The night burned faster than Kael expected. He had dozed off, drained and tired, his body heavy from the bruises and the beating. Lying on his bed, he hadn't even noticed the faint light that blinked beneath his wrist, glowing softly through the bandages as though it wanted to burn out of his skin.
Through the night the glow spread, quiet but alive, tracing veins under his hand until the wounds began to close on their own. His cuts sealed, bruises faded, and the swelling vanished without him even knowing. Only faint scars remained, marking his wrist like they carried a story too deep to explain.
Kael woke up the next morning with a sigh, his body still expecting pain. He rubbed his eyes and sat up slowly. The bandages slipped off his hands onto the bed, loose and useless.
When he looked down, his eyes widened.
"W-what the hell…"
The bruises were gone. His hands smooth. The pain that had made him limp yesterday had disappeared completely. Only faint lines on his wrist remained, and they didn't look like scars anymore—they looked like something drawn, almost like a mark.
Kael flexed his fingers quickly, testing. No pain. No ache. Nothing. He stood, grabbed the chair and pressed his weight down with force. Nothing. The pain was gone. His chest rose fast, his heart racing.
"This… isn't normal."
He dragged his hands through his hair and muttered again, trying to calm himself. "No… I'm not imagining this. It's real."
But before he could even think too long about it, the clock caught his eye.
"Shit! I'm late!"
He quickly dressed, grabbed his bag, and dashed out of the house. His head still wasn't clear. Every step reminded him of the impossible thing that happened the night before.
By the time Kael rushed through the school gates, he was still lost in his thoughts, hiding his wrist under his sleeve, not wanting anyone to notice. He had no explanation for what had happened, and worse he wasn't sure if he even wanted to find out.
....
Kael barely made it past the hallway before his two friends pulled him in.
"Bro!" Jacob smacked his shoulder. "You hadn't been in school yesterday. What happened?"
"Yeah, man," the other chimed in, narrowing his eyes like he was suspicious. "We thought maybe you got snatched by those crazy girls you peeked at "
Kael froze, his smirk creeping faintly at the edge of his lips. His mind flashed back—the hall full of shouting girls, the way their skirts had swayed, laced panties flashing beneath curves he couldn't unsee, the sting of their nails and fists brushing him down.
He shook his head quickly, trying to shrug it off with a laugh. "Tch—don't remind me, bro. I almost died."
His friends laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world, slapping each other's hands while Kael sighed and adjusted his bag. "Damn clowns," he muttered under his breath, but his lips still curled as he smirked.
When they pushed into class, Kael felt it immediately. Eyes. Almost everyone turned at once, staring like he'd been gone for a month. Kael wasn't the type to miss a day, and it showed on every face. He scratched the back of his head, walking slow, pretending not to care.
Then, her voice.
"Kael."
Mia.
She caught him halfway to his desk, stepping right in front of him. Her smile curved devilish, her presence just as bold as always. She leaned in close, far too close, her perfume brushing into his chest.
"You haven't been to school yesterday…" her tone was light, teasing, but her eyes searched him like she wanted more answers than he'd ever give.
He stuttered, caught off guard as her blouse pressed against him. Her boobs brushed his chest, soft and distracting, and he almost lost his balance right there. He scratched his head, his laugh shaky.
"Uh-h-haha… y-yeah… I just… you know… wasn't feeling fine."
Mia's smirk deepened, her lips curling like she knew exactly what effect she had on him. She tilted her head, almost whispering. "You sure that's all?"
He stepped back a little too quick, nearly tripping over the side of a desk. His friends at the back cracked up, nudging each other while Kael waved his hands nervously.
"Y-yeah, yeah! Just that. Nothing more."
Mia didn't move, her chest still grazing him as she leaned even closer, whispering low enough only he could hear. "Hmm… I'll let you off this time. But next time, Kael… don't disappear on me without telling me first."
Her words dripped like honey, her smirk lingering as she finally stepped aside. Kael slipped past, his face burning while his friends grinned, whispering and mocking him from the back.
Kael hissed, pretending to ignore them, but his heart was beating faster than he wanted to admit.
...
Kael was still trying to steady his breath after Mia's close-up tease when another voice—softer, trembling—broke through the buzz of the class.
"Uh-huh… Kael…"
He froze.
His name had never sounded like that before.
