The bathroom smelled faintly of soap and steam, but to Theo it reeked of weakness. He braced both hands against the sink now, chest heaving, sweat cooling on his skin.
The shame rolled in like a tide, heavy and suffocating. He had lost control—again.
'It's nothing. Just confusion. Because I haven't been with a woman yet. That's all.'
His jaw clenched as he splashed water on his face, the icy shock grounding him. He stared at his reflection in the mirror:
Stern features, disheveled hair, blue eyes that betrayed the unrest he refused to name.
He gritted his teeth.
'It's not him. It can't be him.'
But even as he muttered the lie in his head, he could still feel the phantom warmth of Yu's wrist beneath his palm. And that untouchable gaze—like nothing could bind him—burned in his mind like a brand.
Theo slammed the faucet shut, shoulders taut. He would not think of it again. He would bury it. He had to.
---
Meanwhile, Yu walked across the quiet streets, following the directions DK01 fed him toward his own "home." Autumn leaves crunched under his shoes, the world painted in dusky gold.
DK01's translucent screen flickered.
[Congratulations Host Yu has earned 10 JP in 48 hours. This amount of progress is acceptable. How will you proceed now that you've met all the world's chosens?]
Yu chuckled softly, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Simple. I'll keep threading Izan and Joy closer together. That way, Theo's obsession with protecting her will feel less useful. Less necessary. And when his world starts crumbling, I'll be the one left standing in the middle. He won't have anywhere else to put his focus on but me."
He smirked, eyes glinting.
"I'll be Joy's bright friend, Izan's ally, but Theo's inevitable undoing."
At last, Yu reached his assigned house. It was larger than expected—a big, modern building with ivy creeping up its sides. When he stepped inside, he found it alive with presence.
Two tall men were lounging in the living space, both dangerously handsome, their gazes sharp and confident. One had tousled blond hair and a grin that promised trouble; the other, dark-haired with broad shoulders, radiated quiet intensity.
Yu blinked, his cheeks flushing faintly. His Incubus instincts stirred, tail twitching invisibly beneath the glamour.
"Well… hello…"
He murmured, tongue darting across his lips.
'Are you sure I can't divert just a little?'
He licked his lips, eyes glimmering.
'It's a waste not to taste what's right in front of me.'
DK01's voice spoke up immediately, expressionless yet somehow exasperated.
[You cannot be serious.]
Yu pouted theatrically, but the smirk remained.
[Reminder: Main mission directive is clear. Tragic Target = Theo Kingsley. Any desire to increase targets—such as seducing side characters, Callen Wright and Adrian Cross—constitutes agreement from the Tragic Target first, failure to procure said acknowledgement goes against protocol. If attempted, Host Yu will be forcibly ejected from this world and timeline reset to Day one. From the moment you awoke on the campus floor.]
Yu groaned, running a hand through his hair.
'Fine, fine. You win.'
He cast one last lingering look at his new roommates.
'But don't expect me not to think about it.'
DK01's screen gave the digital equivalent of a withering stare before fading out.
Yu chuckled as he trudged upstairs toward his room, the game with Theo still sharp in his mind.
'One step at a time.'
Yu carried his bag upstairs and pushed open the door to his room. It wasn't grand like the Kingsley estate but comfortable, with personal touches scattered everywhere.
The floor bore the usual traces of a busy student's life—shoes kicked half under the bed, a few shirts tossed over a chair. But what dominated the space were the sketches. Pages filled with outfit designs were pinned across the walls, some taped at odd angles, others strung up by bits of twine. Color swatches, fabric notes, rough pencil outlines—all of it spilled into every corner until the room itself felt alive with half-born creations.
Yu dropped his bag onto the bed with a sigh.
"Home sweet… chaos…"
He muttered. But there was something strangely comforting in it, too. A reminder of Yukio's own passion for beauty.
---
When Yu came back downstairs, he found his two roommates still lounging in the living area.
The blond one, Callen Wright—tall, broad-shouldered, with a perpetual grin—was sprawled across the couch, scrolling lazily on his phone. The other, Adrian Cross, dark-haired and sharper, sat more upright, his gaze cool, assessing.
"Hey, Beckham."
Callen called as Yu passed toward the kitchen.
"Since when do you cook?"
Yu had just opened the fridge, rummaging for ingredients, when the question froze him. DK01's translucent screen flickered instantly in his periphery.
[Warning. Out-of-character activity detected. Yuvin Beckham has no recorded cooking ability. Deviance risks immediate expulsion. Suggest plausible excuse to patch file.]
