Morning Light
Rico's eyes slowly fluttered open, his head pounding with a dull ache. He groaned softly, murmuring, "What did I do last night...?" As his gaze adjusted, he noticed the cold patch still resting on his forehead, a small bottle of medicine nearby, and a neatly folded note. Curiously, he picked it up and read:
> "After breakfast, take the medicine. And don't drink too much if you can't handle it."
Rico blinked as the memories from the previous night came rushing back—Jeff gently wiping his fevered body with cold water, laying him in bed, and caring for him so tenderly. He touched the spot where the cold patch lay and chuckled quietly. "That chocolate boy… he's so kind," he whispered with a small smile. "I want to see him again."
---
Bast's Morning
Bast woke up in his room, momentarily disoriented. He looked around and quickly noticed that Kai wasn't there. Panicking slightly, he got up and searched around the house. When he reached the kitchen, relief washed over his face.
"Good morning," Kai greeted him cheerfully. "How are you feeling now?"
Bast stared at him—his Kai, preparing breakfast in an apron, humming quietly.
"Morning, baby. After seeing you… I feel much better," Bast replied, walking over with a smile.
Kai grinned. "Come eat. I made breakfast."
Bast sat down and looked at the plate of eggs. "When did you learn to cook?" he asked.
Kai laughed. "I watched a YouTube video. It looked easy!"
Bast picked up a fork and took a bite. His face twitched at the taste, but he forced a smile. "It's… really delicious."
Kai beamed. "I know! I'm the best cook."
Trying to be confident, Kai took a bite of his own cooking—then immediately threw it in the trash. "How did you eat that!?" he exclaimed in horror.
Bast chuckled and took another bite. "Because you made it for me."
Kai blushed. "No need to torture yourself. I'll just ask the cook to prepare breakfast next time."
Bast stood, pulled Kai into his arms, and sat him gently on his lap. "No need. Just give me unlimited kisses. My stomach is full now."
Kai flushed deeper. "Let me go…"
But Bast tightened his hold, kissing Kai's neck, his forehead, his chest, and both cheeks gently.
Kai held his face between his hands, eyes locked with Bast's. Then, they kissed—soft at first, then deeply and passionately, as if the world had shrunk to only the two of them.
Bast stretched and looked at Kai, who was scrolling through his phone while munching on a piece of toast.
"So, what are your plans for today?" Bast asked casually.
Kai replied, "I have no college today. Miles and I planned to watch a movie together and spend the whole day together."
Bast frowned slightly, jealousy flashing in his eyes. "Is Miles more important than me? Since we started this relationship, we've never gone on a date."
Kai looked up and said calmly, "You're not my boyfriend."
Bast stood up, irritated. "Then what are we? What is our relationship, Kai?"
"I… I don't know," Kai muttered, looking away.
Bast stepped closer and gently grabbed Kai's arm. "Then what about a date, Kai Haruto? Please… go out with me."
Kai's face flushed bright red. "Don't act like a teenager. You're not in high school anymore."
"For you," Bast smiled, "I can become anything."
Kai gently pushed him away, hiding his blush. "Okay, I'll think about it."
Bast beamed. "What? Let's go on a date!"
Kai smirked as he walked away. "We already went on one, remember?"
"When?" Bast blinked—then the memory hit him. The beach night. The soft waves. The love confession.
He smiled wide and ran after Kai. "That means we are a couple!"
Kai turned back with a shy smile. "Miles is picking me up. I need to get ready."
Bast hugged him from behind. "Then let's go on a real date next weekend."
Kai nodded. "Okay."
As Kai stepped into his room, he leaned against the door and smiled to himself. He had accepted Bast's love… and deep down, he knew—he truly loved Bast.
---
Office Schemes
In The office, Bast sat at his desk, sipping coffee and reviewing reports. The soft knock at the door broke his focus.
"Come in."
Jeff entered with a polite smile. "Good morning, sir."
Bast glanced up, eyes narrowing just a bit. "You look cute in that outfit… like a chocolate boy."
Jeff looked away awkwardly. "Thank you, sir."
"What's the update?"
Jeff took a breath. "Last night, Rico was drinking with his friends. They brought up Mr. Kai… and Rico admitted he's trying to pursue him."
