Ren sat on the edge of his bed for a long while, staring at the faint mark glowing beneath his shirt. The warmth from his dream still clung to him like a second skin, the echo of Li Wei's voice running through his thoughts.
> "Even if it burns me."
He pressed his hand over the mark, as if he could trap the words there.
When he finally looked at the clock, he groaned—he was already late.
The rush of cold water in the sink helped clear his head, but not his heart. Every time he blinked, he saw those golden eyes. By the time he hurried through the school gate, the chatter of students felt distant, muffled, unreal.
"Ren! You're late again," Hana called, half-teasing. She fell into step beside him. "Rough night?"
He forced a weak smile. "Something like that."
They reached the stairs just as his vision swayed. The lack of sleep, the dreams—it all caught up to him. His foot slipped.
"Ren!" Hana gasped, reaching out, but someone moved faster.
An arm wrapped around his waist, steadying him before he hit the steps. The scent of rain and iron filled his senses.
Li Wei's voice brushed his ear. "You should be more careful."
Ren froze, his pulse leaping. "You—how did you—"
Li Wei released him slowly, his hand lingering a second too long before sliding away. "You were about to fall. I couldn't allow that."
Students nearby stopped to stare. A few whispered, hiding smiles behind their hands. Hana's eyes darted between them, uncertain.
Ren stepped back, heat rushing to his face. "You can't just appear like that!"
Li Wei tilted his head, unbothered. "Would you rather I let you get hurt?" His gaze swept the crowd; when he spoke again, his tone carried the weight of command. "Anyone who touches him will answer to me."
The hallway went silent. The rumor from yesterday—the word boyfriend—hung between every breath.
Ren wanted to disappear. "Stop it, you're making it worse!"
Li Wei's expression softened. "I'm only keeping my promise." He leaned in, his voice dropping low enough for Ren alone. "I said I would always find you."
Something in the way he said it—quiet, certain—made Ren's anger falter. For a heartbeat, the noise of the hallway faded, leaving only the rhythm of his racing heart.
Hana cleared her throat, breaking the spell. "Um… maybe we should get to class?"
Ren nodded quickly, slipping past Li Wei. But even as he sat at his desk later, he could feel those golden eyes on him, protective and unyielding, as if daring the world to come close.
And somewhere beneath his unease, a small, treacherous part of him felt safe.