Chapter 77: Body Heat (1)

It had been a while since Khal recalled these memories, much less told someone else. He did not know why telling Ayen these things felt easier.

Perhaps because Khal had become willing to let Ayen enter their world and not just superficially. It came as a surprise at first, the reason Khal was too conflicted.

“I didn’t know where he was. It was like he vanished from existence.”

Khal still found it difficult to recall what happened. How everything suddenly changed, and it left him deeply unprepared. Even to this day, Khal remained clueless about what happened in those years that Devion disappeared.

Where did he go or stay for a couple of years? Khal only knew he definitely suffered, and so he did not have the heart to let Devion remember those things out of his own curiosity.

“Then he returned like a completely different person.”

Khal stared at Devion’s sleeping face, wanting to reach out but was unable to do so. He could only stare at him like this.

Devion was famous, far more than Khal. He had a good reputation, at least better than Khal’s. While he had an arrogant tone in private, his angelic face almost always deceived everyone.

He was also a media darling, someone who wanted to always show off, and his face was practically everywhere. Khal, however, was more reclusive and almost never entertained interviews.

The rivalry between them was not that unfounded; before they dated, they always had this competition against each other. Who would be able to kill the most monsters, who completed the most dungeon raids, and such.

Devion had always won because Khal did not even care to compete.

Ayen had also heard about them; most rumors actually stemmed from this silent, almost open confrontation. However, he had not remembered anything about Devion disappearing from the public eye in years.

During those years, he was in a very difficult stage of his life. How would he even care to mind others’ affairs? Surviving the day was not even guaranteed for him, and he often escaped pursuits every week.

But this made him think of Devion’s appearance more than ten years ago, when he had just awakened. Ayen compared the two in his mind. He suddenly realized a bit of a difference.

Devion of today was indeed a bit more mellow than the version of him years ago. However, he could not say for sure. Since that was only from media interviews and videos.

And it was possible for everyone to change differently, just like him.

They maintained the silence; Ayen was almost drifting to sleep.

“Don’t mention it to him. My past with him. Devion did not like to bring it up.” Khal then closed his eyes and continued, “Unless he brought it up first. I’m sure he will.”

Ayen did not know why he was certain. Didn’t he say that Devion did not like bringing up their past relationship? Still, he did not ask and hummed in response.

For now, he let his mind clear and fell asleep.

Khal’s breathing also became even, and he succumbed to exhaustion, falling asleep. Once a few minutes had passed, Devion’s eyes opened.

At first, he only stared blankly at the ceiling; thoughts were hard to discern. Slowly, he turned his head to Khal’s side. Devion stared at him, taking in all the details. Then counting the movements of his chest every time he breathed.

Soon, he also turned to Ayen’s side and did the same thing. After a while, Devion returned his gaze to the ceiling.

“Do you regret it?”

The same shadow hangs itself on the ceiling, grinning mischievously. Its form was vague because of the water’s effects. Any minute now, and it’ll disappear.

Devion ignored it and closed his eyes again. The ringing in his ears was much more tolerable.

Did he regret it? He was not sure what the shadow was referring to. It could be a lot of things, or all of them combined. But one he felt the most remorse for was that…

returning and letting Khal suffer with him. And now, it seemed, he was about to implicate Ayen as well.

Khal had always thought that he found Devion by sheer coincidence. It was not the case.

Devion wanted to see him for the last time that night. It was a very selfish and impulsive decision. He knew that it was not a good idea to see his ex, whom he had broken up with without any explanation.

Yet, Devion could not help himself from seeing Khal for the last time before he killed himself. He was not that suicidal, but losing control was only a matter of time. The curse had continuously shredded his mentality, and so to suppress it, his abilities were spent most of the time.

Although the mana toxins had yet to reach an alarming level, he would probably go insane first before that happened. So, Devion chose to end it himself.

He only wanted to take a peek and then leave. That was all Devion wanted.

However, Khal had another planned. The moment Khal saw him… He immediately attacked Devion and captured him. Devion was already weakened at that time, not to mention the curse messing with him, and so Khal defeated him so easily.

This was why Devion did not want to tell Khal about the details of that night or of what happened to him.

He was not oblivious to Khal’s feelings. Why would he? He was feeling the same. And yet, he felt like the relationship they had now was more appropriate for them.

There was no need for commitment. Devion could pretend, and so Khal did the same. It had been going on for years; no one mentioned their past, even if it lingered in their minds.

Then, Ayen appeared. He was a variable, but at the same time, he seemed to be the missing piece that they had been waiting for without them knowing.

He brought stability, but also doubts along with it. It was too early to decide, and there were too many complications to ponder.

Was it okay to involve Ayen? Through these years of push and pull, could Ayen have helped them finally reach a conclusion?

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