Ren had never been more desperate to escape a restaurant in his life.
The silence after Kaito's outrageous invitation still lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating. Aya's hands trembled in her lap, and he could feel her panic even without looking. He stood abruptly, grabbed her hand, and muttered, "We're leaving."
But before he could take a step, another hand latched onto his wrist.
Ren turned, startled, and met Shou Wei's sharp, unblinking gaze.
"Why him, Ren?" Shou Wei's voice was low, rough with suppressed emotion. His grip was firm, not painful, but unyielding. "Why choose Akira over me?"
Aya's stomach dropped. Choose?
Shou Wei's eyes flicked between them, his jaw tight. "You both… you're the same type. The same kind. Both… bottoms."
Aya nearly choked on air. Her face heated as Ren sputtered like a broken kettle.
"Wha—Shou Wei!" Ren's voice went embarrassingly high. "Don't say things like that here!"
But before either could react further, Kaito leaned back in his chair, utterly relaxed, and threw fuel on the fire.
"Well then," he drawled, lips curling, "why don't we exchange friends tonight? A fair trade. If Akira's the 'top' between you two, then I'd like to experience what it feels like to be on the bottom with him."
The words hit Aya like a thunderclap.
Her entire body went rigid, blood rushing to her ears. She couldn't even look at Ren—his mortified silence was deafening.
And then something inside her snapped.
She leaned forward, meeting Kaito's amused gaze head-on, and asked, voice steady despite the tremor in her chest:
"Are you gay?"
Kaito blinked, caught off guard. For the first time all evening, his smirk faltered. "What?"
Aya repeated, sharper this time. "Are you gay?"
Kaito's brows furrowed. "…Yes?"
Aya stood, pulling Ren up with her. "Because I'm not. So you'd better find someone else to play your games with."
The words hung in the air like a blade.
Before either Shou Wei or Kaito could respond, Aya tightened her grip on Ren's hand and strode toward the door, her pulse racing but her steps steady. Ren, too stunned to argue, followed without a word.
Behind them, the two best friends sat frozen, shock etched across their faces.
---
Back at the apartment, the adrenaline finally drained out of Aya. She collapsed onto her bed, hugging her pillow like it was a lifeline. Her cheeks burned as the scene replayed in her head. The audacity of Kaito. The piercing hurt in Shou Wei's eyes. The way she had shouted her truth in the middle of a crowded restaurant.
What on earth did I just do?
Her spiraling thoughts were cut short by a sudden, slow clap.
Ren, leaning against her doorway with a wide grin, clapped again. "That's my boy. Well done!"
Aya sat up, scandalized. "Ren!"
"I'm serious!" Ren stepped in, his eyes gleaming with pride. "You were amazing! Cold, sharp, straight to the point—you handled it perfectly. The way you shut Kaito down? Chef's kiss." He mimed throwing a rose at her.
Aya buried her face in her pillow with a groan. "Don't make fun of me."
"I'm not!" Ren plopped onto the bed beside her, still buzzing with excitement. "I swear, Aya, if you were actually my boyfriend, you'd be perfect. You did such a good job today. So smooth. So bold. Ugh, I'm jealous—why can't I be that cool under pressure?"
Aya peeked at him from behind the pillow, lips twitching despite herself. "You're ridiculous."
Ren flopped onto his back dramatically, sighing in admiration. "Ridiculous for you. Honestly, Aya, you might just pull this off. You could be the perfect boyfriend."
Aya hugged the pillow tighter, her heart thudding. She wasn't sure if Ren's words were meant as comfort or a curse.
But as she lay there, her best friend's laughter filling the room, she realized something terrifying.
Tonight, for the first time, she hadn't felt like she was acting.
---