Leansei stood at the kitchen sink, washing the dishes alongside Corshe, who was wearing thick green rubber gloves made out of synthetic rubber to scrub the ceramic surfaces, while Lean focused entirely on rinsing off all the soapy suds and residue under the running tap.
"Gawin," Corshe called him softly, slowing down his scrubbing as he cautiously glanced around the corner to ensure none of the others in the living room were close enough to overhear.
"Hmm?" Lean answered, rinsing a plate and stacking it neatly onto the wire drying rack.
"What if... what if you actually go to Levous City and use the trip to find out the real reason why you transmigrated into Kean's body in the first place?" Corshe suggested, his voice dropping into a quiet, serious whisper.
Leansei froze mid-motion, the cold water rushing over his hands. The thought struck a heavy, agonizing chord deep inside his chest. He realized that investigating the truth back home might mean triggering the end of this duplicate existence. This trip could be the absolute last time he would ever be permitted to see these people, to laugh, have fun, and talk with them as an equal. The sheer, overwhelming probability that he would be forced to return to his previous, miserable life made this pensive thought feel deeply desolate.
' Thats my plan anyway. '
"Yeah... I guess that's the only real way," he uttered, his voice dropping into a low, glum whisper. Corshe's shoulders tensed, visibly perturbed by the profound sadness bleeding through Lean's gloomy voice.
Before the heavy mood could suffocate the kitchen, both boys sharply averted their attention as Xeilin's clear voice called out to them from across the counter. They turned their heads toward each other's direction, looking thoroughly confused.
"Do you two need any extra help over there? We should wrap things up so we can finally start this movie," Xeilin said, leaning against the doorway.
"Nah, don't worry about it. We were also pretty much done here anyway," Corshe called back, efficiently yanking off the synthetic rubber gloves while Lean briskly rubbed his hands against a dry cloth napkin.
Together, they headed back toward the living room, which had already descended into a frantic atmosphere. Beidhen and Rell were actively locked in an intensely petty, rowdy argument, bickering back and forth over the simple, ridiculous task of selecting a movie from the digital streaming catalog.
"You guys seriously haven't chosen a single movie yet?" Corshe asked with an annoyed sigh. He grabbed a fresh bag of his favorite chips from the counter and dropped down onto the carpeted floor, while Leansei noticed his phone screen flickering aggressively from the side table, causing him to pick the device up.
"Go ask those two," Revin muttered, gesturing with absolute exasperation toward the two idiots who were simultaneously and annoyingly loud.
Leansei slid his thumb across the glass, his breath catching slightly as his eyes locked onto two consecutive, urgent notifications from Kean's mother.
------
From: Mrs. Ferech
Hey my darling, you're probably busy or asleep now, but your father and I just finalized the itinerary. We will be going to Levous City the exact week your summer break officially starts.
(Sent at 1:25 a.m.)
-------
From: Mrs. Ferech
I know you're probably deeply disappointed because the initial schedule was much shorter, so I thought about it and decided that we could stay for another full week at your grandma's main estate. Is that alright with you, sweetheart?
(Sent at 1:27 a.m.)
-------
Leansei slowly lowered his hand, his gaze dropping to the floor panels as he let out one long, ragged breath before aggressively turning off his screen. He felt entirely mortified. He had never anticipated that this very day would come so promptly, trapping him in a high-stakes situation where he would be forced to leave this body much earlier than his mind had prepared for. The sheer guilt of desiring to stay—of actively wanting to hoard a luxurious life, amazing friends, and a protective family that simply did not belong to him in the first place—was suffocating.
' But I absolutely cannot afford to be completely heedless and egocentric anymore, ' Leansei scolded himself fiercely, a bitter lump forming in his throat. ' This is Kean's real life, and I am merely a parasite, a pest who had the unprompted miracle of living inside this wonderful, amazing existence. I have to leave them eventually. So Sei! Do exactly what you need to do to uncover the truth before you regret a foolish, selfish decision. '
"Gawin," Corshe called out, but Leansei was entirely too perturbed by his own internal crisis to hear him. "Hey, Gawin!" Corshe repeated louder, firmly tapping his bruised shoulder to break the trance.
Leansei flinched violently, snapping straight back to reality as he tucked the phone into his pocket. "Y-yeah? Sorry. Why?"
"Since these two bastards are being completely raucous, the group decided that you should be the executive to choose a title from the screen menu," Corshe explained, munching happily on his chips.
"Who exactly are you calling bastards over here, kid?" Beidhen grumbled with a hard scowl.
"For terms of record, I am not a bastard—" Rell started to snap, but he was cut violently short as Xeilin turned a dead-serious, warning gaze directly onto his face, causing the boy to unconsciously shut his mouth in an instant.
