The room was quiet. Too quiet.
Yu lay curled under the futon, staring at the ceiling where shadows stretched long in the lantern glow. His chest ached with the hollow absence of Taichi. The warmth of his embrace had always been his anchor, and now, alone, the silence pressed like a weight.
[You are unsettled.]
DK01's voice murmured inside his mind, steady as ever.
"…I hate it."
Yu whispered, pulling the blanket tighter.
"Being away from him. And Isuke… he won't stop. I'm scared."
[Fear is natural. But your resolve has grown. You resisted him harder this time.]
Yu bit his lip, tears pricking his eyes.
"Then why do I still feel… weak? Why does my body betray me?"
There was no reply. Only a calm silence that almost felt like a hand on his shoulder. How could it explain to its host that it's in his nature as the, once, Incubus King to want to feed off of humans? That the long deceased Yukio's feelings have likely only amplified these instincts towards Isuke Sasaki?
Exhaustion crept over him, and Yu's eyelids sank.
---
He was back in room 203—trapped in a dream woven from his worst fears. Isuke stood before him, smiling that dangerous, knowing smile.
"Yu… you can't run from this~"
He murmured, his voice dripping with warmth that wasn't real.
Hands slid over him, opening his yukata with slow reverence. Lips trailed against his skin, down his throat, stealing breath after breath. Yu shivered, tried to resist—but his dream-body betrayed him. Pleasure rippled where he wanted only to scream.
"See?"
Isuke whispered against his ear, his hand brushing over Yu's chest, teasing mercilessly.
"You want me… just as badly."
Yu's voice broke into a cry, but it twisted into something else. His body clung, writhed—like it would with Taichi. Heat surged through him until he was undone, trembling and clinging desperately to Isuke's phantom embrace.
The dream shattered with his ragged gasp.
Yu bolted upright in the futon, sweat dripping down his temples. His chest heaved, his skin clammy, pants uncomfortablely wet and sticky. The memory of that unwanted dream clung too vividly—his body's betrayal, the shame.
He pressed trembling hands to his face, nausea curling in his gut.
"No… no, it's not me…"
He whispered.
"It's not me… it's Yukio's leftover feelings. Not mine. Not mine."
His stomach twisted again, bile stinging his throat. He hugged himself tight, shaking.
[Remember…]
DK01's voice said quietly,
[A dream is not truth. It is shadow. What defines you is the choice you make awake.]
Yu clung to those words, repeating them to himself until the morning supervising teacher knocked on his door, informing him to be ready for breakfast.
---
The ryokan buzzed with energy as students gathered for breakfast, chatter echoing in the wide tatami hall. Yu walked in quietly, his yukata neat but his expression pale, shadows under his eyes.
Across the room, Taichi spotted him immediately. Relief bloomed, but so did frustration as he noticed Isuke sliding into place at Yu's side, the seating chart having forced them apart again.
Taichi clenched his fists under the table, jaw tight, while Yu tried to muster a smile for him across the room—fragile, brave, but still trembling inside.
The separation wasn't over. Not yet.
The long tatami hall buzzed with clattering bowls and chopsticks, the smell of grilled fish and miso filling the air. Students sat in neat rows at low tables, teachers perched at the edges keeping watch.
Yu slid onto the cushion, his heart tight as he realized the seating chart had him pinned next to Isuke. Across the room, Taichi sat with Yamato and Souma, eyes sharp, fists pressed against his thighs under the table.
Isuke leaned in with a practiced smile, pouring Yu a cup of tea as though they were intimate.
"Did you sleep well?"
He murmured, his tone silk.
Yu's fingers clenched against his lap.
"Don't."
He whispered back, trembling. His face turned toward Isuke, eyes blazing despite the shadows under them.
"I will never love you. Never."
The words came sharper, louder, enough that a few nearby students glanced over. Yu didn't care. He repeated, firmer, his lips quivering but his voice clear.
"I will never love you, Isuke Sasaki."
Isuke's smile faltered for half a heartbeat before he leaned closer, whispering like a dagger.
"You say that now. But I felt it, Yu. The way you shivered. You wanted me."
Yu's cheeks flushed—not in desire, but in fury, the memory of his dream burning like shame in his chest.
"That wasn't real."
He hissed.
"It'll never be real."
Across the room, Taichi's tray scraped faintly against the floor, but Yamato shoved a hand to his shoulder, warning him to keep calm with the teachers watching.
