Before the newcomers could register a single trace of the scene, Leansei's fast reflexes saved them. Moving on pure, explosive survival instinct, he forcefully shoved Xerchin away, creating a safe physical distance as he frantically fixed the lapels of his uniform jacket. The students stopped dead in their tracks, looking back and forth between the Vice President and the elite athlete with thoroughly awkward, confused expressions. Xerchin's joyful smile withered into ice-cold fury in a fraction of a second, his light blue eyes narrowing into a lethal glare directed straight at the intruders.
Overwhelmed by pure, unadulterated embarrassment, Leansei didn't wait around for a single second. He broke away from the sink area, rushed out past their shoulders, and sprinted down the corridor back toward the main gymnasium.
The moment his feet hit the court floor, Xeilin spotted his frantic entrance from the table. He strode over, reviewing his papers. "Where on earth have you been hiding, kean? I was just about to—"
Xeilin cut his own sentence short midway. Leansei's cheeks were flushed a brilliant, breathless shade of crimson, his chest heaving as he completely failed to formulate a coherent response. Noting his silence, Xeilin's eyes drifted past his shoulder—only to lock onto Xerchin, who was walking into the gym a pace behind him, his own ears burning a distinct shade of dark red. The student council president let out a long, knowing sigh, slowly shaking his head in absolute amusement as the pieces of the puzzle clicked.
.
The final hours of rehearsal and decoration proceeded throughout the entire day, the rhythmic thumping of bass and the rustle of tinsel filling the large gymnasium. Leansei and Xerchin were practically inseparable unless their specific rehearsal blocks forced them into different zones. For the very first time since the council preparations began, Xerchin was actively helping to mount the massive stage backdrops, completely ignoring it even when Leansei explicitly told him he didn't have to carry the heavy wood. The athlete had simply insisted, his unbothered facade melting into a quiet, protective focus whenever he was near the boy.
Beidhen eventually sauntered into the hall, stopping dead in his tracks as his light eyes locked onto the shocking sight of his older brother holding a staple gun to assist Leansei with the garland decorations. He slowly shook his head in absolute disbelief before turning to glance at Xeilin, who was checking items off a master list.
"They're completely okay now, I guess?" Beidhen noted dryly, gesturing across the court.
"I bet," Xeilin replied smoothly, not looking up from his folders. "They have been entirely inseparable since the second they clocked in earlier this morning. By the way, are you officially done practicing your guitar sets?"
"Yeah. That arrogant jerk finished his tuning early just so he could run over here and help his wife—I mean, Kean," Beidhen grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I can clearly see that," Xeilin chuckled, before his features suddenly softened, his face turning dead-serious. He adjusted his stance, leaning closer to the delinquent. "Anyway... I'm incredibly sorry for asking this out of the blue, Beidhen. But are you and Revin truly okay right now?" Beidhen paused, looking at the council president with a thoroughly startled, wide-eyed expression.
"I knew about his situation before he even managed to say a single word to us," Xeilin explained, his voice dropping into a low, worried register as he sharply glanced away toward the dark bleachers to protect his friend's privacy. "I'm just deeply worried about him. He has been uniquely distant with every single one of us these past few days. I know for a fact that Revin's standard personality can be... quite a handful, and he has a terrible habit of saying things that are incredibly hurtful when he's backed into a corner. But underneath the armor, he sometimes speaks things straight out of his heart. So..." Xeilin reached out, firmly tapping Beidhen's broad shoulder with absolute reassurance. "Make sure you have the patience of a saint with him right now."
Without waiting for a reply, Xeilin gathered his binders and walked away toward the exit doors. Beidhen stared blankly down at the polished floorboards, letting out a long, exhausted sigh into the empty hall.
"I always do," he murmured quietly to himself.
.
"President, and Vice. We will officially be going home now," Felina announced clearly, sliding the strap of her handbag over her shoulder as she gathered her personal belongings.
"Alright. Thank you so much for all of your hard work today, guys. Tomorrow is the big day, so make sure you rest your bodies well tonight," Xeilin answered warmly, smoothing down his jacket.
