FORBIDDEN

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

"Sure~," Zhan replied with a wide grin, while Yibo choked on his own saliva. Zhan chuckled at his reaction.

He walked past Yibo, then slowly turned to face him, smiling downward. When Yibo looked up, their eyes locked—and for a moment, time froze. Yibo’s heart pounded so wildly he couldn't describe what he was feeling.

"I'm just kidding," Zhan said with a soft laugh.

Yibo seemed to regain a bit of composure, though his heart continued to thud uncontrollably. He held his breath, trying to calm down.

Zhan made his way to the kitchen and tied the apron that had been draped over a chair. He turned and flashed Yibo a bright smile.

“Go fix yourself while I cook,” he said cheerfully, turning toward the kitchenware. “Get ready, ‘cause you're gonna fall even harder for me,” he added with a wink.

To Yibo, it didn’t sound like a joke at all. His cheeks instantly flushed. Slowly, he stood up and made his way into the room Zhan had used earlier. The door shut behind him, and he collapsed onto the floor, hugging himself.

He stared up at the ceiling, groaned, and covered his face with his arm. Zhan’s image—wearing that apron—flashed in his mind.

'Shit, that’s sexy,' he thought.

His body agreed.

---

“The food’s ready!” Zhan shouted.

Yibo immediately stepped out of the room, now wearing knee-length shorts and a casual shirt. Zhan’s eyes scanned him as he walked closer, trailing from head to toe—undeniably inspecting him.

Yibo started blushing the moment he noticed.

“T-this is just what I usually wear at home,” he stammered.

Zhan laughed.

As they sat down, Yibo eyed the food Zhan had prepared. He glanced at Zhan, then back at the dish.

“You’re a great cook... I think,” he said as he took a bite.

“But it’s just mutton soup,” Zhan replied modestly.

“It’s my favorite, though,” Yibo whispered under his breath.

He kept eating, his expression growing brighter with every spoonful.

Zhan broke the silence. “About me telling my brother you’re my boyfriend...”

Yibo choked, caught completely off guard. He quickly wiped his mouth with a tissue and looked at Zhan.

When their eyes met, Zhan laughed.

“You’re like a kid,” he teased, leaning in to help wipe Yibo’s lips. Yibo froze, his cheeks turning red again.

Zhan suddenly realized what he was doing and cleared his throat.

“As I was saying... I only said you’re my boyfriend because it’d be weird for us to live together and not be dating. When my family’s around, we won’t really be dating—we’ll just act like we are.”

Yibo understood what Zhan was trying to say, but the phrase "act like we are" hit him in the chest unexpectedly. He didn’t know why, but it stung. He stayed quiet, just listening.

“I thought we could live together, since you can’t release your calming pheromones at school—the good ones, not the ones from earlier,” Zhan added with a small laugh.

“Most people don’t know alpha pheromones can heal. I get that this kind of treatment is forbidden, and my condition’s... rare. But the only thing that helps is being close enough to smell you. And I can’t exactly do that in class.”

Yibo mulled over his words. Zhan started fidgeting with his fingers, clearly nervous. Yibo offered a small smile and cleared his throat.

When Zhan looked up, Yibo met his eyes briefly before looking away.

“Well... if you say so, I’ll believe it,” he said softly, his cheeks warming again.

He glanced at Zhan and found him hiding his lips behind his hand, blushing.

“I mean, I don’t BELIEVE it,” Yibo added, voice low. “But when you say it, I feel like I’ll believe anything.”

Zhan blushed even harder. The words were simple—but to him, they were incredibly sweet.

For a moment, the world felt quiet. Only the sound of their hearts filled the space.

Then, breaking the silence, Zhan asked, “Where will I sleep?”

There was only one room in the apartment. Yibo had already thought about this.

“In the room. I’ll sleep in the living room,” he said.

Zhan frowned, his eyes narrowing. He stared at Yibo with a raised brow.

“What?” Yibo asked, confused.

Zhan didn’t answer. He just looked at Yibo’s half-eaten meal, then stood up.

Without warning, he grabbed Yibo’s wrist and pulled him up.

Yibo was too surprised to react—he simply let himself be dragged.

His eyes widened when he realized they were heading to the bedroom. He quickly pulled back.

“W-what are you doing?” he asked, taking a step back.

“Shut up and follow me,” Zhan said, grabbing his wrist again.

Zhan pulled him onto the bed. Yibo’s eyes grew even wider when the lights went out.

He climbed up and wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, trying to avoid any contact with Zhan. But he started sweating even more as he felt the bed sink beside him.

He heard Zhan laugh and settle in. Yibo peeked out from under the blanket, cautiously lowering it from his face.

Zhan was staring at him, his cheek resting on his palm.

He giggled and gently pulled the blanket away from Yibo’s face. Yibo swallowed hard, frozen in place.

Zhan’s smile softened. He reached out and stroked Yibo’s cheek.

“Let’s sleep together,” he said, his face now just inches away from Yibo’s.

END OF CHAPTER 4