It was a tough week for Ezra. They had been traveling to that different dimension for some time now, and despite not finding anything useful or insightful about that world recently, and their marathons along the lines of control leading nowhere, things were still fine. Nothing major happened, and no one got hurt.
The increasing intimacy between Maximillian and Alicia's characters, unfolding before Ezra's eyes, was far from pleasant. The characters seemed to be growing closer with each passing second, creating an uneasy atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Ezra's own character found himself drawn closer to Louis, despite the palpable lingering feelings the latter had for him. The situation had become mildly uncomfortable, but Ezra deemed it tolerable.
Everything was okay until he had to witness something that made him wish he could pull out his own eyes. Helplessly confined in his role, Ezra was forced to witness 'Alicia' and 'Maximillian' share a kiss.
An overpowering impulse surged within him, compelling Ezra to intervene and forcefully pull them apart, but he remained immobilized. So he just watched the scene with a belly full of complains.
When Maximillian and Alicia emerged from the scene, they both roughly and harshly wiped their mouths in annoyance and anger. Alicia, on the verge of breaking a nearby table in frustration, managed to restrain herself. Oddly, both of them shot guilty, fearful glances toward Penelope and Ezra, clearly afraid of their judgment specifically. Everyone else did not matter.
Penelope chuckled, intervening to prevent Alicia from rubbing her lips too vigorously. In contrast, Ezra scoffed at Maximillian, casting a harsh judgment.
"Quit gazing at me like a kicked puppy, you fool. If you're trying to act like you hate me, then commit to your role or just give up already."
Without bothering to wait for Maximillian's response and before getting pulled back into character, Ezra swiftly approached the guy, pulling him down for a deep kiss. He let go just as quickly, asserting, "There. I kissed her taste off."
Then, recalling something important, he turned to Alicia and offered an apologetic, "No offense."
"None taken, but truly, gnash his lips asunder while you're about it. I've no desire for an encore of that spectacle," Alicia responded with a nose scrunch, clearly irritated at the memory.
"What?"
"I meant to say that bite his lips off too while you're at it. I don't want a repeat of that scene." Alicia clarified with a dull tone.
However, it wasn't just an ordeal for Alicia and Maximillian. Soon enough, 'Ezra' found himself forced into an intimate scene with 'Louis', more than he'd prefer. 'Louis' literally pulled the boy in, his hands roaming under his shirt, leading to a full-blown make-out session. Sure, Ezra felt guilty, but more than that, he empathized with Louis, realizing how much the poor guy must be suffering through all of this.
Luckily, they didn't push it any further – Ezra didn't trust himself not to end up biting his own tongue off if they did. Plus, the fact that nobody else was present in the scene spared them from prying eyes, especially Maximillian's. It made Ezra question his own stance, realizing he might be turning into a bit of a hypocrite, feeling guilty about something he had condemned Maximillian for. But the truth was, if these situations persisted, Ezra would keep getting upset. Patience had never been his strong suit.
These moments unnerved him. While the plot was unfolding well without causing harm, the relationships in the two couples were progressing faster than expected. The thought of a scene where Max was forced into something beyond these make-out sessions or kisses made Ezra uneasy. He couldn't bear the idea of someone else's hands on Maximillian, especially not Alicia's.
Certainly, the other victims of this bizarre situation were equally affected. Ezra had noticed the cold and angry glares Maximillian shot at Louis, almost as if he could explode and slam Louis's head against the wall at any moment. Louis, on the other hand, seemed willing to let it happen, not pleased at making Ezra uncomfortable even if it was forced upon him. And Alicia, well, she perpetually looked like she was on the verge of committing some heinous crime against Maximillian.
In a moment of jest, Penelope shared her thoughts with Ezra, saying, "If one day your man goes missing, he might have been pulverized into pieces by my lady knight. I'll have to extend my apologies then, but a lady must uphold her honor, wouldn't you agree~"
But those other things were manageable. He could find a way to navigate through them. What hit him hard was Carlos dropping the bomb that he had no intention of helping them or even himself escape the predicament of being zapped into this other dimension. In fact, he didn't even want to leave this situation. While he assured he wouldn't be a hindrance, he made it clear that offering assistance wasn't on the table. He even said that he hoped he would be stuck here forever so he wanted them to fail in finding a way out of this situation.
Louis didn't hold back, grilling Carlos with harsh questions. Yet, the ditzy guy, flashing his signature ditzy smile, just grinned, evading any further explanation. It was the kind of stunt Ezra would have expected from someone like Eloise, with her casual and secretive demeanor, not Carlos. This unexpected revelation left Ezra taken aback.
He didn't see it coming, but Penelope did. She spoke with a wide grin, "I couldn't help but notice ages ago that you never appeared the least bit worried or frightened about our situation. Your demeanor was always the epitome of laid-back charm. Even when you took off running along that 'line of control', it seemed as though you were doing it purely for the thrill, relishing the moment... I can't help but wonder."
Carlos chuckled in his peculiar, awkward yet endearing manner, "I'll wonder about what you just wondered. I can only hope it is not something I would not like to reveal myslef but you are a scary one Countess so I will not have my hopes up!"
"Forgive me for steering away from our current topic, but I've observed this rather amusing habit of yours, if I may say so, Mister Carlos Tanaka" Penelope still chatted with him without any misgivings.
"Oh? What habits are we talking about here? I've got plenty, but I can't say I'm a fan of most," Carlos laughed.
"No, I find it utterly endearing. Your laughter, particularly when indulging in your own jests and words. You do that quiet often." Penelope complimented.
"Well, I'm a happy guy. I laugh at myself just as much as anybody else does at me. It's all in good fun," Carlos replied.
