When the last of the food was eaten and Callen's exaggerated groans of contentment had faded into lazy grins, Yu gathered the plates with efficient ease.
"You two make more of a mess than children."
He muttered, stacking utensils neatly.
Callen flopped back in his chair, hands laced behind his head.
"Lucky for us, we've got a live-in mom now."
Yu shot him a flat look as he carried the dishes to the sink.
"Keep talking and see if you still get fed next time."
But even as he scolded, his motions were steady, practiced—scrubbing, rinsing, drying. The kitchen gleamed under his hands, every surface wiped down, the rhythm of cleaning grounding him just as it always did.
By the time he finished, the room looked untouched, like no meal had ever happened. Yu stretched once, tying what little hair he has loosely back, before murmuring.
"I'm going to bed."
Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared down the hall to his room.
---
The silence lingered a moment before Callen finally broke it with a low whistle.
"Man… he's something else."
Callen said, leaning forward on the table now, elbows propped up. His grin softened into something less mocking, more thoughtful.
"Never seen Beckham like that before. Cute apron, cooking like a pro, fussing over us like he actually cares. Kinda… nice."
He laughed at himself, running a hand through his blond hair.
"Hell, I could get used to it."
Adrian closed his book with a soft thump, his gaze flicking toward the kitchen door Yu had vanished through.
"…He wasn't like that before…"
Adrian said quietly, his tone unreadable.
"It's… new."
Callen smirked.
"New, but good."
Adrian didn't reply right away. His thoughts churned, silent and heavy. The way Yu had moved tonight—so fluid, so natural, as if he belonged in the role of caretaker—had unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.
Finally, his voice dropped lower, firm.
"Either way, he's not someone you should fool around with."
Callen laughed again, but his grin was sharp, his eyes glinting.
"Fool around? Pfft, yeah right. He's too innocent for that. Wouldn't want to scare him away, who else would cook for me then?"
The two roommates sat in silence for a moment longer, the air between them taut with something unspoken. Different men, different temperaments—but both now circling the same thought.
Whatever had changed in Yuvin Beckham…
They liked it.
And more than that—
They wanted it.
---
Yu closed his door behind him with a soft click, tossing his bag onto the bed. The quiet of his room pressed in, the faint scent of soap and fabric still lingering from his earlier cleaning spree.
He sat cross-legged atop the blankets, tugging the tie from his hair and letting it spill over his ears, dark strands catching the moonlight that seeped in through the window.
DK01's screen flickered alive in the air, voice laced with calcuated warning.
[Host, the side characters—Callen Wright and Adrian Cross—are exhibiting growing fixation on you. There is a high probability of complications regarding this. I should warn you, stirring side characters risks destabilizing mission trajectory.]
Yu leaned back on his hands, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Let them circle. They're not the target."
[Correction: Their fixation may shift world dynamics. Mission difficulty may increase. Recommend avoidance.]
Yu tilted his head, eyes glittering faintly red for a moment in the dark.
"Pay them no mind. Once I'm allowed to act out-of-character, I'll have my fun. For now, they're just… background noise."
He chuckled, pulling a pillow into his lap.
"Besides, when this is over, I'll move out anyway. The Kingsley house is much more comfortable. If I have to play housewife somewhere, I'd rather it be there."
DK01's screen blinked once, then twice, as though considering.
[Noted. But caution advised. Side characters may not remain in the background if provoked.]
Yu yawned, unbothered, tugging the blankets up around him as he hugged the pillow.
"Then they'll learn their place. My mission isn't them. It's Theo."
The hum of DK01's screen faded into silence, leaving Yu alone in the quiet once more.
He smiled faintly, eyes slipping shut. Already, visions of victory and men danced at the edges of his thoughts.
---
Theo woke with a jolt, the weak morning light slicing across the bed like a blade. His skin was damp, sheets twisted around his hips, heart still hammering from the dream that refused to fade.
Yu in the kitchen—apron slung low, the knot resting just above the curve of his ass. The soft hum under his breath as he leaned over the counter, the way the fabric of his shirt rode up when he stretched, exposing a strip of pale skin Theo wanted to bite. The casual intimacy when Yu had reached up, fingers brushing Theo's throat as he loosened the tie with deliberate slowness, thumb grazing his pulse point like he knew exactly what it did to him.
"Fuck."
Theo groaned low in his throat, throwing an arm over his eyes.
"Get a grip."