Standing a pace behind him, Leansei's phone vibrated with an incoming text notification. He pulled the device out, his thumb sliding across the interface to expose a fresh message from kean's mother. He checked the time stamps before looking up to address the remaining council staff.
"Yeah, you guys should go home safely. Do you have a private driver or someone explicitly scheduled to fetch you from the gates? The clock has already passed 6:00 PM already." Felina and Nenia nodded their heads with sweet, reassuring smiles.
"Yes, the transit lines are still open. Don't worry, Vice."
"Alright, make sure you take proper care on the road," Leansei said. The two girls offered a final wave of their hands, stepping through the double doors and exiting into the twilight corridor.
The moment they were gone, Xeilin turned a sharp, highly analytical gaze onto Leansei's profile, a teasing smirk cutting across his lips. "Well, look at you. You seem to be in a remarkably good mood all day today, huh?"
"No, what are you talking about? I am not," Leansei denied flatly, his voice tight.
"You are an exceptionally terrible liar, you know," Xeilin giggled ruthlessly, tapping his clipboard against Lean's arm. "The skin of your cheeks turns a bright, breathless shade of red the exact second he enters a two-meter perimeter around you."
"You better shut your mouth right now, Xei," Leansei threatened, his gray eyes narrowing into a hard scowl. "Unless you desperately want me to start aggressively teasing you back to my own best friend."
The sharp counter-strike hit its mark instantly, and Xeilin sealed his lips entirely, his face flushing as he buried his head in his paperwork. Leansei let out a soft, amused scoff, thoroughly pleased that this hidden romance angle with Rell was the only operational shield he could use to silence the president.
Their bickering came to a grinding halt as a heavy set of footsteps echoed from the hallway, and a man stepped across the threshold carrying a massive cardboard box in his arms.
Xeilin immediately adjusted his glasses, stepping forward to greet him. "Sir Licon! Thank you so much for giving us an extra hand with the heavy lifting tonight. You have genuinely done so much for our team this week, especially knowing that your administrative assignment was strictly restricted to the food distribution roster."
' Licon? Wait... isn't that—'
Leansei froze dead in his tracks, his breath locking in his throat as his eyes snapped toward the man who had just lowered the heavy container onto the table. Tael stood there, adjusting his crisp shirt before turning a calm, perfectly assured face toward the officers.
"This is absolutely nothing, President," Tael replied smoothly, a kind smile lifting his handsome features. "I know for a fact how incredibly hard it is to manually manage the logistics for a massive high-society function like this. I saw how your small team was struggling since yesterday, and this event is entirely too large for a handful of students to execute alone."
'It truly is the restaurant owner from back home, ' Leansei's mind reeled in pure, unadulterated shock, a sudden wave of nostalgic warmth tightening his chest. ' It feels remarkably good to look at his face and hear his voice again. But... I am genuinely curious. Why on earth is a premier chef from Levous City working inside a university cafeteria registry? '
Tael's sharp light brown eyes idly swept across the room, his gaze coming to a sudden halt as it landed directly on Leansei's pale face. Panicking behind his teeth, Leansei immediately snapped his head away, staring intensely at his schedule files to avoid detection.
"Is that officially the very last logistical box left in the storage wing?" Xeilin asked, gathering his things.
"Yeah, this is the final one," Tael nodded.
"Then let's all walk out of this school building together," Xeilin suggested brightly. Tael checked his movements, a brief hesitation locking his posture before he offered a compliant nod, reaching down to retrieve his own travel bag. Xeilin paused, looking around the court. "Wait, where exactly is Corshe right now?"
Leansei opened his mouth to supply an answer, but Tael beat him to the explanation, a quiet chuckle escaping his throat. "Ahh, that kid... his body does not understand what it means to be tired. The exact second the clock hit five, I told him there was zero work left for him to do in the kitchen corridor, but he stubbornly insisted that he would just wait by the main entrance gates until we finished."
Xeilin burst into a loud laugh, and a genuine smile curved onto Leansei's treated lips. "Yeah, that completely tracks," Xeilin explained cheerfully. "He permanently possesses a much higher level of hyper energy than the four of us combined."
