Talk about awkward!
Luke was debating whether to crouch down, meet the guy's eyes, and give a proper greeting.
But Yuffie grabbed him and pulled him inside the house. "Come on, let's go. It's been a long day—time to head upstairs and crash on the bed."
Hearing that, the guy under the car must've felt his heart sink even lower…
Not long after Luke and Yuffie went upstairs, the sound of a car engine revving came from below.
Peeking out the window, Luke saw the Bentley speeding off in a huff.
"That's it? That was easier than I thought," Luke said, stunned. He'd figured a shameless guy like the one Yuffie described would be harder to shake.
"Maybe it's because I laid into him a few days ago," Yuffie said, her cheeks flushing. "He didn't believe me at first, but I guess he does now."
"What'd you say to him?"
Yuffie, dropping harsh words? Luke was dying to know.
"Not telling!"
"Come on, spill!" Luke tickled her sides.
"Haha, no way!" she laughed, squirming.
After some playful tussling, Yuffie still wouldn't budge, and Luke didn't press. Couples could have their little secrets, after all.
It'd been a while since they'd had a proper face-to-face chat, and before they knew it, it was past 5 p.m.
Yuffie's mom still wasn't home, so they decided to head out for dinner.
Just then, Yuffie's phone rang.
"It's him…"
"Who?"
"Fei Yang."
"Answer it. Let's see what he wants."
Luke knew it couldn't be that simple. From what he'd heard, this guy was trouble—no way he'd back off that easily.
After a brief chat, Yuffie hung up.
"He's downstairs. Says he wants to talk to you alone," she said.
"Cool, I'm game."
As the most confident guy around, Luke wasn't about to back down from a one-on-one with a rival. Even if the guy brought a posse, Luke wouldn't flinch.
But he was more curious about this dude's mindset. One minute, he's hiding under a car like a scared ostrich, and now he's back, acting like he's on a mission?
When Luke stepped out of the villa alone, he immediately spotted Fei Yang in the parking lot, rocking a tailored high-end coat.
Even from a rival's perspective, Luke had to admit: this guy was a rare kind of handsome. About the same height as Luke's 6'2", with a lean, athletic build and an elegant, chiseled face.
What stood out most were his deep, soulful eyes—brooding yet captivating.
Fei Yang noticed Luke right away and strode over eagerly.
Luke braced for some hostility, but instead, Fei Yang flashed a warm smile and picked up his pace.
He stuck out his hand, practically buzzing with excitement. "You're really Luke? Man, seeing you in person beats all the hype! I'm a huge fan of your movies!"
What the heck was this?
In all his reborn life, Luke had never been this thrown off.
Hesitantly, he shook Fei Yang's hand—lightly, just a quick grip and release.
No macho hand-crushing contest? Just a regular handshake?
If this guy knew Luke's track record, he'd have to be an idiot to play it so cool.
"I'm Fei Yang, Yuffie's friend—and her number-one suitor," he said, flashing a charming smile with a hint of sincerity in his brooding vibe.
"I'm Luke, Yuffie boyfriend," Luke replied, still puzzled.
After the small talk, Luke started feeling uneasy.
Because Fei Yang was… checking him out. Like, really checking him out.
Not just a quick glance, but a full-on, no-angle-missed stare, like he was sizing up a major investment.
Hold up. Weren't you supposed to be here to settle a score with your rival?
What's with the intense once-over?
Luke was low-key freaking out.
"Even handsomer than in the movies…" Fei Yang muttered.
"Tall, strong, and totally commanding…"
"Talks like he's got class…"
"Career's untouchable…"
"Took down the Japanese kendo scene, brought glory to the country…"
"North American sports world's nightmare, insane athletic skills…"
"Fighting world's boogeyman, gives women that sense of security…"
"Seems like a stand-up guy, too. I'm impressed!"
Fei Yang kept mumbling as he sized Luke up.
Luke was like, What is he doing?
"I gotta say, you two are a perfect match!" Fei Yang declared, like he'd reached a verdict.
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Meeting you put me at ease. Yuffie's in good hands with a guy like you. She's gonna be happy," Fei Yang said, his eyes gleaming with some weird spark.
Who are you, dude? Why do you care if we're together?
Luke felt like he was watching a lunatic.
Noticing Luke's expression, Fei Yang smacked his forehead. "You probably think I'm nuts, right? Like, as her suitor, I shouldn't be acting like this?"
Luke didn't say anything, just nodded.
"When I was younger, I was cocky, thought I could charm anyone and walk away clean. Then Cupid's arrow hit me hard…"
Luke rolled his eyes internally. You're barely in your twenties, acting wise in front of me, a guy with the mental age of someone in their forties?
Get outta here!
"She's like heaven's finest creation—completely stole my heart. A beautiful face is a dime a dozen, but a perfect soul? That's rare."
"She's turned me down over and over, but I don't care. All I want is to see her happy. That's my biggest wish."
You been watching too many rom-coms or what? A top-tier college brainiac shouldn't be this unhinged, right?
Luke was about to cut off the guy's melodramatic spiel when Fei Yang's next words hit him like a lightning bolt…
Shock! Lovelorn guy turns out to be a total saint!
"I originally wanted to win her over, to make her happy myself. But when I found out you two were living together, that you'd already… you know, been intimate, I had an epiphany."
"What?" Luke couldn't help but blurt out.
What the heck?
Sure, he'd thought about it, but he hadn't acted on it yet!
"Yesterday, when she told me you two were living together, I wasn't ready to give up. I threw out a snarky comment, like, 'Make sure you're using protection.'"
"She said, 'Got it, I'll be careful.'"
"That hit me like a ton of bricks. My heart felt like it died. I didn't want to hear 'Got it'! I wanted her to snap at me, tell me to get lost, say she's sleeping alone or whatever."
"But 'Got it'? That crushed every shred of hope I had. My petty little jab just made me look like a clown."
Luke suddenly got why Yuffie refused to spill what "harsh words" she'd said earlier.