Back at his place, Yu stood before the mirror, head tilted as he examined his reflection.
He slid into slim-fitting pants that clung just enough to outline his shape without being overt. The white dress shirt he buttoned up was crisp, clean—yet, in the right light, almost translucent, hinting at the smooth pale skin beneath. He adjusted the collar, leaving the top button undone to give a casual but suggestive edge.
His dark brown hair—Yuvin's hair that he's growing out—was brushed until it gleamed, then tied neatly into a small braid that just barely draped over his shoulder. The simplicity gave him an air of innocence… though Yu knew better than anyone how deceptive appearances could be.
He smirked faintly at the mirror.
'Theo Kingsley doesn't even realize he's stepping right into my rhythm. He's easy, too easy. All it takes is a wink, a word, and he unravels.'
But under the smirk, Yu's mind sharpened, a quiet seriousness tempering his game.
'Taichi taught me one thing—the line between seduction and surrender is razor thin. I won't let myself forget who's leading here. I'm the main character, I'm in control.'
Yuvin: Joy! You're gonna fall in love with me!! I'm stealing your brother away for the evening, you can have fun with Izan ;). I'll text you when Theo's heading your way. ^-^❤️
Joy: 🤯OMG!! Yu!!! You're literally the best wing man ever!🤗🤗 Thanks a ton! I owe you!!💖💖🙈😘
He ran a hand down the braid once more, set his shoulders and headed out.
He was ready.
---
Across the city, Theo was anything but calm.
He stalked through his office, phone pressed to his ear, issuing orders with the precision of a general preparing for battle.
"No. Not the main dining hall. I want the private wing cleared. Yes, the entire restaurant. I don't care about the cost."
Within hours, his will reshaped the evening. The finest restaurant in the city was booked exclusively under his name. A mini orchestra was arranged, instruments tuned to play soft, romantic strains that would lace the air like silk. He personally requested the head chef take charge of every dish, overseeing the kitchen himself to ensure perfection down to the garnish.
The table was to be set with candles, fine linens, and a bottle of imported wine that cost more than most students made in a month. Every detail was deliberate, painstaking—his need to control every variable spilling into the arrangement.
Theo paused at the polished window of his office, staring at his reflection. Blue eyes met his own, shadowed by determination and hunger alike.
'This dinner… it won't just be an apology. It's my chance to feel him again. To understand what it is about him that burns me alive.'
What Theo didn't realize was that he had arranged more than a reconciliation. He had created, unknowingly, the perfect date.
---
The restaurant was immaculate, candlelight softening the edges of polished wood and glass. The small orchestra played quietly in the corner, a gentle current of strings and piano weaving through the air. The scent of freshly baked bread and simmering sauces drifted from the kitchen.
Theo sat alone at the head of the private dining table, posture ramrod straight, hands clenched in his lap. His watch ticked loudly in his ears, though the room was otherwise hushed.
He adjusted his tie for the third time, then loosened it, then straightened it again. His throat was dry. He told himself it was just dinner—just an apology. But his restless shifting, the way his leg bounced beneath the table, betrayed the truth.
'What if he doesn't come?'
'What if he laughs at me?'
But then another thought, darker, needier:
'What if he does? What if he smiles at me like he did when he winked…'
His heart thudded painfully in his chest.
The doors opened, and Yu stepped inside.
His white shirt caught the candlelight, sheer enough in places to suggest the faintest outline of skin beneath. His braid lay neatly over one shoulder, catching the golden glow. Slim black trousers emphasized his figure, each step purposeful, fluid.
Theo's breath caught in his throat.
Yu's hazel eyes flicked around the room, taking in the spread:
The orchestra, the candles, the table set with gleaming cutlery and crystal glasses, the panoramic view of the city glittering beyond the glass wall.
Outwardly, his lips curved into a small, touched smile.
"Theo… this is… amazing."
He let his voice soften, as though impressed, as though moved.
Inwardly, Yu sighed.
'Extravagant. Over the top. Taichi's dinners were small, clumsy even—but full of warmth. Heh, he managed to burn every dish and we had to order pizza. This? It's grand, but feels hollow.'
DK01's voice slipped in, firm and cool.
[Yu. Stop. Your constant comparisons are warping how you see this man. Theo is not Taichi. None of them are. If you keep this up, it will affect your judgment—and possibly future missions.]
Yu's smile never faltered, but inside he fell silent.
'I'm just saying, gods. Alright, fine. I'll play along.'