"He truly does," Tael agreed.
Suddenly, Xeilin clapped his hand against his forehead, his posture turning frantic. "Wait a minute! I actually completely forgot a major file binder back on the student council office desk. You guys start walking down, I'll go and retrieve it real quick."
"I'll go along with you—" Leansei started to offer, turning his body to follow.
"Nah, don't worry about it, Kean! I'll be lightning-fast!" Xeilin shouted over his shoulder, not waiting for a single syllable of reply as he dashed out through the side doors and sprinted up the stairs.
The heavy doors shut, leaving Leansei and Tael completely alone in the center of the quiet gym. The absolute silence of the cavernous room lifted, but it was abruptly shattered as Tael took a slow step forward, his eyes locking intensely onto the boy's face.
"You know... your presence feels remarkably familiar to me," Tael said softly.
Leansei froze, his blood running instantly ice-cold as he forced himself to look up. "Ha?"
"Oh, it's just a feeling," Tael murmured, a thoughtful crease cutting between his brows as he analyzed Lean's gray pupils. "I have this distinct intuition that I have seen your eyes somewhere before today."
Leansei offered a stiff, highly disciplined nod, desperately trying to play it cool. "Ah... maybe? Or perhaps you are simply mistaking my face for a completely different person you encountered in the city."
' Phew... thank God. For a split second, I genuinely believed he had recognized my soul through this duplicate body, ' Leansei thought, a cold sweat breaking across his neck. ' But the question remains... why would the owner abandon his thriving restaurant back home? ' Desperate to look detached, Leansei pulled his phone from his pocket, sliding the interface open to review his mother's previous message.
____
From : Mrs. Ferech
Make sure you commute straight back to the main family estate tonight, okay? I want you and Felean to be home together first thing tomorrow morning before the formal function begins.
(Sent 20 minutes ago)
_____
His attention was violently pulled away from the screen as Tael's smooth voice dropped a sudden query into the space. "Tell me... have you ever personally tried the cuisine at the traditional riverside restaurant back in Levous City?"
Leansei offered a firm nod before his brain could execute a safety protocol. "Yeah. In terms of factual record, some of the local restaurants back in Levous City are quite cheap, yet they consistently deliver an exceptionally good service and flawless quality." Leansei spoke with absolute, raw confidence, his real-life memories serving him perfectly—he had tried every single dish on that menu, not as a customer, but as a low-wage worker sweating in the back kitchen.
' Owner's restaurant has never been low on customer volume since his culinary execution is absolute perfection. I personally learned a few of my best secret recipes just from watching his cooks work the line, ' Leansei thought, a wave of nostalgia tightening his chest.
"Really?" Tael asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Really," Leansei pressed on, completely lost in the memory. "In fact, some of those local spots possess a flavor profile that is completely identical to the exact dishes served at your restaurant." The exact microsecond the words left his mouth, Leansei went entirely, brutally rigid. His eyes slammed shut as he silently cursed his own sheer stupidity, a cold wave of panic paralyzing his throat. He had just referenced Tael's specific restaurant out of nowhere.
Tael's hands froze on his travel bag, a deeply confused, highly suspicious scowl darkling his handsome features as he stepped closer. "How... how exactly do you know about my restaurant?"
"Aah... I... I merely heard a massive amount of detailed descriptions about it from Corshe," Leansei scrambled frantically, manufacturing an executive excuse on pure survival instinct. "And a few other people on campus mentioned your background as well..."
' Please... I beg you, do not pry into this matter any longer, ' Leansei wailed silently behind his teeth.
Tael studied his pale face for a lingering, silent beat before slowly offering a stoic nod of agreement, letting the matter drop. Leansei watched his profile, a sudden question twisting deep behind his ribs as he recalled the day he first woke up in the hospital after his transmigration. Back then, Tael's voice over the phone had sounded uniquely strained and unusual.
' Did something completely terrible actually happen to him or the diner that day? ' Leansei wondered.