Leansei offered them a faint, artificial laugh to ease the tension. "I'm really not good at selecting movies at all. Why don't you just make the final decision, Corshe?" Corshe nodded compliance, grabbing the remote control and rapidly scrolling through the catalog until he selected a high-action blockbuster featuring an amazing, highly interesting movie poster layout.
With the selection finalized, Leansei, Revin, Corshe, and Xeilin settled themselves comfortably on the floor mats, while directly behind their shoulders, the rowdy trio of Rell, Beidhen, and Perial rested luxuriously on the soft cushions of the penthouse couch.
' Guess who explicitly decided on that seating arrangement? Of course it was me, ' Leansei thought with a quiet, mental sigh. ' I absolutely couldn't let Perial sit down on the hard floor, and besides, every single one of them are my guests tonight. But I don't know why these three decided to join me sitting in the floormat.'
Lean had firmly insisted on claiming the carpet, and seeing his stubbornness, the other three council mutuals had insisted on joining him. The physical arrangement was purely out of the high-society ordinary, but it felt remarkably grounding.
In truth, Leansei had never in his entire life experienced the simple joy of watching movies alongside a circle of friends. In his past life, his interaction with cinema was strictly limited to his grueling shifts as a low-wage crew member clearing trash from the theater aisles during his part-time jobs; his duties never permitted him to sit and watch a narrative until the end of time. He had always presumed that spending hard-earned cash on a temporary, one-day duration of happiness was a massive waste. In short, his survival instincts had made him an incredibly stingy, text-book miserly person who refused to take financial risks unless the money was allocated strictly for daily necessities or academic purposes.
But sitting inside the dark condo tonight, a strange, beautiful sense of peace washed over him. He found himself genuinely enjoying the film for the very first time in his existence, mindlessly eating the chips that Revin continuously offered from his side.
Throughout the entire two-hour duration of the film, Xerchin kept his light blue eyes locked almost entirely onto Leansei's profile. The athlete remained perfectly still in the shadows of the couch, completely detached from the television monitor as he found himself infinitely more entertained by watching the subtle, glowing expressions crossing the boy's face instead of the movie itself.
.
The final credits began to roll across the screen, and Leansei aggressively stretched his aching arms upward to ease his stiff muscles. He turned his head to look at Corshe. "He was deeply in love with him by the final act."
"But I think the main thematic focus of the story was explicitly about fighting the literal monsters, rather than detailing the character's sexuality or love life," Xeilin corrected dryly, reaching across the table to turn off the TV screen.
"Personally, I think the protagonist simply couldn't afford to take the emotional risk," Revin murmured softly, finishing the last handful of chips he had been eating since the movie started.
"All I know is that this production structural layout is heavily angling for a Season Two," Perial stated authoritatively, not looking up as her fingers flew across her phone screen.
"You want to know what I think—" Beidhen started to brag, but before he could drop his commentary, Corshe aggressively hurled a small throw pillow straight into his face.
"You literally slept through the entire one-hour duration of the movie!" Corshe barked, planting both hands firmly onto his waist like a grumpy, old grandfather scolding a child. "I bet you don't even know a single one of the main characters' actual names!"
Beidhen caught the flying cushion, a mischievous, teasing smirk cutting across his handsome features. "I know the names! It's... yes! The hero's name is explicitly Roberto!"
"It's... Redulfo," Revin murmured dryly from the floor.
"Alright, alright, cut the nonsense. The clock has already passed midnight," Xeilin announced firmly, checking the digital interface of his wrist watch. "We need to go prepare for bed immediately if we want to survive our early morning classes tomorrow."
"My brother and I will handle the dishes this time. The rest of you can go get ready for the night," Xerchin announced suddenly, stepping into the kitchen and efficiently snapping a pair of synthetic rubber gloves onto his large hands.
"We'll wash the dishes this time. You can go prepare for the night." Xerchin said while putting on the rubber gloves.
"Hey, make sure you wash them well, older brother—" Beidhen started to laugh, but before he could finish the phrase, Xerchin reached out, firmly grabbed the collar of his designer shirt, and forcefully dragged his younger brother straight toward the kitchen sink.
"W-wait! What the hell?!" Beidhen exclaimed hysterically, his eyes widening in pure shock. "When you said 'WE,' you literally meant you and me?!"
"Yes, brother," Xerchin stated expressionless, his baritone voice flat as he turned his body to face the stacks of dirty plates in the sink.
"This is completely unfair! We have never washed a single dish inside our own house in our entire lives!" Beidhen uttered, complaining loudly as he stared at the suds.
"Say absolutely no more, brother. Grab the sponge and finish this," Xerchin commanded coldly.
.
Leansei closed his eyes tightly, trying his best to summon sleep, but beside him, Corshe was completely out, sleeping like a log without a single care in the world. Leansei's own spirit, however, remained wide awake. His mind was buzzing with an electric restlessness, as if the exhausting, chaotic milestones of the day hadn't drained his internal energy assets at all.