Isuke noticed, and his expression twisted into cruel satisfaction. His voice pitched just enough for Taichi to overhear.
"What's so great about that bastard, anyway? The delinquent who used to bully you, shove you into cold floors, and laugh while you cried?"
Yu froze, his breath catching.
Isuke pressed harder, his eyes glinting.
"He can't protect you, Yu. He's dangerous. He'll only hurt you again. But me? I can keep you safe. Cherished."
"Shut up!"
Yu's voice shook. He shoved the bowl of rice in front of him so hard it tipped, grains scattering across the lacquer tray. His eyes watered, but his glare burned.
"Don't you dare talk about Taichi like that. He's not who he was before. He's the one I love."
Across the room, Taichi's chest swelled, a storm barely contained behind his calm façade. He dipped his head low, forcing down the urge to storm over and smash Isuke's smug expression, knowing the teachers' eyes were sharp.
But in his clenched jaw and the way his gaze locked to Yu's across the hall, a vow formed.
'Just a little longer. I'll break through this. I'll protect you.'
---
The bus rumbled through the ancient streets of Kyoto, past tiled rooftops and wooden facades that whispered centuries of history. Students chattered excitedly, some snapping photos of temple gates and stone bridges.
Yu sat pressed against the window, his breath fogging the glass as he tried to absorb the beauty of the city and bury the tension of breakfast. Taichi sat rows away, his tall frame stiff, always glancing back when he thought no one would notice.
The itinerary was packed: a morning at Kiyomizu-dera, its broad veranda overlooking Kyoto like a stage in the clouds; an afternoon walk through the vermilion tunnels of Fushimi Inari Taisha, each step echoing with prayers; and that evening, a guided tour to a hot spring inn near the mountains where the class would bathe and relax.
But through every shrine, every temple, every bustling street of sweets and souvenirs, the same truth hung heavy between Yu and Taichi: Isuke was never far, and the separation had teeth.
And Kyoto, with all its timeless serenity, would be the backdrop to their next trial.
---
The wide wooden veranda of Kiyomizu-dera jutted out like a stage into the sky. Yu stepped carefully onto the smooth boards, breath catching at the sight below—the autumn trees blazed in reds and golds, the city of Kyoto hazy in the distance. The air smelled faintly of incense, tourists' whispers mingling with the creak of the temple's old beams.
For a fleeting moment, Yu let himself feel it: awe. His lips parted in wonder, ruby eyes reflecting the rolling mountains painted in fire and mist. He wanted to memorize it, to hold this image in his heart.
But a shadow hovered at his side.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Isuke murmured, voice low, almost intimate, his hands folded behind his back like the perfect gentleman.
"Though not half as beautiful as you in that light."
Yu stiffened, his fingers curling tight against the railing. He forced himself to step away, putting distance between them, but the wood boards seemed to creak too loudly under his retreat.
Students passed, snapping photos, teachers giving explanations, but Yu felt Isuke's eyes on him like chains. Even when he edged closer to Haruka Minami for protection, Isuke adjusted his pace to stay near.
He tried to drown it out—the monks chanting faintly inside, the trickle of visitors tossing coins and clapping hands in prayer. Yu pressed his palms together and whispered a wish into the air.
'Please. Just let me get through this.'
And when he opened his eyes, across the crowd, Taichi was watching him from where Yamato dragged him along. Their gazes met for only a second, but Yu's lips curved into the tiniest smile. That was enough to hold him steady.
---
The sun slanted low as the class arrived at Fushimi Inari Taisha. The torii gates blazed vermilion, endless and close, stretching up the mountainside in a tunnel of red and shadow. Students chattered, some racing ahead, others posing for photos under the sacred arches.
Yu walked carefully, fingers brushing the wooden posts as though their warmth could guide him. The gates felt alive, each step echoing with unseen voices of thousands who had prayed before.
But the path narrowed. And here, Isuke was closer. Too close.
"You walk like a spirit."
Isuke whispered, his shoulder brushing Yu's.
"As though the world doesn't deserve to hold you."
Yu flinched, his voice sharp despite the hush of the shrine.
"Stop. Don't talk to me like that."
But Isuke only tilted his head, smiling faintly, his shadow mingling with Yu's beneath the blood-red gates. Around them, students darted ahead, leaving the two in a strange bubble of stillness.
Yu's breath quickened. He turned, ready to call for Haruka or Fumiko—but Isuke caught his wrist, fingers tightening.
"Don't you see?"
