The morning sun cast a pale orange glow over the Tianlu Pier. The flying boats landed one after another, carrying students returning from their long summer vacation. Standing in the middle of the crowd, Ma Yuseong waited patiently, his gaze fixed on the largest boat that had just landed. As soon as a familiar figure appeared, he immediately walked forward, the corners of his lips curling into a smile.

"Yuseol!"

Baek Yuseol looked up, just in time to see Ma Yuseong appear before him. He blinked, then immediately smiled.

"Ma Yuseong?"

"It's really you! I thought you would disappear during the summer vacation!" He teased, his eyes shining with joy

Yuseol chuckled, walking down the last step, his golden eyes shining brightly under the sunlight "I didn't expect to see you so soon"

Ma Yuseong crossed his arms, pretending to be thoughtful: "You remember me, right? I know"

Yuseol chuckled softly, not answering, but his eyes shone with joy. He looked at him, his heart filled with satisfaction. Even though they had been apart for several months, Yuseol was still the same - still the only person he couldn't take his eyes off

The two of them walked and chatted on the way back to the academy. The main topic was their training sessions during the summer vacation. Both of them were excited to see each other's progress

"So you've leveled up?" Ma Yuseong asked with interest

"Hmm. What about you?"

"Maybe I'll surprise you." He smiled confidently.

When they returned to Stella's dormitory, they were surprised to see a crowd packed right at the entrance. Students were crowded together, jostling each other, creating a chaotic scene.

"What's going on?" Yuseol frowned.

"I'm not sure, but we're getting caught up." Ma Yuseong reached out and grabbed Yuseol's hand, his voice calm. "Hold on tight, don't get lost."

Yuseol didn't object, his warm hand made him feel a little secure in the dense crowd. Everyone was jostling and pushing, making it difficult to move.

"I'll teleport out," Yuseol said, his eyes flashing with calculation.

Ma Yuseong nodded: "Okay, I'll teleport right after you."

Yuseol nodded, preparing to cast the teleportation spell. But at that moment, a wave of people suddenly pushed from behind. He lost his balance, staggering and about to fall

"Yuseol!"

Almost reflexively, Ma Yuseong reached out, his arm wrapped around Yuseol's waist, pulling him closer to him so he wouldn't fall. But the jostling didn't stop. The crowd continued to jostle, causing their bodies to sway

And then

Lips met lips

For a moment, all the surrounding sounds disappeared. The first thing Ma Yuseong noticed was the softness and warmth of his lips. His brain completely stopped working. A current of electricity ran through his body. His chest was filled with an indescribable feeling - excitement, arousal, and above all, disbelief

He... was kissing Yuseol

But wait, this isn't a dream, right?

The world seemed to stop for a few seconds, he felt like time had just been stretched out endlessly, each second passing so slowly that he could hear his own frantic heartbeat. All that was left around him was the silhouette of him in his arms. Yuseol was a little smaller than him, just the right size for him to hold in his arms

He should have pulled away. He should have said something, or at least had a proper reaction to the situation

But he couldn't

Because, damn it, this moment was too perfect

Yuseol was so close to him that he could feel his warm breath. The familiar, gentle scent enveloped him, making his head spin

His lips - so perfect.

Soft. Sweet. Warm to the point that Ma Yuseong didn't want to let go

The hand that was on Yuseol's waist unconsciously tightened, pulling him a little closer. The other hand still held his hand tightly, as if afraid that if he let go, this moment would disappear. His heart was beating wildly. The feeling of happiness was so intense that it made him want to laugh

In his mind, the noise, the footsteps, the voices of people talking - everything disappeared. Only him remained. Only his lips remained, touching his lips

A slight shiver spread throughout his body. He could clearly feel every emotion that was pouring into his heart - a feeling of dizziness, excitement, and... crazy joy

Oh my god, if this was a dream, please don't let him wake up!

Baek Yuseol - he was his. The person he had been longing for during the long summer months. The person he had always wanted to touch, but had never dared to be so abrupt. The person he longed to protect, wanted to be by his side, wanted to be with forever

And now, even if it was just by accident, even if it was just for a brief moment... he had gotten his first kiss. His heart was beating so hard that he could swear that if it weren't for the commotion outside, Yuseol would have definitely heard it

Then suddenly-

Yuseol pulled back, his face flushed, his eyes wide with surprise. He looked at him, causing Ma Yuseong to suddenly wake up from his dream. He muttered a spell, immediately teleporting the two of them down to the academy's courtyard, away from the chaotic crowd

When the two of them reappeared in a quiet corner of the courtyard, Ma Yuseong released his hand from Yuseol's waist, pretending to cough softly to hide his confusion. But his mind was still immersed in the sweet aftertaste just now, to the point that the corners of his lips couldn't help but curl up

He licked his lips lightly, his eyes shining with a mischievous light mixed with pleasure. His voice carried a hint of teasing, a hint of ambiguity, but above all, it was an extreme joy that he couldn't hide.

