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Ningshun backed out of Meilin's room, his breath unsteady, his heart racing as if he had just run a marathon. He leaned against the wall, running a hand through his straight hair, which fell to his lower neck. "What was that?"
The adrenaline from their sudden closeness had not worn off. The heat between them lingered in his awareness, his body demanding him to calm down, but the throbbing in his heart clouded his mind. The way his hands had pinned her against the wall, her wide eyes full of surprise—he could not shake the vivid memory.
With a deep breath, he pushed himself off the wall and strode down the hallway, his pace quickening as if he could outrun the mental turmoil. Despite his efforts to clear his head, his mind kept spiraling back to Meilin—the way her cheeks flushed when he got too close.
Han stood in the hallway, scrolling through his phone. Upon spotting Ningshun, he lifted his gaze with a curious expression. "Hey, did you just come from Meilin's room? Did you two—"
Ningshun froze, his heart hammering in his chest. "NO!" The word shot out like a dart. "No, I mean, yes, we were just talking." He forced a grin, but it remained uncomfortable.
Han arched an eyebrow and quipped, "Why are you answering like I'm holding a gun to your head? I just wanted to ask if you two spoke about what kind of pizza she wanted." He spoke in a slow pace, as if to someone who did not quite get it. "We're ordering tonight, remember?"
Ningshun blinked, scrambling for an explanation. "Oh, yeah, right... we did." His eyes shifted to the side. 'And more...' he reminisced, forgetting Han's presence for a moment.
"Uh... Ningshun?" Han repeated.
Snapping to reality, Ningshun's voice rushed out, "She wants a slice of everything..." He nodded with excessive enthusiasm, the walls closing in on him. 'Ah, I need... to take a shower...' He took a deep breath. "So, uh, let's order everything. I'll pay for it."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Han's mouth fell open in shock. "A slice of everything? Fair enough. After all, we're celebrating her joining the team."
Ningshun's cheeks warmed as he recalled how Meilin held his arms and yanked him closer with a rough grip. "She's... adventurous like that."
Han blinked at him, dumbfounded. "She sure is!" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I guess I'll just... order a pizza buffet, then... since you're paying."
"Good," Ningshun's voice came out thin. 'Get a grip,' he told himself in his thoughts, but he scoffed as his body refused to obey. He needed to get out of there. "Okay, I'm going to... go shower now." He backed away, stumbling as if he had tripped over his feet.
"But you already took a shower an hour ago," Han pointed out, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.
"Another one won't kill me!" Ningshun snapped, then regretted his outburst. He needed to escape, evade the embarrassment of even Han discovering what troubled him, and exit with some dignity.
Han shook his head. The leader had rarely shown such fluster before. "What's going on with you?" he called, but Ningshun had already crossed halfway down the hall, refusing to turn around.
"I'm fine!" Ningshun waved his hand without turning. "Just a little tired today." He rounded the corner, bumping into a plant and almost toppling it over.
Han stifled his laughter. "This guy... 'We were just talking' he says... Yeah right, you can't fool me," he muttered as his flustered friend stumbled off.
~*~
Ningshun stood beneath the hot shower spray, desperately seeking solace in the rhythm of water hitting his skin and running down the contours of his chest. The steam filled the air, but he felt as if the heat radiated from within him. His heart pounded hard against his ribs, yearning to break free.
The warmth of the water should have been comforting, but his mind was anything but at ease. He could not control his emotions, rattled by his interactions with Meilin. His mind drifted back to her warm breath brushing against his cheek as his face came so close that he could almost taste the sweet tension, her lips mere inches away.
"No, no way," he muttered, his voice low and raspy as the intensifying tension clung to him.
The uninvited image of her flooded back, recalling when she whispered, "Wow..." as her foxy eyes gazed at him, roaming over his face.
'She... did she mean...' His pulse quickened, and his breaths grew shallow. "I've never..." He scoffed, breaking the cycle of each inhale that drew the vivid images into his mind. "No, just no. She's my teammate. I can't allow this. It's just a temporary feeling. It'll pass..."
With a firm grip, he twisted the faucet to its coldest setting and gasped as the icy water ran down his sculpted back and broad shoulders, sending shockwaves through his body. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sharp coldness, hoping it would wash away the intense feelings burning inside him that threatened to overwhelm him.
After a moment, Ningshun forced himself to refocus, taking a deep breath as he turned off the water. "Good thing I left," he whispered, a sigh of relief escaping him. "I can't let this mess with my head."