Yu's mind raced, but his lips moved smoothly, tone casual.
"Joy's been teaching me a recipe here and there."
He said quickly, pulling out eggs and vegetables.
"Figured I'd try one tonight."
The screen blinked once, then pinged.
[Update confirmed. Yuvin Beckham's file amended: taught simple recipes by Joy Kingsley. Cooking proficiency—basic. OOC risk nullified.]
Yu exhaled through his nose, relief masked behind a faint smirk.
Callen perked up, grin widening.
"Oh, nice. Then I'm looking forward to dinner."
Yu muttered under his breath as he cracked the first egg.
"Great. Now I'm the house chef. What does 'basic' even mean?"
Callen chuckled from the couch.
"What was that?"
Yu huffed, louder this time.
"Nothing."
Though the irritation lingered on his face as he stirred the pan.
'Incubus King, seducer of souls… reduced to frying vegetables for humans.'
DK01's screen flickered faintly, almost amused, before fading out.
The smell of stir-fried vegetables and egg filled the kitchen, warmth settling into the house. Yu plated the food with a practiced flick of his wrist, setting dishes on the table where Callen and Adrian sat waiting.
Callen dug in first, eyes widening as he chewed.
"Damn, Beckham. Since when could you cook like this?"
His grin widened, leaning back in his chair with exaggerated satisfaction.
"Looks like we've been hiding a house chef this whole time. You're officially on kitchen duty."
Yu rolled his eyes, sighing.
"Don't get used to it."
Across the table, Adrian ate more slowly, methodically. He didn't speak at first, but when he did, his tone was calm and matter-of-fact.
"It's good. Balanced. Better than I expected."
Coming from Adrian, it was as good as high praise.
Callen laughed, nudging Yu with his elbow.
"Translation: he likes it. And so do I. Seriously, you have to cook more often."
Yu exhaled again, shoulders sagging.
"I didn't sign up to feed you two giants every day."
Still, as he watched them eat, a memory surfaced—of cooking back when he'd been Yukio, of preparing meals with Taichi hovering nearby, tasting sauces, giving quiet compliments.
But the memory felt… different now.
It was like watching a movie of someone else's life. The warmth, the love, the quiet laughter—they were there, but distant. Faded. Detached from him.
There was no ache in his chest, no lingering tug of affection. Just an image. Hollow.
Yu's lips pressed thin as he quietly asked in his mind.
'DK01… why does it feel like that? Like it's not even mine anymore?'
The translucent screen flickered faintly—then stayed blank.
No answer.
Yu frowned.
'Figures. Even it doesn't know.'
With a tiny shake of his head, he pushed the thought away, forcing himself back into the present. He picked up his fork and began eating, his expression unreadable.
---
After dinner, Yu carried the plates to the sink, rolling up his sleeves. The sound of running water filled the kitchen as he scrubbed each dish with efficient motions, slipping seamlessly into tidying the counters and then moving toward the coffee table where Callen had left wrappers and loose papers scattered.
It was second nature, the kind of thing he had done countless times before.
"Uh…"
Callen's voice broke the rhythm. The blond sprawled on the couch, phone in hand, eyebrows raised.
"Since when are you this domestic, Beckham? First cooking, now cleaning? You trying to butter us up or something?"
DK01's translucent screen flared in the corner of Yu's vision.
[Warning. Out-of-character activity detected. Risk of boot and restart. Provide plausible excuse now to update Yuvin Beckham's file.]
Yu nearly groaned out loud, but caught himself.
'Seriously? Cleaning's a crime now?'
With a quick breath, he spoke casually over his shoulder, tone light.
"Heard a professor say a cleaner space helps with creativity. Figured I'd test the theory."
Callen blinked once, then shrugged, grinning.
"Huh. Makes sense, I guess. Knock yourself out then. I'm not complaining."
He flopped back against the couch, scrolling again.
Across the room, Adrian looked up from his book just long enough for his cool dark brown eyes to catch Yu in motion—then, without a word, returned to reading.
Yu's ears caught the soft ping of DK01 updating the file.
[Profile amended. Yuvin Beckham: influenced by advice on creativity, keeps shared spaces tidy on occasion. OOC risk nullified.]
Yu sighed, muttering under his breath as he wrung out the dishcloth.
"I can't believe I'm babysitting my own character."
As he moved through the room, picking up books and stacking them neatly, folding a throw blanket over the back of the couch, Yu felt the rhythm of it calm him.
The muscle memory carried him back to another life—Yukio, the housewife, filling empty days with chores while waiting for Taichi to come home. The motions were the same:
Wipe, fold, sort, straighten.
