✯ ʟᴏʟʟɪ ✯ @lolliloopsy - Tumblr Blog

﹕﹒★﹒ HEADLINE. 西村力

synopsis: At an elite academy where reputation is everything, Nishimura Riki is untouchable—the star of the football team and the school's golden boy. When you're assigned to write an exclusive feature of him, you saw a different side of him. The more time you spent together, the harder it was to ignore the way he looked at you. However, there's just one problem: he's taken. What was supposed to be a simple article became something far more dangerous—one that was never meant to be written and revealed.

pairing: captain football jock! nishimura riki x journalist! fem! reader. ft heeseung x reader

content: strangers to strangers, rich kids academy au, infidelity, cheating, explicit mature content, dubcon, toxic relationship, smoking, parties, manipulation+blackmailing, heeseung & riki are related, red flag! riki, unhappy ending (for riki), reader isn't dumb here, happy ending (for reader), jealousy, recording during sex, cunnilingus.

word count: 26.8k.

from author: writing this took my entire lifespan with it. ill be surprised if anyone actually sits down and read this longass fic. the pacing for the second half is really rushed but i don't have the energy to drag this any further anymore. sorry if it's really ass and unreadable. this does not reflect the idols in any way and this is purely fictional.

mini playlist: based on a feeling (album) - sabrina claudio, cross my mind - sabrina claudio, problem with you - sabrina claudio.

perm taglist (perm taglist is always open!): @lolliloopsy, @hoonguin, @heesroses, @aliyahlovesjakr, @bitemhoon, @byshens.

fic taglist: @xoxo-seraphine, @nithxhoon, @f0xinyy.

"The board wants you to write an article about Nishimura Riki."

The words leaving Hana's mouth—the leader of the journalist club made everyone in the room stilled, stopping whatever they were doing. Her sentence hang in the air of the journalism room, heavy and expectant, like everyone in the room already understood the insanely high expectations one has to meet. Everyone except you, that is.

You stilled, fingers hovering over the keyboard of your laptop with your cursor blinking and unblinking as you were in the middle of working on a half-written article impatiently waiting for you to finish it.

The article that needs to be published by the end of the day. Realisation hits you when everyone was looking at you, curious and no doubt using the sudden chance to eavesdrop, doing anything other than club activities.

"You mean the Nishimura Riki?" You asked slowly, shivers running down your spine at the unfamiliar feeling of his name rolling off the tip of your tongue.

Hana nodded, expression serious—which is how she carried herself. After all, it was thanks to her hard work that the journalism club was able to be where it is today. She revealed a thin, transparent file behind her back, that contained some documents and placed it on the table, sliding it towards you.

"Yup, the one and only. Center forward and the captain of the football team. The board wants an exclusive feature—something that'll put more eyes on him. And to boost the school's reputation too."

You knew what that meant. The academy isn't exactly subtle with how they want more students to enroll with them, to further boost their popularity and if possible, to enter the Top Ten Rankings of the Best Universities in the world. You pursed your lips, eyes darting down to the file but you didn't reach for it.

You, just like everyone else—be it student or teacher, knows who Nishimura Riki is.

The name alone was enough to draw attention to the academy. He's the prodigy who aced every tests, assignments, projects and examinations without fail. He's the star player of the team who easily conquered matches like they are mere video games. He's the boy who somehow lives up to every headlines that was written about him. Not only does he lived up to it but he manage to exceed their expectations, allowing him to be in a league of his own.

And as if all those wasn't enough, he's the younger brother of Lee Heeseung.

The Lee Heeseung.

Even after he graduated two years ago and had gone pro, now playing in the big league with his handsome face constantly popping up in whatever brand deals or his live matches, his name still lingered in the academy, like a shadow no one can escaped from. Every record and achievement constantly traced back to him.

Well, at least, that's how it used to be.

Now that there was someone else, someone who has the potential to surpass Heeseung, it's safe to say he has became the center of attention. Not that he wasn't in one to begin with. After all, there was always an invisible spotlight following him wherever he goes.

You sighed, not bothering to flip the file open, knowing what was awaiting you was simply pictures of him. You glanced at your half-written article before back to Hana, knowing your fate was already sealed the moment she approached you.

"I'm guessing I don't have a say in this, right?" You asked, despite knowing the answer.

She shook her head with a grim, solemn look on her face. You sighed again and this time, it was much louder and heavier but it wasn't enough to convey the amount of annoyance you felt with the rather sudden assignment handed to you.

"…Fine, I'll do it. But don't set a high expectation for it."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The very next day, you found yourself approaching the humongous, open-aired football field occupied by none other than the football team themselves. You never liked coming here for many reasons. Firstly, it's the fact that there's no shelter, leaving you utterly helpless and vulnerable to the harsh, unforgiving rays of the sun. No amount of sunscreen you applied can save you from chances of getting a sunburn.

Secondly, you're surrounded by nothing but men. Or boys. Not that there's any difference since all of them are nothing but monkeys to you with the way they act—like rowdy, loud and immature children. There's nothing as unpleasant as breathing in the same air as a group of sweaty, disgusting men. The thought itself was enough to make you shiver involuntarily.

Last but not least and to add fuel to the fire, not only are you surrounded by men, you're also surrounded by Riki's fanclub. They never failed to show up for every practice, cheering and squealing like dying pigs whenever he scored for the team. It's a miracle that your ears didn't start bleeding due to their high-pitched banshee-like screaming.

Like seriously, what's so special about him? Sure, he's good-looking, academically smart and is the walking definition of a fashion show. But other than that, he can passed off as a regular guy!

You sighed, very much reluctantly dragging over to where the coach of the team—Kim Hanbin was. The man is in his late thirties and despite his easygoing, friendly demeanor, he becomes a different person the moment he's with the team, constantly pushing them to their limits by forcing them to do ruthless drills, one after another.

"Oh, (Name)? What are you doing here?" Hanbin asked, in lieu of a greeting when he spotted you through the dark shades of his sunglasses.

You stopped before him, raising a hand to block out the sunlight. "Hey coach. Was wondering if I can borrow your captain for a bit? It'd be quick, I promise."

Instead of prying further, the man simply nodded his head. "Sure, by all means. Practice's ending soon so he's all yours."

You pretended to ignore the last three words, standing beside the coach as he blew his whistle. The sharp sound pierced through the field, catching the team's attention. They stopped what they were doing and jogged back to regroup in front of him. You bit down on your lip, stifling the urge to burst out laughing at how the scene closely resemblance a group of dogs reuniting with their owners.

Among the group, you accidentally made eye contact with a tall boy who is definitely not Riki. You instantly looked away, not wanting to be caught red-handed or mistook you as one of his many, faceless fangirls. You're different from them. And if it wasn't for your leader's request, you wouldn't even be here in the first place.

What you didn't know however, was how Riki witnessed the entire thing. How you locked eyes with him. How you immediately broke contact. How you dug your fingers into the edge of your notebook that was clutched against your chest, like it's able to shield you from whatever's incoming. What you didn't know was how you had already caught his attention the moment he saw you.

Hanbin cleared his throat, snapping you out of your trance. "Alright boys, practice's over. Go and mashup. Good job today, I want all of you to remember the training and apply it for tomorrow's match."

"Yes, sir!"

They were about to walk away when he spoke up, directing his attention to a certain someone. "Riki, someone wants to see you. Stay behind for a while."

Hearing this, there was a round of playful "ohhhh" from the team. You rolled your eyes in mild annoyance as some of his teammates smacked Riki on his back, wishing him luck before they walked away. Hanbin was quick to take his leave too, carrying his things until it was just the two of you.

He didn't move immediately, remaining where he was—at the back, where he was standing a few minutes ago before his teammates walked away, like he already knew where this was heading. And then, he turned, easily closing the distance with no more than six large strides.

And gods, it's truly unfair.

His team jersey clung to him, thoroughly soaked from practice. The darkened, heavy fabric easily outlined the sharp, slope of his broad shoulders and the lean definition of his torso. A thin layer of glowing sweat glistened along his delicious honey-toned skin, giving a glowing effect under the blinding sunlight.

Your eyes unconsciously traced it—from his temples down to the deadly, sharp curve of his jaw. It managed to catch the light before dipping beneath the collar of his shirt, never to be seen again.

His dirty ash blonde hair was a mess, with damp strands sticking to his forehead. It looked effortless in the way that clearly wasn't, like he didn't put in any effort at all when in reality, it only made him all the more alluring.

And of course, there was the piercings.

Silver hoops and studs decorated his ears, glinting every time he moved his head. It's subtle, but enough to give him the careless, troublemaker edge. His gaze flicked over you, quick and assessing and a small, knowing smirk tugged at his lips.

"Lemme guess, you're one of them, aren't you?" He started, voice low and amused, like he was already entertained by his own assumption when that was far from the truth.

You blinked, confused. "What—"

"I get it," he cuts in smoothly, not giving you the chance to finish. He shifted his weight to his right leg, one hand resting on his hip while the other hand tugged at the hem of his jersey, using the fabric to fan himself.

"Big match tomorrow and everyone's a little excited. Can't wait to see me constantly scoring and bringing the team to victory."

You continued staring at him, silent. But to Riki, he mistook that as admiration. Just like how he mistook you as one of his fan girls.

"If you want a picture, at least wait until I'm out of the showers. I'm not like the others," he finished.

Your left eyebrow twitched, forcefully swallowing the sudden rising surge of irritation at his laid-back demeanor.

"…Are you done?"

Riki blinked, clearly not expecting that response.

You scoffed and crossed your arms. This time, you made no effort to hide the evident annoyance that flickered across your face. "I guess the rumors are right. You're so fucking full of confidence. Makes me wonder where you get all that from too. You should be like your brother, you know."

Your sharp, observant eyes caught how something unreadable flashed in his eyes at the mention of Heeseung but it was gone when he blinked, easily covering it up. He lets out a huff of laughter, eyes now glowing with interest, like this was some sort of new show he stumbled upon.

"Oh, so you're not shy and you got a foul mouth on you. That's new."

"Before you get any ideas, let me make this clear: I'm not one of your fan girls," you declared.

Whatever energy surrounding him was gone the moment you said it. The captain stilled, staring at you with an incredulous look on his face, like you had spoken in a different language. Or maybe, the thought of a girl not being part of his fan club has never crossed his mind before.

"…You're not?"

"No. I'm only here because the board sent me. They want an article about you. You're the academy's golden boy now so they want to use you to boost their reputation before you graduate," you replied in a flat and unimpressed tone.

When Riki didn't say anything, you pressed on.

"So congrats, you're now a walking marketing strategy," you finished, sarcasm evident in your voice.

For a moment, he stared at you. And then, he laughed. It wasn't the embarrassed or offended laugh. No, this was actually pure amusement, like he geninuely finds this funny.

"Wow, and here I thought you came all this way just for me," he muttered, poking his inner left cheek with his tongue as he looked at you, properly this time.

You made a disgusted face. "Trust me. I got better things to do than spending my time with the likes of you."

"Ouch, what do you mean by that? You do know you're kinda mean too, right?"

"And you're kinda fucking full of yourself."

"Kinda?" He repeated, raising an eyebrow. "How generous of you. Want me to get on my knees and say thank you?"

You narrowed your eyes, your expression tightening as you fought against the urge to take the invisible bait he set. But Riki caught it. He stepped closer, not close enough to invade your space but close enough for him to gain the advantage.

"So what? You're gonna be following me around, asking me questions and write how amazing and talented I am?" He asked, voice softer now but it was still as smug as always.

You scoffed for the second time. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Too late. Sounds like you're stuck with me," he replied without missing a beat.

There was a brief silence before he stepped away, hands comfortably tucked in the pocket of his shorts. "I'll see you around, writer."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving you standing on the open-aired field. Thankfully, no one was around to witness you trembling on the spot as you silently seethed with rage. No one saw how you held onto your notebook so tight that the edges was already all crumpled and bunched it in your grip.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

"I can't do this."

Your friend and roommate—Yunah, lifted her head from her laptop. "Do what? Elaborate please. Stop trying to make me guess."

You groaned, dumping your bag down on the table, not caring about the look Yunah sent you. The two of you were on campus, managing to find an vacant table during lunchbreak. Both of you had brought food over from dorm, not wanting to waste time and effort to queue in the cafeteria.

"Writing the article for Riki," you clarified, pulling out your lunchbox and cultery.

"Oh, that. How is it going so far?" She asked, giving you half of her attention as she returned to working on her report.

You didn't answer her immediately, busy removing the lid before digging into the food, acting like a famished man who hasn't had a drop of water or a bite of food for the past two months. As someone who was used to your antics, Yunah didn't bat an eye and continued typing away on her report, not bothering to pause to have her lunch.

"The last time I saw him was one week ago. One. Week. Ago. Seriously, it's like he's able to see my location and avoid me at all times! I can never find or catch him," you bemoaned after swallowing your mouthful of food.

Your friend snorted. "That's the academy golden's boy for you. I'm surprised his girlfriend hasn't come running down the hallway while searching for you."

You paused mid-motion of raising your fork to glare at her. "Do you want me to die? I'm not interested in Riki. I'm doing this because I was forced to. Nothing more and nothing less."

Yunah raised her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, I get it. I hope you can get that article done soon so you can be freed from him."

You merely sighed, stabbing your fork into the remains of your lunch as you stared ahead. "Me too, Yunah. Me too."

Just when things couldn't get any better or fate thought it'd be funny to see you crash out, a certain someone announced his presence by casually sliding up like it's nothing. He knocked his annoyingly long legs against yours, causing you to drop your fork as it landed in your lunchbox. To add further salt in the wound, he purposely—at least, that's what you think, bumped his elbow against yours.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," he said, greeting you like both of you are long-time friends.

Except that you weren't even friends at all.

You mustered and shot him the nastiest side-eye as you picked up your fork again, stabbing it into a slice of braised chicken meat with more force than you intended. Yunah shot you a pointed look but you ignored her, your attention was completely on the annoying pest seated beside you. The pest that takes the form of none other than Nishimura Riki himself.

"What do you want?" You hissed, all hostile, like a car with its fur standing upright.

"Woah, chill. I saw you and wanted to talk to you."

"We have nothing to talk about. Now fuck off before you ruin my appetite," you fired back without hesitation.

Riki raised an eyebrow, gaze never leaving your face. It felt like he's able to read your mind and that deeply unsettles you. You couldn't placed your finger on it but there's something about him that doesn't sit right with you. But you didn't ponder about it for long, not wanting to get involved with people like him.

People who does nothing but cause chaos, leaving trouble behind in his trail.

"Are you sure? The board won't be happy if they find out you haven't worked on the article," he pointed out.

You scowled, eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed, unable to defend yourself. Not when he's stating the obvious truth and fact. Riki smirked, all smug and cocky, knowing he's in the right and how you couldn't fight back.

At this point, you've completely forgotten about Yunah, who was observing the entire scene from the sidelines, getting a special front-row seat to the show the two of you are putting up.

You flashed him what you hoped was a sarcastic, closed-eye smile. "Oh, I'm so glad you finally remembered about it! I thought you were too busy fucking your girlfriend or attending parties to care about irrelevant things like these."

You sworn you heard a horrified gasp from your friend, who was taken aback at how bold you are but you paid her no mind. Riki, on the other hand, went unusually silent. He cocked his head to the side, his piercings moving along with the movement. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his left cheek, eyes drifting up to the sky, like he's mulling over your words before letting out a chuckle.

