The dim bar buzzed faintly with chatter and the clink of glasses. Smoke curled lazily under the lights, and the smell of whiskey hung thick in the air.
Leaning against the pool table, Rom arched a brow at the man brooding over his drink. "Ray, you' re acting weird. Not calling for your husband, not going home—wasting away in a bar instead. What' s gotten into you?"
Ray lifted his sharp face from the rim of his glass, brow cocked. His voice was flat.
"Who' s my husband? I' m single. Don' t make things up."
Pyramid folded his arms and shook his head, unimpressed. His friend could lie to anyone—except them.
"You' re just scared people will find out you begged to live with him because you' re a politician' s son, huh?"
Ray didn' t answer. He downed his drink instead, the burn of alcohol doing little to drown the ache in his chest. Rom waved him closer with a smirk, clearly unwilling to let him off the hook.
"What is it then? Jealous of him and that little lieutenant Midth' s sleeping with?"
"…Not exactly."
"Then spit it out already. Don' t mumble like a lovesick idiot—it' s annoying."
Ray raked his hand through his hair and let out a heavy sigh.
"I don' t think I' ll be going back to him."
The three friends froze, exchanging stunned looks. Was this a joke? The man who' d been practically glued to Inspector R was now saying he was done?
"What' s that supposed to mean? You pissed at him again?"
Ray leaned back against the pool table, trying to mask the bitterness twisting in his gut. His voice dropped low.
"He never felt anything for me. At first, yeah, I was jealous of that lieutenant. But I still believed he' d choose me. Then before he signed the deal with my parents, he said it himself—that he never expected anything from me, and assumed I never expected anything from him. That' s why we 'worked.' But one day I slipped up and asked if we weren' t a family. He didn' t answer. He just told me to go find a new sugar daddy."
Ray poured himself another full glass, knocking it back with a bitter laugh.
"Figures. No wonder he let me go. Normally he' d restrict my games, but this time… it wasn' t just about games."
He hopped onto the table, legs swinging carelessly.
"Maybe being some rich politician' s son is better than being a cop' s dog, anyway."
Pyramid narrowed his eyes and jabbed a finger at him.
"Bullshit. You like being collared and dragged around by that cop too much."
Versaille slammed his glass down with a sharp clack, smirking coldly.
"He' s right. Stop lying. You' re nothing but a mutt who loves being chained."
Ray' s fists clenched at the memory—the necklace being taken off and dropped into his hand. The feeling was as brutal as a doctor pronouncing him permanently broken.
"What do you want me to do? The guy clearly prefers calm, dependable types like that lieutenant. Didn' t you hear? He literally threw himself in front of a car to save someone else' s wife. Tragic, romantic, all that crap. How the hell am I supposed to compete? I just sat around waiting for him like a damn house pet. Do you know how frustrating that is?!"
Pyramid crossed his arms, chin raised defiantly.
"Don' t drag me into your mess. I don' t have a husband. If you can' t even make your own man love you, don' t take it out on me."
Ray gave a low, mocking laugh, leaning closer.
"Please. You' re his wife. Just give in already—let him fuck you a couple of times and he' ll stick. Then he' ll stop sniffing around mine."
Pyramid' s eyes widened, outrage blazing. (A couple of times? Bullshit! Ninety-nine times wasn' t enough—what is this, a Guinness World Record attempt?!)
Humiliation burned hot in his chest. His small palm slammed against the table with a thunderous bang.
"Asshole! At least I gave myself up to him. You can' t even keep your own man satisfied. Fuck him all you want, he still thinks your jizz is worthless. Pathetic!"
Ray sneered, shoving Pyramid' s head back with his hand.
"Watch it, shorty. Don' t you dare insult my cum. Virgins like you wouldn' t know how good it is. You want proof? Come fight me. Don' t think I' ll go easy just because you' re family."
Pyramid leapt onto the table, finger jabbing his chest.
"Fine! Bring it on, you dumb mutt!"
Versaille pressed a hand to his forehead and groaned.
"This… this is the glorious future of politics? God help us."
"Yaaahhh!" Ray roared as Pyramid lunged forward—
—and sank his teeth straight into Ray' s ear.
"AAAAHHH! GET HIM OFF! GET THIS CRAZY BRAT OFF ME, HE' S GONNA RIP MY EAR OFF!"
Rom covered his face with both hands, sighing heavily.
"…Idiots."
Versaille just shrugged, rolling his eyes.
"Hopeless."
Later that night, Pyramid left the bar alone, the engine of his car growling as he slammed the accelerator.
Truth was, he' d been unsettled ever since hearing about Yuu—the lieutenant who' d thrown himself in front of a car to save R. Ray had said it so bitterly, but the image stuck in Pyramid' s mind.
Even people who looked perfect together could fall apart so suddenly. Relationships without commitment, without a name, could collapse faster than anyone imagined.
And just hearing someone' s name… was enough to make him ache with longing.
Together, they' d fought, argued, made love, over and over. He' d gotten used to the comfort of that chaotic warmth—
So much that now, without it, the emptiness clawed unbearably at his chest.