"It seems like I just..." He tilted his head, deliberately prolonging the sentence, his eyes filled with mockery

Yuseol's face instantly turned red: "It's because the crowd pushed him!" He quickly turned his face away, avoiding his gaze

"Oh, but there's no denying..." He slowly raised his eyebrows, his low voice filled with laughter "Your lips are very sweet, like cotton candy, Yuseol"

It seemed that Yuseol was stunned by Ma Yuseong's provocative words, so he just stood there, unable to say another word. Ma Yuseong looked at Yuseol's flushed face, and couldn't help but feel a sense of extreme satisfaction in his heart

Indeed, meeting again after so many months apart, there must be a special greeting like this, right?

The heavens were indeed kind to him

Suddenly, a flash of light so fast that the naked eye could not follow it flashed by. Following that, pale yellow lights followed one after another - It was flash, Yuseol hurriedly used his magic to escape. Ma Yuseong did not stop Seol, only smiled lightly, and let out a disappointed sigh

From that day on - from the moment their lips accidentally touched in the middle of the crowded crowd - Yuseol began to... avoid him

At first, Ma Yuseong didn't think much of it. It was understandable that Yuseol would feel a little embarrassed. He wasn't stupid enough to not understand what that kiss meant. A moment of surprise, a little confusion. Maybe he needed time to get used to it

He waited patiently. But then, Yuseol's avoidance lasted longer than he expected

In the morning, when he went to Stella's dormitory to go to school together like every day, Yuseol was already gone. He tried to leave earlier, but Seol was always one step ahead of him

At noon, he quickly approached Yuseol's seat, hoping to ask Seol out to eat like usual. But Seol was always busy doing homework with Aiselle. The two of them sat next to each other, burying their heads in their books, chatting animatedly as if there was no one else in the world. The practice they were supposed to do together? Yuseol teamed up with Full Flame

The afternoons he had planned to invite him to practice? He had gone to help Hong Biyeon. That haughty princess, always looking up to the world, was happily laughing and talking when she was with Seol. That smile annoyed him

When he called, Yuseol would answer perfunctorily and then run away. When he approached, Yuseol would move away. He told himself that Seol was probably just shy, that if he just gave him some time, everything would be back to normal

He waited. A week. Two weeks. Three weeks. Then a month

But Yuseol was still the same. Not a single sign that he intended to make up. Not a single moment did he take the initiative to approach him like before.

Worse still, he gradually realized that the girls around Seol all had unusual looks in their eyes. Aiselle was overly concerned about him. Full Flame would occasionally stare at him as if analyzing something. Hong Biyeon? Don't mention it. He had never seen her smile so much.

...All of them, liked Yuseol. Aiselle Molf liked him. Full Flame liked him. Hong Biyeon liked him too

What about him?

Did he still not realize his feelings, or was he deliberately ignoring them?

Ma Yuseong didn't know. But he knew one thing - he was out of patience. He didn't intend to wait any longer

The door gently closed behind Baek Yuseol. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief after a long day, he suddenly realized that there was a sharp gaze watching him from inside the room. The feeling of someone else appearing in the space that belonged to him made his spine tense involuntarily.

His presence made the room seem smaller, the heavy air pressing down on Yuseol's shoulders. He could clearly feel his heart skip a beat, but he still tried to keep his expression as natural as possible

"Why are you here?" He asked, trying to act normal, as if he didn't understand why he was here

A slight smile passed over Ma Yuseong's lips, but there was no joy in his eyes. He slowly stood up, each movement seemed calculated to not scare the other person, but at the same time not give him a chance to dodge

"What do you think I'm here for?" His voice was low, carrying a hint of unhappiness

The air in the room became more stifling. Yuseol could feel every nerve in his body tense up. He knew why Ma Yuseong was here. He knew from the moment he saw him. But he didn't want to face it

"I don't know" Seol replied briefly, turning his face away to avoid his gaze "If there's something, say it quickly"

"You really don't know?" Ma Yuseong asked again, his voice low

Without waiting for Yuseol's answer, he took a step forward, the distance between the two of them narrowing considerably

"You've been avoiding me on purpose for the past month" He continued, his voice not too high but carrying an invisible pressure. "I waited for you to speak, waited for you to explain. But you didn't do it"

Yuseol squeezed his hand lightly, but still didn't look straight at him "I'm not avoiding you, I've just been busy lately"

"Busy?" Ma Yuseong let out a soft laugh, but it was completely devoid of any joy

He looked straight into his eyes, each word slowly and heavily tapping into his mind

"So busy that you don't have time for me? So busy that you can help Hong Biyeon study, be with Aiselle all day, be in a group with Flame during practice... but you don't have a single moment for me?"

