Zeren is not one to indulge himself in such petty activities. Yet, here he was, at the casino waiting. For what reason and for whom? The informant broker leaned back into the chair he was seated in, glancing around the room from where he was in the corner, no partners with him as he was left alone. Workers stayed away from the young man, knowing just who he was and his objective for appearing, while some gamblers who heard of him or even interacted with him avoided him like the plague, fearful of what information he could blackmail them with. 

At last, the client of the night appeared before his eyes, seating across from him as a lovely girl straddled his lap. An absentminded hum vibrated from his throat at the man’s words, eyes following the hand before pausing at the brand. Anyone in the underworld should know what the symbol means by now, and with another glance at the girl, he finally recognised who she was. 

A gracious smile formed on Zeren’s lips. “She’s quite the charmer.” His mind was whirring, though he pushed whatever thoughts his brain conjured to a side — he had business to attend. “You wish to see me to gain information on your rival company?” From what Zeren gathered of the man, his client was a businessman of a big name company, though not of CEO status, but still held a high position. “Did something happen for you to wish for such intel?” He cocked a brow. 

Yuta could do nothing more than to listen to Haechan’s explanation, hearing for the first time what had gone wrong last year and why he had been cruelly ignored by the latter. Shock spread through him like ice cold water poured over his body, soaking his being to the core with such chill he almost flinched at the feeling. As soon as the shock passed however, betrayal settled in, feeling disheartened that Haechan would believe in the nasty whispers of crude students rather than inquiring about the matter head-on, confronting Yuta on the problem instead of sidling away and avoiding him entirely. 

However, as despondent as Yuta may be, he tried not to allow the thought to cloud his judgement and instead, attempted to view the situation in Haechan’s angle, understand why the younger did what he had done at that time. Haechan had difficulty trusting people to begin with, and it was through gentle prodding and insistent pushing on Yuta’s side that the younger finally relented and allowed the elder into his life. The kid didn’t exactly have the best childhood, nor did he really have supportive parents, and matters were made worse courtesy of the boy’s Voldemort-loving father. As such, most of the wizards and witches that Haechan came across were snide and wicked, looking down on him and spitting curses as if he was anything but human, as if he wasn’t just a kid trying to grow up as a normal person. The cynical attitude of society had warped Haechan’s mind into thinking that everyone was terrible, and if someone appeared to show a credulous persona, then it meant that the person was acting for a cost or just toying for the sake of their twisted amusement. 

Either of which made Yuta’s gut churn and heart clench. 

So really, Yuta couldn’t blame Haechan for acting the way he had that time, even if he was a bit disappointed that the younger would be gullible enough to believe those lies. Yuta may be a Gryffindor, but that didn’t automatically make him a good guy — no matter the many adventurous and dauntless tales of Gryffindor fellows that were passed on, of their awe-inspiring achievements or riveting journeys, one cannot simply proclaim such a man to be a saint. The majority doesn’t stand for the minority, and no matter how little the minority is, you can’t just overlook their existence. 

They exist, they’re there, and Haechan had feared Yuta to be one of them. 

‘He should’ve talked to me about this,’ was what Yuta’s mind supplied. ‘He shouldn’t just leave the matter like that and ignore me so heartlessly!’ 

‘He was young though,’ another part of Yuta’s brain piped in. ‘He was scared, he was confused. He was lonely, he had no one to confide to, and the only person he could rely on was the same person who might be manipulating him. His feeling was all over the place, you can’t expect him to be able to face you when he’s scared of knowing the truth, could you?’ 

The first voice didn’t reply, and Yuta realised a bit too late that he hadn’t responded instantly when Haechan pulled away. His inner thoughts had stopped their argument, allowing him time to solve the issue currently at hand. Obviously, the conversation between the imaginary voices his head conjured up was dropped, forcing him to return to reality. 

Frowning slightly, Yuta pried Haechan’s hands away from his head and held onto the younger’s cheeks, coaxing the latter to look at him. His gaze was steady, stern, but not fierce and held no judgement nor resentment. Instead, they were tender, pleading, silently begging Haechan. For what, he wasn’t sure. 

“I don’t believe that you’re plotting anything,” came Yuta’s statement finally, opting to settle on the subject of the Triwizard Tournament for now. “You can be silly sometimes, but you’re not suicidal. Clearly you can’t put your name in the goblet yourself, so someone else did it.” He smiled reassuringly. “And I don’t think you asked that person to do so. You were shocked when your name was called, meaning you didn’t know about all this drama. You didn’t want to be a part of this, but you’re forced to face it anyway. By whom I still don’t know, but I’ll figure out soon. Someone is setting up something, and I’ll find out what that is.” 

“For now, you’ll just have to deal with the tournament,” sighed Yuta, sadness clear in his tone. “You can’t back out, they won’t allow you to, you’ll just need to go through with it.” He smiled and ruffled Haechan’s hair, a bit playfully, a bit fondly, but mostly in hopes of lightening up the mood. “Don’t worry, I’m here. I’ll try my hardest to take care of you. So if you need anything, if you need help with this whole contest, I’ll be more than willing to help. People can die in this tournament, and I don’t want you to fall victim to that. I’ll ensure your safety, and that you escape this with as little harm as possible.” Squeezing Haechan’s shoulder, he hesitated for an instant before carefully commenting, “And I don’t blame you for avoiding me. I understand how you probably felt then. It’s okay, I forgive you.”

No conspicuous negative reaction could be detected on Jaehyun's face, only shock and perplexity with a bit of what Ten could discern to be curiosity. The lack of appall and abhorrence prompted Ten to loosen up, a timid smile adorned his lips as he downcast his peer, assessing the esquisse in his journal. Elegant strokes constituted flowing hair which framed a suave face, eyes tenebrous but eloquent, beauteous smile ornamented his profile, build broad and pulchritudinous, disposition that of one reposing their chin on a hand as they surveyed an event or a person from afar. 

"Yes," responded Ten at last, glancing up to Jaehyun once more, identifying the personage in his composition before him, very much tangible and mobile. "It's you." 

Words abruptly died in his gorge, uncertain of what more to avow. Panic arose as he glanced around frantically, hoping to find something to talk about, anything. Finally, Ten just bowed his head and apologised, "I'm sorry for drawing you without permission. It wasn't my intention."

Skyscrapers dominate the landscape, leaving little to no space for Mother Nature to thrive, painting the globe in a field of silver if not for the body of Prussian blue ocean that took up seventy-percent of the surface. Specks of green were scarce, few and far in between, with a park here or a forest there, most of the flora hidden from direct sight in the point of view of an outsider — growing within buildings like an interior decoration or inside jungle. Findings have allowed the lives on Htrae to generate oxygen from sources aside from plants, inventing vehicles that ran on water instead of fuel and thus releasing hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, plus other creative ways of producing oxygen. 

The evolution in machinery not only allowed ease and convenience to daily lifestyle, but also security and comfort. Surveillance are tight, cameras found in every nook and cranny one can imagine, from the big streets and small alleys, to building lobbies and corridors. The only places without monitoring are homes due to privacy reasons, but if one so wishes they may choose to install CCTV for personal safety. 

Jungwoo is a well off man living on his own in his spacious apartment, working as a cosmetic model with his face plastering across billboards alongside the products he advertises. Glowing turquoise circuit board patterns lined his skin, adorning the apples of his cheeks down to the side of his neck, the design tracing the long expanse of his arms, touching his elbows before reaching the back of his hands, each end stretching up to his fingers. His delicate and soft features, topped with smooth and fluffy strands, alongside a slim and tall physique, received appraisal from consumers worldwide, and garnered him a huge fan base. 

Jungwoo lives a relatively simple life. Aside from the fact he’s a celebrity, his day to day life is rather uneventful and just like any normal person’s. Wake up, carry out morning routine, have breakfast, go to work, eat something for lunch break, continue with work, return home for dinner, then sleep — occasionally, he would surf through channels or the net for something entertaining to occupy himself before bed time. 

Everything was peaceful and quiet for Jungwoo, until it wasn’t. 

One fateful Saturday, Jungwoo was graced with a chance of a half day leave, permitting him to go home early. Upon arrival, he kicked off his shoes and went straight for the kitchen, finding something to fill his hungry belly. The thought of locking his front door slipped his mind as he made himself a simple sandwich and poured a glass of orange juice, bringing them to his living room to eat. 

