Lov By Chnce, C1-5

[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies

Introduction Chapter

Pete

If I didn’t like guys, things would probably be better. If I liked girls like other guys do, my life wouldn’t be like this.

These thoughts keep spinning in my head over and over again—why don’t I like girls? Why do I have to like guys? Why is it like this?

“Sigh.” I let out a heavy breath as I walked along the university pathway. Even though several shuttle buses from the international faculty heading to the parking lot passed by, I kept refusing every driver who slowed down as if asking if I wanted a ride.

I’m someone who likes walking because it lets me think about things endlessly. More importantly, it makes me reach my car later, and when I get to my car late, I get home late. And when I get home late, I don’t have to feel guilty every time I look at my mom’s face.

How disappointed would she be in me if she found out her only son is... gay?

“Sighhhh.”

Screeeeech!

Thud!

“F***ing hell!!! This is a university road, not a racetrack! Where the hell are you rushing off to die?!”

I snapped out of my thoughts when a strong force yanked me back, causing me to fall flat on my back. My mind was still dazed, trying to process what had happened. All I knew was that when I looked up, I saw someone’s back blocking my view, shouting at a car that sped off at high speed. That’s when I realized... I had just narrowly escaped being hit by a car.

Was I so lost in thought that I didn’t even notice I was about to cross the road?

All I could do was question myself. My heart pounded wildly after that terrifying moment, my eyes wide with shock. My legs felt too weak to even stand, so I just stared at the person who had saved me, completely at a loss. Then that figure turned around with a stern, almost furious expression.

“And you! Do you want to die or something? Why the hell didn’t you look before crossing the road?!”

I’ll admit, I flinched at the loud voice. I could only stare at this person’s face, my hands trembling. In that moment, all I managed to say was,

“S-sorry...” I don’t even know why I apologized, but seeing that fierce, almost predatory expression, I felt an inexplicable guilt. And unless I was imagining it, after I said sorry, the other person paused for a second, then roughly ran a hand through their hair. “Oh, whatever, you idiot, I was too embarrassed to say it. Are you hurt? I accidentally pushed too hard just now, but it’s better than getting grazed by that damn car.” The person who came to help let out a heavy sigh before pointing at my knee, making me look down. That’s when I saw that when I fell earlier, the impact had scraped my leg against the pavement, tearing my pants.

As soon as he pointed it out, the stinging hit me instantly.

“Hurts.” How could it not hurt? Blood was gushing out.

“What do we do now?” I heard him mutter to himself, while I struggled to stand up, suppressing the hiss that threatened to escape.

“It’s fine, just a scratch.”

“You look like you’re about to cry. Is this ‘just a scratch’ to you?” I didn’t even know what kind of face I was making, but it hurt like hell. Seeing that dark liquid only made the pain double.

“It’s okay. Thanks for helping.” I said to him softly. After all, he was my savior, even if he looked a bit rough. His voice was deep too. My words seemed to make him shrug before he walked back to a spot where I only then noticed a bicycle lying in a mess. It was obvious how hard he’d thrown it down to pull me off the road.

I’ll admit my heart sank to my feet. I watched as my rescuer pulled the bike up and straddled it, signaling he was about to leave. I could only console myself.

It’s fine. A new faculty shuttle will come soon. I just need to get back to the car. A wound like this—I can still drive.

“What are you staring at? Get on. I’ll take you to the clinic.” I flinched again as that rough face turned to look at me once more, his deep voice barking the order, leaving me wide-eyed.

“Uh, it’s fine.”

“Don’t act tough. Can you even walk?”

I went dead silent. I couldn’t deny that I couldn’t walk. So, I hobbled over to the bike. Only then did I realize that my rescuer was a bit shorter than me, judging by how he sat on the bike. But that wasn’t the issue. My real problem was something else.

“Get on already. Don’t tell me you’ve never ridden on the back of a bike.”

“Never.” I admitted honestly—I’d never ridden behind someone on a bicycle in my life. That made him mutter in frustration.

“Damn Young Master. Just sit like you would on a motorcycle. Don’t tell me you’ve never ridden one of those either.”

“Uh...” I trailed off, going quiet as I saw him make a face like he wanted to kill me out of sheer annoyance. Truthfully, I’d never ridden a motorcycle either. My whole life, I’d only been in cars. Even coming to university, there was a shuttle that dropped me off at my faculty building. But not wanting to seem picky, I awkwardly climbed onto the bike.

“That’s it.”

“Uh, are you sure this is okay?”

“Hmph. My friend’s bigger than you, and I’ve pedaled with him on the back just fine.” he replied with a slightly irritated tone. Let’s just say I could tell he didn’t like people questioning him like that. “By the way, what’s your name?” I looked up immediately, still trying to balance myself on my first-ever ride behind someone on a bike. I didn’t dare grab his shirt, afraid he’d snap at me. And since my seat was a bit lower than his, it made his back seem broad—like he was ready to help anyone.

“Pete. My name’s Pete.”

“Your name is still Young-Master, huh? My name’s Ae, so hold on tight. I’m going to speed off—don’t let all your blood drain out of your body first.” And with that, the guy in front of me propped himself up a bit from the seat and pedaled hard. I quickly grabbed the hem of his shirt tightly, unable to help but marvel at how he could pedal so fast, even with me riding behind him like this.

Not long after, I was brought to the university’s infirmary. I followed the nurse inside—she seemed pretty shocked by my wound. But before going in, I glanced at the guy who brought me here. He was smiling at me.

The first smile I’d received. Apart from the yelling and annoyed tones, I suddenly realized my face was turning red.

“Excuse me, ma’am, where’s the guy who brought me here?” After my wound was treated, I limped out and asked the nurse outside. She paused to think for a moment before giving me a wide smile.

“Oh, you mean that slightly tanned kid, right? He said he had to leave for a cheer meeting and asked me to tell you to get back safely and not to wander into traffic again.” I could only thank the nurse before limping out of the infirmary. I had no idea how to get from here to the parking lot, but I knew one thing—I was grinning ear to ear.

He was just someone who happened to save me in time, but I’d already memorized his name.

Thank you so much, Ae.

Ae.

“Aeee, let me borrow your lecture notes.”

“Ugh! Can’t you take your own notes? You’ve got hands, don’t you?” I could only grumble at Pond, who, as soon as class ended, lifted his head from napping and shamelessly asked for my notes. This half-Italian jerk even had the nerve to circle around me, front and back, acting all obnoxious.

“Come on, dude, just let me borrow them. Don’t you feel bad for me?” I wanted to say, “Yeah, I’d love to punch your smug face.” but I reluctantly pulled out my notebook anyway, annoyed. I heard him muttering to himself.

“If Dear studied here, I wouldn’t need to beg you. Dear’s way nicer than you.”

BAM!

Before he could finish, I lifted my leg and planted my foot on his back, making him yelp loudly. He spun around like he was ready to fight, but I didn’t care. I just slung my bag over my shoulder and walked past him.

“Where are you going? The cheer session’s at six, dude!”

“To soccer practice. And if you had a watch, you’d know there’s still three hours until the cheer session. Learn to use your time productively—besides chasing girls, that is.” With that, I left the faculty building immediately, ignoring Pond’s shouting about how his idea of “productivity” was sitting around looking handsome to make girls swoon.

I walked out of the faculty and headed straight for my trusty bike—the kind everyone at the university uses. There’s only one person I recently found out still doesn’t know how to ride pillion on a bike.

How’s he doing, I wonder?

I just shrugged. It’d been a week since I saved that guy from getting hit by a car. Thinking about it still annoyed me—was he crazy or something, spacing out while crossing the street? But then again, he was kind of... well, odd. He seemed dazed and confused whenever he asked anything. Still, if I’m being unbiased, he’s actually really good-looking—maybe even better-looking than Pond.

“Whatever. He’s probably not bleeding to death.” I shrugged again and started pedaling toward the sports field on the other side of the university. Even though I’m not quite 170 cm tall, I was a soccer player in high school, and I’ve got a bit of a name for myself here. As soon as I started university, the seniors recruited me for the team, even though I’m not studying sports science.

I let my thoughts wander, thinking about how I’d love to see those old friends of mine who’ve gone off to study in different places. It’s been months, and I still haven’t run into them. Especially Dear—that small, quiet, honest guy—I wonder if anyone’s picking on him. But Sun’s with him at the same place, so he’s probably fine.

“Give me the money like I told you, or do you want this clip to reach your mom?!”

What the hell? Is this some elementary school mafia gang extorting money in a parking lot?

I cursed in my head, stopped pedaling my bike, and looked over at the wide parking lot—practically taken over by those international school kids. There, I saw a big guy who didn’t look like a university student holding someone by the collar next to a fancy car.

And where the hell are the security guards?!

“I won’t give it.”

“What did you say?!”

“I said I won’t give it!”

The voice of the guy refusing sounded familiar. I was already planning to step in and help, but when I heard that, I quickened my pace and got closer—and jackpot.

It was Pete!

The guy I’d once helped was now looking like he was about to cry—those trembling eyes and shaky lips—but he still stood firm, refusing to hand over money to someone almost twice his size. You could tell at a glance this Young Master didn’t know how to throw a punch.

“Fine, then I’ll send this clip to your mom. Hmph, she’ll be thrilled to see her only son like this.”

“Yeah, send whatever you want, but I’m not giving it. I’m done giving you money!”

Pete shouted loud enough for the whole parking lot to hear, then shut his eyes tight, accepting his fate as the jerk raised his fist.

Pow!

Damn it!

Crash!

The first punch slammed into Pete’s face with full force, making me curse out loud in my head as I tried to run over to help. But I was too late. Then, as the guy wound up for a second punch, I managed to leap in and kick him hard in the side just before his fist could hit the Young Master again.

“You!!!”

He yelled, whipping around to glare at me like he wanted a fight, clutching his side tightly. I just smirked at him. Sure, I might look small, but I’ve got the strength of a buffalo. Whenever there’s trouble, my friends always pick me as their first choice.

“Ae!!”

I heard Pete call my name and glanced over. He looked stunned, but the big guy was already getting back on his feet. Then his expression shifted, like he’d figured something out.

“Oh, so this is your new boyfriend, huh? Your taste has dropped way lower than before, Pete.”

Boyfriend, huh?

“And you’re the same—Are you looking for trouble with me, shorty?!”

“Come at me if you’ve got the guts!”

I didn’t care about anything else and got into a fighting stance. He lunged at me, but I dodged and slammed my knee into his stomach with all my strength, then followed up with another kick.

“Guess a shorty like me can still take you down.”

My voice was sharp, and my glare must’ve been like what Pond and Dear once said—when I’m mad, no one dares meet my eyes.

“Pfft! Just you wait, you little punk—and you too, Pete. I swear that clip will be in your mom’s hands tonight!”

He spat out his threat, still clutching his stomach and not knowing when to quit. I almost went after him again, but he scrambled away, limping off in a pathetic mess.

“Damn it, what the hell is going on?!” I let out a heavy sigh and turned back to look at the guy I’d just helped. I saw him slump down, sitting on the ground with his face buried in his knees.

“Hey, don’t cry.”

Oh great, here we go. I’m ready to fight anyone, but I’m absolutely not prepared to comfort someone crying!

I just stood there hesitating for a moment before deciding to sit down next to him, leaning my back against the door of some random Benz, and let out another heavy sigh.

“Thanks.” his muffled voice came through as he cried, making me sigh again.

“Yeah, every time I run into you, it’s nothing but trouble.” I said without thinking too much. His body trembled even more, and then the same word slipped out of his mouth again.

“Sorry.”

“Yeah, if you’re gonna thank me or apologize, can you please stop crying first? I don’t know how to comfort people.” I said flatly. I’d love to comfort him, honestly, but I really don’t know how. Guys, girls—I can’t comfort anyone. Then he responded to me by saying,

“Go ahead, Ae. It’s fine, really, it’s fine. Let me cry for a bit, and I’ll stop soon.”

When you say it like that, where the hell am I supposed to go?

In the end, I pulled out my phone and called a senior, telling them I couldn’t make it to soccer practice today. Those words made Pete lift his head to look at me, his face streaked with tears. His vulnerable expression clashed so much with his handsome features that I just shook my head.

“I can’t just leave you in this state. What if that jerk comes back—what would you do?” I saw him press his lips together tightly before taking a deep breath and saying to me,

“But I’m gay.”

“...”

I was completely stunned by his words. I’d vaguely figured it out when that idiot was yelling about husbands and wives, but I thought it wasn’t my business. I didn’t need to care—I just had to help this Young-Master guy, and that was it. But now he was telling me he’s gay, and he lowered his head like he was afraid I’d be disgusted by him.

Gay people are still people. Why would I be afraid?

“Yeah, well, if being gay isn’t contagious, I’ll just sit here with you.” I said, leaning my head against the car door. If I wasn’t mistaken, this Benz model looked insanely expensive. Meanwhile, Pete sat there with his head down, and then he said the same thing again.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah, stop thanking me already. I’m not some saint. So, what’s your deal with that guy?” I said, cutting him off in annoyance. He froze for a second before starting to tell his story, while I just listened quietly.

Pete

I’m gay. I know it, and I’ve known it for a long time. Ever since I reached the age where I was supposed to be interested in the opposite sex, I found myself drawn to guys instead. At first, I thought it was just admiration, but then I realized it wasn’t. Eventually, I grew up enough to understand that I’d never be able to like girls.

At first, I planned to keep it a secret. I wouldn’t tell anyone and would try my best to act like a normal guy. But since that wasn’t who I really was, it didn’t last. In the end, a senior I knew through a friend from high school found out. He started talking to me, tutoring me, getting close to me—close enough that I thought I liked him. The day he asked me out, I said yes immediately. I thought that day would make me happy, but it turned out to be the start of my worst suffering.

I kissed him—a kiss so passionate that I even thought that day might lead to something more. But the moment it ended, he pushed me away and looked at me like I was some disgusting worm or centipede. Then my high school friend stepped out, holding a phone that had recorded everything from start to finish.

They told me that if I didn’t want my mom to find out what her only son was like, I’d have to pay them for the video. That day, I was stunned. All I could do was ask him if he’d ever felt anything for me at all.

“Are you stupid or what? Did you actually think I’d love you for real? Just hugging you made me want to puke.”

That day, I stood there like a dumb buffalo, watching the guy I thought I liked and the friend I trusted laugh their hearts out. He said he’d always suspected I didn’t like girls, so he decided to prove it—and got some cash out of me as a bonus. How many months had it been? Three months of me paying them.

And then I started seriously wondering why I didn’t like girls. Why did I have to like guys?

That day—the day I almost got hit by a car. As I was driving home, they called me again, demanding more money. Something snapped in me, and I told them no. I wasn’t going to give them anything anymore. Maybe it was because, out of nowhere, the face of the guy who’d helped me flashed into my mind. I walked into my mom’s office and told her everything—I told her I was gay.

I thought she’d be furious, that she’d yell at me since I’m her only kid and I’d let her down. But instead, she just hugged me, cried with me, and apologized.

“It’s not wrong. My Pete isn’t wrong. If anyone’s at fault, it’s me for never knowing. I’m sorry, so sorry.”

She held me and sobbed like the day she decided to divorce Dad, like the day she said she felt guilty for leaving me without a father like other kids. But I understood. Dad had someone else. It wasn’t her fault for making that choice. And in the same way, she told me it wasn’t my fault either. No matter how I was, I’d always be her son.

That’s when I made up my mind. No matter what happened, I wouldn’t let those guys use the fact that I’m gay to blackmail me anymore. I wouldn’t tell Mom about this—I wouldn’t make her sad again. Just knowing she accepted me was enough to make me happier than anything.

I don’t know why I told him, but I ended up spilling everything to Ae, unloading it all like someone desperate to vent. Ae just listened quietly—no interruptions, no comments—until I started worrying he might secretly despise me like everyone else.

My story was over, but I didn’t dare turn to see what kind of expression Ae had on his face. The parking lot was getting busier with people coming to pick up their cars, but I didn’t care who saw or what they thought. The international students didn’t really mingle much anyway. I didn’t share classes with anyone—just had a few group project teammates, and that was it.

Right now, the sky was changing colors. The blazing 3 PM sun had softened into a gentle glow. I was silent, Ae was silent, and all I could do was stare down at my own feet.

I’d probably just lost another good friend.

Thwack

“Stop crying already. Are you gonna sob yourself to death or what?” I flinched as Ae pressed his hand down hard on my head. I could feel him standing up, so I looked up to follow.

“You—if those guys come back, tell me. If I’m not at the engineering building, I’ll be at the soccer field.” Ae said flatly, then turned to look at me. I must’ve looked pretty shocked because he burst out laughing—loud enough to echo through the parking lot.

That laugh—I felt like even though he wasn’t as handsome as that other guy, just his smile, just his laugh, made my heart race more than anyone else ever had.

“Your face looks like a mess, like a cat’s. Don’t look at me like that—I don’t hate you. What, being gay doesn’t make you human or something? Get up already. I’ve gotta head to cheer practice.” Ae said it with a chuckle, extending his hand to me. Hesitantly, I placed my hand in his, and true to what he’d said about his strength, he pulled me up in one swift tug until I was standing.

“Are you sure you can get home like this?”

“I can. This is my car right here.” I could only point to the back, at my own car that I’d been leaning against the whole time. Ae looked at it with a weird expression and muttered something like, “Such a Young-Master vibe.” but I wasn’t mad. Ae didn’t say it like he was looking down on me—it felt more like he was talking to himself.

“Yeah, well, get home safe and sort things out with your mom. Those jerks will probably send the video to her before you even get a chance to explain. Plus, look at your face—your lip’s busted up like that.” He warned me about what was waiting at home, making me hesitate for a moment before turning to ask,

“Want me to drop you off at the engineering building?” Ae just turned to look at me and shrugged.

“Nah, I’ve got my bike.” He nodded toward the bicycle parked way off in the distance. But instead of walking over to it, Ae—who’s several centimeters shorter than me, though I know he’s way tougher—stood there with his hands in his pockets, staring at me quietly.

“Uh...”

“Go on, get going. If I leave you alone, you’ll just end up getting yourself hurt again. Hurry up—I’ll be late for the cheer session.” Though his words sounded dismissive, Ae stayed standing there, watching as I slid into my car. I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t think of anything. It wasn’t until I drove out of the parking lot that I saw him walk over to his bike and pedal off in the opposite direction.

Even though today should’ve made me feel awful, I found myself pressing a hand to my chest, feeling my heart pounding hard.

I’d told myself I’d try not to fall for guys, but here I was, falling for one again. And this time, it felt completely different from before.

I think I’ve fallen for Ae.

A guy who’s small in stature but has a heart wider than the ocean.

If I told him I liked him, would he hate me?

“Guess I’ll have to find out.”

And that’s how our story began that day.

Chapter 1: A Feeling Called Wanting to See You

In the early morning, Pete was steering his car into the university grounds. Normally, he’d head straight to the parking lot, worried it’d fill up, but this time he drove a little further toward the soccer field.

“Phew, what am I even hoping for?” he muttered to himself. As he slowed down near the field, he saw it was empty. There were only a few students hurrying toward the tram stop not far from the field. So, he just rested his forehead on the steering wheel, looking down at his hands in his lap.

The warmth of that hand still lingered there, making his face heat up.

“It’s not like coincidences happen that easily, Pete.” He said to himself. All he could do was lift his head and stare longingly at the green field. He wanted to wait a little longer, just to be sure that he wouldn’t show up to run or do something around seven-something in the morning like this. And with that resolve, he leaned back against the seat of his fancy car.

Pete knew full well that staking out like this was pretty pathetic. Sure, the other guy had said to come find him if anything came up, but for someone he barely knew—just a name, a face, and two brief encounters—who’d have the guts to show up just because he said it was okay?

Just thinking about it makes me feel a little embarrassed.

The overly considerate guy thought to himself, feeling a bit more dejected. He sat waiting for nearly twenty minutes but still didn’t see the person he wanted to meet. So, he decided to start his car and leave. But instead of heading straight to the parking lot, he took a detour around half the university just to drive past the engineering building, giving a sad smile.

“There are three engineering buildings—how could we possibly run into each other? What childish thoughts.” the young man muttered, letting out a sigh before slowly driving toward the parking lot at almost eight o’clock.

Even though he’d wasted over half an hour, Pete didn’t regret it at all. If he could just catch a glimpse of the person who’d helped him, that’d be enough.

Little did he know, they’d missed each other by less than five minutes.

“Ae, pedal, damn it! Pedal faster, we’re gonna be late! Don’t you see?!”

A slightly old, slightly new bicycle sped under the building at high speed—a sight so bizarre that several people turned to look. The guy yelling his lungs out was a big dude riding on the back of a bike pedaled by someone over ten centimeters shorter. No one would’ve thought that, given the weight of the passenger and the size of the rider, it could move this fast. Was the rider tired? Not at all—his legs pedaled furiously, though his face showed clear annoyance at the guy smacking his shoulder repeatedly.

“Hurry up, man! Last time, Professor Gkasses threatened me for playing games in class—said if I’m late again, I’m screwed.” Ae, or rather Intouch, rolled his eyes, tempted to elbow his friend. He’d been up since 4:30 a.m., jogging laps around the football field, then returned to the dorm only to find this jerk still scratching himself in his sleep. No matter how much he tried to wake him, the guy wouldn’t budge—and now he was rushing him.

“Shut your mouth! And stop calling the professor ‘Glasses’—watch yourself.”

“You stop talking and pedal! Don’t let the speed drop!”

Pond, the half-Italian friend, shouted like a lunatic, completely at odds with the looks and charm his ancestors had gifted him, leaving the listener shaking his head.

SCREEECH!

“Heyyyy!!!”

Pond let out a scream as his short friend slammed on the brakes, nearly lifting the back wheel off the ground. The bike wobbled like it might tip over, but the guy everyone called “shorty” planted both feet on the ground with perfect balance, bringing it to a steady stop.

“Get off and run—I’ll lock up the bike first.” the university soccer player said flatly, turning to his friend with a look of obvious irritation. But his words, clearly meant to help, made the guy who’d come to class empty-handed with just a single pen jump off immediately.

“Thanks, man! You hurry too with those short legs—hey!”

The guy teasing his friend without any self-awareness yelped as Ae chucked his bag at his face, barely catching it in time.

“Take my bag up too—hurry, or you’ll be late.” After the warning, Pond dashed into the building, leaving the guy crouching to lock the bike shaking his head in exasperation.

“Did I make the right choice or the wrong one being roommates with this idiot?” Ae muttered irritably. Honestly, he’d wanted to live quietly in the dorm alone or maybe meet some new friends. But Pond, his high school buddy from the same group, had somehow ended up here and insisted on rooming together. Before Ae could even agree, the guy had already run off and arranged for them to share a room.

“Come on, man, we already know each other’s crap—living together means no adjustment needed. You should be thrilled to have a good-looking roommate like me!”

Thrilled my ass!

That’s all he thought before jogging up to the building himself, completely unaware that less than ten minutes earlier, someone had been waiting to catch him there.

Pete was breathing heavily as he stepped into the classroom. One hand clutched his chest because he’d lingered around for so long that the parking lot ended up full. In the end, he had to circle around and park near the edge of the soccer field. The international faculty shuttle didn’t even reach that far, and the taxis running around the university all seemed to collectively avoid that area. Not to mention the motorcycle taxis he’d considered trying, which were already packed with rushed students just like him.

In the end, he ran halfway before catching the university tram.

Pitchaya thought to himself as he quickly stepped into the room. He didn’t pay attention to the stares from his section mates, who all turned to look at him in unison. He just kept his head down, walked almost to the back of the room, and sat quietly, assuming they were staring because he was late. But it didn’t seem to be the case.

“Pete looks handsome today too, huh?”

“Yeah, even all out of breath and sweaty like this, he still looks good.” Two girls in the room whispered softly to each other while glancing at the guy who was lightly fanning his student uniform shirt, his eyes fixed only on the thick textbook on his desk.

“I really want to go talk to him.”

“Then go! Pete isn’t mean or anything. I’ve talked to him before—he’s super polite. What can I say? He’s like a Young-Master straight out of a novel. It’s been over a month since the semester started, and I’ve never heard him say anything rude to anyone.” Those words seemed to draw a few more girls closer, sneaking glances at the guy in question.

“I’ve talked to him too. I like it when he smiles shyly—it’s so cute.”

“But I’m too nervous. What should I do? He doesn’t seem particularly close to anyone.” Another girl said quietly.

“Hmm, I get you. He’s got that lone wolf vibe, you know? Doesn’t bother with anyone, doesn’t hang out with anyone in particular. Kind of like a lot of people in our faculty, I guess. But—” another chimed in immediately.

“He attracts the girls’ attention, right?” And then a chorus of giggles erupted from the group, while the person they were talking about just stared off into the distance, his hand resting on the desk tightening a bit more.

I really want to see him. I really want to see Ae.

In the end, even though Pete told himself he’d try again in the afternoon, after class ended at noon, the guy who usually ate at the international canteen or went out with friends who invited him ended up wandering slowly toward the main cafeteria instead. Eventually, he found himself sitting in a small café near the dorms, feeling exhausted.

Is wanting to see someone this hard?

Ding-a-ling

“Phii, one blended cocoa—make it strong, yeah? No sugar or anything, the guy drinking it is super picky.” Pete was sipping his own green tea blend, a small plate of sandwiches in front of him, when someone burst through the café door, ordering loudly.

And that weird menu was interesting enough to make him look up.

A tall guy with sharp features and tan skin stepped in, wearing a student uniform with his tie loosened low. He flashed a charming smile at the cashier.

“And one strawberry blend too, please. Make it sweet for me, pretty lady.” Pete immediately ducked his head, hiding a smile that almost turned into a laugh. The shop owner, who was probably well past forty, looked flustered but quickly slipped into her vendor role.

“So the first one’s not sweet, right, dear?”

“Yep. No milk, no sugar, no cream—nothing. The guy drinking it’s nuts.”

“Are you messing with me?” The one ordering burst into laughter, pausing for a moment as if deciding how to tease their friend, before whispering softly,

“Well then, just make it a little sweet, please, but if you can make it super bitter, that’d be even better.”

“That’s not coffee then, is it?”

“Whoa, no way. It’s noon already. My friend needs caffeine.” He said, raising his hands in an X shape.

Pete was starting to get curious about the owner of that cocoa drink. He also wondered what kind of face they’d make when their friend handed them the cup.

But that’s none of my business, I guess.

The thoughts of someone who lowered their head to focus on finishing their lunch crossed his mind. He planned to take a short walk near the soccer field before heading back to the faculty.

Jingle

“Damn it, Pond, why’s it taking you so long to buy one drink? I already went up to the dorm to grab my books and came back down!”

Freeze

But then, Pete’s body stiffened. A familiar voice—one etched into his memory—rang out as the door to the shop opened. The lump in his chest pounded wildly, and the hand gripping his water glass trembled slightly.

“!!!” Just lifting his head to look, his sharp eyes widened. Standing there was Ae.

A sturdy guy balancing textbooks on one shoulder, his face showing a hint of irritation because his friend had taken so long. To others, he might not stand out—especially next to his taller friend, who towered over him by a good bit. Standing side by side, Ae almost seemed to disappear in his friend’s shadow.

But not to Pete. Not to someone whose gaze was fixed on just one point.

Ae looked annoyed. His hair was slightly messy and damp with sweat, his student uniform clinging to his broad chest, the hem untucked from his pants. He wore a pair of half-worn sneakers—not too old, not too new.

In just a few seconds, the onlooker noticed so many details and committed them to memory.

Maybe it was because his gaze was so full of emotion, because Ae suddenly turned to look at him. Pete couldn’t duck his head in time, and as their eyes met, the other guy’s face lit up with surprise before breaking into a smile.

A smile that made the person sitting still feel like the floor was tilting, his cheeks heating up in a way that was almost alarming.

A smile just like yesterday’s.

Thump

“Hey, Pete, how’d you end up here?” Ae stepped closer to the table where he was sitting, leaving the listener momentarily speechless. His mind raced back to yesterday when he’d poured his heart out to this guy.

He’d told him everything—how he was gay—but today, the look in Ae’s eyes hadn’t changed at all.

“Uh...”

“They didn’t follow you and hassle you again, did they?” Ae shifted topics as if it just hit him, his earlier irritation now tinged with concern, prompting Pete to shake his head.

“They’ve gone quiet. Uh, thanks, though.”

“Thanks for what? Every time you see me, you just keep saying thanks.” Ae shook his head, looking at this pretty-faced Young Master with a small laugh. Truth be told, he’d been thinking about him too. He’d even planned to swing by the parking lot this afternoon, not expecting to run into him here by chance.

“For yesterday.” With his heart already a mess, Pete managed to reply, trying to steady his voice. The listener furrowed his brows.

“You’ve thanked me enough. What’d your mom say?”

Snap

“Who the heck is this Ae?” But before the short guy could ask further, a heavy arm draped over his shoulder. That half-Italian guy popped his head in, asking with curiosity and staring intently at Pete until the latter quickly flashed a smile.

“Hello.”

Whoa, polite, well-dressed, and super good-looking. This scruffy short guy actually knows someone like this?

“Uh, hi. Are you friends with Ae or something? Hey, I’ve never seen any of that soccer guy’s friends around.”

“Mind your own business!” But before Pond could keep prying like the chatterbox he was, the stoic soccer guy turned around and barked a single, sharp insult.

“Right in my face, huh?”

With a slight smirk, Ae’s eyes glinted as if to say, “How long are you gonna keep poking into my business?” That was enough to make the bigger guy lower his arm and take a step back.

Anyone who thinks they can mess with little Ae is asking for trouble.

“Hmm, Pond’s friend just remembered that Pond’s friend owes money for water. You and Ae can chat it out.” And with that, he spun back toward the counter. Of course, at this point, his ears were practically flapping like fan blades—he was dying to know who this “Young-Master” was. But did his friend of many years not notice he wasn’t done meddling? Ae turned back, locked eyes, and changed the subject.

“You still haven’t told me why you’re hanging around the international building with this cafeteria.”

“Wow, an IC kid too?”

Whip

“Oh, excuse me, how much for a sandwich combo?” The moment Ae shot a glance his way, Pond whipped around to the vendor, pointing at the cooler as if to say, “I’m not eavesdropping, I swear.”

“Hmm, I just...” Wanted to see you.

But Pete swallowed what he was thinking. He didn’t dare say it outright, even though he’d already fallen for the guy in front of him. Yesterday’s experience told him there was no way Ae felt the same—he’d only helped out of kindness, nothing more. So, he forced a smile and brought up something else.

“There wasn’t any parking this morning, so I parked by the soccer field.”

“That’s pretty far.”

“Yeah.” Pete just smiled and sipped his water to cover his awkwardness. Already a quiet guy, he now had even less to say. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pond finishing up buying a drink, which meant their conversation was probably over.

“Here’s yours.” Pond walked over and plopped a dark cocoa drink on the table. This time, the guy who’d been in the shop the whole time widened his eyes, looking up at the buyer who was pressing a finger to his lips, signaling, “Don’t tell him.” But as soon as Ae, who’d been sitting with his back turned, glanced over, he casually sipped his strawberry drink and stared off at the birds or tree or whatever.

He’s up to something, isn’t he?

Ae mouthed silently, making the guy caught in the middle give a dry smile. Trapped between the pressure of the person sitting across from him and the one standing over his shoulder, that look must’ve said plenty to the soccer guy.

“Y’know what, I changed my mind. I don’t want the cocoa. Give me your cup.”

