A Handsome Boy

Beep~

"Team Leader!"

The man, who had just swipe his company card on the employee entrance, heard his title being called by a familiar voice. The man looked up and recognized the person who called him was one of his team members, Adrian. Adrian prevented the elevator from closing up, waiting for his team leader to board the elevator.

The man couldn't help but give a helpless sigh while shaking his head. Although he disapproved these kinds of fawning behavior, when it comes to his team members, he couldn't help but give in. After all, these small gestures might be full of motives, but he still felt grateful every time it happened.

Who wouldn't want to be treated special, once in a while? Though he felt grateful, he still had to apologize to those who were inconvenience by his team member's care. As the team leader, he had to prevent others from talking bad about their department, he had to ensure that his team members could walk in the Guild with their heads held high.

When the man reached the elevator, he gave a slight nod to his team members to show his appreciation, and gave a courteous bow and apology for the inconvenience he had caused. The man heard a chorus of, "No problem" and "Apoglogy accepted", which made him breathe a sigh of relief, to show his genuineness, he replied with another word of gratitude.

When the man was done with the apology, he focused on his team members' conversation about their work. The man listened to his team members convesation, sometimes he would say his input about a particularl topic to guide his team members, but most of the times, he would only listen. Regardless of his participation, he believed that his team members would do great. Just as he trusted his team members, his team members also trusted him, so he didn't have to join the conversation if it was unnecessary. All he had to do was to ensure that no rumors would destroy their team's unity.

The man felt particularly accomplished. He couldn't help but let his thoughts wander around. Just as he thought that everything would be fine, he bumped into someone.

The man grunted couldn't help but grunt in pain. Although it was a bump, but for him with weak physical strength, it was as if he bumped into a wall. Before he could collect himself, he saw his ID card falling, he had forgotten to wear it on his neck because he was too focused on keeping his team's perfect image.

Before the man could pick up his ID, he saw a man's hand, bigger than his, picking up his ID. Before the man could give words of gratitude, he heard the other person's voice echoing in his ears, it was a voice ha hadn't heard for such a long time.

"Elias Pablo, Team Leader of Support Team 3."

When Elias looked at the man who picked up his ID, he saw those baby blue eyes, those pair of eyes that enchanted many people, except him. He remained unfazed despite staring at those two enchanting eyes. Though those eyes have no echanting ability, many people were still captivated by it. Also, even if the other person has an Eye-related ability, he would not be affected by it. After all, he was immune to those Eye-related ability since his was of higher rank.

"Rowan Matthews."

Elias uttered the man's name. Rowan Matthews, one of the SSS-rank in the US. One of the most powerful person in the whole world. And the first person he had recruited because of his Eye-related ability. An ability to see someone's potential. Unlike others who had many uses, Elias' ability was only good at recruitment.

Even though it only has one use, the Guild he was working at still gave him the Team Leader position despite his shortcomings, due to the Hunters he had brought into their guild, especially the one before him, the only one Rowan Matthews. The only Rainbow-ranked growth potential he had seen.

"It's been a long time since we have seen each other."

'Of course, after all, I tried my hardest to stay away from your sight!'

But, Elias definitely couldn't say that, so he could only pretend that he was busy.

"I have been busy. As you know, as years passed by, the mana concentration in our world grew denser, making my team as the busiest among all Support Teams. We had to ensure that no one could snatch away those potential high ranking Hunters, such as you. We had to visit all the possible places to not let any leaks."

"It's not because I confessed to you?"

'This motherfucker full of mischief! Why would you say that in front of my team?!'

Elias heard gasps around him, reminding him that everyone who was near them heard Rowan's words. Elias was left speechless with how he could say it in front of everyone else while looking unfazed. First, Elias had to deny it, like his life was at stake.

"Hahaha! You're still kidding at your age! Don't you think you have passed this age already?"

Before Rowan could refute his excuse, Elias pulled Rowan towards his office.

"Why don't we continue our conversation in my office?"

"..."

Rowan let Elias pull him towards his office, after all, this was what he wanted the most, to talk just the two of them.

Unlike Elias's calm demeanor, he was actually shaken. Yes, he had tried his best to avoid these kinds of confrontation. He was confessed, not by a woman, but a man, not only that, but a man who was once a teenager he had recruited!

He thought that his involvement with Rowan was nothing but a passing mutual cooperation, but when Rowan confessed to him, he knew right there and then, that he had thought wrong

He didn't even have a time to think it through. First, when they first met, Rowan was just barely an adult. Rowan had just reached eighteen years of age, while he was twenty five. Seven years age difference might not seemed a big age gap, but for him who had never thought of these kinds of things, he was so shaken that he felt like he was a pedophile. He was so scared that one day he would be sent to prison because of an accusation of him seducing a child!

Well, maybe he was overthinking it, since Rowan confessed to him when he was twenty one. Still, Elias only thought of him as someone he had recruited for his own selfish reasons, nothing more. Maybe, he showed too much care since he was just a person who was barely an adult, a person who almost became a mining slave, and the first and only Rainbow-ranked growth potential to boot?

Elias didn't know what to do, thus he ran away. He avoided Rowan as if he was a plague. And yet, a momentary slip made his hardwork seemed useless.