"Hmm," Penelope smiled, playfully ruffled his hair, and added gently, "As long as you don't impede our progress, feel free to derive amusement in any manner you see fit within the confines of our current situation."
Ezra, curious, questioned Penelope later about Carlos's unexpected stance. Penelope just shrugged with a smile but whispered, "He looks like a very tragic boy." She didn't provide any further explanation.
The week had been a rollercoaster, no doubt. Yet, nothing rattled Ezra more than the current moment. Celeste gripped his arms, her face a mix of anger and fury, her eyes demanding answers. Her questioning stance made it clear that she wouldn't settle for anything less than the truth.
"How did it happen?" she pressed.
Ezra, feigning innocence, replied, "How did what happen?"
Celeste snapped and flicked his forehead, her frustration evident. "Don't play dumb with me, Mister! How did this happen out of nowhere?" She pointed at the injury near Ezra's lips.
Ezra had a habit of returning late these days, thanks to the juggling act between university and his part-time job. Aunt Evelyn would usually be the one to welcome him since her work hours coincided with Ezra's recent schedule. However, today was different. With Aunt Evelyn away on business for a few days, it was Celeste who greeted him as they found themselves alone at home.
Normally, Celeste would already be in bed by the time Ezra returned, exhausted from her own hectic routine. But tonight was an exception, as she was diligently working on a school project. After Ezra had his fill of the food Celeste had ordered for them and took a refreshing bath, he settled beside her, focusing on his own assignment as they engaged in casual conversation.
Things were going well until, right before Celeste's eyes, Ezra's previously unscathed face suddenly acquired an injury. It happened out of nowhere – one moment he was perfectly fine, and the next, he was hurt.
It wasn't just his face either. Celeste could discern faint injuries scattered across the visible parts of Ezra's body. A sinking suspicion hinted that there were likely more hidden beneath his clothes. Among the bruises and cuts, the one on his face stood out the most, appearing particularly severe and distressing.
When Ezra noticed Celeste staring at him with questioning eyes, a sudden realization hit him. He instinctively slapped a hand over his injury and laughed awkwardly, inadvertently leading them into this sudden predicament.
Celeste continued to gaze at Ezra, applying a subtle pressure for an explanation. When she sensed that he wasn't ready to spill the beans, she sneered, pulled out her phone, and began typing furiously. Witnessing this, Ezra's unease heightened, prompting him to grab her hand and ask with an awkward smile, "What are you doing, Celeste?"
Giving him an unimpressed look, Celeste replied, "Calling Aunt Evelyn and exposing you. I'll let her be the one to question you. I'll also inform her about how our 'Mister Single Pringle' here looked remarkably well-kissed three days ago out of nowhere, when he hadn't even left his room, and no one had entered it aside from him. Do you think I'm blind and stupid? I noticed it back then but didn't question you. But what the heck happened now? How do you expect me to sit down and take this calmly?"
"Oh, shucks... Why is it always my damn face!" Ezra sighed, realizing he had no escape from this situation. The kiss marks were remnants of Louis and his characters making out. He had tried to erase the traces from his face and had hoped that cold water would dull the aftereffects, but Celeste had evidently noticed.
As for the current injuries... Just moments ago, he found himself teleported into that alternate world, thrust into a scene where 'Ezra' and 'Max' finally resolved their differences, much like friends do in the endings of Korean dramas or Hollywood movies.
It was quite the scene, brimming with emotions. Not only did the intensity of that moment strike him, but Ezra also pondered whether they were nearing the end of their story. The scene had left an indelible mark on his mind, making him wonder if freedom awaited them after the conclusion of this narrative.
However, he hadn't fully disentangled himself from the emotions of that scene when he found himself back at his house with Celeste suddenly confronting him. Caught off guard and momentarily confused, he blurted out, "Okay, okay, I'll talk. Just please don't tell Aunt Evelyn."
Celeste halted her actions, retracting her hand from Ezra's grip. She calmly stowed away her phone and faced him again, saying, "Speak then. And don't you dare think of lying your way out of this. I know exactly when you're being honest and when you're not."
Ezra hesitated, the weight of the situation sinking in. However, holding onto a glimmer of hope that the story was concluding and he might soon escape, he decided to finally confide in Celeste about the strange situation. Besides, he couldn't elude her determined interrogations whenever she sensed something was amiss.
"This is going to sound darn insane, and you're probably going to question my sanity, but Celeste, hear me out. Everything I'm about to tell you is the unvarnished truth. Not a single bit of it is a lie."
"Well, I'll be the judge of that. Whether I believe you or not, I trust my own judgment," Celeste replied with a cold and serious tone.
Ezra chuckled at her seriousness. Over the past few years, she and Aunt Evelyn had become incredibly protective of him, and he couldn't blame them. Feeling guilty for making them worry, he had chosen to keep his ongoing situation to himself, attempting to deal with it on his own. Unfortunately, Celeste had a knack for uncovering things he'd rather keep hidden.
With a sigh, Ezra began recounting his situation from the beginning. As he spoke, the complexity of expressions on Celeste's face deepened until she abruptly stopped him, her eyes wide with seriousness.
"Does this other world... Does a line usually extend from your feet? A sort of illuminated blue line?" she inquired, a detail Ezra had omitted so far. He calmly nodded along until the implications hit him, causing him to freeze and stare at Celeste in shock. However, Celeste wasn't finished.
She brought a fist to her forehead, as if trying to recall something from a distant part of her memory, and then spoke in a confused manner, "Also... is there this odd writing that usually appear over your head?"
Looking up at Celeste with wide eyes, he questioned in an disbelieving tone, "How? How did you know that?"
Celeste let out a shocked and incredulous chuckle, whispering to herself loudly, "So it wasn't a dream back then? What the heck..."