“Just listen, you hate sweet stuff, and this glass is sweet, man—sweet enough to kill you. You ordered cocoa, so drink your own stuff. The barista put her heart into it—guaranteed it’s delicious.” the owner of the glass shouted, shaking his head repeatedly. But the phrase “sweet enough to kill” seemed to make the shop’s older staff shoot a sharp glance their way.

“But today, I feel like eating something sweet. I busted my ass pedaling the bike since morning—I need some sugar to refuel.”

“Then how about some candy?” The guy teasing his friend still tried to wriggle out of it.

“No, you said it’s delicious—so you drink it.”

Ae shoved the glass into the hands of the guy blinking rapidly. Before he could even open his mouth to refuse, the soccer guy cut in:

“Or did you order something weird for me?”

“No way!!! Me, mess with you? Never!”

The reply came in a high-pitched tone, and reluctantly, he took a big gulp of the bitter cocoa.

“Ugh, so delicious—like super delicious.” Pond gritted his teeth and said in a stern voice, making the other guy pause for a second. Ae took the glass back, lowered his head, and took a sip.

This time, the half-Italian guy, still bitter from the taste, watched nervously as Ae took a big gulp and then—

“Hmm, it’s good.”

You jerk! It’s so bitter, and you call it good? What’s your tongue made of?!

The urge to rub his head in frustration at failing to prank his friend was strong. The guy still holding the straw turned to lock eyes with the Young Master sitting there, stunned, and flashed a smirk.

That smirk seemed to gloat at the friend behind him, but to the one watching, it made Ae’s heart skip a beat in a way he couldn’t explain.

A smile like that made the kind-hearted Ae look a lot more mischievous.

“Hey, I’m gonna go eat— you coming, or are you staying here to chat with your friend?”

Pete flinched slightly. Though he already knew the other’s answer, he couldn’t help feeling a tiny pang of disappointment.

“Yeah, I’m coming. I’m hungry too.”

“Uh, well, see you later then.” Pete said, offering a faint smile with a hint of sadness in his eyes. It made the guy standing up pause, glance down at the sandwich with only one bite taken, then look back to meet his gaze.

“Have you eaten lunch yet?”

“Uh, well, this.” Pete pointed at his lunch, making the listener frown and shake his head in disapproval.

“That’s what I’d call a snack—digested in ten minutes. That’s not lunch. Come on, I’ll show you what a real lunch looks like.”

Ae admitted to himself that he’d caught the look in the Young Master’s eyes—almost like he didn’t want him to leave. Eating alone probably wasn’t much fun either. So, he couldn’t help but invite him along, genuinely concerned.

The guy he’d pedaled around was way lighter than Pond, after all. Eating like this, he’d end up malnourished.

The one worried about his fellow human (unaware that said human in front of him had less-than-innocent thoughts) had no idea how thrilled the Young Master was. Pete hesitated, his face showing concern.

“Uh, Ae, you don’t feel awkward, right?”

“Awkward about what? Oh, you mean Pond? You’ll get used to him once you talk—he’s easy to get along with.” Ae said casually, thinking like a typical guy who doesn’t overthink things. Guys chat, and they’ll eventually hit it off.

He didn’t know why, but he felt uneasy about leaving Pete alone—maybe worried something might happen.

At that moment, two pairs of eyes locked in silence—one waiting for an answer, the other hesitating.

Ring ring

“Are you guys coming or not? I’m so hungry I could eat a whole deer.” Pond said as he stepped in to hurry them along, raising an eyebrow at the university soccer players as if to say, Are you coming or what?

Even though Pete felt a bit hesitant, something pushed him to lower his head and say,

“I’ll go.”

And it probably wasn’t wrong for him to sneak a little smile like this.

Ae felt like his new friend was a total Young-Master. He’d been shocked once already when the guy admitted he’d never eaten at the main cafeteria, even though he was already in his second semester. When he took him to buy food, Pete was so awkward that he got shoved around by other students and couldn’t even reach the vendor auntie.

After standing there watching him with a plate of food in hand for a full minute, Ae sighed.

“What do you want to eat?” The soccer guy shoved the plate into the Young-Master’s hands, leaving him to turn and look back in confusion.

“Uh, anything’s fine.”

“Man, I really hate the phrase ‘anything’s fine,’” Ae grumbled, though despite his words, he wove through the crowd and ordered some curry over rice in less than twenty seconds. He came back and stood in front of Pete, who blinked up at him and asked,

“How do you do that, Ae?”

“I should be the one asking how you can’t. You’re this old and still can’t buy your own food?” His slightly annoyed tone made the asker’s face fall, which prompted Ae to sigh again and pull the guy by the shoulder to follow him.

“I’m not scolding you—I’m just worried.” he said simply in his usual way before leading them to a table. That finally brought a smile back to the face that had just gone gloomy.

And after that, it seemed like the simple meal amidst the crowd in the cafeteria, along with Pond’s background-questioning chatter, made this Young-Master—who rarely ventured outside the international faculty zone—feel an inexplicable comfort. Maybe it was because the person he wanted to see was right beside him.

Right now, Pete was sitting stiffly on the university tram. Next to him was the smaller soccer player sitting on the outer side, while tons of students piled in until the tram was practically overflowing. He thought back to when Ae had said to his close friend:

“Take my bike then, Pond. Your class this afternoon is farther than mine.”

“Wait, then how are you getting there? Running, shorty?”

“I’ll break your ribs with a kick. Run, my ass, in the middle of the day? I’ll take the tram with Pete.”

Just thinking about it brought an indescribable warmth to his heart. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe he was just flattering himself, but he felt like Ae was concerned about him.

“You okay? It’s kinda hot.” Ae turned to ask. Though his voice sounded a bit gruff, it was filled with a caring tone that made Pete smile back.

“I’m fine. It’s not that hot.”

“You’re drenched in sweat and still say it’s not hot? I totally believe you.” Ae said, then fell silent. Maybe it was because the tram started moving, letting a cool breeze hit their faces.

Swipe

“Uh—” As the tram turned, the person next to him leaned in slightly, causing their knees to press together. The guy sitting on the inside felt his cheeks heat up.

Even though it was hot, crowded, and they were smack in the blazing sun with zero romance to speak of, the sharp eyes of the Young-Master just stared quietly at their touching knees.

Just that touch made him feel an indescribable shyness.

“...” He went quiet.

Ae went quiet too.

But there wasn’t the slightest bit of awkwardness in that silence—only the sound of his heart pounding in his chest.

“I wanted to see you.”

“Huh? What’d you say?” In the end, the feelings in his heart slipped out so easily, catching the guy next to him off guard. He turned to look, but the whistling wind drowned out the sound completely.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Ae just shrugged. A little while later, as the tram neared the international faculty, Ae stood up and pressed the bell right away, his other hand gripping Pete’s shoulder firmly.

“Hey! Ae, are you getting off here?” Pete asked, confused, as he was dragged off the tram. The other guy followed, but Ae didn’t say a word until the tram pulled away, leaving just the two of them standing there together.

“When you’re about to board, check the signs. See which tram goes where, and when you want to get off, press the bell like I did. So next time, if you have to park far away, you’ll know how to ride it.”

“!!!”

The listener could only stand there, stunned, staring at the guy lecturing him in a stern voice, capping it off with,

“Got it, right?”

“Uh, yeah... but why—”

“You don’t know how to ride the tram.”

And just like that, the soccer guy cut him off, making Pete purse his lips slightly and lower his head in quiet acceptance. He was lucky the driver had stopped for him this morning.

“Now that you know how, that’s good. Hey! We’ll talk later—I’m gonna be late for my afternoon class!” But before Pete could say anything, Ae glanced down at his watch, eyes widening. He hurriedly said something in a rushed tone, waved a quick goodbye, and then bolted off in the same direction the tram had gone.

That left the guy standing safely in front of his faculty, dumbfounded.

Did Ae just drop me off?

The thought brought a wave of guilt crashing into his heart—mixed with a joy that came from feeling cared for.

Chapter 2: A Different Perspective

Pete

It’s past 10 PM now, and I’ve just finished my homework and taken a shower. One hand rubs a towel through my damp hair, but my eyes are fixed on my knee.

The images and feelings from noon come rushing back to me.

The scent of the sun, the smell of sweat, the heat, and the warmth of our knees pressed together.

Thwack

“Such a kid, Pete. Getting shy over something like this?” I cover my face with the end of the towel, burying my head against my knees as my cheeks burn. I don’t get it. Not long ago, I was crushed by a love that let me down—deceived and hurt by someone I thought cared about me. So why, when I met Ae, do I suddenly believe he won’t hurt me? Why do I trust he won’t do what that other guy did?

Maybe it’s because Ae just sees me as a friend.

And then the answer rushed into my heart, washing away the embarrassment, leaving only a soft sigh before a heartfelt smile emerged.

“I don’t expect Ae to turn around and like me back. I just want Ae to see me as a friend—that’s enough.”

It’s no big deal. I know it’s wrong to think of someone who’s helped me as more than a friend, but I’ll keep it quietly in my heart. Someone as kind as Ae probably wouldn’t mind.

Knock, knock, knock

“Pete, are you asleep yet, sweetie?” But then, the door to my room opened, and my mom stepped inside.

“Not yet, Mom. Is something up?” I smiled at her right away.

My mom is beautiful. She has black hair that reaches the middle of her back, usually tied up tightly in a bun at the top of her head. Her gentle face when she’s with me often turns resolute when she’s at work. My mom owns a mid-sized, well-known hotel in the city center. She’s beautiful, capable, and decisive, but above all, she’s a mom who loves me more than anything, and I love her more than anything in my life.

“Seeing you smile makes me happy.”

Pause

I froze the moment she said that. Then she reached out, gently running her hand through my damp hair before grabbing a towel to dry it for me.

“You’ve been stressed for days, and it’s been worrying me. Seeing you smile makes me happy.”

“I’m sorry, Mom.” I said, lowering my head slightly, my voice barely audible. Guilt suddenly hit me as I thought about what I’d confessed to her, and that made her hand pause before she moved to sit beside me on the bed.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. Why would you apologize to me?”

“I’m sorry because I’m abnormal.” I mumbled, keeping my head down, unable to meet her eyes, remembering what my ex had said about me.

My sexual orientation is disgusting.

Grab

“Pete, look at me, sweetie.” Mom touched my chin, lifting my face to meet her gaze, and she smiled. Her eyes still held that resolute spark, but they were gentle too. Her other hand softly stroked my cheek.

“You’re not wrong, Pete. You’re not wrong at all. You didn’t choose for things to be this way, and I can tell you this: whatever you choose, I’ll support you. I’ll be your strength. I’d never, ever hurt you.” I knew I was about to cry. My eyes burned, and the more I looked at her, the more I felt both guilty and overwhelmingly loved.

And then she moved to give me a loose, comforting hug.

“My Pete is a good kid, you know that, hmm? I thank you every time you choose to stay with me instead of going to your dad. You’re everything to me—priceless, irreplaceable. Don’t think of yourself as abnormal or different, because I couldn’t bear to see my child unhappy.” I started crying again, wrapping both arms tightly around her.

Because I know she sees me as the most important thing in her life. The day I was threatened, I was so scared of her being hurt that I gave in and paid them off for three whole months.

It’s the same thing—if she’s suffering, I’d suffer even more.

“I love you so much, Mom.” I said softly. Mom loosened her hug a little more and continued wiping my face with a towel.

“You’re 18 now, Pete, and still crying like a little kid.” she said with a chuckle, making me give an embarrassed smile. I wiped my tears roughly with the back of my hand and flashed her the same grin as always.

“How was your day at university?” When Mom asked, I immediately thought of Ae.

“I made a new friend, Mom. I haven’t told you yet—he’s the one who helped me when I almost got hit by a car last time. Ae is so kind. He rode his bike to take me to the infirmary and stayed with me. Today, I ran into him, and he invited me to eat. I was a bit shy, Mom, because I’ve never been to the main cafeteria before, so he had to buy food for me. And he even taught me how to use the campus tram! I was so embarrassed because I’ve been studying here for over a semester and still don’t know how to ride it.”

Once I started talking about Ae, I couldn’t stop myself. I’ve only met him three times, but it felt like I had so much to say about him. Mom listened intently, laughing along and even commenting,

“This friend of yours sounds like a really good person.”

“Yes, he is. Really, really good.” I replied, then fell silent as Mom laughed. It felt like she’d tricked me into saying more somehow, and she added with a smile,

“Go on, I want to hear more about—who was it—Ae, right?”

But as she asked, I kept talking until I realized I might’ve given too much away to Mom.

No, we’re just friends. She probably doesn’t suspect anything, right?

It’d been days since I last saw Ae, almost a full week without running into him. But it’d become a habit—parking my car, sitting quietly, and staring at the football field with a smile, all alone. It was one of the little things I knew about him.

Today, though, I arrived earlier than usual. There were only a few people exercising on the field, and not many were using the tram yet. Seeing I had time—my class wasn’t until 10 a.m., and it was barely past 6—I decided to get out and walk along the edge of the field, touching the netting that separated the field from the walkway.

The morning air at the university was so refreshing that I had to take a deep breath. As a city kid who’d always studied downtown, being out in the suburbs like this made me smile at the cool breeze and soft sunlight.

“Whose car is this again?!”

Gulp!

I flinched slightly when I heard an irritated voice drift over. Turning around, I saw a security guard grumbling about a car—and I wouldn’t have felt so bad if it wasn’t my car.

“Which kid parked here again? Showing off their wealth, huh? Think parking a Benz here means I won’t make them move it? Can’t they see this is a no-parking zone? It’s for the tram!” My heart sank to my feet. I looked around frantically, unsure what to do, because I genuinely didn’t know this was a no-parking area.

So, I hurriedly ran over to him.

“Uh, excuse me, sir.”

“What?!” I flinched again as he turned to glare at me.

“It’s my car, sir. I’ll move it somewhere else right away.” He froze instantly, eyes widening—probably not expecting the owner to be right there—before clearing his throat loudly and looking up at me.

“Hey, kid, don’t you know you can’t park here? Just because you drive a Benz doesn’t mean I won’t tell you off. Doesn’t matter what brand the car is—wrong is wrong, same for everyone!” The security guard raised his voice a bit louder, making me feel even worse. I raised my hands in a wai, realizing I’d messed up.

“Sorry, sir. I’ll move it somewhere else right now.”

“Yeah, well, at least know that rules are rules. Kids these days love showing off, acting all rich, doing whatever they want without caring about anyone else.” I immediately lowered my head, wanting to argue that I’ve never flaunted wealth to anyone, but since I knew I was in the wrong, I just stood there listening to him rant, starting to feel embarrassed as people around began to sneak glances.

“Sir, I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know or didn’t care?!”

“You say he’s showing off his wealth, but maybe it’s you who’s showing off your authority.”

“!!!”

I turned to look behind me and saw the person I’d been wanting to meet. He was holding his running shoe laces in one hand, his fierce and stern face staring down the security guard, who turned to meet his gaze with an equally confrontational expression.

“He already apologized. He said he didn’t know. What do you want him to do—bow down and grovel? Just step aside so he can move his car, and that’s the end of it. And you.” he said, turning to me, “now that you know, don’t park here again.”

“Uh, yes, sir.” I replied softly, glancing at Ae, who then turned to the guard, who asked with an edge to his tone,

“And what’s it to you, kid?”

“Nothing to me, but I couldn’t stand watching. You saw him shrink back, and you just kept going. Sure, you’re the law here, but what’s he supposed to do if he didn’t know?” Ae’s voice was calm but his face was dead serious, the kind that doesn’t back down. That made the guard, who’d been so aggressive at first, just glare in frustration. The stern-faced guy nodded toward another direction.

“Why don’t you use your time to check over there instead? That car’s parked in a no-parking zone too.” The guard whipped around to look immediately, muttering under his breath in annoyance.

“What’s with kids these days?!” But he still couldn’t resist turning back to me with a stern look.