But beneath his racing thoughts lay the true, undeniable source of his insomnia: the towering figure currently resting on the master bedroom floor. Xerchin lay just a few feet below the edge of the mattress, his large frame wrapped in a thick blanket with his head propped against a plush pillow on a soft, thin floor mattress.
The entire sleeping arrangement of the penthouse had been clearly and aggressively biased from the start. The moment the overnight block officially commenced, Beidhen had immediately, ruthlessly decided that he would be claiming a spot right next to Revin, while Rell had smoothly agreed that his designated space would be right beside Xeilin. That rigid distribution had left zero room for compromise, forcing Xerchin and Corshe straight into Leansei's private quarters for the night.
Leansei slowly, quietly rolled over onto his side, his gray eyes drifting over the edge of the bed to glance down at the floor. In the pale moonlight slicing through the terrace glass, Xerchin looked peacefully dashing with his eyes closed. His dark hair was perfectly messy, framing a strikingly attractive, good-looking face that stood out elegantly against the shadows, highlighted by a sharp, pointy nose and rich, reddish lips.
' He looks exactly like what every single girl on campus desires, ' Leansei thought, a quiet bitterness coating his mind.
He sank deeper into a profound, suffocating ponder, a vivid memory fragment suddenly flashing behind his eyelids like a warning.
---------
"What if... what if you actually go to Levous City and use the trip to find out the real reason why you transmigrated into Kean's body in the first place?"
---------
' The reality is... I have absolutely zero choice but to pack up and leave you... to leave every single one of you eventually, ' Leansei wailed silently inside his chest, his hands clenching beneath the comforter. ' This beautiful, luxurious existence does not belong to me. But is it truly such an immoral, malicious act for a parasite like me to desire a life that isn't mine to keep? Can't I at least secretly dream of staying here... with... '
Leansei stared down at the sleeping athlete, his pupils clouding with a raw, pitiful layer of deep-seated distress
' ....with you. '
He could physically feel an intense, crushing weight tightening directly over his sternum, ramming and squishing his heart until his breath caught. Unable to bear the suffocating confinement of the dark bedroom for a single second longer, he quietly slid out from beneath the sheets. He ambled silently across the floor panels, slipped through the sliding glass panels, and stepped out onto the open-air balcony, squeezing his eyes shut to embrace the biting, chilly midnight breeze as it brushed against his face and fragile body.
He opened his eyes, leaning his elbows against the metal railing to stare blankly up at the brilliant night sky.
"Can't sleep?"
Leansei flinched violently, an extreme phantom chill running straight down his spine as his heart rate short-circuited. His pulse began to beat rapidly and erratically in a fraction of a second at the mere sound of that familiar, deep baritone voice.
He slowly turned his head to look behind him. A pair of piercing, mercurial blue eyes were already standing right there in the shadows, looking directly into his face with absolute focus. Leansei's face instantly burned, and he sharply glanced away toward the dark traffic lanes below, desperately pretending he was only bothered by the elements.
"Auhh... it's freezing out here," Leansei murmured defensively to himself, his voice quavering slightly as a violent shiver rippled through his limbs from the chilly wind. "You... you can't sleep either? I guess we were all just overly frenzied and loud during the game earlier—"
He cut his own sentence short midway. A sudden, overwhelming wave of warmth enveloped his shoulders as Xerchin stepped close, gently yet firmly wrapping a heavy, soft quilt completely around Leansei's fragile frame.
Leansei stood thoroughly flustered, his eyes widening in pure, flabbergasted shock as he stared at the fabric. He aggressively whirled his face back toward the horizon, his cheeks flushing a bright, breathless shade of crimson to hide his reaction.
"T-thank you," he muttered stutteringly, his fingers tightening violently around the edges of the blanket to pull the insulation secure against his chest. The heavy quilt effectively blocked out the wind gales, helping him feel infinitely less cold than he had seconds ago.
Xerchin leaned his broad frame against the railing beside him. "Are you truly okay?" he asked on the spur of the moment.Leansei's breath locked.
' Did he actually notice my physical panic? I'm forcing my composure to look normal... I'm not being that obvious about Master M's ambush... am I? '
"O-of course I am. Why on earth wouldn't I be perfectly okay?" Leansei countered rapidly, forcing a hollow, spurious chuckle past his lips to play it cool. He shifted his weight, aggressively trying to change the dangerous topic. "Aren't you cold standing out here in just a t-shirt?"
"I'm completely used to the temperature." An absolute, heavy layer of silence settled down over the terrace, the quietness stretching until Leansei's frayed nerves couldn't take the pressure anymore. Desperate to break the suffocating hold, he dropped a sudden query into the dark.