But his cock had other ideas. It lay thick and aching against his stomach, already leaking a wet spot into the sheet. He shifted under the blankets, staring down at the obvious tent pressing against the fabric.
'Morning wood. A biological reaction.'
He lied to himself.
'Nothing more. Perfectly normal for a healthy male. It has nothing to do with him.'
Yet even as he tried to reason, the throbbing ache made it impossible to ignore. He swallowed hard, hand trembling as it drifted downward.
His breath came short the moment his fingers rubbed himself over his boxers. He tried—desperately—to summon the image of faceless women, the type of wives his grandparents would approve of. Polished, cold, respectable.
Useless.
The second he let his guard down, Yu flooded back in high definition.
The bathroom door creaking open. Yu bent over the sink, shorts riding low, the long line of his spine arching as water dripped from his hair. Those pale thighs flexing when he startled, the sharp inhale that lifted his narrow back. The way his lips parted—no sound, just that perfect, shocked little O that begged to be filled.
Theo's hand moved before his brain caught up, shoving under the waistband of his boxers, fingers closing around his cock with a strangled groan. The first stroke was angry, almost punishing. The second was slower, filthier, slick with the pre-cum already oozing from the slit.
"Shit… Yu…"
He shouldn't say the name. He did anyway.
He pictured Yu removing his shirt slowly, cock half-hard and curving up against his stomach, flushed pink at the tip. Imagined him walking forward until Theo's back hit the tiles, Yu's voice in his ear, low and mocking.
"Caught you staring again, Theo. Like what you see?"
Theo's hips snapped into his fist, breath hitching.
"Shut up!"
He growled to the empty room, but the fantasy-Yu only laughed, dropping to his knees on the bathmat, mouth already open.
"Bet you're dripping for me~"
Fantasy-Yu whispered, tongue flicking out to catch the bead of pre-cum at Theo's slit.
"Bet you've been hard all morning thinking about bending me over the counter and fucking me raw while everyone's still asleep."
Theo's strokes turned frantic, wrist twisting on every upstroke, thumb smearing slick over the head until his thighs shook. He could almost feel Yu's throat working around him, the wet heat, the obscene little hums of satisfaction vibrating down his shaft.
"Gonna come down my throat?"
Fantasy-Yu taunted, pulling off just long enough to speak, spit and pre-cum stringing from his swollen lips.
"Or do you want to flip me over, spread me open, watch me take every inch while I beg for more?"
That did it.
Theo's back bowed off the mattress as he came with a choked, desperate sound—thick ropes of cum streaking across his stomach, his chest, one shot hitting his chin. His cock jerked in his fist, pulsing again and again until he was wrung dry and shaking.
The room spun. He lay there panting, cum cooling in sticky stripes on his skin, the scent sharp and unmistakable.
Shame roared in, hot and immediate. He squeezed his eyes shut, but Yu was still there behind his eyelids—smiling, sated, lips wet and pink.
Always Yu.
---
Across town, Yu stirred in his own bed. The early light painted his sketches in golden slants, his hair a messy halo on the pillow. He stretched languidly, letting a yawn slip out—then paused at the familiar ding in his system.
[+5 JP]
Yu chuckled low, rubbing at his eyes.
"That early in the morning, huh? You're hopeless, Theo."
Rolling onto his side, he flicked his fingers, summoning DK01's translucent screen.
"Open the system shop."
Yu murmured, eyes still hazy with sleep but glinting slightly red beneath his hazel gaze.
"I wanna see my toys and if any of em can be used for future plans."
The translucent screen brightened at Yu's command, shimmering with rows of glowing icons.
[Incubus System Shop – Available Items]
[Lips of the Seventh Night— A small vial of liquid starlight mixed with the distilled breath of sleeping virgins. When an incubus drinks it, his lips glow faintly crimson and any being he kisses falls into a euphoric dream-like trance for exactly seven hours, remembering the encounter only as the most perfect erotic fantasy they've ever had. The kiss leaves no physical marks, only an aching longing to be kissed again.]
[Veil of Unseen Caress— A translucent mantle woven from the sighs of a thousand lovers at the moment of climax. When draped over the incubus's shoulders, he becomes completely invisible and intangible to everyone except the person he currently desires most. That person alone feels ghost-like fingers tracing their skin, hearing whispered promises only they can hear.]
[Collar of Willing Chains— A slender black leather choker studded with tiny rubies shaped like drops of fresh blood. Once fastened around a being's throat (always with their eager consent), the wearer cannot speak a lie and feels overwhelming pleasure whenever they obey the slightest suggestion. The collar vanishes at dawn, leaving only a faint ring of bruises shaped like kiss marks.]