“Don’t park here again next time!” With that, he stomped off toward a dark-colored car that seemed to be slowing down to pick someone up.

Then Ae turned to me with that same fierce expression, making me flinch a little.

“Every time I run into you, there’s always some mess, huh, Pete?”

“I, uh—”

“If you’re gonna apologize, move your damn car first. That guy might come back.” Ae cut me off sharply, catching me mid-sentence. I don’t know if it was my slumped shoulders or what, but it made Ae smirk, looking at me like I was some kid before giving my shoulder a nudge.

“Hurry up, dude. You’ll run out of parking spots. Yeah, wait for me at the IC parking lot. I’ll ride my bike over to get you.”

“!!!” My eyes widened in surprise, wondering why Ae would come pick me up. That made him chuckle under his breath.

“You’re probably here to eat at the cafeteria this early, right? Let’s eat together—I’m starving too. Alright, I’ll go grab my bike first.” Ae looked at me like he was waiting for an answer, and what could I do but nod enthusiastically? That sharp, stern face flashed me a smile.

“Ae, if you’re set, then let’s go already.”

“Uh, yeah, okay!” This time, I quickly dashed to unlock my car and slipped inside, glancing at Ae jogging off toward the dorms. I hurriedly drove to the usual parking spot, my face breaking into a smile.

Every time we meet, there’s trouble, but every time there’s trouble, Ae somehow ends up helping me.

Ae

Believe it or not, right now I’m laughing—laughing and feeling sorry for that Young Master all at once.

Today, I forgot my running shoes at the soccer field. After showering, I planned to grab them and store them in my dorm before getting something to eat. But then I walked into Pete, head bowed, getting an earful from the security guard—loud enough that everyone turned to stare. Picture this: a good-looking Young Master just mumbling “yes, sir” over and over with a pale, nervous face.

I felt so bad for him I couldn’t help but step in.

Honestly, if I hadn’t met Pete in those weird situations before, I’d probably see him the way others do: a handsome Young Master, well-dressed, perfect manners, soft voice, charming smile—the kind of guy I’d never get close to.

What did Pond call me again? A “country bumpkin” or something? Yeah, probably that.

Someone like me and a guy like Pete shouldn’t have crossed paths at all. But once we did, I realized this international student who drives a Benz is way more endearing than I’d thought.

Not endearing in the way you’re probably thinking, though.

To me, Pete’s like a kid—a boy who lacks confidence, doesn’t stand up for himself, and shrinks back so much that I can’t help but worry about him. So, that endearing feeling I get is more like an older brother looking out for a younger one, not a friend-to-friend thing.

When I saw him fumbling around, dazed and awkward in his usual style, I decided I couldn’t just leave him to fend for himself like I would with my other friends.

I swear, between Dear—my overly honest high school buddy—and Pete, this super-polite Young Master, I’d bet my life Pete’s the one I’d worry about more. Dear’s got nothing on him.

Thinking it over, I nudged Pond, who was sprawled out on the bed with his legs spread in the most indecent way, and told him to go to class on his own. He grumbled and muttered something before rolling over to hug his Miyabi-patterned bolster. Curious what that pattern looks like? Don’t be—it’s better left as Pond’s dark little secret. After that, I grabbed my bike and pedaled through the cool breeze toward the parking lot where I’d once helped Pete.

It didn’t take long to spot him standing next to his fancy car, looking unsure—probably worried I’d ditch him.

The moment he saw me, he smiled—a happy smile that made me find him even more endearing than before.

Handsome face, yet he grins like a kid who just got a new toy.

“Get on.” I ordered, and it seemed like he was getting used to the bike. This time, he climbed on behind me without the clumsy hesitation from before, though his hands still gripped the hem of my shirt uncertainly.

I tilted my head slightly, remembering how he’d told me he was gay and was scared I’d reject him.

This guy overthinks too much.

Thwack

“I’m not that fragile. If you’re gonna hold on, just do it—I’m more worried about you face-planting on the ground and me not having a kid to return to your mom.” I grabbed both his hands and made him hold my waist tightly. I didn’t know what kind of face he was making as I started pedaling. Compared to Pond—who’s the same build but way heavier—the friction was so much less. It took barely any effort to get going, enough that I had to glance back at him.

“You’re too light, Pete. How tall are you?”

“174.”

“Weight?”

“Uh, probably around 48 kilos, I think.”

Screech!

“Ouch!” I widened my eyes, slamming the brakes on the bike so hard I nearly faceplanted. I whipped around to look at the guy yelling behind me. Since he was riding on the back seat, which is a bit lower than the rider’s, his face smashed right into my head. His hands, which had been casually resting on my waist, suddenly wrapped around me tightly. He must’ve been startled—but I was even more shocked.

“You’re too skinny!”

Crazy. He’s over 170 cm tall, and his weight’s not even 50 kg. I’m 167 cm and still weigh more than him.

I turned to face him and saw Pete holding his forehead with both hands. He looked like he was in pain. My own shock eased a bit—yeah, I’ve got a hard head and even I felt a slight sting, so he must’ve hit me full force.

“Take your hands off.”

One of my hands gripped the handlebars, my feet steadied the bike on the ground, and I twisted around to pull his hands away with my other hand. I frowned a little. Sometimes I hate this Korean-heartthrob hairstyle that covers my face, so I brushed the dark hair off his forehead—and damn, it was red.

“Hey, sorry, man. You okay? You’re so fragile—barely hit you and it’s already bright red.” I grumbled as usual. Honestly, I’ve never touched a guy friend as gently as I did his forehead just now. Maybe it’s because all my buddies are rough and rowdy—even the cute ones I’ve smacked around before. But not Pete.

There’s something about Pete that makes me hesitant to roughhouse with him.

“N-no, it doesn’t hurt much.”

“You sure?”

“Y-yeah, I’m sure. Aren’t you hungry, Ae? Let’s go, I’m fine.” He avoided my eyes for some reason. I don’t know what was up, but his forehead was heating up, and I worried he might’ve gotten heatstroke. But it’s not even 7 a.m. yet. Still, since he insisted he was okay, I turned back around.

“I’m hungry, but the one who really needs to eat is you, not me. You’re too skinny—I’m seriously worried you’ll snap in half.” I kept rambling. Maybe like I said earlier, I see him as a little brother, and as someone who cares about health, I don’t like seeing anyone get sick right in front of me.

But I couldn’t help thinking—

Pete’s got nice skin. Yeah, soft too. Wait, what the hell am I even thinking about?

I shook it off and started pedaling again, noticing that Pete was holding onto me a little tighter now.

Pete

“Eat it all, finish it.”

I could only blink at Ae. I didn’t even plan on eating breakfast—I just came to see him. Normally, I’d have a glass of milk, a piece of bread, or something light. Not a plate piled high with three kinds of curry over rice, drenched in chili fish sauce like Ae was eating.

Then I looked down at my own breakfast: a bowl of noodle soup loaded with fresh veggies.

He’d asked me what I wanted to eat, and I tried to think of something light, so I said noodle soup. He disappeared for a bit, leaving me to watch our stuff, then came back with his plate of rice and my noodles. I don’t know if Ae’s buddy-buddy with the stall aunty or what, but my bowl came topped with bean sprouts, basil, and morning glory too.

When I tried to pay him back, Ae refused, saying,

“If you finish it, then you can pay me back. But if you don’t eat it all, I’m not taking your money.”

Ae must know I can’t finish all this.

I thought to myself as I slipped some noodles into my mouth, glancing at the other guy who was clearly starving, eating so fast. Since I wanted to talk to Ae, I remembered what happened this morning.

“Do you run at the field?”

“Yeah, I go running at 4:30 a.m. If I have time, I make merit with the monks, then go back to shower and come down for breakfast. But you’re here early too, huh?”

I was instantly impressed. No wonder I hadn’t run into him—he probably went back to his dorm before I even got to campus.

“Uh, yeah. There was a little parking war.” I said, knowing I wasn’t telling the whole truth. But the parking struggle was real, and it seemed to make Ae laugh as he shook his head.

“Yeah, do any of those IC kids not have a car? They practically take over the parking lot. My friend in the science faculty complains all the time that whenever he’s late, he can’t beat the IC crowd.”

“There are some. Not every IC kid is as rich as people think.”

“But most of them are.”

Hmm, I couldn’t argue with that, so I just bowed my head and slurped my noodle soup.

“Hey, if you come early, you can eat with me.” He said. I looked up instantly, my heart pounding. I hadn’t expected Ae to invite me, though he added casually,

“I’ll fatten you up a bit more.”

Oh, I guess I really am too skinny. It’s true—when I wear clothes, it’s not obvious, but if I take them off, I’m pretty scrawny.

But there’s one thing that’s been on my mind for a while. I wanted to know but didn’t dare ask. Since it was just the two of us now, I met his gaze—and noticed Ae was already looking at me—before deciding to finally ask.

“I want to know—don’t you ever think there’s something weird about me?”

Oh no, I was starting to get scared. His face turned stern right away, and he reached out toward me, making me shut my eyes tight instinctively.

Pat.

But he just pressed his hand firmly on my head, as if he was going to ruffle it, then pulled back. He shook his head and spoke to me in a more serious tone than usual.

“Pete, listen. The people around you probably judge what’s normal or not based on some old societal standard. But that’s not my standard.”

Ae looked slightly troubled, but his gaze remained sharp, almost like I’d just insulted him with something unforgivable.

“Do you think I’m short?”

“Uh...” No, not really. Okay, he might be a bit shorter than me, but he’s not that short. There are tons of people shorter than him, and every time we’ve met, there’s so much about him that makes me not even think about his height.

“To me, I’ve never seen myself as short. All my close friends are taller than me. Sometimes they call me ‘shorty,’ but I don’t see myself that way. I’m confident there are plenty of people shorter than me—at least I’m still within the average height for Thai guys.”

I wasn’t sure what he was trying to get at, but I listened intently.

“Even though I’m this size, whenever there’s trouble or a problem, my friends always pick me first to fight on their side. They’ve never thought this ‘shorty’ can’t do what they can’t. And since I don’t see myself as short, I don’t get mad when someone calls me that. That’s how I think about myself. What about you, Pete? Do you see yourself as normal or not?”

I just stared at him silently. My eyes must’ve been trembling because Ae gave me a smile and reached out to ruffle my hair. His voice softened more than usual as he said,

“If you see yourself as normal, even if the whole world thinks you’re weird, you’re still normal. And I’m one of the people who doesn’t think there’s anything strange about you at all.”

I never thought of myself as a crybaby, but for some reason, I felt my eyes heat up and could only lower my head. I sensed Ae lightly push my head before he went back to eating his food.

He didn’t comment on how I was blinking hard, like I was about to cry.

“I might not understand everything. I don’t know if what I said made sense to you or not. I’m not good with words, so let’s just say I’ve never thought you’re abnormal. And if anyone thinks you are, tell me—I’ll go beat them up for you.” He said it plainly and simply, but once again, my heart felt so warm it was almost scary. I just kept my head down, trying to focus on eating that bowl of noodles.

Honestly, I couldn’t even taste it, but I thought it was delicious. Really delicious—so much so that I only realized it when Ae reached out his hand.

“Hmm?”

“Money for your noodles.” Ae raised an eyebrow at me. That’s when I noticed it was the first time in who-knows-how-many years that I’d eaten this much for breakfast. I laughed and pulled out my wallet, but the bills inside...

“Uh, do you have change, Ae?”

I wasn’t surprised when Ae shook his head at my thousand-baht note, stacking my bowl on top of his plate.

“Forget it, you Young-Master!”

Ah, he was scolding me, but I felt so happy that I just grinned widely and followed him quietly.

After that, Ae was still kind enough to let me ride on the back of his bike to the faculty. The moment my feet hit the ground, his phone rang loudly. Ae grabbed it and made an annoyed face.

[“Ae, you jerk! You didn’t wake me up!!!!!”]

Even standing a bit away, I could hear the shouting blaring out of the phone. No wonder Ae looked irritated as he yelled back, “Buffalo!”

“Don’t blame me! I woke you up already. Instead of calling to curse me out, why don’t you go shower and hurry to class, you idiot?”

[“You abandoned me, Ae! You ditched me! Sob, you traitorous friend!”]

“You moron, meet me at the building!” Throughout the call, I just stared at his phone. I wanted his number so badly but didn’t dare ask. I stood there silently, clenching my hands together, watching until he hung up and stuffed the phone back in his pocket, feeling a pang of regret.

Ah, but I didn’t have the guts to ask, did I? Sigh.

“Alright, I’m heading off then. If you come early tomorrow, you can find me at the soccer field.”

But how am I supposed to find you, Ae?

I just thought it to myself but didn’t dare ask out loud. All I could do was smile at him, my heart still hesitating about whether to ask or not.

What should I do, Pete? What should I do? Ae’s about to leave.

Sometimes I get frustrated with my own cowardice. Ae had already pedaled off, leaving me to sigh and turn around, walking toward the faculty with a dejected slump. I wanted to repay Ae somehow, but I didn’t even have the courage to ask for his number.

Skidddd

“Hey, Pete!!!!”

I whipped around.

“I forgot to ask for your number.” But then, I froze. A loud call of my name echoed, making me turn around to see that familiar bike swerving back and parking in front of the faculty. Ae hurriedly jumped off, jogged toward me with his phone in hand, and held it out.

“Hey, sorry! I totally forgot—you don’t have my number. How are you supposed to find me? My bad, my bad.” Ae flashed me a wide grin, and I reached out with trembling hands to take the phone. My face felt so hot it must’ve been bright red. Sometimes I wish I could be as bold as him, asking for things without overthinking it like this.

But right now, the clearest feeling was the joy when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

“Alright, I’ll save you as ‘Young-Master.’ I’m heading off now.” Ae took his phone back and waved. I stood there, still rooted to the spot, and broke into a wide smile.

“Ae, thanks!” I shouted after him. That tough face turned back, looking puzzled, and his confused voice topped it off.

“Thanks for what?” For the first time, I laughed at him like that and replied simply,

“It’s a secret, Ae.” Then I spun around and walked back into the faculty, knowing he’d be confused. But it’s better to leave him wondering what I was thanking him for.

Thanks for not even realizing how much you’ve done for me, Ae.

Chapter 3: A Suspicious Relationship

“Here you go, Young Master. Young Master Pete, would you like anything else?”

Pete was staring down at his phone screen, at a 10-digit number he’d memorized since yesterday afternoon. Of course, the lessons he’d studied didn’t stick in his head at all. All that lingered were snippets of conversation and someone’s smile. This morning, he’d woken up before the roosters just to ask the household to prepare breakfast for him.

The call snapped the Young Master out of his thoughts. He looked up immediately and flashed a smile at Aunt Jiw, his mom’s close confidante who’d helped raise him since he was little.

“Wow, it looks so delicious. Seeing this makes me hungry!” He turned to the large box, packed with several bags of steamed rice, alongside containers of broth filled with plump shrimp, chunky squid, and tender seabass. Nearby were sliced ginger, green onions, and cilantro, all ready to go—even a small bag of chili fish sauce for extra flavor.

It was practically a full breakfast ready to be enjoyed outside.

“So, Young Master, will you take it?” But as the stout aunt asked, the listener could only manage a dry smile. He stood up from the dining table, walked around, and hugged her warm frame, planting a kiss on her cheek to charm her.

“Maybe next time, Aunt Jiw. I’m running late today. Love you!”

Smack

He kissed her other cheek, just like when he was a kid, then flashed a wide grin that made his sharp, handsome face even more striking. He stepped back, grabbed the food box, sealed it shut, and strode quickly out of the dining room—so fast that a maid nearby could only watch with dreamy eyes.

“Auntie, Pete’s so handsome, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, Young Master’s been handsome since he was a kid. But don’t you dare get that dreamy look—don’t even think about it.” Aunt Jiw scolded sternly, making the maid pout before replying sulkily.

