"It's here, it's here!"
Ren Chi pushed open An Han's dorm room door, carrying a six-pack of canned cola. His chest heaved, breath coming in heavy gasps—clearly, he'd rushed over in a hurry.
"Teacherrr~" An Han's voice was dripping with anticipation.
"Here's your cola." Ren Chi set the cans down on the desk, pulled over a chair, and collapsed into it, panting. "Why didn't you say earlier you wanted cola? I just finished moving a load of stuff, haven't even caught my breath yet, and now you drag me back again."
"I just suddenly craved it," An Han said cheerfully, popping open a can and taking a happy sip before asking, "How much more do you have left to move?"
"One more trip, then I'll spend the evening organizing everything."
Ren Chi leaned back in the chair, grabbed a cola for himself, chugged it down in seconds, and tossed the empty can into the trash. He turned to look at An Han—and frowned.
Why did An Han's looks keep fluctuating?
Earlier, while helping him move, An Han had seemed like a boy with feminine features. At the clinic, he'd looked like an outright girl. Now, just judging by his face, he was back to being a cute, slightly handsome guy.
Ren Chi couldn't make sense of it. He even wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him.
…Wait, was An Han's frame even smaller than before?
That "handsome-boy" face paired with such a petite, almost girlish build felt oddly mismatched.
Ah—he must've just never paid close attention before. After all, he wasn't in the habit of staring at his male students.
That must be it!
Ren Chi mentally filed away the inconsistency with perfect confidence.
Noticing Ren Chi's scrutiny, An Han tensed, his fingers digging into the chair. His smile looked strained.
So… what *was* the side effect?
Could it also be about "charming men"? But there'd been no system notifications about affection points, and Ren Chi showed no unusual behavior.
Or… was the effect acting directly *on him*? Otherwise, why was his counselor staring at him like that?
An Han glanced down at himself—relieved his jacket fully concealed his chest—then asked, confused: "Teacher, why are you staring at me like that?"
"Nothing." Ren Chi pushed himself up from the desk and headed for the door. "I've got work to do. If you need anything else, say it now—I won't have time to come back later."
"Wait!" An Han called out urgently.
Ren Chi paused. "What now?"
Seriously?! Did he really think he'd called him all the way over just for cola?!
Where was the damn side effect? Why wasn't *anything* happening?
He had no choice but to ask directly: "Teacher… do I look… off somehow?"
If the side effect wasn't about affection gain, then clearly something else had become even more feminine, right?
"You look fine," Ren Chi said, glancing back.
"Look more carefully?" An Han asked, hopeful.
Ren Chi rubbed his chin, studying An Han again seriously, then offered advice: "You really should hit the gym. You look way too thin."
"No, not that—"
He leaned closer, utterly baffled by An Han's strange behavior.
Wait—was his student wearing *perfume*? Kinda fancy for a guy.
"You've got something on your face," Ren Chi remarked.
*Oh no!*
An Han instinctively leaned back, putting distance between them.
This stupid prop wasn't foolproof—it hadn't made his makeup undetectable!
From afar, the foundation looked natural, but up close, the makeup was obvious.
Was *this* the side effect?
"It's just moisturizer," An Han bluffed smoothly, counting on Ren Chi's total ignorance of cosmetics. "I've been stuck in the dorm with the AC blasting—my skin's so dry it's peeling."
"Oh. Well, nothing wrong with that, then. You seem fine."
"Really?"
For some reason, An Han felt his heart rate spike. A flush spread across his cheeks.
His sense of smell had sharpened, too. Even half a meter away, he could clearly pick up Ren Chi's strong, heady scent—not unpleasant, more like sweat, but strangely intoxicating the longer he inhaled.
"I'm off, then," Ren Chi said, ever the concerned teacher. "Remember to apply ointment to your ankle. If it still hurts tomorrow afternoon, I'm taking you to get an X-ray."
The flush on An Han's face crept down his neck and across his body. Despite the AC blasting at 16°C, a hot coil of heat burned low in his abdomen, making him restless and uneasy.
He instinctively pressed his thighs together, trying desperately to keep a neutral expression. "I know. Go ahead."
But Ren Chi's eyes were sharp. The moment he turned to leave, he spotted An Han's flushed state and stopped dead. He walked right back.
"You're running a fever again, aren't you?"
"I… maybe?"
"Your body's seriously weak. You need more exercise."
Now even closer, Ren Chi's presence radiated heat like a furnace.
An Han hunched his shoulders nervously, ducking his head low, struggling to rein in his reactions. "I've got medicine in the dorm. I'll take some soon."
"Where is it? I'll get it for you."
"I can do it myself! Go on, get back to your stuff."
Ren Chi shook his head firmly. "You sprained your ankle—try not to move around. I'll grab your meds and boil some water. That way, you can take your pills easily later."
Truth was, Ren Chi wouldn't be this attentive if An Han's injury hadn't partly been his fault. Normally, he'd just give a quick reminder—after all, they were adults who should know how to take care of themselves.
But now, An Han's face burned crimson. His gaze grew hazy, unfocused. The heat inside him became unbearable. Without thinking, he tugged open his collar, desperate for the cold air to touch more skin.
…Wait a second.
Wasn't his counselor actually… kinda hot?
Look at those pecs~
His eyes locked onto Ren Chi, unable to look away.
His thoughts began drifting into dangerous territory—until a sudden jolt of clarity snapped him back.
*Something's wrong! Definitely wrong!*
"Turn on the fan for me—it's so hot."
"No fans when you're feverish," Ren Chi scolded, even adjusting the AC to 26°C. "Sixteen degrees is insane! That huge indoor-outdoor temperature gap is why your body's so weak."
"Eat something before taking medicine. And be careful getting into bed tonight…"
Ren Chi went on and on, fussing like an overprotective dad.
*Please, just leave already!*
When did he become such a chatterbox?!
An Han was practically begging on his knees. He flopped face-down onto the desk, refusing to look or even breathe deeply.
Despite the dizziness and racing heart, realization struck him like lightning.
*Got it! The disguise prop's side effect is—fever!*
*Screw it!*
*Damn it!*
One prop makes men obsessed with *me*—
this one makes *me* obsessed with *men*!
How utterly absurd! What kind of cursed item is this?!
"You really feel that bad?" Ren Chi asked from beside the electric kettle, eyeing An Han with concern. "Should I take you to the hospital?"
Afraid Ren Chi would refuse to leave, An Han forced a huge yawn. "Just… tired."
"Your face is terrifyingly red."
"Is it…?"