Minutes ticked by with Jungwoo just enjoying his meal, and while the male was sipping on his drink, his front door was suddenly slammed open, the loud noise causing him to flinch in surprise and almost choke on his beverage. He placed his cup down on the glass coffee table, gazing towards the direction of his front door with wide eyes filled with puzzlement, staring at the intruder. An awkward silence settled between them when the stranger finally turned around and noticed him, the both of them just looking at each other. 

Finally, the other man pulled out his weapon and directed it to him, prompting a yelp of shock and fear to leave Jungwoo as he backed away on his couch, hoping futilely to create distance between them. The stranger held a device to his mouth and started speaking rapidly in a language that he couldn’t understand, before sliding said device towards him. Jungwoo eyed the other male cautiously, his gaze flickering to the device hesitantly before finally picking it up and holding it close. 

Initially, when the device started transmitting a sound, the poor frightened model almost dropped it, only to realise later that the sound was actually a voice and it was speaking his language. He quickly found out that it was a translator and upon hearing the message, he stared at the man somewhat sceptically, unsure of whether to trust him or not. He was toying with the device in his hand, rubbing along the sides and edges as he contemplated, coming to a conclusion that probably took far more time than it should. 

“This way,” murmured Jungwoo, in his own language, even if the other couldn’t understand it, as he nodded towards the direction of his bedroom. 

He stood up and advanced to his sleeping quarters, pressing a button on the door and watching it slid open, turning to the stranger. “Come on, hide here.” 

Jungwoo didn’t know why he would trust a man who just pulled a gun on him, or even believe any of his words to the matter, but something in his gut told him that the other meant no harm, and that the sooner he cooperated, the quicker the other would be on his merry way. Once the stranger had passed through the threshold into his private room, he handed the translator to the man before tapping on a pad on the wall, sliding the door to a shut again. He only spared the man one last brief glance before the door completely shut, trying to convey with his eyes some form of message, like he was informing the man that he would take care of the situation. 

Very soon, there was knocking on his door, and Jungwoo flinched in fear, knowing what was to come next. Calming his erratic heartbeat, he answered the door, throat tightening as his eyes landed on a group of uniformed men holding their weapons to their chests and standing outside of his apartment. He managed a natural charming smile on his features, showing no signs of his initial fright at seeing the intruder, and made a small bow of greeting. 

“Good afternoon, gentlemen. How may I help you?”

Kun frowned at Yangyang’s reluctance to show other injuries on his body, stating firmly. “They need to be treated. If you don’t get them treated right now, they’ll get infected and in turn you’ll become sick or even worse!” He shook his head as he continued, “If you’re not going to let me treat those wounds, at least go to a hospital and get them checked or something. Isn’t there anyone in your pack who can also help to treat your wounds? They can’t go unattended like this!” He didn’t understand why the other wanted to be so stubborn in getting treatment — did he have a death wish or something? 

A sigh left him at Yangyang’s words, nodding though soon offering, “At least let me drive you back to wherever you live? It’s cold outside, and you’re in no condition to walk home by yourself like this. Lord knows how you even manage to come here in such a state.” Must be through sheer determination that Yangyang pulled it off. Kun quickly shook the thought away. “I am done with my shift anyway, so sparing some time to fetch you home wouldn’t make much of a difference for me and my work. If you don’t want me to get you back that’s fine too, but I’m not letting you walk there alone. Maybe call someone who’s close to you to come and pick you up?”

Hwanhee! You’re back already? 

[walks over to your bunk bed and nudges your side to make a bit space for me to lie in, happily cuddling up to your side so I won’t fall off] 

What are you looking at? [takes a peek at your phone and sees your Twitter, perking up] You use Twitter? That’s cool! What’s the latest news?

Servants came forth then, palms grasping the royal robe carefully, cloth opened up and smoothed out to disallow crumples forming. The silk draped across his warm body like chilly water, sending shivers down his spine, the tiny hairs the precious material grazed upon tingling. The varying calligraphies coating his skin had long since dried, abolishing the worry of tainting the interior of the rich fabric. 

Buttoned down and wrapped in a layer of aureate cape, Aureus stared upon the figure reflected in the mirror. Thin tiers parted in a small gape, the young man unrecognising the individual returning his eye contact. The once youthful and free-spirited crowned prince was gone — the being before him awaited his crown, to sit on his rightful throne and start his reign. 

A heavy sigh, then he was escorted out of the dressing room, guided to the main hall where his guests mingled. 

