Chapter 27 – Unseen Strings

The gathering was warm, filled with the casual chatter of Taro's family, the clinking of glasses, and laughter that should have made the atmosphere comfortable.

But for Elian, something felt off.

A presence. A stare.

No—a glare.

Rylan's gaze was heavy. Unrelenting. It crawled over his skin like something tangible, something invasive.

Elian didn't need to look to know who it was. He had felt it the moment he arrived, like a shadow lingering just at the edge of his vision.

And yet, he remained still, his expression carefully composed, refusing to acknowledge it.

It was a game, after all. A game where the first one to react lost.

But even as he feigned indifference, his skin prickled with discomfort.

Across the room, Rylan sat at ease, his demeanor perfectly collected, but his eyes—his eyes never left Elian.

He took in everything.

The way Elian's slender fingers rested lightly against the stem of his glass. The delicate dip of his collarbone, subtly exposed beneath the loose neckline of his shirt. And his face—flawless. Ethereal.

Emerald-green eyes, sharper than any gemstone, yet cold as if nothing could touch them.

Cherry-red lips, parted slightly as he exhaled—a breath that should have meant nothing but left Rylan fixated.

How many times had he imagined them trembling? Parting for words Elian could never quite say?

Elian, still pretending not to notice, felt his fingers tense against his glass. The weight of that stare was suffocating, pressing into him like a predator sizing up its prey.

Taro's voice suddenly cut through the charged silence.

"Sir, I still can't believe you're hosting an exhibition!" he said, beaming with excitement. "That's huge."

Rylan exhaled slowly, as if releasing himself from a trance. His lips curled into something like a smile, though there was a sharpness behind it. "I want it to be something memorable."

And then, without hesitation—without shame—he turned back to Elian.

"And since you seem to have an interest in exhibitions, you should come."

Elian finally lifted his gaze.

He met Rylan's stare head-on, unreadable, refusing to let any flicker of discomfort show. But deep inside, something coiled. A familiar unease.

How long had it been since they last stood this close? Since Rylan last looked at him like that?

Like he was something to be owned.

"I already told you it's unnecessary," Elian said smoothly.

Taro, still oblivious, nudged him. "Come on, Elian! You love this kind of thing."

Elian's fingers tapped lightly against his glass. "I do," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean I attend everything."

Rylan tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening. So he's not completely indifferent.

"You should at least consider it," Rylan said, his voice slow, deliberate. "It won't be like the usual exhibitions."

Elian met his gaze. He refused to be the first one to look away.

"I'll think about it."

A vague answer. Dismissive.

It wasn't a yes. But it wasn't a no.

Rylan's smirk widened just a fraction.

Because no one truly resisted him.

Not for long.

And Elian was no exception.