“Pfft, I know, Auntie. But it’s weird—lately, Pete’s been heading to the university so early. It’s only 6 a.m. Does the university start at 7 or something? No way, though. Normally on Thursdays, Pete leaves the house at 7, maybe 7:30.”

“Then why are you meddling in his business? Get back to work.” As the plump figure shooed her away, the listener shuffled back to the kitchen in a huff. Just then, the lady of the house stepped in, dressed in an elegant white suit, her eyes glancing toward the front where the luxury car had already driven off.

“Phii Jiw, has Pete left already?”

“Yes, Khun Pachara. He left early again, as usual. I’m starting to wonder what’s so great about the university lately—Young-Master hasn’t stayed to eat my cooking for over a week.” Pachara, the mother of the young man in question, gave a small smile and stepped over to sit at the table, casually remarking as if she knew something.

“Exactly. I’m curious what’s so great about it too.” She finished with a soft laugh, because it seemed her son wasn’t rushing off to see what was great about the university—it was more likely a person who was worth hurrying to every morning like this.

By the time Pitchaya fought through the morning traffic to reach the university, it was almost the same time as yesterday, despite leaving earlier. So, without a second thought, he parked his car in the lot, grabbed the fragrant breakfast box, and hopped into a taxi—even though the soccer field wasn’t so far that he couldn’t walk.

Pete paid the fare and stepped out just as—

“Hey, Pete!”

Whip

The shout from behind made him turn around, his eyes widening in surprise. A stocky guy in short soccer shorts and a sweat-soaked T-shirt was gripping the edge of the field’s fence, staring right at him. Pete glanced down at his watch.

Later than yesterday—hasn’t Ae finished running yet?

“Why’d you take a taxi? Where’s your car?” Though he wondered that, his legs carried him closer to the fence. His cheeks warmed as he looked at the guy breathing harder than usual, his face glistening with sweat, though his legs were still jogging in place.

“I parked it in the usual spot. I just didn’t want to miss you, Ae, so I took a taxi.”

“What’d you say!?” The soccer guy’s voice came out sharp, making the listener flinch slightly, wondering what he’d said wrong.

“Are you nuts, Pete? It’s less than a ten-minute walk from there to here—what a waste! Do you even value money? Oh, right, I forgot you’re rich.” Ae scolded him sternly, totally against the idea of this Young-Master taking a taxi for such a short distance. But after a moment, he waved it off—not because he realized it wasn’t a big deal, but because he saw the pale look on Pete’s face and felt a pang of pity.

Sigh. I’m not usually this soft on anyone, but I can’t stay mad when I see your face.

“It’s not about being rich or not, Ae. I just wanted to see you, that’s all.”

Pause

The stern-faced guy froze, staring at the one who’d lifted his head to meet his gaze directly. Whatever lecture he’d planned to give got swallowed back down his throat. His resolve softened, leaving him speechless.

Sigh. Stop looking at me like a sad puppy. With a face like yours, you’re better off posing coolly on a magazine cover.

In the end, Intouch shook his head and changed the subject.

“So why’d you want to come see me?”

As soon as I asked, the listener flashed a wide grin—a smile that made the Young Master’s face even more handsome, to the point where I thought, I’m done for. But it was so endearing that I couldn’t help but smile back faintly.

“I brought this for you. It’s to thank you for breakfast yesterday.” Pete said, opening the lid of the container to show what was inside. That made my eyes widen a little.

“Shrimp porridge!!! Hey, I love shrimp porridge!”

Seeing his favorite dish, Ae’s stern expression softened. He told Pete to wait a sec before jogging around the field to meet the Young Master where he stood waiting. His excitement was obvious, and it instantly stuck in the mind of the one who’d brought it.

Ae doesn’t like waste, and Ae loves shrimp porridge.

“Uh, I haven’t showered yet. Wanna come up to my dorm and wait?” The kind-hearted guy ran up to him, extending an invite that left the listener stunned and unprepared.

“Up to your dorm?”

“Yeah, come on. I’ve got a bowl in my room.”

With that, the guy who’d spotted his favorite food grabbed the container and led the way into his dorm building. The one following hadn’t expected that a simple shrimp porridge would bring him closer to the person he secretly liked.

Whoa, I’m actually going up to his dorm!

Young Master Pitchaya felt like he didn’t really know his own university at all. Even the on-campus dorms amazed him—how could they be this creepy?

Yes, you read that right. The old building, probably decades old, had wooden doors that creaked loudly whenever someone opened them. Even the loud chatter from inside the rooms echoed out. The hallway was so dim and shadowy that he was certain he’d never dare walk through it alone. But the guy leading the way seemed completely unfazed by any of it.

“This is how on-campus dorms are, man. The guys’ dorms are especially old. This one’s still decent—Dorm 1 is even older.” Ae said casually, as if he’d noticed Pete’s expression, before leading him up to the third floor.

Ae’s room was almost at the end of the hallway. Along the way, a few dormmates greeted him, but what nearly made Pete jump was—

“Hey, Ae, next time there’s something like last night, call me again, man! Oh man, that aroi was insane!”

“No thanks, your aroi kept me up all night!”

“Hahaha, come on, think of it as stress relief. The whole floor joining in for aroi—I love it!”

With that, the guy—probably a senior—walked past, leaving the shorter guy to shake his head in exasperation. Meanwhile, the listener’s mind raced ahead.

Uh, a guys’ dorm, “aroi” all night—could it be...

“Don’t you dare think anything beyond what you heard.” Ae snapped, turning around with a stern voice as he fumbled for his room key. Sure enough, Pete’s face had turned red, looking like he wanted to ask something but couldn’t get it out. Ae quickly explained.

“Last night, that jerk who sleeps like the dead in my room played a Miyabi disc loud enough for the whole room to hear. Picture this: the guys in the rooms next door came over to eavesdrop, thinking me or Pond had snuck a girl into the dorm. But then they heard the moaning in Japanese, and that was it—they all piled into my room. They sat there watching half the night. The reason I was late running this morning? Those idiots were ‘aroi’-ing so much I barely slept.”

Once he got it off his chest, the frustrated guy—who’d wanted to throw those jerks out—vented with clear irritation.

It’s not like he didn’t enjoy Pond’s disc, but with a crowd sitting around watching, who could stay in the mood? It was like watching AV with a mix of boxing cheers and lip-smacking sounds.

Click.

“It’s a bit messy, just brush it off. Sit wherever you want.” True to his rugged guy nature, Ae said casually, kicking a pile of clothes toward a bed where someone was still sound asleep. He placed a box of porridge on a low Japanese-style table, letting the person who’d never seen anything like this take a moment to look around.

Ae’s room was pretty cramped. Two small beds took up almost all the space. There were wardrobes in opposite corners and a small desk overflowing with textbooks. One side had a large soccer player poster and a neatly folded blanket, but the other side—Pete barely dared to look.

A picture of a topless beautiful woman above the bed—probably, um, the “Miyabi” they’d mentioned.

“Pond, wake up.” Ae walked over and nudged the guy buried in his pillow, who let out a muffled groan.

“Mmm, jab jab snore.”

“Wake up, damn it!” The onlooker could only stand there stunned. Even after Ae shouted right in his ear, the half-breed guy still didn’t budge, making the waker sigh before saying calmly,

“Miyabi’s doing a lesbian scene with Aoi.”

Whoosh

“Huh?! What’d you say?! Where?! Where’s the disc?!” And Pete was even more shocked when the sleeping guy suddenly bolted upright, looking startled and ready to grab the waker by the collar to demand where this supposed scene was. Ae, though—

Thwack!

“Finally awake, huh, you buffalo.” A heavy hand smacked the newly awakened guy’s head, making Pond yelp, clutch his head, and glare up with an annoyed look.

“You tricked me! Yesterday you said Miyabi got married, the day before that you said she had uterine cancer—can you stop waking me up by messing with my beloved Miyabi?!”

“I’ll stop when you stop daydreaming. We’ve got a guest—Pete’s here.”

“Hmm?” The half-breed guy whipped around toward the door instantly and saw the handsome Young-Master standing there. His presence practically lit up the rundown room, making it look oddly decent in a way that was hard to believe.

“Hey, how’d you get here?!”

“I brought him up, obviously. Dumb question.” Ae said flatly, making the listener’s eyes widen as he glanced back and forth between his short friend and the handsome Young-Master.

“Wait, are you and him...?”

“Is your brain only capable of thinking about dirty stuff?” Ae asked in a stern tone, making the over-imaginative guy pout and whine.

“It’s true though, isn’t it? A guy like you and Pete? Come on, tell us, Pete—do you like my friend here?” Seeing Ae wasn’t playing along, Pond kept teasing, even making suggestive gestures like, You guys have something going on and didn’t tell me, huh? That made Pete flinch.

His reaction led the other guy to interpret it another way.

Maybe Pete’s scared Pond will find out he’s gay.

“Pond.”

“Yeah?” The guy responded instantly.

“I’ll stop using Miyabi to threaten you if you quit your ‘3 S’s.” Ae said, holding up three fingers with a smirk, prompting a wary question from the listener.

“3 S’s? What’s that?”

“Stop meddling!” The speaker emphasized heavily, but Pond didn’t flinch, still curious about what came next.

“Stop being annoying.”

“Hey, that’s a fish, not a tiger.” Despite the protest, the speaker kept going, this time with a sterner voice and a fiercer glare.

“And when are you gonna stop being a mess? Get up and shower, damn it. If I have to wake you up again, I’ll kick you with my foot.”

“Ugh, fine, I’ll go. But don’t let me find out you two have something going on.” Pond grumbled with a pout, getting up to grab a towel from the balcony and drape it over his shoulder. After rummaging around, he pulled out a bucket with Chompoo soap and a toothbrush, then shuffled out of the room, leaving just the two of them behind.

The door clicked shut. While Ae was tidying up, stacking things onto his friend’s empty bed, he spoke with a tone of concern.

“Don’t take what Pond said to heart. He just talks nonsense—he doesn’t mean anything by it.” His warm voice made the guy who’d been slouching against the wall feel even guiltier, thinking he’d been using the other’s kindness to get closer. He pressed his lips tight and dipped his head a little lower.

I really do like Ae, though.

Thwack

“I told you not to overthink it. Come sit here.” The overthinker flinched slightly as a warm hand gripped his wrist and pulled him to sit on the floor beside a low Japanese table. He tensed up involuntarily, but that made the other guy misinterpret it.

“Oh, right, I forgot—you probably don’t want to sit on a dirty floor. You can sit on my bed instead.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that, Ae!” The listener shook his head vigorously, his voice a little panicked, making the room’s owner laugh and pat his bed lightly.

“If you don’t mean it, then sit here. I’d feel bad making a Young Master like you sit on the floor.”

“I can sit on the floor, really.”

“Are you gonna sit properly or not?”

“Uh, I’ll sit.” But when Ae’s face turned stern and his voice grew sharp with irritation, the listener quickly plopped onto the bed, stiff as a board. His sharp eyes darted to the guy who’d stood up.

Swipe

“!!” This time, Pete’s jaw dropped. He whipped his head away so fast he almost didn’t catch it—Ae, the soccer guy, had just peeled off his sweat-soaked shirt and tossed it into a basket. Young Master Pitchaya’s face burned, too flustered to look back, though what he’d glimpsed was already seared into his mind.

“Hmm, bowls.” The guy who’d stripped didn’t seem to care at all. He grabbed some bowls and sat back down on the floor, his hands quickly unpacking the rice porridge and pouring it out. His nose inhaled the fragrant broth deeply.

“Where’d you get this? It looks delicious.”

“It’s not store-bought. My family made it, so I brought some to share.” As he spoke, Pete stole a glance at the broad shoulders of the guy pouring broth into the bowls, feeling his cheeks heat up even more.

Ae might not be tall, but there was nothing about his build that suggested weakness. Pete was certain Ae had the kind of physique you’d call fit—like someone who worked out. And since Ae wasn’t pale, it only made him look even stronger.

“It’s not hot anymore. I’ll go warm it up in the dorm’s microwave first. You wait here.” But then, the guy who’d touched the bowls and found them only lukewarm spoke casually, picking up the two bowls of porridge and standing.

Those words made the listener’s eyes widen.

“I’ll come with you!”

“Hm? No need. It’s just over there.”

“Please let me come along.” Pete blurted out quickly, shaking his head vigorously. The listener put down his bowl, crossed his arms, and looked at the guy who was now shorter than him—well, of course, since he was standing and Pete was sitting. It made this Young-Master look oddly endearing.

“What are you scared of—ghosts or Pond?” There aren’t many things to fear around here, and he was sure anyone who knew his half-ghost, half-human friend’s true nature would be terrified of him.

“Uh...” Pete lowered his head a bit and mumbled softly.

“Both, haha...” He let out a dry laugh, staring down at his lap, which made the listener chuckle. Unable to resist, he reached out and ruffled Pete’s hair affectionately. With any other friend, they’d probably swing back, but Pete didn’t squirm away. He just let him mess up his hair, and Ae couldn’t help but notice how soft that Korean-style hair felt.

Way softer than his own sun-scorched hair.

“Your hair’s soft, dude.” He remarked, prompting Pete to look up. That’s when Ae noticed something else he’d once thought was soft.

“Your skin’s soft too. Seriously, are you even a guy?” Ae teased with a laugh, reaching out to lightly tap Pete’s cheek. He didn’t know why he was so careful not to press too hard. His fingertip brushed against smooth, soft skin—so different from his own rough cheeks—and the more he rubbed, the more satisfying it felt.

“Your cheeks are like a little girl’s.”

“Have you ever touched a girl’s cheeks, Ae?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a two-year-old niece. I love squeezing her cheeks like this—soft just like yours, but she squirms. Not like you, letting me do it.” As he talked about his niece, he grinned widely, leaning in a bit, thinking of that little troublemaker learning to talk. Without realizing it, his hand shifted from a light touch to pressing his whole palm against that soft cheek.

So soft. Is this really a guy’s skin?

He studied Pete’s face more closely. Thick eyebrows, sharp eyes with long lashes, a high nose, pale cheeks, and orange-tinted lips.

Thump, thump, thump

Silence filled the room. One of them was frozen in shock at the unexpected touch, while the other felt something strange about the softness under his hand—and a weird twitch in his chest.

Why did he suddenly think this handsome guy’s face was kind of cute?

“Ae... Ae...” Pete’s shaky voice called out, heat spreading across one cheek as his heart raced. He had to suppress the odd urge to want that warm hand to touch his cheek even more. Meanwhile, Ae was frowning slightly, squinting as if lost in thought.

“Give me your hand.” With that, Ae held out his hand, and the confused listener hesitantly offered his own.

Grab

“Your hand’s soft too. Dude, are you sure you’re a guy?” he said, growing more curious about their differences. He took Pete’s hand, flipping it over, running his thumb across the palm. It was soft—like the hand of someone who’d never done hard labor. But that touch was making Pete tremble, his shaky eyes fixed on the fingertip pressing into his palm, a sudden heat fluttering in his stomach.

Pete knew Ae didn’t mean anything by it, but it was too close, too intimate. He couldn’t bring himself to meet his eyes.

“Every time I touch you, I’m legit scared you’ll bruise. Swear to God, you’re probably the first person I wouldn’t dare smack on the head.” Ae laughed, letting go of that soft hand, noticing the other guy had gone quiet. Then it hit him.

“Hey, sorry, I forgot you probably don’t want me to touch you.”

This guy’s too polite for his own good. If you don’t want me to touch you, just say it, damn it. Sitting there still as a stump like Mai.

“No, it’s not that!” he suddenly blurted out, then looked up with those nearsighted eyes.

“I’m just afraid you might dislike me. Ae might’ve forgotten that I —”

“Are gay? Yeah, I know already, you idiot.” The soccer guy shook his head immediately, looking at the slightly upset face that was about to dip down again. Something told him if he let this guy overthink like this, he’d end up moping around all day looking like he’d lost the will to live.

How can you be this fragile and expect me not to take care of you, huh?

