CHAPTER -9: Heat without Fire

The room smelled like dust and stale paper.

Boxes stacked high against the walls, chairs turned upside down on desks.

Cleanup duty.

A punishment for everyone who skipped orientation last week.

Ayan hadn't skipped—he'd just been late. And now, here he was, sleeves rolled, hauling boxes in silence.

And then, of course—

> "Need a hand?"

Kairo's voice. Soft, almost lazy.

But when Ayan turned, the usual grin wasn't there.

Kairo just watched him with calm eyes, hands in his pockets like he had all the time in the world.

> "No."

Ayan's tone could've frozen boiling water.

He turned back to the shelf, sliding another box into place. His movements were precise, efficient.

Controlled.

But the air behind him didn't shift.

Kairo didn't leave.

Minutes passed.

Silence stretched—thick enough to taste.

Finally, Ayan snapped.

He dropped the last box with a dull thud and turned, voice sharp as glass.

> "What is it? You've been staring at me like I'm some puzzle you can't solve. Newsflash, Ren—you're not smart enough to try."

Kairo tilted his head slightly, unfazed. His voice came low, smooth, like velvet hiding teeth.

> "You're right. I'm not smart enough."

He stepped forward—slow, deliberate—until the space between them was nothing but heat and breath.

> "But I'm stubborn. And I know a mask when I see one."

Ayan's jaw clenched. His heart slammed once, hard enough to feel. But his voice came out ice-cold.

> "And I know an idiot who doesn't understand boundaries."

Kairo smiled. Not wide. Not playful.

Something smaller. Sharper.

> "Maybe. Or maybe I just don't like watching someone pretend they're made of stone when I know they bleed."

The silence after that burned hotter than any shout.

Ayan didn't flinch. Didn't look away.

But his fingers curled against his palm until his nails bit skin.

Finally, he turned, shoving past Kairo without a word.

The door slammed hard enough to rattle the frame.

Kairo stayed where he was, breathing slow, steady.

And for the first time, his grin didn't come back at all.

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