Attention had rarely been unto him as a prince, unencumbered by unnecessary focus and political conversations. Now, the second he traipsed the threshold partitioning the hallway and main hall, focus was instantly on him. Silence blanketed the room for a beat, before claps resonated, welcoming the new king. 

Biddings were instantaneous, all ‘your highness’ and ‘your majesty’, a few ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ and ‘it’s a true distress for you to lose your father’. 

However, mostly, Aureus heard ‘congratulations’ and ‘welcome’. 

For the first time, smiling felt like a chore, pate lowering shortly in a nod and slight bow, acknowledging presences. Hands were shaken, hugs were shared, familiar faces addressed. The crown hadn’t even set atop him yet, but Aureus was tired already. 

How his father managed to keep up his front was truly a wonder. 

As sienna orbs scanned the hall, brows furrowed in puzzlement, a nagging feeling settling within his gut. There was no sign of a certain pearl-headed king, and Aureus was unsure of what to think. He pondered whether the Zoraqis would arrive much later, before continuing his quest on greeting visitors in the palace.

[grins and pecks your lips, moving to sit comfortably on your lap and face you, caressing your cheek] 

[smirks playfully at your groan and words, running my hand in your hair instead] 

Don’t you think things are spicier and more entertaining when risk is thrown in the mix? 

[nuzzles your nose]

Alas, he was feeling too groggy to land a proper hit, and the resounding click as the door closed behind the doctor killed all hopes of leaving the room. 

He was stuck, and not with someone nice. 

Ten wanted to snort, but even that in itself took too much energy, so he just resorted to nod slightly, his crown heavy but mind light-headed. “Yes.” He stopped himself from making a retort, biting down on his lower lip to swallow in any snarky remarks ready to spill from his mouth. 

Hearing the statement, Ten scoffed, shaking his head. Lab reports — yeah, he totally excelled in them, if nearly losing his mind and breaking down from sheer pressure could be considered impressive. Then again, Hongbin made sure he will edge at the brink, but pull him right back onto hard ground before he could fall over — the damn psycho. 

“This place sucks,” spat Ten unkindly, hissing at the bright light shone into his eyes, blinding him for a moment. “I feel like shit and if there’s any side effects, I wouldn’t know. At this point, everything feels horrible enough to be a side effect.” 

He blinked away the black spots that dominated his vision once the light was gone, slowly regaining his bearing as he heard rustling at his side, indicating the man to have sat down. He opted to continue, “The food here is bland, for your information. Bread with butter and cheese plus ham accompanied by milk for breakfast, and congee for dinner. Nothing for lunch.” 

Because lunch hours tend to be replaced by torture sessions with nightmare doctors and scientists. 

“This place is a maze,” noted Ten too, looking away from the doctor, directly avoiding needing to make eye contact with Hongbin. “I don’t get to see other patients here. Makes me wonder who might be here that I know.” 

And there he was going at it again — dropping implications. The true reason he submitted himself to this hell hole. The friend that he’s trying to search for but couldn’t find. 

Ten dared himself to glance at the doctor briefly. “How many patients are there anyway?”

[soon reaches the restaurant and enters the building, glancing up when the bell rings before looking around, trying to find where you are] 

[perks up as soon as I noticed you and grins, quickly walking over to your table and waving in greeting to you, sliding into the seat opposite of you] Hey, Doyoungie! How have you been? 

[tilts head at the item you gave me, letting out a curious sound before picking it up, turning it around as I examine it] 

A gift for me? [smiles broadly] What’s inside?

Albeit the inapt situation, umber gaze be ardent with recalcitrance, chin held in pride. Ten followed aversely, limbs coerced to budge, now kneeling by the bed before the prince. He discerned the noise of a belt unbuckling, titillation coiled in his abdomen, though the glare riveted upon Wonwoo didn’t vacillate, obstinately audacious. 

No nod, no verbal response, just steady eye contact, raising a hand up to palm the cladded arousal, dauntlessly pushing Wonwoo’s hand away once the belt was extracted. A smirk adorned his lips, mischief gleaming in his orbs, applying pressure to the prince’s member firmly. He took his sweet time, deliberately inciting Wonwoo, knowing full well what he craved but not granting it to him. 

Ten was not one to submit smoothly, even if the partner in question was Prince Jeon Wonwoo of Italy. He always put up a fight, and would not cede without complication. He adored the exasperation his actions expelled from his partners, chiefly a character as imperial as the royalty in front of him.