Grab

“If I disliked you, I wouldn’t be holding you like this, heh. Your cheeks really are like my nephew’s.” And so, Ae’s two hands grabbed Young Master’s cheeks and lifted them up to meet his gaze. He pressed his palms down on both cheeks until that orange-tinted mouth puckered together, just to show he wasn’t disgusted.

Gulp

But then, as their eyes locked, the teaser started to feel something strange.

“Pete, you—”

BANG!!!

Gasp!!!

But then, the door swung wide open, startling the two who were staring at each other. At the same time, the person who burst in just stood there frozen, mouth agape.

“Hey!!!”

How could Pond not yell? Pete was sitting on the bed while Ae, shirtless, was holding Young Master’s cheeks with both hands. He was even leaning in closer! And with his lowlife imagination (sorry, I’ve never had thoughts above the waist), he interpreted it as:

“Ae, are you about to let yourself get mined for gold or what?!”

“Asshole!”

“Don’t curse at me to cover it up, I saw it!” he said while quickly shutting the door and stepping in, looking back and forth between the two of them. Ae sighed at him, acting like I’m the dumb one again.

“And what did you see?”

“You holding his cheeks!”

“And?”

“And you two were about to kiss, duh!” How could he not shout? That short bastard grabbed a shirt hanging nearby and threw it at his face, then spoke in his usual cold tone.

“If me touching Pete’s cheeks means we’re about to kiss, then I must’ve kissed Little Yim a million times already.”

“But that’s your nephew!”

“And how’s that different?” That short guy’s definitely pretending to be clueless. What kind of guy holds another guy’s cheeks like that? But Pond just pursed his lips, too lazy to argue, while Pete quickly chimed in with a flushed face.

“There’s really nothing going on, Pond.”

“You don’t need to explain anything to him, Pete. It’s a waste of energy.” Ae cut in, sitting down on the floor and stirring his porridge with a spoon. That made the guy who’d just finished showering widen his eyes.

“I’m eating too!”

“None for you.”

“Ae, ughhh!! I want to eat too!” With food right in front of him, Pond brushed aside his curiosity for now and rushed over to squeeze next to the short guy who was already spooning porridge into his mouth. He yanked the bowl toward himself immediately, making the guy who’d said no sigh but still turn to grab another bowl and reluctantly open a new pack.

In the bowl—

“Hey, why doesn’t my bowl have shrimp?”

“I ate it already.”

“You—stingy jerk!”

The idiot shouted loudly and darted his eyes toward Pete’s bowl of porridge, reaching out to aim for the orange-tailed critters.

Grab

“Don’t mess with Pete’s bowl.”

“Whoa, protective much?! I’m gonna tell everyone you’ve got something going on with the international kid!” Ae shot him a sideways glare and spat out a single word:

“Jerk!”

“That’s the second time you’ve insulted me.”

“Yeah, and there’ll be a third if you don’t eat quietly.” After that warning, the guy afraid of missing out lowered his head and shoveled the free food into his mouth. But his eyes couldn’t help sneaking glances at Ae, who slid the bowl toward the guy sitting on the bed, sparking unavoidable curiosity.

“Eat up. Don’t mind this idiot.”

Yeah, don’t mind me, huh? Because you’re focused on Pete, right? Look at that—Pete’s face even turned red, nodding super obediently. He flashed a charming smile at Ae again. Man! Pond was dying to know. I want to meddle, I want to pry, I want to figure out what you two are hiding behind my back. Don’t let me find out, you shorty! I’ll expose you all over social media!

In the end, the half-breed guy could only keep his suspicions to himself quietly. But mark his words—from now on, he’d meddle without ever letting them out of his sight.

“Pete likes you.”

“Hmm?” Later that evening, Intouch, who was propping his head up with one hand while scrolling through soccer news on his phone with the other, turned to his bunkmate with a surprised look. The idiot was nodding to himself smugly.

“For sure, dude. He’s totally into you. I saw him get all shy around you. When you turned to wash the bowls, he looked at you with this ridiculously handsome smile. When you went to shower, I asked him who he likes better—Miyabi or Sora—and you know what he said? He doesn’t watch AV, man! What kind of guy doesn’t watch AV? Definitely gay. I mean, he’s so polite, clean-cut, and Young-Master handsome—he’s gotta be gay.” Pond laid out his analysis scene by scene, making the listener grimace.

“You’re nuts.” With that, Ae rolled over to face the other way, though his eyes flickered with concern.

Pete definitely wouldn’t dare look Pond in the face if he knew the truth.

“Nuts, huh? Then why does he keep coming to see you?”

“He doesn’t have many friends.”

“He’s hitting on you, dude. Watch out—guys as straight as you have fallen plenty of times.”

Thwack!

Of course, the pillow he was resting on got chucked full force at the analyst’s face, making him yelp. Ae rolled over and said calmly,

“If you don’t know anything about him, just shut up.”

“Then tell me, damn it.” Sometimes Ae wondered why, out of all people, it had to be this idiot who ended up stuck with him. Couldn’t it have been someone else? But then again, if it were Sun or Dear instead, they’d probably have figured everything out ages ago.

“Shut up already, I’m reading soccer news.” He replied flatly, pretending to focus on his phone screen. That seemed to make Pond grumble under his breath, something along the lines of you’re looking after him too much. Ae had an answer for himself right away—yes, that much was true.

Pete was pitiful. Helping him, looking out for him—it was because he wanted to help, because he didn’t want to see that teary face like that day again. There were reasons.

Though Ae might’ve forgotten that not wanting to see someone’s tears isn’t always just about pity, is it?

Chapter 4: The Promise

Ae

“I hate calculuuuuuuuus!”

Have you ever been so annoyed with someone that you wanted to kick them into next week but couldn’t? Because they’re your best friend, your roommate, your faculty mate, and your major buddy all rolled into one? That’s exactly how I feel about Pond—this half-breed, brooding guy who starts whining the second class ends, embarrassing us in front of the whole faculty.

“I don’t get any of it.”

“What subject do you get, then?” Ping, a cheerful, chubby guy we met during orientation, turned to ask my friend. He’s someone who never seems to get annoyed with Pond.

“Ugh. Nah, nothing.”

“Yeah, makes sense. Yesterday you were complaining about hating physics, the day before it was drawing. Serious question—why’d you choose engineering?” Bow, the only girl in our group—who the guys used to fawn over (until they found out she’s a black belt in taekwondo, and then they all scattered)—asked with a laugh.

I’d asked him the same thing before, so I wasn’t surprised at all when he grinned wide and declared proudly,

“Because the guardian spirit of my house sent me here.”

“Hmm?” The moment that came up, the guy whose looks screamed skepticism about anything supernatural suddenly perked up.

“Here’s the deal, Bow. The spirit at my house is super powerful. I made a vow that if I got into any university, I’d run around the house naked—and bam, it sent me here with Ae.” He jabbed a thumb at me, making me let out a heavy sigh.

“Believe him, and you’ll give birth to twin buffaloes.” I might’ve gone a bit hard with that one.

Because Bow’s smile vanished.

She probably believed it.

“Hey, wait, you actually believe him, pretty girl? You’ll give birth to twin buffaloes!”

CRASH!!!

“Owww, my heaaaaad!”

I didn’t feel sorry for that half-breed friend screaming in the hallway when my buddy whacked Pond square in the head with a gorgeous, stiff-looking leather bag. I just turned to him and said,

“Deserved it.”

Yup. A guy like him doesn’t deserve pity—just needs a little extra punishment. Because in no time, he was already mumbling under his breath and glaring at me with those shiny eyes, making me sigh again.

“Yeah, sure, you don’t care about me, do you? You only care about that IC kid, right?”

And there he goes, starting something.

“Hey, what IC kid, Pond? I don’t see Ae hanging out with anyone. Class ends, he heads to cheer at the football field, and that’s it, right?” Ping turned to ask me, but I didn’t bother answering to drag it out. I just said,

“Mind your own business.”

“Oh wow, you and Pond should be added up and divided in half. One’s got a big mouth, the other’s got a sharp, heavy tongue. Split the difference, and it’d probably balance out.” Bow said with a laugh. I think my friends are starting to get fed up with my blunt attitude, but I don’t want them meddling in this.

It’s already a mess with everyone misunderstanding that Pete’s the one bothering me, when in reality, it’s probably me looking out for him more.

“Hey, enough about these guys’ habits. It’s almost noon. Where we eating?” Of course, Ping treats food like a big deal. And before I could think it through, I accidentally blurted out,

“The IC canteen.”

“There it is! I knew it. You guys definitely have something going on.” Pond shouted down the hallway, while I scrunched my face a little.

I’m not admitting there’s anything like what this idiot’s saying. It’s just... I don’t know, maybe concern? I worry about Pete in a way I can’t explain. I wonder if he’s got friends to eat lunch with, and if he doesn’t, I bet he’d skip it.

You’re already too skinny, dude.

With that thought, I didn’t care if Ping was complaining about the distance or if Bow said she’d made plans with friends from another faculty and might catch up later. I just grabbed my phone and called the guy I was thinking about.

Since I got his number, I’ve never called him, and knowing him for almost two weeks, I figured he’d never call me first either—probably because of that ridiculous politeness of his.

“Hey, Ae, I’m coming too! I’m tagging along to meddle.” Pond predictably yelled, jumping onto the back of my bike, leaving me rolling my eyes.

“You should be the one pedaling for me to sit, not me pedaling for you.”

“Come on, I know my buddy Ae’s strong. But is that Young Master not picking up?” I just nodded and shoved my phone back into my pants pocket since the call rang out until it dropped. Maybe he’s busy or didn’t hear it, but either way, I figured I’d go find him first.

“He might still be in class. The IC kids probably study until noon.” I said based on what I knew from him. But that made Pond chime in with a tone of disbelief,

“You can actually remember someone else’s schedule? Man, this is getting weird. The Ae I know wouldn’t bother remembering little things like other people’s class times.”

“What, you saying I’ve got a goldfish brain?”

“No way, ooh, don’t change the subject, dude. I’m saying you’re way too attentive to Pete.”

“You don’t need to guess randomly.” I cut him off quickly.

“Well, my random guessing got me into this school with you, didn’t it?” That’s right—the fact that he got into the same place as me was more than just dumb luck.

“So what, huh? Tell me straight, and I’ll reduce your punishment for hiding it from me by half.”

“Why the hell are you meddling in my business?!”

“Because it’s fun, duh! The story of the group’s shorty falling for someone like Ping is guaranteed to sell.” I wanted to shove him off the bike so bad, but since I couldn’t, I stayed quiet, even though I was mulling over what that nonstop-talking jerk behind me was saying.

Do I really care about Pete that much? Maybe I’m just worried about him like a little brother.

Tap tap tap tap

“Hey, Ae! Ae!!!”

“What the hell do you want now?!” I almost turned around to yell at the guy smacking my shoulder hard, acting all dramatic like a wife catching her husband cheating. My bike nearly swerved as I snapped out of my thoughts. But Pond didn’t even flinch—he just pointed past the international building in another direction.

“That’s your kid over there! And who’s that dragging him? Hey, something’s off, man. It looks like Pete’s being pulled!”

Freeze

I whipped my eyes toward where he was pointing and saw my target—Young Master with his pale skin—way off in the distance. But this time, he wasn’t alone. Some bulky guy was yanking him along, forcing him to follow. Even from this far, I instantly recognized the guy dragging him.

That bastard who punched him before.

“Damn it!!! Every time I run into you, it’s trouble.”

I cursed under my breath. People might think I’m annoyed at Young Master, but no—right now, I’m more worried he’s about to get beaten up. Especially knowing that jerk hasn’t let it go yet. That worry hit me hard. The image of him burying his face in his knees, crying, is still stuck in my head.

“Damn it! Why didn’t you tell me he wouldn’t drop it?!”

Okay, I admit I’m pissed off in a weird way. I already told Pete to let me know if something was up, and now his damn politeness has screwed him over again. If he gets hit, I’m going to be even angrier at him.

He’s so small, with that kind of skin—one punch and he’d probably bruise for days.

“Ae, slow down, man!!!” So, I didn’t bother listening to Pond yelling behind me. My legs pedaled the bike straight toward them without a second thought.

Pete

I don’t have afternoon classes today. After my morning ones ended, I figured I’d head home. Honestly, I was planning to go back and practice making shrimp porridge. I’m kinda embarrassed to admit it outright, but once I found out Ae likes shrimp porridge, I secretly asked Aunt Jiw if she could teach me.

Of course, she’s always sweet to me. She even promised to start a cooking lesson as soon as I got home.

I think I was smiling to myself. My legs were moving fast, glancing left and right. No faculty vans in sight, so I decided to walk—it’s not far, and it’d count as exercise, like Ae told me.

“You need to eat more and work out a bit. At least get your weight over fifty kilos.”

Ah, I’m trying to follow his advice.

RRRRRRRrrrrrrrr

Freeze

I never thought I’d be this much of a coward, but when my phone suddenly rang, my whole body froze. Of course, it was the ringtone I’d spent ages setting up just for someone special. Snapping out of it, I hurriedly fumbled into my bag—I didn’t want him to wait too long. Mai’s hands were trembling as I thought about Ae calling me for the first time.

I’m really such a kid at heart—something this small and I’m already a nervous wreck.

I took a deep breath, determined to answer quickly. If it weren’t for—

Grab

“Hey, Pete.” If it weren’t for the sudden yank on my wrist that nearly made my phone slip from my hand, I whipped around to see who it was and my eyes widened.

“Phii Trump.”

The guy in front of me was someone I once thought I liked—the same one who’d used that crazy video to extort money from me for three months. I quickly pulled my hand back.

“Let me go.”

“Yeah, right. You think that mess from before is over so easily? I haven’t forgotten what your new ‘boyfriend’ did to me.” I frowned instantly. I couldn’t understand how I ever liked him. Sure, Phii Trump might be handsome—tall, well-built, looking sharp in dark jeans and a branded shirt—but the person I remembered was a kind senior who helped me with my studies, not this thug glaring at me like he wanted to kill me.

“Let me go!” I said more firmly, though I was secretly pretty scared. I caught a flash of disgust on his face.

“You think I want to touch you? I’ll be straight with you—I’m disgusted by you.”

“Then let me go! You’ve already taken so much money from me. What more do you want?” I never thought I had this much guts, but here I was, talking back to his face, trying to wrench my hand free. Even though deep down, it hurt to be looked at like I was repulsive.

Damn it, I really am as fragile as Ae said—I can’t even break free from this.

“It’s not enough! I need more.” Phii Trump gritted his teeth, his voice stern.

“I won’t give you anything!!! Not a single baht more!” I shot back, trying to push myself away.

Ugh

“Ow!”

“Struggle one more time, and I’ll knock you flat.” Phii Trump yanked me closer and growled in a low voice, like someone running out of patience. Sure, I was scared of getting hurt—those punches from that day hurt a lot for someone like me who’s never been in a fight—but I tried to muster some courage and said calmly,

“Go ahead, hit me then. Do you think this is some random place? This is the middle of the university! Don’t you think someone might see—or the guards might notice?!”

“Pete!!! You dare threaten me?!”

“N-No, I didn’t—”

Ae, help me. Please help me.

I was on the verge of closing my eyes in fear, my mind fixating on the one person who always seemed to save me. The hand gripping my phone clenched tight, as if drawing strength. As the guy in front of me looked ready to throw a punch, I tensed up even more. It seemed like my terrified expression stopped him for a moment.

“Hmph, I thought you’d grown some backbone, but you’re still the same coward. Come here! Where’s your car?!” I nearly stumbled from the force as he dragged me toward the parking lot. My legs fought to hold me back with all my strength—I knew that once we reached the car, I’d be in deep trouble.

Thwack

“Let go of me!” I widened my eyes even more. Instead of dragging me down the walkway where people would soon pass by, he pulled me toward a building that, unless there was an event, no one would ever come near.

Ae, what should I do?

CRASH!

“Damn it!”

