Chapter Text
“I would like to introduce you to the son of one of my closest friends, Aether Viator. Please give him a warm welcome.”
A little figure with golden locks appeared behind the tall man with brown hair tied into a ponytail.
“P-Pleased to meet you.”
The guest with starry eyes let his gaze wander shyly on the staff in front of him. They all wore chic and expensively tailored suits beautifully. Their radiant complexion complemented their smiles, worthy of any fairy tale prince. Aether felt suddenly like an insignificant bean next to them. Yet, it was not uncommon for people to tell him that he was a bewitching handsome young man himself.
“What brings you here pretty boy?”
The student was startled by the sudden question. He looked down at his feet and fidgeted with his fingers, trying to regain his lost courage.
“I … Um…”
The young man was too ashamed to utter another word. How could he tell them that he was there simply because he had stupidly lost one of the bets he had made with his group of friends after one too many glasses of dandelion wine; and that his grotesque penalty was to visit any host club just for the laugh. The objective was to stay for a minimum of one hour to avoid any teasing about his inability to step out of his comfort zone.
“I-I would like to know who is the club’s number one host and…”
“And?”
“Spend some time with h-him?”
His voice gradually faded as he spoke. