"That's because… I'm a bit lazy. So Madam gave me a punishment. Haha."
"But that's quite a long time, isn't it, Riku-chan? You were banned for four months."
The other omega, seated next to Hajime-san, said this with a fake pout dripping with mock pity. His innocent expression was a flimsy mask, but Riku didn't seem to care much.
"Yeah, for four months I just worked as a regular server… It was fine by me."
"Ah, I heard you got into a fight that left your face bruised, Riku-chan. And Madam is very particular about the appearance of her workers, especially in the VIP section."
Leon didn't want to hear another word if that omega was trying to humiliate Riku. He cut in sharply, "A fight? What kind of idiot would dare hurt a face as cute as yours?"
"....?"
"Aha, Keiji-san, don't you know Riku's nickname is Wild Cat? That's because he can be extremely violent with clients when he's in a bad mood."
Surprisingly, despite the omega's clear attempt to provoke him, Riku's face remained calm. "We shouldn't be talking about me. You're making the clients uncomfortable, Shion-chan. Look, Hajime-san's glass is empty."
The omega's face paled instantly, and he hurriedly struck up a new conversation with Hajime-san, who didn't seem to mind at all that he hadn't refilled his drink. Leon stared at Riku, and this time, Riku weakly met his gaze, a faint blush tinting his cheeks. Damn, Leon's heart pounded so fast it felt like it might burst.
How could this man have matured without his face changing one damn bit—still matching the vivid image burned into Leon's mind? He'd always imagined Ethan staying gorgeous even into middle age, and though they weren't quite there yet, that flawless, breathtaking face—shit, just thinking about it yanked him back to what he'd overheard. Ethan in a fight? Wild Cat? Whatever happened, Leon was dead certain Ethan wasn't entirely to blame. If his nature hadn't changed, the Ethan Leon knew was the kind of guy who would never stay silent when taunted first.
"Is something on my face, Keiji-san?"
Ethan's blink, those long, delicate lashes fluttering, made Leon want to drag his tongue across them— damn it, his thoughts spiraling to a dangerous territory. He mentally slapped himself. His feelings hadn't faded in the slightest. Sure, he'd buried them, pretending he had no time for romance, but Ethan was always his weakness.
Grimacing, Leon let out a bitter chuckle in his head. He knew if Ethan recognized him now, there's no way he'd be sitting this close, not in a million years.
A flood of questions burned to spill out.
Why don't you recognize me?
Why the hell are you working here, in that sexy-ass outfit? How did you end up in Japan? When did you move here? What's gone down in your life these past twelve years?
Every question stayed choked back because Leon couldn't bear Ethan recognizing him. It was better if Ethan didn't know that this guy, hiding behind the Japanese name Keiji, was the shitty alpha from their middle school days.
"Aha, what's that, Keiji-san? Is it because you're not super fluent in Japanese, so you're struggling to respond? But Hajime-san said you understand Japanese well enough and can talk like a native."
"That… I can speak Japanese, but my accent kinda screams foreigner, huh? I look like foreigner, right?"
"Yeah, especially … green eyes are rare for Japanese people. But abroad, especially American and European, green, blue, or those in-between shades are pretty common. I like it, green eye color."
"You… like it?"
"Yeah. It's a beautiful color."
"Thanks, E, I mean— uh, thanks for the compliment, Riku-chan. Your eyes are beautiful too."
Shit, shit, shit, his heart felt like it was about to explode. Leon had to be damn careful not to slip and call Riku by Ethan's name. Back then, Leon never once heard Ethan compliment his features, so now, a simple praise like this sent a weird, fluttery feeling twisting through his gut.
A hand suddenly crept up from under his arm, stopping at his shoulder with a gentle squeeze. Like a broken robot, Leon's head turned to see who was touching him. Riku was staring at him, his eyes clearly teasing, practically daring him.
Leon's gaze unintentionally slid from Riku's eyes to his nose, then lingered on his lips. They were slightly chapped, a small patch of peeling skin barely noticeable from afar thanks to their natural pink hue— but up close like this, Leon's focus zeroed in on that spot. He let out a soft chuckle, thinking how even those perpetually dry lips hadn't changed. Back in the day, he used to nag Ethan about that habit he couldn't seem to kick— biting his lips when nervous or confused. Leon had seen him countless times picking at them afterward.
It was adorable how some things stayed exactly the same.
Riku, hearing Leon's soft breath, laughed along with him. "What's that? Staring at me like you want to poke a hole in my face? Or… do you want to kiss me? Sorry, Keiji-san, I don't do that kind of work. Other omegas might offer that kind of fanservice for a tip, of course only with their consent, that's the rule in this club. I keep clients company for drinks, but I don't provide any sexual services."
"Really? You're telling the truth?"
"Yeah…"
Leon let out a quiet breath of relief, but just as quickly, he mentally shook his head. Even if Ethan didn't offer fanservice like that, the way he was acting now, sitting so damn close, dressed in that sexy outfit, and touching him without hesitation— meant he wasn't doing this just with Leon. Of course not. Before Leon showed up, plenty of other guys must've sat beside him. Leon had no right to be pissed imagining how those bastard men probably ogled Ethan with their filthy eyes.
"However…" Ethan leaned in closer, his hand now curling around Leon's upper arm, giving it a soft squeeze that made Leon instinctively straighten up, staring at him with disbelief. Ethan softened his voice to a whisper. "Though, I can do more outside of work. You're just my type, Keiji-san."
"…...."
The moment he heard that, a strange, suffocating feeling gripped his chest, making Leon tug at Ethan's hold to loosen it. He shifted slightly, putting some distance between them. "Keiji, when's your uncle coming here? Haha, I heard he's busting his ass to expand his business into Southeast Asia. The gambling industry's got so much potential—" The old man, Hajime-san, said something, but Leon shot up from his seat. Without looking at anyone, he muttered,
"Excuse me. I'm going to the restroom." And he bolted toward the exit, walking as fast as he could, completely forgetting there was already a restroom right inside the VIP room.
His mind was a mess. Leon kicked the restroom door, catching his reflection in the mirror— a guy staring back with a face so damn pathetic it hurt to look. Even trying to laugh felt bitter.
Realizing Ethan didn't remember him at all stung like hell. But when Leon thought back to how he looked in middle school compared to now, nearing thirty, he had changed drastically. It made sense Ethan didn't recognize him, especially after Leon's insane growth spurt as an alpha.
Still, deep down, a small part of him wished Ethan would feel even a flicker of familiarity.
"Ha, what the fuck am I thinking…"
Leon twisted the faucet, splashing water on his face, hoping it might cool the chaos in his head. He stared at his reflection again— his once neatly styled hair now slightly disheveled. He fixed his collar, letting out a heavy sigh. Thank God the restroom was empty, he needed this brief moment alone to calm his racing heart.
Yeah, his heart was still racing uncomfortably. The image of Ethan in the VIP room slammed into his mind, and Leon's fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles went white almost without him noticing.