Shivers ran down your spine when you realized he's actually amused by your reaction. By your words. By how aggressive you're being. When he looked at you again, the previous teasing glint in his eyes was gone, now replaced with something sharper and more deliberate, like he has you all figured out.

"What? Is that supposed to piss me off?" He asked in a lazy tone.

You faltered and he pressed on, not giving you time to reply.

"Because I don't know about you but to me, that sounds like you're more bothered than I am," he drawled, resting his chin on the palm of his left hand, eyeing you with nothing but utter confidence.

You curled your fingers around your fork. "I'm not—"

"Jealous?"

Maybe it's the way he said it so easily, like it's something as minor as the weather itself. Maybe it's the way he had you cornered against wall, leaving no room for you to escape. Maybe it's the way he managed to get the better of you, acting like he knows you better than you knowing yourself, like he's some sort of mind-reader.

Whatever it was, his swift response caused a stormy expression to take over your face. He smirked, knowing he hits the jackpot.

"Are you jealous that I have a life? That I'm in a relationship, surrounded by people who cares about me," he continued.

The fucking audacity for him to brag about his life to you. You made the mistake of opening your mouth, ready to defend yourself, only for you to falter when you couldn't find the words. Seeing this, Riki lets out a low, knowing chuckle.

"Last I checked, people don't get this worked up over things they don't care about. So tell me miss writer, are you jealous?"

Your jaw clenched, left eyebrow twitching. "Do you ever shut the fuck up?"

"Do you know any other words or are you too stupid for basic comprehension?" He retorted.

His words made you saw red.

You shot up from your seat, fork now clutched tightly in your right hand with your body borderline trembling as you seethed with rage. The only thing holding you back from throwing the fork at Riki was the fact that you're in public and how there are people around you.

The boy exhaled, running a hand through his dirty ash blonde hair with the strands falling forward, perfectly hanging over his forehead. For a moment, his expression shifted into something more neutral and unreadable before it was gone, faster than one could blinked.

"Now that we're clear, I just wanna let you know I'm free later after practice today, if you want to interview me for your article," he said, getting out of the long, wooden bench easily with his bag carelessly slung over his left shoulder.

You barked out a humorless laugh, eyes tracking his movement, like you're a predator with him as the prey. Even though it's the opposite of that.

"What? Not gonna be throwing a party or sucking tongues with your girlfriend?" You sneered.

Riki didn't take the bait, much to your annoyance. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"You—!"

He laughed at how you're fuming red with invisible steam leaving your ears. "See you after practice. If you're gonna be there. Wouldn't want the board to be breathing down your neck, do you?"

For the second time of you having a conversation with him, Riki ended up walking away. Just like before, he leaves you standing there, frustratingly speechless, leaving the faint echo of his smug tone lingering in the air. The moment he was out of sights, Yunah wasted no time in beating around the bush as she called out to you.

"What the hell was that?" She asked.

You sighed, sitting down as you closed your lunchbox, your appetite already ruined. "What's what?"

Yunah wildly flailed her arms about, dramatically gesturing to her surroundings. "Whatever is going on between you and Riki."

You opened your mouth but she was faster.

"Before you say anything, don't lie to me, (Name). I know you long enough and this is the first time I've seen you this angry. Damn, I know you told me before he piss you off but I didn't think it'd be this bad."

You rolled your eyes, shoving your closed, lighter lunchbox and shoved it into your bag without a care in the world.

"Just seeing him is enough to piss me off. I don't understand what's so good about him," you answered.

Your friend hummed, slowly nodding her head. "Well, the sooner you're done with the article, the better it is for you and your… anger issues."

You shot her a look. "I don't have anger issues."

Yunah wordlessly raised an expectant, pointed look and you made the wise choice of keeping your lips shut.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The next four hours of class passed in a blink of an eye, with you attending back-to-back lectures. By the time it was over, your mind had already shut down. You were tempted to return to your dorm, where your comfortable bed was waiting for you but Riki's words echoed in your mind. You groaned, already able to imagine the incoming headache and can only pray that you wouldn't lose your temper, which was easier said than done.

You were on your way to the field when someone called out your name. You stopped in the middle of the hallway to look over your shoulder to see a girl rapidly approaching you. When she stopped before you, all five of your senses was invaded with the overwhelming fragrance of her perfume—a mixture of vanilla, cinnamon and strawberries.

"Can I help you with something, Kyujin?" You asked, your tone polite but it was tense.

You never liked her. She's everything you disliked in a person—her bratty, spoiled attitude. How she never failed to throw a fit if things doesn't go her way, at her grown age of nineteen too. If there's one thing she loved the most in the world, it's fame. The girl will do anything to be famous, even if it means crossing the lines and entering the illegal territory.

You've heard rumors about her relationship with Riki. How it was a fake relationship. How their feelings weren't mutual. How it's actually toxic. How Riki had cheated on her and vice versa. There's a lot of baseless rumors going around but you didn't care. You're here to finish the remaining one year of your academics and graduate with flying colors and not here to witness some couple arguments.

Kyujin frowned. Her lips covered in a layer of red lip-stick made them glow underneath the lights. Her face was covered in makeup, further enhancing her features. You weren't blind to how students were looking your way, no doubt curious with what was about to happen.

She crossed her arms and tilted her chin up, obviously trying to intimidate you. "I heard you've been getting close with my boyfriend."

Oh.

Oh, so this is what it's about.

You resist the urge to laugh right in her face. Instead, you raised an expectant eyebrow. "Alright, and?"

Kyujin scoffed in disbelief, arms still crossed and she took a step closer, eyes now glowing with flames of anger. "Isn't it obvious? I want you to stay away from him. Riki doesn't and will never like someone like you."

A flash of irritation made itself known in your chest. "Newsflash princess. I'm not into him, so you don't have to worry with that airhead brain of yours. I'm tasked by the board to write an article about him so I have to interact with him, one way or another."

It's clear the girl doesn't believed you, with how she suspiciously narrowed her eyes at you.

"Right, and you expect me to believe that? If that's the case, how about we ask someone, hm?" She challenged you.

"She's speaking the truth."

Before you can reply, an unfamiliar, firm voice interrupted your conversation. You looked over her shoulder to see one of Riki's friends and teammate—Yang Jungwon. He's a senior, one year older than you and Riki while being two years older than Kyujin.

Jungwon's eyes darted between the two of you, one hand holding the strap of his bag. "She's telling the truth, Kyujin. Also, mind moving? You're standing in front of my locker."

A series of hushed snickers and chuckles was heard from the group of witnesses, much to Kyujin's embarrassment. She openly gaped at Jungwon, who paid her no mind. The moment she moved out of his way, he was quick to unlock and opened it, putting the textbooks he held in his left hand into the locker before swiftly closing it. You expected him to walk away but what you didn't expect was for Jungwon to turn to you.

"You're (Name), right?" He inquired.

You blinked, wordlessly nodding your head.

He smiled, small and faint and you caught the dimples on his cheeks. "Follow me, Riki's waiting for you. Said something about an article the academy wants to feature him on."

"Damn, so it is true that the academy wants to write about him."

"I wonder why though. Didn't they do the same with Heeseung too?"

"Yeah, they did. But I guess the board's getting desperate with how they weren't getting more new students."

"Yikes, that sounds like they're using Nishimura as a pawn."

The students whispered and murmured among themselves, not bothering to be subtle. Jungwon turned a deaf ear to all of them, leading the way as the crowd automatically split into two, letting him passed with you walking behind him. The boy slowed down a little once you're out of the crowd, easily matching his pace with you.

You adjust the strap of your bag, finding the silence rather awkward and tense. "So, Riki talked about me?"

Jungwon chuckled, sneaking a glance at you. "Yeah, you left a strong impression on him. He mentioned you have a foul mouth and isn't scared of anyone. I saw the way you reacted with Kyujin and it's easy to identify you."

Heat crept up the back of your neck. "Well, it's not my fault she's annoying to talk to. I don't know what Riki sees in her, going out of his way to accept her confession."

Jungwon remained silent but you weren't blind to the way his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down and how he stiffened at your words. You shouldn't take note of that, shouldn't even be snooping around in other people's business. But at the end of the day, you were only human, which was why you filed his reaction aside, making a mental note to check back on it soon.

Eventually, you arrived at the football field and to your surprise, it's swarmed with people. The stands was in a sea of dark red. Some worn sunglasses or hats to shield their eyes from the sun. Some were desperately fanning themselves or holding a portable fan, directing it to blow at their faces—any attempts to reduce the chances of getting sunburn.

"What's going on? I thought you guys have practice today," you asked.

"We do but we're playing against Solaris Academy today," the senior replied, eyes scanning the field before looking back at you, "we do this every quarter, just a friendly match, nothing too serious."

You snorted despite yourself. "I find that hard to believe."

To support your statement, you gestured to your surroundings. Banners were draped over the railings. Some were neatly printed while some were handmade—letters slightly crooked but doesn't reduced the enthusiasm. Cheers erupted from different sections at random intervals with students calling out names.

It's anything but friendly. Rather, it feels intense, like everyone's ready to march onto a battlefield, for a battle that will determine their fates.

"Does any of these screams friendly to you?" You inquired.

Jungwon chuckled, running a hand through his pitch-black, soft hair as it fell forward perfectly. Seriously, what is with boys having better hair than girls?

"Well, that's what they all said," he replied, sounding a bit sheepish, "it's a tradition at this point. People take it very seriously, especially the players."

You hummed, scanning the field once more and your eyes landed on him. To be fair, it's easy to spot him. Riki stood out like a sore thumb, thanks to his annoyingly tall height. He has his back facing you, saving you from seeing his punchable face. You can tell the team respects him a lot, with how they were attentively hanging onto every word he said, giving him their fullest attention.

Wait.

"Aren't you supposed to be there?" You asked, pointing at his team while looking at Jungwon.

Jungwon shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine, I've heard his motivational speech to the point I can repeat it with my eyes closed."

You laughed, the sound genuine and light. You let your eyes continue to scan the field before you and that's when you spotted someone seated slightly further away from the crowd, like he doesn't want to be seen near them or anyone, for that matter. He sat on a higher and more aloof section as compared to the others.

Or to be exact, it's the so-called VIP area.

There's a certain stillness to him, a quiet kind of presence that doesn't openly demand for attention but was still able to command it anyway. While everyone else were loudly chatting among themselves, he was relaxed and alone. He sat with one arm casually draped over the back of the vacant chair on his right with his long legs stretched out before him.

He worn a pair of sunglasses—the accessory resting squarely on the bridge of his sharp nose as it sheltered his eyes against the sun. No matter how many times you looked away from him, your eyes automatically drifted back to him, whether you knew it or not.

"Who's that?" You asked before you could stopped yourself, nodding in his direction.

Jungwon followed your gaze and when he realized who you're looking at, he smirked. "Oh, him? That's Heeseung hyung."

You stared and that's when it hit you. "Wait, as in the Lee Heeseung? The one who graduated? The one who went pro?"

"Yup, the one and only. Heard the board invited him over as a special guest. I'm guessing it's to bring more attention to the academy and boost the moral of the team. Besides, it's his younger brother's match. Make sense he'd show up."

You hummed absentmindedly, ripping your eyes away from him but it was too late. You caught the knowing look Jungwon sent you, making you scowled at him.

"What?"

"Nothing, just making sure you're still here. Come on, I'll bring you to your seat," he said, gesturing for you to follow him.

You arched an eyebrow, mildly impressed. "Didn't know I'm getting the VIP treatment."

Jungwon snorted, already leading the way with you walking behind him. "You can thank Riki for that. Said to give you the seat with the best view to capture his best angles."

You made a fake repulsive, gagging sound. It didn't go unheard by Jungwon, who snickered as he shot you an amused look over his shoulder. Eventually, he came to a stop, dramatically bowing with an arm placed in front of his chest.

"Here's your seat, milady," he said.

You went along with the flow, bowing to him as well. "Why thank you, kind sir. Good luck with the match."

Jungwon nodded, bidding you farewell as he walked away, heading down to regroup with his teammates. You sat down, watching as Jungwon subtly pointed in your direction after saying something to Riki. The captain followed the direction of where he's pointing with his gaze, making eye contact with you.

Your first instinct was to scowl at him, which deepened when he shot you his signature smug, cocky smirk. You leaned back into your seat, placing you bag on the floor, between your legs as you reached down to pull out your camera. You decided to ignore him, turning the device on as you played around with the settings, not wanting to let him get into your head.

However, you looked up before your mind could processed it and of course, Riki was still looking at you. The team from Solaris Academy had stepped onto the field and the entire place shook from how loud the cheering was. Despite all of that—people shouting the teammates' names and people frantically waving the flags around, Riki never looked away.

"Good luck."

You stilled once the words left your mouth, shocked by what you just said. You can tell Riki was taken aback, not expecting you to say that. To him too, out of all people. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes before it was gone.

You sworn you saw his features softened slightly, like he's taking your words into stride. You weren't granted much time to mull over it, not when the sound of a whistle being blown interrupted the moment, forcing Riki to face the front.

Unlike Decelis Academy, the football team representing Solaris Academy was dressed in light blue jersey. All of them looked formidable and a force to reckon with but deep down, a small, tiny part of you knew they wouldn't be a match for the captain of Decelis Academy. The players bowed to one another, doing a brief handshake before moving to take their respective positions with Hanbin acting as the referee.

Fweeeeet!

And just like that, the match has begun.

It was like a switch was flipped inside them. Every player quickly fell into a steady rhythm. The ball moved quickly, passed with amazing precision between the Decelis players, their formation tightening as they pushed forward. It's clear what their intention was—trying to settle this as fast as possible, wanting to take their opponents by surprise.

However, Solaris didn't hold back on them either.

Dressed in light blue, they cut through the field with breakneck speed, smoothly intercepting passes while pressing hard until they were neck-to-neck, forcing Decelis, which has no choice but to adjust to the newly created rhythm. Their movements are aggressive but calculated. Each player reading the other, almost like they were able to foresee the future.

The crowd couldn't stopped cheering at every near pass, every successful interception and every close call.

Your eyes jumped from one player to another, trying your best to keep up while mentally noting down the important details that make football… well, football—formations, pacing and teamwork. After all, this was what you're truly here for.

And then, something in the air shifted.

The ball was stolen by none other than the captain of Decelis, the academy's golden boy and the younger brother of Lee Heeseung—Nishimura Riki. He stole it mid-pass—the action clean and almost effortless, similar to how he lived his life. With the ball now at his feet, he moved.

More like he teleported, to be exact.

One moment he was near his own goalpost. The next moment, he was already halfway across the field, kicking the ball while being the leader of the counterattack with his teammates around and behind him, taking as much space control as they can.

It's different when he's in possession. You noticed the confidence in the way he carried it, how he weaved through opposing players with sharp, deliberate footwork. One feint to the left, a quick pivot to the right, managing to shake off the players hot on his heels. He slipped past one defender, then another, like they were nothing more than mere obstacles.

The crowd reacted, growing louder and wilder. It's clear nearly everyone was here for him.

This is it.

You lifted up your camera, readjusting your grip as you tracked his movement through the lens. For a second, he blurred due to him moving too fast but you steadied yourself, following the rhythm of his stride instead of fighting it, blending into his movements.

Snap.

The first shot captured him mid-run, dirty ash blonde hair swept back by the wind, jersey clinging onto him as he pushed forward, focus etched across his features.

Snap.

