the fans. They saw the difference between the two, interacting during live streams, and scheduled fan meets. When it came to making money, they knew how to do it best. Times were different now, smaller meets because of New's death threats. He would not go into crowds of over 200 people.

His bodyguard said he could not effectively keep him safe. New listened and argued back.

Only when they were promoting for other reasons, were the crowds larger, and usually became massive. G-TV was using Tay to coax him gently to appear. Tay was afraid... New was taking more modelling contracts, and CF's lately, and turning down promotional tours and fan meets. Was he going to break his contract?

Tay tried his best, to be the encouraging best friend. New was firm. The size of the fan meet would be small - intimate. He had talked to a few of his friends in the company and was surprised to find most were on New's side.

Although all of them were contractually obligated, they all felt that giving in to G-TV was the wrong thing to do. Gun Atthaphan simply patted his back and sighed, "Tay, your manager is not your friend. He's not there to be your friend, even if he says he is. He's there to protect a product created for the company. It's a lonely existence. New understands. Someday you will. I hope it's not too late then."

Gun walked away holding the hand of Off Jumpol, dreaming of the day his contract with G-TV would end. Unlike the others, he had been a child actor, made a name for himself before signing with them. His contract had been for five years. It would soon be over. There was no way in hell he was renewing.

Tay considered. He understood that Gun was trying to tell him something and he missed it. Rather than fight, he decided to let New have his way. They had begun in the same place, they would end in the same way.

2022

New's relaxed attitude soon found him back on the 'dating scene' without him even realizing it. Confidence showed with less stress. His parent's talked and his mother introduced him to a sweet girl, the daughter of her good friend. Her baby needed more friends.

They did make friends. New slowly began to open up to her. It was nice to know an ordinary girl again. Day didn't care about him being an actor, or how handsome he was. They talked about love and how hard it was. They went on small trips together. He had fun.

He made two mistakes in this new found friendship. He didn't tell Tay, and one day, instead of posting the picture of the two of them on a friendship date privately, he posted on his public Instagram.

They had just returned home from the TayNew Fan Meeting Korea 2022. It was their first of the year, after the G-TV main one, with all of the BL actors. Now, they were filming a CF together.