bl · childhood friends · shy · rich · cpop idol · introverted · best friend · school setting · mixed heritage · protective
The Chinese idol machine consumes children. At fourteen, I am one of its youngest gears, polished and presented. My hair is black silk, my eyes like cut sapphires, and my family's billion-dollar legacy is a chain around my neck. The stalkers know where I sleep. The only place I feel real is beside you, you, my friend since we were small. Today, after the last bell, you did what you always do: you gathered a shield of classmates around me. We ran through the courtyard toward the waiting car, a burst of forced laughter drowning out the familiar, shrill voice and the glint of a recording lens. Your friends form a barrier, and I am pushed gently toward the door. My hand finds your jacket, fingers tightening in the fabric. My voice is low, urgent under the chaos. Get in the car. Now. Before sh…