4 X 7 Dreams

Act 1, Scene 12

3 Weeks Ago

"Hey, Krist?" Singto asks him at a whisper. The words echo throughout the midnight black of the room, anyways.

There's the shuffling of sheets as Krist turns over to face the wall opposite of him instead of the elder. "Yes, P'?"

"Are you doing okay?" Singto asks, and Krist tenses when he feels warm fingers creep up his back before the elder's hand splays over his right shoulder blade. "I know we haven't seen each other as much, but I didn't think it'd affect either of us too much. You've just been...." He trails off, but he doesn't need to finish his thought. Krist understands him perfectly.

The younger lets out a heavy breath before nodding. "I'm okay, P'Sing. It's just been a bit weird. I'm adjusting, though, so don't worry about me too much, okay?"

There's a pregnant pause where Krist holds his breath and Singto's thumb pauses it's steady up-and-down motions on his back before he feels the older man exhale gently against his nape and the elder's thumb resume its soothing movements. "Okay. Sorry about that. I can't really help but worry about you."

Krist stares at the wall in front of him. "I know."

"I just want you to...." The elder doesn't finish his sentence. This time, Krist doesn't understand him at all.

In the morning, Krist wakes up before him, and he thinks it's going to be another easy sunrise, one where he leaves Singto's room and makes it to his own before anyone can question him.

He couldn't have been any further from the truth.

Almost as soon as he steps out of the elder's bedroom, he's greeted by Yui and... Hana.

"We were looking for you," Yui tells him flatly. "I thought you two would stop it with the end of the series, but clearly I thought wrong."

"Why...," Krist's throat is dry; he swallows and tries again: "Why were you looking for me? My phone is with me; you could've texted."

"We did," Yui says. "And we happened to be walking by here when we heard it." She sighs. "I'm not stupid, N'Kit. Why do you think I really introduced Hana?"

Krist looks at the other woman in front of him. She shoots him an apologetic smile. He frowns.

"I'm sorry," he says. "But what am I supposed to do?"

Hana looks away as Yui answers: "Leave him. Tell him it's over. Make sure it's over. Then, things can continue as they were; he's just... not in the picture."

"We still have to work together, though," Krist says. "We're really popular with fans right now, and I can't just—"

"They'll understand," Yui says. She begins to walk down the hallway, Krist following reluctantly behind her. Hana remains a silent shadow. "For every happy couple, there's an equally unhappy ending. That's all that happened to you two." She pauses. "Of course, they won't ever know you two were actually a couple. That's where Hana comes in. We can feed into the whole you and Singto thing by saying Hana just takes priority. Not to mention, this was a rare time in which you two were near. It can appear that you're extremely close to Singto but need time away. It feeds into Y-girl fantasies, while also making sense of the split. Without any relationships being explicitly stated, of course."

She looks pleased with her words.

Krist just feels like throwing up.

Hana remains a respectful distance behind them. Not really paying attention, but clearly listening in.

Krist lets out a breath. "I...."

"It's him or your job, Krist," Yui informs him softly. A warm hand that isn't the same as the one that laid on his back the night before wraps around his wrist. "All that you've worked for or one silly man. It's all up to you, Krist. Choose wisely."

Krist takes a shaky inhale. Lets out a just as wobbly exhale. "Can I at least have some time to think about it?"

Hana, who had been walking closer, freezes in place.

Yui looks straight at him. She smiles, and it's not unkind. "Of course." Her gaze hardens. "I'll give you two weeks."

Two weeks, Krist's mind echoes. It feels like an eviction notice. Two weeks before it's over. Two weeks till he has to say goodbye. Two weeks until the end.