Inside the second bus, the air was thick, suffocating. Every student who shuffled past their seats was a witness to the explosive scene Kai had just caused.
Kai had dragged Lucian down the aisle and forced him into the seat, his own body crowding Lucian against the window. Lucian felt the heat radiating off Kai, a coiled tension that vibrated through the frame of the bus.
After a few minutes of grinding silence, Kai finally broke. "Sorry," he muttered, his voice hoarse.
Lucian pretended not to hear, staring rigidly at the passing streetlights.
With a sudden, quick movement, Kai grabbed Lucian's face, turning it roughly toward him. "Look at me! I know you're angry. I know what you're thinking, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry... " He kept repeating the apology in a frantic, low murmur, like a prayer of fear.
"Okay, okay," Lucian finally conceded, allowing a small, tired smile to soften his features. "At least you're here. I'm happy."
Kai's face instantly smoothed into something softer, almost beatific. "That's my boy. Look at your smile. Keep this, Lucian. You look beautiful when you smile."
Lucian felt a familiar, deep ache. Don't think too much, Lucian, a silent voice cautioned in his mind. Whatever Kai is saying now is his 'friend zone' talk, not what you think it is. He just smiled, settling into the familiar, exhausting routine of managing Kai's emotions.
As the bus journey wore on, the initial craze gave way to the deep hum of the engine and the quiet breathing of sleeping students.
The bus stopped briefly at a small roadside shop. Most people tumbled out for snacks, but Kai stayed put. Lucian had finally drifted off, his head struggling to find a comfortable resting place.
Unable to move without waking him, Kai simply sat, watching. When Lucian's head finally lolled awkwardly, Kai gently adjusted him, resting Lucian's weight comfortably against his shoulder.
A moment later, Rowan stepped back onto the bus, carrying a bottle of water. His eyes scanned the seats, pausing instantly on Kai and Lucian. Lucian was a picture of vulnerable peace, curled into Kai's side.
Rowan froze. He stood there for a long moment, the jealousy a sudden, sharp twist in his gut.
Kai looked up, his eyes meeting Rowan's across the dim, quiet space of the bus. Kai's lips curved into a slow, deliberate expression—cold, possessive, and triumphant. It was a silent challenge: He is mine, and he will only ever be with me.
Rowan took the message clearly. He stalked back to his seat, his earlier confusion replaced by a tense, burning rivalry.
The River of Shadow
It was already late night when the bus finally stopped near a remote mountain resort. Sima stepped onto the bus, ushering everyone out. "It's late. We rest here tonight and continue the journey in the morning."
As the students began to stir, Lucian groaned softly. "Ugh, I'm too lazy to get up," he muttered to Kai.
Kai, seeing Rowan already standing a few rows ahead, saw his chance. Before Lucian could protest, Kai scooped him up effortlessly into his arms, carrying him like a precious burden.
"Hey! Hey, Kai! What are you doing? Everyone is looking!" Lucian hissed, cheeks burning.
"So what?" Kai replied, his voice dangerously soft. "You said you were lazy to get up, so I thought I'd help."
Rowan watched the show. Lucian, blushing and surprised, was held securely in Kai's arms as Kai carried him out of the bus, past the gaping faces of the campus. Rowan felt a weird mix of possessive anger and a creeping sense of unease about Kai's "weird" behavior.
They were directed to a large hall filled with simple beds. Soon, everyone settled into a nervous sleep.
Before 4 AM, Lucian silently woke, slipping out from beside the sleeping Kai. Habit dictated his schedule: early morning practice, reading, and solitude.
Outside, the darkness was lifting, yielding to a thick, cold mist rolling in from the nearby woods.
He hadn't gone far when Lele, looking disoriented,caught up to him. "Hii, Lucian! You're up early too?"
"Yeah, just my usual practice time for learning and reading," Lucian explained.
"Ah, lucky you. I can never adjust to new places." Lele chattered, not paying attention to where they were going.
"Hey, where did we wander off to?" Lucian suddenly stopped. He turned to see the resort lights blinking far away behind the thinning fog. "We went too far!"
They turned to rush back, but Lucian missed a step hidden by the mist. He stumbled—and with a quiet, sickening splash—he was gone, swallowed by the icy black water of the riverbank.
"HEYYY! HELP! HELP!" Lele shrieked, paralyzed by fear and unable to swim.
The Price of Love
The shriek cut through the early morning calm like a siren.
Inside the hall, Kai shot upright. It was 5 AM. Sunlight was just beginning to break, mixing with the fog. People were gathering outside.
Then came the panicked, worried voice cutting through the mist: "Luciaaaaa! What happened to him?!"
It was Aerin.
The name hit Kai like a physical blow. He froze mid-step, the urgency of saving Lucian suddenly overwhelmed by a deep, dark wave of memory and trauma. Aerin was here. The sight of her, the sound of her fear, plunged him back six months, back into the shame of the incident and the terror of his unrequited love.
He forgot Lucian. His face twisted with dark frustration. He turned and ran, bolting away from the resort and the river.
Everyone ran toward the screams, but Rowan was faster.
He reached the riverbank, seeing Lele pointing frantically into the dark water. Without hesitation, Rowan tore off his shirt, his athletic body coiled with worry.
He dove in.
Lucian, who had been fighting the cold shock and the current, saw Rowan's shadow swimming toward him. Just as Rowan reached out, the water choked Lucian's lungs, and everything went black.
Rowan grabbed Lucian's unconscious body, hauling him toward the shallow bank. But Lucian wasn't breathing.
Desperate, with the cold water pooling around them, Rowan pressed his lips against Lucian's—a forceful, terrified kiss, breathing his own air into Lucian's still lungs.
Lucian's eyes fluttered open a fraction. Through the haze of near-drowning, his blurry vision registered the crushing weight of Rowan's body, the desperate strength of his arms, and the insistent pressure of his kiss, delivering the breath that saved his life.