THE PRICE OF APPLAUSE

The cameras never stopped flashing.

One after another, bright bursts of light illuminated the grand ballroom of ASTER HOUSE Entertainment. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, golden decorations shimmered beneath carefully arranged spotlights, and hundreds of guests filled the room with conversations, laughter and the occasional sound of champagne glasses touching.

It was the kind of evening people dreamed of attending.

And Narin Vejchai was right in the middle of it.

At twenty-eight, Narin had become one of the company's most recognizable actors. His face appeared on promotional posters, magazine covers and enormous digital billboards. His name attracted attention, his appearances generated headlines, and his former acting partnership had once been among the company's most celebrated.

Tonight, he was expected to look happy.

So he did.

He smiled when photographers called his name. He laughed when interviewers asked predictable questions. He thanked the company whenever someone mentioned how fortunate he was to have such an incredible career.

He had learned that part of the job very well.

"Look this way, Narin!"

He turned towards another camera.

"One more! Beautiful!"

Another smile.

Beside him stood Kavin Rojana, twenty-nine, his former screen partner and one of the most familiar faces in his professional life.

Kavin looked effortlessly composed in his tailored black suit. There was something about him that made people pay attention without him having to ask for it. He knew how to speak to executives, how to handle interviews and, more importantly, how to make every public appearance look effortless.

They had stood together at countless events like this.

Photographs. Interviews. Fan meetings. Award ceremonies.

Their partnership had once been one of ASTER HOUSE's biggest successes.

Fans still remembered their early days, the projects they had shared and the little moments that had made people fall in love with them as a pair.

But things had changed.

"You're getting better at pretending," Kavin murmured, keeping his smile fixed for the photographers.

Narin continued looking towards the cameras.

"At what?"

"That you're enjoying yourself."

Narin gave a quiet laugh.

"Maybe I am."

Kavin glanced at him.

"You know what I mean."

Before Narin could respond, their manager approached.

"Narin! Kavin! Excellent. The photographs are already doing well. The marketing team wants you both near the main stage in ten minutes."

"Alright," Narin replied.

The manager turned towards Kavin.

"And congratulations. Your upcoming project announcement has created quite a buzz. The company is very excited about this one."

Narin's smile remained in place.

"Upcoming project?"

The manager looked at him briefly.

"Oh. You haven't heard?"

There was a pause.

Kavin adjusted his cuff.

"The announcement is tonight," he said.

Narin looked between them.

"What's the project?"

"Just something the company has been developing," the manager replied. "We'll share the details shortly."

Then, as if remembering something important, he turned to Kavin.

"The director is waiting for you. Come with me."

Kavin hesitated for a fraction of a second.

"Narins..."

"It's fine," Narin interrupted. "Go ahead."

Kavin followed the manager.

Narin watched them disappear into the crowd.

He told himself not to read too much into it.

Perhaps it was a misunderstanding.

Perhaps the project wasn't relevant to him.

Perhaps there was a perfectly reasonable explanation.

He had become very good at finding explanations for things that hurt.

A few minutes later, a staff member handed him the evening's programme booklet.

"Here's the updated schedule, Khun Narin."

"Thank you."

He opened it casually.

The first few pages contained the usual announcements: company achievements, upcoming productions, new collaborations and promotional campaigns.

Then he reached the project announcement.

He read the title.

He recognized the director.

He recognized the production team.

And he recognized the actors.

Kavin's name appeared near the top.

Several other actors followed.

Narin read the list again.

His name wasn't there.

It wasn't a small supporting role he had missed. It wasn't a project he had never been considered for.

Three months earlier, he had attended a private meeting about this very production. He had received the initial script, discussed the character with the creative team and even been asked to prepare for a possible screen test.

He remembered the meeting clearly.

He remembered the excitement.

He remembered being told that the company would contact him with the next steps.

They never did.

He slowly closed the booklet.

"Everything alright?"

Narin looked up.

A young staff member stood beside him.

"Yes. Why?"

