"Ava, get off."
"No."
Her hand slid shamelessly against his chest over the silk fabric, feeling the muscles underneath while she rested her head against his neck comfortably.
Matthew looked one second away from developing a migraine.
Meanwhile Ava's brain wandered somewhere completely unrelated.
Yesterday at the club, the male dancers had been dancing ridiculously seductively for the strippers performance.
Now she looked at Matthew.
Then imagined him dancing like that.
Dangerous thought.
Ava lifted her head slowly.
"Can you dance for me?"
Matthew looked at her like she'd personally offended his ancestors.
"Forget dancing," he said flatly. "I'll slap you back into your mother's womb. Do you want that?"
Ava pouted instantly.
"You're so violent."
"You broke into my apartment!"
"You gave me access emotionally."
"I absolutely did not!"
Ava ignored him completely and poked his chest.
he said seriously. "Did you skip biology class?"
Ava blinked once. "What?"
"Because why are you acting like this?"
"You are literally insane." He said true gritted teeth
"I don't understand English biology." Ava frowned at him like he was the difficult one.
"And why can't I do this? It's not like you hate it. Stop lying to yourself."
Matthew gave her the most exhausted look imaginable.
"I miss you so much," Ava continued dramatically, resting against him again. "I just want friendship but you keep acting like a diva. So annoying. Meeting my warm heart with your cold ass—"
Then she bit his Adam's apple.
Matthew jerked violently.
"Ava!"
Matthew let out a long groan, dragging one hand down his face like a man reconsidering every life decision that had led to this moment.
"Did I ask you to chase me?" he said.
Ava blinked up at him innocently from his lap.
"And you keep saying you don't understand English," Matthew continued, voice tight with disbelief, "but somehow you're speaking English perfectly fine."
Ava pointed at herself proudly. "Talented."
"This is harassment, Ava."
Matthew finally shoved her down onto the couch cushions before she could bite him again.
The movement made the glass on the coffee table rattle softly.
Now he was hovering over her instead, one knee pressed against the couch while his black silk pajama shirt hung slightly open at the collar from her earlier attack.
Ava stared at him for two seconds.
Then smiled slowly.
"I'm drunk," she declared. "How is it harassment?"
Matthew leaned down closer.
Too close.
That fake pleasant smile appeared on his face again — the one that looked warm to strangers but somehow made Ava want to cause problems on purpose.
"Just because you smell like alcohol doesn't mean you're drunk," he said softly. "You're so drunk you managed to sneak into my apartment?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "How did you get my fingerprint?"
Ava blinked at him with the confidence of someone about to tell the worst lie imaginable.
"The door was open," she answered.
Matthew stared at her.
Then slowly held up her gloved hand.
"Oh?" he said calmly. "You just entered?"
With one smooth motion, he peeled the glove off her fingers.
Ava gasped dramatically like he'd exposed state secrets.
Matthew held the glove between two fingers, staring at it in silence before looking back down at her.
"When do you think I should do with this evidence of breaking and entering?"
His index finger brushed slowly against her cheek.
Gentle.
Mockingly gentle.
"Call the cops," Ava said softly.
Matthew's eyebrow lifted slightly.
"Good girl."
The fake smile deepened.
"Maybe staying in jail for one day will clear your head." He tilted his head a little while studying her expression carefully. "If I were the one breaking into your apartment, would you be happy?"
Ava's eyes instantly lit up.
Actually lit up.
Matthew looked genuinely disturbed.
"Of course you would," he muttered. "Lunatic."
Ava grinned proudly like it was a compliment.
Matthew exhaled through his nose and started sitting up, clearly done with this entire situation
Only for Ava to suddenly wrap both arms around his neck and pull herself right back onto his lap.
Matthew froze mid-motion.
"Ava."
"No."
"You can't answer 'no' to your own name."
"Watch me."
Matthew stared at her flatly.
Ava leaned comfortably against him again like she paid rent there, her red hair messy against his shoulder while one of her boots nudged his leg carelessly.
The apartment stayed quiet except for the distant hum of the city outside the windows.
Then Ava suddenly lifted her head.
"You smell nice."
"That's because unlike you, I shower normally instead of marinating myself in alcohol."
"I was creating atmosphere." She said
"You were creating a biohazard."
Ava looked offended. "You're so mean to me."
"And yet you keep coming back."
"Because your reactions are cute."
Matthew's eye twitched slightly.
"There," Ava said immediately, pointing at his face excitedly. "That. That little eye twitch. That's why I bother you."
"I'm going to start charging you for emotional damages ava." He said lazily
"I can pay in affection."
"I don't accept that currency."
Ava hummed thoughtfully before resting her chin on his shoulder again.
"Matthew."
"What."
"Dance for me."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"You'd look hot."
Matthew closed his eyes briefly like a tired father of five.
"You are genuinely exhausting."
She locked eyes with him, gaze dropping to his lips before snapping back up with a wicked smirk. "Before the cops ruin the fun, let me claim my prize," Ava purred.
She crashed into him, lips devouring his in a scorching kiss, denying him any escape.