[Incense of Crimson Desire— Dark resin incense that, when lit, fills the air with a scent like warm skin, spilled wine, and smoke. Beings who breathe it grow feverish with lust over the course of mere seconds, their inhibitions crumbling until they beg for the incubus by name—even if they've never learned it.]
[Ring of the Stolen Heartbeat— A plain band of obsidian that grows warm when slipped onto a being's finger. For the rest of the night, their heartbeat slows to match the incubus's own rhythm. Every racing pulse of desire the incubus feels is echoed in the being's chest, waking them trembling and hard, sometimes without knowing why.]
[Tongue of Endless Whisper— A thin, forked silver tongue piercing enchanted by the previous God of Lust. Whatever filthy promise or depraved fantasy the incubus murmurs directly into a lover's ear replays in their mind for weeks afterward, surfacing at the worst (or best) possible moments—board meetings, funerals, wedding vows.]
[Vial of Midnight Milk— A single drop placed on the incubus's own tongue lets him lactate a pearly, addictive fluid from his chest for one night. Beings who taste it become bound to him with helpless devotion, craving the flavor like a drug. A single feeding is enough to turn even the most pious soul into a secret worshipper.]
[Key of the Unlocked Flesh— An ornate brass key that grows warm when held against bare skin. Wherever it is pressed—throat, inner thigh, the small of the back—leaves a temporary infernal sigil that makes that patch of skin hypersensitive for a month. A single brush of fingers over the mark is enough to force an immediate, shattering orgasm.]
[Crown of the Eternal Edge— A thin circlet of black gold studded with tiny downward-facing spikes. When placed on a being's head during sex, they are locked on the razor's edge of climax—feeling every thrust, lick, and stroke a hundredfold—but physically unable to come until the incubus removes the crown and whispers "Now."]
[Incubus Resonance Conduit— A thick, living dildo forged from obsidian desire-glass. Once a being's fresh semen is smeared along the shaft, the conduit tethers to that single soul. From that moment on, it perfectly mimics the tethered lover's cock in every detail—size, girth, the exact curve, the way it throbs when they're aroused, even the rhythm and force of their thrusts, recreating every stroke in real time—no matter how far away they are. Only one tether may exist at once.]
[The Lustful Chalice— A goblet carved from a single piece of luststone. Any fluid poured into it—wine, water, cum—becomes a potent aphrodisiac that compels the drinker to speak their filthiest fantasy aloud, then immediately experience it as vivid, tactile hallucination for the next six hours. Simply watch and smile as they fuck the air, the furniture, or yourself senseless.]
[Threads of the Unraveling Corset— A lace-up corset of shadow-silk. Each time the lace is loosen with teeth, one of the being's sexual inhibitions literally unthreads and dissolves forever. Loosen three and even a prudish priest will beg to be used as a dildo in public; loosen all thirteen and he'll crawl naked through the streets looking for a hole like a bitch in heat.]
[Oil of the Melting Will— A single drop massaged anywhere on the body turns skin into an erogenous zone for a full night. Inner wrists, earlobes, the crook of a knee—suddenly all of it feels like the head of a cock or the swollen bud of nipples. By the time the oil is fully absorbed, they'll come from a handshake. Will last until it is washed off by the semen of an Incubus.]
[Blindfold of the Inner Eye— Crimson silk embroidered with a single closed eye. When worn, the wearer sees through the other's gaze instead—watching their own body being fucked, licked, and used from their perspective. Many beg to keep the blindfold on even after the night ends.]
[Collar & Leash of the Devoted Pet— A velvet collar that, when the matching leash is tugged, forces the wearer onto all fours and replaces every third word they try to speak with an animal noise of the leasher's choosing—whines, bleats, mewls, or desperate barks. The effect lingers for days after removal.]
[Pen of the Craving Word— A pen whose ink is distilled lust given liquid form. Anything written on bare skin with it—words, sigils, even a single heart or the smallest dot—sinks in like a tattoo and burns with slowly building arousal. Phrases literally come true as erotic reality: write "dripping" on a thigh and feel warm slickness gather there for hours; scrawl "on your knees" across a chest and watch them sink helplessly, mouth already open.]
Yu scrolled leisurely, lips curling into a smirk.
"Ah, my obscene toys, how I've missed you all. Don't worry my babies, mommy will unlock you soon."
He mused, stretching out in bed.