Isuke's tone stayed calm, almost reverent, though his grip was anything but.
"This place is proof. A thousand vows, a thousand prayers—and yet my heart always circles back to you. We're bound, Yu. Fate has tied us tighter than any shrine charm."
Yu struggled, his pulse racing in the oppressive corridor of torii. The gates seemed endless, red bleeding into shadow, no teachers close enough to notice.
"Let go!"
Yu hissed, yanking, his voice trembling.
"You're scaring me."
But Isuke only leaned closer, whispering as if they were lovers sharing secrets:
"Then why do you tremble like someone who wants to be caught?"
The vermilion tunnel stretched on forever, shadows rippling between each gate as the sun dipped lower. The world felt narrowed, as though it belonged to just the two of them.
Yu's wrist still trapped in Isuke's grip, he stumbled back a step, but the red pillars hemmed him in. His breath hitched—too loud, too shallow—as he tried to tug free.
"Sasaki-san… stop—"
His protest was cut short.
Isuke dipped down and pressed his mouth to Yu's. It wasn't a harsh crush this time, but soft, coaxing, like a thief stealing warmth. The faint scent of cedar and incense clung to Isuke's skin, and for a terrifying second Yu froze. His body trembled, traitorous heat flickering at the edges of fear.
Isuke angled closer, lips deepening the kiss, his free hand ghosting up Yu's side as if the shrine itself had granted him permission.
'No… no!'
Yu's mind screamed, heart slamming in his chest. His knees weakened, a dizzy spark shooting through him—part of him almost yielding, almost sinking into it.
But then—Taichi's smile flashed in his memory. The way his hand always found Yu's, steady, warm, unshakable.
Yu wrenched himself back with all his strength, shoving against Isuke's chest. The sudden force tore them apart, the kiss breaking in a gasp. Yu's lips stung, his eyes burned with tears, but he glared up at Isuke with every ounce of defiance he had left.
"I said stop!"
Yu's voice cracked, echoing down the tunnel of gates.
"I'll never love you! Never!"
Isuke staggered half a step, caught off guard—but then his lips curled slowly, almost hungrily. He licked across them, savoring the taste left behind, eyes gleaming with something dark and fevered.
"You can run…"
He murmured, voice low, silky.
"But I'll always find you, Yu."
Yu's chest heaved. Terror and anger tangled in his veins as he spun, bolting down the path. His feet pounded against the worn stone, his long white hair fluttering behind him like pale wings.
'Taichi…! I need Taichi!'
He didn't look back, didn't dare. But behind him, he could feel it—Isuke's gaze clinging like invisible hands, savoring the chase.
Yu's shoes slapped against stone, breath tearing raggedly in his chest. The torii gates seemed endless, the vermilion walls bending and closing in like a maze. His pulse pounded in his ears, drowning out the chatter of other students further down the trail.
'Don't stop—keep going—find Taichi!'
Every time he blinked, Yu still felt Isuke's lips against his. Still tasted him. The sensation clung like poison, curling hot and shameful in his chest. His hand flew to his mouth as if he could wipe it away, but it only made tears sting his eyes harder.
"Yu!"
Was that Taichi's voice—or his imagination? He pushed himself faster, weaving past curious classmates and slipping on the stone steps, nearly falling before scrambling upright again. His lungs burned, but fear propelled him forward.
Then—he saw him.
At the clearing near the base of the gates, Taichi stood with Yamato and Souma, scanning the crowd with a storm in his eyes, tension in his fists. The moment Yu's gaze locked onto him, the world blurred.
"Taichi!!"
Yu collided into him so hard it knocked the breath out of both of them. He clung desperately, burying his face against Taichi's chest as if the taller boy's warmth could burn away the touch still haunting his skin. His fingers twisted in Taichi's shirt, knuckles white, body trembling like a small animal.
Taichi's arms folded instantly around him, one hand coming up to cradle the back of Yu's head. He held him tight, like anchoring him in place.
"Yu—what happened? You're shaking."
Yu only shook his head, pressing closer, clutching fistfuls of Taichi's clothes until there was no space left between them. He couldn't say it—couldn't admit that part of him had almost melted under Isuke's kiss. Couldn't let Taichi know about the storm of confusion boiling inside him.
So instead, he whispered against Taichi's chest, voice breaking.
"I just… missed you."