Matthew bucked against her at first, but she pinned him with feral hunger—one hand sweeping the table, ripping off the cloth to lash his wrists secure. Her fingers dug into his jaw, forcing his mouth open as her tongue plunged deep, tangling with his in a slick, demanding dance.
She ground against him, hips rolling slow and teasing, drawing a guttural groan from his throat. Heat surged between them; his body betrayed him, arching hard into her curves, cock straining as she dominated every inch, nipping his lip until he shuddered beneath her fire.
The door flew open. "Ta-da! We're here!" Felix crowed, then gaped speechless. Rick whipped out his phone for a sneaky snap.
Derek, Big V, and Jay tumbled in—Derek clamped a hand over Kai's eyes while Big V whistled low and impressed.
Matthew's eyes flicker,shooting Ava a furious glare as she trailed one final, molten peck down his jaw. She peeled away with a satisfied hum, dropping into a chair like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
He wrestled free of the ties, cheeks blazing.
Philip barged in last, surveying the frozen mob. "What happened? Why's everyone just standing around?"
"Nothing," Matthew said calmly. "Why are you guys here again?"
His voice sounded perfectly normal.
Too normal.
The kind of normal that screamed I'm trying very hard not to kill someone.
He bent down to pick up the glass cup he'd dropped earlier, fingers tightening slightly around it before setting it back onto the table.
Even while fixing the messed-up tablecloth, the tips of his ears still looked faintly red.
Rick noticed immediately.
The grin on his face widened.
"Did you forget?" Felix asked while rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I told you we were crashing at your place this weekend. You know… bonding time."
"unfortunately wrong time," Derek added under his breath while shutting the apartment door behind him.
Big V walked in like he owned the place and immediately dropped onto the couch with a satisfied sigh. Rick followed beside him, stretching lazily before stealing the remote.
"It seems we came at the wrong time," Rick said dramatically. "You guys were clearly enjoying yourselves." He sighed like a disappointed noble lady. "Should we leave?"
Nobody believed him.
Especially not when he comfortably turned on the TV.
Matthew ignored all of them and walked toward the kitchen instead.
Kai carefully looked toward Ava.
His expression was calm now, but his eyes were still slightly red from the earlier trauma Derek's hands had failed to protect him from.
"…Hi," Kai greeted politely.
Ava waved lazily from her chair. "Hi."
Then she added casually
"Next time knock first. You guys almost walked into a more intense scene."
Kai nearly missed the chair completely.
"Careful," Derek muttered quickly, grabbing his arm before he fell sideways.
Rick burst into violent laughter again, practically folding into Big V's shoulder.
Big V was no better, shoulders shaking while trying to hold his laugh this time.
Ava ignored all the stunned gazes around her .Matthew returned from the kitchen holding a plate of sliced fruit.
Fresh strawberries, apples, grapes.
The domesticity of it somehow made the earlier situation worse.
He had clearly heard Ava's comment.
At this point, though, he looked too exhausted to react anymore.
Matthew placed the fruit on the table.
Felix immediately grabbed a strawberry. "Thanks bro."
Matthew sat down on the single couch across from Ava, keeping exactly three meters between them.
Ava noticed.
Her lips twitched slightly.
Philip was still looking around suspiciously.
"No seriously," he said. "What did I miss?"
Eight people sat around the living room smiling strangely at him.
Nobody answered.
Philip's mouth twitched.
"…Why do I feel like the side character?"
"You are," Rick replied instantly.
"Shut up."
Matthew finally stood again, running one hand through his hair tiredly.
"I'm going to shower."
Without waiting for a response, he headed toward his room.
Ava watched him leave quietly.
Still smiling.
But the smile never reached her eyes.
There was something lazy and satisfied sitting there instead, like a cat that had successfully knocked something expensive off a shelf.
The second Matthew's bedroom door closed, Ava leaned back into her chair.
"It seems you guys and Matthew are really close."
"Of course we are," Felix replied easily. "We're hostel roommates."
Rick pointed toward Matthew's room with the remote.
"He usually rotates his schedule. One week in the hostel, one week here, then back again." Rick smirked slowly while glancing toward Ava. "But it seems this week he isn't coming back."
Ava raised an eyebrow innocently. "Oh?"
Rick grinned.
"Now I know why.""Young love," Felix sighed dramatically.
He grabbed the remote from Rick and immediately switched the TV channel to cartoons.
Derek stared at him in disbelief.
"…Are you five?"
"What?" Felix mumbled defensively without looking away from the screen. "It's been a long time since I watched TV."
Big V snorted while stealing a grape from the fruit plate. "Liar. Don't you watch shows on your laptop every night?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"Laptop watching has emotional depth."
Ava was half listening at this point, sprawled lazily across the couch cushions like an unemployed rich cat. "He has to keep his sweet neighbor company obviously."she answered Rick.
Ava crossed one leg over the other smoothly, the corner of her lips lifting slightly.
"Hmm sweet neighbor indeed I took want that type of neighbor" he answered without shame.
Philip looked between Rick and Ava carefully.
They were suddenly talking like old friends.
When had that happened?
