The long dining table felt emptier than usual that evening. Just two boys sat at opposite ends—one exuding an unreadable calm, the other radiating nervous energy he thought he was hiding well.
On one side was Micah, effortlessly striking as always. His green eyes gleamed like chilled emeralds, his dark lashes lowering and lifting as he cut his food with unhurried precision. Handsome, still, unfeeling. His face gave nothing away, his movements neat, his composure as unshakable as stone.
On the other side sat Liam. Shorter, a bit slighter long hair , his soft brown eyes shining from under the fringe that spilled across half his face. He wore his pink hoodie again—the one with the puppy ears dangling from the hood—thinking it would help him look irresistible. Only now, sitting in the heated dining hall, the fabric clung to him in all the wrong ways.
'Damn it, it's hot. Why would I even wear this?!' Liam groaned internally, chewing his food in slow motion. His cheeks were already pinker than his hoodie. 'And look at him… sitting there so unbothered. It's because of him I'm suffering like this. I only wore this to impress him!'
His lips pushed into a pout without him realizing, his eyes flicking repeatedly across the table to where Micah ate as if Liam didn't exist. Wronged. Resentful. Almost like a child throwing a silent tantrum.
Micah, calmly lifting his glass, felt the weight of that stare. Against his usual instincts to ignore everything, he finally glanced up. His sharp green gaze landed directly on Liam—who, to his surprise, was glaring with teary puppy eyes, lips bitten as if holding back some grievance.
For a moment, Micah stilled. '…What? Did I do something?' He genuinely questioned himself. The boy looked as though he had been wounded by some unseen crime—and Micah was the most obvious suspect.
The moment their eyes met, Liam froze. His face flamed red and he whipped his gaze down to his plate so quickly the hood nearly fell off. His thoughts scattered like startled pigeons.
'Oh no, oh no, oh no—he saw me staring! What do I do?! He probably thinks I'm weird!'
The silence stretched until Micah finally set down his utensils and spoke. "I'm done, Fred. Thank you." His voice was cool, smooth, without a ripple of emotion.
The butler bowed. "Of course, Young Master Micah."
Liam lifted his head just in time to see Micah rising from his chair, not even glancing his way. His stride was steady, unhurried, and he left the dining room as though nothing existed outside his plate.
Liam's jaw dropped. 'H-He's already done?!' He stared at Micah's empty dish in disbelief. Then realization hit him, and he slapped a hand over his chest with relief. 'Oh thank goodness—it's not because of me! He just… eats too fast. Right. He didn't leave because I was staring. Phew!'
With his little panic soothed, Liam managed to finish his own meal, thank the staff with his usual sweetness, and skip back to his room with renewed excitement. His mission wasn't over. No—tonight was the night.
Once inside, Liam rolled dramatically across his bed, groaning into his pillow.
"He suspects something," he whined, muffled by fabric. "This afternoon… and at dinner… ughhh." He kicked his legs against the sheets. "Why is he so hard to read?! Why can't he be like the guys in those guides?"
Yes. The guides.
He snatched his phone off the nightstand and unlocked it. His search history stared back at him like incriminating evidence:
How to seduce someone who doesn't like you
Ways to look cute for a cold guy
What does it mean when someone stares at you probing
Liam threw the phone onto the bed and buried his face in his hands. "Why am I like this?!" he cried softly. His heart squeezed just thinking about Micah's unreadable gaze. "He's my brother's best friend. He's… he's so cold. He doesn't even look at me the way other people do."
But then, lifting his head slowly, his expression shifted. Determination gleamed through his embarrassment. His soft brown eyes sharpened with fire.
"No," he whispered. "I'm not giving up. If he's cold… then I'll just be warmer. If he's unreadable… I'll make him read me. Operation Get-Micah's-Attention-and-Body is officially a go."
He sat up like a soldier preparing for a battlefield.
Step One: The Outfit Test
Dragging his suitcase out with unnecessary dramatic flair, Liam began pulling out clothes like a man possessed. Hoodies, shirts, shorts—everything he owned ended up strewn across the room. The once tidy bedroom turned into a chaotic fabric storm.
He held up his usual green pajama top and trousers, eyeing himself in the mirror.
"Too casual. He won't even blink at me in this." Toss.
Next, a white oversized tee with cartoon prints. He tilted his head, squinting.
"Cute… but maybe too childish? He'll think I'm twelve." Toss.
Then, he grabbed a sleeveless top. He froze, staring at his exposed arms in the mirror. His face heated instantly.
"W-Wait. Isn't this… too bold?!" He slapped his cheeks with both hands, horrified at the thought of Micah's eyes brushing across his bare skin. "No! Too soon!" Toss.
He pulled out another hoodie, groaning. "Why do I only have childish clothes?! It's unfair! Leo never has this problem. We're twins—how come he looks cool and I look like… like a marshmallow?!"
Within minutes, Liam's bed was a mountain of rejected outfits, and he collapsed onto the floor like a defeated warrior. Arms spread wide, he stared at the ceiling in despair.
"Why is being seductive so hard?! Those guides made it sound easy!"
Step Two: Behavior Training
Not willing to admit defeat, Liam sat cross-legged on the floor, scrolling another guide article:
'Act cute to make him fall for you. Tilt your head slightly when asking for help. Maintain eye contact, but not too much or you'll look creepy. Smile sweetly, even if your soul is dying inside.'
"Easy," Liam muttered.
He tried it in the mirror. First attempt: Tilt head. Smile. Blink slowly.
The reflection looked… possessed. His eyes wide, grin unnatural, head tilt too sharp. He looked like a horror movie doll.
"No! Creepy! He'll run away!" He shook his head violently, trying again.
Tilt. Blink. Smile.
Better… but then he imagined Micah's razor-sharp green gaze staring back at him, and Liam instantly shriveled. His shoulders hunched, his knees drew together, and he hugged a pillow like a shield.
"Ughhh he's going to eat me alive…" he muttered.
Yet, his eyes sparked again. "No. No retreat. Tonight is my chance. If I fail now, I'll never forgive myself."
Step Three: Final Outfit
Hours later, the golden light of sunset bathed his room. Liam finally stood before his mirror again, this time dressed in his chosen outfit: a loose cream long-sleeved shirt, wide at the collar so that it slipped slightly to one side, showing the line of his collarbone and just a hint of pale chest. Paired with simple black pants, the combination was casual but… tempting, in a soft, effortless way.
He tugged his slightly long hair into a messy ponytail, letting strands fall over his face. He looked cute. Vulnerable. Harmless.
Perfect for "Operation cute and irresistible Mode."
He inhaled deeply, raising his hand like a soldier about to march into battle. "I'll be cute. I'll be sexy and harmless. And he'll like me… maybe."
Grabbing his English multiple-choice questions as the perfect excuse, he glanced once more in the mirror and whispered to himself:
"Good luck, Liam."
With that, he stepped out of his room, his footsteps echoing through the hallway as he headed straight for Micah's door.