Theo rose and moved to his side, extending a hand to guide him toward the table. Yu allowed it, letting himself be led to their seats, the candlelight catching the faint translucence of his shirt.
The view stretched out before them, the city glittering like spilled jewels. To Theo, it was perfect. To Yu, it was irrelevant. His thoughts wandered elsewhere.
'Joy… I'd bet you've sneaked Izan over again. And here I am, keeping your brother busy like I promised. Enjoy your evening while I play mine.'
Yu folded gracefully into his seat, his smile serene, his mind already calculating the time he could give Joy to deepen her bond with Izan.
---
In the soft glow of her princess-like room, Joy sat perched on the edge of her bed, fingers twisting nervously in the folds of her skirt. Izan stood awkwardly near her desk, his hands clenched at his sides, his chest tight with the weight of words he couldn't hold back any longer.
"Joy…"
His voice cracked slightly.
"I—I like you. I've liked you since that first day you helped me on campus. You probably don't even remember, but… I do. I think about it every day."
Joy's light-brown eyes widened, shimmering as her hands flew to her mouth.
"Izan…"
She scooted closer, her cheeks flushed.
"I… I feel the same."
The words tumbled out, shy and rushed, but sincere.
Their hands found each other, trembling fingers threading together. They leaned in, hesitant, breath mingling, before their lips met in a tender, nervous kiss.
Joy's heart fluttered, her head dizzy with warmth. Izan's chest soared, relief and joy colliding—yet for a split second, in the blurred heat of the moment, his mind betrayed him. The faintest phantom of Yu's soft weight against him in that cramped closet flickered across his memory.
He pulled Joy closer, burying the slip deep inside, forcing himself to focus on her, on this real, tender moment.
Joy smiled against his lips, and he kissed her again, gentler, promising himself that this was where he belonged.
---
Back in the glittering restaurant, Theo sat stiffly, fingers tightening around his fork as the orchestra played low in the background.
"So…"
He began, the words tumbling clumsily.
"How… how are your classes going?"
Yu smiled politely, tilting his head just enough to appear engaged.
"They're fine. A little boring sometimes, but I manage."
Theo nodded, sipping his wine, his eyes flicking toward Yu's braid, his shirt, the faintest curve of his collarbone.
For Yu, every motion felt magnified—the way Theo lifted his fork, the way he swallowed, the cut of his jaw when the candlelight hit.
And all Yu could see was Taichi.
'Taichi's hair was darker, so black it could rival the Godscape. His shoulders broader. The way he drank was slower, steadier, gods he could drink anyone under the table. His presence was warmer, heavier, alive. So why can't I feel anything?'
DK01's voice cut in, sharp and unyielding.
[Enough. If you continue comparing, Yu, I will have no choice but to lock away your memories of Taichi permanently.]
Yu froze, his hazel eyes widening for a split second. Panic flickered through him like lightning before he schooled his expression back to calm.
He reached for his glass of wine and downed it in one go, the burn a poor disguise for the tremor in his chest.
'Don't. Please don't take him from me.'
Yu begged silently.
'I'll stop. I promise. No more comparisons. Just… don't.'
[…Then focus.]
DK01 replied flatly.
Yu set his empty glass down and forced a smile at Theo. He reached for the bottle, poured himself another glass, and drank. And another.
If the only way to wash the bitterness of this evening away was with alcohol, then so be it.
He would focus on Theo. On this dinner. On the mission.
Even if every swallow tasted like betrayal that he couldn't understand why.
---
Theo watched as Yu lifted his wineglass again, the third refill disappearing as quickly as the last. His blue eyes tightened, the first ripple of unease cutting through his chest.
"Yuvin."
He said quietly, his voice steady but softer than usual.
"You should slow down."
Yu only smiled faintly, his hazel eyes hazy, the tips of his ears flushed. The orchestra's music blurred around them, and Theo's stomach knotted.
'Did I do this? Did I make him so uncomfortable he had to drown it in wine?'
Theo Kingsley was rarely unsure of himself. In the boardroom, in class, in every negotiation—he was firm, decisive, unflinching. But here, across the table from Yu, he was fumbling. Nervous. Second-guessing every move, every word.
By the time the last of the plates were cleared, Yu was visibly drunk, his slender frame swaying as he tried to stand. Theo was on his feet instantly, slipping an arm around his back, his left hand settling against Yu's hip.
"Careful."
He murmured, guiding him toward the door. His other hand caught Yu's right hand, steadying it in his grasp so he could lean on him more fully.
The contact seared through Theo's body—soft waist under his palm, small hand warm in his own. His jaw tightened as he fought down the thought.
'This isn't about me. He's drunk. And it's my fault.'
The doors opened, and the cool autumn air rushed in, crisp and biting after the heat of the candlelit room. Yu shivered faintly and leaned closer against Theo's side, their steps uneven as Theo half-carried him out onto the quiet street.
Then, suddenly, a buzz.
Yu clumsily fumbled in his pocket, nearly dropping the device as he pulled out his phone. His hazel eyes squinted against the screen's glow until the message became clear:
Callen: 🥺 WHEN R U COMING HOME MOM I'M STARVING
Adrian: Don't exaggerate.
Callen: 🙄 u literally ate my leftovers dude
Yu's lips twitched into a tired smile.
Theo's eyes sharpened, his jaw tense.
"Who's that?"
He asked, his voice lower, too sharp, too close to possessive. His arm tightened around Yu's waist as if to shield—or claim—him.
Yu tilted his head up at him, hazy and flushed, the faintest glimmer of knowing in his half-lidded eyes.
Yu's hazel eyes fluttered half-shut as he leaned lazily into Theo's hold, his breath warm in the autumn air. His words came out a little slurred but carried a deliberate, cutting edge.
"My roommates~"
He said, lips curving into a wicked little grin.
"Hot ones. You should see them."
Theo stiffened, every muscle in his body locking.
Yu licked his lips slowly, his gaze hazy but intentional.
"Honestly? I'm very interested in sleeping with them. Tasting them."
His voice dropped lower, more intimate, as though confiding a secret designed to wound.
The words hit Theo like a blade, sliding between ribs. His chest lurched violently, breath catching, his heart hammering so hard it almost hurt.
'Interested… in someone else? Not me?'
The thought spiraled, ugly and consuming. Jealousy burned sharp in his veins, scorching every rational thought. He hated it—hated the idea of Yu with anyone else, hated the grin on his lips when he spoke of them.
And yet… knowing Yu was the one who voiced it, who claimed interest in others—it twisted something deeper. A desperation he couldn't name.
His hand tightened unconsciously at Yu's hip, pulling him closer, too close.
"Don't."
Theo rasped, his voice breaking on the word. His blue eyes, usually so hard and unyielding, flickered with raw panic.
Before Yu could reply, Theo bent down and captured his lips.
The taste of alcohol was sharp, bitter on his tongue, but it didn't matter. Somehow, it was the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted.
It was wrong. Reckless. Desperate.
But in that moment, Theo couldn't stop himself.
Theo's lips lingered against Yu's, his breath ragged, heart pounding like it might burst from his chest. For the briefest moment, a voice in the back of his mind screamed at him—
'You've crossed a line. This isn't you. This isn't right.'
But then Yu's taste clung to him, bittersweet with wine and something uniquely his, and all reason drowned under the rush of forbidden sweetness.
Theo pressed in again, deeper, hungrier. His hand slid up Yu's back, pulling him flush against him as if he could anchor him there forever. Each kiss grew longer, more consuming, and Theo knew—he couldn't regret this. Not even if he tried.
'I want more. God help me, I want all of him.'
Yu's head spun from the alcohol and the intensity of Theo's lips devouring his. His hazel eyes, glassy and half-lidded, flicked up to Theo's. His breath was shallow, his lips red and swollen from the kiss.
A smirk tugged faintly at his mouth.
"Darling…"
His voice slurred, teasing, sly.
"Why don't we… get a hotel?"
The words struck Theo like lightning. His breath hitched, eyes widening briefly—then narrowing with resolve. There was no hesitation, no second thought.
"Yes."
He murmured, voice rough.
"Yeah, alright."
They moved quickly through the cool night streets, Yu leaning heavily into Theo's side as Theo half-carried him toward the nearest luxury hotel. At the counter, Theo's commanding presence took over, his voice sharp and efficient as he booked the VIP suite without so much as blinking at the cost.
Minutes later, the door clicked shut behind them, sealing them in the wide expanse of the suite. The city lights spilled in through tall windows, washing the room in silver and gold.
At the center:
One massive king-size bed, sheets turned down invitingly.
Theo spun Yu around in one fierce motion, arms locking around him like steel bands, yanking him flush against his chest. His mouth crashed down on Yu's, devouring him—teeth scraping, tongue thrusting deep, tasting wine and raw need. Yu went pliant instantly, a broken moan spilling into Theo's mouth as their bodies ground together, cocks already straining through fabric, the air thick with the scent of sweat and arousal.