Taichi stilled for a heartbeat, then sighed, brushing his thumb soothingly over Yu's hairline. He didn't believe it entirely—Yu's panic felt too raw, too suspicious, too connected to Isuke—but he swallowed the questions down. For now, Yu needed comfort, not interrogation.
"…Baby…"
Taichi muttered softly, though his voice shook with relief.
"You scared the hell out of me."
And Yu only clung harder, as if Taichi's arms could erase everything else.
---
Evening rolled in as the bustle of students swirled around them, but Yu hardly noticed. The only thing that mattered was the steady rhythm of Taichi's heartbeat beneath his ear, the way his arms wrapped so tightly it felt like nothing could break through. For the first time all day, Yu's breathing began to slow, the tremors easing as Taichi's hand moved in calm, steady strokes over his back.
"Stay with me the rest of the day…"
Yu whispered so softly it almost vanished under the rustling of leaves.
Taichi lowered his head until his lips brushed the crown of Yu's white hair.
"Try and stop me."
Yu's throat tightened. He didn't deserve this—Taichi's steadiness, his warmth, his absolute devotion. Not when the ghost of Isuke's kiss still burned on his lips, twisting something unwanted deep inside. But for now, Yu let himself lean into Taichi's strength, clinging to the fragile illusion of safety, if only for these few precious moments.
The gates above cast long shadows as the sun slid lower, and the teachers began gathering everyone back to the buses. Yu stayed in Taichi's hold until the very last call, reluctant to step away.
But he did, fingers reluctantly slipping from Taichi's sleeve—only to feel Taichi's pinky brush his, catching, curling. Their hands didn't fully link, not with teachers watching, but the tether was there.
A silent promise.
That evening, as the class prepared for the ryokan's next and last activity, that fragile warmth would be tested again—this time in the steaming waters of the hot springs.
---
That night, in the ryokan's hot springs, after the tour was over, the teachers began preparing groups of boys and groups of girls to enter the hot springs. With Yu's unique gender category and being the only non-binary listed, the teachers let him have a private slot for himself.
However, with how busy the supervising teachers were wrangling the other students, they trusted Yu would be fine by himself to enter the hot spring and leave on time and thus, they left him alone. No one would have guessed the usually shy and obedient boy would sneak Taichi, much to his delight and surprise, in with him as he entered and changed.
Once inside, steam curled off the water in ghostly ribbons, filling the private bath with a soft haze. Lanterns along the edges cast a warm glow across the rocks, and the quiet gurgle of the spring almost drowned out Yu's shy laughter as he dipped a toe in.
"Hot!"
Yu squeaked, recoiling before Taichi caught his wrist and tugged him gently forward.
"You'll get used to it."
Taichi said, already waist-deep, his dark hair damp, droplets tracing down the lines of his chest. He reached out a hand, steady, patient.
Yu slipped in, hissing as the heat enveloped him, but the second Taichi's hand enclosed his under the water, he relaxed. The ache of past and emotional bruises seemed to melt into the mineral warmth. The day's tension, the stares, the whispers—all of it dissolved here in the steam.
For a moment, it was just the two of them.
Yu rested his head against Taichi's shoulder, voice muffled.
"Feels like I can finally breathe."
Taichi smiled faintly, lowering his chin to Yu's crown.
"Good. That's how it should always be with me."
Yu let himself believe it. Let himself sink into the warmth of the spring and Taichi's steady arms. His fingers trailed over Taichi's bruised knuckles under the water, careful, tender. They shared a few feather-light kisses, nothing too deep—just reassurance, just proof that they were here, together, safe.
The sound came then—a sliding door, the scrape of wood against stone.
Yu froze.
Taichi stiffened immediately, eyes narrowing as a tall figure stepped through the steam.
Isuke Sasaki.
The lamplight painted his smirk in sharp relief as he let the door close behind him. He'd shed his yukata already, a towel slung casually over one shoulder while another hugged his waist, dangerously low. The steam seemed to cling to him like it parted just to make way.
"So this is where you two ran off."
Isuke drawled, his voice a mockery of calm. His gaze locked on Yu, heated, unwavering.
"Private baths, hm? Not very fair of you, Yu, when the rest of us are stuck waiting our turn."
Yu shrank closer into Taichi's side, nails digging into his arm. The warmth of the spring suddenly felt suffocating, trapped.
"Get out!"
Taichi snapped, his voice low, dangerous, echoing off the wet stone.
Isuke only stepped forward, slipping his towel aside and sliding into the water as though he belonged there. The ripples spread toward them, carrying his presence like a threat. His eyes never left Yu, even as he smirked.
