The streets feel unnaturally loud. Every step Ace takes is a battle against the stares of strangers on the street.
Though no one says anything outright, their eyes linger on his disheveled state—his oversized, torn clothes, his bare feet, and the raw vulnerability etched into his features.
Ace hunches his shoulders, trying to make himself smaller.
His messy hair falls over his face, offering some semblance of cover, but it does little to hide the shame burning in his chest.
He tugs at the stranger's shirt, the musky scent still clinging to him like a haunting memory.
"Is that Ace?" a voice whispers behind him.
His sharp hearing catches the words, and his chest tightens. He quickens his pace, his heart pounding. He needs to get home, out of sight, before anyone stops him.
But as he approaches his apartment complex, his heightened senses pick up something far worse.
"...Dad, can you stop telling me to calm down!" The voice hits him like a lightning bolt—Xiao Jun's voice.
It's loud, raw with emotion, carrying frustration, worry, and desperation. "I don't know where he is! I don't know if he's fine! And you're telling me to calm down?"
Ace freezes, his breath hitching. Jun sounds on the verge of breaking. And what's worse—he's called his father. Xiao Jun never calls his father unless it's something serious.
Ace's legs feel heavy, his body caught between the urge to run and the desperate need to go inside. His heart twists painfully at the thought of Jun staying up all night, searching for him.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, Ace steps toward the apartment. The closer he gets, the louder Jun's voice becomes.
"Where could he have gone? I've called his friends using his phone since he left it here, no one has seen him! I can't believe I let him walk out at night , I just wish he told me what was bothering him." Jun continues, his voice cracking. "Do you think he's in trouble? Or—"
"Stop overthinking!" Mr. Wang interrupts, his tone firm but not unkind. "Ace will come back. He always does."
Ace clenches his fists, guilt twisting his insides. How can he face them like this? How can he explain the torn clothes, the mark, the truth?
Finally, he reaches the door. His hand trembles as he pushes it open. The air inside is thick with tension.
Xiao Jun is pacing the living room, his hair disheveled, his eyes red-rimmed from lack of sleep. Mr. Wang stands nearby, his arms crossed, concern etched into his face.
The moment Ace steps in, silence falls. Xiao Jun's eyes lock onto him, and a storm of emotions flickers across his face—relief, disappointment , worry, and something deeper, something Ace can't bring himself to name.
Without a word, Xiao Jun grabs his jacket and storms past Ace, heading outside.
Ace stands frozen in the doorway, his chest tightening. He wants to say something, anything, but the lump in his throat won't let him.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Mr. Wang asks, his voice soft but laced with confusion.
Ace nods numbly, unable to meet the man's eyes. Mr. Wang gives him one last look before going after his son outside, leaving Ace alone in the silence of the apartment.
He moves further into the room, every step feeling heavier than the last. His legs tremble as he sinks onto the couch, exhaustion finally catching up to him. But the ache in his body is nothing compared to the guilt gnawing at his soul.
The shower calls to him, and he drags himself to the bathroom. Stripping off the stranger's clothes, he avoids his reflection in the mirror, afraid of what he might see.
Under the water, he feels every ache, every bruise, every reminder of the night before.
The mark on his neck pulses faintly, warm under his fingers, a constant reminder of his betrayal. He scrubs at it until his skin feels raw, but it doesn't fade.
Guilt runs through his veins like poison. Xiao Jun doesn't deserve this. He's been nothing but loving, patient, and protective. And what has Ace done?
By the time he steps out of the shower, his decision is made. He needs to leave. He can't stay here, can't keep hurting Xiao Jun. Maybe it's better if they break up.
Hours pass in restless silence. Ace waits, his body tense, until Xiao Jun finally returns. The clock reads past midnight, and the apartment feels colder than ever.
Jun walks into the bedroom, his movements stiff, his expression guarded. He doesn't even look at Ace as he heads to the bathroom.
"Jun…" Ace begins when Jun comes out, but he cuts him off sharply.
"Is this about what we planned for your 18th birthday?" Jun's voice trembles with restrained anger. "Did you think I was going to force you into something you weren't ready for? Did you think that I would have forced myself on you if you told me that you are not ready?! You could've just told me, Ace!"
Ace flinches, the words hitting him like a slap.
"Do you have any idea how much I've struggled all night? I didn't sleep! I was out there searching for you, worrying about you! And you—" Jun gestures at the torn clothes Ace left on the chair, his voice breaking. "You were out there, doing who knows what, wearing someone else's clothes! Where are your clothes, Ace? What happened?"
"I…" Ace stammers, his throat tightening.
"You know what? Forget it," Jun snaps, running a hand through his hair. "I can't do this right now. I need some rest."
He climbs into bed, turning his back to Ace.
"I understand what I've done to you," Ace whispers, his voice trembling. "And maybe I don't deserve someone like you. Maybe… it's better if we break up."
Jun goes still. The words hang in the air like a dagger. Slowly, he sits up, his face a mask of disbelief and pain.
"Wow," he says, his voice cracking. "Just… wow. Is this how little I mean to you? You mean... you can just throw me away like that?"
Tears glisten in his eyes, and Ace's heart shatters.
"You don't get it," Ace chokes out. "You don't deserve what I've done to you Jun. I can't—"
"Stop," Jun interrupts, his voice breaking. "You don't get to decide that for me. I love you, Ace. I get it, sometimes you get repulsive , do some things without thinking, do weird things but regardless of that , I love you. I swore never to let this relationship sink and i haven't changed my mind about that."
"Jun..." Ace starts again but Xiao Jun cuts him again.
"Please never mention something like that to me again, please." He say.
Ace has no choice. He nods weakly.
Xiao Jun pulls him into his arms, holding him tightly despite his trembling.
But Ace doesn't feel comforted.
As Jun falls asleep that night, Ace lies awake, the weight of his guilt suffocating him.
The memories of the stranger, the pull of the mark, haunt him. He wishes, for just a moment, that it was the stranger holding him now instead.
And with that thought, he knows—this is far from over.