Ethan glanced at the contract in his hands, and for the first time, a relaxed smile appeared on his face.
Without wasting a moment, he rushed home.
When Noah returned in the afternoon after a busy day, the moment he opened the door and saw the lights on, a wave of surprise washed over him.
After the initial excitement subsided, Noah calmed himself. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a rolling pin, weighing it in his hand.
Ethan was supposed to be on a business trip, and Shawn hadn't mentioned coming back either.
Noah tread lightly, careful not to alert whoever—or whatever—was in his home. Even his breathing became shallow.
Sticking close to the wall, he pushed open the bathroom door with his left hand, gripping the rolling pin tightly with his right.
The uncertainty of the situation made Noah's heart pound against his chest, each beat resounding like a drum in his ears.
Suddenly, an icy presence enveloped him as arms wrapped around him from behind.
For a split second, Noah froze in panic. Then, reacting instinctively, he threw his head back hard. The man holding him let go immediately, retreating a step.
The rolling pin in Noah's hand swung faster than his eyes could follow, slicing through the air with a sharp whoosh before clattering to the ground.
"Why are you back so early?!" Noah exclaimed.
Ethan caught Noah, who had thrown himself into his arms, without so much as shifting his footing.
"Because I missed you," Ethan replied simply.
They locked eyes for a moment before Ethan scooped Noah up effortlessly.
Startled, Noah instinctively wrapped his legs around Ethan's waist to avoid slipping. Before he could adjust to this new position, a flurry of kisses descended on him, intense and overwhelming.
When Ethan finally paused, Noah barely managed to catch his breath before another round began, leaving him no time to recover.
Desperate, Noah lightly pounded on Ethan's shoulder, gasping between words, "I really... I really can't... This is too... much. I can't take it."
Ethan stared into Noah's watery, gem-like eyes—radiant and glistening.
He planted a soft kiss on Noah's swollen lips, only to be met with a pouty, reproachful look.
With a smirk, Ethan set Noah down gently. "Alright, I'll let you off for now."
Noah wasn't sure how long they'd been at it. He glanced at Ethan's arm, where faint red marks had appeared from being pressed against. Feeling a pang of guilt, he started massaging Ethan's arm.
"I'm fine," Ethan said, smiling. "You're as light as a feather."
Noah, a grown man standing at 1.8 meters tall, couldn't possibly be "light as a feather."
But indeed, Ethan hadn't seemed to struggle at all.
Ethan affectionately pinched the back of Noah's neck. "Your muscles are a bit tense. Let me give you a massage."
"Come here, sit down. Consider it my way of making it up to you."
Noah blushed instantly but obediently sat down.
What he thought was just a comforting gesture turned out to be surprisingly professional.
As Ethan's skilled fingers worked on his shoulders and neck, Noah felt all the tension melting away. The soothing sensation traveled straight to his brain, leaving him utterly relaxed.
His eyes half-closed in bliss, Noah slowly drifted off. Just as his head began to nod, a large hand caught and steadied him.
Ethan glanced at the rabbit-themed barrier sticker on Noah's neck. He was certain Noah hadn't had this in his house before.
So, he had lied.
Gently, Ethan scooped Noah into his arms and carried him to the bedroom. Using his foot to nudge the door open, he carefully laid Noah down on the bed, making sure not to wake him.
As he gazed at Noah's peaceful sleeping face, Ethan leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his smooth forehead.
"Goodnight," he whispered silently.
Tucking the blanket snugly around Noah, Ethan turned off the light and closed the bedroom door behind him.
Heading into the living room, he made sure to lock the balcony door securely before finally sitting down with a quiet sigh of relief.
This translation maintains the story's original tone while ensuring it reads smoothly in English. Let me know if further adjustments are needed!
Outside the window, a few birds flapped their wings, chirping melodiously. The air was thick with mist, obscuring any trace of the sun.
Noah went about his day as usual, but today he kept glancing at his phone more often than usual, unable to completely mask his nervousness.
When he joined the company, his medical report had shown everything was normal. Naturally, Noah was classified as a B-grade, a typical omega.
"Noah, is it just me, or do you seem a bit distracted today?"
"Huh? No, not at all."
"But you've been washing your hands for a while now."
Looking down at his now wrinkled fingers, Noah hurriedly turned off the faucet. "I was just lost in thought and didn't notice."
The familiar chime of a notification sounded from his phone. Noah resisted the urge to check it immediately and instead reached for a paper towel to dry his hands.
Finally, he saw what he had been waiting for—the test results. All parameters were within the normal range, and Noah let out a sigh of relief.
Lyon, noticing Noah emerge from the back, glanced at him out of the corner of his eye while continuing his pitch.