When they reached Elias' office. Elias pulled Rowan inside, closed the door softly, and pulled the blinds down, so that no one could see what was happening inside. Elias looked at the unfazed Rowan, the anger that was bubbling inside of him that he had locked away was slowly trying to break away from the chain he had tried so hard to hide.

"You-"

"I'm sorry to put you through this kind of situation."

Before Elias could utter ugly words towards Rowan. Rowan apologized first full of genuineness. Elias could see that inside Rowan's unfazed look, his swirling emotions were showing in his eyes. It was full of longing and vulnerability.

Elias froze on the spot. And there was an heartache he couldn't explain. Was it because of pity? Was it due to social morality that was imposed on him since he became aware of his surroundings? Or was it due to the difference in gender? Why did he refuse to anwer the confession that took Rowan all his courage to convey?

Despite all these thoughts, Elias couldn't still gave an answer. He was too scared that his normal days would be just a dream that he once lived.

"I'm sorry."

It was the only answer he could say. He was sorry, he was so sorry but he didn't know which was he apologizing for.

Rowan didn't make it hard for him. He knew it wasn't easy. Despite his brave behavior, he was actually just as scared. But, someone had to step up, someone had to brave through. The person who fell first had to be the stronger person. If not, they might be just a passing person for each other.

The silence remained for some time, both person had their own thoughts about the confession. Rowan, who made up his mind, gave Elias a reassuring smile.

"Just take your time. I apologize for putting you on the spot. It was the last thing that I should have done. Don't worry, I'll keep my distance and try to remedy the situation that I had caused. I just hope that you will think of me from time to time, not as a person you feel obligated to, but the person who wanted to stand next with you, from the moment we wake up, to the moment we sleep."

After conveying what he wanted to say, Rowan left Elias alone without waiting for a reply. Rowan knew that Elias heard him, and that was enough, Elias didn't need to acknowledge it. He just had to listen, and that's enough for now.

While Rowan had made up his mind, the person he had left with these burdensome feelings was conflicted. He was so lost that he didn't know how the day passed. He was so out of it that he came home without any recollection of how he spent the day. How did he get home? He didn't know how.

Elias normal days that he was used to, was slowly changing. Days passed by, Rowan never showed himself in front of Elias even once. And the rumor about Rowan confession was clarified as nothing but a joke between the two person, after all, they had a history of the recruiter and the recruitee.

One day, in a company dinner party, Elias couldn't help but drown these emotions through alcohol. Yes, he knew that he was being irresponsible, but he couldn't help but want to escape from these fleeting thoughts that was slowly gnawing away his barriers. He promised that it was just for a moment. He just needed a break. So, he drowned himself until he fell asleep. He never once thought of how he would go home or he would inconvenience someone. All he thought of was escaping these thoughts that were eating him away.

When Rowan arrived to fetch someone up, Elias was sleeping so soundly that he had forgotten his image he had worked so hard to build. Rowan couldn't help but smile helplessly. Where was the person who had protected his image so hard? It was gone away with just one carelessness.

Though Rowan had to admit that he was feeling mixed emotions. He was quite happy because Elias was thinking it so hard that his image was at stake, while also feeling guilty because of the burden he had given the person he loves.

Rowan erased these conflicting thoughts. He had to take Elias home first. He didn't want to destroy Elias' image that he worked so hard for. So, Elias bid farewell and left with Elias. He was gone as fast as he arrived.

Along the way, Rowan couldn't help but smile because the person he loves was defenseless in front of him.

"He's cute. Pfft."

The young man's laughter was quite carefree, unfortunately, the reason for his laugh was unaware of it.

Rowan didn't take Elias in his own home, instead he brought him back to his place. He didn't know Elias' door code, it's not because he have ulterior motives!

When Rowan tucked Elias to sleep, he left him hurriedly without taking another glance, afraid that he would be shaken.

Unlike Rowan, who was in an emotional turmoil, Elias was sound asleep. From the moment he closed his eyesz due to drunkness and sleep deprivation, he was already in a dreamless sleep.

Elias cherished the first sleep since a long time that he didn't have to dream of Rowan and emotions that was crawling towards his heart, making it flutter for an unknown reasons. He was so lost in it that he was unaware of the changes in the room.

So, when he woke up and saw an unfamiliar room, the first thing he thought was he was in someone else's house or it was a hotel. So, he stood up and walked towards the door that he felt that was the bathroom.

Elias, who was still groggy, washed his face on the bathroom. If he was slightly bit awake, he would have realized that something was amiss. The him, who just woke up in a dreamless sleep, was afraid of breaking the momentary peace, which made him indulgent to the feeling of ignorance. So, when he went back in the room and saw his reflection, the first thought that came to mind was what a handsome boy.

The boy in the reflection was handsome indeed. Red sharp eyes, pale blonde hair, plump small lips, sharp nose, and his skin was silky white. Elias couldn't help but say...

"What a handsome boy!"

The voice that should have belonged to a man nearing his thirties was nowhere to be heard, it was replaced by a voice that hadn't even finish his adolescence! Then it dawned on him, the reflection he was seeing was not someone else's but his!

"Ahhhhh!"