ᴛᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜᴇʀ

ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ ɴɪɴᴇ

Cayden couldn't believe his own actions as he watched Hyeon sitting across from another guy at the bar. The two of them were deep in conversation, laughing, with the guy's hand casually resting on Hyeon's thigh. Something about the scene made Cayden's chest tighten, his breath catching in his throat. He had no reason to be angry—after all, they were both single, free to do whatever they wanted. Yet, seeing Hyeon like this stirred something inside him, something he couldn't quite define.

What the hell is this feeling? he thought, teeth clenched.

He cursed himself for acting like some desperate teenager. But as much as he tried to deny it, he was enthralled by Hyeon—his presence, the way he smiled, the way he carried himself. Cayden realized then, deep down, that he liked Hyeon. But did Hyeon feel the same?

Before he could analyze it further, his body seemed to move on its own. He found himself standing up, walking over to the bar. He clenched his fist, then quickly relaxed it, unsure of what he was even planning to do.

"Hyeon," he greeted, his voice sharper than he intended.

Hyeon turned, that familiar smile on his face. "What brings you here?"

Cayden's jaw tightened. Something in him snapped. Without thinking, he grabbed Hyeon by the arm, pulling him away from the bar. The other guy looked up at them, clearly annoyed, but Cayden didn't care. He was already halfway out the door, dragging Hyeon with him.

Once they were outside, Cayden led him into an alley. He didn't know what he was doing, but his mind was a whirlpool of confusion. He shoved Hyeon against the brick wall, his breath coming fast. "What did you do to me?" he mumbled, barely able to get the words out.

Hyeon smirked, leaning in closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "How did you find me?"

"Wasn't hard," Cayden muttered, his hands trembling with frustration.

Hyeon's eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer, their bodies nearly touching. "Were you jealous?" he asked, the teasing lilt in his voice sending a shiver down Cayden's spine.

Cayden opened his mouth to respond, but the words didn't come. "No. Why should I be?" he lied, his voice coming out strained, unsure of himself.

Hyeon snickered, clearly not buying the response, before grabbing Cayden by the back of his neck and smashing their lips together.

Cayden froze for a moment, the intensity of the kiss overpowering everything else. But it didn't take long before he responded, his mind racing, his body craving more.

⸻

Meanwhile, back at Akira's place, Ciel was in the middle of a disaster in the kitchen. He had attempted to make Cajun chicken pasta for her, hoping to surprise her with a nice homemade meal. But, as he stirred the pot, Akira tasted it and pointed out the obvious.

"The pasta is getting soggy," she said, her voice light with amusement, though she didn't seem disappointed. "It's not bad," she added, giving him an encouraging smile, though deep down, she thought it was far from perfect. Still, she appreciated the effort.

He could see the look in her eyes, but she ate it all anyway, and that made him feel better.

After dinner, they decided on a short movie, a quiet night spent together. They curled up on the couch, her head resting against his shoulder. Once the movie ended, Ciel turned to her, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

Since it was Friday, Ciel knew he had to head home to meet with his family for dinner. It was something he'd been dreading all week. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to go, but Akira had insisted.