The office was alive with the hum of printers, ringing phones, and the occasional clatter of keyboards, but Kaito Yamazaki barely noticed. His dark eyes were locked on the new transfer, Ren Takahashi, who leaned casually against the edge of a desk, smirking as though he owned the entire room.
Kaito didn't know what irritated him more: Ren's effortless confidence, the way he made everyone else laugh, or that infuriating glint in his eyes that made Kaito's pulse stutter.
"You're new here, right?" Kaito finally asked, trying to keep his tone neutral. Neutral, he reminded himself, professional.
Ren turned, lips curling into a lazy, teasing smile. "Depends on who's asking," he replied, voice low and smooth, carrying just the right mix of charm and challenge.
Kaito clenched his fists subtly at his sides. Why does he make me feel like I'm already losing?
Ren's gaze didn't waver. "Don't look so tense," he said, stepping closer. "I promise I'm… manageable. Most of the time."
Kaito wanted to argue. Wanted to remind him that he wasn't impressed, that he didn't fall for smirks and teasing remarks. But before he could, a thrill ran through him, a mix of irritation, curiosity, and something more dangerous, something he wasn't ready to name.
Ren tilted his head slightly, eyes glinting with mischief. "I can tell," he said softly. "You're thinking about me already."
Kaito's jaw tightened, but he didn't move away. Not yet. Somehow, he knew this was the beginning, not just of rivalry, but of something… far more complicated, far hotter than he could have imagined.
And so it began: the slow-burning tension, the teasing glances, the unspoken challenges, and the sparks that would eventually ignite into a fire neither of them could ignore.