"It's hard to say. How about this: I'll wait for you. When the time comes and you find yourself wanting to see me when I'm not around, when being together makes you never want to part from me, you tell me. Then I'll confess my feelings again and ask if I can be your boyfriend. How does that sound?""Sounds good."He lowered his head, trying to hide his blush, but I noticed. I let go of his hand and gently ruffled his hair. He seemed accustomed to it, turning to smile at me. Once I was satisfied, I continued driving. Compared to Ethan and Harry’s journey, it felt like we were far behind."Ryan, thank you," Neil said, gripping his seatbelt with both hands but turning his body towards me."For what?""I used to think that in the city, everyone was really assertive. I thought someone like me just had to follow their lead and do what they told me. If I couldn't, I'd have to sneak away. But you, Ryan, you were the first person to ask me if things were okay, to ask for my opinion. It made me
"Then come find me after you finish eating.""Aren't you going to eat with us?" I thought we had the upper hand and could curb his arrogance a bit."Who wants to eat with you?""Don't you want to eat with us?" Neil looked disappointed. He glanced at Kim, then at me, and lowered his head."I...""I know, it's because of me, right? I'm not a big shot. Even Ryan, Peter, and Harry feel dragged down when they're with me.""That's not true." I grabbed his face and lifted his head."Neil, don't say that. We're not like some people who love to act all high and mighty," Harry said."Neil, it's okay. We'll go eat on our own," Peter comforted."Yeah, if he doesn't want to eat, then don't mind him," Lisa added, rolling her eyes."You young people, can you let someone speak?" Kim scolded everyone, then focused on Neil. "And you, you say you talk slowly, but am I slower? I haven't had a chance to speak.""What do you want to say? Aren't you the one who doesn't want to eat with us?" We all knew Neil
"Neil, you sure have a unique way of speaking," Harry said as he finally let go of my collar and helped smooth out my wrinkled shirt."So, Neil and I will share a room?""What about me?" Harry asked."Well, that's not my problem..." I said, satisfied with my small victory and not caring much about Harry's predicament."You can sleep with Ryan and me!" Neil's enthusiasm took me by surprise."That's a great idea!" Harry immediately agreed."No way, how can so many people share a room with Neil?" Peter objected."If you want, you can join us too..." Harry was just showing off his opportunity, though he had no real intentions."Sure, the four of us together? Is that okay, Neil?""What?" Harry was taken aback."Yeah, that's fine!" Neil's agreement was even more surprising."You guys have such a complicated relationship," observed Kim, the onlooker."One elder brother, two suitors, and one innocent little confused soul," Lisa whispered in Ethan's ear."Alright, it's settled then. We'll use
I released his lips, but my own continued to wander across his face. I returned to his ear, inhaling the fragrance of his hair before gently enveloping his earlobe with my mouth. His instinctive flinch was the best proof of his sensitivity. I discovered his sensitive spot—those beautiful, soft ears. With a mischievous intent, I attacked his earlobe once more. This time, I grazed it with my white teeth, sucked on it, and then gently bit down. He trembled slightly under my teasing."Ticklish?""Mmm...""How ticklish?""Very, very ticklish.""How ticklish exactly?"I thought I had the upper hand, but then he tickled my waist, causing me to straighten up in surprise. Standing between his legs, I held onto his waist with both hands, looking at him in disbelief. Sensing my sudden stillness, he raised his hand to feel in front of him, touching my chest which was right in front of him at a ninety-degree angle. Realizing that I might have been disrupted by the tickling, he seemed to understand
"Kim and Neil are upstairs; Neil said he would explain his condition to Kim, so Kim could understand his health better." Harry said, as if reciting from memory, probably having picked it up from somewhere. "Ethan and Lisa left about ten minutes before you arrived. They said they were going to get some fresh ingredients to cook for Neil," Harry continued, showing a bit of interest, likely because it involved something beneficial for Neil. "And Peter went to the office to handle some matters." As he finished, Harry leaned closer to me, his eyes narrowing with suspicion, as if he feared I might miss his point."If you have something to say, just say it. Don't stare at me like that. Or do you want the rumors about us to continue?" I retorted."I'm just wondering, why aren't you at work? Peter is at the office, but here you are," he replied."Does going to work necessarily mean being at the office? I have my phone, don’t I?" I pulled my phone out of my pocket. "Even if I'm not physically a
“What is that thing?” “It’s an evil magical box,” Lisa replied. “This magic box has the power to spread its magic to thousands of people.” “That’s more than just a large crowd—it’s like an entire army,” Harry said. “Exactly. So, when our mentor discovered Yolanda’s scheme, she informed our elders. After a discussion, we decided to enlist Maria. On the very day Yolanda intended to elevate her dark magic to its highest level, Maria appeared and destroyed the grimoires containing Yolanda’s spells. The two of them immediately engaged in battle.” “Who won?” I asked Ethan. “No one. It wasn’t impossible for Maria, who practiced traditional magic, to defeat Yolanda, who wielded dark magic, but it was certainly challenging. Unfortunately, someone with a dark heart can be quite underhanded. Yolanda took advantage of our mentor’s feelings for her, capturing her and using her as leverage to threaten Maria, seizing the opportunity to ambush her. Unable to stand idly by, others joined Maria to
As expected, we really chose the wrong place. Yet another person who overheard our conversation from outside decided to join us—Kim.As soon as Neil saw Kim, he felt guilty and immediately apologized for revealing Kim's secret without permission. Surprisingly, Kim wasn't angry at all. Instead, he was grateful to Neil, thanking him for letting him know about Maria's whereabouts."It's okay, Neil. Thank you. This way, I can also find out about Maria," Kim said, patting Neil on the shoulder, a hint of relief in his eyes. Not only that, he urged everyone to set off immediately, insisting that we reach Maria's house today.Since everyone agreed, we decided to head to the powerful magician's house together. Those of us who had been there before knew that reaching Maria's house wasn't easy, except for the last time when I was injured and Maria had removed the protective barrier. For safety reasons, I and the two magicians were split into three separate cars.Ethan led Peter and Kim since the
"From the way you’re talking, it seems like Roy is really important to Yolanda," Maria remarked."Maria, why do you think Yolanda needs Roy so much? Is there some kind of dark magic that can bind them together?" Ethan asked."The only things I can think of are the two spells she’s been secretly practicing: mind control and magic absorption," Maria replied."But Ethan and Lisa mentioned that those dark spell books have already been destroyed. Yolanda won’t have the chance to master those dark arts, plus, the magic box is with us. What other power could she have?" Harry questioned."What about other magic boxes?" she continued."There are magic boxes?" I echoed in surprise, looking at Maria."Other magic boxes?" Lisa was equally puzzled."As far as I know, there are three magic boxes in total: one for the magicians, which can only be opened by a magician; one for the werewolves, which can only be opened by a werewolf together with a magician; and one for the vampires, which can only be
Three days later, on a bright and sunny day, the warm light bathed the earth, as if even the sun was adding a touch of radiance to our wedding. The venue was set up like a dream—white flowers adorned every corner, and the air was filled with a faint, sweet fragrance, as though each petal had been carefully chosen just for us. The guests had all arrived, their faces lit with brilliant smiles, their eyes brimming with blessings and hope. In that moment, all the exhaustion and pain seemed to be forgotten, replaced by nothing but boundless joy and warmth.This day belonged to us three couples, the happiest day of our lives. Neil and I, Peter and Nick, Harry and Nelson—standing together, it felt as if fate had already woven an invisible thread, tying us all together. Each of our faces radiated joy, our eyes filled with love and devotion for one another. Just before the ceremony began, I stole a glance at Neil standing beside me. His eyes sparkled softly, filled with warmth and unwavering d
Ethan continued to describe that miraculous moment: "When Neil's blood entered your body, everything changed dramatically. At first, nothing seemed unusual, but soon, the operating room was filled with dazzling light. Countless beams of light intertwined in the air, and the entire hospital was suddenly powered down, as if a mysterious force had illuminated it. Everyone was startled, and you, it seemed, experienced some kind of extraordinary transformation in that instant." There was a calmness in Ethan’s eyes. "Then, the situation settled. Power was restored, the readings on the instruments returned to normal, and your arm miraculously reconnected, fully healed. The symptoms of blood loss vanished in an instant, as though nothing had ever happened."I murmured, "If this is true, then what the Black Wolf said in the virtual world must also be correct. It claimed the calamity has been averted, the curse is broken." The Black Wolf had told me that these changes signified that the crisis
Everything went black, and I was suddenly jolted back to reality. The chaotic scene of battle unfolded around me—Kim and Peter had been knocked to the ground by the vengeful spirits, and Maria was visibly struggling, her strength fading. I looked around in shock, my heart heavy with realization. All of this suffering, all of this fighting—it was because of the decision I had made. I had refused to let go of Neil, going to any lengths to bring him back to life. But in doing so, I had led us into an endless cycle of calamity, and even Neil had been forced to endure so much pain. Perhaps the root of all this, the key to ending it, lay within myself.Slowly, I rose to my feet, a sense of clarity settling over me as I began to understand the true meaning of goodness. It was selfless letting go—it was the willingness to forsake oneself for the sake of others.I took a deep breath, releasing all my obsessions, letting go of the desire to fight for selfish reasons or love. I would fight now,