The second shot captured him dodging a defender in the nick of time, body angled and muscles tensed. The moment itself seemed frozen and perfectly between motion and impact, like time had stopped, allowing you to take such an impressive picture.

What you're seeing through the lens is different from everyone else. What you're currently looking at is a boy who has the ability, talent and potential to go further, go beyond the sky to be in a league of his own.

What you're looking at is someone who has a high game sense, is fully aware of his surroundings, is able to read his opponents and is able to take control of the match like it's nothing.

That's when you realized—the Riki you're looking at isn't the same Riki who you're annoyed with. Nor is he the same Riki who never failed to rile you up. No, he is exactly the kind of player people would write about. The kind of player people are interested in, wanting to see him become stronger.

And most importantly, the kind of player people want to see on a big screen.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

5 - 4.

The match ended with Decelis Academy being the winner with Riki scoring the final point by delivering the final kick that sent the ball flying across half of the field. You sworn your eardrums nearly exploded with how loud the crowd hollered at the top of their lungs.

The team threw themselves onto Riki, causing their captain to collapse due to the sheer weight of their sweaty bodies stacked on top of one another as they showered him with compliments.

Fweeeeeet!

Hanbin blew his whistle to signal the end of the match and both teams took that as their cue to move to the center. Everyone shook hands—a form of sportsmanship before walking their own way to their respective changing rooms. Some of the players lingered around, waving and acknowledging the audience.

You, on the other hand, decided to head down to find Riki, intending to interview him with questions you had long prepared beforehand. You gingerly put your camera away into your bag, slung it over your shoulder and headed over to the changing rooms that are located just outside the field, in a small building.

Every step you took led you further from the field with the noise gradually fading, only for it to be replaced with nothing but the echo of your own footsteps. To your relief, the air felt much cooler here, along with the sharp scent of sweat and disinfectant lingering in the air.

You made a turn round a corner, only to bump into something solid and firm. The apology was at the tip of your tongue, ready to apologize but they beat you to it. Shivers ran down your spine when you recognized the sleazy tone used. A tone that was directed towards you.

"Well well well, what do we have here?"

You raised your head to see three boys standing before you, wearing the light blue jerseys—Solaris. Up close, they looked just as formidable as they did on the field. They are taller than you expected, broad-shoulder and still slightly flushed from the game.

The boy standing in the middle cocked his head to the side. A lazy, unsettling grin spreads across his face. The way his eyes casually swept over you, assessing you like you're some kind of item didn't go unnoticed.

"Didn't think we'd find something this interesting here," he continued.

Your expression immediately hardened, schooling into something neutral and unreadable—anything to scream disinterest.

"I'm waiting for someone," you replied flatly.

"Yeah? Who is it? I don't see them," he hummed, stepping closer, brushing off your words like they didn't matter.

"None of your business."

The boy chuckled, exchanging a glance with his friends before looking back at you, amusement written all over his face. "Feisty. I like that."

Your grip on your bag tightened, shoulders tensed. "Leave me alone."

The other two snickered under their breaths but the one in the middle didn't move. Rather, he seemed more intrigued by your behavior.

"C'mon, we're just talking. No need to be hostile," he said, his voice dipping slightly, like he's trying to soften his approach but the way he looked at you—practically undressing you with his eyes, make your skin crawled.

"Fuck off," you snapped.

Your response wiped the smile off his face. The previous relaxed, arrogant facade was gone, now replaced with something sharper and tighter. Something far more dangerous. Behind him, his friends exchanged looks, no longer amused and choosing to watch from the sidelines.

"You got a foul mouth for a pretty girl like you," one of them pointed out, giving you a sense of deja vu, reminding you of a certain someone.

You narrowed your eyes. "What part of fuck off do you not understand? Are you stupid?"

Silence.

The three boys went quiet before someone—the boy in the middle, reacted. He stepped even closer but you stood your ground, refusing to show any ounce of fear or discomfort. The last thing you wanted was for him to know he's making you uncomfortable and how he has the upper-hand here.

"You should watch your mouth if I were you," he warned you in a low, threatening tone.

You scoffed, maintaining eye contact and tilted your chin up, taunting him. "Or else what? What you gonna do? You dare to use violence while wearing the academy's jerseys? Can't tell if you're awfully confident or plain stupid."

"You-!"

The boy reached out, ready to do something—maybe grab you by the collar, maybe slap or punch you in the face and the list goes on. Even though you didn't flinch, a part of you momentarily feared for your life for a split moment. You instinctively squeezed your eyes shut, mentally bracing yourself for the incoming pain or rough action.

But there was none.

You reopened your eyes, to see someone now standing in between you and the boy. They—he, has his back facing you, preventing you from seeing his features. The only thing you can see is his strong, broad and oh so capable shoulders, the faint outlines of his muscles seen via his loose fitting shirt and his sunglasses now on his head—

Wait. Sunglasses? I've seen it before. Don't tell me…

"You should know when to take no for an answer," he said, tone even but there's a hint of authority laced in it.

The boy scoffed, eyes flicking to your direction. Seeing this, Heeseung was quick to shift subtly, enough to hide you behind his larger frame. This didn't go unnoticed by the three boys, who shared a quick, fleeting glance with one another, mostly likely in doubt, like they were starting to rethink their actions.

"Chill, we're just talking," the boy in the middle joked but the hardened look in his eyes said otherwise.

That earned an unconvinced hum from Heeseung, who's taller than the three boys. "Right, I'm sure talking doesn't require you to be so close, no?"

The boy narrowed his eyes, getting annoyed with Heeseung. "Didn't know the famous Lee Heeseung has time to play the role of a babysitter."

Your eyebrow twitched but you remained silent, even though you were tempted to retort with something snarky, that could potentially lead to a fight right in the corridor, drawing more unwanted attention to all of you.

One of the two boys snorted, adding fuel to the fire. "Thought pro players are supposed to stay up there." He vaguely jerked his chin to the ceiling, indicating the VIP stands, where he was spotted roughly fifteen minutes ago.

You could practically feel the tension thickening as every second passed. You knew what they were doing but Heeseung was smarter than he looked. He didn't take the bait, didn't even looked offended. But rather, he looked unimpressed, like their words and behavior was nothing more but child's play.

"I'm not the one causing trouble after a match," he calmly pointed out, using the kind of tone that infuriates the three boys, bristling with anger.

"You think just because you went pro, everyone's supposed to bow their heads and listen to you?"

"No, those things are basic knowledge. Doesn't matter if you're pro or not," Heeseung replied without hesitation, words as sharp as a knife.

That shut them up for a few seconds, rendering them speechless. You can practically see their minds scrambling to find any other words to use, to defend themselves but it was futile. Not when the it's crystal clear that Heeseung wasn't playing the same game with them. After what felt like eternity, the boy in the middle let out a humorless laugh, finally backing away.

"Whatever, you can have her if you want. She's not worth it," he said, turning around to walk away. His two minions were quick to follow, hot on his heels.

"He—"

You snarled, stepping around Heeseung, ready to call them out but Heeseung was quick to stop you, hand on your shoulder with his fingers clasped around it. You looked at him and he firmly shook his head.

"Don't. It's not worth it," he said.

One look at him and you can already tell there's a difference between the brothers. While confidence oozed from Riki, someone who wasn't afraid to show off, Heeseung was more down-to-earth and humble. If possible, he would preferred to have close to zero attention on him, wanting to pass as a regular guy instead.

Although, that was easier said than done, considering how his face was shown everywhere during the World Cup season on a yearly basis.

You weren't sure what it was. Maybe it's the way he looked at you with his mesmerizing doe-like eyes. Maybe it's the way he didn't outright boasted about himself, simply being well, himself. Whatever it was, it made the weight on your shoulders lightened.

"..Thanks, I could have handled it myself," you replied.

Heeseung dropped his arm. You pointedly ignored the warmth lingering behind on your shoulder, forcing yourself to not think about it.

"Sure you can. How you planning on doing that?" He asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. The small movement made his earrings hanging on his earlobes swayed side to side.

What's with football players and piercings?

You shrugged your shoulders, adjusting the strap of your bag. "I don't know. Maybe try to kick them in the nuts or something."

He laughed, the sound light-hearted and airy.

"Hyung? What are you doing here?"

The two of you turned to see Riki stepping out of a room, now dressed in his usual clothes and was no longer wearing the jersey. He looked fresher now, after thinking a quick shower. The captain approached the two of you, eyes darting between his older brother and your faces. Heeseung was quick to reply, not wanting Riki to get the wrong idea.

"I was looking for you when I bumped into her. Managed to save her from three Solaris boys too," he answered.

Riki's eyes darkened a shade when he heard that, like he's enraged at the thought of someone attempting to lay their hands on you. You saw it. Of course you did but you made no comment on it, not wanting to give him the impression that you're watching him, being attentive of him and definitely not want his ego to soar higher than it already was.

"Are they still around?"

He asked, voice slightly low, rough and a little raspy around the edges. Hearing it sent shivers down your spine. Your hair stood upright with your body breaking out into goosebumps. Sure, you've seen Nishimura Riki focused when he's on the field or him being confident when he's roaming the campus, like it belongs to him.

But this? This is something new.

Heeseung remained silent on your right, observing his younger brother carefully. There was a subtle shift in his expression—surprise, like he too, didn't expect this reaction from Riki.

"Calm down, they've already left. I handled it," he calmly spoke up.

Riki's eyes flicked towards him briefly before returning to you almost immediately. You caught how he scanned you from head to toe, as if he's searching for signs of injuries. Your throat and heart tightened slightly at the mere thought of him actually caring and looking out for you.

"I'm fine," you said before he could asked you anything.

His expression didn't change. If anything, he poked the inside of his right cheek, like words wasn't enough to settle the raging storm taking over his mind.

"What did they do?" He asked. No, demanded.

"Nothing."

"That's not what I asked," he snapped immediately, too fast for your liking.

You paused, visibly taken aback by the sheer intensity of his behavior. You knew he's not mad at you. But rather, he's mad at the thought of someone touching you. Cornering you and making you uncomfortable. It doesn't make any sense, for him to care for you, not when you're nothing more than a pair of strangers who were forced to work together for the article.

But with how his hands flexed slightly at his sides, fingers curling into his fists, like he's resisting the temptation to do something that could lead to certain consequences. What caught your attention was his eyes. They made him looked more like a puma than anything else. A puma who's ready to pounce on its opponent, ready to sink its sharp canines.

A puma that's ready to kill.

Riki inhaled slowly through his nose, forcing himself to calm down as he dragged a hand over his face. He looked away for a brief second but when he looked at you again, the anger was still there but it's buried deeper now, like he's locking it up deep inside of him.

"You shouldn't have been here alone," he muttered.

That sentence sent a surge of irritation through your veins. "I can handle myself. I'm not helpless."

Riki's eyes flicked to you, lips parting, like he wants to say something but thought the better of it and sealed them shut again. Heeseung awkwardly and pointedly cleared his throat, no doubt sensing there's something in the air between the two of you. He ran a hand through his black hair, bangs perfectly falling over his face.

"Well, I'll see you at home, Riki," he told his younger brother, who nodded before he turned to you, eyes softening slightly, "you should be more careful. Those Solaris boys never know when to stop."

You flashed him a small, genuine smile, unaware of how Riki's eyes instantly zeroed in on your expression. You remained blissfully oblivious to how you made his heart tightened, something ugly wrapping itself around his heart.

"Like I said, I can handle myself, but thank you. See you around."

And with that, Heeseung bid you farewell, good-naturally ruffling the current captain's hair before walking away, leaving you alone with him. Once he was gone, Riki turned to you, shuffling his feet on the spot with his hands tucked into the pockets of his three quarter pants.

"So, why are you here in the first place?" He question.

"I'm here because you told me I can interview you after the match. Don't you remember?" You deadpanned.

Realization flickered across his face. "Oh, right. But uh…"

You groaned when his voice trailed off, already knowing where this was going.

"Let me guess, you have a party to attend. The after-party of the match to celebrate your glorious final goal that won the match and stole the hearts of the audience," you finished for him.

"Sounds like you've been watching me very closely," he pointed out, all smug and boastful, returning to his usual self.

You rolled your eyes but the way your lips curled up in a faint smile says otherwise. "Well, I'd have to, considering I have to take pictures of you."

Riki stilled. It's clear he didn't expect you to go with the flow, replying to him in a casual, friendly way rather than being hostile with him. You caught everything—how his eyes widened slightly, the way his lips parted like he had a response ready, standing on the tip of his tongue, only for it to be wiped clean from his mind.

For once, Nishimura Riki was caught off-guard.

Seeing him malfunctioning on the spot nearly made burst out laughing. Because this was the same guy who always have something to say. Always smug, always quick with a comeback of his own and always carrying himself like he's ten steps ahead of everyone else.

And yet, your causal response was enough to break him.

"…Oh."

You coughed, fighting against the urge to smile wider. "Oh?" You repeated.

In a blink of an eye, his composure slid back in—the familiar confidence settling over him. He scoffed under his breath, running a hand through his damp, dirty ash blonde hair.

"Careful. You're starting to sound nice," he said.

"Don't get used to it."

"Too late."

You rolled your eyes for the second time. But unlike before, there wasn't any irritation behind it anymore.

And Riki noticed. Which was why he made a bold move, invading your personal space with one large stride. It's similar to how the boy from Solaris did it but comparing the two, your body didn't enter fight or flight mode. Rather, you were completely calm, not seeing him as a threat or an annoying pest.

Now that he's standing close to you, you were able to get a faint whiff of his cologne he sprayed and fuck, since when does he smell this good? You swallowed, praying to whichever God up there that Riki wouldn't be able to hear the loud, rapid pounding of your heart or detect your nervousness behind this facade of yours.

However, one look at the knowing smirk on his face was enough to confirm your worst fears.

He didn't point it out and you didn't know if you should be grateful or fearing for your life, wondering if he's planning to use it against you in the future. The captain took another step closer and it's only right for you to move back. This didn't went on for long, ending with your back gently colliding against the wall behind you.

Riki was quick to move, placing one hand on the right side of your head in a casual, smooth motion, like he wasn't the one responsible for pushing you into a corner or how he wasn't the one currently towering over you, putting his tall height to good use, giving him the advantage here.

He's close. Too close.

You could smell his faint cologne mixed with his body shampoo. Up close, his ash blonde hair was no longer damp, now dried strands falling over narrowed, amused eyes that were fixed entirely on you, making you feel small, like he's able to read your mind.

"Well, look at that. I guess you know how to be quiet," he murmured, voice low enough to send another shiver down your spine. It didn't go unnoticed by him, whose lips quirked upward in a knowing smirk, like he's proud of the effect he has on you.

You swallowed. "Back up, Riki."

He arched his left eyebrow—the eyebrow with an slit. Since when does he have that? He tilted his head to the side, eyes never leaving your face, like you're something he has never seen before.

"And why should I? You're not the boss of me."

You frowned in displeasure and annoyance. "I'll say it one more time: back up."

He paused before his teasing grin was replaced with something else. Something slower, darker and far more dangerous. You hated how he's intently studying your expression, like he's trying to crack a code to an impossible case, like he's trying to memorize every reaction you give him.

You weren't blind to how he's also enjoying this—enjoying watching you squirmed under his intense, unwavering gaze. Enjoying the effect he has on you as you kept struggling, trying to regain your footing but deep down, both of you knew someone is losing and it's definitely not him.

"Come to the party with me tonight."

Silence.

