"Hoshino, let me ask you—how do you feel right now?"
Lin Ye's voice was calm, but his sharp gaze fixed on Hoshino Ai.
Hoshino Ai hesitated, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She clutched the quilt tightly, struggling to find the courage to answer.
"Tell the truth," Lin Ye pressed. "Don't hold back. Say what you're really feeling."
After a moment's internal battle, she finally broke through her reservations.
"I... I want to... I want to sleep with you..." Her voice was soft, trembling with vulnerability. "I want... you..."
Her words echoed in the tense air, revealing the depth of her current state.
Lin Ye took a deep breath, keeping his composure. "Don't feel ashamed. I'll admit, I feel the same. I want to be with you. But this isn't us. This is the influence of that noise next door. It's a trap, and we can't fall into it."
Hoshino Ai nodded reluctantly, her face still burning. "I know... but if this keeps up, I feel like the impulse will only get worse." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Lin Ye... maybe you should just knock me out."
Lin Ye frowned. Knocking her out might help suppress her immediate desires, but in a game as twisted as this, unconsciousness could lead to even worse outcomes. Would her body act purely on instinct if she lost control of her mind?
"When you're awake, you can fight it," Lin Ye said. "But if you lose consciousness, we don't know what could happen."
He decided to take a different approach. "On a scale of one to ten, how strong is the urge right now?"
Hoshino Ai paused to think. "Maybe... a five or six?"
Lin Ye nodded. He estimated himself to be at a similar level, though he couldn't shake the feeling that things were escalating faster than he had anticipated.
"I have an idea," Lin Ye said abruptly, standing up.
Under Hoshino Ai's curious gaze, he walked towards the bathroom.
"Lin Ye, do you think..." She hesitated, then followed him. "Do you think taking a bath might help... relieve this state?"
Lin Ye glanced back and gave a curt nod. "Possibly. The rules mentioned something about health, and the shower water hasn't caused any immediate harm so far. It's worth a try."
The sound of running water filled the small space as Lin Ye turned on the shower. Black and red liquid poured from the showerhead, splattering across the tiles. The eerie mixture coated the pristine surfaces, a visual reminder of the hotel's malevolence.
Before Lin Ye could step forward, Hoshino Ai stopped him. "Let me go first," she said. "I've already touched the water once before, so I should test it again."
Lin Ye hesitated, but he relented, stepping aside to let her take the lead. Hoshino Ai's heartbeat quickened as she approached the shower, the strange tension in the air only amplifying her emotions.
She reached out and let the liquid cascade over her hand.
One second.
Five seconds.
"Nothing's changed," she said, frowning. "The urge isn't going away..." She hesitated. "If anything, it's getting worse."
Lin Ye observed her carefully. "Then we'll need to try taking an actual shower."
Hoshino Ai blinked in surprise but began unbuttoning her shirt, her movements hesitant. But before she could continue, Lin Ye stepped forward, placing his hand under the stream of water.
"Let me try first."
The dark red water soaked his right hand, running down his arm. Almost instantly, Lin Ye felt a noticeable change. The intense desire that had been gnawing at him began to dissipate.
"It's working," he muttered. "Showering is the key—but it seems both parties need to do it. Maybe... even together."
Hoshino Ai's cheeks flushed, but she let out a sigh of relief. "I feel much better too," she said, her voice light with gratitude. "Lin Ye-kun, you're amazing."
But Lin Ye wasn't smiling. His relief was fleeting as he wiped his hand with a towel and turned to look at her.
His eyes narrowed, his pupils contracting in shock.
Time Stop
The room froze.
Lin Ye's expression darkened as his breathing quickened. Something was wrong.
When? How?
His gaze fell on Hoshino Ai. Her once vibrant face now showed dark patches of black and gray. Her eyes were dim, lifeless.
Lin Ye's heart sank. She was infected.
To confirm, he gently pulled at her sleeve, revealing more black-gray patches spreading across her skin.
There was no doubt—Hoshino Ai had been infected by something. Likely the liquid from the shower.
Lin Ye's mind raced. If the infection was already affecting her, how long did he have before it consumed him as well? Two hours? Less?
With six hours left until morning, survival seemed like an impossible task.
As Lin Ye considered his options, Hoshino Ai remained frozen in the time stop, her thoughts spiraling.
In her mind, panic had set in.
'Why did Lin Ye stop time?'
Could the strange influence still be affecting him? Did he lose control? Was he planning to satisfy his desires under the guise of his ability?
Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't want to lose her virginity like this! At least… not in the bathroom!
Her spiraling thoughts were interrupted as the time stop ended, and movement returned.
Hoshino Ai turned quickly, only to see Lin Ye standing in the shadows, his face obscured.
"Lin Ye..." she stammered, her voice trembling. "At least... at least give me some time to prepare myself mentally..."
Lin Ye stepped forward, his silhouette ominous under the bathroom's dim light.
When the light caught his face, Hoshino Ai gasped.
"Lin Ye… is infected!"
Here's the revised and polished version:
Infected. Lin Ye was infected.