"You've been standing here for a while. The photography team needs you on the other side. They're arranging the main cast for the group pictures."

"The main cast?"

"Yes. The selected actors are taking individual photographs with the executives first. You'll be called when they're finished."

Narin nodded.

"Understood. Thank you."

She walked away.

He looked towards the stage.

Across the ballroom, Kavin was surrounded by executives and photographers. Someone was laughing at something he had said. Another executive placed a hand on his shoulder.

They looked pleased.

They looked proud.

Narin looked down at the programme booklet again.

For a moment, he considered asking someone what had happened to the project.

Instead, he placed the booklet on the nearest table.

He didn't want to cause a scene.

Not here.

Not tonight.

His phone vibrated.

A message appeared.

ELOWEN: Are you having fun, or are you doing that thing where you smile while mentally planning your escape?

Narin stared at the screen before a genuine smile appeared.

NARIN: I'm at a company gala. What do you think?

ELOWEN: So, definitely planning your escape.

NARIN: You know me too well.

ELOWEN: Unfortunately. Eat something. You probably haven't had dinner.

He shook his head, amused.

Elowen had a strange talent for noticing things other people overlooked. She could be thousands of miles away and still recognize when something was wrong with him.

He began typing another message, but the master of ceremonies stepped onto the stage.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for joining us tonight as we celebrate another remarkable year at ASTER HOUSE Entertainment!"

Applause filled the ballroom.

Narin slipped his phone into his pocket and turned towards the stage.

The speech continued, praising the company's dedication to its artists, its commitment to family and its belief in creating opportunities for everyone.

Everyone.

The word lingered in his mind.

"At ASTER HOUSE, we believe every artist deserves the opportunity to shine. Our success is built on loyalty, hard work and the people who grow with us."

The audience applauded.

Narin joined them.

His hands came together automatically.

He remembered his first day at the company.

He had been younger, nervous and almost embarrassingly excited. He had believed that if he worked hard enough, if he remained professional and gave everything he had, the company would recognize his efforts.

And for a while, it had.

They had given him opportunities. They had introduced him to audiences. They had watched his career grow.

He had given them his youth, his talent and his loyalty.

He had defended the company whenever people criticized it. He had smiled through exhausting schedules and accepted decisions he didn't agree with.

He had called the people there family.

But lately, the word family seemed to come with conditions.

A photographer lifted his camera.

"Narin! One more picture!"

He turned and smiled.

The flash went off.

Then the master of ceremonies announced the next segment.

"And now, please welcome the actors selected for our upcoming flagship production!"

The ballroom erupted in applause.

Names began appearing on the enormous screen behind the stage.

Narin watched as familiar faces walked forward.

Then he saw Kavin.

The applause grew louder.

Kavin stepped onto the stage, accepting congratulations from the executives.

For a brief moment, their eyes met across the ballroom.

Kavin's smile faltered.

Narin didn't look away.

He simply stood there, holding the same polite expression he had worn all evening.

A moment later, his phone vibrated again.

This time, it wasn't Elowen.

It was an email notification.

SUBJECT: PROJECT UPDATE — CASTING CONFIRMATION

He opened it.

The message was short.

Dear Khun Narin,

Thank you for your time and interest in the upcoming production. After careful consideration, the team has decided to move forward with a different casting arrangement.

We appreciate your continued dedication to ASTER HOUSE Entertainment and look forward to exploring future opportunities together.

Best regards,

ASTER HOUSE Entertainment.

Narin read it once.

Then again.

The applause continued around him.

He lowered his phone.

Onstage, Kavin was accepting flowers.

The executives were smiling.

The cameras were flashing.

And somewhere behind the noise, something Narin had spent years believing in quietly broke.

He slipped his phone into his pocket, straightened his jacket and returned his attention to the stage.

Nobody noticed.

Nobody asked.

Nobody knew.

Because tonight, the photographs would be beautiful.

Tonight, the company would celebrate its family.

And Narin Vejchai would once again play the part of someone who had every reason to be grateful.

He just hadn't realized that the company had already started writing him out of its future.