Chak turned away and said, "I don't want you hanging out with Lun."
"Why not?" I asked him.
"Because I don't like him. And because he kissed your cheek just like that, and you let him," he said.
"Chak, I was shocked. I didn't know he was going to do that," I told him.
"I don't care. I don't want him looking at you, talking to you—especially not hugging and kissing you in front of me," he said with an icy voice.
"Chak… are you by any chance jealous?" I asked, a small smile appearing on my face.
"Me? Jealous? Never."
But I saw his fingers curl into a tight fist.
"Yes, you are jealous," I said and stepped closer, wrapping my arms around him from behind. "Chaky, you know I'm only yours. I love only you, nobody else."
Chak kept staring out the window at the sea. Then he asked, "How long were you two together?"
"A year and a half," I answered.
"Why did you break up?" he asked.
"Officially because he didn't like me hanging out with Taeng. But when we separated, we agreed to stay friends."
I took a breath.
"Unofficially… only Taeng knows. And now you will too."
I inhaled deeply and said, "I fell in love with another boy. Even before we broke up. I don't even know his name. We met only once—at an event. Taeng was supposed to go, but I went instead. He didn't talk much. At first, he was wearing a black hoodie over his head. But when he pulled it down… I fell for him instantly. His blond hair. His eyes, his lips. I felt safer and more accepted with him than I ever did with Lun."
"He gave me his number, and when I got home and wanted to text him… I realized it had fallen out of my pocket. You don't know how disappointed I was. I fell for him even though I knew him only for a few hours… and even though I was still with Lun."
"I told Taeng about him, and we decided to look for him. But when we asked some students from the third year, they said they didn't know him. Nobody knew him. I wanted to see him again so badly. Just once. To hug him."
"The more time I spent with Lun, the colder our love became. I didn't feel anything anymore. One evening I told him I didn't love him anymore, and that if he wanted, we could stay friends. And he agreed."
"I still have the little charm from that boy. It's like a good luck amulet."
Chak slowly turned toward me and looked me in the eyes.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know Lun would be here."
Then suddenly he leaned in and started kissing my face.
"Chak, what are you doing?" I asked as he kept kissing me.
His lips kept trailing across my cheek, my jaw, the corner of my mouth—quick, desperate kisses, like he was afraid I would disappear if he stopped.
"Chak…" I whispered, breathless, "look at me."
He finally lifted his face. His eyes were darker than before, full of jealousy, frustration, and something even deeper—need.
The moment our eyes met, something in me snapped.
I grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him—fully, fiercely, without hesitation.
He gasped against my lips, surprised, and then kissed me back with all the emotions he had been holding inside.
Our bodies pressed together, breaths quick, lips moving in a hungry rhythm that made my whole body feel warm.
Without breaking the kiss, I pushed him gently backward.
He stumbled a step and fell onto the couch, but never let go of me.
I followed him immediately, sliding onto his lap, my legs on either side of him.
Chak's hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, and our lips collided again—deeper, slower this time, but even more intense.
His fingers dug into my shirt; my hands tangled in his hair as the kiss grew more passionate, more desperate, more real.
He pulled back just a little, his forehead resting against mine, both of us breathless.
"Niran…" he whispered, voice low and rough, "don't ever let anyone else touch you like that again."
I smiled softly, brushing my thumb across his lips.
"I won't," I murmured.
"Because I only want you."
And then I kissed him again—slow, soft, and filled with everything I'd never said out loud.
Chak's hands slid up my back, pulling me even closer as our lips moved together in a slow, burning kiss.
I could feel his heartbeat against my chest—fast, uneven, matching mine.
Every time I kissed him, he kissed me back harder, deeper, like everything he had been hiding for so long was finally breaking free.
His fingers brushed the back of my neck, sending a shiver straight down my spine.
"Chak…" I whispered against his lips, barely able to breathe.
He answered with another kiss—hungry, claiming, full of everything he had never said out loud.
Just as I slid my hands under his jaw and leaned in to kiss him again—
KNOCK. KNOCK.
We both froze.
Neither of us moved.
His hands were still gripping my hips.
My legs were still draped over him.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
This time louder.
Chak shut his eyes in frustration and cursed under his breath.
I could feel the tension flooding his body—not the good kind, but the dangerous kind, because someone had interrupted a moment they absolutely shouldn't have.
"Who is that…?" I whispered, still breathless.
Chak inhaled deeply, trying to find a calm he definitely didn't have.
"Probably Kit… or Taeng…" he said through clenched teeth.
Another knock.
This time patient. Too close.
And I was still sitting on his lap, our hot breaths mixing in a space far too charged to ignore.
Chak turned toward the door, his eyes filled with irritation.
"Whoever it is," he muttered quietly, "their timing is the worst."
But he didn't let go of me.
As if he was afraid that if we got up, I'd slip out of his arms again.
"Should… I get up?" I asked softly.
Chak looked at me like the question itself offended him.