Ten placed a hand over his chest as he bowed slightly, a show of humility as he mused, “Why, thank you, Hyunjin, for the compliment. I’m flattered~” He crinkled his nose at the poke, huffing as he shook his head, a find smile on his lips. “You better! I would be offended otherwise.” Playfulness laced his tone as he spoke. 

Ten grinned slightly after hearing Hyunjin’s words, nodding his head in agreement. “Yeah, Professor Byun isn’t that bad of a guy. He’s just your typical Head of House who has a lot of things in mind and many work to get done.” He made a face at the latter comment, shaking his head with an amused snort. “When you put it like that, you remind me of a cockroach — indestructible and not easy to die.” He gave the image a thought, soon regretting doing so. “That would be a horrifying thought. Please don’t be a cockroach.” 

Ten only rolled his eyes, though the smile on his face gave away how he truly felt. Clicking his tongue in feigned annoyance, he waved offhandedly as he drawled, “Yes, yes, mother, I heard you the first time!” He grumbled gibberish under his breath like a mad teenager as he munched on his sandwich, having a bit too much fun in fooling around like this. 

“So, what classes do you have after this?” Ten asked curiously, taking more sandwiches for the both of them. He noticed a few students already leaving, but there were still some streaming into the Great Hall, so he figured they still have some time to spare. 

Ivan noticed Seiji’s avoidance of others and stayed close to his side, almost as if trying to cover the latter from being seen by members of the company. He knew he couldn’t hide Seiji though, so he could only offer apologetic smiles to whoever they passed by until they reached the company’s entrance. “There’s a new ice cream shop that opened a few weeks ago,” explained Ivan as he gave Seiji’s hand a comforting squeeze. “They have a lot on the menu, I think you would like them.”

"You only give orders on the ship, captain," mused Ten in a sing-song tone, leaning close to Hongjoong's ear to whisper. "I don't know if you can say the same in bed now, can you?" 

Quickly leaning back, he hummed in feigned thoughtfulness, still rocking his hips atop Hongjoong. "I don't know... let me think." 

He fiddled with a loose thread on Hongjoong's shirt, speaking softly and with a low voice. "I was thinking about having you under me and fucking me, but me being the one to control the situation." 

He smiled serenely at Hongjoong, placing his hand flat against his chest as he quizzed, "What do you say, captain?"

Ten unconsciously leaned into the hands cupping his face, feeling his heart fluttering from the simple action, bringing his hands up to hold Kun’s own against his cheeks. He finally dared himself to make eye contact with the other when he heard the pain and sincerity in his voice, the lump in his throat making it difficult for him to say anything, only able to produce soft whimpers and sobs which he tried to hold back too. He nuzzled the elder’s nose back, letting out a soft sigh as he silently listened to Kun’s explanation, deciding to just bask in the other’s little affectionate attention for now, not having the heart nor the strength to push the other away, just wanting to be close after that huge exertion of emotions. 

Ten could only nod and hum to Kun’s words, gingerly wrapping his arms around the other’s neck to pull him close for a hug, shuddering at the soft kiss on his neck and letting out a soft whine. “As long as you keep your promise,” murmured the omega finally after keeping his lips closed the whole time the alpha was speaking, tightening his hold around the other ever so slightly. “I can’t lose you, Kun. You’re my best friend, you mean too much to me.” 

Ten felt Kun pulling him closer into his embrace and allowed it, not fighting against it as he leaned into the other’s warmth instead. The new wave of pheromones muddled the omega’s mind further, a drawn out keen emitting from his throat as he practically clung onto the alpha for support, feeling his whole body turning into jelly. He felt as if he was submerged in water, not quite sinking nor floating, drowning in the other’s heavy scent without knowing what’s up and down or left and right, mind only filled with Kun and alpha, comfort and cordiality. 

Ten barely heard Kun speaking, acknowledging that the latter said something but unable to discern his statement, conscience too bogged up by the pheromones to make sense of his words. Somewhere in his foggy mind, his human self noticed the problem and started panicking, letting the alarms in his head to go off, warning him that something wasn’t right. A mewl slipped from his lips, whether in protest from his human thoughts or in satisfaction from his wolf’s perception, the omega couldn’t tell at that point. 

