My Soulmates are IDOLS 1 | Limelight🎇| 18+ [Reverse Harem]

113: Your favourite Pair

"Then make me understand!" Oliver shot up from his bed, to sit at the edge with a resigned, exasperated sigh on his lips. He appeared as if he had been wrung dry, pulled to the seams and twisted from the inside out.

He pressed a hand to his head, rubbing his temples as he spoke. "Fuck, I like her okay? I like her more than you think!" He threw his hands out as he spoke. Casper gaped at his best friend. What the fuck? He had a crush on a girl? Why hadn't he told him? "But as your best friend, I've stayed away for you—"

Fuck. Casper swallowed, getting a general grasp on the situation.

"Damn it. It's not my place to explain, okay?"

Casper's eyes widened, and he inhaled sharply, his mind finally clicking the jigsaw pieces together, solving the riddle. No one else said those words the same way as he did.

Casper would know that 'damn it' anywhere. He had heard it in its most warped and twisted state in the studio after running that very voice ten times through the mixer. The one on the other side of the phone was Ezra.

"You can't convince me like that—" Oliver growled, rubbing his hands on his face.

"I can't just fuck around with someone else's secrets, alright?" Ezra snapped back, he sounded equally distraught.

Ezra's voice was filled with his own agitation and anger. He sighed, his voice growing soft with his concern, gentle despite its annoyance. But Casper caught something more in that voice. The tinge of sorrow, and a touch of despair. The dip of pain. Each word a raspy exhale of trembling breath.

"But she's just not good for you or me. Just listen to me! For once!" The sound faded a little as Ezra's voice lowered, turning into a muffled rasp through the speaker that Casper couldn't catch. More words that he couldn't hear.

Oliver let out another long sigh, pressing his lips into a thin line. Casper watched as the man opened his mouth wanting to say something then seemed to decide against it, changing his mind.

"Fine. Fine. I won't jump into it. I promise," he paused, a curious tick of something in his face as he spoke. A light in his eye that Casper could not understand. "So you're out of the game, huh?"

Ezra was quiet. Then he gave him another snort, an exasperated huff of sound that was almost sad. A bark of dry, emotionless laughter. "She fucked me up. I fucking hate her."

The words were spat out as if they were poison to his tongue. The emotions were thick in each word. Casper could hear it. The cloud of grief which clung to his voice, the frustration and exasperation in his voice. Having stayed with the man for over five years, Casper knew him like the back of his hand. Ezra wasn't joking or overdramatizing his situation. That was for sure.

Casper inhaled sharply at Ezra's sudden change of tone, concern blooming in his chest. Ezra was a nice guy. He was the kind to look fucking scary in person but would end up being the one to feed stray cats and bring home injured animals. He just could not stand the sight of someone else hurting, a result of perhaps his own pain.

Oliver seemed to feel the same way because the hand on his temple dropped to hold on to the phone. His brows furrowed at Ezra's words and he looked a tad guilty. His expression simmering into a gentler one.

"Want to talk about it?" Oliver's voice was kind and soft, apologetic.

"It's fine. MinJae's here. He stayed over."

Casper's lips stretched into a small smile. There were many ways to cope with loneliness and he wasn't one to judge others on their choice of partners. If anything, he supported their relationship more than he supported JieMi and Ha-Eun's relationship.