Later that night
"Why haven' t you come home…?"
Reya' s chest burned with jealousy, a feverish restlessness that only grew the longer his messages went unanswered. He typed out another whiny line, hoping for any reply from the inspector—but the silence stretched on.
What would happen if we weren' t together?
The thought gnawed at him. He bit down on his lower lip, unable to keep still, gripping his game controller so hard the plastic creaked.
Click, click, click— furious button presses echoed in the dark room.
...
.
XYZzy Hospital
The steady beep… beep… of the monitor filled the patient ward. The sharp scent of antiseptic hung in the air. Yuu lay motionless on the bed, his body swathed in pale sheets, while R sat silently by his side, shoulders stiff with exhaustion.
Then..
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps thundered down the hall. The door slammed open. Reya stormed in, face flushed, eyes burning red, tears threatening to spill. His whole body trembled, fists clenched white as bone.
"Inspector R!" His voice cracked, raw and close to breaking.
"Why haven' t you come home!?"
R turned, startled, brows furrowing. "Reya… How did you get here?"
Reya stood at the foot of the bed, panting, glaring at the man he' d been yearning for. "Two days! You didn' t come home, didn' t pick up your phone did you forget to feed your dog?!"
R blinked, confused.
"Sorry, things have been… complicated."
Reya' s jaw clenched, fury spilling out like fire. "So you' re just going to abandon your dog, huh!?"
"…What?" The inspector' s brow shot up, genuinely surprised at the outburst.
"If you don' t have to take care of me, life' s easier, right!?" Reya' s voice rang through the room, loud enough that the nurses outside turned to stare.
R narrowed his eyes, his tone dropping low and firm. "I told you before—not to raise your voice in public."
Reya bit his lip so hard it bled. A hollow, bitter laugh escaped him. "I used to be tame… but now I' m a rabid dog!" He stepped closer, tears streaming down his flushed cheeks. "You didn' t even think to call me, did you? Not once did it cross your mind how I' d be waiting!"
R sighed, weariness pulling at his features. Between writing endless reports, coordinating with doctors, and sitting vigil over the injured Yuu who had saved him, he had pushed Reya to the bottom of his list without realizing.
His sharp eyes—darkened by sleepless nights—met Reya' s wet, desperate gaze. His voice was calm, too calm, as he lifted his hands and placed them gently around the young man' s neck.
The faint clink of silver broke the air. Reya froze. The chain around his neck the collar R had once taken—slipped loose in his grasp.
"If you keep depending on others… this is what happens. Don' t expect too much from me. I hate complications."
His flat gaze met Reya' s pleading one.
"You used to drift through life so simply, with no expectations. Now you' re asking me things I don' t even understand." With one swift tug, R unhooked the chain, pulling it from Reya' s throat, leaving his neck bare.
Reya staggered back as if struck, breath stuttering. His voice cracked, raw with pain. "Am I really that pathetic in your eyes…?"
R placed the silver chain into his palm, closing his fingers around it. The gesture felt like a blade driven deep into Reya' s chest.
"Aren' t we… family?"
The silence pressed heavy. Even the rhythm of the heart monitor sounded cruel.
"I' ve been alone my whole life," R said quietly. "When you showed up, I didn' t know what to do. It wasn' t bad, but I' ve told you before I don' t live with much of a personal life."
Reya' s tears spilled faster. "Then just call. Send a message. Ask someone to tell me to come here. That' s all. That' s all. Is that really impossible?"
The words cracked through the sterile room like thunder.
But all R could do was sigh again. His back slumped as if under a weight no one else could see. He adjusted Yuu' s blanket, making sure the air conditioning wasn' t too cold, before resting a hand on the edge of the bed.
"…I' m tired. If your life is changing… if you' re looking for stability… I may not be what you need."
His voice softened—a tone Reya had never wanted to hear.
"Maybe… you should try being with someone else."
The chain slipped from Reya' s trembling hand. His whole body went numb, heart seizing painfully in his chest. He wanted to reach out, to hold the inspector' s hand..but rage and heartbreak surged stronger. With a choked breath, he spun on his heel and bolted from the room.
R wasn' t his. Not his lover. Not his future. Not the man who would ever promise us two, together. R was air—essential to breathe, but untouchable, ungraspable.
Days later
Reality caught up at last.
The four heirs of political dynasties arrived one by one, dressed in suits and ties.
Tall, imposing figures with carefully pressed collars and expensive shoes—they exchanged only curt nods before marching into the grand conference room where their parents and handlers waited.
Their footsteps echoed across polished marble. The crisp suits and tight ties made them look like men grown, nothing like the rowdy boys who only yesterday were half-naked in an underground bar, laughing over games and snacks.
Today, every step felt chained, every breath dragged down by invisible weight.
Rome leaned toward Versailles, muttering under his breath. "I thought Rey wouldn' t show up."
Versailles frowned. "I thought Pyramid wouldn' t. He usually bails on everything."
Pyramid gave a humorless laugh, eyes hard. "Where the hell would I run? My old man dragged me here himself."
"I got all my gear confiscated. Won' t get it back until I sign," Versailles muttered with a resigned nod.
"Same. They shut down my whole crypto farm. If I don' t agree, it' s finished."
Their hushed voices carried the weight of stress, bouncing uselessly against walls of power they couldn' t fight.
But Reya didn' t say a word.
He walked with them, face carved in stone, the usual mischief gone. His eyes were bloodshot, lips pressed thin as if a single word would make him explode.
Rome glanced at him again and couldn' t help scoffing. "What the hell' s wrong with you, Rey? You look constipated or something."
Still, Reya said nothing. Not even a glance. His heavy breaths were the only answer.
Pyramid opened his mouth, hesitating, then muttered, "It' s not just the family stuff, is it?"
Reya' s silence was answer enough.
The three of them exchanged a glance. Whatever was crushing their loud, reckless friend it was heavier than any of them had ever seen before