"Anyway... I can clearly see that you and Corshe are getting along remarkably well lately," Leansei stated, trying to ground the conversation.
"He is an incredibly cute kid," Tael's features softened into a gentle smile. "Remarkably persistent, very persuasive, and entirely clumsy on his feet."
A genuine, quiet curve formed onto Leansei's lips. "Yeah... that is explicitly him."
"But I don't think—"
"In all the time I've known him, I have never witnessed Corshe act that protective or attached to another person outside his family, aside from you," Leansei interrupted cleanly, his gray eyes shining with absolute sincerity. "So... if your presence is truly that important to Corshe's happiness... then you are completely free to come along with us anytime, or visit our circle whenever you want." Tael snapped his head up, looking at the boy in pure, unadulterated surprise.
' Even if I am trapped inside Kean's body, this is the single operational way I can begin to pay back my massive debt for all the unprompted kindness, shelter, and medical help you extended to me back in Levous City, ' Leansei thought, a lump forming in his throat. ' Without your protection and Manager Lin's help... my real body would have been eating leftovers on the street long ago. '
"We would truly love to visit your main restaurant sometime," Leansei added in a lively, cheerful tone.
Tael checked his movements, a faint, half-meant smile darkling his features as his eyes dropped to the floor. "I would honestly love nothing more than to treat your entire group to a feast there, Kean... but the cold reality is, that restaurant was officially closed for good a month ago." Leansei went entirely, dead rigid, his gray eyes widening in pure horror.
' What?! That is completely impossible! The last time I checked the ledgers before the accident, the customer volume was growing exponentially, making it structurally impossible for the business to go bankrupt! Why on earth would he just shut down his life's work? Is that the true reason why he fled his hometown to work here?! No way... what on earth happened back home?! '
"What—" Leansei started to choke out, his voice shaking.
SLAM!
The heavy doors swung open, and Xeilin strode back onto the court floor, holding a plastic binder.
"I'm officially back! Did I accidentally interrupt a private conversation between you two?"
"No, absolutely not. You are just pitch-perfectly in time. Let's move out," Leansei said firmly, forcing his frantic panic under a rigid, cold mask as he quickly adjusted his bag.
The moment the three of them crossed the concrete threshold of the main university gates, they stepped into a lively circle. Corshe was actively engaged in a rapid conversation with Revin, while a few meters away, Xerchin was leaning casually against the polished driver's side door of his luxury sports car. Rell was locked in a loud, playful bickering match with Corshe.
The exact microsecond they spotted the officers approaching, they immediately waved their hands enthusiastically. Xerchin corrected his relaxed posture, pushing away from the vehicle to stride purposefully toward their row.
"You guys took an absolute eternity inside that building!" Corshe pouted aggressively, crossing his arms.
Leansei reached out, his hand making contact as he playfully messed up Corshe's styled hair like he was dealing with a little kid. "Let's all just head home safely right now. Tomorrow is a massive day for the university."
"Yeah, I mean—" Xeilin started to chime in, but his sentence was cut violently short as a roaring engine echoed down the lane. A second luxury vehicle glided to a smooth halt directly behind Xerchin's car.
The door opened, and Beidhen climbed out of the cabin. His appearance was a total disaster—his features looking thoroughly stressed, distracted, and deeply bothered, his usual arrogant posture completely gone. The entire group went stone-quiet, their eyes collectively shifting to track Revin's reaction. Revin stood perfectly still, his eyes narrowing as he stared directly into the delinquent's tired face.
Sensing the thick, toxic tension, the friends quickly bid each other a warm goodbye to de-escalate the scene. Corshe immediately fell into step beside Tael to home together, Rell guided a flustered Xeilin toward his own car, and Xerchin strode smoothly straight to Leansei's side, his large hand extending to effortlessly take the heavy carry bag from Lean's grip. Leansei's eyes darted around the perimeter, his muscles tensing.
"Stop being so entirely paranoid, Mooncalf. There are no underground threats out here—it is strictly your school friends and my incredibly annoying younger brother," Xerchin stated flatly, his deep baritone voice grounding Lean's panic instantly. "Come on now, let me take you home." He stepped around the hood, smoothly opening the passenger side door of his car.