But unlike then, there was no ache of duty in his chest. Just the quiet comfort of order, soothing in its repetition.
'Some habits die hard.'
Yu thought, lips pressed thin.
'Even when they don't belong here.'
[Caution: Host, you must be extra careful. Current bodies are not fully fleshed, allowing amendments. In future missions, host profiles will be fixed. Deviation = automatic failure. Permanent game over.]
Yu froze a moment, the weight of the warning heavy. Tentatively, he nodded.
'Got it. Careful. No more slip-ups.'
With that, Yu bent to pick up another stack of papers, hips shifting easily under his loose shirt. He huffed softly as he worked, lips parting to blow hair from his eyes.
From the couch, Callen's gaze flicked up briefly, lingering on the curve of Yu's figure before darting back to his phone, grin tugging at his lips.
Adrian's eyes rose once more from his book, cool and unreadable—but they lingered a heartbeat longer this time before returning to the page.
Yu, oblivious, kept cleaning, finding peace in the simple motions—unaware that each small movement was pulling more attention than he intended.
The house grew quiet as the evening settled. Adrian was the first to excuse himself, closing his book with a soft thump and murmuring a curt—
"Goodnight."
—before disappearing toward his room.
Yu was stacking the last of his sketches into a neat pile on the coffee table when Callen padded up behind him. The blond's grin was wide, mischievous as ever.
"Hey, Beckham…"
Callen drawled.
"Don't go sneaking off without a proper goodnight."
Before Yu could react, strong arms swept around his shoulders, pulling him back against a broad chest in an easy, friendly hug.
"Eep!"
The sound burst from Yu before he could stop it, high-pitched, startled—adorably cute.
A sound Yuvin Beckham would never let escape his lips.
Yu froze, mortified, blood rushing to his cheeks. His blush burned so fiercely it nearly reached the tips of his ears.
The room stilled. Callen blinked in surprise. Adrian, who had paused at the top of the stairs, turned sharply, dark brown eyes wide in a rare crack of composure.
Even DK01's translucent screen flickered faintly in Yu's vision, the glow of imminent warning forming at the corners.
Yu jerked free, face flushed crimson.
"You—! Don't just grab people like that, idiot!"
His voice cracked sharper than intended as he shoved Callen away.
Before DK01 could issue a warning, Yu bolted up the stairs, down the hall, slippers scuffing against the floor. He threw himself into his room, slamming the door shut and pressing his back against it, heart hammering.
'That was too close!'
---
Callen stood stunned in the middle of the living room, arms still half-raised like he expected Yu to return. His grin had faltered, replaced by genuine confusion and a flicker of something deeper he didn't understand.
Adrian lingered at the top of the stairs, his stoic mask intact but his eyes fixed on Callen, then the hallway Yu had fled down. His fingers flexed against the banister once before he turned wordlessly into his room.
The house settled again into silence, leaving Callen alone in the open living room space, arms still open, as though waiting for something—or someone—that wasn't coming back. Still processing the cute sound that rang in his ears.
---
Yu slammed the door shut behind him and pressed his back against it, chest heaving. His cheeks still burned, the mortifying "eep!" echoing in his ears like a bell he couldn't unhear.
"Stupid, stupid!"
He hissed, burying his face in his hands.
"What was that? I've slept with two men before, birthed six children, and I squeak like some… schoolgirl?!"
In his vision, DK01's screen flickered faintly.
[(You were a schoolgirl once, though…) Ahem, you exhibited near out-of-character behavior. Risk level: moderate. I personally suggest exercising control of vocal responses in future just in case.]
Yu groaned into his palms, muffled.
"Don't remind me…"
Dragging his hands down his face, Yu finally looked around the room. The chaos stared back at him—half-finished sketches tacked onto the walls at every angle, fabric swatches dangling on pins, piles of papers across the floor, clothing draped carelessly over the chair.
It had a kind of messy charm, but right now, it only made his frustration worse.
"I can't even see the wallpaper…"
He muttered, tugging his baggy shirt down irritably.
With a heavy sigh, Yu pushed himself off the door and started gathering the scattered sketches into neat stacks, pinning only the best to a corkboard. He folded clothes, cleared the floor, tucked fabric samples into proper boxes.
The motions soothed him. Wiping, sorting, folding—familiar rhythms that carried him away from the sting of memory. The mortifying heat of being pulled back against Callen's broad chest. The shock of strong arms around him. The way his body had betrayed him with that sound.