“Kun,” breathed Ten in a high pitched whine, squirming in Kun’s hold. “Too much,” managed the omega as he panted, eyes glazed over. “I can’t,” whispered the younger, not quite finishing his sentence, unsure of what he was even trying to say, only knowing that everything felt overwhelming. 

Ten could hear the bell ringing and lightly patted Kun’s back to catch his attention. “The bell,” murmured the omega, unable to get any more words out from him. The pheromones seemed to be hindering his sense of speech, jumbling his thoughts enough to the point he couldn’t grasp at words and form a coherent sentence. “Classes now,” continued Ten with furrowed brows, trying to concentrate on forming a full phrase instead of just spouting few words that barely had meaning.

Have you eaten yet? I have some food with me. You can have them if you want! 

/leans back on my hands as I listen to your reply, letting out a soft ‘oh’/ I didn’t realise I have the door opened. /chuckles/ I guess I should be more careful from now on. 

Oh, this room? I think this is the acting class room. Never been in here before?

Unlike the boy though, Ten was more than ready to act casual with the former, always one with a carefree and unperturbed personality. He didn’t like conflicts and tend to put incidents behind him faster than one can blink. Though they’re never gone from memory, he hoped to at least not have to act as if a time bomb was strapped to him. 

But perhaps Ten was just that tad bit peeved, because he definitely jumped in surprise when the door slammed louder than he expected. 

He watched silently as the boy sat down and continued to talk, unable to withhold the snort that left him. “Come on, it’s not that bad. You’re just making it worse for yourself by thinking it is.” Finally, he opted to just turn around so he could lie back on the bed, sighing happily as he faced the ceiling instead of the brooding boy. 

“Well, I’m more than happy to get pass what happened in the lounge!” Ten chimed, probably a bit too cheerfully. “I’m not sure if I’ve introduced myself yet, so here goes- You can call me Ten, and I’m from Thailand!” He rubbed his arms along the mattress like one would when doing a snow angel. “I think I’ve heard of you. Your name is Xuxi or something, isn’t it?” He probably had checked the names of registered students the day before the university’s opening — don’t ask how he got it.

What can I say? Darkness is my best friend. 

[notices the lack of sunlight and glances up, seeing the clouds covering the sun and beaming] 

Yup! Much better! Thank you, Baekkie~ [kisses your cheek quickly] 

[hums in agreement and nods] That’s true too. Everyone is just doing their stuff right now. [glances briefly at everyone] I hope someone accidentally get a nail stuck in their hand or something. I’m bored!

Ten hacked violently, struggling to catch his breath, feeling a bit dizzy. His heart was thumping at a fast pace, whether from what just happened or due to the lack of oxygen through his body which was now being made up for. He was slowly obtaining back his bearing as his vision cleared, the ringing noise a faint hum in a distance now. 

Ten regained most of his wits by the time the rescuer made his very brief and simple introduction. Very quickly, he was being pulled by this Minho guy and making a run from the bastard, easily catching up to the other. He allowed himself to be tugged away, sparing a glance behind him at the scoundrel only to curse under his breath when he spot said man to be chasing after them, looking very much pissed. 

Ten didn’t need to be told twice as he hastened his steps, looking around himself for anywhere they could hide or get away from the brute. He stopped when Minho did, and wasn’t given time to scan the house they stopped in front of before he was being shoved inside, the latter following behind soon after. He was quick to turn back around and face the door, body freezing as he braced himself in case the pervert caught up to them and knew where they were hiding. 

He could hear running steps approaching, his blood running cold as sweat broke out, staring hard at the door and praying that they wouldn’t be found. There were grunts of fury being heard on the other side of the door, the steps having stopped now, as if the man was catching his breath while trying to locate where they were. Ten just hoped that the man wouldn’t think about knocking on random doors. 

“Fucking imbeciles, wait until I get my hands on you!” 

The roar from outside shocked Ten more than it should’ve, his body flinching at the volume of it. After that though, there were more running footsteps. They were getting further away and very soon, they were gone. 

The man had left. 

Ten let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding as he stumbled, quickly catching himself against a wall and leaning his weight to it. He looked to Minho, genuinely grateful when he said. “Thank you.” He was pretty sure if Minho hadn’t interfered, very terrible things would’ve happened. “I don’t know what I could’ve done if you didn’t appear...”