A wave of fear instantly swept over Hoshino Ai, overtaking the panic that had consumed her moments before.
Even Lin Ye, a man with superhuman abilities, had succumbed to the strange forces in this cursed place. How was she, an ordinary idol, supposed to survive the night and escape this nightmare of a love motel?
I'm going to die. I'm going to die here.
"Pah..."
Her body moved instinctively, her left leg stepping back as she crossed her arms to cover herself. Survival instincts surged within her, a desperate need to escape clawing at her mind.
But the only exit was blocked—by Lin Ye.
"Lin Ye... being too rough with girls is… not right," she said, her voice trembling. "I believe you're not the kind of man who would force yourself on someone."
The words came out in broken fragments, fear making her stumble over them.
At this moment, Hoshino Ai could only pray that Lin Ye still retained some shred of reason, that the infection hadn't entirely consumed his mind.
To her faint relief, Lin Ye stopped moving, seemingly considering her plea.
"Hoshino, you need to prepare yourself," he said, his tone calm but unsettling.
Hoshino Ai blinked. "I... I will, but can you at least let me put on some clothes first?"
Lin Ye's expression didn't change. "Look down at your body."
Confused, Hoshino Ai glanced down. Her fair, graceful skin seemed untouched, her delicate frame as perfect as ever. Her long legs and slender figure might have enchanted many, but to her, it was just her body.
Lin Ye took a slow step forward, and she instinctively retreated—only to realize she was already backed against the wall.
"I hope you'll cooperate," Lin Ye said quietly. "I don't want to resort to violence."
Hoshino Ai shook her head frantically, fear flashing in her wide eyes.
"Lin Ye, you can fight this! I believe in you. Please... don't lose to the infection. Stay with me—wake up!"
Her desperate plea echoed in the small space.
Lin Ye's face remained calm, almost detached. Impulses? No, there were none. How could there be any when the person before him, beautiful or not, was now covered in black and gray patches?
He took another step forward.
"What's that?" Hoshino Ai cried, panicking. She grabbed a towel and threw it at him, though it barely fazed him.
Seeing no other way out, she clenched her teeth and dashed forward, her hands shielding her body as she charged.
"Swish!"
The impact she braced for never came. Hoshino Ai froze mid-motion.
Time Stop
Lin Ye moved with mechanical precision, tearing the towel into strips and using them to bind her hands and feet. The entire process unfolded before her, but she was powerless to react. She could only watch helplessly, tears welling in her eyes.
'Why is this happening to me?'
When time resumed, Hoshino Ai found herself bound and lying on the large bed. Tears spilled from her eyes as despair washed over her.
'Is this it?'
Would she be violated by an infected Lin Ye, only to become infected herself and perish in this hellish hotel?
Lin Ye, for his part, sighed. He saw the fear in her eyes and knew she was under tremendous psychological pressure.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice eerily calm. "I won't kill you now. You're still conscious. But when you lose yourself to the infection and become one of them, I'll end it quickly. I'll make it as painless as possible."
Hoshino Ai's face froze, her despair interrupted by sheer confusion.
Wait. What?
Why did Lin Ye sound like she was the one infected?
It was him, wasn't it?
"Lin Ye… wuwuwu…" she tried to speak, but the towel gagged her.
Her tear-filled eyes pleaded with him, and after a moment, Lin Ye removed the gag.
"What do you want to say?"
Hoshino Ai took a shaky breath. "Lin Ye, I'm not infected. I'm not..."
Lin Ye frowned. "You're infected. The black and gray spots on your face and arms—they're spreading."
He gestured toward her cheek, his expression resolute.
Hoshino Ai blinked, startled. "What are you talking about? My skin is fine!"
She glanced at her arms. They were smooth and pale as always, unblemished.
Lin Ye hesitated. Out of caution, he looked down at himself, checking his own skin. His arms and torso were completely normal.
His frown deepened.
"Really, Lin Ye. You're the one with the black and gray spots. They're spreading over your face and body, just like the staff member on the first floor."
For a moment, Lin Ye froze, considering her words.
He turned abruptly and walked to the bathroom, his movements deliberate. Standing before the mirror, he leaned in close, his face illuminated by the stark bathroom light.
His breath hitched.
The skin that should have been normal was now blotched with dark gray patches. His eyes, once sharp and vibrant, were dim and lifeless. The infection was spreading.
This wasn't an illusion.
They were both infected, their bodies succumbing to the same strange fate as the female staff member.
Returning to the bedroom, Lin Ye's calm demeanor only made Hoshino Ai more uneasy.
"Lin Ye… are you… sure?" she asked hesitantly.
Lin Ye nodded silently. Without a word, he untied her bindings and led her to the bathroom.
"Look," he said, guiding her to the mirror.
Hoshino Ai stared at her reflection.
Her heart sank.
The figure staring back at her was unrecognizable—her face marred by patches of black and gray, her once-radiant skin corrupted.
'Who is this?'
She touched her face in disbelief, trembling.
"So ugly… so hideous…" she whispered, her voice breaking.
Lin Ye stood beside her, silent. Their situation was worse than either had imagined.