Kai's eyes fluttered open. A dull ache throbbed in his head, and his entire body felt sore. He slowly sat up, wincing as the memories from last night came rushing back like scattered pieces of a puzzle—Elina trying to kiss him, Rico showing up unexpectedly, and Bast carrying him home…
And then—he kissed Bast.
Kai groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "What did I do last night…?" he murmured. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. His muscles ached like he'd run a marathon. "Why does my body hurt this much?"
Just then, the door creaked open. Bast walked in, holding a breakfast tray with soup and some medicine.
"You're awake," Bast said gently, setting the tray down on the bedside table. He reached out and patted Kai's head, brushing back a few strands of hair. "Headache?"
Kai gave a slight nod. "Yeah… What happened last night?"
Bast sighed and sat beside him. "You were drugged. Your friend Elina slipped something in your drink. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you in time… but I promise, something like this will never happen again."
Kai looked at him, guilt shadowing his expression. "Why are you apologizing? I should've listened to you…"
Then, he hesitated. "But… why does my whole body feel sore?"
Bast paused—then smirked.
"You seriously don't remember?" he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You practically begged me to punish you. Said it so sweetly: 'If you're angry, punish me, Daddy.'"
Kai's eyes widened in horror. "No way. You're joking—right?"
Bast laughed, reaching for the spoon. "I wish I was. But don't worry, I'll keep it between us."
Kai groaned again and pulled the blanket over his head. "I want to disappear."
"Too late," Bast teased, nudging him. "Now eat your breakfast and take the medicine. You'll feel better soon."
Bast sat on the edge of the bed, watching Kai get dressed. "If you're still not feeling well, you can rest more," he said softly.
Kai shook his head. "Nope, I'm okay. I want to go to college."
Bast gave him a thoughtful look. "Alright. Get ready, I'll drop you off. But after college, we're visiting a doctor."
Kai frowned. "It's not necessary—"
"It is," Bast said firmly, cutting him off.
Soon after, they arrived at the college gates. Kai looked at the familiar buildings, but his mind was still clouded by what had happened.
"I really want to ask Elina why she did that to me," Kai muttered.
"You don't need to worry about her," Bast said, his voice cold. "You'll never see that piece of trash again."
Kai blinked, surprised by Bast's tone. Bast just patted his head gently. "Now go. You're already late."
Kai nodded and stepped out of the car, watching Bast drive away before walking toward the campus. He spotted Miles sitting in the café and quickly walked over.
"Hey, Miles!"
Miles looked up, then stood and turned away without a word.
"Miles? What are you doing?" Kai asked, confused.
Miles turned back with a cold expression. "Excuse me. Do I know you?"
Kai blinked, caught off guard. "Miles, come on. Don't be mad at me… You're my only and best friend." He stepped closer and tried to hug him.
Miles pushed him back. "Best friends don't keep secrets, Kai."
Kai lowered his eyes, guilt flooding his chest. "I was embarrassed… How could I even say it out loud—that I slept with my stepfather?"
Miles looked shocked for a moment. "When did that happen?"
Kai sighed. "That night Elina rejected me… I got drunk you left me with bast and i kissed Bast. And… we ended up sleeping together."
Miles stared at him in disbelief—then suddenly burst into laughter. "You know what? I'm actually happy for you. Bast is very handsome."
Kai's cheeks flushed. "Wh-what are you even saying?"
Miles teased, "Look at you—you're blushing."
Kai groaned. "Stop it."
Miles leaned in, still grinning. "So… how was the party last night?"
Kai's expression shifted immediately. The smile faded. He told Miles everything—how Elina had drugged him, and how Bast protect him.
Miles looked horrified. "What the hell? Elina really did that to you?"
Kai nodded. "I never thought she'd do something so disgusting."
Miles clenched his fists. "If I ever find her, I swear I'll sue her."
Kai placed a hand on his arm. "Let it go. I just want to move on. Let's go to class."
Miles sighed, softening. "Ohhh, my friend. You feeling better now?"
Kai smiled gently. "Yeah… I am."
Kai and Miles sat together in class, flipping through their books while waiting for the lecture to begin. Suddenly, Eden approached their desk and handed a small stack of notes to Miles.
"Eden? What's this?" Miles asked, surprised.
"I overheard you last time, stressing about the exam," Eden said with a gentle smile. "I thought these notes might help."
Miles blinked, touched by the gesture. "Thank you, Eden. But really… you didn't have to worry about me."
"It's okay," Eden replied. Then he turned to Kai. "Hi, I'm Eden."
Kai smiled politely. "I'm Kai."
Eden gave a friendly nod. "Would you mind if I join you two for the group project? I heard it needs three members."
"Sure, you can join us," Kai said without hesitation.
Miles added, "Alright, then let's meet at the café after this class to talk about it."
Eden nodded and took a seat as the teacher walked in and started the lecture. As the class went on, Kai's eyes drifted to Miles's hand—and froze when he noticed the ring on his finger.
His heart skipped a beat. Quietly, he leaned closer and whispered, "What's that ring? Are you keeping secrets from me?"
Miles's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly whispered back, "No! I meant to tell you, but I forgot—"
Before he could finish, the teacher's voice cut through the room. "Please, no talking during the lecture."
Miles shot Kai a look and whispered, "I'll tell you after class. Promise."
The door opened, and Bast's secretary stepped into the room. Bast, sipping a glass of wine, glanced up with calm but cold eyes.
"Where's the girl?" he asked flatly.
"We found her last night, sir," the secretary replied. "She's tied up in one of the rooms."
Bast set his glass down with a soft clink. "Good," he said, standing up. "Let's go. I want to see her beg for her life."
They drove to an old, abandoned building. As Bast stepped out of the car, the guards outside the entrance immediately bowed their heads in respect. Bast walked past them, his steps echoing down the dim hallway until he reached the room.
Inside, Elina sat tied to a chair, her face pale and eyes wide. The moment she saw him, fear flooded her expression. Bast let out a low chuckle.
"You look good like that," he said, dark amusement in his voice. "I warned you last time to stay away from my baby. But you didn't listen. Now look at you."
He signaled to the guard, who removed the cloth gag from Elina's mouth. She coughed, then immediately burst into tears.
"Please… please let me go. I'm sorry! I swear I'll stay away from Kai. I beg you… please!"
Bast walked over slowly and sat down on a nearby couch, crossing one leg over the other as he watched her squirm.
"Tell me the truth," he said, his tone calm but cold. "What were you really planning to do with him?"
Elina sobbed harder. "I… I just wanted to record a video of him and use it to convince him to be my boyfriend. I didn't mean to hurt him! Please, believe me!"
Bast's expression darkened. "So you planned to blackmail him? That's even worse."
She shook her head frantically, still crying. "But nothing happened! "his boyfriend came at a time".
Bast's heart skipped a beat.
"What did you say?" he asked sharply.
"His boyfriend," she repeated. "I don't know who he was—I've never seen him before. But he said he was Kai's boyfriend…"
Bast stood frozen, his jaw tight, his thoughts racing.
Boyfriend? he thought. Who the hell was that?