Your mind stopped. For a brief moment, you thought your mind was playing tricks on you, that you were mishearing things or he was joking. You waited for him to burst out laughing or for him to wave it off.

But he did none of that.

Instead, he seemed to be waiting for your response, judging from the expectant look on his face. Your stomach twisted into itself when you replayed his sentence, his voice echoing in your mind.

Come with him.

You weren't sure what to feel about that, about his particular choice of words.

"It'd be fun, trust me. Besides, you can take more pictures for your article and who knows, I might be in the mood to answer your questions," he added, despite how it's clear he had won and how you don't need further persuasion.

You scoffed in disbelief. "Did you just used the article as an excuse?"

Riki hummed. "Maybe. Maybe not. Does it really matter? So, are you in or what?"

Your first mistake was not answering him immediately. Your second mistake was to play with the strap of your bag—something you does when you're hesitating. Your third and final mistake was for you to look away and Riki doesn't liked that at all. Doesn't liked the idea of not having your fullest attention and eyes on him.

He reached out with his free left hand, boldly clasping his long, slender fingers around your chin and tilted your head forward, forcing you to look him in the eyes.

His sudden move punched the air out of your lungs. The mere feeling of his warm, rough and calloused fingerpads against your skin was enough to send your heart soaring.

You should do something. Push him away or jerk your head back to free yourself from his grasp but you couldn't moved, like your limbs have forgotten how to function, like someone had glued them to your body, leaving you helpless and vulnerable. Your breath hitched in your throat when Riki dragged his thumb across your bottom lip at an agonizingly, slow and almost tortuous pace.

As if wanting to see how much further he's allowed to go, the boy leaned in, close enough for the tips of your noses to brush against one another in the most lightest, fleeting sensation. But it's enough for your breath to audibly hitched in your throat.

Riki heard it with his sharp hearing. With how close you are, you were given a front row seat of catching his dark, clouded eyes flicking down to your parted lips.

You thought he will do it, only for him to withdraw from you completely.

Riki stepped back, leaving a gap between you. Your fingers twitched, nearly letting the primal urge to feel him again, to feel his body pressed against yours and to feel his hands on your body, took over you but you held yourself back, in an amazing feat of poorly concealed self-restraint. He's the first to speak, to break the thick, tense silence that has surrounded you.

"Give me your number. I'll pick you up at eight," he said.

You don't remember giving him your number nor do you remember what happened next, even though nothing happened. Riki then brought you to the exit of the seemingly long corridor before splitting ways with you as he bid you farewell, heading over to where his car was parked, leaving you alone, standing there in the open with countless thoughts running through your mind.

Sure, you may not remembered much but what you do remember is how close you were to kissing him. And what was probably the most scariest thing is how you wouldn't mind it one bit.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

"You did what?"

Jungwon barked out a laugh, the sound loud and sharp, piercing through the peaceful atmosphere of Riki's neighborhood. The strong, pungent smell of tobacco wafted about in the air with the captain taking a long puff of the lit cigarette, lowering his hand to release the smoke from his mouth, watching as it rose until it gradually vanished into thin air before him.

Unlike majority of the students, Riki doesn't live on campus, mostly thanks to Heeseung, who gets paid an hefty, thick paycheck as pro footballer, allowing the siblings to live in a rather wealthy neighborhood, much to the students' jealousy.

As a close, beloved friend of Riki, Jungwon is a frequent visitor to their home to the point that Heeseung ended up making a third copy of their key for Jungwon, for convenience's sake.

"Crazy, right?" Riki replied casually.

Jungwon rolled his eyes, resting both hands on the railings of the balcony as he looked ahead. "I thought you'd have kissed her. Why didn't you?"

The younger boy shrugged his shoulders, tapping his cigarette twice, watching as ash fell from the lited end. "I don't know."

His friend shot him a certain look. "Right… What about Kyujin? She's gonna lose her mind if she finds out you're cheating on her."

Riki snorted, taking his own sweet time in taking another puff, only replying once he exhaled the smoke. "I know she's cheating behind my back too."

"Then?"

"The only reason why I let her cling onto me is because she's hot," he replied, looking at Jungwon, who wasn't surprised, "nothing more and nothing less. Other than that, she can sleep with other guys for all I care. She doesn't have the right to confront me about it when she does the same too."

Jungwon whistled, impressed. "Damn, didn't know you have it in you. So, what are you planning to do with her? Make her fall in love with you?"

Riki chuckled, putting out his cigarette and straightened himself. "Nah, that's too easy. I'm gonna break her."

"Break her?"

He nodded. "Yeah, she's always fierce, always barking away like a dog. I want to see how she becomes when someone breaks down the walls she built around herself."

Jungwon owlishly blinked. "Sheesh, you're one heartless person, Riki. Just don't take it too far though. Wouldn't want your future career to be ruined."

Hearing this, the younger snorted and waved off his words. "As if she can do that."

His friend raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just saying. For all you know, she can ruin your hard-earned reputation just by writing and putting you in a bad spotlight."

Riki rolled his eyes. "I doubt she has the guts to do that in the first place."

"What makes you so sure?"

He paused, mind briefly returning to how you willingly let him touched your lip along with your stunned expression. How he almost gave in to his desires, to close the distance, to kiss you until you're breathless and all putty in his arms, to ruin you until you're chanting his name like a sacred prayer and to make you remember he's the only one who can do this to you.

"I just do," he simply replied, nothing but total confidence evident in his voice, not caring about the puzzled look his friend shot him.

Riki pushed himself off the railings, turning on the spot to retreat to his room. "Come on hyung, we have a party to attend."

The two boys took nearly an hour to get ready, taking their time to pair their clothes together to create the best outfits. Contrary to what people thinks, Riki cares a lot when it comes to fashion. In fact, his top hobby and interest is fashion itself. Jungwon had finished getting dressed, now seated on the edge of his bed, left leg propped on his right leg while scrolling through his phone.

The captain, on the other hand, was walking around his room shirtless. He had threw on a pair of jeans that hung dangerously low on his hips, only for it to be tightly wrapped around his waist with a belt. Jungwon made a noise when he saw his friend changing his shirt again for the unknown time.

"Can you hurry up? You're taking forever," he bemoaned.

Riki rolled his eyes, not paying him any mind as he stood before his opened closet, arms crossed with his fingers tapping on his upperarms. Eventually, his gaze landed on a black, sleeveless top and he removed the hanger, removing the top from it. He threw it on, moving to the body-length mirror and nodded his head in silent approval, lips curled up in a smirk.

"Alright, this looks good enough," he declared and Jungwon heaved a sigh of relief, muttering "fucking finally" under his breath, to which Riki chose to ignore.

He slipped on accessories—silver rings on his fingers that glowed underneath the dim ceiling lights, a silver chain bracelet wrapped around his right wrist and changed some of his piercings to designs that are more flashy and noticeable. Last but not least, he worn a silver necklace with a cross in the middle, leaving it hanging out in the open. Riki ran a hand through his ash blonde hair, patting it down from the sides and sprayed a generous amount of cologne on his body.

Once he was done, he swiped his car keys and phone off the bedside table. He glanced at hie phone, spotting Kyujin's name getting drowned in the sea of messages and notifications and he ignored her. Riki opened the Messages app, finding a certain someone's contact, thumb flying across the screen before sending it.

Me: you done? i'm coming over

(Name): yeah seen

Me: alright. btw, bring your camera along

(Name): ? why?

Me: for your article duh don't tell me you've forgotten about it

(Name): you're really fucking annoying

Jungwon stood up, stretching his arms above his head as he followed Riki out. Heeseung was in his own room, probably gaming away with his headphones on and the two didn't bother telling him they were leaving. They headed to his car and Jungwon was about to slide into the passenger seat when Riki stopped him.

"You're sitting behind today," he said, hopping into the driver's seat.

Jungwon openly gaped. "Huh? Why? Are you gonna pick Kyujin up?"

The engine came to life with a purr before it blended into a low, effortless hum in the background. Despite his reaction, his friend obliged and got into the backseat, closing the door beside him as he buckled his safety belt with Riki doing the same.

"Because I'm picking someone up."

"Who?"

"You'll see," he replied, keying in the postal code you gave him into his navigator before pulling away.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Meanwhile, you had long finished getting ready for the party. Thankfully, Yunah wasn't around as she had went home to spend the weekend with her family, sparing you from the countless questioning and teasing. You stared at yourself in the mirror, almost like you weren't sure if your reflection looking back at you was truly you or not.

You had applied a light shade of make-up, nothing too obvious but rather, just enough to make yourself look decent. After all, it is a party and you weren't one to pass up on the opportunity to dress up. You worn something that's bold and slightly out of your comfort zone.

A black, tight spaghetti-strap padded top with black lace peeking out underneath, acting as a fake second layer. You worn a pair of baggy faded jeans with a belt securely wrapped around your waist to prevent it from falling. For accessories, you went with minimalist—a silver necklace with a cross in the middle and a black thick bracelet on your left wrist.

Once you were done, you sprayed some perfume on yourself, double-checking your makeup before slipping on a pair of low heels—not too high for it to be deemed dangerous or too low for it to be deemed laziness.

As per Riki's request, you had packed your camera, taking a picture of the questions you wrote in your notebook before stepping out of the house when Riki texted you, telling you he had arrived.

You saw him immediately once you opened your door, casually leaning against the side of his car while scrolling through his phone. Riki wasn't aware of your presence, giving you the chance to take him in. As much as you hate to admit it, he is good-looking, only if his mouth is shut though.

He's dressed different than usual, revealing more skin—those toned arms of his and when he raised his hand to run it through his hair, your eyes instinctively flicked down to his sides, noting black ink imprinted on his skin.

You approached him, every step you took made your heels clicked-clacked against the pavement, easily catching his attention as he looked up. Your stomach flipped when you saw Riki shamelessly ogling you, greedily drinking you in from head to toe, no doubt pleased with what he's seeing.

You wrinkled your nose at the smell of tobacco invading your senses, disapproval appearing in your eyes when you saw the lit cigarette held in his left hand, between his middle and index fingers.

"Really? I'm surprised you aren't huffing and puffing yet," you said.

Riki snorted, taking one final puff before he dropped the cigarette, extinguishing it by squashing it into the road with his left shoe. "Hey, you're making it sound like I'm an old man."

You rolled your eyes, raising your hand to tuck a few stray strands of hair behind your left ear but he was faster. Your body turned as still as a statue when he did it for you. His fingers grazed against the shell of your ear, sending shivers down your spine. For a moment, you locked eyes with one another, like it's just the two of you with no one else.

Riki glanced down for a split second before back up again. You caught it. Of course you did. His hand was still hanging in the air and he was about to say something when a loud, pointed cough interrupted the two of you.

Cough cough.

You visibly jumped, startled while Riki wasn't fazed, merely huffing out of annoyance than anything else. The right back door opened and Jungwon's head popped above the car, a flat and unimpressed look on his face.

"Are you two done flirting? We have a party to attend and we're gonna be late," he deadpanned.

Your face flushed red but the captain merely rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, hyung. We won't be late. We're the main event after all."

Nonetheless, Riki pushed himself off the car and to your surprised, opened the passenger door for you. He even placed a hand on it, preventing you from knocking your head against it as you got in, closing the door for you.

He rounded his car, getting in with Jungwon doing the same as well. You sworn you heard the senior muttering something under his breath, something that suspiciously sounded like "fucking lovebirds and here I am, third-wheeling."

You didn't like how something in you twitched at that. At the thought of being in a relationship with Riki. With someone who has a girlfriend.

It didn't take you long to arrive to the party and frankly speaking, it's impossible to miss the house hosting the party. You could practically hear the music even though you're still in his car.

Heavy, muffled bass vibrated through the quiet, still neighborhood. It's a miracle the windows of the nearby houses didn't shatter due to how loud it was. Bright lights spilled out from the massive property at the end of the street, highlighting the crowd gathered outside, like moths drawn to a flame.

Multiple cars lined messily along the sidewalks. Some were parked properly while some were abandoned at questionable angles, like their owners were either too impatient or drunk to care. You suspect it was mostly the later option though.

To no one's surprise, the house was gigantic.

It's modern and expensive-looking. Three stories tall with wide opened sleek black gates, allowing students to enter and go whenever they pleased. The front lawn was crowd with people.

Some were clearly half-gone from alcohol, groups laughing too loudly while some were busy shoving tongues down one another's throat—much to your disgust. There were some scattered across the steps with red plastic cups held in their hands, chatting among themselves.

The smell washed over you immediately once Riki parked his car as you alighted—alcohol, smoke, weed and most importantly, the distinct, unmistakable scent of terrible decisions lingering around the corner, waiting patiently for its first victim.

You unconsciously adjusted the hem of your outfit, pulling your pants up slightly while your eyes scanned your surroundings. Somewhere nearby, someone shouted at the top of their lungs, drunkenly before bursting into a fit of laughter, with their friends cheering them on.

Another group was attempting to shotgun drinks with their bodies swaying side to side near the driveway, with music blasting through speakers positioned by the entrance.

"Looks like they've started without us," Jungwon whistled, hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers.

"Not surprised," Riki said casually, locking the car with a click of his keys. He didn't wait for permission, already approaching the house, walking like he owns the land, like he knew everyone has been waiting for him.

And they indeed were waiting for him. Countless eyes snapped to his direction, whether they knew it or not the moment his tall figure entered their visions. You purposely slowed your steps down, walking behind him, not wanting to be caught in his radar but your plan failed when you saw people whispering while sending not so subtle glances toward you.

It's enough to make your shoulders tensed, clutching onto your bag that contained your camera and a few other personal belonging. Jungwon, on the other hand, had mysteriously vanished into thin air, leaving you alone with Riki. He walked along the stone pavement that winds up to the opened front door of the three stories building.

The inside of the building has a different vibe than the outside. The moment you entered, the bass from the speakers hit harder, loud enough for you to feel the vibrations beneath your feet. Colored LED lights flashed across the massive living space, shifting between shaded of red, blue and purple with music occupying the air.

To say it's packed with people would be an understatement.

You groaned the moment you kept bumping or knocking into someone's shoulders. Some crowded around the kitchen island that was lined with bottles of alcohol. Some were dancing near the speakers, shouting over the loud, booming music despite standing mere inches apart.

Someone nearly stumbled and spilling their drinks on you before quickly apologizing and disappearing into the crowd. Out of pure instinct, you stepped closer to Riki, only for realization to hit you too late. Judging from the amused glint in his eyes, he noticed it.

"Overwhelmed already?" He asked, having to bend slightly so you can hear him.

You straightened immediately—a move used to hide your pounding heart. "No."

"Liar."

"Riki!"

Someone shouted his name, easily catching the captain's attention despite the loud, thundering music. You watched as a unfamiliar boy approached him through the sea of crowd. The two did a brief handshake—typical behavior for boys before falling into a brief conversation.

For a moment, you were tempted to wander around, only to rethink your decision when you how more and more people were entering the room.

The only person you knew here is Riki, leaving you no choice but to stick with him, unless you want a random stranger to approach you with hidden motives.

"Hey, you good?"

You blinked, snapping out of your trance, to see Riki now looking at you, giving you his fullest attention and the guy was nowhere to be seen. You wordlessly nodded and you sworn you saw his features softened before it was gone in a blink of an eye.

"We got invited to a game of beer pong. Wanna play?" He suggested.

You raised an eyebrow. "We? Are you sure I'm also invited? I don't know anyone here."

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "So? You know me. I'm not anyone and that's good enough. Most of the guys here aren't nice like me."

You couldn't hold back the snort that managed to slip past your lips. "Are you praising yourself? How arrogant can you be?"

"It's not arrogance when I'm stating the truth," he retorted and continued in a softer, assuring voice, "but seriously. If you don't want to then we can just hang around until you're ready to leave."

You hesitated, ready to decline the invitation and to shoo Riki away so he can have fun by himself, until you saw a certain someone among the crowd. A certain someone who is definitely not is girlfriend—Kyujin.

From where you stood, you were able to see her shamelessly flirting with a random boy, standing extremely close to him to be brushed off as causal or friendly. If anything, the boy didn't mind her advances, with how he even pulled her closer to whisper something into her ear.

Your mind replayed the rumors you've heard before—how their relationship isn't all lovey-dovey, how they kept breaking up and getting back together and honestly, you didn't care much about them.

But that was before your task of writing an exclusive article for him. Now? Now that you've interacted with him a few times, excluding the ones when you wanted to leap across the table to strangle him to death, you're starting to see a different side of him. A different side that everyone wasn't able to see.

Everyone other than you, that is.

Your limbs moved before your mind processed it, acting on impulsiveness rather than logic.

"Let's play."

Riki owlishly blinked his eyes, uncertain if he was hearing you correctly. "..Are you sure?"

You huffed. "Of course I'm sure. What? You scared or something?"

You can tell your words ignited something, judging from how his eyes darkened, the need to compete against you taking over his senses.

"If anyone's scared, it's you," he taunted, "just follow me and stick close to me. Wouldn't want you to get lost in the crowd, princess."

You hated how the sudden usage of the pet-name made your heart fluttered, like you're his actual girlfriend. If you noticed how Riki possessively rested a hand on your back to guide you through the crowd and how he's closer than he should be, then that's no one else business but yours.

Riki brought you to the second floor of the building and compared to the first floor, it's more breathable and less suffocating. The vibe is different from before—slightly calmer but you were still able to hear the loud music from downstairs.

There was already a large group of students crowded around a long table that's strangely placed in the middle of the room. There wasn't much furniture—just a few occupied couches and sofas that were already occupied.

On cue, everyone in the room snapped their heads up at the sound of your combined footsteps. You faintly recognized a face among the sea of faces—the boy who approached Riki earlier and you assumed he's the host of the game, judging from where he's standing. The boy's face lit up like a lightbulb at the sight of him.

"You made it! Good to have you here. We're just about to start," he said, gesturing for both you and Riki to join the crowd.

"Beer pong. Classic rules with two teams, cups on both ends. All you need to do is to throw the ball into the opposing side's cups. If it lands, the other team drinks. Easy right?" The boy explained, dramatically gesturing to the long table, like he's presenting something life-changing and never seen before.

A loud chorus of cheers erupted around you. You, on the other hand, stared at the setup before you. Red cups arranged in triangles, holding liquor you truly don't want to know. Ping pong balls were in a small transparent plastic cup with alcohol bottles lining the sides like decoration.

This is a far cry from your usual Friday night—how you'd be spending the night in the comfort of your bed, watching your favorite shows and yet, here you are—at a party, all thanks to Nishimura Riki.

Speak of the devil, Riki loudly cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Alright, I guess I'm starting first. Since I'm the star player and all, right Sunoo?"

Sunoo—that's the boy's name, rolled his eyes and tossed a ping pong ball towards him, who caught it without blinking. "Whatever, you show-off."

"Not my fault I'm a pro."

"Less talking, more throwing."

Their brief banter earned a round of laughter from the bystanders while you silently lingered near the edge of the crowd, wanting to blend into the background and remain unseen. However, your not so subtle plain didn't go unnoticed by Riki. He moved towards you, all quiet and stealthy as he grabbed your wrist, tugging you forward until you're standing beside him.

"Nuh uh, don't even think about hiding," he said.

You frowned. "I wasn't trying to hide."

Riki snorted at the obvious, pathetic lie. "Right, how about we make this interesting? We'll be on different teams—you on one team and me on the other."

"No."

"You don't even know what I'm gonna say."

"Doesn't matter. My answer's still no."

Riki ignored your words, letting them bounced off of him as he braced his hands on the edge of the table, the ping pong ball rolling to the side, long forgotten. You didn't like how he has his eyes on you the entire time, despite how there's a crowd surrounding the two of you.

Like you're the only person he sees.

"If my team wins, you need to do something for me."

You narrowed your eyes. "I don't like where this is going."

"But if your team wins, you can ask me to do something for you."

The room shook with the crowd's reactions, no doubt hooked after hearing him.

"That's crazy."

"Ain't no way she's turning this down."

"Seriously? To win against him? Yeah, she's cooked."

You stared at him in disbelief while Riki, on the other hand, was waiting patiently, even though both of you long knew what your answer will be.

"..What if I don't want to?"

He shot you a cocky smirk, the sight easily pushing your buttons and sending you over the edge. "Why? Scared I'll win?"

Your self-pride and worth immediately took the hit. "You're on."

The smirk on his face turned victorious and knowing but you ignored him, moving to snatch up another ping pong ball from the cup. The crowd started cheering. Some cheered for you while some cheered for Riki. The air in the room was now filled with nothing but excitment, the audience waiting impatiently for the game to begin.

What you didn't know however, was how he had planned this. Right from the beginning. And how you've cluelessly walked into the trap he meticulously created.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

To absolutely no one's surprise, Riki's team won.

You knew you're already tipsy, with you drinking a total of five cups of alcohol. Sure, you're still standing on your two feet but your head was borderline spinning and you were feeling light-headed. Some of your teammates were lightweights, already beyond drunk as they giggled to themselves, body dangerously swaying side to side.

"Woah there, writer."

You faintly heard Riki's voice as he steadied you with one hand on your arm while the other on your waist. If you were sober, your first reaction would be to push him away but you're not sober. You're tipsy, not acting like your usual self. You let out a light-hearted, airy giggle with you leaning against him, head lolled to the side, eyes dazed and unfocused.

You're painfully unaware of the thoughts running through his mind—thoughts that consists of him wanting to ruin you, wanting to break you and so on. Riki sighed, swiftly lifting you into his arms, carrying you bridal-style. His sudden action drew a surprised squeak from you. You clung onto him for dear life, even though Riki wouldn't dare to do that.

Not to you, anyways.

Riki climbed up a flight of stairs, bringing him to the third floor—the quietest floor compared to the other two in the building. There's a total of eight rooms and he knew all of them were vacant. He entered the nearest one, struggling a little to open the door with you in his arms, giggling under your breath to yourself.

The layout of the room was simple—a window that showcased the entire lawn filled with students scattered across it, a neatly-made bed, a small round table with a chair placed against it and a cupboard for someone to store their clothes. It feels more like a simple guest room but considering the current context, it can also be a room for certain things to happen.

Certain things that came in the form of a one nightstand, which is equivalent to a bad decision.

Riki placed you down on the bed, ready to leave so he can grabbed a bottle of water for you to sober up but he was stopped the moment his body was angled towards the door. He looked over his shoulder, only for his breath to stutter in his throat with the look you're giving him. All wide, innocent and doe-like—a huge contrast to the indecent, dark thoughts lingering in the back of his mind.

It didn't help with how your eyes were glossy—one of the many side-effects of the alcohol running through your veins. How your oh so kissable, irresistible lips were parted, seemingly glowing under the moonlight that's entering the room via the window.

Riki's eyes unconsciously trailed down, scanning your features, gaze lingering longer than usual on your cleavage. He wasn't sure when the top you're wearing was tugged slightly down, revealing the curves of your breasts.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" You asked, words already slurring as you raised your finger, pointing at him.

"…Like what?"

You giggled, drunkenly tilting your head to the side. "Like you want to kiss me."

His eyes darkened a shade at your words, at how you were speaking the truth. Or in this case, the partial truth. Riki turned on the spot, his body now fully facing you. He reached out to cup your face, thumbs caressing your cheekbones. The action itself was sweet and loving—a huge contrast to the indecent thoughts in his mind.

"You'd want that, don't you? Want me to kiss your pretty, filthy mouth," he crooned, tilting your head back slightly.

The next thing he knew, you took two of his fingers into your mouth. Riki watched, mesmerized by the erotic, lewd sight of you wrapping your pretty lips around his slender digits, sucking on them like it's a lollipop. You didn't break eye contact, gazing at him beneath your eyelashes, like you knew what you're doing, like you knew the effect you have on him.

Heat shot straight down to his cock. It twitched against the tight restraints of his boxers and pants. He sworn under his breath. Just out of pure curiosity and nothing else, he pushed his long fingers further down your throat. His action drew a muffled gagged noise from you. He watched, fascinated by how well you're taking him, how obedient you are, letting him do as he pleased with you. Like you're nothing but a doll for him to use.

"Fuck, look at you. All mouthy but you go quiet the moment you got something in your mouth," he rasped, already sounding wrecked just from watching you.

You whined, the sound muffled as you looked at him with wide, teary and dazed eyes. You hollowed your cheeks, almost looking like you're sucking his cock. An invisible light-bulb went off in his mind. He pulled his fingers out with a loud "pop", ignoring the disappointed sound of protest you made.

He observed how the thick, glowing strands of your saliva stretched between his fingers, like a spiderweb. He then used his fingers—the very same fingers covered in your saliva and traced it down your neck, creating a sticky feeling on your skin. It's sick and twisted, like he's marking a claim on you.

But gods, you actually liked it.

Riki chuckled at the breathless gasp you let out, head tilting back with your eyelids fluttering shut. His eyes averted to the side, noting the bag you brought along. The bag that has your camera in it. He leaned forward, easily picking it up with his long arm. The captain unzipped it, pulled the device out and easily turned it on, like he knew his way around a camera.

You, on the other hand, watched as he held the expensive device in his left hand.

"On your knees."

Normally, you would laughed at him, saying something snarky which can result into a full-blown argument. But you did none of that. You didn't talk back to him, didn't stand and walked out of the room.

Instead of doing any of that, you dropped to your knees.

"Good girl."

What the fuck.

It took all of you to not let the involuntary whimper leave your mouth, how you subtly rubbed your thighs together, craving for any sort of friction.

Riki's eyes gleamed in sanctification at your obedience, at how easily you submitted to him. What you didn't know was how he started recording the moment he got his hands on your camera. Capturing everything in the highest quality, capturing how you got off the bed, sinking to your knees as they gently hit the carpet beneath you.

You scooted closer, hands hovering in the air—waiting for his permission, only getting into action at a light nod of his head. First, you unhooked his belt, letting it fall to the floor with a loud series of clattering sound that none of you paid any mind to.

Second, you unbuttoned his jeans, letting it pooled around his ankles, leaving just his Chrome Hearts boxer on. The fabric does nothing but further outline his cock, poking against his boxer. Heck, there's even a visible wet stain on it.

You hooked your fingers into the hem, pulling it down to reveal more and more of his sun-kissed, muscular thighs before it joined the same fate as his pants. It sprung out, nearly slapping you in the face the moment it's freed. The tip was in an almost pitiful shade of red with a bead of precum that glistened under the moonlight shining in from the window on your left.

It's big and thick. Probably able to reach your womb.

Of course he has a big dick with that stupidly high ego of his. Of fucking course.

You glanced up, noting Riki's attentive, dark and lust-filled eyes that never left your face the entire time, like he's waiting for you to do something. And you did. You opened your mouth, tongue flattening against the bottom.

You moved your head closer and closer and teasingly gave a kittenlick to his cock, drawing a sharp and loud inhale from Riki. You collected the leaking bead of precum with the tip of your tongue, making a show of spreading it across your lips.

"Fucking hell, you're so—" Riki cursed, words borderline shaking with his free hand reaching out to tangle his fingers in your hair, to anchor himself or he sworn he would've cum right there and then.

Will you let him cum on your face?

He shoved the thought aside, making a mental note to use it in the future. He'd be a fool to do this as a one-time thing, not when he had been waiting for this for a long, long time.

Spurred by his reaction, you shot forward and took his cock in your mouth in one, effortless and smooth movement. You choked, your mouth obscenely stretched wide to accommodate to the grith of his cock. You sworn you can feel him hitting the back of your throat. You couldn't breathed nor were you aware tears were trickling down your cheeks until Riki cooed, stretching out his hand to wipe them away.

The action itself was sweet and soft despite how he's enjoying the way you're struggling to take him in your mouth. His hand returned to its previous position—fingers grabbing a fistful of your hair. He glanced at the camera, ensuring it's still rolling before he experimentally canted his hips into your mouth.

No warnings was given.

Your eyes widened and you forced your throat to relax, ensuring your teeth was covered by your gums, not wanting to bite his cock off. You repositioned your hands—one curled into a fist on your lap while the other rested on his right thigh to steady yourself. Riki's low, deep groans and him thrusting his cock into your mouth along with your muffled moans filled the room.

It's a miracle he's still holding onto the camera. From his point of view, the angle he held it at gets a perfectly clear and unobstructed view of his cock sliding in and out of your mouth, treating you like a fleshlight, a hole to be used and filled. He smirked at how your muscles and body have relaxed, letting him manhandled you as he pleased.

"Shit, so good for me, aren't you? How'd the school thinks if they see you like this, huh? All mouthy but letting me fuck your mouth. Nothing but a cockslut. My cockslut."

You whined, the vibration coursing down the length, sending a body-length shiver up his body from head to toe. Riki moaned—the sound low, deep and slightly rough.

He tossed his head back, revealing his Adam's Apple that bobs up and down with every inhale and exhale leaving his lips. He shivered when you traced your tongue along the protruding veins on the underside, creating a tingling sensation.

"F-Fuck, gonna cum. You'd swallow all of it, right?" He moaned.

You didn't answer him. More like, you couldn't. Not when your mouth was stuffed full of his cock. You can only respond via a choked moan, which seems to be what pushed him over the edge.

With one final thrust, Riki pushed himself deep into your throat, not caring about your gag reflex or how his abrupt action caused more tears to roll down your cheeks, causing your make-up to be smudged with his rough treatment.

You felt him spilling down your throat—thick and warm, painting them in the shade of his cum. His knees buckled but didn't give way. He loosened his grip in your now messed-up hair, flinching when you swirled your tongue around his tip, planting a soft and light kiss on it before fully pulling back with a soft "pop" sound.

Riki stopped the recording, tilting your chin up with his fingers clasped around your face. He tapped twice on your right cheek and you obeyed, opening your mouth for him to see you had swallowed all of his cum.

He chuckled, pleased. "Good girl."

He pulled you to your feet, steadying you with one arm wrapped around your waist when you staggered, your legs numb after remaining in the same position for a while. Riki reached around you to place the camera down on the bed behind you. For a moment, you thought he will kiss you or return the favor.

But to your surprise and confusion, he made you sat on the edge of the bed. You watched, eyes never leaving his figure as he pulled his boxers and pants up, tucking himself back in with the belt now wrapped around his waist.

Riki ran a hand through his hair, reaching into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. He turned, ready to leave when you called out to him, your mouth moving before you could think.

"Wait, what about me?" You asked.

The captain paused, looking at you over his shoulder with an unlit cigarette stick held between his lips. "What about you?"

You blinked. "I mean—"

"Oh. Maybe another time, writer. Hopefully you still remember you got an article to write," he replied in a knowing tone.

Before you could say anything, Riki had walked out of the room, like nothing happened. Like he didn't leave you throbbing, hopelessly empty and aching for him.

