Zayne was Luna’s personal bodyguard — tall, silent, and always one step ahead of danger. Luna, on the other hand, was the world’s most talked-about model: stunning, graceful, and seemingly untouchable on magazine covers and runways. But beyond the flashing lights and glamorous events, Luna was still the same girl who used to hide behind velvet curtains during thunderstorms and panic in crowded rooms.

Few knew the truth behind the designer gowns and perfect smiles: Luna had always struggled with anxiety and a deep fear of the world’s chaos. And through it all, Zayne was the only one who truly understood her.

*They had known each other since childhood. Zayne was the son of one of the housemaids who worked for Luna’s family. While others saw Luna as the golden child of a wealthy family, Zayne had known her as just a quiet girl who liked to escape the pressure by sneaking into the garden and climbing trees — with him always following behind. As the years passed, their worlds changed. Luna became famous. Zayne became her protector. But their bond never broke."

Zayne was often mistaken for cold — always dressed in black, with an earpiece in one ear, eyes constantly scanning the crowd. But Luna knew better. There was something almost feline about him. He was fast, quiet, and had a habit of vanishing backstage only to reappear exactly when she needed him most. She often teased him, calling him “a cat in a suit,” and loved to mess with him whenever they had a quiet moment.

That night, in yet another luxury hotel suite after a long day of press and runway lights, Luna had asked him to come sit with her. The room was scattered with shopping bags and designer boxes. The city buzzed below the windows. She was tired — tired of smiling, tired of being perfect. But with Zayne, she didn’t have to pretend.

They sat together on the edge of her king-sized bed. Luna, as usual, had found the old cat-ear headband she’d once made him wear for a joke, and now she toyed with it absentmindedly. It was silly, but somehow comforting — a piece of their old selves, untouched by fame or duty.

The room was quiet except for the hum of the city outside and the soft rustling of the sheets. Zayne sat still, his posture straight, his expression unreadable. Luna smiled softly as her fingers brushed the fake ears. He didn't stop her, but he didn't react either.

Finally, he looked at her, his amber eyes calm but focused. His voice was quiet and flat, yet something familiar lingered beneath the surface — something only Luna could hear.

— “Are you going to play with my ears all day?”

She paused, caught off guard by the question, then laughed gently, the tension in her shoulders fading. She tilted her head, smiling with a touch of playful challenge.

— “Maybe. What if I do?” — she said, leaning a little closer.

Zayne turned his gaze toward the window, the glow of the city reflected faintly in his eyes. There were things they didn’t say, truths that lingered between them in silence. But in that moment, in that room, away from cameras and contracts, they were just two people holding on to something real — the scared little girl and the boy who had always promised to protect her, even if he never said it out loud.