Hmm, if you insist. [pecks your forehead] Then I’ll just look forward to what you can give me~ 

[hums softly as I play with your hair] You don’t have to thank me. You also gave me something, I should be the one thanking you first.

“This is the shampoo I use,” commented Ten with a smile. He chortled when he heard Taeyong’s remark, nodding in understanding as he stood up. “I’ll get the bath bombs then. I kept most of them in my room. I’m not sure if I still have any but we’ll see. I’ll be but for a moment.” He swiftly left the bathroom and ascended to his bedroom, rummaging through his closet for the bath bombs he kept. He soon found them in a basket and was back in the bathroom not a few minutes later, hand gripping the whole basket where he kept the items. “Here are all the bath bombs that I have. You can pick whichever. I don’t usually use them so I don’t mind if you take more than a few.” 

Seeing the contemplative expression on Taeyong’s countenance, Ten swallowed nervously. No way, he couldn’t actually be considering Ten’s offer, right? Though it seemed to be the case with the next few words, although the obvious mischief on his face. He observed the fairy’s movements a bit, before realising what was probably on his mind and felt another wave of embarrassment prompting his ears to flush. “Are you imagining me naked?” Ten huffed, even if he knew the question. Still, he took off his clothes in front of Taeyong, pausing once he’s down to his underwear before making a turning gesture with his finger. “Look away.”

[blushes more at your words, smiling softly] I think I’m the one who’s lucky here. I’ve never gone on a date before. What’s more, you’re an amazing person, and to think you’ll ask someone as plain as me out. [smiles sheepishly] It’s definitely not something I would ever dreamed of. 

[watches as the waiter left but was taken off guard by your question, feeling embarrassed again as I clear my throat] Y-Yes. [murmurs softly] I like small but sweet gestures. They may seem insignificant to some, but it’s always the tiny gestures that creates the most intimate moments. You know what I mean? [looks at you with an embarrassed smile]

Ryeowook could also understand her worry about drawing an even more harmful and even smarter creation, after everything that happened today. Although this was the first time it happened, if Minji’s panicked state from the beginning was anything to go by, the chances of a next time would not be impossible anymore. They were lucky that the creation she made today was nothing too dangerous, even if it did almost injure the students if not for Minji’s quick reflex, but if there was to be a next time, who can be sure that it wouldn’t be something that can cause a bigger mess than this one did? 

Still, Ryeowook didn’t like seeing his student looking so down, and being the ever optimistic person, or close to one, he told her. “Let us all take this moment as an experience, something to learn from. This may be the first time it happened, but we managed to solve the problem, and that’s all that matters.” He inhaled slowly. “If there’s a next time, at least we will know how to deal with the situation better, since we already dealt with it once before. Everything that happens, no matter it occurred once or more, we can always learn something from it.” He placed a hand on Minji’s shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly, a small smile on his lips as his eyes looked at her gently. “So don’t worry about it. Just remember- don’t panic, calm down, think of the best solution to the problem, and execute it. If anything goes wrong, you can always have a Plan B ready.” 

Ryeowook pulled his hand away from Minji and leaned back into his chair, letting out a tired breath. “Plus, today is rather eventful, don’t you think?” He grinned, and hoped it didn’t look like a grimace instead. “No one got hurt, thankfully, but still, it’s rather exciting to be fighting something and trying to save people from harm.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Although I don’t anticipate the paperwork that is to come...” and with that, a wince formed on his features, just thinking about the report he had to make on this was giving him a headache.

[doesn't try to stop you and lets you kiss me, melting against the kiss and returning the gesture, wrapping my arms loosely around your neck] 

[releases a soft chuckle once you pull away, looking you in the eyes with a broad smile] 

If it is what you want, I’ll be more than happy to give. 

[hums in agreement at your suggestion before chortling when you admitted to not being able to drive, shaking my head] 

I’ll drive then. Just be a good boy and don’t do anything distracting until we reach the residences. Is that clear? 