Whatever happened next was a blur. You ended up heading down to the first floor, downing shots after shots like there's no tomorrow even though your throat was burning from the intense alcohol in the red plastic cups. Drunk students around you cheered and hollered at the top of their lungs, thrilled to see someone going all out.

Someone kept shoving a cup into your hands, one after another and it's only right for you to gulp them. You knew you'll be facing the consequences of your actions tomorrow but for tonight, you want to forget.

To forget about the damned article the board wants you to work on. To forget about Nishimura Riki. To forget about the effect he has on you and how he already have you wrapped around his finger.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The very next day, you woke up with a massive hangover. It's the kind of hangover that made you regret every life decisions you made. You managed to slowly push yourself up from your bed, recognizing that you were back in your bed.

Your eyes flicked over to the bedside table and you saw your camera resting on it. The very same camera used to take pictures for your journalist club. You picked it up, noting how the device was on and checked the latest picture taken.

Only for you to realize it wasn't an picture. But rather, it was a video.

You nearly dropped the camera when you saw your own fucked out facial expression—you going cross-eyed, faint black ink and tears running down your face. The lewd sound from the video bounced off the four walls of the room.

Thankfully, Yunah was taking a shower, saving you from being bombarded by her questions, endless teasing and a well-deserved scolding from her.

To say you were embarrassed was an understatement.

Never in your life would you find yourself in your current dilemma—having a sex tape featuring yourself. Although, can it be considered a sex tape if all you did was giving him a blow job? To make matters worse, you barely recalled the series of events. All you remembered was Riki leaving the room, leaving the smell of a lit cigarette behind in his wake and the rest was blank.

Knock knock.

You jumped, startled by the sudden knocking sound and cleared your throat. "Y-Yeah?"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure," you replied, quickly placing the camera on the bedside table as the door was pushed opened, revealing Yunah busy drying off her damp hair with a towel while walking around the room.

"You gave me a heart attack last night, appearing at our doorstep while giggling and talking to yourself," she said, plopping down on the chair placed by your vanity table.

Yunah then used your hairdryer to her hair while your eyes followed her movement from where you sat. You didn't speak until she turned off the hairdryer, surprisingly keeping your voice steady and even despite how your heart was pounding against your ribcage.

How you were nothing but a walking or sitting bundle of nerves, feeling the reality of what happened last night gradually sinking in, leaving a heavy, uncomfortable weight on your shoulders.

"What happened? I can't remember anything," you questioned.

The girl snorted, eyes never leaving her reflection as she started putting makeup on her face. "Not surprised. You were really drunk. It took me a solid fifteen minutes bringing you from the door to your bed."

You stiffened, hands fisting the blanket covering your body. "…Did I say anything?"

At your question, Yunah glanced at you. "You did, but I couldn't catch them. You were mumbling and giggling to yourself."

Your shoulder dropped in relief. At least you didn't say a certain someone's name or you wouldn't be able to live that down.

"I'm sorry for the trouble. I'll treat you to dinner tonight if you want," you offered sheepishly, removing the blankets as you got out of bed.

Yunah chuckled. "I won't say no to free food, but I can't make it tonight. I have a project I need to rush and I'm meeting my groupmates later."

You tossed the blankets aside, heading to the bathroom to take your shower when you stopped once you heard what your friend said. You whistled, leaning against the doorframe with a teasing grin on your face, locking eyes with her via the mirror.

"Damn, someone's hardworking," you teased.

She rolled her eyes and flipped you off. "Shut up, you know I'm only doing this because the project is sixty percent of my grade. If I don't do well, I'm doomed."

You laughed, slinging your tower over your shoulder. "Good luck with that. Try not to die and think of your free dinner treat that will be waiting for you."

"Fuck off."

"Love you too."

Thirty minutes later, you stepped out of the bathroom to see Yunah had already left. Since it's the weekend and you have nothing planned, you decided to spend your time by working on your assignment. You made a simple, fulfilling brunch for yourself as you sat by the small dining table, placing your laptop and study materials on it.

You managed to get some decent progress done within the next two hours and you decide to head out to a convenience store to buy some snacks. Groaning, you stretched your arms above your head as you slid off your chair, whacking your back. You didn't bother changing, choosing to head out while wearing an oversized shirt with a pair of shorts underneath.

Comfort over style.

You swiped your phone, wallet and keys off before heading out after wearing your slippers. The nearest convenience store was located just outside of campus, one street down the road and within walking distance too. Besides, you could do with some fresh air as well. It took you ten to twelve minutes for you to arrive.

Only for you to stop in your tracks when you saw a familiar figure outside.

He wasn't alone. From the looks of it, he's hanging out with a group of boys and together, all of them looked more like a bunch of rowdy delinquents who have nothing better to do with their time. Riki didn't notice you, his back turned to you with him laughing at something someone said. Your eyes flicked down, scoffing under your breath at him holding a lit cigarette between his right index and middle fingers.

You decide to ignore him, praying he wouldn't noticed you as you walked past him, head pointedly lowered. You heaved a sigh of relief when you entered the convenience store, the auto doors closing behind you, saving you from him.

You made a beeline to a particular section, grabbing two packets of potato chips, a cold drink and two cups of instant noodles, because why not?

You then headed to the register to make your payment, ready to tap your card when someone paid for you. You looked up, ready to tell them off, but the voice died down in your throat when you realized Riki was standing on your right.

"What are you doing? I can pay for myself," you hissed, accepting the plastic bag from the staff and turned to leave with the captain walking beside you.

"I know you can but I wanted to. You ignoring me hurts my heart. I thought we're friends," he replied, resting a hand on his chest.

You shot him a warning look. "We're not friends. We're just group partners for the article. That's all."

Riki raised an eyebrow, stepping closer before you could blinked.

He's close. Too close. Close enough that your shoulders are brushing against one another. Close enough that you're able to feel the heat emitted from his body, through the multi-layers of clothes. Close enough for him to brush his fingers along your knuckles. The sudden, light sensation made you flinched and the way he chuckled knowingly didn't went unheard.

"Really? Don't tell me you've forgotten what happened at the party," he murmured, ducking his head to whisper into your ear, his hot breath grazing against your skin.

You stopped, turning on the spot to face him. If looks could kill, he would've dropped dead on the spot with how intense your glare was.

"Shut up. I was drunk," you hissed under your breath.

Riki laughed, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. He casually rocked back and forth on his heels, unfazed with your reaction. "Right, you could've pushed me away but you didn't. Admit it, you want me."

"Yeah, I want you to fuck off and leave me alone," you fired back without hesitation.

The boy cocked his head to the side, gaze assessing and firm, like he's trying to read between the lines, trying to decipher your mind and you hated it. Hate how he looks at you like you're the most interesting thing in the world. Whatever he was looking for, he seemed to have found it, with how he huffed, amused and straightened himself.

"Since both of us are free, how about we really get started on the article? I can come over, let you interview me," he proposed.

You crossed your arms. "How can I trust you? You're not the kind of man who can keep his hands to himself."

Riki looks offended. "Hey, I'm not like those guys. Trust me. I swear on my future career too."

"That doesn't mean shit."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Approximately twenty minutes later, you found yourself unlocking the front door of the dorm with Riki standing beside you. He's the first to enter, literally shoving you aside, entering the place like he lives here. Your left eyebrow twitched in barely suppressed anger at how he lazily kicked his shoes off, leaving them aside while he sauntered into the small living and dining room.

"Damn, you live like this?" He asked, stopping in the middle after taking everything in.

"What's that supposed to mean? I don't have a rich older brother like you," you retorted, kicking off your slippers as you placed them by the side neatly, unlike a certain someone.

Riki didn't comment on that, gravitating towards the first closed door he sees. He stood outside, turning to look at you and pointed his thumb at it.

"Is this your room?"

You placed the white plastic bag on the dining table, pushing your laptop and study materials aside to make space for it. "Yeah and no, we're not going to my room. We'll be out here."

Riki clicked his tongue. "You're no fun."

Despite his words, he moved away from the closed door, plopping down on the chair opposite of yours, leaning back into it as he manspreads his annoying long legs of his. Legs that you held onto when he fucked his cock into your mouth. You were quick to shove the thought out of your mind, not wanting to think about it.

Sitting down, you pulled your laptop closer to you, definitely not because you want to use it to shield yourself from his gaze. Nope. You opened one of your many, many notes that has the questions written down. You pulled your phone out from the pocket of your shorts, opened the Recording app to record the interview.

You cleared your throat, making the mistake of glancing at him, only to falter when Riki has been watching you the entire time. Right from the start when you sat down, your shorts tugging upward slightly to reveal a little more of your skin. You didn't saw how his eyes flicked down, how he bit his bottom lip and how he subtly shifted in his seat, pulling on his pants as it's getting too tight.

"Alright, first question: what made you joined the football team in Decelis Academy?" You asked, glancing at your phone's screen to ensure the recording is playing.

Riki hummed, throwing his right arm onto the back of the vacant chair beside him. You shot him a glare when he lightly kicked his feet against yours under the table.

"I find the sport interesting and my brother kept pestering to play with him when we were young," he replied, catching you off-guard as you assumed he will brushed it off but instead, he was answering it honestly. You sworn you saw a nostalgic look in his eyes with him staring at a random spot of the table. You remained silent, letting him continue.

He chuckled softly under his breath—something you didn't think he's capable of in the first place, eyes growing distant. From where you sat, it looked like he's traveling back to the past, watching from the sidelines as his younger self spent some quality, bonding time with his older brother.

"I wasn't good at it at first. My movements were awkward and stiff, like I didn't know how to use my limbs to chase and kick the ball. Heeseung hyung kept laughing at me but when I ended up crying and telling our parents that he's a meanie, he stopped and started teaching me, showing me the proper way of kicking a ball and how to defend yourself from your opponent."

He paused, running a hand through his hair, deep in thought.

"Turns out I have a talent in football and Heeseung hyung was the one who encouraged me to join the football team in Decelis. And here I am."

You nodded, fingers flying across your laptop's keyboard, jotting down his words in point form. You froze when you felt him trailing his right feet along your left ankle. At first, you thought it was on accident but that was your first mistake. Because for someone like Riki, nothing he does was on accident, like the true menace he is.

When it's clear he doesn't have anything else to add on, you nodded and moved on to the second question, trying your best to ignore how he's trailing your left leg with his own, like he has a motive behind it.

"Right, then moving on. Do you foresee yourself following your brother's footsteps?"

Silence.

You saw the signs—how he narrowed his eyes, how he clenched his jaw and how his tongue poked the inner-side of his right cheek. You slowly moved your hand, wanting to stop the recording when Riki's cold, low and deep voice halted you in your tracks.

"Is that how you see me?"

You blinked. "What?"

He barked out a cold, bitter and humorless laugh. "Don't try to act dumb, writer. You know damn well what you're doing. Asking me a question that's related to my brother."

Oh.

Oh. Perhaps you might have made a mistake. A mistake that stepped on one of his sore spots. Sore spot that comes in the form of being compared with Heeseung. You dropped your hands, resting them on your lap and maintained eye contact with him.

"Look, it's not my intention to compare you with him. I'm asking this because that's what the public thinks too—"

"What the public thinks?" He repeated, harshly cutting you off and you went silent, not wanting to piss him off further.

Riki stood up to walk round the table and stopped on your side. He leaned forward, bracing one hand on the edge of the table while the other was on the back of your chair. You leaned back, trying to create as much distance as you could but it's futile. With his tall figure cutting off any possible exits, you were helplessly trapped, cornered and at his mercy.

His eyes scanned you from head to toe, shamelessly taking in how your pathetic shorts barely covered anything, showing off your clear, unblemished skin. Skin that he craved to leave his marks on. He chuckled, the sound low and deep, sending shivers down your spine and goosebumps breaking out on your body.

Riki leaned in, fingers gripping your chin while he tilted your head back, forcing you to keep looking at him. He dug his blunt nails into your cheekbones, hard enough to leave crescent-shaped prints behind but not hard enough to draw blood. The stinging pain drew a pained hiss from you, slipping from your lips before you could stopped it.

The smirk stretched wider across his face, dark and twisted.

"I think it's time I teach you a lesson. To show what happens when girls like you keep crossing the lines," he snarled, venom seeping into his voice.

"Ri-!?"

Your voice died down in your throat when Riki dropped to his knees in front of you. His knees hit the floor with a painfully loud 'thud' that made you winced but he didn't care. Didn't care about how they will be bruised later on. He shot out his hands, roughly yanking you down by your hips until your lower half is in the air with your legs thrown over his shoulders, drawing a startled yelp from you.

He didn't give you time to regain your bearings, pulling your shorts and underwear down, baring your dripping and throbbing cunt. Riki chuckled, running his index finger along the innerway of your right thigh, savoring the way you flinched and gasping when he pinched the meat, dangerously close to where you want him the most. He clicked his tongue at how your pussy fluttered at the mean action.

"You act all tough but this part of you is more honest," he sneered.

Slap!

Your legs twitched at the sudden, stinging pain on your pussy. Heat crept up the back of your neck when you can feel slick rolling down your legs.

And Riki noticed it. Of course he did.

"You—oh fuck!"

You attempted to speak, to grasp at some sense of control you never had in the first place but your mind blanked out at the first hot, searing contact of his tongue. Just like anything and everything else in his life, Riki's an expert in pussy eating.

He groaned at the sweet taste of you on his tongue, the sound muffled and sending vibrations down your legs. Your toes curled, hanging in the air when he gave a light, sharp nip on the hood of your clit peaking out.

You cried out, the sound ripped from the depth of your throat at the weird feeling of Riki running his tongue along your puffy, soaked folds. You can feel the sharp tip of his nose bumping into your clit and you shifted a little, drawing a long, pleased moan from you when you grinded your pussy against his nose, using it to get yourself off.

But Riki wasn't pleased.

With a easy, almost effortless display of strength, he held you down by your hips with one hand, fingers digging into your skin through the thin fabric of your shirt. One look at his face made you swallowed and your pussy fluttered at how annoyingly attractive he looked now.

With his features covered except for his eyes. With his dirty ash blonde hair falling over his narrowed, puma-like eyes. With his face buried between your legs.

In conclusion, it's the hottest sight you've seen in your entire life.

"Don't move. You're taking what I give you. You move and I stop, got it?" He growled, voice low and guttural, leaving you to clench down on nothing.

You nodded but Riki wasn't taking that as an answer.

Slap!

"When I ask you a question, I want you to answer me. Got it?" He repeated, voice cold.

"G-Got it!"

You yelped, flinching on the spot but the boy's grip on you tightened. You're certain there will be marks left behind tomorrow. Marks that only you and him will know. The thought of walking around with his marks on your body shouldn't be this arousing, especially when he has a girlfriend but you didn't care anymore.

Forget about morality, not when you're getting the best pussy-eating of your life. You whimpered, one hand weakly grasping onto the armrest of the chair while the other reached down to grab a fistful of his hair, tugging his head closer, moaning at the delirious feeling of his nose rubbing against your clit.

The sensations heightened when he pushed his tongue and two fingers in at the same time. The dual penetration left you panting and moaning, eyes rolling to the back of your head with your hips eagerly and sloppily rocking against his skillful mouth, allowing him to make you come undone.

Riki curled his long, slender fingers, brushing them against your velvety walls, drawing more angelic and sinful sounds from you.