'"Tongue of endless whisper" could be fun… imagine Theo trying to get through a meeting and failing.'
His fingers hovered over "collar & leash of the devoted pet" for a long moment, a memory of the last wet dream he'd sent making his eyebrow twitch in amusement.
"Or maybe make him beg to suck me off, make him break and admit he's cock-hungry for me and only me while barking like a dog…"
With a low chuckle, Yu dismissed the screen, rising from bed. He hummed softly, padding into the kitchen to begin breakfast.
Soon, the scent of sizzling eggs and butter drifted through the house. He moved easily between pan and counter, plating food for three as though it were second nature.
"Honestly…"
He muttered with a grin.
"These boys don't know how spoiled they are."
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingsley estate, Theo stood in front of his bathroom mirror, fully dressed and ready to head to work, knuckles white against the porcelain sink. The cold water he had splashed over his face clung to his jaw, dripping onto his tie.
But nothing washed away the truth.
His release still clung to his skin, sticky and shameful, the scent faint even after scrubbing. No matter how he tried to bury it, the memory of Yu's legs, Yu's eyes, Yu's apron refused to leave him.
He gritted his teeth, forcing his reflection to meet his stare.
"It was nothing."
He growled to himself.
"Just… biology. A man's body. Nothing more."
But even as he said it, his stomach knotted tighter. The lie was brittle, already cracking.
Shoving his tie into place, Theo straightened his jacket and tried to will the image away. Tried to focus on the day ahead as he headed out the door—the company, Joy, responsibilities that should matter more than one dangerous, untouchable boy.
And yet, deep inside, he knew he was already losing ground.
Once at the company, morning sun streamed through the tall glass windows of the Kingsley corporate tower, illuminating stacks of paperwork across Theo's desk. Meetings came and went, associates droned on about numbers and contracts, but none of it stayed in his head.
Every time he tried to focus on a report, the memory clawed back to the surface—Yu in that apron, Yu's soft humming, Yu's slender fingers brushing over his tie as if it belonged to him. The sharp clink of a pen against his desk made his irritation spike, and he snapped at his assistant, Rin, who had only asked for a signature.
Theo pinched the bridge of his nose, willing himself to concentrate. But even as he scrawled his name across contracts, his body betrayed him with faint, phantom heat curling low in his stomach.
'Ridiculous…'
He thought bitterly.
'One boy, and already I'm unraveling?'
But denial rang hollow. He was distracted, on edge, and nothing—not numbers, not meetings, not obligations—could blot out the pull Yu had carved into him.
---
Across town, in a kitchen, Yu began plating everything neatly, setting it on the table with the same grace he had shown at the Kingsley estate.
"Breakfast is ready."
He said with a faint flourish before heading back into the kitchen to put the used knives and pans in the sink to clean later.
Callen perked up instantly, sliding into the kitchen instead of his seat.
"Man, I could get used to this. You're spoiling us, Beckham."
Yu only huffed, as he picked up a knife and hot pan.
"Go sit and eat. Don't complain if it gets cold."
But Callen wasn't listening. He leaned over, arms wide, mischief glittering in his bright green eyes.
"What I really want is a morning cuddle. Come on, roomie, don't be shy—"
Yu started to turn away, but years of being pulled from behind by Taichi in his life as Yukio had dulled his reflex. For a split second, Callen's arms closed around him from behind, warm and solid.
A startled breath caught in Yu's throat—before another hand yanked Callen back.
Adrian stood stiffly, his brown eyes sharp, one hand gripping the hood of Callen's hoodie.
"Don't do that."
Callen blinked, surprised.
"What? It's just a hug—"
"In the kitchen…"
Adrian cut in, voice low and clipped.
"It's dangerous. Hot pans. Knives. You could've hurt him—or yourself."
Callen raised his hands in surrender, though his grin lingered.
"Alright, alright. Don't bite my head off. I'll save my hugs for after breakfast."
Adrian's jaw tightened as he all but shoved Callen toward the table, his own thoughts a mess he refused to acknowledge.
'It's for safety. Nothing else. He's careless, and it could've ended badly.'
Yet his chest still burned as he watched Yu quietly resume placing utensils into the sink, as if nothing had happened.
---
On campus, the afternoon was brisk, the courtyard alive with students moving between classes. Theo was striding toward a faculty meeting when the familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.
Across the yard, Yu stood with two tall figures—his roommates, Theo realized after a moment. The blond one laughed loudly, leaning too close, while the dark-haired one hovered with quiet gravity. Yu was pulling something from his bag, his hands graceful as always.
