Lucian pulled away from the kiss, his heart hammering not just from the unexpected desire, but from the searing pain of his broken trust. The kiss with Rowan was a desperate, immediate anesthetic for his soul.
"Let's go inside," Lucian choked out, grabbing Rowan's hand and dragging him toward the wooden door of the secluded treehouse.
The instant they were inside, Rowan turned, his eyes intense, and began pulling off his shirt, revealing the powerful, athletic body Lucian had admired on the field.
Lucian watched, breathless, until Rowan reached for his own wet shirt. Lucian's hand shot out, grasping Rowan's wrist, stopping him.
They stood chest-to-chest, breathing heavily into the silence.
"I don't want a love relationship," Lucian stated, the words cold and firm, betraying the heat between them.
Rowan, though consumed by desire, saw the sheer desperation behind Lucian's eyes. This wasn't about s*x; it was about survival. He gently cupped Lucian's waist, pulling him flush against his body.
"It's okay. Fine," Rowan murmured, his voice husky. He understood: Through this, he gets better. I will help him.
They fell into a deep, consuming kiss. Rowan peeled the soaking shirt from Lucian's body. "Don't hold back," Lucian whispered fiercely, his eyes shut tight. "This is a new version of myself. I need to forget about my pain."
And so they fell, escaping the chaos of the world in a desperate, passionate act.
Morning arrived, crisp and foggy. Below the treehouse, Sima was already directing the students, "Everyone, grab your luggage! We leave today for the countryside!"
Kai walked past, his mind racing. Lucian is definitely with Aerin. He must have gone to check on her last night. He was blind to the secret happening right above him.
Meanwhile, Lucian and Rowan lay lost in eachother, entwined in the messy bed of the treehouse.
"Lucian..." Rowan murmured, drawing Lucian closer.
Suddenly, Lucian's eyes snapped open. He heard footsteps. "Rowan, someone is here!" He yanked Rowan's arm off him.
They scrambled, snatching clothes. Before they were fully dressed, the door burst open.
"Wow..." Aerin gasped, choking on the sight. Lele stood beside her, eyes wide. "Omg, what are you both doing here?"
"Ah... ahhh, actually, I just came here and didn't know Rowan was here," Lucian stammered, his face flaming.
Rowan, normally arrogant, stayed silent, letting Lucian fumble.
"Ohhh," Aerin and Lele said in unison. Lele pointed at the rumpled bed. "Heyy, this bed is so messed up! Did anyone sleep here last night?"
"Opss, yeah, yeah, it was Rowan!" Lucian said quickly, pointing at him.
"Me? Oh, yeah, me!" Rowan quickly confirmed, though his confusion was evident.
"Okay, guys, everyone is packing! Leave you two doing here, wasting time," Lele scolded, pulling Aerin away.
As they left, Aerin suddenly burst into laughter. "Hey, Lucian, when did you find those big pants? And Rowan, when did you get those tight pants?"
Rowan and Lucian looked at each other, realizing they had swapped pants in their desperate rush. They quickly pulled them down to adjust.
"Haa! Let's go, it's already late!" Lele called back as they disappeared.
Lucian and Rowan separated to shower. In the changing room, Lucian pulled the hot towel around himself, but the warmth couldn't banish the cold reality. He remembered Kai's breakdown, Aerin's accidental kiss, and Kai's cruel words: "You're just a friend."
Then, his mind flashed to Rowan's fervent kisses and the passionate heat of their night. The contrast was stark, and Rowan's affection was a powerful drug that helped him forget the pain.
A shadow fell over him. Strong arms wrapped around him from behind. It was Rowan.
"Rowan! What are you doing?" Lucian whispered, alarmed.
"I missed you," Rowan pleaded, resting his chin on Lucian's shoulder.
"Hey, it's been minutes! You already missed me? Let me go, if anyone sees us..." Lucian protested, the risk exhilarating and terrifying.
Rowan held tighter. "Nooo." He tried to kiss Lucian, but Lucian clamped his hand between their mouths and pushed. He sprinted out of the changing room, leaving Rowan smiling softly.
At least I saw his smile, Rowan thought, his worry returning. He's going through too much. He needs me.
Lucian, still clad only in a towel, ran toward his room, a faint, shy smile on his face. He turned the corner— Kai was sitting inside his shared room.
"Ahhh, Kai!?" Lucian gasped, stumbling backward in shock.
"I saw you go into the shower," Kai said, his eyes narrowed. "I thought you were coming here."
Lucian tried to bolt, but Kai grabbed his arm, dragging him inside. "Kai, leave my hand! We have to go!"
"No. Tell me where you were last night." Kai demanded.
Lucian froze, casting his mind for a plausible lie. Before he could speak, Kai's eyes widened, scanning Lucian's exposed skin. Small, deep red marks—hickeys—were visible on Lucian's neck, the side of his mouth, and chest.
Kai's eyes went wide with sudden, sickening realization.
Lucian frantically tried to cover himself with the spare towel. Just then, the door slammed open.
"Hey, guys! What are you doing? Lucian, are you not ready yet? Go fast, the bus is ready! Why are you all wasting time?" Sima demanded, instantly providing Lucian his escape.
Lucian shot out of the room, leaving Kai staring, dumbstruck and bewildered, at the closed door.
Kai went to the bus, waiting for Lucian. But Lucian walked straight past him and got onto the first bus, sitting beside Aerin and Lele to intentionally avoid the confrontation.
"Hey, don't worry, Kai. Lucian is already in the first bus with Aerin and Lele," Sima called out.
Kai was shocked, going silent. He sat down on the second bus, only to have a cheerful Rowan sit right next to him.
"Hey, boo!" Rowan greeted Kai happily, radiating confidence. Kai ignored him.
In the first bus, Aerin turned to Lucian, her face serious. "I have so many questions, Lucian. How did you and Kai know each other? Why didn't you tell me when I talked about him? What is going on between you three? Why was Kai so furious yesterday, and why did you care so much, even shivering? Tell me everything."
Lucian's mind raced. Should I tell her the truth? No. Kai is sick. He's hurting. Just because he was violent doesn't mean I expose him. He didn't know what he was doing.
"Aerin, I know Kai in just three months," Lucian began, weaving a confident, elaborate lie. "I didn't realize he was the one who saved you because I was so worried that day. I have poor memory. When you first mentioned him, I thought you meant a famous Judo player. Sima only partnered me with him because he's a senior taking care of me. That's why he rushed and cared. I was only upset because he didn't apologize for being rude the other day."
"Oh! Okay, okay. So this is how it all turned out! Omg!" Aerin accepted the lie. "You should have seen what happened last night! I accidentally slipped and kissed Kai right in front of the whole campus! Everyone cheered so hard; he looked so shy and ran off!"
"He ran for shyness? No. He ran because of his regret," Lucian thought bitterly.
"And where did you go last night? I didn't see you at all," Aerin asked.
"I was sleeping," Lucian lied effortlessly. "I was tired and got a bit of a flu, that's why I wasn't lively."
They finally arrived in the countryside and checked into a large, rural hotel. Lucian was handed his room key and began searching for his door.
Suddenly, a door opened right in front of him. A hand grabbed his arm and dragged him inside. It was Rowan.
Rowan slammed the door shut and immediately pressed a soft, possessive kiss against Lucian's lips.
"Hey! Did I say what if anyone sees us!" Lucian hissed, pushing back slightly, exhilarated by the risk.
"I missed you," Rowan whispered, pulling him closer.
BANG!
The door suddenly slammed open. "Lucian!"
It was Kai.