Bast's grip tightened around his coffee cup. "What else?"
Jeff continued, "Then he suddenly sat next to me, looking interested. I told him I'm Jun. He clearly wants to sleep with me."
Bast set his coffee down with a sigh. "That's just like him. He'll sleep with any man if it benefits him. You did well, Jeff."
He leaned back in his chair. "From now on, keep acting as Jun. Rico is clever—he'll start digging into your background. So, you're no longer working at this office. Ethan will arrange a café for you to run. That'll be your new cover."
Jeff blinked. "A café?"
Bast nodded. "Yes. And keep getting closer to him. The more you know about his intentions, the easier it'll be to protect Kai."
Jeff nodded slowly. But inside, he couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. This wasn't what he signed up for. Pretending. Lying. Seducing someone like Rico.
Even if it was a mission—he hated every second of it.
Miles and Kai walked side by side into the cinema, sipping on bubble tea. The air buzzed with chatter, and colorful movie posters lined the walls.
Miles pointed at the display board. "Look at all the movies! What should we watch?"
Kai casually glanced up. "Let's watch a horror movie."
Miles immediately shook his head. "No way! I hate horror movies."
Kai smirked and took another sip of his drink. As he turned to look around, his smile faded.
There he was.
Rico.
The moment their eyes met, Rico grinned and confidently walked toward them.
Kai muttered under his breath, "What a bad start to the day…"
Without another word, he quickly grabbed Miles' hand. "Let's go."
Miles blinked, confused. "Wait, I'll get the tickets first. You wait here, okay?"
Kai hesitated but nodded. As Miles headed to the counter, Rico stepped in front of Kai with a charming smile. "Hello, Kai."
Kai didn't respond and tried to look away.
Rico's tone turned teasing. "Ignoring me now? Why won't you answer my calls?"
Kai's voice was cold. "Why would I?"
Rico glanced at Miles, who was still waiting at the counter. "Is that your best friend?"
Kai stepped back. "It's none of your business. Stay away from me and Bast."
Rico chuckled mockingly. "Such an angry little boy. I just wanted to say hello—why so worked up?"
Kai turned and began walking away, but Rico grabbed his wrist, lowering his voice. "Next time… answer my calls. Reply to my messages. Or I'll come to your college. Or even your home. We'll have a nice meeting there."
Kai yanked his arm free and stormed off without a word.
Rico watched him go, a dangerous smile curving on his lips.
Moments later, Miles returned, holding two tickets. "Whoa, that was such a long line! But I got them. Let's grab some popcorn and drinks!"
Kai nodded quietly, forcing a smile.
But deep down, his mood was already ruined—thanks to Rico.
Miles and Kai sat quietly in the darkened theater, the movie playing in the background, but Kai's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
He leaned closer to Miles and whispered, "What's wrong with Ethan lately? He's been so busy with work."
Miles' smile faltered. He stared at the screen blankly. "It's because… Mr. Victor is coming next week."
"Victor? Ethan's father?" Kai asked softly.
Miles gave a slight nod, but his expression turned pale. Kai noticed immediately.
He shifted closer. "Miles… is something bothering you?" His voice was gentle now. "If there's something on your mind, you can talk to me. I'm always here for you."
Miles's eyes glistened with tears. He blinked rapidly but couldn't stop them from falling.
"I never wanted to lose Ethan," he whispered, his voice cracking.
Kai didn't wait. He stood up and gently took Miles's hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here. We'll go for lunch. You can tell me everything."
Miles didn't say a word, but he followed Kai out of the theater, step by step, clinging silently to the comfort of his friend's presence.
Rico sat alone in his office, the dim light from the window casting a soft shadow across his face. He dialed a number and waited.
"Have you found the boy named Jun?" he asked calmly.
"Yes, sir," the voice on the other end replied. "He recently moved into the Happy Life Building. Room number 306. He also opened a small café nearby. As for his past… we couldn't find much. This is all we've gathered so far."
Rico leaned back in his chair, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Alright. Keep digging."
He ended the call and sat in silence for a moment. His eyes softened, lost in a distant memory.
"The comfort I felt in your arms…" he murmured to himself. "I've never experienced anything like that before, Jun."
A faint smile remained on his lips as he stared out the window, lost in thought.