They staggered toward the bed in a tangle of limbs, mouths pressed, hands clawing. Buttons popped, shirts ripped open, jackets flung aside without care. Skin met skin—hot, fevered—Theo's calloused palms dragging over Yu's narrow waist, thumbs digging into sharp hipbones hard enough to bruise. Yu's fingers raked down Theo's back, nails scoring flesh, urging him closer, harder, more.
They crashed onto the mattress in a heap of desperate limbs, the bed groaning beneath them. Yu sprawled on his back, braid unraveling in a dark spill across the sheets, lips swollen and glistening, hazel eyes blown wide with lust. His long, slender legs hooked around Theo's hips, thighs trembling as he dragged Theo down, the hard bulge of Theo's eight inch cock grinding against Yu's smaller one through the last thin barrier of clothing.
Theo braced above him, forearms caging Yu's head, careful even now not to crush the fragile body beneath him. He attacked Yu's throat with open-mouthed kisses—sucking bruises into pale skin, teeth sinking into the delicate curve where neck met shoulder. Yu arched with a choked cry, hips bucking, cock leaking a wet spot through his trousers that smeared against Theo's stomach.
Theo's hand shoved between them, yanking Yu's belt open, zipper rasping down. He palmed Yu's four inch cock roughly through damp silk, groaning at the slick heat, the way Yu sobbed and thrust into his grip.
"Fuck, you're soaked for me already."
Theo rasped, voice wrecked. He dragged the underwear down just enough to free Yu's flushed, dripping smaller length, smearing the slick over his fingers before shoving his own trousers open.
His cock sprang free—heavy, aching, the head already glistening. He rutted against Yu's bare skin, sliding through the mess between Yu's thighs, the friction maddening. Yu keened, legs spreading wider, heels digging into Theo's ass, trying to pull him inside with nothing but desperate rolls of his hips.
Yu, drunk and pliant, let himself sink into the heat of Theo's touches. But in his mind, the lines blurred. The taste of wine, the warmth of lips on his skin, the weight above him—all of it shifted, warped.
Taichi.
His heart fluttered, aching as his hazy lips parted.
"Darling…"
He whispered, voice trembling with longing. And then, soft, almost tender, the word slipped out like a prayer.
"Darling…"
Theo froze, his breath catching, though he didn't know the pet name wasn't meant for him—only the intimacy of the word, the sweetness of being called something so precious.
But DK01 understood. And in the quiet of the system's processes, calculations spun.
[Perhaps… it really is best to lock away Taichi. To protect Yu. To ensure the mission succeeds.]
Then it slipped out again, soft and slurred with wine and want.
"Darling…"
The word detonated inside Theo like a gunshot. Theo's breath caught when the word slipped past Yu's lips—soft, blurred by wine, but unmistakable.
Darling.
The sound of it unraveled him. Yu had called him that. Him. His chest swelled, his body burned with fierce, uncontainable desire. The last tether of hesitation snapped.
"Mine."
Theo whispered against Yu's lips, conviction and hunger thick in his voice as he pressed closer, aligning himself against Yu's trembling form. The thought of taking him, of becoming one with him, consumed him utterly.
"Mine."
The last shred of restraint snapped. Theo shifted forward, hands sliding under Yu's thighs to spread him wider. The blunt head of his cock nudged between Yu's cheeks, catching on the dry, unprepared rim. A distant part of Theo's mind flickered—
'Too dry, too tight, he'll hurt.'
—but the haze of alcohol and raw want drowned it out. He pressed forward anyway, breath hitching as the resistance pushed back.
"Mine!"
[Warning! Host, without proper preparations, you will injure yourself. Tell Theo to get the lube, perform oral, do more foreplay or better yet, use some of your JP to buy 'Oil of the Melting Will' to heighten the sexual experience…Host Yu? Yu?]
'Uh? Wah zat? Who? Ugh!'
[Processing. Host is deemed too intoxicated to make proper judgement. Host, do you give permission for me to access your JP and buy the 'Oil of the Melting Will' on your behalf?]
"Yesh, more!"
[Confirmed. Access Granted. -15 JP. Placing item where Tragic Target will acknowledge.]
"Fuck! Yu, my Yu!"
He snarled, the sound guttural, possessive. He pinned Yu's wrists above his head with one hand, the other fumbling blindly—until the bottle hit the floor with a sharp clatter.