"This lemon babaroa is also selling well lately. It's moderately sweet with a touch of tartness and a refreshing lemon aroma."
"In that case, I'll take the ones you just recommended. Please pack them for me."
Lyon skillfully selected the items on the screen. "That'll be 158 yuan. Please show your payment code here."
He quickly packed the coffee into a bag, along with the receipt, and handed it over. "Thank you! Please visit us again."
During the lunch break, Jay went out with Noah to grab something to eat, leaving Lyon to watch the store.
Once they had left, Lyon turned to the man beside him. "Did you get everything I asked for?"
"Yes, everything's ready."
Lyon opened a laptop and pulled up the surveillance footage, pausing at a particular frame. He tapped the screen with his finger.
"You're good with computers, right? Can you zoom in on this area?"
The burly man in black nodded, pulling a laptop from his bag. His fingers moved rapidly over the keyboard as he connected and processed the data.
"Done," he said shortly after.
Lyon leaned in, pulling out his phone to snap a photo of the now-enhanced and crystal-clear image on the screen. "Good work. This is perfect. Don't forget to replace the footage with the edited version."
"Yes, young master."
Ethan unlocked his phone and saw a message from Noah.
Noah: "I agreed to have Lyon over for dinner tonight."
Lyon. He even addressed him more affectionately than he did Ethan.
Ethan: "Do you need me to make myself scarce?"
In truth, Ethan didn't want to miss a single moment of their post-dinner quiet time together. Once tonight's dinner was over, he figured it might be time to explore some new ways to spend their evenings.
Noah: "I asked Lyon, and he said if you're joining, he'll bring someone else too."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "William?"
Noah: "How did you know?!"
How could he not know?
If Lyon used to be his shadow, then William was Lyon's own little tagalong.
Noah: "But I already promised Lyon I'd go grocery shopping with him. Lyon is still a guest, after all. If I go with him, I can make sure we cater to his tastes."
That single word, guest, was enough to put Ethan in a good mood.
Because in Noah's heart, Ethan and Noah were already us.
Ethan: "You're right. In that case, I'll wait for you at home like a good boy, okay?"
Noah: "Okay."
Today, Noah and Lyon were wrapping things up, with William helping out as well.
For once, William had ditched his usual black suit, opting instead for a gray cropped puffer jacket paired with straight-cut, washed jeans. It was a completely different style for him but surprisingly fitting. After all, he was only 23 this year—two months younger than Lyon.
"Young master," Lyon said, taking two wet wipes from William and handing one to Noah.
Lyon noticed the slightly raised angle of William's chin, higher than usual. He could tell William was in a good mood.
"In the supermarket, you're in charge of pushing the cart. And don't call me 'young master' there," Lyon instructed.
"Understood," William replied.
Noah observed their interaction. It didn't resemble a stiff, formal employer-employee relationship at all.
William was usually reserved and quiet, except when speaking to Lyon, where he seemed noticeably more talkative.
"Noah, don't you have anything you want to eat?" Lyon asked, glancing at the shopping cart, which was filled entirely with his own favorites. Even the items Noah had added earlier were things Lyon liked.
But Lyon distinctly remembered the cart being less full before.
Casting a sharp glance at William, who was pushing the cart, Lyon noticed the other man's expression remained stoic. Only his fingers moved ever so slightly.
Noah reassured him, "You don't have to overthink it. Things like beef, pork, and cabbage are things I like too."
Looking at the now overflowing cart, they decided it was time to head back.
Ethan was already waiting at home. "I prepared two pairs of slippers for you; they're by the door."
He was wearing a camel-colored sweater that revealed his slender neck, with soft hair gently brushing against his forehead.
The ensemble, combined with his relaxed demeanor, gave the impression of a subtle, warm smile—a look that carried an inexplicable husband-like charm.
"I've also set up some fruits and snacks in the living room," Ethan added.
Strawberries and cherries, freshly rinsed, were displayed in clear glass bowls, glistening temptingly under the light.
Ethan naturally took the bags from William's hands. "I'll handle the rest. You guys go rest for a bit."
Lyon hadn't expected Ethan to cook personally. A young master like him surely wouldn't outshine William in culinary skills.
"Well, thank you, Ethan," Lyon said politely.
Sitting side by side on the sofa, Lyon picked up a cherry from the bowl and took a bite. "Not as good as the ones I buy," he commented.
Ethan, unpacking the bags, glanced at the neatly boxed strawberries and cherries. "Didn't expect you to pick the same ones. Perfect—I'll keep the ones you chose for myself."
Though his tone was calm and matter-of-fact, Noah, hearing it from the kitchen, shot a look toward the living room. "Be serious."
Ethan blinked innocently. What part of that wasn't serious?