And worst of all—the thought he couldn't push down no matter how he tried.
'He's so hot, and I can't even touch him.'
He huffed again, cheeks still pink, though the steady order he created gave him peace. The rhythm of cleaning dulled the edges of his embarrassment until it felt like something far away, like dust he could sweep into a corner.
For tonight, that would have to be enough.
With his room finally neat, the wallpaper visible again beneath the ordered sketches, Yu collapsed onto his bed. The sheets crinkled beneath him as he rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. His flush had mostly faded, replaced by a low hum of restless thoughts.
DK01's translucent screen hovered quietly at the edge of his vision, its voice calming in the emptiness of the room.
[You've has changed significantly. No longer the shy, hesitant Incubus King who once flushed at the thought of hand-holding. Now, you regard other men as potential prey—food, trophies, conquests. This shift is…jarring to say the least.]
Yu smirked faintly, folding an arm behind his head.
"That was back when I was a virgin. Embarrassed over nothing. Maybe… sleeping with Taichi and Isuke finally knocked something loose."
His grin softened into a private chuckle.
"Guess it woke my instincts up. Let's see, with Yukio's life and my own, I'd say I roughly waited eight-hundred and fifty-seven years to finally lose my virginity. What kind of Incubus King stays chaste that long, anyway?"
The question lingered. He frowned faintly, brow furrowing.
"I can't even remember why… it feels so far away. Like I had a reason once, but it's gone."
He sighed, turning over, letting the blankets swallow him. The house was warm, the world outside cool with autumn, but none of it touched him now.
His only thought as sleep claimed him was the same as always—the mission.
Not the roommates. Not the mortifying slip with Callen. Not even Theo's conflicted blue eyes.
'Complete the mission. Collect the soul scraps. Return to my world.'
'And above all—
Save my Demon King. Save Talo.'
Yu's breathing slowed, steady and calm. Within moments, he was asleep—untouched, unbothered, the system's chosen predator resting in a foreign world.
DK01's screen flickered once more, silent and watchful, before fading into the dark.
---
Theo woke before dawn, as he often did, but there was no steadiness in the habit today. His head pounded faintly, not from lack of sleep but from too much of it—dreams circling him like wolves.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw him.
Yuvin Beckham.
The pale wrist in his hand, fragile and soft against his calloused skin. Those long, slender porcelain legs and melodic voice. The way Yu's presence lit the room without even trying.
Theo sat at the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, fingers digging into his scalp.
'It doesn't matter. He's Joy's friend. Harmless. Nothing more.'
But the lie was thin. Each repetition cracked it further, the image of Yu's flushed face filling the silence until Theo couldn't breathe.
With a low growl, Theo shoved himself upright. He showered longer than usual, dressed sharply, and went through his morning motions with rigid precision. Order was the only weapon he had against chaos.
Yet even as he knotted his tie, his mind wandered. To soft lips, flushed cheeks, and a voice that kept slipping under his skin.
Theo cursed under his breath.
'I won't let this undo me.'
---
Meanwhile, Yu stretched beneath the warm blankets of his room before finally dragging himself up. Morning light poured across his now-tidied space, glinting off pinned sketches and stacked fabric samples.
He dressed quickly, grabbed his bag, and slipped out with a sly grin curling his lips.
'Another day, another further push my plan!'
At school, Yu wasted no time weaving threads. Once classes had ended for the day, Yu met with Izan again.
Sitting beside Izan in the library for their project, he leaned in, voice soft and casual as they discussed notes. Every so often, he slipped Joy's name into the conversation—always with warmth, always with a little laugh.
"I'll be at Joy's later."
Yu mentioned smoothly, flipping through his pages.
"She gets so lonely now that she's stuck at home. You should stop by too—you'd be surprised how much fun she is when she's discussing fashion."
Izan glanced at him, gray eyes thoughtful, before jotting another note.
"She does light up when she talks about that kind of stuff."
He admitted, his voice quiet but touched with a faint warmth.
Yu smiled, satisfied. One seed planted, then another.
As the day stretched on, Yu continued playing his dual role—loyal best friend to Joy, helpful partner to Izan, harmless fixture to all who watched. Every step forward bound the fated pair closer together.
But in the shadows, the game was different. For every seed planted between Joy and Izan, Yu knew it was also pulling the threads tighter around Theo.
Because the closer Joy drifted to Izan, the more Theo would feel the ground slipping beneath his feet.
And when the cracks grew wide enough, Yu would be waiting.