Theo's head jerked toward the sound, his blue eyes narrowing in confusion until they fell on a bottle resting by the nightstand legs, rolled into sight as though placed there deliberately.
Lube. Right there.
He froze, breath sawing in his chest. For a moment, bewilderment cut through the haze of his desire. Then realization struck. His hands stilled, his jaw clenched. He had nearly—without thinking—hurt Yu.
He'd almost taken Yu raw, too lost to think, too feral to care. Guilt punched through the haze, but the hunger didn't fade—it sharpened.
He snatched the bottle, slicking his fingers with shaking urgency. Yu writhed beneath him, whimpering, thighs falling open in shameless invitation. Theo pushed two fingers in without warning, groaning at the tight, wet heat that clamped down instantly. Yu cried out, back bowing off the bed, cock jerking against his stomach and painting it with another bead of pre-cum.
Theo worked him open fast and filthy—three fingers now, scissoring, curling, finding that spot that made Yu scream, voice cracking on that pet name. The sounds were obscene:
Wet squelch of lube, Yu's broken sobs, Theo's ragged growls.
"So fucking tight—gonna ruin you—gonna fill you up—"
When Yu started fucking himself back on Theo's hand, babbling pleas, Theo pulled free and slicked his cock in one rough stroke with a third of the oil left in the bottle. Tossing it aside, he lined up, the blunt head nudging against Yu's fluttering hole, and thrust.
One brutal push and he sank to the hilt.
Yu's scream was raw, beautiful—nails ripping furrows on the bedsheets as his body clenched and shuddered around the sudden invasion. Theo stilled only a heartbeat, forehead pressed to Yu's, panting, fighting the urge to pound him into the mattress.
Then Yu rolled his hips, took him deeper, and whispered again, breathless and wrecked.
"Darling—move—"
Theo lost it.
He fucked Yu like the world was ending—deep, punishing strokes that slammed the headboard against the wall, the wet slap of skin on skin drowning out everything else. Yu's legs locked around his waist, ankles crossed, heels digging in, urging him harder, faster. Every thrust dragged a fresh cry from Yu's throat, his cock trapped between them, leaking steadily, smearing slick across both their stomachs.
Theo shifted, hit that spot dead-on, and Yu came apart—body seizing, cock pulsing as he shot untouched, thick ropes of cum striping his chest and Theo's. The clench of Yu's body around him dragged Theo over the edge; he buried himself deep and spilled with a hoarse shout, hips jerking as he flooded Yu in hot, endless pulses.
They stayed locked together, trembling, sweat-slick and gasping.
But Theo wasn't done. Nowhere near close. When he moved again, it was with greater ease, guided by something beyond himself. And when Yu arched into him with a soft, unguarded sound, Theo's world split open. He had never felt anything like this before.
Shame and relief warred in his chest as he seized the bottle again, using the last of it with frantic thoroughness as he poured it over where he and Yu connected as one. Every motion became careful, reverent. The hunger in him didn't abate—but it bent, reshaped, into something more controlled, more deliberate.
---
"[System Log: DK01 – Confidential Record #2387]
Host Yu has engaged in intimacy with Tragic Target Theo Kingsley ahead of schedule. Tragic Target shows elevated attachment. Mission trajectory strengthened.
System Intervention: Necessary assistance deployed to prevent potential harm to Host.
Observation: Host is under the influence of alcohol, impairing judgment, continues to confuse Theo with Taichi. The verbalization of "Darling"—a personal nickname recorded during Host's time as Yukio—suggests deep cognitive overlap.
Risk: High. Emotional attachment may become unstable. Mission trajectory may diverge dangerously.
Additional anomaly detected: Though Host has no knowledge of emotional attachment to past memories of individuals encountered as Yukio, Host still holds on to the idea of there being an emotional attachment to said individuals of World One. Something—or someone—is blocking Host Yu's ability to connect to the past. Will keep this noted for future analysis.
Conclusion: This pattern of comparison between past and current Tragic Targets and subsequently future attachments is escalating. It may be necessary to initiate memory lock protocols on memories of past Tragic Target Taichi Arifukua (and possibly all Tragic Targets after mission completion for the forseeable future) to prevent further confusion and potential mission failure. Immediate lock may stabilize Host's focus.
Counterpoint: Delaying may provide greater insight into Host's resilience and emotional thresholds. Locking prematurely could destabilize Host's identity further.
Status: Pending. Monitoring."