Ping was halfway through packing his bag when someone suddenly sat on the desk beside him.
"You're Ping, right?"
Ping looked up immediately.
The guy wore a relaxed smile and carried himself with easy confidence.
Ping recognized him vaguely-someone from the media department. Tall, friendly-looking... and staring at him a little too comfortably.
"...Yeah," Ping answered cautiously.
The guy smiled wider.
"I've seen you around school a lot," he said casually.
"You're kind of hard not to notice."
Ping stiffened slightly.
"Oh." The guy laughed softly at his awkward response.
"Relax," he teased.
"I mean it in a good way."
Then he leaned a little closer.
"Do you already have someone?"
Ping blinked.
"...What?"
"A boyfriend," the guy clarified easily. "Or someone you like."
Ping immediately opened his mouth to deny it- But froze.
A shadow fell across the desk.
Heavy.
Familiar.
"Ping."
The single word carried enough weight to make the atmosphere shift instantly.
Ping looked up.
Keng stood there. Calm. Quiet. But the expression in his eyes was anything but relaxed.
The guy turned toward him curiously.
"Oh," he said slowly.
" Isn't this the famous Keng."
His smile became awkward under Keng's stare.
Keng didn't respond. Instead, he placed one hand against the desk beside Ping, fingers spread lazily against the surface. Close enough that Ping suddenly felt trapped between warmth and pressure.
"Is something going on here?" Keng asked calmly.
Too calmly.
The guy glanced between them before shrugging lightly.
"We were just talking."
Keng nodded once.
"Then we're leaving."
Ping frowned immediately.
"P'Keng-"
Before he could finish, Keng's fingers wrapped around his wrist. Not rough. Not painful. But firm enough to leave no room for argument. Ping barely had time to grab his bag before Keng was already leading him away.
The guy watched them disappear down the hallway with raised brows.
"...Interesting," he muttered to himself.
-
The staircase door slammed shut behind them with a sharp echo. Silence filled the narrow space instantly.
Ping yanked his hand free the moment they stopped moving.
"What was that about?" ping asked.
Keng turned toward him slowly. His jaw was tight.
"You tell me."
Ping frowned harder.
"He was just talking." ping replied.
"He was flirting." Keng voiced,his voice now higher.
"And so what if he was?" Ping snapped before he could stop himself.
The words hung heavily between them.
Keng stepped closer immediately. "So you noticed."
Ping's heartbeat stumbled.
"That's not what I meant."
Keng tilted his head slightly, eyes dark.
"Then what did you mean?"
Ping forced himself to meet Keng's gaze despite how intimidating it suddenly felt.
"You don't get to act like that."
"Like what?" Keng asked.
"Like I belong to you."
The silence afterward felt dangerous.
Keng laughed softly. But there was no humor in it.
"Do you have any idea," he murmured quietly,
"how hard it is not to act that way?"
Ping's breath caught.
Keng stepped even closer now, until Ping's back nearly brushed the wall behind him.
"When other people look at you like that," Keng continued, voice lower this time,
"I hate it."
"P'Keng..."
Keng's hand slid slowly to Ping's waist. Warm. Firm. Possessive enough to make Ping's entire body tense. This time, Keng didn't hesitate. His thumb brushed lightly against Ping's side.
"You try so hard to act unaffected," Keng murmured softly near his ear.
"But your body reacts to me every single time."
Ping grabbed the front of Keng's shirt instinctively.
"S-stop saying things like that."
Keng's eyes dropped briefly to Ping's lips.
"Then stop making me go crazy ."
Ping's face burned instantly.
"I'm not-"
The rest of his words disappeared.
Keng kissed him.
Slowly.
Carefully.
His hand pressed more firmly against Ping's waist while the other settled against his back, steadying him.
Ping's breath caught sharply. Heat rushed through him immediately. His fingers tightened in Keng's shirt before he could stop himself.
And for one dangerous second- he kissed back. Just once. Before suddenly pulling away.
"P'Keng!" His voice came out breathless and shaky.
"We're not-we're not even-"
"Dating?" Keng finished calmly.
Ping stared at him.
Keng rested his forehead lightly against Ping's, both of them breathing unevenly.
"Not yet," he said softly.
The words made Ping's heart pound even harder.
Keng's thumb brushed lightly against his waist again, just enough to make Ping shiver.
"But we definitely will."
Ping's entire face burned.
"You-"
He stepped backward suddenly, completely flustered.
"You're unbelievable."
Keng smiled faintly.
And somehow that only made Ping more embarrassed. Without another word, Ping turned and hurried down the stairs as quickly as possible. His heartbeat was so loud it hurt.
Behind him, Keng stayed exactly where he was, watching him disappear. The satisfied look in his eyes made it obvious he already knew Ping was affected. Completely affected.
Tao's voice suddenly echoed from the stairwell above.
"...You look terrifying right now."
Keng glanced upward lazily.
Tao and Bank stood there holding drinks, clearly having witnessed enough to understand exactly what happened.
Bank whistled quietly.
"So the patient act is gone now?"
Keng leaned back against the railing slightly, still staring toward where Ping had run off to.
"He started it," he replied calmly.
Tao burst out laughing.
"Oh, you're completely serious."
Keng's lips curved slowly.
"Run all you want," he murmured quietly, almost to himself. Then softer- with dangerous certainty-
"You're already halfway mine."