"I don't think I will."
The silence pressed down on them, broken only by the drip of water from the rocks and the low gurgle of the spring. Yu clutched Taichi's arm tighter, his body trembling under the surface, but Taichi kept his arm firmly around him, his glare locked on Isuke.
Isuke leaned back against the far edge of the bath at first, as if to show he wasn't in a rush. His smirk was lazy, but his eyes told the truth—they were sharp, hungry, and watching Yu's every twitch.
"Relax."
He said smoothly, his voice cutting through the steam.
"I only came to talk. No need to act like I'm some kind of intruder."
"You are an intruder."
Taichi snapped. His voice carried an edge that vibrated against Yu's bones.
"You weren't invited. Leave."
Isuke's gaze flicked toward him briefly, then slid right back to Yu.
"Funny, coming from you. You think you're the only one allowed by his side? The only one who can have him?"
His lips curved.
"You forget—Yu and I share something you can't understand."
Yu stiffened, heart clenching. He knew exactly what Isuke was hinting at. That unwanted touch. That stolen kiss. His cheeks burned, not from the steam but from shame and fear.
"Shut up!"
Yu said, his voice cracking. He lifted his head from Taichi's shoulder and glared, watery-eyed but defiant.
"I told you already—I'll never love you. Never."
Isuke's smirk faltered for just a beat before curdling into something darker. He pushed off from the edge and glided closer, the water rippling with his movement.
"Never's a dangerous word, Yu…"
He said softly.
"You can say it all you want, but your body… remembers differently."
"Don't you dare!"
Taichi growled, shifting in front of Yu. The steam swirled around his broad shoulders as he put himself between them.
But Isuke kept advancing, circling them slowly in the water like a predator.
"He trembled when I touched him. His lips answered mine. You think you're the only one he craves, Taichi Arifukua? That's where you're wrong."
Yu's hands balled into fists against Taichi's back, nails digging into his skin. His voice broke as he shouted.
"Stop twisting things! I hate you! I hate you!"
That did it. The smirk fell, leaving only raw intensity as Isuke surged forward, splashing water over the stones. His arm shot out, fingers closing around Yu's wrist, yanking him half out from behind Taichi.
"Yu!"
Taichi reacted on instinct. His free hand seized Isuke's arm, wrenching it off Yu and shoving him back hard against the rocks with a resounding splash.
Steam hissed between them as the three boys clashed in the water, the fragile peace of the hot spring shattered.
Water churned violently as Taichi shoved Isuke back against the rocks, their bodies colliding with a wet thud. Isuke snarled, lunging forward, his fist grazing Taichi's jaw. Taichi staggered but answered with a vicious hook to Isuke's ribs. The sound echoed beneath the roof of the spring like thunder.
"Stay away from him!"
Taichi roared, surging forward again.
"Or what?!"
Isuke spat, eyes wild, hair plastered against his forehead as he splashed forward, grappling him.
Yu scrambled behind them, chest heaving, fear burning through him as the two thrashed. Waves sloshed up the stone edges, echoing the violence of their struggle. He knew if he stayed, it would only get worse—he had to get a teacher, had to stop this before it went too far.
"Stop it, both of you!"
Yu cried, his voice cracking. He hurried toward the edge, fingers fumbling for the slippery stones—
But his wet foot skidded.
"Ah—!"
The world spun. His face nearly hit the stone, his arms shielding him with a hard slap, water cascading over him. His towel loosened, then slipped entirely away.
"Eep!"
The sound was small, desperate, and mortified.
Steam curled around him as if to hide him, but it couldn't. Taichi and Isuke both froze mid-motion, eyes locking onto him.
Yu lay sprawled on the glistening stones, pale porcelain skin gleaming under the lantern light. Water ran down every delicate line of his body, clinging to him like crystal threads. His long white hair fanned around him, glimmering like angel wings spread in surrender. His flushed cheeks and wide, panicked eyes made him look otherworldly—an ethereal vision neither boy could look away from.
Time stopped.
Taichi's breath caught in his throat, his chest aching at the sheer fragile beauty of the boy he loved.
Isuke's lips parted, hunger and awe colliding in his gaze as if he'd stumbled upon a forbidden treasure.
Yu's trembling hands scrambled to cover himself, tears of humiliation burning in his eyes.
"D-don't look!"
He cried, voice breaking, but the image was already seared into both of them, haunting and divine.