BOT Chapter 16

Chapter 167df10fcc76b251da

 39984012271ccb9b

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I held Hyle’s hand again today. Though not entirely satisfying, it wasn’t so bad when I considered it the foundation for what would come later.3381b2ca0e961f50

When Hyle started avoiding c4059abb6e me, I nearly lost fdafcafd9f it. The way he f2fc1b564f stammered with a 62114c4c4f face that screamed“I’m lying”to anyone 6740b98464 watching, how 7265bfbdd2 he flinched 614eb13b8c whenever our 348cb3b9de bodies touched—it efc8e92e3b was cute, 23c3a3899b but only 616ab2db7c for so e3c6af789c long. Eventually, it got 6ab1502a07 hard to bear.1c344e57a02c4ff0

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Even though he avoided 7e6c46c09e me, I still ended bfa6c27302 up seeing his face 63269ed8ba often, since I followed ac7446cc6f him or watched from 94d7ce9d7c afar. Still, what was annoying e424755e71 simply remained annoying.fae70c83145f6f46

“It kind of hurts when you keep running away from me like this.”b4bdf44bc3a2501e

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Should I tie him up so he can’t run? No… better to lock him up where no one can find him.f161cb74b930fc0b

I carefully brushed away the strands of silver hair falling over his closed eyes with the back of my hand. I imagined those brilliant golden eyes buried under his eyelids turning toward me. Just then, I felt a subtle trembling at my fingertips. Come to think of it, Hyle’s breathing was slightly faster than usual.fe01fee408c04f0b

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So you’re awake.cd3892eb58abdf97

I deliberately 7c2191d79e kissed Hyle f20324d689 as he bc08e6e12d lay there. His eyelids fluttered. As I suspected, he b08436acb4 was awake. Now was my 8017824aea chance.b857624eac979f23

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“Did you sleep well?”81965dad447a1350

Fearing he might run away again, I leaned my head against his body. If I stayed like this, he wouldn’t suddenly get up or run—he hated it when I got hurt.ce7569809b0f47f0

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“I couldn’t sleep at all.”73c8330726c749be

If I add this, you’ll stay put, won’t you?49f117291600d9b6

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“…I’m sorry.”e42b8ac0988aa5c6

“I don’t want an apology. I want to know why.”7a62e5eb15c1c68c

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Silence followed. He sat there, sweating bullets with his lips sealed, clearly unwilling to speak. I sighed. If he keeps quiet like this, he’ll be the one at a loss—I’d find out no matter what.ee60818bced841ac

Finally, after a long c98cabcc58 wait, Hyle opened his d7dd4cbba1 mouth.82124d83d1b2ab1d

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“I—I just wanted us to stay normal friends.”4797d02e7164e2b7

Normal friends. I’ve never once thought of you that way. I was about to frown in displeasure when—0a65e3328bb72652

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“I really meant to keep it that way. But the more I was with you, the more… I started thinking this wasn’t like friendship at all. I shouldn’t feel like this…”ea403b3cb4c41558

Does that mean you 0f851d0c46 feel the same as 7ffbca4523 I do?A deep sense 086bc1cb80 of joy welled ed5cea684d up in my 41ec52d9b6 chest.Finally, finally….4c800d808923e89d

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“So… Hyle, do you still want to stay just friends with me?”75f1685d8856f890

“I think… we should stay friends.”d6f52c46e878c8d7

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The heat that had bloomed in my heart was instantly doused with cold water. I couldn’t even maintain my usual composed expression in front of him.4c64513e670f35df

I barely held myself back from pulling him into my arms and marking him as mine—again and again—until there was no room left for doubt. But if I cornered him now, he’d only run. I didn’t know why he insisted on staying friends, but there was be13700288 still hope.16af0e94f2fa7fa3

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Thinking of 7fea4807b5 the future, 1a6cb93448 I unclenched ebf80629de my fist d2f02ac0e4 and laid ce0a5faae7 my hand 33f8290ce4 over his.f592d3d28175c4cd

I hate thefriend label you’ve put between us, but if I have to use it, I will.adb445fc8d0b24cf

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“Evan?”bc8583761d247339

Even if I have to take it slow—if it means I can have you, then I’ll do whatever it takes.35617a7c8ee9924c

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“Hyle, didn’t you say it was okay for friends to hold hands? Remember?”505dcafa8c4646e1

I smiled brightly at Hyle Verde, who nodded in a daze, hoping he wouldn’t see through me.716b332c731f6ba4

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⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆8c825aaa59d6ff06

“Hyle!”8c72b55e4584ba9b

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Carmen, blocked by the opposing team, passed the ball to me. I received it smoothly and dribbled fast. The black and white soccer ball spun as it cut through the field. With a powerful kick, the ball brushed past the goalkeeper’s fingertips and slammed into the net.a75e3e6898d9c6cc

“Nice one, Verde!”178d18ba9a566e46

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“Hyyleee!”553d875812478673

The whistle marking the 10960e608e end of the game 286e516b05 blew. A teammate 14f4ee3049 beside me cede18ed40 jumped up 7f626297e1 and down, ef44084002 yelling. Carmen waved his arms 1cf4820a5f wildly from the side. We won the match.464d78c9dba1d5b6

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I quite enjoyed soccer. Hyle Verde’s body moved exactly as I intended—no, even better. It was surprising and thrilling to suddenly become the soccer team’s ace. I even thought I wanted to play more—but that was just the surface reason. The truth was a little different.3c2af039c02a101c

Ever since I told b9821b1ec1 Evan we werejust friends, he’d kept holding my hand—every day, without fail. I’d wake up to his hand right in front of me. And before I knew it, we were holding hands again. When did this become normal?04efcd643aafbdb8

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It wasn’t like I hadn’t refused him before. I told him many times that this was weird. But nothing ever changed.90c1fbccd8b5bab9

To make matters worse, Evan’s touch—already ticklish enough—began to feel even more vivid. I’d lost count of how many times I’d been flustered. And yet, he never stopped running his fingers over mine. To anyone watching, it would’ve looked like he was obsessed with my hand.6b3fe79af0144c07

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Evan quickly a3070b3723 noticed whenever bd4a4d8567 my expression ee75556f81 contorted even c451219975 slightly. But when he 4ca800b5e3 saw me holding f41cb5d9b7 my breath, afraid 72c7cf6424 weird noises might 6f1732a960 escape, he just 5c2b604b9b smiled even brighter. Instead of stopping, he 65cb6fce22 held on tighter. I think 3616bafec8 he just d383aa132a likes seeing 49906fbfce me flustered. Kind of a 4cbe59ae0f sadist, really.1d4c03a88400e067

“Evan.”7ae4c88727b4f11d

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“Yes, Hyle?”bd3af40580881a31

As the tickling c38e39e42a sensation was too e8ad420116 unbearable, I called 01d35d04f6 Evan. But he just looked 18e763a90f at me with that c310306a0f calm face of his, e4c52a7a6b as if wondering what 9a2c334e96 the matter was. Then he touched 4f5744004f my hand like ac75b13bab it was some ba76816cbc kind of precious d06d347675 treasure. I really wished e07f988de9 he would stop.c6b52d2ea6ef3005

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The only time I could avoid holding hands with Evan was when we played soccer. The club was such a useful excuse. I didn’t even want to think about what I’d do without these brief moments to catch my breath.b75b778ee50f083f

I bent over, trying 869494d2f3 to steady my ragged 3cd90ba4e4 breath. Sweat was pouring down bdabb9542a like rain. I wiped away ccd52bb7ef the drops rolling 2b4ddbd343 down my jawline a99ce79be1 with the back c1fbb695e8 of my hand. The heat of the 58a299ad56 sun made my whole 1147f6407c body feel hot and fb0fa8614b flushed. My vision started to d6ddfddf59 blur, and I slowly 462538c570 blinked my eyes.45f3a8f6e99f2ac7

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“—Hick!”cb702aafc3f1b9f8

Something cold suddenly touched 845dffe803 the back of my d6f4ed262b neck. I jumped instinctively and c44bdda505 turned around. A plastic 3723fa8644 bottle filled 52c924337f with ice-cold c98139d663 water swayed 8e5d95a2a1 in front 17fa21db20 of my 85b8c005a4 face.03281d757f1aca6f

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“Hyle.”decc2d776b600cdb

The face behind the bottle came into view. Unlike me, Evan hadn’t even broken a sweat—his skin was soft and fresh, and he smiled brightly. Embarrassed that I’d let out such a weird sound, I quickly covered my mouth. The spot on my neck where the bottle had touched still felt cool.e7768f74b174e964