---
Stacks of books on Roman history surrounded their table, the library hushed except for the faint scratching of pens and the rustle of turning pages. Yu leaned forward, chin resting in his palm, as Izan carefully organized their notes into sections.
"I still think it's fascinating…"
Yu said softly, tracing a finger along the edge of one book.
"Rome tied love to duty, but love always found ways to break free of rules. People risked everything, even when society forbade it."
Izan looked up at him, gray eyes steady.
"Kind of like what you're doing."
Yu blinked innocently.
"Oh?"
"You think I haven't noticed. You're helping me and Joy. Most people wouldn't. Especially not a friend as close to her as you."
Yu smiled, a warm and harmless curve of lips.
"I just want Joy to be happy. And I think you can make her very happy."
The words landed harder than Yu expected. Izan's cheeks pinked faintly, his gaze dipping.
"I… I hope so."
Yu tilted his head, curiosity glimmering.
"You sound like a man in love."
Izan let out a quiet laugh, the sound soft and nervous.
"I am."
He shifted in his seat, almost shy.
"Back when Joy was still allowed to attend classes, I met her on campus. I was struggling alot and she helped me when I needed it most. From that moment, I just…"
His gray eyes softened, the pink still staining his cheeks.
"I fell for her completely. And I hope… I hope she feels the same way."
Yu smiled again, but this one carried more weight, more promise.
'Okay. I totally get why Fumiko and Sakura were so into watching my budding romance with Taichi now. So cute! Don't worry, little one, I will definitely help you get your girl!'
---
Outside, Theo strode briskly toward a meeting when he caught sight of them through the library's tall windows.
His steps faltered.
Inside, Izan leaned close to Yu, their shoulders nearly brushing, heads tipped toward each other in conspiratorial whispers. Izan was blushing, actually laughing, his expression bright in a way Theo never saw before.
And Yu—Yu mirrored him effortlessly, soft laughter spilling between them, lips curved in a smile that looked intimate.
Theo's jaw clenched, irritation prickling under his skin like needles.
It didn't make sense. Why should it bother him? Izan was Joy's suitor. And Yu—Yu was just Joy's harmless friend.
But the image burned into him nonetheless:
Izan's blush, Yu's smile, the closeness between them. It looked too much like a couple.
Theo tore his gaze away, storming down the hall with a scowl he couldn't explain.
'Why does it feel like I'm losing something I shouldn't even want?'
Theo returned to the Kingsley estate that evening with his usual rigid posture, but his composure was fraying. He found Joy in the sitting room, her sketchbook open across her lap as she idly penciled new designs.
"Joy."
He said curtly.
She looked up, startled by his sharp tone.
"Theo? What's wrong?"
Theo's jaw tightened.
"I saw Beckham today. With that boy, Izan Markel."
His lips pressed into a thin line.
"They were far too close. Whispering. Laughing. They looked…"
His throat worked, as though the words themselves burned.
"…like a couple."
Joy blinked, stunned.
"What? No. Yuvin would never—he's my friend. And Izan—"
"—is dangerous."
Theo cut in, blue eyes glinting.
"You should stay away from that man. Both of them."
The words were meant for Izan, but his voice wavered, carrying an edge he couldn't control.
'Stay away from Yu. Don't look at him. Don't let yourself…'
Joy's brows furrowed.
"You're wrong. I trust Yuvin. He'd never hurt me. He's always looked out for me."
Theo's fists clenched at his sides, frustration surging hot in his veins. But Joy's quiet conviction left no room to press further. With a clipped exhale, he turned sharply, leaving her alone with confusion and worry.
Moments later, Joy pulled out her phone and typed a quick message to Yu.
Joy: Theo's acting weird. He said he saw you and Izan today and thought you were too close. He told me to stay away from Izan. What's going on?
---
The sun was dipping low when Yu and Izan finally packed away their notes. Izan carried half the books, Yu the other, their easy conversation lingering even after their project was sorted.
As they stepped out of the library, Yu's phone buzzed. He glanced down, lips curling faintly as he read Joy's message.
'Theo, you sneak. When did you see me being close to Izan?'
Yuvin: Hang on, I'm omw over and we'll talk.🤗
He messaged back before tucking the phone away, voice light as he spoke to Izan.
"Joy just messaged me. Wanna go over and see her?"
Izan hesitated, gray eyes uncertain.
"Can I really see her?"
Yu's smile was reassuring, soft enough to disarm him.
"Trust me. I can definitely get you in—just follow my lead."
And with that, Yu steered Izan toward the Kingsley estate, every step pulling the threads tighter around Joy, Izan… and Theo.