"Hngh, g-gonna cum—fuck, please," you sobbed, feeling the familiar tightening sensation in your stomach and your legs quivering.

Riki hummed in approval and with a skillful twist of his fingers and him delivering a harsh suck on your clit, you cum while chanting his name like it's a sacred prayer, soaking his face with your slick. He didn't waste a single drop, greedily drinking it like it's holy water.

You squirmed about on the chair, weakly tugging at his hair—trying to push him off but he's relentless, tongue swiping and flicking away at your now red, swollen and sensitive pussy, like it's the best meal he ever had.

It's only when you mewled his name that he finally gave you mercy. He detached himself, withdrawing to reveal the mess you made—his thick, plump lips looking more fuller than they were, chin and nose glistening under a layer of your slick. Riki wiped them away with the back of his hand, bringing it near his mouth and licked them up, without breaking eye contact.

"Taste so fucking good for me," he rasped, making your ears and cheeks turned red at his lewd words.

You laid on the chair, all boneless and panting to catch your breath while Riki, on the other hand, looked infuriatingly composed despite how he's responsible for your current state. He stood up, not bothering to help you with anything and was about to leave when something caught his eyes.

"Oh, you forgot this," he said, picking up your phone with his clean hand and turned the screen to you, making your heart dropped.

He chuckled at your wide eyes and the horror written all over your face. "Don't worry, I don't mind," he paused to over over you, tilting your chin up with your phone, "but if you try to delete the recording in your camera, I'll expose it to the entire school. Let them know how much of a whore you are."

Your breath stuttered in your throat. "You… Are you threatening me?"

Riki nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "Does it matter? Just do what you're told and everything will be fine."

"What do you want from me?" You asked, ignoring how your voice wavered at the end. You hated feeling like this—being at his mercy with your life now in his hands.

He smirked knowingly. "Simple. I want you to answer me whenever I call or text. I want you to show up, no matter what time it is. If you don't… I'm sure you know what will happen."

Your eyes widened before they narrowed, flames of anger igniting in you. "You motherfucker."

"Careful, writer. I won't bare my teeth if I were you. If you want to continue being a student and keeping your reputation clean, I'll do what I'm told."

Your shoulders trembled with poorly-concealed rage but Riki was unfazed. He shot you one final smirk, placed your phone on the table and stepped out of your dorm, leaving you alone, your shorts and underwear still laying on the floor. It's only when you truly realized what you've gotten yourself into was when you let frustrated, salty and warm tears trickled down your cheeks with the walls acting as your one and only witness.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Ever since then, your phone kept blowing up with messages from Riki. You didn't tell anyone about it. How could you, when everything you've worked hard for was practically on the line? No words could describe the amount of embarrassment you will go through if he leaked the video to the entire cohort. You wouldn't even know how to face yourself if that happened.

He texted you anytime throughout the day, not caring what you were doing or if you're in class. He'll text you a location, demanding for you to meet him within thirty minutes. Whenever these happens, you'll always leave with your hair messed up, lips swollen and on trembling legs. No one knew about this, not even Yunah, for you did an incredible job in keeping it on the low.

The locations varied—from in a empty classroom to behind the football court and so on. Riki doesn't treat you like a proper human being. No, he treats you like a doll, manhandling you about as he used you to chase after his own pleasure without caring about yours. If he's nice enough, the most he'll go to is to eat you out, leaving you crying and begging for more.

But no matter how many times you begged, he refused to fuck you.

A small, part of you felt grateful. Grateful that he didn't take your virginity yet. But there's another part of you that felt insecure, wondering if it's your fault for not being good enough for him, not appealing or attractive enough for him. You hated how you've became like this—a walking mess of insecurities all lumped together.

And it's all because of him.

You glanced at the address reflected on the screen, the address Riki sent you thirty minutes ago to double-check if you're truly at the right location. You looked around, taking in your surroundings as you have never been to this part of the neighborhood.

You were used to the middle-class life and not this. This referring to apartments and private houses lining up on both sides with the road in between. You're certain for a fact that each of these houses probably costs an organ.

You jumped on the spot when the closed front door one hundred meters away from you opened without warning. Your shoulders tensed, mentally preparing yourself to see Riki but to your surprise, it wasn't him.

It was someone else.

The two of you stared at one another, feet rooted to the ground. The other owlishly blinked his eyes, swallowing whatever he was chewing in his mouth before speaking, raising his voice slightly so you will be able to hear him.

"Oh, you're the girl from before. What are you doing here?" He—Heeseung, asked, pushing the door opened as he stepped out in slippers to dump a tied-up plastic bag into the trash bin.

Oh, I'm here because your younger brother and I are in an unlabeled relationship and we're gonna fuck around and have fun. Not to mention, he's cheating on his girlfriend too!

You swallowed down the words, not foolish enough to blurt it out. "I'm here for the article. Figured it'd be faster if I work on it while asking him questions at the same time."

Technically, you weren't fully lying nor were you fully telling the truth. It's in the middle but Heeseung doesn't need to know that. You didn't want to think about how he will react if he finds out the horrifying truth, the truth about the real, dark and twisted side of his younger brother. The younger brother who he truly cherished and loved with his entire heart.

Thankfully, he bought it easily but that didn't make you feel better, something akin to guilt flowed through your veins. How you wished you could tell someone the truth, wanting to confide in them, wanting to seek for someone's opinion on the dilemma you have gotten yourself into.

But yet, the lingering, haunting thought of Riki finding out what you have done—going behind his back, terrifies you. Enough for you to keep it a secret as you buried it in your chest, letting it suffocate you as every day passes.

"Oh, the article," he drawled, slowly nodding his head with his eyes not leaving your face, making you shuffled your feet on the spot, hands gripping onto the strap of your bag.

"..Is something the matter?" You inquired.

Heeseung shook his head, sending you a small, sheepish smile that made your heart skipped a beat at how cute he looks. How he's just Lee Heeseung—a regular, handsome boy instead of the Lee Heeseung, a pro football player.

"Nothing. Mind telling me your name? I didn't ask back when we first met," he replied, tucking his hands into the pocket of his shorts, rocking on his heels back and forth on the spot.

You introduced yourself and he copied you, saying it in a slow manner, like he's testing how your name feels rolling off his tongue. And somehow, you very much loved how your name sounds when he's the one who said it, as compared to his younger brother. Speaking of the devil, Riki made his appearance by loudly and pointedly clearing his throat.

Your head snapped to your left, making eye contact with him. The boy was leaning against the doorframe, posture all casual and relaxed but the way his eyes darkened in jealousy and how his jaw muscles twitched said otherwise. You dryly and nervously swallowed, ducking your head as you walked towards him.

Riki stepped aside, letting you enter the house without closing the door, giving Heeseung a perfect, clear and unobstructed view of his younger brother possessively resting one hand on your back, with him bending slightly to whisper into your ear.

What Heeseung doesn't know was how you stiffened after registering his words, letting it sink into your mind. You can practically imagine him sinking his claws into you, a tail wrapping itself around you, holding you hostage. Heeseung doesn't know how you dryly swallowed, how your muscles were coiled and most importantly, way you're left at his mercy.

You weren't given a chance to admire the layout of the brothers' house, following Riki who led the way to his room located on the second floor. Of course their house have multiple floors.

Riki let you entered his room first with him closing and locking the door behind him, the sound seemingly sealing your fate shut. Riki leaned against the door, arms crossed with his dark eyes never leaving your face, not even for a second.

"Strip," he commanded, voice firm and authoritative.

Even though you've done this before, your first instinct was to tense, clutching onto your bag, like it could defend you from him. He narrowed his eyes at your lack of response, action and the act of defiance. He pushed himself off the wall, closing the remaining distance in no more than six large strides, until he's directly in front of you, nearly chest-to-chest.

You cried out in pain when he grabbed your hair and yanked your head back, baring your neck that was covered in a thick, generous layer of concealer used to cover the countless hickeys and bite-marks he left behind. Frustrated tears brimmed the corners of your eyes, blurring your vision slightly but you were able to see the smug grin on Riki's face.

"Are you deaf or just stupid? I asked you to strip and you can't even follow a simple instruction," he taunted, roughly pulling on your hair, drawing a pained whimper from you.

"I-I'm sorry," you managed to croak out, peering at him through teary eyes and beneath your eyelashes.

"Are you?" He didn't wait for your response, releasing your hair and forced you down on your knees, not caring about your bag landing on the floor with a loud, unceremonious thud, "if you really are sorry, then prove it."

You know what he wants. After all, it can only go a few ways. Which was why you unzipped your bag with trembling fingers, fishing out the camera and handed it to him.

Riki accepted it with a cocky smirk, switching it on and checked the gallery, nodding in approval when you didn't delete any of the videos he recorded. Videos that won't be sent to the entire academy, unless you pissed him off, that is.

"Good girl, so obedient for me, aren't you?" He purred, tilting your chin up with his left hand, thumb pressing down on your bottom lip.

To any other random girl, they will feel on cloud nine to be in your feet. But to you, you felt nothing but pure suffocation, like your wrists were tightly bounded by a rope, like your wings were sliced off from your back and you were tossed into a cage.

Like a bird without freedom. And you can only take so much before you eventually break, desperately wishing for someone, anyone to save you. To rescue you from this hellhole before it gets even worse.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

"..llo? Earth to Heeseung?"

"Huh?"

When he blinked, he found himself staring at his blinding monitor screen with the death screen staring back at him, mocking and taunting him. He sighed, leaning back in his seat and swayed his chair side to side while his teammates—who are also his friends—wasted no time in taking the opportunity to laugh at him.

"Didn't know hyung's able to get distracted during a match."

"Yeah, what happened? Are you getting head or something?"

"As if. That guy's nothing but a pussy when it comes to girls."

"You know I can hear all of you, right?" He deadpanned, earning a loud series of laughter from his friends.

When the timer was up and his character was back at the spawning point, Heeseung straightened himself and wasted no time in leading the next wave of counterattack. It took the enemy team by surprise as they weren't expecting that. Thanks to him, his team emerged as the winner and all of them were able to rank up.

"Oh man, have I ever told you how much I love you? Like I can ki—"

"Okay, that's enough from you, Beomgyu. I gotta go, see you guys later," he cut his friend off, ignoring the booing sounds and left the Discord call.

Heeseung stood up to stretch his arms above his head, groaning at how stiff his limbs were. He stepped out of his bedroom, ready to head down the stairs when his ears registered a suspicious, muffled sound that's painfully similar to a moan. He stopped in the middle of the hallway, straining his ears to ensure he wasn't hearing things—

And he heard it again.

"Right, working on an article, my ass," he muttered under his breath, returning to his room to slip on his noise-cancelling headphones and swiped his phone off his desk. He didn't want to hear what his younger brother is doing behind his back, since he's already an adult and should know what's right and what's wrong.

Heeseung headed to the kitchen to make himself dinner—a pot of instant ramen with eggs and some sliced vegetables, since he's feeling fancy.

As he was preparing, his mind kept drifting back to you. His first encounter with you, how you bravely stood your ground against the three Solaris boys, how you showed no ounce of fear and how you were different from the rest of the girls he met before.

Obviously he is popular with the girls. They never failed to throw themselves onto him, either wanting to sleep with him or want to date him for his money or fame.

To him, Heeseung felt like he wasn't truly seen as an actual person but rather, he's viewed more of an asset. And that alone was enough to act as a turn-off, efficiently cutting off his interest in relationships and dating.

That was, until he met you, that is.

Heeseung may be awkward when it comes to human interactions but he has many strengths, just like any other human being. One of those strengths was the ability to read people's thoughts through their body language.

This skill had been a lifesaver most of the time, allowing him to read the atmosphere of the room, to know whether someone was feeling uncomfortable and so on.

He replayed the scene in his mind—how Riki was acting weird when he saw you with him, even though it's clear Heeseung wasn't that kind of guy. How Riki seemed furious and jealous. How close he got when you approached him. How he rested his hand on your back, like he's showing you off to him, telling him that you're off-limits.

Strange, doesn't Riki have a girlfriend? I don't think she's his girlfriend. Unless he broke up with Kyujin.

Heeseung was deep in his thoughts that he wasn't aware someone else had entered the kitchen, terribly catching him off-guard when his headphones was ripped away from his head. He snapped his head up to see it's none other than his younger brother, holding his headphones in his right hand with a child-like, mischievous smile on his face.

"Hyung, your noodles are gonna be overcooked," he said, jutting his head at the pot.

Heeseung was quick to remove the lid, dumping his vegetables and egg into the pot before covering it with the lid again. He scowled, snatching his headphones back from his brother's grip and hang it around his neck. Riki chuckled, turning to open the refrigerator and grabbed a cold can of Monster, opening it with the sound piercing through the kitchen.

"Who's the girl? Is she your girlfriend?"

Heeseung casually asked, turning his attention back to the pot as he removed the lid, proceeding to turn off the stove when the noodles, vegetables and egg are cooked to his liking. He spotted how Riki stilled for a split second, mid-way raising the can to his lips before he regained his composure.

The older brother filed that reaction aside, making a mental note to come back to it.

"No, she's just a friend," he answered, voice even and steady but the way his eyes were averted to the side said otherwise.

Still, Heeseung decides to go along with the flow. "Oh, that's nice. What's her name?"

At this, Riki fully turned to face him, eyeing him warily. "Why? Don't tell me you're interested in her."

He shrugged his shoulders, using a glove to grab the handle of the pot, walking out of the kitchen to place it on the dining table. "Maybe. She's kinda cute. Is she single?"

Riki's reaction was all he needed to confirm something's weird is happening between you and his younger brother.

He observed him the entire time as he returned to the kitchen to drop the glove and grabbed a pair of chopsticks—how the taller boy turned as still as a statue, not even breathing, how he tightened his grip on the can of energy drink until his knuckles turned white, creating uneven dents, how his nose flared up and how he's visibly fighting against the urge to not lose his temper right there and then.

"…Yeah, she is," he answered, voice low and rough and without waiting for Heeseung's response, he chucked the can into the dustbin with amazing accuracy and stomped out of the kitchen, returning to his room.

Baam!

The sound of him slamming his door shut echoed throughout the quiet home. Hering it made the pro football player smirked to himself.

"Bullseye. Alright Riki, let's see what's so special about her that you're lying to me," he muttered under his breath as he picked up his chopsticks.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

These 'meetings' kept going on for the next three weeks. Every time you leave, you're more and more emotionally unstable and unable to think straight either. It's clear you weren't doing a good job hiding it, with how students were starting to see and sense a change in you. Heck, even Yunah had voiced out her concern to you, demanding to know what's running through your mind.

Every time she questioned you, you were tempted to spill the beans and to tell her everything—how Riki had manipulated you to go along with his unreasonable demands. How he had you in the palm of his hands.

But you couldn't.

Every time you tried to open your mouth, you felt an invisible leash tightening around your neck, forcing you to stop talking before you ruined your life and career. Right now, you're walking back to your dorm after another, supposedly meeting with Riki.

You made no effort to hide the evidence he left behind on your body, for it was already late at night and nearly everyone was comfortably tucked into their beds, getting ready to wind down from another hectic day.

That was your first mistake. Or maybe, you're one step to being saved from this cruel, heartless pattern you found yourself in.

"…(Name)?"

Your pace slowed down, thinking you're mishearing things or your ears was playing tricks on you and you continued walking, wanting to return to the comfort of your dorm as soon as comfortable—

"Wait, (Name)!"

Oh for fuck's sake.