Two neatly packed lunch boxes.
Theo's sharp blue eyes caught the faint glint of roasted vegetables through the translucent lids. Food. His food.
Something inside Theo snapped taut. Before he even realized, his feet were carrying him across the courtyard, each step harder than the last, until he stood directly before them.
"What—"
Theo bit out, his voice cutting sharp through the air.
"—are you doing?"
Yu blinked, caught mid-motion with the lunch boxes in hand. Callen raised his brows in surprise, while Adrian's gaze narrowed faintly, assessing the sudden intrusion.
Theo's glare stayed locked on Yu. His jaw was tight, his hands curled at his sides. He didn't know what he wanted to hear, only that he needed an answer—needed to stop the gnawing ache in his chest at the sight of Yu feeding other men.
The courtyard quieted around them, students slowing to watch the collision.
Yu tilted his head, lips curving into a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I'm feeding my roommates. Is that a problem, Kingsley?"
The words were light, harmless on the surface, but Theo felt them like a blade.
Theo's blue eyes blazed, the weight of his fury settling squarely on Yu.
"You're feeding them?"
His voice was low, biting, but barely leashed.
"What business do you have wasting your time—"
Yu tilted his head, smile soft but laced with provocation.
"Funny way to phrase gratitude. Not jealous, are you, Kingsley?"
The words hit like sparks to tinder. Theo's composure cracked; in a heartbeat his hand shot forward, seizing Yu by the wrist. The force of it nearly lifted Yu off his feet as Theo yanked him close, the fury in his grip sharp enough to bruise.
"Hey!"
Callen barked, his grin gone. His arms wrapped around Yu's waist from behind, tugging him back.
"What the hell are you doing, Kingsley?!"
Yu's breath hitched, the smile faltering as his hazel eyes welled with involuntary tears from the sting of Theo's hold. His slender frame trembled between the pull of both men, caught in the crossfire.
Adrian moved last but with deliberate precision. His fingers closed around Theo's wrist grasping Yu's, firm, controlled. His brown gaze locked with Theo's, cool earth against burning fire.
"Enough."
Adrian said flatly, his voice even but unyielding.
"You're drawing eyes. This is neither the place nor the time."
The courtyard had fallen almost silent, the weight of onlookers' stares pressing in. Adrian's grip tightened just enough to underscore his words.
"If you're so quick to act without thinking, Kingsley, then think twice now. Before you make a move you'll regret."
Theo's chest heaved once, twice. His jaw flexed as he glared at Yu, at the faint glimmer of tears in those hazel eyes.
But even as Adrian's calm words cut through, Theo's grip did not loosen. His body was taut, torn between pride, fury, and something deeper he refused to name.
Yu, caught between them, swallowed hard, his body trembling, his mind whispered.
'This is dangerous. Why…why does it feel like before… Why do I hate his hand grabbing me like this?'
The air in the courtyard was thick, silent but for the muffled chatter of distant students. Yu's hazel eyes glistened faintly as Theo's grip remained ironclad, his arm stinging under the pressure.
Theo's voice finally rumbled low, each word bitten out through clenched teeth.
"I'll release him… if the blond lets go first."
Callen barked a laugh, his grin sharp despite the tension.
"Fat chance, Kingsley."
His arms tightened protectively around Yu's waist.
Yu winced faintly at the pull and twisted his head back toward Callen. His voice, though soft, carried steel.
"Callen. Let go."
Callen blinked, taken aback by the sudden seriousness in Yu's tone.
"What? No way. He's—"
"If you don't…"
Yu cut in, his voice calm but edged with certainty.
"I won't cook dinner later."
The words landed like a stone dropped in still water.
For one heartbeat, both Callen and Adrian froze, staring at Yu. His gaze didn't waver. He wasn't bluffing.
Callen's grin faltered into something warier.
"…You drive a hard bargain."
He muttered, though there was still a mischievous glint in his eyes. Slowly, cautiously, he loosened his hold, drawing his arms away from Yu's waist one deliberate inch at a time.
Adrian, silent but observant, studied Yu for a long moment before releasing Theo's wrist. His jaw was tight, though his tone remained flat.
Callen, trying to break the weight in the air, scoffed and spoke.
"Wow. Even Adrian's scared of losing a free meal."
Theo's eyes cut sharply toward Adrian, committing the man's name to memory:
Adrian. He did the same with Callen, his mind already assessing both men, already circling their presence around Yu like a wolf sniffing out rivals.
