This is part 3 of Chapter 7. Chapter 8 is almost available on Patreon.
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After hastily exiting Meilin's room, Ningshun's mind raced, his heart pounding with the lingering effects of her suggestive words. Cheeks still tingling from embarrassment, he turned a corner and leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath.
"She must be messing with me, right? Gotta be some kind of prank," he muttered, half to himself.
Yet, the memory of her misbehaving grin and husky voice lingered, leaving him even more flustered. He pushed himself off the wall and strode down the corridor to his room.
After five minutes under the icy water, Ningshun emerged from the shower, his jet-black hair still dripping as he wrapped a towel around his waist. Taking a deep breath, he slowly exhaled, the chill of the air contrasting with the warmth of his thoughts.
"She's only been here for a week," he muttered, a wry smirk tugging at his lips, "and already stirring things up like it's been ages." He shook his head, trying to clear his mind as he caught his reflection in the mirror. "Stay focused, Ningshun."
Exiting the bathroom dressed entirely in black, he padded down the corridor, bare feet softly tapping on the polished floor, passing Han and Hooman.
"By the way, have you seen Kaili?" Han asked, his brows furrowing.
"Saw him hanging around Meilin's door just now," Hooman replied in a casual manner.
Ningshun's steps faltered momentarily at Hooman's response. Resisting the urge to glance back, he maintained a calm stride down the corridor until he reached the stairs. 'He'll show up downstairs in two minutes,' he reasoned, descending to the kitchen to make a cappuccino.
Ten minutes ticked by in the kitchen with Han and Hooman chatting and enjoying breakfast, but neither Kaili nor Meilin appeared. A subtle furrow creased Ningshun's brow as he absentmindedly scrolled through his phone, his thoughts drifting back to Han and Hooman's words. Drumming his fingers on the countertop, he pretended interest in the conversation while his unease grew. With a swift motion, he stood up, startling Han and Hooman, who exchanged curious glances as he exited the kitchen.
His stomach twisted with sudden suspicion as he glanced toward Meilin's room, the pieces falling into place in a way that set his nerves on edge. With a commanding stride, he approached her door, his ear leaning in to catch faint shuffling sounds. His eyebrows twitched, and his fist clenched with firmness. Without a second thought, he straightened up and barged through the door.
But what greeted him brought him to a standstill.
Meilin sat alone on her bed, surrounded by open packages of snacks. Her flushed cheeks mirrored his surprise as he entered, and she quickly hid the snacks under her sheets.
"N-Ningshun? What are you doing here?" she stammered, taken aback by his penetrating gaze as he scanned the room. "Ningshun?"
His intense gaze softened over time, though his voice remained calm. "Indulging in chocolate, are we?"
"No!" Her denial came out sharper than intended, her pulse quickening as she met his blade-sharp gaze and thought, 'Why did I say that!'
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he slowly prowled toward her bed. His amused expression sent a thrill down her spine, his sharp features catching the light. Standing over her, he leaned in, his mint-green eyes fixated on her lips with intrigue. "Then what's this stain on your mouth?"
Her breath hitched as his gaze intensified, and she felt his eyes like a touch against her skin. Regaining her composure, she scoffed. "You've never seen lipstick before?"
Ningshun did not flinch as he closed the distance between them just enough to feel her warm breath on his face. "Lipstick, huh?" His voice dropped to a husky murmur, his eyes still holding hers captive before he pulled back. Folding his arms across his chest, his smirk widened. "You little deceiver."
Meilin's cheeks flushed as she shifted under his gaze. "Okay, maybe I had a little."
"And a little more?" he teased, pulling out a chocolate bar from beneath her sheets and holding it in front of her with a knowing grin. "As a pro player, you—"
"Yeah, I know! I just don't agree with it," Meilin interrupted, looking rattled. "Besides, I was going to share some with you this morning."
He tilted his head, studying her with newfound curiosity. "To bribe me?"
"No, to thank you... for helping me get on this team."
Deep in thought, Ningshun recalled their earlier conversation, and realization dawned in an instant. "So, all that talk about satisfying me and the coach not approving... It was about sharing chocolate?"
"Well, that... was part of it," she admitted with a sheepish smile.
"And the other part?" His eyes flickered with amusement.
"I may have bought... a few other snacks too," she confessed, gesturing toward the open box near her bed.
Glancing at the box he had placed there earlier, he pieced together the clues. 'So, she wasn't...' he paused his thought, a chuckle escaping him. 'She meant this all along?'
"Can you not tell the coach?" she pleaded, her large eyes beseeching him.
Meeting her gaze, he softened. "Alright, I owe you that much... Not that I was going to anyway," he replied with a gentle smile.
She beamed back at him. "Thank you so much! Here, take that bar with you. I have plenty, as you can see."
Taking the chocolate bar, Ningshun held her gaze for a moment. "Thanks, Meilin." But before he could turn to leave, someone burst into the room.
"Hey, I'm—" Kaili's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the leader.
"You!" both men exclaimed at the same time.
Ningshun narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?" his tone calm but commanding.
Kaili raised an eyebrow, refusing to back down. "I'm invited. What are you doing here?"
"What?"
Meilin quickly interjected, "Oh, yeah, I was bored, so I asked Kaili if he wanted to hang out... You seemed busy this morning."
Ningshun let out a low chuckle. "Busy?"
"Yeah, you said you were going to wash—"
"Right! Let's not!" Ningshun interrupted, his voice firm.
She blinked, catching his alarmed expression. "So... uh, wanna join us?" her soft voice reached his ears.
Ningshun shook his head, a smile on his lips. "Sounds fun, but I've got some things to handle."
"Alright," Kaili said, glancing at the clock. "Actually, I should probably get going too. Practice starts soon... but we can hang out later, right?" Turning to her, he said with a smile, "But in general, if you need anything—snacks, water, a dorm tour, or just company—you can knock on my door, okay?"
Ningshun's jaw tightened, but he maintained his composure, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "Easy there, Casanova," he murmured, gently dragging Kaili out of her room.
Meilin stifled a laugh as she watched Kaili's feet sliding across the floor, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Whoa there, alpha Chad," Kaili laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just being friendly."
"Sure you are," Ningshun said with sarcasm, the grin still on his face as they stood in the corridor.
"Dude, first of all, I have a date tonight. Second of all, we all agreed we wouldn't make a move on her, including you and me. That was the condition the coach set, remember? She's off-limits anyway." With that, Kaili headed down the corridor.
Ningshun mulled over Kaili's words as he lingered for a moment longer, scoffing and shaking his head. "Whatever. Not that I care about that anyway," he muttered under his breath and strode down the corridor.
Arriving at his door, he leaned against it, his gaze fixed absently on the floor. Running a hand through his hair, he stepped into his room and paced over to his desk, his thoughts still racing.
Glancing at the clock on his desk, he sighed with a quiet breath. 'It's still early, but I'm so mentally drained... I'm losing my mi—' He quickly dismissed the notion and started his computer. 'Maybe I should check my emails.'
Yet, despite his attempts to focus, he could not shake off the disturbing thoughts—a tall man with fiery glowing eyes, long flowing hair, and an ominous black sword that had struck him in the chest, right at the heart.
Frustration twisted in his chest like a tightening knot as he gripped the metal frame of the desk with a firm hold. "You can try," he whispered, his eyes narrowing. "But between you and me..." A faint smirk played on his lips. "I decide how this ends."
With a deep breath, he exited his room with purpose. Behind him, the damaged metal frame of the desk bore a deep, crescent-shaped indentation where the surface had twisted, and the paint around it had cracked and chipped from his fingers pressing into it moments earlier.
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