"Not yet," he said in a low, firm voice. "I'm not done with you."
KNOCK. KNOCK.
We both went still at the exact same time.
Time stopped.
Chak inhaled deeply, jaw tight.
"Hide," he whispered.
I slid off his lap instantly. My legs were weak from the kissing, but adrenaline pushed me forward. I rushed behind the tall wardrobe near the minibar, pressing my back against the wall, trying to quiet my breathing.
Chak straightened his shirt, brushed his fingers through his hair, and forced the heat out of his expression. In a matter of seconds he transformed—from the man who had been kissing me like he needed air to survive… into cold, composed Mr. Chak.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
Chak walked to the door and opened it.
The receptionist stood there, holding a tablet and smiling politely, completely unaware of the emotional disaster zone inside the room.
"Mr. Chak," he said gently. "I hope I'm not disturbing."
"You're not," Chak answered, voice flat and calm.
"I just came to check if everything is to your liking. Is the room comfortable for you?"
Chak gave a short nod. "It's fine."
"If you need absolutely anything," the receptionist continued with a respectful bow, "please don't hesitate to call me. I will be available at any moment for you."
Chak's expression didn't change. "Understood. Thank you."
"Have a pleasant stay, Mr. Chak."
The receptionist bowed again and walked down the hall.
Chak closed the door slowly.
The moment the lock clicked, the atmosphere inside the room changed instantly.
He exhaled sharply, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
"Unbelievable…" he muttered.
I stepped out from behind the wardrobe, my heart still racing, my lips swollen from our kiss.
Chak turned toward me.
And the look he gave me…
Cold?
No.
Possessive.
Burning.
Barely controlled.
Like the interruption had only made everything inside him worse.
"Niran," he said, his voice low and rough.
I didn't get the chance to answer.
He crossed the room in three long steps—
grabbed me by the waist—
pulled me against him—
and whispered against my lips:
"Where were we lost? Chak asked quietly.
I touched my lips instinctively. They were tingling, sensitive… and definitely swollen.
"Chak, look at my lips," I said, flustered. "They're… swollen."
Chak didn't react with worry.
Instead, a slow, teasing smile appeared on his face — the kind that made my stomach twist.
"They're actually cute," he said.
"Chak…" I muttered, my cheeks burning. "I'm serious."
"Me too," he replied calmly, taking a single step toward me.
Before I could say anything else, Chak turned away and walked to the small minibar in the corner.
He opened the tiny freezer compartment, took out a piece of ice wrapped in a napkin, and closed the door with a soft click.
When he turned back to me, his expression was calmer — but his eyes were still dark with the same desire from moments ago.
"Come here," he said.
I swallowed and stepped closer.
Chak gently tilted my chin up with his fingers and pressed the cold ice against my lips.
The sharp chill made me inhale sharply.
"Ah—"
"Hold still," he said quietly.
He moved the ice slowly across my lower lip, then my upper one, the cold trailing behind his touch.
The contrast of his warm fingers and the freezing ice sent shivers through my whole body.
"I don't want anyone seeing you like this," he murmured.
"Your swollen lips… your blush… the way you can barely breathe after I kiss you."
My heartbeat stuttered.
"Chak… you're making it worse," I whispered, breath uneven.
He smirked — small, controlled, but undeniably dangerous.
"That's the idea," he said, and pressed the ice a little closer, never taking his eyes off my lips.
After a few more moments of him cooling my lips with the ice — far too gently, far too intimately — the tension between us finally settled enough for me to breathe normally again.
Chak exhaled quietly and let his hand drop from my chin.
"You should go back… before someone comes again," he said, though he didn't look happy about it.
"Yeah…" I nodded softly.
My lips still tingled from both the cold and him.
I took a step toward the door, but before I could reach it, Chak caught my wrist.
I turned back.
He didn't say anything.
Instead, he leaned in slowly — his movements calm, controlled, but with an emotion that made my chest tighten — and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.
Warm. Gentle.
Too intimate.
"Love you." he murmured.
"I love you too" I whispered back, my face heating up again.
I slipped out of his room and walked down the hallway, trying to calm my racing heart before entering mine.
When I opened the door, Non immediately looked up from his bed.
"What did Chak want?" he asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing dramatic," I said, trying to act normal. "He was just asking me about Lun."
"About Lun?" Non repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," I said quickly. "Just… questions."
Non seemed satisfied enough and walked over to the balcony to check the view.
The moment he stepped away, Taeng leaned over from his bed and whispered:
"Someone bit your lips."
My eyes widened. "Taeng—!"
I smacked his arm lightly.
"Shhh!"
Taeng grinned like he already knew everything.
"So…" he whispered, wiggling his eyebrows, "should I congratulate you or—"
I hit him again, a little harder this time.
"Stop!"
Taeng laughed under his breath, holding his arm dramatically.
"Okay, okay… but those lips didn't get swollen on their own."
My face turned red instantly.
And his grin only grew wider.