Mikael's heart sank into his stomach. He knew he had messed up the previous night by having his phone off, but he never imagined it would lead to this. A break? The word felt like a death sentence.
He tried calling Ken a dozen times, but each attempt was met with the cold, mechanical click of voicemail. He texted frantically, his fingers trembling, but the "read" receipts never appeared. He dressed in a blur, not even noticing that his shirt was wrinkled or that his hair was a mess, and raced to the university.
He didn't even go to his first lecture. He spent the morning as a frantic ghost, haunting the library, the staff rooms, and every department wing where Ken might be hiding. He was about to run back to his car to check Ken's apartment again when he saw a familiar figure walking toward the main gates. Ken was late, his steps heavy and slow.
Mikael rushed over, his breath coming in jagged gasps. He reached out, holding Ken's arms firmly but gently. "Ken, please. Let's talk about this. I—"
Before he could finish, Ken wrenched his arm away with a forceful tug. "No... not now. I'm late for class."
"Okay, okay," Mikael pleaded, his voice cracking. "Can we talk during break? Please? I'm begging you, Ken."
Ken didn't look at him. He kept his eyes fixed on the pavement. "Meet me at the cafeteria."
Mikael stood frozen as Ken walked away. For the first time in his life, the "Golden Boy" of the department looked completely undone. He was unwashed, unkempt, and radiating a raw anxiety that drew stares from every passing student.
"I can't lose you, Ken," Mikael muttered to the empty air.
From his parked car in the lot, Hades watched. He saw the tremble in Mikael's hands and the hollow look in Ken's eyes. The personification of Death felt a strange, dark satisfaction. The "hollow" nature of his existence was being filled with the thrill of the hunt. There was a crack in their foundation, and he was ready to drive a wedge through it.
The morning lectures were a blur of torture for Mikael. Every tick of the clock felt like a hammer against his skull. When the bell finally rang for break, he sprinted to the cafeteria, his eyes scanning the crowd for a mop of dark hair. But Ken wasn't there.
He was about to spiral into another search when his phone buzzed.
"Meet me at the restroom."
Mikael didn't think twice. He ran. He ignored the whispers trailing in his wake. As the school's most popular and wealthy student, his ragged appearance and public panic had already set the school's gossip blogs on fire. Students were snapping photos, and the headlines were already forming: Is the Newman Legacy Cracking? Mikael didn't care. Only Ken mattered.
He burst into the restroom and found Ken standing before the mirror, staring at his own reflection as if he didn't recognize himself.
"Ken... Ken, I'm so sorry," Mikael gasped, shutting the door and locking it behind him. "I didn't know you were in trouble that night. You know I would have been there for you if my phone was on..."
"No... it's not about that," Ken said, his voice flat. "I know you were tired. That wasn't the reason I asked for a break."
Mikael stepped closer, taking Ken's hands in his. "Then tell me. What did I do wrong? I'll change, I promise. Just tell me, Ken."
Ken pulled away, turning his face toward the tiled wall. "You didn't do anything wrong. I did."
"What are you talking about?" Mikael's heart felt like it was going to explode in his chest.
"Everything happened too fast," Ken whispered. "I lost track of what I held dearly. I was caught up in the moment, and I—" He stopped, finally turning to look Mikael in the eyes. "I need a break from everything."
"You can't do that! What about my feelings?" Mikael's voice rose in desperation. "We can work around it! What can I do to make this work?" A tear he had been holding back finally spilled over.
"I need a moment to breathe, Mikael. I need to arrange my life and adapt. I've struggled every day to keep my world from collapsing, and even though it was hard, I had control. But now..." Ken's voice wavered. "It's like I'm living a life I don't even recognize. The gifts, the attention, the luxury... no one has cared for me like that in so long, and because of it, I forgot why I was working so hard in the first place."
Mikael was sobbing now. "What is it? I'll fix it!"
"You can't," Ken said, turning his back. "My mom is dying. And I... I was so caught up in this fantasy life you gave me that I forgot her. I forgot the reason I survived at all. You were great, Mikael, but you were a distraction wrapped in roses. I wasn't ready for this. I shouldn't have said yes."
Mikael finally broke, the tears flowing freely. "Ken, please... we can find a way. I'll help with her, I'll do anything!"
Outside the door, Lucien stood in the hallway. He held a book in front of his face, masquerading as a student lost in study, but his ears were tuned to every sob and every word. The King of Hell had broken character; he was no longer an impartial observer. He was a stalker, fueled by a jealousy that had simmered for centuries.
"I need a break, Mikael," Ken repeated, his mind set. "It's the only thing I truly need."
Mikael paused, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He saw the exhaustion in Ken's gaze—the look of a man who was simply out of strength. "Then tell me... how long is this 'break'?"
"I need a week," Ken replied. "Seven days off from this 'new life.' I need to settle down and understand who I am before I can even think about a relationship."
Lucien, listening through the wood, allowed a cold smile to touch his lips. A week is perfect. Emily arrives in seven days. The drama has only just begun. He closed his book and walked away, his footsteps silent on the linoleum.
"Ken, tell me," Mikael said, gripping Ken's hand one last time. "If I give you this week... is there a possibility? A certainty that we'll be a couple again when it's over?"
Ken froze. He looked at Mikael, weighing the love he felt against the terror of the life he had been offered. He wasn't sure if he was running away from Mikael, or just running back to the safety of his own struggles. The silence in the restroom was deafening.
"Ken, please answer me. Will we be back as a couple?"
After a long silence, Ken looked into Mikael's desperate, blue eyes and muttered: