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Est lay in bed that night, eyes wide open, replaying the moment over and over. William’s stare. The iron grip on his hand. That voice, low and lethal, cutting through the air like a blade.
“If I ever find out you were following him without his permission, I will hunt you down.”
For the first time, someone had stood in front of him, not behind him. No one had ever done that.
He didn’t need it—he could fight his own battles. But the way William had said it, the way his eyes had burned with something fierce, stirred something inside Est he didn’t have a name for yet.
He groaned, pressing his face into the pillow. “Nope. Not thinking about this. Sleep, Est. Sleep.” But his heart refused to slow. Tomorrow was early practice. He needed rest but his brain had other plans.
__
The next morning, after swim practice, Est and Dunk sat in the courtyard with trays of breakfast. Their hair dripped in uneven streaks, and steam rose faintly from their bowls of soup.
“That’s weird,” Dunk muttered, scanning the edges of the courtyard. “Joong’s usually lurking by now.”
Est’s grin spread slow and mischievous. “Wow. It actually worked.”
Dunk’s spoon froze midair. “What worked?”
Leaning in, Est lowered his voice as if he were about to reveal state secrets. “I kind of pretended to be in a relationship. With William.”
Dunk promptly choked on his soup, coughing so hard he nearly knocked over his tray. “Wait—William? As in the William?“
“Yeah. The scary guy,” Est said casually.
Dunk set his spoon down with exaggerated care. “Are you out of your mind?! That’s suicide. How the hell did you convince him?”
“I didn’t,” Est admitted, scratching his damp hair. “I just… grabbed the nearest person. Turns out it was William. I was shocked he even went along with it.”
Dunk gawked. “Grabbed the nearest—? Est, do you have a death wish? What if he punched you? People say he once fought a guy after school and left him with a black eye for a month. A whole month!“
Est rolled his eyes, though the story prickled at him. “That’s ridiculous. We never saw anyone with a black eye.” His tone stayed light, but inside, doubt wormed through him. “…But is it true?” he asked, quieter this time.
“You’re just lucky,” Dunk muttered, shaking his head. “Maybe he recognized you and let it slide.”
“He did recognize me,” Est said, remembering William’s flat certainty—I know you, who doesn’t.
“That explains it.” Dunk leaned back, watching him closely. Then, softer,”So… you really don’t like Joong, huh?”
Est snorted, his grin sharp again. “Not even one percent. Why? You like him?”
Dunk’s ears flushed crimson. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mumbled, poking at his food.
Est leaned in, smirk widening. “You’re so obvious. Go for it. He’s all yours.”
Dunk glanced up, startled by the certainty in Est’s voice. “…You mean it?”
“Yes, Dunk. I don’t like him at all.” Est’s grin softened.
Dunk’s smile spread, sheepish but bright, relief written all over his face.
“Oh, by the way,” Est added, dropping his voice again. “This stays between us. Not even Punch can know.”
Dunk chuckled, leaning in with mock solemnity. “Relax. Your secret’s safe with me.”
__
Est thought things would settle. He was wrong.
A few days later, the school hallway buzzed with its usual morning chaos—lockers slamming, shoes squeaking, chatter bouncing off walls. But then the air shifted, sharp and heavy, as Joong stepped right in front of Est. His smirk was practiced, smug, the kind of smile that made Est’s skin crawl.
“Hey, Est. Miss me?”
Est’s scowl was immediate, instinctive. “Wow, Joong. Delusional much?”
Joong leaned in like he owned the space between them. “I missed you. So… where’s this so-called boyfriend of yours?”
Est’s jaw tightened, heat flaring in his chest. “Why? Want him to give you a black eye?”
Joong barked out a laugh, loud and mocking. “Please. He doesn’t care about you. I’ve been watching. He’s never with you. Are you sure you’re not just making it up to get rid of me?”
The words hit harder than Est expected. His retort stuck in his throat. Before he could force one out, the atmosphere cracked.
A shadow slid between them, sharp and unrelenting.
William.
His presence was a wall, tall and immovable, his glare slicing through the air. The hallway seemed to shrink around him. “Didn’t I tell you,” William’s voice was low, dangerous, “to stay away from my boyfriend?”
The word boyfriend snapped like a whip.
Joong froze, his smirk faltering. “William…” His voice wavered.
William took a deliberate step forward, each word carrying the weight of a promise no one wanted tested. “What else do you need to take me seriously?”
Joong actually stumbled, eyes darting, throat bobbing like he’d swallowed something sharp. For a second, it looked like he might bolt.