[caresses your cheek before ruffling your hair playfully, getting off of you so you could stand and smiling when you pulled me close, placing my hand over yours that’s on my waist] 

This way. [nods towards the exit before leading you out of the club and towards the parking lot] 

[pulls out my keys and unlocks my car, gently pulling your hand off of me so we could enter the car, getting into the driver’s seat to start the engine]

Ryeowook hummed thoughtfully as he considered the question. “As for your question, it depends on the wounds of the patient. If it’s something minor, like a small cut on the finger, it shouldn’t take longer than a minute or two. But if it’s something worse, say, a stab wound, it might take at least half an hour to disinfect the wound and apply the ointment before patching it up, stitching if necessary.” He smiled at the next question, nodding. “Yes, we need to make weekly reports too. Mostly to ensure the inmates are taking their medications, and also to report if anyone had been injured for the past week, be them inmate or staff.”

[can only manage a chuckle at your teasing, unable to respond before you already left] 

[puts away the last silverware when you exited, turning to you with a smile only to feel my breath hitch at the sight of you] 

Oh wow! 

[gawks a bit sillily at you] 

You look- [clears my throat, finding my voice again] You look great. [smiles genuinely] You look amazing in them. 

[blinks at your comment though quickly chuckles] Yeah, we were, but you went to take a bath so I took it upon myself to wash them. At least you don’t have to trouble yourself in washing them and we can leave as soon as you’re done preparing. 

[grins and walks over to you, sliding my arms around your waist and pulling you close to place a kiss on your forehead] 

Does it fit you well? [looks you over a bit] Are the pants a bit too loose or anything?

Well, if you must insist. /takes in a deep breath, more like a stall and to collect my thoughts, trying to think of where to begin/ 

I’ll just say I have reached my last straw. The only family member I have left- my younger sister, her name was Tern. /eyes soften just the slight bit as I recall the memory/ After our parents were gone, she was all I have. It had been that way for a little more than a decade now. 

/chuckles humourlessly, dryly/ What a fool I am to leave her alone and expect no one to hurt her. When I returned, she was drained of blood, and barely clinging onto her last breath. 

/stops my story there abruptly, looking at you with a smile again, an unconscious habit even if it doesn’t reach my eyes/ Is that a good enough reasoning for you, sir?

Ray gasped loudly when half the cake disappeared onto Taemin’s plate, pouting sadly and looking like a kicked puppy. She grumpily poked at her cake for a bit before finally eating it, her frustration quickly dissolving once she got a taste of the chocolatey favour. In no time she was as happy as a lark again, swinging her legs with happy hums. 

A snort left Ten before he could stop himself, covering his mouth to contain amused chuckles. Ray on the other hand seemed to catch on to what the two adults were conversing about and sat up straighter, looking at Taemin hopefully. “Does Uncle Taemin have dresses for me too? I want to see them! Nana showed me her dress her papa gave her. It was very pretty! I want one too!”

/the bartender soon returns with a slice of lemon on the rim of a glass of water, sliding it to you 

Here, drink up. /smiles at you 

/chuckles/ Yeah, it would be like that. Even though the turns of events is unfortunate, at least you got to have a beautiful baby as your result. It’s very interesting how they manage to soothe your aching heart so easily. 

I was lucky, I wasn't tossed around at all. I entered an orphanage, proceeded to live there until I was eighteen, then off into the real world I go. 

I can't say my friends are lucky in that aspect though. 

/nods my head in agreement, smiling sadly/ You know what would be sadder? If they were put there not because they were abandoned, but because their love was robbed from them. 

Honestly, being a parent is a lesson you need to learn for yourself. If you need to go to a school to learn how to be a mother, then I can assure you most of the parents on this planet have already failed. /laughs lightly 

Okay then, if that's what you want. You’ll have to come in for an interview first though, so I know your strengths and weaknesses and hence sort you into a suitable position. Unless you already have one in mind?

/raises a brow at your joke, somewhat amused and somewhat unimpressed, shaking my head in disbelief/ You’re silly. 

/takes out my wallet too while requesting for my simple bubblegum flavoured, with some sprinkle and marshmallow as toppings 

/the worker soon returns with our ice creams and hands them each to us/ Thank you!

Only a soft sigh allowed itself to slip from his nose as he closed his eyes briefly, the heat pooling downside a telltale sign of his excitement. Opening his eyes once more, he smiled politely at the staff as he responded, “I don’t see why not. If you could please lead the way, lovely.” Considering there wasn’t any of interest to do for the time to come, he didn’t see why he shouldn’t indulge himself a bit. He pulled out his wallet and slid some cash under the empty glass, ice cubes melting in it with the tiny bits of whiskey left, diluting the solution.