Leansei shot a final, worried look across the asphalt toward Revin and Beidhen, who were currently locked in a high-stakes, silent standoff, the emotional pressure between them palpable. Beidhen was clumsily attempting to speak to the boy, his jaw clenching.
"Just come inside the cabin and let them manage their own parameters," Xerchin instructed softly, a gentle hand guiding Leansei's shoulder. "My annoying brother has a highly critical relationship he needs to fix on his own terms."
Leansei sighed and climbed into the plush leather seat, and Xerchin closed the door with a firm click, before circling the vehicle to claim the driver's seat. He shifted his weight, turning his torso toward the passenger side to reach for the seatbelt strap—but Leansei rapidly extended his own hands, offering a defensive block.
"I can easily secure the harness myself, thank you," Leansei muttered, his cheeks warming.
Xerchin let out a sharp, knowing smirk, drawing his hand back without a single word as he started the powerful engine, pulling smoothly into the traffic lane.
Throughout the first few blocks of the drive, Leansei sat rigidly against the leather, mindlessly rubbing his palms against his lap. A sudden, intense wave of shyness was suffocating his chest, mixed with a violent anxiety regarding his mother's order to return to the mansion. Xerchin caught the restless movement out of the corner of his eye, smoothly reaching across the central console to firmly, gently lock his large fingers around Leansei's shaking hand.
"What exactly is the matter with you tonight, mooncalf?" Xerchin asked softly, his light blue eyes tracking the road.
"Nothing..." Leansei lied through his teeth, his cheeks flushing a bright, breathless crimson the exact microsecond he felt the warm weight of the athlete's hand squeezing his skin. "I... I just genuinely prefer staying at my private condo infinitely more than returning to that massive mansion."
Xerchin slowly turned the steering wheel, a playful glint lighting up his features. "Do you want me to execute an immediate U-turn right now and drop your body off at your condo instead?"
Leansei vigorously shook his head, knowing he couldn't afford to trigger his father's wrath before the acquaintance party. Xerchin squeezed his fingers tighter, his thumb gently rubbing against Lean's skin to soothe his nerves. "Just please promise me you won't ever hesitate to tell me absolutely anything, or ask me whatever queries are tearing your head apart."
Leansei offered a quiet, compliant nod. He paused, a sudden, burning curiosity breaking through his shyness. "Actually... I do have a single question."
"Mm?"
"Why exactly do you constantly call me Mooncalf?" Leansei asked, turning his head to look at his profile.
"Because the very first day my eyes locked onto your face... you looked exactly like one," Xerchin replied smoothly.
"What does that definition even mean?"
Xerchin tightly squeezed his reddish lips together, a sharp, thoroughly amused smirk curving onto his jawline. It was completely obvious he possessed zero intention of revealing the romantic meaning to the boy tonight.
"Come on, just tell me," Leansei persisted, a genuine smile breaking across his lips as he playfully shook their joined hands to break his restraint. "Explain it to me."
Xerchin glided the car to a brief halt at a red light, turning his head to look directly into Leansei's gray pupils, his blue eyes intense and dark. "You genuinely want me to tell you the meaning right now?"
Leansei nodded his head aggressively. "Lean across this console and kiss me properly... and I promise I will tell you every single thing," Xerchin murmured, his baritone voice dropping into a devastatingly sexy frequency.
Leansei's jaw dropped in absolute, pure shock, his face burning like a smashed tomato as he sharply snapped his head back toward the windshield. "You absolute—"
"Well, if you refuse the terms, then I won't reveal a single trace of the secret to you tonight," Xerchin laughed loudly, a teasing, beautiful tone lighting up his face as he stepped on the gas, accelerating the luxury car smoothly into the night toward the Ferech estate.
.
The powerful sports car glided to a smooth halt in front of the sweeping grand foyer of the Ferech mansion. Leansei stared out at the bright security lights illuminating the marble pillars, clicking off his seatbelt harness. He reached for the heavy door handle, fully intending to climb out of the cabin, when Xerchin's hand snapped across the console to firmly catch his fingers.
