Yuri poured a bucket of water onto the floor, sending a wave of dirt splashing away with it.
Already planning to clean the house thoroughly, he changed into shorter clothes—his shorts and cropped shirt perfect for the job. Without hesitation, he grabbed another, bigger bucket and splashed water across the floor again. Drops scattered onto his clothes as he paused, standing upright to fix his bandana, twisting it backward with a quick motion.
Behind the house, Jade was busy fixing the wiring, determined not to leave until the faulty electricity was sorted out. "Oh god, this house is full of mazes," he muttered, carefully untangling and arranging the wires.
After a few moments, lights flickered on down the hallway inside. A satisfied smile spread across Jade's face. "Finally~," he hummed quietly, pride evident in his tone.
The backdoor creaked open.
Jade stepped inside, wiping sweat from his forehead—only to be met with an immediate—
"HEY!!"Yuri's voice echoed through the hall as he pointed accusingly at Jade's feet. "Are you for real right now?!"
Jade blinked. "What?"
"There's dirt on your feet!" Yuri snapped, arms crossed, brow furrowed. "The floorboards are wet!"
Jade looked down with an exaggerated gasp. "Damn. Even the floorboards are wet for me."
Yuri's eyes narrowed into thin slits. "You're disgusting."
Jade only grinned, sauntering closer like a walking disaster.Without warning, he reached out, gently tugging Yuri backward by the waist until his back bumped into the edge of the wooden table.
Yuri didn't flinch. Didn't blush. Didn't move.
His expression stayed cold. Icy. Like the kiss that morning had never happened. Like Jade hadn't tasted his breath. Like his moan hadn't haunted the corners of this house ever since.
"You're seriously going to track mud all over my clean floor?" Yuri said, deadpan, refusing to acknowledge the closeness—or the way Jade's fingers lingered at his hip.
Jade tilted his head, eyes searching his. "You're seriously going to pretend this morning didn't happen?"
A beat passed.
Yuri stared him down.
Then pushed past him.
"I'm pretending you don't exist right now," he muttered.
And just like that, he was gone—back to cleaning, back to silence.
Jade stood there for a moment, barefoot and smirking, watching the trail of water Yuri left behind.
Game on, he thought.
Yuri dropped to his knees again, back in cleaning mode like nothing had happened. Like Jade hadn't just had him against a table. Like this morning hadn't left his lips bruised and his thoughts scrambled.
He didn't say a word. Just dipped the rag into the bucket, wrung it out with practiced efficiency, and leaned forward on all fours.
Jade followed.
Quiet steps. Smirking lips.
He stopped behind him—and froze.
The crop top had ridden up.
Way up.
Yuri's back was exposed, smooth skin glistening from sweat, and his shorts were soaked along the hem, clinging low on his hips. When he reached forward to scrub, the shirt lifted even more, offering a view that made Jade forget what gravity was.
He knelt down behind him silently, eyes glued, voice low.
"Y'know," he drawled, "you should really wear clothes that cover things when you're cleaning."
Yuri didn't turn around. "If you're not helping, shut up."
"I am helping," Jade said, not moving. "I'm keeping your bucket company."
"You're going to be the bucket in a second."
Jade smiled. "A wet bucket under you? Sounds about right."
Yuri stopped scrubbing.
Slowly, he sat up on his knees, turning halfway just enough for their eyes to meet.
"It'd be fun to touch you right now", Jade smeared.
"Touch me right now," Yuri said coldly, "and you'll find out how hard this floor really is."
Jade raised his hands in mock surrender. "Threatening violence while bent over in a crop top. You're literally the most dangerous thing I've ever seen."
Jade paused, a wicked thought flickering through his eyes.
"Hey, Yuri?" he called out, casually—too casually.
Yuri didn't even glance back. Still scrubbing, still uninterested. "What?"
"You know I'm stronger than you, right?" Jade said, voice dipped in that smug tone that always spelled danger.
Yuri let out the faintest exhale through his nose, turning slightly to give him a dead-eyed look—then immediately turned back to his scrubbing. Not even worth a full reaction.
Unbothered.
Unimpressed.
But Jade grinned, crouching lower, voice dropping with it.
"I could pin you down right now…" he murmured, eyes locked on the curve of Yuri's back, "and you wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it."
Jade stepped closer—quietly, like a shadow—and crouched behind him. Then, without warning, he shifted forward, palms pressing to the floor on either side of Yuri's hands.
Hovering.
Yuri's hands stilled on the floor. His head dropped slightly.
But he said nothing.
Didn't move. Didn't speak.
Didn't stop him.
And Jade—still hovering, still not touching—smirked.
Jade rested his head gently on Yuri's shoulder, exhaling like he was letting go of something heavy.
A soft, drawn-out hum followed. "Mmm," he murmured, nuzzling into the crook of Yuri's neck like it was home.
Yuri twitched.
His neck had always been sensitive—but he didn't pull away. Didn't stop him.
His scrubbing slowed, strokes growing aimless. He didn't know what to do with his hands anymore… or the way his breath hitched.
Then he felt it—an arm sliding around his waist, firm and sure, pulling him back just enough to close the space between them. Jade's nose brushed along the skin at his neck, then paused there—warm, steady, dangerously close.
And without meaning to—Without even realizing—
A soft sound escaped Yuri's lips.
Barely a breath.
But Jade heard it.
And he smiled against his skin.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
It must've been in his head—or maybe in his heart—but what Kai said that night had left an effect on Rei.
As much as he wanted to get out, he couldn't.Not physically... and not mentally.
What's stopping me?This isn't my home. It never was. It never will be.
A heavy emptiness settled over Rei's chest as he lay on the bed, hugging a pillow tightly to himself.
His mind was crowded. Restless.
After what felt like wasted minutes, he finally got up.He began pacing around the locked room.Of course Kai wasn't home to let him out.
He needed a plan.A way to be free.
Eventually, Rei sank back down, legs tired from the aimless walking.He let out a hopeless sigh.
It was cloudy outside—The sky heavy, as if the clouds were preparing themselves for a long, quiet shower.
Rei found his thoughts drifting again.To that little thief—the boy who could've helped him escape.But he was relieved the boy was safe.At least… that's what he told himself.
Then came another thought. A strange feeling.Uninvited, but stubborn.
Who was that man—the one in the picture carved into the massive library door?And the portrait, half-covered in dust, that Rei had failed to uncover.
This house.These familiar faces.Who were they, really?
What happened to that child's father?
And why—despite everything—did Rei feel so deeply connected to Min-ho?
He didn't know.
But for the first time, finding those answers felt more important than escaping.
To Be Continued... ...