Yup, you definitely weren't hallucinating. You stopped, looking over your shoulder to see Heeseung catching up to you, his breathing heavier than usual. His eyes scanned your figure from head to toe, only for them to widen when he spotted the hickeys and bite-marks decorating your neck. You quickly slapped a hand over it but it was too late.

"You… What happened to you?" He asked after regaining his breathing.

"Nothing, don't worry about it. Just go home, Heeseung," you replied without missing a beat, looking away.

But the man in front of you clicked his tongue, taking a step closer. "No, I'm not going home after seeing you like this. It has something to do with Riki, doesn't it?"

You flinched at the mere mention of his name—an action out of pure instinct rather than anything else. Heeseung caught it, narrowing his eyes at your reaction. He clenched and unclenched his fists, tightening his jaw while suppressing the anger threatening to get the better of him.

You watched as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration and anger. Anger at how his own flesh and blood dared to do this. Frustration at himself for not seeing the signs earlier on.

"How long has this been going on?" He asked in a low voice.

Your bottom lip trembled, evidently conflicted with your own thoughts. But one look at his soft, reassuring gaze was enough for you to give in. "…Five weeks."

"Fuck, that's nearly a month," he murmured in realization.

You fiddled with the hem of your shirt, looking down to avoid eye contact. "..I don't know what to do. I'm tired of this. I didn't want any of this."

Heeseung's eyes hardened at your words and broken tone. "Did he forced you?"

"I have no choice! It's either I obey his words or else—"

You stopped mid-sentence, cutting yourself off. Heeseung's features softened, taking a small step closer, not wanting to scare you off. He reached out, hands hovering in the air and when it's clear you won't freak out or run away, he placed them on your shoulders.

You stilled at the first contact but eventually relaxed, closing the remaining distance to bury your face in his chest, freeing the tears and the pent-up storm of feelings you hid for so long.

Heeseung lets you sobbed and wailed like a newborn baby, his heart breaking when he can feel your body shaking like a fallen leaf—a sign of how frightened you were. He engulfed you in a secure hug, running his hand through your hair while whispering comforting words to you in a hushed tone.

"Hey, it's alright. You're safe with me now. He's not gonna hurt or touch you," he murmured, voice soft as silk and smooth like butter.

After what felt like centuries, you managed to calm down and pulled back with swollen, red and teary eyes. You raised your hands, attempting to wipe your tears away but he was faster.

You froze, feeling his thumbs gently and gingerly wiping the tears droplets away. The way he treated you with such care, like you're a fragile piece of glass that could shattered at any moment, made your heart swelled.

Although, the brief, sweet moment was ruined when reality sank in.

"What do I do? If I tell the board, Riki's gonna send the video to the entire academy and my life will be ruined," you said, feeling hopeless like there's no way out.

Heeseung clicked his tongue, lifting your chin up to meet his gaze. "Don't think about it for now. It's late and you need to get some rest. We can figure something out tomorrow."

"But—"

He stopped you by gently squeezing your shoulders with a soft smile on his face. "No buts and no nothings. I don't want to hear another word of protest from you, (Name). Just go back and sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

You faltered. "…Promise?"

"Promise. I'll drive you back to your dorm."

You opened your mouth, only to close it at the pointed look he sent you. Heeseung chuckled, ruffling your hair and gestured for you to follow him.

"Atta girl."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The very next day, you woke up feeling light-headed and not your usual self. You expected the same old wave of nervousness to hit you but there was nothing. Rather, you felt lighter than usual.

Maybe it's due to the fact you've told Heeseung about it, finally someone else who knew about it too. You sat up from your bed, not making any move to get out of bed, even though you have class in three hours time.

You dragged yourself out of bed, doing your morning routine and when you were done, you bumped into Yunah, who's seated by the dining table with breakfast already made. You stood outside your door, clearing your throat to gain her attention.

"Oh, morning. I made you breakfast, come and eat," she greeted you with a smile.

You weren't sure why but your eyes turned glossy and her smile dropped. Yunah stood up from her seat, hurriedly approaching you.

"(Name)? What's wrong?" She asked.

You sniffled and she took that as a cue to embrace you. Just like Heeseung's, her hug was just as comforting as his was. You buried your face in the crook of her neck, feeling her patting your back, like how a mother does to her newborn baby.

"Yunah.. I need to tell you something," you rasped out.

"What is it? Oh god, don't tell me you're pregnant or something."

You let out a watery laugh. "No, it's not that. It's just.. this is gonna be a long story and embarrassing."

She pulled back, hands on your cheeks as she pushed them together, squashing your face and making you looked like a puffer fish. "Nonsense. I'll still listen to what you're gonna say, embarrassing or not."

And you did just that. You told her everything—right from the very beginning, starting from Heeseung saving you from the Solaris boys, to Riki inviting you to attend a party with him, to you foolishly accepting his stupid bet, to a sextape being recorded without your consent and to you having no choice but to obey his words.

Throughout the entire time, Yunah went through a wild rollercoaster of emotions. She was dumbfounded and furious. Dumbfounded that the academy's golden boy has a dark, hidden side to him.

Furious that you—her best friend, was caught in this hot mess. When you were done ranting, she shot up from the couch, having made you sat down on it before you started your story-telling.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him."

"Yunah, wait!" You exclaimed, rushing up to stop her as you grabbed her wrist, "Heeseung said we're gonna talk about it today. He knows about this too."

Yunah spun around. "Heeseung? As in Riki's older brother? Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

You firmly nodded. "I trust him, Yunah. He was really mad when I told him the truth."

She pursed her lips before letting out a sigh. "Fine, but if he turns out to be the same as Riki, I'm gonna kill the both of them. Forget if I go to jail."

You chuckled, feeling better now that you have confided in someone else.

You ended up going to class even though Yunah kept insisting you should stay in the dorm and rest. But you refused, stating that the last thing you wanted was to be left alone with your own thoughts, to which your friend eventually but very reluctantly, backed off. Half of the day passed in a blink of an eye with you finishing attending your classes.

You stepped out of the lecture room, heaving a sigh of relief once you were out and then, you felt your phone vibrating in your pocket. You pulled it out, to see Yunah had texted you.

Yunah: don't freak out but Heeseung came by earlier and he asked me to give him your camera.

You: what the fuck did you do?

YUNAH???

You groaned, annoyed with how she wasn't answering your message when you spotted a familiar figure outside the main entrance of campus—Heeseung. Everyone around you stopped what they were doing, eyes following his movements, watching as he ignored everyone and walked towards you.

"H-Heeseung, why are you here?" You asked when he stopped before you.

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you think I've forgotten what I told you? Come on, follow me."

Despite his words, he grabbed your wrist, in front of everyone and tugged you along, forcing you to match his pace. You made a startled sound, eyes darting left and right, noting how some students were openly gawking at you and how some were whispering among themselves while pointing at you.

"Wait, where are we going?" You asked but he ignored your question, dragging you along to your unknown destination.

It was only when you walked down a particular hallway was when it hits you—Heeseung was bringing you to the principal's office. At this rate, your heart was pounding against your ribcage, fingers and hands shaking from fear as it coursed through your veins. You stopped before the closed door, watching as Heeseung raised his free hand.

Knock knock.

"Come in," the principal announced, granting you permission.

Heeseung pushed the door open and it turns out you weren't the first to reach, for there was someone else as well—Riki. He sat on the left chair, legs spread out before him with one arm carelessly resting against the back of the chair, obviously having no idea why he was summoned here.

You shifted to hide behind Heeseung when Riki's eyes flickered between the two of you before it landed on him holding your wrist.

The sight of it made him narrowed his eyes, like it's a revolting sight for him to look at. The principal cleared his throat, gesturing for you and Heeseung to take your respective seats and you obliged. Now, the three of you are seated before the man and he wasted no time in jumping into it, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"I've been told by Heeseung that you, Nishimura Riki, is forcing (Name) here, to do… certain things for you. Is that true?" He asked, voice firm and authoritative, just like how any other principal should be.

Silence.

Riki chewed on his bottom lip and lets out a laugh, the sound sharp and chilling enough for shivers to run down your spine. "No, of course not. You know I wouldn't dare to do that."

Of course he denies it.

The principal eyed him a little longer before turning to you. "(Name), please be honest with me: did Riki make you do anything?"

You didn't answer at first, your palms growing sweaty from the tense atmosphere you're placed in without warning. Seeing this, Heeseung reached out to rest his hand on yours, intertwining your fingers to squeeze it.

You knew the meaning behind his action, how he's telling you he's here for you, a silent act of encouragement and also, a small, tiny step to push you to the right direction.

You're fully aware of Riki's sharp gaze on you but you ignored him, facing the principal and finally answered him.

"..Yes, he did."

The moment those words left your mouth, the captain shot up from his chair and slammed his hands down on the table.

BAAM!

The sound was loud, echoing among the four walls of the principal's office. Everyone except you was unfazed with his violent reaction. Riki accusingly pointed at you as he faced the principal.

"Really? You chose to believe her over me? I'm the one who boosted the academy's reputation. I'm the one who you and the board wanted an exclusive feature on too. So tell me, whose words do you believe more?"

The principal raised his head, meeting Riki's angered gaze head-on without any fear. He sighed, reaching down to pick something up, that was hidden from everyone's view but the moment he revealed it, your heart dropped. The room was engulfed in a thick layer of silence, all three pairs of eyes were focused on the item the man was holding.

It was your camera.

That's when Yunah's messages echoed in your mind—how Heeseung went to your dorm when you were away for classes, how he had somehow managed to convince Yunah to give her your camera. The camera that has everything, the evidence.

The color drained from Riki's face, eyes widening and shoulders dropping. It's clear he didn't think you dared to speak out, to tell someone about it. It seemed like his foolish mistake of not wiping the camera's gallery proved to his downfall in the end. He opened and closed his mouth, resembling a fish out of water, struggling to get a word out.

"I… She's the one who forced me to do it!" He exclaimed, using his last resort to defend himself while aggressively pointing at you from where you sat.

You stilled, taken aback by his rather bold and honestly, a pathetic attempt to redeem himself. Riki took your silence as his cue to keep going, changing the story to make himself the victim. Anything to get him off the red zone.

"She came up to me during the party, spiked my drink and forced me to do things for her. When we were done, she threatened me, telling me if I dare to tell anyone about this, she'll send the videos to everyone in the academy," he explained, turning to his older brother, who had been silent the entire time.

"Hyung, you believe me right?" He asked, having the audacity to sound hopeful.

Heeseung looked up, face void of any emotion, eyes cold and emotionless. "Riki, you disgust me."

"…What?"

He slowly stood up from his seat, withdrawing his hand from yours as he faced his younger brother.

"Don't lie to me. I know what really happened. (Name) told me about it and honestly? It makes me sick after she told me. Imagine how I feel when I found out my younger brother. My own flesh and blood is doing these kinds of things behind my back. You're fucking sick in the head for forcing a girl into this. And you're fucking pathetic for trying to make yourself the victim."

"No, hyung, I—"

"Save it. I don't want to hear another word from you," his older brother hissed, voice seeping with venom, "you're going to face the consequences of your actions, Riki. By spending time in jail."

His eyes widened further, if that's possible. "No no no. Hyung, please! You need to listen to me!"

You couldn't take it anymore, finally giving him a piece of your mind.

"You piece of shit. This is what you deserve for doing this to me! You ruined my life. You ruined everything for me. You did this for your own sick and twisted desires. I was a fool for thinking you felt something and a fool for letting you too close," you spat, practically hissing.

Both brothers were stunned with your sudden outburst but you pressed on, letting out the feelings you had been harboring for a long, long time.

"I was scared for my life and my future. All because of you. You gave me nothing but suffering and agony. I don't ever want to see your fucking face again and I hope you rot in hell, Nishimura Riki."

You didn't wait for his response, turning on the spot to storm out of the office, ignoring Heeseung calling out your name. You managed to take a maximum of ten steps before Heeseung caught up to you, grabbing your wrists, stopping you in your tracks.

"(Name), you—"

"I did it."

He stopped, owlishly blinking his eyes. "Did what?"

You looked at him with a warm, genuine smile that took his breath away. "I managed to break free from him. I'm free now."

Heeseung's features softened and he returned your smile with his own. "Yeah, you did. I'm proud of you, (Name). I really am."

News spread like wildfire, about the fall of Decelis Academy's golden boy. It left the entire cohort in shock, for they never expected him to be like this. Riki was formally sentenced after being found guilty of his indecent crime involving you, a student of the academy. Your name was kept anonymous for safety reasons but the same wasn't applied to the offender.

His hardworking and charismatic image was washed down the drain after the news started talking about it. There were even some news reporters seen waiting outside the campus, hoping to interview some of the students.

Some commented they couldn't believed what they saw on the Internet. Some commented they were disgusted with his behavior, wishing he could stay and rot in jail forever.

In conclusion, Riki's future career as a football player was ruined with none of the pro teams wanting to recruit him anymore. Not after he had shown his true colors.

You, on the other hand, felt as free as a bird that was finally freed from the cage, now able to spread its wings and soar high into the crystal blue sky.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Rain tapped softly against the windows while the city were glowing in colorful LED lights. You were in the kitchen, wearing one of Heeseung's oversized hoodies with the long sleeves pushed up to your elbows as you're making dinner. The television in the living room murmured quietly with post-match commentary from one of his most recent games.

You squeaked when a pair of arms wrapped itself around your waist.

"Smells good, what are you making?" He asked sleepily, voice muffled with his face buried in your neck as he greedily inhaled your scent, sending shivers down your spine and goosebumps forming on your body.

"Anything that's not ramen," you replied.

The man huffed jokingly. "I'll have you know ramen is a proper food."

"No, it's not. It's unhealthy and you shouldn't be eating too much of it or you're gonna get health problems," you chided him.

"I'm an athlete. I don't have health problems."

At that, you fully turned to face him, lips curling up in a soft smile when you looked at him. Heeseung cupped your face, savoring the way you leaned and melted into his touch, very much like touch-starved kitten.

"You're clingy tonight," you said quietly.

"You love it."

"I didn't say that."

Eight months had passed since then. Eight months of Riki being sent to jail to atone for his sins. Eight months of healing from the horrible experience you went through. If it wasn't for both Heeseung and Yunah—who remained at your sides through thick and thin, you wouldn't have been where you are right now.

Heeseung confessed to you four months ago, all shy and timid when he couldn't take it anymore. He confessed during one of your many hangouts.

But to him, that wasn't a hangout. It was a date. You remembered giggling at how he kept stammering over his words, like the cute loser he is and you ended up kissing him midway through his confession, nearly causing him to blow a fuse.

The kitchen light warmly reflected the silver chain against his neck—a gift you bought for him after you became his girlfriend two months ago. Dating Heeseung was easy. He's everything an ideal boyfriend should be—caring, attentive, patient, loyal and not to mention, he's handsome and loaded with money.

And loaded with something else too, considering how you're still suffering from backpain for the past two days—something he never failed to tease you about. It's real and everything you've dreamed off.

Heeseung lovingly brushed his thumbs over your cheekbones. "You know, I'm really glad I bumped into you after that friendly match. Or else I wouldn't have met you."

You rolled your eyes, leaning in to plant a chaste kiss on his lips, earning a soft, airy giggle from him. "Honestly, if you didn't saw me back then, who knows what would've happen to me?"

He frowned at your words, reaching out to flick your forehead, earning a pained yelp from you. "Don't say that. No one deserve to go through what you did."

"Yeah, I know."

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