He glanced toward the others for explanation, but Felix was busy arguing with cartoon characters while Big V kept eating fruit like he hadn't witnessed emotional warfare thirty minutes ago.
Nobody cared.
Philip felt abandoned.
"I see…" he said slowly changing the topic. "No wonder I thought you were just another visitor like us." He pointed around the room. "We don't even have permanent access here. As Matthew refused to give us access so if not our family have done influence we won't be allowed in and we have to pay huge fine too that is why we don't come here everyday "
Ava nodded thoughtfully like she'd just learned something useful.
Then suddenly clapped her hands once.
"Anyway," she announced brightly, "since you guys are Matthew's friends, you're my friends too." She smiled. "Why don't we seal our friendship with food?"
Felix gasped dramatically.
"They is food in Matthew house?"
"Nope," Ava said while standing. "I bought food already. I'll be back."
Before anyone could ask anything else, she disappeared out the apartment.
Five minutes later
The door opened again.
Ava walked in carrying three large takeaway bags.
The room changed instantly they all turned to look at her.
Ava calmly placed everything onto the table before opening the first bag from Uncle Roger's stall.
The smell hit first.
The entire living room immediately smelled illegal.
"One spicy honey chicken wings," Ava announced.
Felix swallowed hard.
"Beef tongue ramen,Juicy wontons and chilled beer."
The cans clinked softly against the table.
Then Ava opened the other bags.
A massive container of Singapore chili mud crab drenched in glossy red sauce sat in the center, fluffy buns packed beside it for dipping. Nine crabs filled the tray completely.
Next came mussels soaked in creamy white wine sauce with fries stacked beside them.
Then grilled scallops covered in bubbling creamy cheese sauce.
Crab fried rice.
Grilled river prawns.
The table looked less like takeaway food and more like a luxury seafood feast.
Silence filled the room for exactly two seconds.
"Damn, sister," Rick breathed, eyes practically sparkling. "You've won me over." The foodie completely won.
Felix was already halfway to the kitchen getting utensils .
Philip looked at the spread in shock. "I didn't even know they sold street food around here."
Ava leaned back casually while opening one of the beers.
"I bought some outside from Uncle Roger's place the one in the famous street food store."
She pointed toward the other dishes. "The rest came from downstairs."It's owned by a politician's wife. She wanted to create a cleaner version of street food for rich people who love the taste but complain about hygiene." Ava shrugged. "So she hired different chefs from around the world that specialize in street food."
"Now a new reason to come here everyday"Rick thought
When Matthew finally came out of his room he had changed into fresh clothes after showering. A brown oversized knit sweater rested loosely over a fitted white inner shirt, the sleeves pushed slightly past his wrists. Cream-colored cargo pants hung low against his long legs while a thin silver chain rested near his collarbone.
His damp black hair framed his face messily, giving him that annoyingly effortless rich-boy look people would probably write essays about online.
Matthew stopped walking for a second as he took in the scene of the living room from the hallway, the atmosphere in the living room had completely changed the scents of delicacy filled the air and the sound of tv and chatter and laughter
Ava look up and stared not blinking her hazel blue siren eyes widend she bite her lip blushing.
"Handsome," she called immediately, patting the empty space beside her. "Come eat."
The others turned toward Matthew automatically.
Then slowly looked back at the food instead.
Matthew's lips twitched slightly.
Traitors, he thought coldly.
Kai shifted calmly to make space for Matthew to sit.
Philip stayed planted there cluelessly while eating fries.
Ava stared at him.
Philip stared back.
Neither moved.
Then Ava kicked Philip's leg hard enough to shove him sideways.
"Ow!" Philip nearly dropped his drink. "What the hell?!"
He looked genuinely betrayed.
Ava ignored him completely while pulling Matthew down beside her instead.
Big V immediately started laughing.
"It's because of that slow brain of yours," he mocked. "Your crush refuses to date you and you still can't read situations."
Philip choked.
"With a brain like that," Kai added calmly while sipping beer, "it would actually be strange if you were dating."
Felix pointed accusingly at him with a fry. "Just because you're single doesn't mean you should block Ava from chasing Matthew."
"WHY AM I GETTING ATTACKED TODAY?!"
Nobody answered him.
Rick was too busy laughing into the couch cushion.
Meanwhile Ava had already started serving food onto Matthew's plate like a dedicated wife in a drama.
"Try the crab."
Matthew ignored the way she kept staring at him and quietly started eating instead.
Ava leaned against her hand watching him peacefully.
Very peacefully.
Too peacefully.
Matthew could literally feel her staring.
"You're being weird again," he muttered without looking at her.
"I'm admiring beauty."
" My beauty is private property" Matthew said sipping his drink.
" And I'm property" Ava her dimples showing Matthew rolled his eyes at her
Kai stretched slightly before glancing around the room.
"After eating," he began, "why don't we go out?"
Felix immediately perked up. "Where?"
Kai thought for a second. "Maybe explore all the districts in Silver Arc District".
"Hmm, we can go to a game club in the first district take a stroll to the mirror house,then the virtual house of fun in the second district go shopping in the mall , then cinema back at the third district and having dinner at the restaurant " Ava said.
Sounds like fun big v replied