And then—Est’s hand slipped into William’s.
His palm was warm, trembling faintly, but the gesture was steady. “William,” he whispered, soft but clear, “calm down.”
William blinked, thrown off-balance. For a moment, he’d forgotten Est was even there. He’d just seen Joong cornering him, instinct taking over. But Est’s hand anchored him, pulled him back from the edge.
The noise of the hallway swelled again—whispers spreading like wildfire.
Tui appeared at William’s side, calm but firm. “I think you should go, Joong. People are staring.”
And they were—dozens of eyes, rumors already being born in real time.
Joong’s jaw clenched, his glare landing on Est like venom. “This isn’t over.” With a shove, he shouldered past, disappearing down the hall.
William stiffened, ready to follow, but Est’s grip tightened. Tui’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Let it go, Will.”
Before William could snap back, Lego’s voice rang out above the murmur. “Wait—are you actually dating Est?”
The hallway erupted—gasps, whispers, phones half-hidden but recording.
Nut grinned wide, tugging Hong’s hand up into view, their fingers laced. “Double date soon?” he teased.
Est and William stood frozen, both caught in the spotlight of attention they hadn’t asked for.
Tui shook his head, sigh heavy with exasperation. “I think you both need to go and talk this out. I’ll cover for you, Will.”
William hesitated, bristling, but Est gave a small nod. “That’s a good idea. I know a place where we can talk. Let’s go.” He tugged at William’s hand, trying to pull him along.
But William tugged back. His voice was clipped. “Do we really need to hold hands while we go?”
Est startled, glancing down. “Oh.” He dropped William’s hand instantly, heat rushing to his face. “Sorry, I didn’t realize I was still… um…”
Lego snorted, laughter ringing. “Wow, William. No offense—you’re a good friend—but you’re a terrible boyfriend. You’re hopeless!”
“He’s not—” William started, irritation flashing, but Est clapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish.
The touch startled them both. Est was too close, eyes wide, silently pleading don’t say anything, please. William froze, the fight in him dissolving under Est’s gaze. For a beat, the world narrowed to just the two of them—his breath warm against Est’s palm, Est’s heartbeat pounding in his ears.
And then—Hong’s voice cut through. “Are you two gonna make out now?”
Est yanked his hand back like he’d been burned, face flaming. Lego’s laugh echoed down the hall. “Didn’t know you were that aggressive outside the pool too, Est!”
Tui groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Enough. Just go already.”
With that, Est turned sharply, striding away. William followed, silent but burning with a hundred thoughts he couldn’t name.
__
The pool was quiet, the air heavy with chlorine and stillness. Est kicked off his shoes, rolled up his pants, and dipped his feet into the water.
“No one’s here at this time,” he said, his voice low, as if even speaking too loudly would disturb the fragile calm.
William followed at his own pace, deliberate, his presence heavier than the silence itself. He sat beside Est, close enough that their shoulders might brush if either of them moved just slightly. For a moment, neither spoke.
Est glanced at him from the corner of his eye, the words pushing out before he lost the nerve. “Thanks again. For helping me back there.”
William’s jaw flexed, unreadable. His voice came out flat, but there was weight under it. “That Joong guy won’t stop, huh.”
Est’s shoulders sagged. “Yeah. No matter what I say, he doesn’t listen.” His voice cracked faintly at the edges. He was tired of being cornered, tired of smiling through it like it didn’t matter.
The silence stretched again—not hostile, not warm, but something fragile in between.
Est dipped his toes deeper into the water, watching the ripples. He tried to lighten the heaviness, his tone tentative. “Your friends… they’re a bit dramatic, aren’t they?” He smiled faintly, playful but careful.
William’s head snapped toward him, sharp enough to sting. “Don’t talk about them like that. You don’t know them.”
Est smile faltered. He raised his hands a little, defensive. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant….”
He never finished. A voice crashed into the pool area like a cannon blast.
“Est!”
Punch’s voice echoed, pulling both their gazes toward the doorway. She barreled in, her eyes widening as soon as she spotted them sitting together at the edge of the pool.
Her gasp was loud, theatrical. “Oh my god—you two! You’re the talk of the campus.”
Est groaned. “That fast, huh?”
Punch strode closer, eyes darting between them like she was connecting dots on a page. “Since when are you two a thing? How come I didn’t know about this? And you, Est? Dating? You never even had a crush—ever!”
That was it for William. They were supposed to talk, and once again it slipped through his fingers. He stood abruptly. With quick, tense movements, he shoved his feet back into his shoes. His voice was low, every word laced with bite. “You said my friends are dramatic. What about yours?”
Est flinched.
William didn’t wait for an answer. “I’m leaving.”
“Wait, William—” Est called, desperation bleeding through his voice, but William didn’t stop. His steps faded down the corridor, heavy and final.
Est sat frozen, frustration bubbling up until he let out a sharp sigh. He turned on Punch, eyes narrowing. “Great. Thanks.”
Punch shifted, guilt clear in her face. “Sorry…”
__
Days passed, and William was nowhere to be found. Est searched—eyes flicking across the cafeteria, the courtyard, even the empty stretches of hallway between classes. But it wasn’t William he saw. It was Joong. Always Joong.
He never approached, never spoke, just lingered at a distance, gaze fixed and heavy. It was almost worse—like being hunted without the chase. Est’s skin itched with unease every time, the air pressing down until he wanted to scream.
In frustration, he turned to the one place everyone’s life leaked—social media. William’s account was a ghost: a single post of his motorcycle, grainy and uncaptioned, from years ago. No updates, no glimpses into his world. He scrolled through William’s four followers, hoping for a trace in their stories, but there was nothing. No William at all.
Est’s irritation simmered into restlessness. He remembered Tui’s voice, calm and steady, telling them to talk it out. So he messaged him. Can we meet?
When they sat across from each other, Est finally let it spill. “Joong’s still watching me. From a distance. Every day. And I can’t even find William to talk about it.”
Tui’s gaze sharpened, thoughtful. He didn’t waste words. Instead, he pulled out his phone. Will. Usual place. Now.
By the time they arrived, William was already there, sitting in his usual corner booth. The low café light carved shadows across his face, unreadable. He looked up as they approached—first at Tui, then at Est.
For a split second, something shifted in William’s face—not anger, not surprise, but a heaviness he buried fast. His guard snapped back into place, and when he spoke, his eyes had already narrowed, jaw tight. “What’s he doing here?”
Est’s voice came sharper than William expected, irritation threading through his words. “I’ve been looking all over for you for days, William.”
Tui leaned back, calm as ever. “You said you’d help him, Will.”
“I changed my mind.” His tone was flat, but William’s gaze lingered on Est a second too long before he looked away.
Est leaned forward, tension brimming in his shoulders. “Joong won’t stop. He thinks we’re faking it.”
William’s lips curved into something close to a smirk. “He’s not wrong.”
Est hesitated. Still, he pressed on, voice softer now. “Look… I’m sorry about what I said. About your friends being dramatic. I meant it in a good way. Supportive. Funny. The kind of friends who make noise because they care. I didn’t mean it as an insult.”
William studied him, the sharpness in his eyes dulling just a fraction. Est’s gaze held his, steady despite the silence stretching. Something unspoken hovered between them, a question neither voiced.
“Good. That’s settled,” Tui interjected. “Now, you two need to up your game.”
William frowned. “What does that mean?”
“It means people are suspicious. Joong especially. If you want this to work, you need to actually act like a couple. Together at breaks, lunch, maybe some PDA.”
William blinked slowly. “Define PDA.”
Est groaned. “Are you seriously asking, or are you just trying to annoy us?”
William turned his glare on him, sharp enough to make Est’s stomach drop. For a split second, Est’s heart skipped—Is he going to hit me now?
“Sorry,” Est muttered quickly, breaking eye contact.
William leaned back in his seat, folding his arms. “What’s in it for me? You get rid of your stalker. What do I get?”
Tui’s expression softened, his voice steady, careful. “People stop seeing you as a monster. They’ll see you for who you really are.”
That landed. William’s silence said enough. For all his composure, the rumors had teeth. Being painted as violent, unpredictable, sometimes stung more than he’d ever admit. He wanted peace and quiet, but not like that. Not through fear.
Finally, William gave a single nod, his voice low. “You take the lead,” he muttered to Est. “I’ll follow.”
Est let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, shoulders loosening. “Thank you.”
Their eyes met again, just for a second, long enough for the café noise to fade into the background.
Across from them, Tui smirked knowingly. He’d seen enough—the spark, the quiet current between them neither seemed ready to acknowledge.
Good, Tui thought. Let’s see where this goes. If I’m right, this won’t just save Est from a stalker—it might finally pull William out of the shadows. People will see him the way he deserves to be seen.
He lifted his cup, hiding the smile that threatened to give him away. William had spent so long walled off, all sharp edges and silence. But if Est can slip past those walls—even just a little—maybe William will finally find the one thing he’s been pretending he doesn’t need. Love.
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