Right now, I’ll admit all I could think about was Ae. And somehow, thinking of him made me braver than I ever thought possible. Before I knew it, I’d slammed my foot full force into the back of Phii Trump’s knee, making him curse loudly. I broke free from his grip, my heart pounding wildly with fear as I spun around and ran back the way I came.

“You little bastard, Pete!!!”

I was scared—terrified. My heart was beating so fast I couldn’t hear anything around me. It was the first time I’d ever hurt someone, and now he was furious, his shouts echoing behind me. Blame it on my slowness—after just a few steps, my shoulder was yanked back hard, a sharp pain shooting through my whole body.

“Don’t mess with me!” I gritted my teeth and jerked my shoulder free, but he grabbed me again, forcing me to face him.

“You dared to kick me? I’ll kill you!!!”

Huh

I flinched hard, squeezing my eyes shut. I saw Phii Trump raise his fist to punch me, and in my fear, I could only hunch my shoulders together, bracing for the blow to my face. All I could think about was the person who’d saved me before, knowing full well that a coincidence like that wouldn’t happen so easily again.

There’d be no more lucky rescues.

CRASH!!!

Thwack

“If you’re so tough, come fight me!!!”

But just as I was waiting for the pain, I felt a tug from behind. Something crashed loudly, followed by a deep, furious voice cutting through all the noise and ringing clear in my head. I opened my eyes wide.

“You again, you short bastard!?”

“!!!”

The moment I opened my eyes, I saw someone’s back standing in front of me, facing off against a guy a head taller. My eyes widened even more. I could feel Ae’s anger, but even in his rage, the hand pushing me back wasn’t rough enough to hurt me at all.

“Yeah! And you again, you jerk!?” Ae’s voice was low, but that insult seemed to make Phii Trump even angrier.

“Don’t meddle in my business! I’ve got stuff to settle with Pete!”

“If it was a civil talk, I wouldn’t butt in. But what I see is a rabid dog picking on someone who can’t fight back!”

“You’re talking about me!?”

“Yeah, is there another dog around here for me to call out!?” This time, I started to worry things would escalate for real. I grabbed Ae’s shirt—not because I doubted he could fight or because I cared about Phii Trump. I just didn’t want him getting into trouble at the university and facing consequences later.

“Ae, that’s enough. I’m fine.”

Swish

Gasp

I jolted hard when Ae turned to look at me. My heart sank to my feet. His eyes were blazing with anger at me. It was almost as intense as the way he quickly scanned me, as if checking if I was hurt, but his voice when he spoke was so sharp it scared me.

“You okay or what? If I hadn’t stepped in, you’d have been punched already!” Seeing me speechless, Ae whipped around to glare at Phii Trump again and said in a stern tone,

“And why are you messing with Pete again? Didn’t he already tell you the other day he’s not giving you any more money? What now? What excuse are you digging up to squeeze cash out of him this time?”

“This is my business, not yours!” Phii Trump roared, before starting to spout words I never thought I’d hear from his mouth.

“Hah, you’re the same, aren’t you? Hanging out with Pete just hoping for his money too, right? What’s so great about him other than being born a Young Master with cash to throw around every day? So, how much did he give you to stick up for him like this? Huh, a face like yours probably got bought for peanuts. A few thousand? I’ll toss you some snack money and tell you to get the hell out of my sight.”

I couldn’t believe it. How did I ever think I could like someone like this?

“You’re the one who needs to get lost! Don’t talk to Ae like that!” I yelled immediately. I wouldn’t care if he insulted just me, but he can’t drag Ae into this. He’s already been way too kind to me. He doesn’t deserve this.

“Speaking the truth and you can’t handle it, huh, Pete? How much do you want?”

This was the first time I felt anger so intense that my hands—shook. Now I get why people resort to violence. In my whole life, I’ve never wanted to punch someone as much as I did right then. I was so mad my eyes felt hot, and I felt guilty for dragging Ae into my filthy mess.

If Ae hadn’t stepped in to help me from the start, he wouldn’t be facing insults like this.

“Oh wow, talking like that’s real classy, huh? Thinking you can throw money at my friend’s head?”

I turned to look behind me. I hadn’t even noticed Pond was there too, and now this friend of mine was cracking his knuckles. His sharp face, usually full of mischief, was dead serious, no trace of his usual self, as he stepped forward with purpose.

Pond’s expression and build must’ve intimidated Phii Trump, because he froze.

“You gonna gang up on me, you short little punk?!”

“I could stomp you into the ground solo!” Ae said firmly, gesturing for Pond to stay out of it. He stepped right up to the guy, fearless, and then I felt a chill shoot down my spine when Ae smiled—a smile that made someone as kind as him look inexplicably terrifying.

“Go ahead, you wanna hit me, right? I’ll let you start. But once you do, I won’t stop easy.” I got scared instantly by the look on Ae’s face right then, and it made Phii Trump unconsciously step back. He swept his eyes over everyone, then let out a long string of curses.

“I don’t believe you won’t gang up on me! Remember this—I’m not letting it end here, especially with you, Pete!” He pointed at me, spat on the ground, then spun around and stomped off, his quick steps almost a run in the other direction.

Leaving everything in an awkward, heavy silence.

“Why’d you let him go, huh?! You should’ve given him a couple of punches!” Pond said, irritated, while Ae took a deep breath.

“You want us to get investigated for starting a fight on campus or what?” Ae finished, then turned to look at me, making it clear he was still angry—angry enough that his fists were clenched tight. That left me only able to say to Pond in a shaky voice,

“I-I’m sorry, sorry for dragging Ae into this.”

The longer Ae stayed silent, the more scared I got. All I could do was lower my head and stare at the hem of my shirt. I didn’t know what kind of face Ae was making until he turned to talk.

“Pond, take my bike. I’m not in the mood to eat anymore.”

“Huh? What about you?”

“I’ll skip.” He must be so mad he doesn’t even want to look at me.

“And besides, I’ve got some things to settle with Pete.”

At that moment, all I could do was look up at him with stunned eyes. I thought what happened would make him hate me so much he wouldn’t want to see me again.

I wouldn’t mind if Ae didn’t want to meet us anymore, but I just hoped—ugh—don’t say you hate me, that’s all.

That’s all I could think about right then.

Ae

Right now, me and Young Master are still in the same spot. While he’s sitting with his head down on the edge of the sidewalk, I’m standing with my arms crossed, staring at him quietly. His face is pale, like there’s no blood left in it, and his hands resting on his knees are clenched so tight they’re white. Ever since Pond took my bike—which had crashed pathetically—we’ve been stuck like this for almost ten minutes.

Right now, I’m angry. Really angry. Angry enough to want to beat the crap out of that jerk who insulted me, but I know better. This is a university. If something happens, I’d only end up losing out. But now I realize I’m even angrier at Pete.

Angry that he protected that bastard. Even after all this, he still stopped me from getting into it.

So, I just stood there, staring at him silently, not saying a word, trying my hardest to keep my anger in check.

“I’m sorry.”

“...” I don’t know why I’m still quiet. Even though he’s said this to me a bunch of times already. When I didn’t respond, he went quiet too. I thought he’d just go back to staring at the ground, counting imaginary coins or something, but this time, he spoke again, his voice trembling.

“Ae, you probably hates me, huh?”

Have I ever said a single word to him about hating him?

“If you hadn’t stepped in to help me, you wouldn’t have had to deal with this. If you hadn’t been kind to me, you wouldn’t have been insulted like that. You shouldn’t have ever gotten involved with a problem like me.” His voice shook, but this time, at least he didn’t cry like before. He just gripped his pants until they were all crumpled up.

“I’m sorry, sorry.” The more he spoke, the shakier his voice got, until I noticed his body seemed to tremble a little too. From being furious, I started feeling something weird—maybe it was softness, I don’t know.

“Sighhhhh”

“I’m really sorry.” When I let out a long sigh, he looked up at me, and that made me frown even harder.

What the hell, Ae? Just seeing his face and I’m already going soft like this?

Right now, Pete was looking at me with trembling eyes, his nose a little redder than before, and his quivering lips mumbling nothing but “sorry” over and over again. That handsome face that girls would probably scream over—why did I find it so pitiful instead? I had to uncross my arms and let them drop.

“Did I ever once say I hate you?”

“But—”

“Did I ever once say I don’t want to help you?”

“Ae, I—”

“And did I ever once say I can’t stand being insulted like that?”

“...” He just stared at me with red eyes, like he was about to cry.

“And did I ever once say you’re a problem for me?” This time, he went completely silent, biting his orange lips until they turned pale. His body was shaking even more than before, and he looked so fragile that I genuinely worried something might happen to him. That’s why I crouched down in front of him.

“Do you know how I feel right now? I’m mad at you.” I didn’t wait for him to answer my question—I kept going.

“I’m mad that you didn’t tell me you were in trouble. I told you, if something’s up, just let me know, and I’ll help you. So why didn’t you tell me when that guy came looking for trouble?” Yeah, I should be mad at him about this. Okay, maybe I’m sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong, but no matter how you look at it, there’s no way Pete could handle this on his own. What—was he going to keep it all inside until his chest exploded or something?

But in the end, I gave him a smile.

“Do you know what friends are for?” I stared into his eyes steadily, wanting him to know I meant every word, then poked his chest with my finger.

“You’re my friend. No matter what happens. If my friend’s in trouble, this shorty’s ready to go through hell or high water to help. Got it?”

I really saw him as my friend—maybe a bit special because he felt more fragile than others, like he needed extra care. That made the Young-Master look at me like he didn’t understand.

“Ae, you still sees me as a friend, even after I got you scolded like that?”

Pete’s mouth hung open, and I couldn’t help but let out an amused laugh. I pulled his hand to help him stand and said with firm resolve,

“Yeah, I won’t let anyone mess with you. I’ll look after you myself.”

I had no idea that those words I said that day would become a promise I’d willingly keep for the rest of my life.

Chapter 5: A Relationship Starting to Grow

“Ae, you jerk! Why didn’t you tell me you were skipping cheer practice?!”

It was past 8 p.m. when the door swung open, and the idiot who looked pretty pissed stormed in. One hand tossed his bag onto the bed, the other yanked off his socks carelessly, his mouth running nonstop. His roommate just wanted to shove something in there to shut him up.

“Do you know how freaking unlucky I was today? After we split up, I went to grab some food, but I realized I wouldn’t make it to the afternoon class on time. So I ran to buy some siu mai and rushed to the room. Man, I was sneaking bites, and the professor freaking smelled it! He chewed me out for half an hour about classroom manners. And today was the mixed Thai studies class, right? Another disaster! I got paired with some arts student. Ugh, she’s cute and all, but her mouth—I can’t deal with it!”

“What, did she insult you or something?” Ae, who was messing around on his laptop, asked casually, prompting the complainer to flop onto the bed.

Thwack

“Yeah, man! I thought she was cute, so being a good-looking guy, I figured I’d hit on her. But before I could even do anything, she turned around and said, ‘Sorry, can’t you see people are trying to study? You’re late and still won’t shut up—on top of that, you’re wasting the professor’s time. If he lets us out late, it’s all your fault!’ My fault? Are you kidding me, Ae? How the hell is that my fault!!!” With that, Pond mimicked the arts girl’s high-pitched voice and flopped onto the bed, thrashing around like a frustrated three-year-old having a meltdown.

“But I think she’s right.” came the calm reply from someone immune to his best friend’s antics, not even glancing at the guy who shot up with a glare.

“You’re not on my side? She even said I was being a problem, dude!”

This time, Ae looked up to meet his eyes before closing his laptop screen.

“That’s exactly why I say she’s right.” The guy who spoke little but hit hard then grabbed a towel, prompting his loudmouthed friend to wail even louder.

“Shitty friend! You never take my side! I hope you get screwed!!!”

BANG BANG BANG!!!

“Damn it, Pond! Shut up, I’m trying to study!” No sooner had the curse left his mouth than the wall next door shook with loud bangs, followed by more shouting. The half-breed guy pouted but quieted down, watching his friend grab a bucket with soap and Chompoo.

“So, how’s Pete doing?” Once the tantrum subsided, the guy heading to shower turned back to chat. His sharp eyes recalled how Pete had acted when he sent him home.

“Not sure, but he’s probably scared.”

“How’d that Young Master Pete end up in a mess with that thug? He doesn’t seem like the type to get into trouble with anyone. Oh, and that money-extortion thing you mentioned too.” Ae paused for a moment, eyeing his friend’s curious expression.

“That jerk’s his senior. He’s been trying to squeeze cash out of Pete because he knows Pete’s loaded.” In the end, he didn’t tell the whole story. The listener looked skeptical before nodding in simple acceptance.

“Being rich must be tough, huh?”

“Not rich but weak, and you’d still get messed with all the same.” the soccer guy countered instantly, making his friend laugh and nod in agreement.

“At first, I thought Pete was a top, but after seeing him get yanked around like a ragdoll today, I’m pretty sure he’s a bottom.” the wannabe analyst chimed in again, causing the listener to frown.

“Top? Bottom? What the hell are you on about?”

“Gay tops and bottoms, dude. Tops are the ones on top, doing the penetrating. Bottoms are the ones below, getting penetrated. But sometimes they switch—though they still end up getting it either way. That’s what they call versatile.” he explained smugly, breaking it down scene by scene with a grin, while Ae stared at him in disbelief.

“How do you even know this stuff? Are you one or something?”

“Whoa, whoa, don’t insult me, bro! I’m 100% straight, and this rod of mine ain’t digging for gold. I’m all about gorgeous girls like little Miyabi—tiny body, but a figure that’s boom! Ooh, talking about it’s got me going—might pull up a video tonight.”

“If you don’t want to wake up with your disc smashed under my foot, go ahead and try.” Naturally, the guy who’d once lost sleep because the whole dorm crowded into their room to watch spoke menacingly. He set the bucket down, his sharp eyes glaring with a try me, I dare you look. That was enough to make the guy protective of his limited-edition stash change the subject on the spot.

“I found out about this from Sun’s little sister, you know, back in fifth year when we went to make water bottle rockets at Sun’s place. I happened to spot some gay manga on the living room table. The moment I picked it up, those two launched into a half-hour lecture about guys getting together. But it was fine—gave me an excuse to skip helping you guys.” This jerk had no shame, recounting it scene by scene, making the listeners sigh long and hard while thinking of that one close friend’s sister in the group.

Sun has two sisters who are hardcore yaoi fans—purple-blooded types who’d even ship two guys sharing a water bottle into a full-blown story.

“Yeah, exactly. At first, I was thinking along the lines of how those girls watch anime. They said the tall, handsome, rich guy from a good family has to be the ‘seme’ to fit, right? And then there’s you—short, buff, not rich, no car, just pedaling a bike all day. I figured Pete would totally top you. But today, I’ve gained some new insight.”

Don’t ask how Ae felt about this. Right now, he could only furrow his brows in a flash. If Sun’s sister was imagining stuff, then Pond must’ve been possessed by some chaotic goddess of wild guesses.

Him and Pete, seriously?

“Go on, spill your nasty thoughts.” He could only say it with an exasperated tone, listening to this guy—who was in a better mood now—snap his fingers with a loud pop and bounce over to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Here’s the thing, Ae. Today I realized that a pretty boy like Pete is super fragile, man. And when I saw you rush in to help him and shield him with your body? Damn, that was cool. Pond’s calling it—you’re the real ‘seme’ here!” Pond declared with conviction, while Ae let out a tired sigh, fed up with life, tempted to go ask the dorm supervisor if he could still switch roommates.

Are you sure you thought this through?

“Yeah, yeah, I’m gonna shower. Enjoy your little ‘seme,’ ‘uke’ fantasies or whatever.”

“Aw, don’t act like you can’t handle the truth. You and him? You’d match perfectly. Someone fragile like him with a compact guy like you—probably just right.”

“Damn it!”

Bang!

“Hey! That’s a water bottle, man! What if it hit my head?!”