Leansei paused, his gray eyes shifting back to lock onto the athlete's profile.
"Thank you so much... for granting me a real chance, mooncalf," Xerchin whispered softly, his baritone voice remarkably deep, grounding, and thick with absolute devotion.
Leansei's defensive walls crumbled completely, a sudden, tender layer of warmth softening his features. He offered a gentle, reassured look and a tight nod of agreement, signaling that his heart was locked into the same rhythm. Sensing the compliance, Xerchin slowly, delicately let go of his hand.
Leansei stepped over the threshold, his shoes hitting the gravel driveway as Xerchin smoothly rolled down the passenger window to keep his eyes on him.
"Then I will head straight inside now," Leansei said, adjusting his leather carry bag over his shoulder. "Thank you for driving me home safely tonight."
"Always for you, Mooncalf," Xerchin replied, a quiet smirk playing on his reddish lips.
Leansei sharply glanced away toward the stone steps, a sudden flush of dark red spreading rapidly across his cheeks to hide his intense blush.
"Shut your mouth and just drive away already," Leansei grumbled playfully, his voice cracking slightly.
He turned on his heel to march toward the main entrance, but Xerchin's voice cut clearly through the engine hum, calling his name a second time. Leansei halted his steps, looking back over his shoulder with an expression of pure, quiet confusion.
"Come over to this side of the window for a brief second," the athlete instructed.
Leansei minded the request, circling around the sleek hood of the car to stand right beside the open driver's side door window. "What exactly do you need?"
"Give me your phone real quick."
Leansei shot him a deeply confused scowl, but he reached into his uniform pocket and handed the device over without a single verbal rejection either way. Xerchin took the smartphone, his fingers flying across the digital interface for a few quiet seconds before sliding the device smoothly back into Leansei's palm.
"What on earth did you just do to my phone?" Leansei asked, tilting his head.
Xerchin merely lifted his own phone into the air, a smug, triumphant grin cutting across his handsome features as he pressed a single button, waving his screen. In a fraction of a second, Leansei's palm vibrated violently with an incoming call notification, the digital lock screen illuminating the dark driveway to expose a newly customized caller ID.
<3 is calling....
"I will text your line the exact second I arrive back at my own estate tonight," Xerchin announced smoothly, his light blue eyes locking onto Leansei's face under the moon. "And tomorrow lunch, I will personally be the one to fetch you from this gate to drive you to the acquaintance gala, okay?" Xerchin lowered his device, his features softening.
Leansei couldn't help but let a genuine, radiant smile break across his treated lips, offering an obedient nod of agreement. "Alright. I'll be waiting. I should head inside now."
"Okay. I'll get going as well," Xerchin smiled, his blue eyes intense.
Leansei offered a final wave of his hand. "Bye. Make sure you take proper care on the dark roads."
Xerchin paused, his hand resting on the gear shift as he threw out a bold, teasing remark. "Wait a minute... don't people typically exchange a sweet goodbye kiss before parting ways for the night?"
Leansei aggressively rolled his eyes through his lenses, letting out a soft, amused chuckle at the athlete's sudden audacity. "You better drive away right this second before my parents look out the upper window and witness your car parked on the gravel."
"Well... next time then," Xerchin said smoothly, flashing him a devastatingly handsome wink before shifting into gear and accelerating the luxury sports car smoothly down the main driveway, its red taillights rapidly vanishing past the iron gates.
"Cute bastard," Leansei murmured softly into the quiet evening air, his gaze dropping back down to his smartphone screen.
He stared intensely at the new contact emoji layout, a profound, overwhelming wave of pure joy filling his entire chest cavity. He couldn't deny the factual reality; throughout his two separate existences on this earth, he had never once been permitted to feel this kind of unyielding, breathless happiness.
' I genuinely hope with all my soul... that this beautiful illusion never passes, ' Leansei thought bitterly, a silent prayer echoing in his mind as he turned to face the heavy mahogany front doors of the mansion.