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“W–were you watching me?”4c4e0bd10b9a216d

“Yeah.”1074b833df298d04

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“Since when?”0e077358174754c0

Evan just smiled softly without answering. But even without a reply, I got the feeling he’d been watching me for quite a while.2d4af15aebec275c

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“You could’ve said something.”f0bd8707be76ac8a

“I just like watching you.”68f176fef0491b69

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That pitch came out of nowhere and hit straight on, so I tapped the soccer ball at my feet for no reason. Carmen, who had been walking over, suddenly started backing away and turned his back like he hadn’t seen anything. He even gave me a thumbs-up as he left, and I was at a loss for words. Should I kick the ball at him? The ball at my feet rolled away toward Carmen.fbcb13d27176bf23

“Hyle, are you free tomorrow?”b8b1e0b2e2751bf4

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“Tomorrow?”89e24a6535a8455e

I shifted f3b70aebaa my gaze bd1e1b25f6 from the 25e288c202 soccer ball 5787e65b65 that had df89c8a568 gone rolling b32f72b551 away. Evan was 127ca9511b standing there d9ca665b6f with his 9cfef86b5c hands awkwardly f1667f3143 clasped in 61e3b5ac8f front of 085c079ffd him, nervously 0001ee540a fidgeting with 14336048f8 his fingers.9002c0375db4f24b

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“You’ve been going to the club right after class a lot these days. So we haven’t been able to spend much time together like we used to.”6bed179e97cde706

Even if d23f9eaaa4 I was 59ad4392c0 heading to 35e632bbce the club, c0475e7a3b we were 27f1caea05 still roommates 2d7e434087 and sat 901a28f71e next to c376668a16 each other—basically 4a2afd9e5d together all 8c25e73a18 the time. I made 9d77490d73 a reluctant 42a9d99c91 face, and 5e7eff62c2 Evan quickly 9b79b41f88 added.c5731058a3e103b6

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“Besides, I feel like I only showed you my bad side last time… And you missed the fireworks.”574c5be1a4eeed4f

At that, I quietly nodded. That had been on my mind too. I’d taken him to the festival because I wanted to make him smile, never imagining things would turn out like they did. And with him looking up at me with those big, sparkly eyes… it was hard to say no.8fb1721514d0013e

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“Perfect. Then tomorrow, you’re spending time with me.”8b7de60b18e7d93a

Evan reached for my hand again. That’s when I realized once more just how drenched in sweat I was—his smooth skin against my clammy one. I felt like I was about to dirty him, so I couldn’t bring myself to hold his hand. I just extended my fingers stiffly. Then I felt the soft motion of his fingers tracing slow circles on my palm.94c0f2a72bb343ec

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“I’m looking forward to our date.”d5b110d9d7d2bb59

I had told him it wasn’t a date before, but that clearly hadn’t worked. Instead of opening my mouth, I chose to shut my eyes tightly. With my vision blocked, the feeling of Evan’s touch only became more vivid. When I opened them again, there he was—still too beautiful. I couldn’t help but lower my head and count the grains of sand at my feet. A small laugh floated in on the breeze, tickling my ear.98133357c4ca216b

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⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆c54c591c16a7ca0e

Last time, I’d picked the place we went to, but this time, Evan insisted on handling everything from start to finish. I gave in.8c5261fedf5964bd

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I didn’t want to repeat that fashion disaster where he caught me fussing over my outfit, so I just pulled out my fanciest black suit. But people kept giving me strange looks. Even Evan laughed when he saw me. I was only trying to look good. Maybe I really should buy a book on how to dress well.89775820ebc27e04

Honestly, I was a bundle of nerves right up until we left the dorm—half excitement, half dread. Evan hadn’t given me a single hint about where we were going or what we’d be doing, so the curiosity just kept building.be4573e6fc36fba7

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To my surprise, Evan took me to the movies. He’s not the type to enjoy films, so that alone caught me off guard. But then he picked a romance movie. Two grown men going to see a romance film together… I was so embarrassed when we showed the tickets that I ended up hiding my face behind the giant popcorn bucket as we walked in.5a46c60273a3713f

As expected, the theater was full of couples. But since this was a BL novel world, there were more male-male pairs than I’d expected. It felt like I’d found my people, and the tension in my shoulders slowly began to ease.2a1135481b4cc1c2

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⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆831310feee532d4f