Ae ignored his friend’s wails trailing after him. He’d hurled water bottle at the guy’s bed with a loud thud, deciding that skipping a hair wash for a day wouldn’t kill him. But if he could make Pond’s head bleed, he’d be downright thrilled.

The thoughts of a guy listening to his friend curse him out from behind, mixed with the banging from the next room’s neighbor telling them to quit disturbing their focus. And no matter how much Ae told himself it was nonsense, he couldn’t help picturing that slim frame of the Young Master he’d yanked—so light he practically flew into his grip.

Me topping, Pete bottoming?

“No way, what the hell am I thinking?” In the end, the soccer guy just scratched his head hard and walked into the bathroom, laughing at his own absurdity. Because he was sure someone like that Young Master would never like him. Take that Trump guy, for instance. Sure, he couldn’t stand the dude, but he couldn’t deny that standing next to Pete, they’d probably, uh, look good together, maybe?

“But who Pete likes isn’t my business. My job’s just to protect him, that’s all.”

[You coming to eat with me?]

“Not today, sorry. I’m already at the faculty. Uh, I woke up late this morning.”

On the walkway of the international building, Pete was hurrying along, one hand holding his textbooks, the other gripping his phone tightly. His cheeks were flushing hot—just seeing who was calling made him so happy that his hands, like Mai’s, were trembling. And when the caller asked about lunch, his heart pounded so hard he couldn’t keep up with the rhythm.

It wasn’t that Pete had overslept or anything. No, it was the memory from yesterday—someone promising to protect him—that kept him awake all night. And the reason he didn’t go looking for that person today was because he was too shy to even face him.

Even though yesterday he’d been so scared he didn’t know what to do, having Ae there made him believe what Ae had said:

“Ae, you will be my bodyguard!!!!”

“Uh, at least until that jerk backs off. If I leave you alone, who knows when you’ll get dragged off again.”

“B-but Ae you doesn’t have to do that. I don’t want to trouble you any more than this.”

“Are you deaf or something? I already told you it’s not a hassle—unless you think I’m sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“N-no, not at all!” He remembered saying that with a shaky voice, shaking his head quickly because that thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. That earned him a wide grin from Ae.

“Then it’s settled.”

Yesterday’s events left Young Master Pitchaya smiling to himself, clutching his phone tightly, listening to that deep, calm, steady voice on the other end, true to its usual style.

[No one’s done anything to you, right?]

“No, nothing.”

[Good. Then I’ll come eat lunch with you around noon.]

And what could the guy on this end say except,

“Okay.” with a grin so wide it caught the eyes of every girl passing by? Especially since Young Master Pitchaya was known for being handsome, polite, and kind—it’s no wonder that smile drew attention, making people want to get to know him. If he hadn’t been walking so fast toward his classroom, leaving onlookers sighing with regret, they might’ve tried.

“Nong Pete looks so handsome today, doesn’t he?”

“Sis! Sis! Sis! Get Nong Pete to join the cheer squad! At least we’d get to hang out late together once a week!” The group of ladyboys, who’d been sneaking glances from the start, turned to squeal at each other. This made Manophop, the leader of the international faculty’s ladyboy gang, nearly clap his hands and stomp his feet in delight.

The international program was different from the regular one—they held welcoming activities every semester since new students joined all three terms. And, of course, it wasn’t like the Thai program where they met every evening for a whole month until they were sick of each other’s faces. Here, they just gathered the freshmen to sing songs once a week—chill enough that the regular program folks might ask, “Are you sure this is a welcoming event?”

“Oh my gosh, I agree! Someone like Nong Pete, with a little charm here and there, the freshmen would definitely say yes to me!” Manophop said with a confident grin, prompting the juniors to shout back,

“Not every guy belongs to you, Sis!”

“What? Don’t you know my name? Manophop—imagination master! I can ship myself with every guy in the universe. Don’t forget my concept: I’m the queen of daydreams! Manophop has to make it happen!” His determined tone made it clear he was set on dragging that handsome guy into the welcoming event.

So, it’s no surprise that Pete suddenly felt a shiver down his spine for no apparent reason.

“Pete, we’re meeting up to work on our group project today. Are you free?”

As soon as Pete stepped into the room, a female friend bolted from her seat, asking eagerly, which made the listener offer a polite smile.

“Sure. What time are we doing it?”

“How about noon today? We can talk over lunch, okay?”

“Uh...” Group work wasn’t an issue for Pete. Honestly, he never had problems with anyone. Even though he wasn’t particularly close to anyone, whenever it came to group projects, people always invited him to join. So working with others wasn’t the problem—the problem was that he already had plans at noon.

“That works, right, Pete? Our friends have classes from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., so if we don’t talk at noon, we won’t have time.” the girl explained her reasoning, and the listener could only nod.

Of course, Pete felt a pang of regret, but he didn’t want to be the reason someone else’s work got messed up. So, he forced a smile and said,

“Yeah, noon’s fine.”

“I knew Pete wouldn’t have a problem with it. Unlike some people—”

“Who do you mean?”

Gasp!

But then, the speaker flinched hard when a deep, displeased voice sounded from behind her. She whipped around to see a tall young man standing there, narrowing his eyes at her with an irritated expression. It made the girl give a dry smile and quickly shake her head.

“N-No, nothing! We’re meeting at noon to discuss the project, okay, Tinn?” With that, the girl who’d tried to rope Pete into the conversation darted back to her desk the moment she saw her section mate, Tinn, place his bag next to the guy she’d been talking to.

Tch, that stuck-up, bad-tempered Young-Master!

“Girls are so damn annoying.” Tinn muttered as he plopped down next to Pete, who turned to him and gave a small smile as a greeting.

Tinn was a handsome guy who, rumor had it, had girls in the faculty swooning when he first arrived. But because he was easily annoyed—no, that wasn’t the main reason people disliked him—it was probably his arrogance. He didn’t mix with others much and had told several people who tried to get close to him, “I don’t plan to befriend anyone who doesn’t benefit me—it’s a waste of time.”

Even though that attitude turned off more than half the faculty, no one could deny that this guy had the right to pick and choose his friends. After all, Young-Master Tinn was the second heir to a massive real estate company, the kind whose family logo adorned condos all over the place. Not to mention, he spoke multiple languages, was good-looking, drove a Porsche, and could transfer to study in any country whenever he wanted—but his excuse was that he was bored of living abroad.

“You’re staying for the project talk too, right?”

“Hmm? Yeah, I’m staying. What about you, Tinn?” Pete, who was pulling out his phone and hesitating about how to tell Ae, made a small sound in his throat before glancing at the guy next to him, someone he’d only exchanged a few words with before.

“Of course I’m staying. I don’t trust other people to do the work well enough.” Tinn replied. The listener wasn’t surprised to hear that at all, so he just smiled at the overly confident guy and looked back down at his phone.

How do I tell Ae? Sigh.

Ae, I have to work on a report with friends at noon. You don’t have to come eat with me.

Ah, no, that’s not good. It sounds like I’m saying Ae’s nagging me to eat together or something.

This noon, I’m stuck doing a report with friends. Ae, you don’t have to come find me. Either way, thanks so much, Ae.

Is this okay?

The thoughts of someone whose face darkened with focus over just a few words. That caught the attention of the person next to him, who’d already been sneaking glances and now turned to face him fully.

“You’re hanging out with the Thai program kids, huh?”

“Yeah.” Pete jolted, turning with a confused look until he saw the other guy staring at him intently. He replayed the question in his head.

“Yesterday, I saw you with some Thai program kids—looked like there was trouble.” The listener froze, locking eyes with him, unsure how much he knew. His pale cheeks lost a bit more color as he stammered quickly,

“N-no, nothing happened. There wasn’t any trouble at all.”

“Hmm, I thought someone was picking on you. That’s the downside of the Thai program kids—drinking, starting fights, brawling. I heard the engineering and sports science guys don’t even get along. Bunch of nonsense.” Tinn spoke flatly, but his eyes betrayed clear displeasure, making the listener shake his head frantically.

“Ae isn’t like that, Tinn!”

Pause

“So you really are friends with the regular program kids, huh?” That made the listener raise an eyebrow as he asked, while the one who’d spoken pressed his lips together slightly.

“We’re just friends.” Pete didn’t get why this guy was so curious about him—they’d barely ever talked before. Still, he buried his unease deep down and replied in a faint voice.

“Then you should just stop hanging out with them.”

“!!!”

The taller guy said it casually, but it left the listener wide-eyed. His handsome face swayed slowly, as if he couldn’t process why the other had said that or what he wanted. That made the speaker sigh softly before laying out his reasoning.

“I’ll be honest. Being friends with you doesn’t boost my family’s business or anything, but I like your personality. Talking to you isn’t annoying, so I’m warning you out of goodwill. Hanging out with regular program kids won’t do you any good. Even among us IC students, you’ve got to pick who’s worth knowing and who isn’t. Do you even realize who might just want your money?” Pete gripped his phone tightly, staring into the speaker’s eyes. He didn’t feel like this was a severe insult—at least he knew this friend’s character well enough not to take it personally—and turned his face away.

Don’t mind him, that’s just how he is, Pete.

“Not everyone’s like that, though.”

“But most are.” Of course, once prejudice sets in, it’s hard to shake off. That made Pete let out a long sigh and hit send on the message right away—he didn’t want Ae running into this friend.

“I’m telling you, not everyone’s like that.” He didn’t know why he was so certain, but Pete was sure Ae wasn’t friends with him for his money.

The listener just shrugged and plugged his earbuds in.

“I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Heyyyy, let’s go eat noodles out front!”

The second today’s cheer practice ended, Pond slung an arm around his friend’s neck, leaning in close with a look that screamed you’ve got to indulge me. That made the shorter soccer guy sigh deeply, knowing full well that if he said no, Pond would drag out a forty-five-minute sob story to guilt-trip him.

“Fine, fine, noodles it is. But as soon as we head out, you’ll probably say you want chicken rice instead.”

“Of course, a handsome guy like me, Pond, gets to pick, dude.”

“What’s that got to do with it? We’re talking food, not girls. If that’s the case, then I can choose too—I’d rather eat fatty pork leg than lean pork leg.” Ping said with a laugh at the half-breed’s nonsense. But before Pond could fire back, a sweet voice cut through.

“You can choose food, sure, but I heard you can’t pick girls. My friend said you got dumped by that arts girl, Chae-em, right in the middle of Thai class.”

Gulp

“Arghhh, please! Bow, I’m begging you, don’t mention that chick! Pleeease! Oh my God! It hurts! She said I’m not even half-Italian—she said I’ve only got a tiny speck of humanity, and the rest of me isn’t even human!” The good-looking half-breed collapsed into a squat, covering his face, clearly shaken by a girl saying that to him. But Ae thought if he didn’t act like this, no one would’ve chewed him out in the first place.

RRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Hmm

But then, the soccer guy turned to grab his buzzing phone from his pants pocket. Before he could even answer, the call dropped. Still, the name on the screen made him raise an eyebrow slightly.

Did that Young Master call by mistake, or is something up?

“Hey, Ae, we going yet?”

“Hang on.” Even though his friends called out, the guy holding the phone held them off, quickly dialing back the person he suddenly felt worried about. It’s not like he’d call for help or anything, right? It’s already 8 p.m.—he should be home by now.

[Uh, Ae]

“You okay or what? I saw you called.” The line picked up almost instantly, and the voice on the other end stammered, making him worry even more. His tone sharpened, urging the guy to spit it out.

[N-No, it’s nothing. I just, uh, I just saw it’s 8 p.m. and wondered if you was done with cheer practice.]

“If I wasn’t done, I wouldn’t be able to pick up, dumbass. Where are you? Home yet?” Ae said with a chuckle, feeling an odd relief knowing he was fine. But a moment later, he frowned again.

Why the hell am I worried about him?

[Oh, not yet. I’m still at the faculty. Just finished group work.]

“What? You haven’t eaten dinner yet?” The listener’s brows shot up instantly, and the answer was exactly what he’d expected.

[Not yet.]

“Alright, then wait for me there. Stay inside the building—don’t go standing outside alone. I’ll come get you. That’s it.” With that, the stocky guy rattled off his decision and hung up, turning to his waiting friends.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up. Gotta pick up a friend first.”

“That IC kid, huh?” Pond asked curiously, making Ae whip around to the half-breed.

“You could shut your mouth for once, and no one would complain. Yeah, I’m picking up Pete first, then I’ll meet you.” Without waiting for Pond’s teasing to follow, he strode off quickly from the faculty. It was already pretty dark, and he didn’t want that Young Master wandering around alone—he’d just end up getting himself hurt again.

Pete didn’t even know why he called Ae. Maybe it was because he felt bad about not meeting up at noon, so after parting with his friends, he impulsively dialed without thinking it through. In that moment, he just wanted to hear his voice.

But as soon as he called, he realized Ae might not be free to talk and quickly hung up. He didn’t expect the other side to call back—or that they’d end up going to eat together.

This time, the pale-skinned guy could only lightly rub his ear after putting the phone down, feeling his cheeks heat up in a way that was almost alarming.

Ae’s voice on the phone was low and gruff, his speech steady and monotone. Yet, the sensation of it feeling like he was speaking right next to his ear made the secretly smitten guy’s heart race. His hand gripping the phone trembled slightly.

RRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

“Ah, Ae.”

[Where are you? I’m here.]

“At the spot where you dropped me off before.”

[I told you to wait inside the building. What if that jerk shows up again?!]

I don’t know, but Pete was smiling—grinning wide—just hearing the frustrated curses from the other end. He was happy that Ae was worried about him, so he kept that little smile on his face. Even when Ae came running up and started lecturing him like he was a little kid.

“Next time, when I tell you to wait inside the building, wait there. It’s dark and deserted out here. At least stay near the security guard. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“I get it.”

“I’m scolding you right now. Why are you smiling?” Pete quickly wiped the smile off his face and lowered his head a bit at the stern tone, which seemed to make the speaker realize something, as he ruffled his hair roughly.

“Ugh, why am I even scolding you? You’re not my little brother or anything. Let’s go—my friends are waiting.” Ae frowned sharply at his own concern, intending to walk ahead. That left the listener hesitating for a moment, wondering if he should tag along since Ae was probably going to eat with his friends. But right then, the shorter guy turned back and locked eyes with him.

“Pete.”

“Yes?” Pete could only respond as Ae stepped closer. That big hand moved toward him, making his little heart pound and his eyes widen, thinking Ae might grab his cheeks like before. He even tensed up noticeably.

Grab

“Why aren’t you wearing a tie today? Oh, well, a good-looking guy like you looks cool no matter what.” But instead, that hand adjusted the collar of his shirt, where he’d undone the top button today, pulling it lightly and fanning it as if teasing Young Master for not wearing his tie properly like usual.

“Uh, Ae, you—”

“No need to try complimenting me back. Let’s go—Pond’s gonna complain if we’re late.” The one being complimented was already blushing hard, obviously from embarrassment. But then, as someone who always feels the need to give back when he receives something, he figured since Ae complimented him, he’d return the favor. The reason he went quiet wasn’t because he couldn’t think of anything—it was because the other guy had too many good qualities to choose from.

But it didn’t seem like Ae thought the opposite—something he couldn’t help but find amusing. He knew there wasn’t much for Pete to say, so he cut off the overly polite guy by grabbing his elbow and dragging him along. Otherwise, they’d never get to eat Pond’s red pork noodles in the next hour.

The warm touch made Pete lower his gaze to that hand, his heart pounding so hard it was almost scary. Even though he knew the other guy probably didn’t want any compliments, he decided to whisper softly anyway.

“Ae, you’re really cool.”

He said it and immediately felt shy, while the listener turned to look at him. But after a brief pause, Ae just shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

“You’re probably the only one who’d say that.” Though he said it casually, the speaker pressed his lips together slightly and thought to himself,

Would it be wrong if I wanted to be the only one who knows how cool Ae is? Just me alone would be enough.

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