Ken Yimo raised his hand high, summoning the fragile thread of magic he could barely muster, and hurled it toward the demon with all the strength he had left. Though his magical abilities were far from impressive, his gaze was resolute, unwavering in the face of death. The demon, however, merely smiled faintly, effortlessly neutralizing Ken's attack. The vast disparity in power sent Ken crashing to the ground, his body feeling as fragile as an ant under the weight of the demon’s overwhelming force.But just as Ken fell, something in Fred's heart shifted. He could no longer bear to watch this crumbling scene unfold. Tears welled in his eyes as he screamed in desperate anguish, his voice cracking with raw emotion, “Ken, no! Don’t sacrifice yourself for me! I’m not worth it!” His words were soaked in sorrow and despair, filled with regret—as if all his anger and jealousy had now melted away into nothing but remorse.Ken Yimo struggled painfully to rise from the ground, blood and bruises
Nick forced himself to put on a defiant expression and coldly said, "Who's afraid?" But I could see a flash of fragile fear in his eyes, and my heart ached even more. Nelson had just recovered, his face pale, his body swaying slightly. Upon hearing Harry's call, he struggled to lift his head, his eyes still filled with trust and dependence on Harry. He parted his lips weakly and whispered, "Harry..." His voice was so faint, it seemed like it could vanish into the air at any moment. Neil, the most sensitive of the three, looked at us with fear in his eyes. But he didn't cry out for help; instead, he anxiously glanced at Nelson, as if silently urging us to take care of the more fragile brother first.Facing the scene before me, a surge of anger filled my chest, and I coldly demanded to know what Fred wanted. Fred stood in the shadows, his gaze as cold as ice. He gave a faint smile, revealing a sickly, cruel satisfaction. "It's simple," he said, his voice low but carrying an undeniable o
Meanwhile, the others had scattered, continuing their search for any trace of Neil, their faces grim with concern. The tension in the air was thick, and every passing second felt like we were hurtling toward something far darker than we had anticipated.As everyone scrambled in panic, Maria suddenly called out, "There's a trace of magic here!" Her voice was tinged with urgency and surprise, clearly indicating that she had discovered something unusual. We hurried over to find her standing at the entrance of Ken Yimo's bedroom, eyes closed in concentration, her hands moving gently through the air as though she were carefully unraveling an invisible barrier. Soon, the tips of her fingers began to glow faintly, as if she had torn through a thin veil. In that instant, the magical barrier dissolved, and everything behind the door came into view, causing me to gasp in shock.Inside the bedroom, Ken Yimo lay on the cold floor, his face ashen, as though he had endured some immense shock. Scatt
"It turns out that Ken's coldness stems from such a painful past," I murmured softly, a deep, indescribable sorrow washing over me. The suffering Ken had endured was far beyond our comprehension. No wonder he kept everyone at arm's length, as if wrapped in a hard shell to shield himself."What's even more tragic is that our 'old-fashioned' people, upon learning about Ken's sexual orientation, grew even more hostile toward him. They have no idea that his sexuality was, for the most part, twisted by that monstrous foster father of his," Maria sighed, her eyes filled with profound sympathy and understanding for Ken. She shook her head, adding, "They ostracized him, yet they have no clue what kind of pain he went through."I couldn't help but ask, "What happened after that? What did Ken go through?"Maria gently shook her head, a shadow of sorrow crossing her face. "He left our place. By the time I found him, that beast of a foster father had gathered thirty or forty people, trying to for
Ken Yimo chuckled gently, the smile on his face tinged with a trace of self-mockery, as if he had already come to terms with his fate. "For me, Neil’s safety is the most important thing. As long as he can get away from here, away from all this conflict, I fear nothing."His words were firm and tender, that kind of selfless, fatherly love stirring something deep within me. I clenched my fists in silent resolve, taking a deep breath. "Alright, Ken. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to take Neil away. I won’t let him come to any harm. I swear, I will protect him with everything I have."A flicker of gratitude passed through Ken Yimo's eyes as he nodded slightly. "I know you will, Ryan. Your care for Neil, your dedication to him—it's something even I deeply admire. He’s a child who deserves love and protection... Please continue to show him kindness, and give him the warmth he truly needs."His words struck a chord deep within me. I had planned to turn and leave, to end this
Ken Yimo nodded slightly, his expression laced with a complex mixture of emotions. “Yes. Fred knows he’s nothing more than a replacement. But he... he’s different. Despite everything, he still desperately seeks my attention. He doesn’t mind being my servant, if it means he can be close to me.”"A child with ambition," I murmured to myself, trying to grasp the psychological dynamics at play in such a twisted situation.A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Ken Yimo's lips. "Do you think Fred acts out so recklessly, causing chaos everywhere, even disregarding the reputation of the Yimo family? What do you think he’s trying to achieve?"I furrowed my brows, pondering for a moment, before the realization dawned on me. "Could it be... that he's doing it just to get your attention? He’s deliberately being reckless, making sure everyone knows."Ken Yimo nodded, his tone unnervingly calm. "Exactly. He knows that by antagonizing people, the Yimo family will inevitably be ostracized. But what