Turning, his eyes widened. Aimee was standing just a step away from her desk, her cheeks red, her gaze fixed low to the ground. She didn't meet his eyes—no, she couldn't. Instead, her fingers fiddled nervously with each other, twisting and tapping like a child's innocent play.
Kael's chest tightened. He had never seen her like this. Shy. Fragile. And all of it directed at him.
"You… you haven't been to class earlier…" her voice stumbled like every word was a mountain to climb. "I hope… you're good."
Kael's mind dashed into chaos. What… what is this feeling? His throat ran dry, and for a second, he forgot how to speak.
His lips parted, but nothing came. He stammered, "Y-yeah… I-I'm fine… I just…" His words broke into a nervous chuckle, awkward and almost childlike.
Inside, his thoughts screamed at him. Damn you, Kael this is it! This is your chance to finally talk to her, to hit it up, to—
But before he could think further, Aimee did something that shattered him completely.
She stepped forward. Her arms lifted hesitantly, almost trembling, then she leaned in.. hugging him.
Kael froze like the whole world stopped. His mind blanked, his soul burned, and for a moment, it felt like death itself had been reversed inside him, a dead man coming back to life.
Her head lowered against his chest, her hair brushing him, her cheeks still burning red. She didn't look at him, just held him there with quiet shyness, her body soft, fragile, yet real.
His breath caught, his heart slamming hard. He could hardly believe it was happening.
He felt everything. The shy press of her curves, the nervous grip of her arms, the rhythm of her breath quickening against him. It wasn't just a hug, it was an entire world collapsing into his chest.
Kael's hands shook at his sides. He wanted to hold her back, to draw her closer, but he was paralyzed, overwhelmed by how alive.. how erotically alive—she made him feel in that one instant.
Her breasts… damn, she's so soft… she's so warm… His thoughts spiraled into places he didn't dare linger, but the fire of her body against his dragged him deeper.
Behind them, Jacob and the others nearly choked. They slapped hands over their mouths, their eyes wide.
"Wha—did she just ?!" one whispered, voice breaking.
"Bro… no way…" the other muttered, stunned, their eyes darting between Kael and Aimee like they couldn't believe reality.
He wanted to move, to hug her back, but his body was stone. His thoughts raced wild, his imagination exploding too fast for him to control. She hugged me… she actually… hugged me.
It was soft. Warm. Fragile. And it burned through his chest like a fire he never wanted to end.
Mia had slipped in unnoticed at first, but now she stood leaning against the wall, her arms folded, a low smirk tugging at her lips. She didn't move, didn't interrupt, she only watched. Her eyes were sharp, glinting with something dangerous, not jealousy, but awareness. She knew exactly how Kael felt in that moment. She could see it in his stiff shoulders, his trembling breath, the heat that betrayed him.
Kael caught her gaze just briefly and it nearly unraveled him. He swallowed hard, his throat tight, before forcing himself to act. His hands, hesitant at first, lifted and pressed against Aimee's back. Then slowly… lower.
He hugged her back.
Not a shallow touch, not a polite pat—but real, firm, deliberate. His hands slid lower until he could feel the curve of her waist, resting dangerously close to her hips. The softness under his palms burned into him, a sensation so raw it left him gasping inwardly.
Aimee's head stayed low, her cheeks flushed crimson. But a small sound escaped her—a soft, breathy tsshh, like a suppressed giggle or a whisp of shyness turned into a sigh. Her lips tugged into the faintest smirk, barely visible, as if part of her liked his daring boldness.
Kael's chest felt like it might burst. His body screamed, his heart pounded, and yet he tried to keep his expression steady, casual, normal. But inside? Inside he was undone.
Behind them, Mia's smirk only deepened. She tilted her head, as though savoring the entire scene like a secret she alone could read.
And then—just like that the spell broke.
His dreams already coming to reality.
The class stirred as the lecturer's voice rang through the room. Desks scraped, books opened, the rhythm of normal school life snapped back into motion.
But Kael wasn't there. Not really.
He sat at his desk, pen in hand, but the ink barely touched paper. His eyes flickered toward Aimee again and again, catching the curve of her cheek, the delicate way her hair framed her face, the memory of how her body had clung to him moments ago.
Every word from the board blurred. Every voice drowned out.
All Kael could think of… was Aimee.
Her warmth. Her shyness. The press of her breasts. The grip of her arms. The hidden smirk that betrayed more than innocence.
And the fire that now burned uncontrollably inside him.