"What exactly is your dare going to be?" Xerchin paused, turning his head to look at him with an expression of pure, quiet befuddlement.
"I mean... I heard exactly what Perial announced when we were all gathering at the front door earlier," Leansei explained quickly, his eyes wandering frantically across the balcony panels because he utterly lacked the courage to look Xerchin directly in those mercurial blue eyes—especially not while his unstable heart was pounding like a crazy person in the middle of a cardiac arrest. "She explicitly stated that the very last person who successfully asked a question before the buzzer went off would be granted the absolute authority to dare the loser. And since I had the lowest score... I'm the target."
In a matter of a few seconds before Xerchin decided to answer, "I don't have a dare right now, but I'll dare you once I think of one."
Several long, tense seconds ticked by before Xerchin finally chose to respond, a low chuckle escaping his lips. "I don't actually have a specific dare formulated in my mind right now. But don't worry...I will happily dare you the exact second I think of a proper one."
Leansei's forehead knotted into a hard, frustrated frown. "That is not fair at all! The rules dictate that the dare should be executed today."
"How exactly is that unfair? When it is literally just a simple dare."
"It's entirely unfair because you get to maliciously decide the exact time and place to drop the trap on me."
"Well," Xerchin countered smoothly, a playful glint lighting up his light blue eyes, "it is certainly not my fault that you managed to lose the match."
"The entire elimination system was clearly a biased and inequitable game from the start," Leansei huffed, crossing his arms under the quilt.
"No one forced you to join the circle, Mooncalf," Xerchin noted softly. The title made Leansei snap his chin up, glaring fiercely at the athlete's handsome face.
Xerchin merely smirked, leaning closer. "You know... it's also highly unfair for you to frown at me like that."
"How on earth is my face unfair?!" Leansei fired back crankily. "Did you suddenly lose your looks or your status because of my frown? Clearly not." He shifted his weight in mock irritation, unable to decipher why his short-term patience completely withered away the exact second he interacted with this man. Every single discussion they shared always seemed to devolve into a petty, teensy-weensy argument.
"Alright, how about this—the exact second I finally think of a valid prompt, I promise it will be an easy, simple dare to execute. Can we officially settle that as a deal?" Xerchin asked, his deep voice shifting into a softer, grounding frequency.
Leansei furtively curved his lips into a tiny, hidden smile, before quickly hardening his features to maintain his tough, unbothered facade. "I guess... I guess our parameters are settled then."
"Are you... still deeply mad at me?" Xerchin asked forwardly, his blue eyes locking onto Leansei's gray pupils with absolute intensity.
Leansei's heart skipped a violent beat. He stared down at the concrete floor of the balcony, a bitter, cold clarity settling over his thoughts.
' In reality... it doesn't matter a single bit anymore whether I am mad at you or not, ' Leansei reasoned silently, a profound sadness darkling his mind. ' The factual truth is that I am forced to leave this city very soon, and the fact that I am spinning an endless web of lies to deceive you means I don't possess a single right to be the judge here. That completely makes us even. But... I can never reveal that truth to you. Not in this life. '
"Honestly, who cares about that anymore?" Leansei said aloud, forcing a light, detached laugh to dismiss the gravity of the question.
"I do care," Xerchin stated flatly, his features shifting into a dead-serious, heavily glum expression under the moonlight.
Leansei felt the air vanish from his lungs. Desperate to escape before his emotional defenses shattered completely, he adjusted the quilt around his shoulders. "Just... just focus on being happy, Xerchin. I am genuinely happy for your upcoming family corporate engagement with Seleigh. You absolutely don't have to worry about a single ounce of awkwardness breaking our group dynamic. I... I don't feel that way anymore." He turned on his heel, fully intending to walk past the athlete and retreat back into the safety of the bedroom.
"What exact feeling are you talking about?" Xerchin demanded suddenly, his voice rising in a pitch of pure, anxious concern as his hand snapped out to intercept him.
Leansei came to a rigid, absolute halt. He lowered his head, staring blankly down at the dark balcony threshold. He found himself utterly unable to respond, let alone formulate an explanation for the chaotic, painful words he had just dropped. Nothing mattered anymore; his timeline was already set in stone by his mother's messages. All he could do now was survive the remaining days and spend whatever time he had left quietly supporting his friends.
"We should go back inside and sleep," Leansei stated flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. "We desperately need our physical energy reserves maximized for tomorrow's mandatory rehearsals."
Without waiting for a reply, he stepped past Xerchin's shoulder, slid the glass doors open, and walked straight back into the dark bedroom. He climbed onto the mattress, carefully removed his heavy eyeglasses, and set them next to the glowing nightstand lamp. Turning his back completely on the floor mattress, he faced a soundly sleeping Corshe, tightly closing his eyes as he forced his mind to succumb to the exhaustion of the night.