Each word was like a sharp knife stabbing into Yuseol, making him unable to respond immediately

"Or are you really avoiding me?"

Ma Yuseong emphasized the last sentence, his eyes flashing with an unclear emotion

Yuseol wanted to deny it. He really wanted to deny it. But his throat felt like it was choking, unable to utter a word. It felt like he had seen through all of his thoughts, all the times he had deliberately avoided his gaze, all the times he had pretended to be busy so he wouldn't have to face it

After a long while, he finally managed to calm down, taking a deep breath "That day was just an accident"

Just four short words, but they carried a lot of weight

The atmosphere was noticeably heavy. Ma Yuseong's eyes narrowed slightly, and the hand on his waist tightened

"Just an accident?" He repeated, his voice a little cold

"Yeah." Yuseol nodded, forcing himself to stay firm "Neither you nor I want that to happen, right? It's best to just forget about it"

The moment those words left Yuseol's mouth, he knew he had said the wrong thing

Ma Yuseong didn't move, but his eyes changed. They were no longer patient or gentle. A small flame gradually flared up in those red eyes, the disappointment and anger hidden deep inside was rising

"Forget it?"

Just two simple words, but his voice carried a terrifying coldness

Before Yuseol could react, he was pushed hard against the wall

A dull pain spread through his back as it collided with the hard surface. Ma Yuseong stood right in front of him, so close that his breath fanned his face. His hand gripped his wrist, locking him in place, preventing him from escaping

"Forget it?" He repeated, his voice hoarse this time, as if he was trying to suppress his emotions. "Do you think I can forget?"

Yuseol looked at him with wide eyes. At this moment, he was no longer the cold, confident, and proud Ma Yuseong. He was like a cornered beast, anger, disappointment, and pain mixed together

"How clear have I been?" His voice trembled slightly, not because of fear, but because he was trying to contain the anger in his heart. "Do you really think I didn't want that to happen?"

Yuseol bit his lip, his heart pounding wildly

"Or are you deliberately not realizing it?"

"I-"

"No need to say it," Ma Yuseong interrupted, his eyes darkening. "You can lie to me, but you can't lie to yourself."

He gritted his teeth, each word weighing down on the surrounding atmosphere.

"I love you."

Yuseol opened his eyes wide. He couldn't say anything, couldn't think anything.

Only the chaotic heartbeat echoed in his chest.

Clank!

The sound of the door opening suddenly broke the tense atmosphere. Full Flame, Aiselle Molf, and Hong Biyeon stood right in front of the door, all of them staring at the scene in front of them with wide eyes - The three girls froze in place

Just now - The three girls were on their way to Baek Yuseol's dormitory, filled with determination to win his heart. Everyone thought they had a chance, everyone was confident that they were the closest to Yuseol. Hong Biyeon walked in the middle, her face haughty but her eyes were filled with a bit of worry because recently Yuseol had been paying more attention to Full Flame and Aiselle Molf. Aiselle held a faint hope in her heart, thinking that if Yuseol hadn't realized Ma Yuseong's feelings, she still had a chance. What about Flame? As she walked, she built 7749 hypotheses about Yuseol's love life in her head, from romantic scenarios to tear-jerking dramas

One second, two seconds, three seconds passed

Hong Biyeon's eyes turned red with jealousy, her body trembling with anger. She felt like she had been miserably betrayed. There was only one thought in Hong Biyeon's head - "This bastard Ma Yuseong dared to force Yuseol! He dared to have evil intentions towards her innocent commoner! The commoner must have been forced by him!"

She wanted to rush in and snatch Yuseol away from Ma Yuseong immediately, her eyes filled with anger and possessiveness

Aiselle Molf stood there, her heart filled with disappointment and bitterness: "Yuseol... you like boys? And that person is Ma Yuseong?"

A part of her still wanted to believe that Yuseol had no idea about Ma Yuseong's feelings, that this was just a misunderstanding. But the scene before her eyes... how could she deny it anymore

Flame's brain exploded with a series of hypotheses in a flash "Wait! How long have these two been in love? Who started it first? Did Ma Yuseong seduce Yuseol, or did Yuseol manipulate Ma to his side? Who's on top and who's on bottom? How far have they gone?!?!"

Flame almost burned up on the spot from the information overload. She staggered a bit from the thoughts in her head, her eyes widening in horror

And Yuseol?

His face went from red to pale, then red again. He pushed Ma Yuseong away, but his strength was not enough because the other guy still clung to him and wouldn't let go

"What the hell are you guys doing here?!?"- Yuseol almost screamed, so embarrassed that he wanted to immediately bury himself!

The three girls were still in a state of shock. Yuseol shouted, "GET OUT OF ME!" and pushed everyone out of the room before slamming the door. But this wasn't over yet - Rumors would definitely spread throughout the academy by tomorrow morning

Yuseol knew that his peaceful life was ending right here. Oh well.... his life had never been peaceful