Yu rolled his shoulder gently, turning his hazel gaze back up to Theo. His voice was steady now, threaded with calm insistence.
"Your turn, Kingsley."
Yu said softly.
"Let go."
His words hung in the air, daring him, asking him, testing him.
"Will you?"
The crowd held its breath, waiting to see if Theo Kingsley would release—or if the mask he wore would crack further in front of everyone.
The courtyard was silent, every pair of eyes fixed on the small tableau—Yu's slender wrist locked in Theo's iron grip, Callen watching with a grin that didn't quite mask his tension, Adrian unreadable but poised, ready if Theo so much as twitched wrong.
Theo's chest rose and fell once, sharp and heavy. His knuckles whitened where they clamped around Yu's slender wrist.
For a heartbeat, it seemed he might not release.
His gaze met Yu's hazel eyes—teary but steady, unflinching. Something twisted deep in his chest, pulling taut, painful, impossible to name.
Theo exhaled, the sound low and reluctant. His fingers slowly, deliberately, uncurled from Yu's wrist. The faint red mark his grip left behind burned against Yu's pale skin, a silent reminder of how close Theo had come to crossing a line.
The release sent a ripple through the air—relief for some, disappointment for others.
Yu rubbed his wrist lightly, a soft wince crossing his face, though his eyes gleamed faintly with something only he and DK01 would recognize as triumph.
Theo straightened, jaw locked, forcing his mask back into place.
"Be careful who you waste your efforts on, Beckham."
He muttered coldly, though the heat in his chest betrayed him.
The Love-o-meter ticked down:
13 - 10
Without waiting for a response, he turned sharply on his heel and strode away, the crowd parting instinctively as he passed.
Behind him, Callen muttered.
"What the hell was that about?"
While Adrian's gaze lingered, sharp and assessing.
Yu, however, only dusted himself off, his lips curving into a faint, apologetic smile.
He adjusted his bag with practiced ease, brushing his sleeve down over the faint red mark on his wrist. His expression softened into something almost nonchalant as he looked between Callen and Adrian.
"Don't worry about it."
He said lightly, as if Theo's outburst had been nothing more than a passing breeze.
"Take your lunches before I take em back."
He handed off the neat boxes—one to Callen, who muttered a curse under his breath but still took it with a grin, and one to Adrian, who accepted it in silence, his gaze unreadable.
Then, without so much as a backward glance, Yu walked away, steps graceful and unhurried, like nothing had happened at all.
As he crossed the courtyard, DK01's pale-lilac interface flickered to life in his mind's eye.
[Host, the Love-o-meter has changed. Theo Kingsley's affection has dropped to 10%. Further drops risk entering negative values.]
Yu only smirked faintly, lips curving as he tapped his fingers against the strap of his bag.
'So he's struggling. Good. That means he's thinking about me nonstop.'
[Correction: This is dangerous. If affection drops into negatives, the mission may destabilize beyond repair. Even I am not sure what will happen if it reaches -100%, you must stay vigilant on this matter.]
Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, but his tone stayed amused.
'Relax. If I can bring him up once, I can bring him up again. This was just… necessary pressure. Look at him—he couldn't even let me go until I forced the choice.'
He chuckled under his breath, ignoring DK01's sharp pulse of disapproval.
'He's already falling deeper than he realizes. I'm not just the harmless gay friend of his sister anymore—I'm gonna be his lover soon enough. After all, I'm the main character.'
[Host, this isn't like one of Haruka's anime or mangas or Sakura and Fumiko's dramas. This is real life. Please take this seriously.]
Yu just rolled his eyes and continued his walk to his afternoon class.
---
Elsewhere on campus, Theo stormed across the quad, each step heavy with restrained fury. His chest heaved, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached.
The mark of Yu's skin lingered on his palm, soft and searing, as if burned into him. He hated it. He hated how he had hesitated. He hated how releasing Yu had felt like tearing something vital out of his own grip.
And more than that—he hated the thought of those men.
The blond, Callen, with his casual touches and playful words. The dark-haired one, Adrian, calm but hovering too close. Both of them standing at Yu's side, circling him like wolves.
Theo's stomach knotted, a raw surge of unease crawling up his spine. Against his will, the word threat carved itself into his thoughts.
Not Izan. Not Yuvin.
Them.
The men around Yu.
Theo's hands curled into fists as he tried—and failed—to convince himself otherwise.
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
10 - 14