After spending an eventful afternoon at Thomas's house, playing in the pool and enjoying snacks, Rafayel and Rowan returned to the studio. Before they left, Thomas pulled Rafayel aside, his tone unusually serious.
"I'll send the updates next week," Thomas said in a low voice. "You ordered me to monitor it, right?"
Rafayel nodded curtly, his expression hardening. Rowan, who overheard the exchange, couldn't help but notice the shift in Rafayel's demeanor. Curiosity tugged at him, but he bit his tongue. He knew better than to pry into Rafayel's business.
Now back in the comfort of their studio, Rowan finally broke the silence.
"So," he began casually, "how was your date?"
A sudden, subtle smile spread across Rafayel's face, transforming his usual sharp features. He looked like a lovesick fool, and Rowan couldn't hide his surprise.
"It was good," Rafayel replied, his voice softer than usual. "I had fun."
Rowan pouted, crossing his arms. "I'm jealous. You have a girlfriend. Sometimes, I wonder what it feels like to have one. But since I'm always stuck at home, either writing or meeting deadlines as an author, I barely have time to meet anyone, let alone date."
Rafayel's smirk returned, sharper this time. "Even if you weren't busy, no girl would be interested in you. You're ugly."
Rowan's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? Ugly? At least I don't strut around like a walking ego with a face that screams, 'Worship me, peasants!'"
Rafayel leaned back on the couch, utterly unfazed. "Sounds like jealousy to me. You can't achieve this beauty, even if you reincarnated."
Rowan scoffed, throwing a cushion at Rafayel, who dodged it with a chuckle. Their bickering continued, sharp and witty, each trying to outdo the other with their insults. Finally, Rowan sighed, exhausted.
"I should just ask Thomas if he knows anyone who's looking for a date or willing to go on a blind date," Rowan muttered.
Rafayel fell silent at that, his teasing demeanor momentarily fading. He moved to sit across from Rowan, fixing him with an unreadable look.
"Are you seriously that desperate to get a girlfriend?"
Rowan rolled his eyes. "I'm 26 years old, Rafayel. I've never dated anyone. Can you blame me?"
Rafayel blinked, genuinely surprised. "You're older than me? By two years?"
"Obviously," Rowan deadpanned. "Maturity comes with age. Something you wouldn't understand."
Rafayel smirked, his teasing back in full force. "Mature and ugly. What a combination."
Rowan glared at him, finally standing up. "It must be nice having a face like yours. But beauty fades, Rafayel. Your personality, however, will always suck."
As he stormed off to his room, Rafayel called after him, "What do you mean by that hey?!!" Rowan responded with a middle finger without turning back.
Once in his room, Rowan collapsed onto his bed, muttering under his breath. A sudden notification from the system popped up in front of him, catching his attention. Rafayel's affinity score had increased by 2%, now sitting at 22%.
"It went up because I got pissed off at his insults? What a load of—" Before Rowan could finish, another message appeared:
*Good job, Rowan. Keep up the good work!*
Rowan closed his eyes, exasperated. "Good job? It only went up by 2%! If I piss him off again, it'll probably drop right back down."
He sighed, deciding to sleep away his frustrations. The system could wait.
---
When Rowan woke up, it was already night. He stepped out of his room, his stomach growling, and headed to the kitchen. The first thing he saw was Rafayel sitting at the table, eating crab and fish with a peculiar intensity.
Rowan frowned. "Why are you looking at your food like it's a test subject?"
Without looking up, Rafayel replied, "I'm looking for inspiration for my next painting."
"Huh?" Rowan stared, baffled. "How is that supposed to help?"
Finally, Rafayel looked at him, his expression as serious as ever. "I have an exhibition the day after tomorrow. Thomas hasn't stopped texting me, reminding me to finish my art."
Rowan nodded, understanding the pressure. "So, you're not sleeping tonight?"
Rafayel shook his head, his focus already returning to his food. After they ate, Rowan washed the dishes and wandered into the living room, where Rafayel had set up his painting materials.
Rafayel was already seated, his brush moving deftly across the canvas, his expression focused and serene. Leaning against the doorway, Rowan watched him in silence. In this moment, Rafayel seemed like a different person professional, mature, and calm. It was an aura Rowan couldn't quite describe.
Without thinking, Rowan took out his phone and snapped a picture of Rafayel, capturing the moment. He sent it to Thomas, who replied almost immediately:
*Finally. I can't wait to see his work tomorrow.*
Rowan chuckled softly, glancing at Rafayel one last time before heading to his room. Despite him and Rafayel always bickering, there were moments like this that made Rowan appreciate the strange, unexplainable bond they shared.
--
As Rowan settled into his bed, ready to let the day's events fade into sleep, a familiar ding echoed in his head.
The system popped up, flashing bold, golden letters across the screen:
"Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Picture Perfect!"
Rowan blinked, startled.
Below the message, the system added in smaller text:
"Congratulations on secretly capturing a moment of Rafayel. Keep up the good work!"
Rowan groaned, rubbing his temples. "So now I get achievements for being a creepy photographer? What's next, an award for surviving his insults?"
The system didn't respond, but a new prompt appeared: Affinity Progress: +1%.
Rowan scowled. "One percent? Seriously? All this effort, and that's what I get? What kind of twisted game is this?"
As if mocking him, the system added a final note: "Remember, patience is a virtue, Rowan. Good luck!"
Rolling his eyes, Rowan waved the notification away and muttered, "If this system were a person, I'd throw it out the window."
Finally, with a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to take over, his dreams a mix of sarcastic systems and a certain annoyingly handsome painter.