Ethan burst into the room, frustration clear on his face. He slammed the door shut and dropped onto the couch. Bast sat silently at his desk, eyes fixed on a set of files.
"You always ruin my mood," Ethan grumble. "Seriously."
Still not looking up, Bast asked, "Were you with Miles?"
Ethan scoffed, "Leave it. Why did you call me so urgently?"
Bast finally met his eyes. "Rico visited me today."
Ethan's eyes widened. "What? That bastard? Why did he show up now?"
"He's keeping an eye on Kai," Bast said quietly.
Ethan clenched his fists. "What the hell does he want with Kai?"
"I don't know," Bast replied. "But he said some things that Kai overheard… and I think Kai misunderstood."
Ethan nodded, his tone more serious now. "Then talk to him, Bast. He needs to hear the truth—before Rico twists it even more."
Bast sighed and rubbed his temple. "He's not answering my calls."
"Then go to him," Ethan said firmly. "And don't worry. I'll look into Rico's plans. If he's got something up his sleeve, I'll find it."
Bast nodded slowly, his expression torn between guilt and determination.
Kai swam quietly in the pool, letting the water cool his thoughts. A housekeeper approached and placed a glass of juice on the pool's edge.
Kai took a sip, murmuring to himself, "What does he think? It's my life. I can do whatever I want. Meeting Elina, going to clubs, drinking… No—drinking's a bad idea. Every time I drink, I end up in Bast's bed."
He sighed, staring at the ripples in the water. "What should I do? And who was that man visiting Bast today? His boyfriend? The way he spoke—like they were something…"
Kai took another sip, annoyed at his own thoughts. "Why do I keep thinking about him? I need some distance."
A calm voice interrupted his thoughts. "Because you like me."
Kai nearly dropped the glass, spinning around. "What are you doing here?"
Bast stood by the pool, hands in his pockets. "You didn't answer my calls."
Kai stepped out of the pool, water dripping down his skin as he grabbed a towel and began drying himself off. Bast stood quietly nearby, watching him for a moment before softly saying, "I'm sorry… for how I acted today."
Without waiting for a response, Bast wrapped his arms around Kai from behind. Kai stayed still, his face unreadable.
After a short pause, Kai turned slightly and asked, "Who was that man at the office?"
Bast smiled faintly. "He's my ex."
Kai immediately pulled away and slipped on a shirt. "Why are you telling me this now?"
Bast walked up and leaned closer, studying Kai's expression. "Are you jealous?"
Kai's cheeks flushed. "Why would I be jealous?"
Bast chuckled, gently pulling him in and kissing him softly. "He betrayed me. We broke up a long time ago. There's nothing between us now… so don't be mad, my baby."
Kai stepped back, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Who's mad?" he mumbled, turning quickly as if to escape.
But Bast was faster—he followed Kai right into the room with a sly grin.
Bast kissed Kai's neck gently and whispered, "If you want to drink, I don't mind. Drink as much as you want—I'll take care of you."
Kai pushed him away lightly. "I don't want to drink and end up doing silly things again."
Bast smirked, wrapping his arms around Kai's waist and pulling him close. "Silly things?" he repeated teasingly, kissing Kai again and again. "Let's do those silly things again."
Kai turned his face away, flustered. "Enough, Bast…"
But Bast held him tighter. "Don't be mad at me."
Kai sighed and said, "Okay, just let me go."
"Give me a kiss first," Bast said with a playful grin.
"No."
"Then I'm not letting you go," Bast teased, holding him tighter.
Kai rolled his eyes, leaned in, and gave him a quick, soft kiss. Bast smiled, satisfied. "Good. Now get ready—I've got a surprise for you today."
Kai sat silently in the car, glancing out the window as Bast drove with a faint smile on his face.
"Where are we going?" Kai asked softly.
"It's a surprise," Bast replied.
Soon, they arrived at a beach. Kai looked around, confused. "The beach? At night?"
Bast stepped out, walked over, and gently grabbed Kai's wrist. "Come on," he said with a grin.
Then he placed his hands gently over Kai's eyes. "No peeking."
After a short walk, Bast stopped and whispered, "Okay—open your eyes."
Kai blinked, stunned by the view before him. A beautifully decorated dining table was set on the beach, lit softly by romantic lights. The waves shimmered under the moonlight, and the air was filled with the scent of fresh seafood and flowers.
Bast pulled out a chair. "Have a seat."
Still in shock, Kai sat down quietly.
"You like it?" Bast asked, watching his expression.
Kai hesitated. "It's… nice. But why go this far? It feels like we're a couple... like we're on a date."jo
Bast smiled, his gaze soft. "And what if we are?"
Kai quickly looked away, flustered. "Let's just eat."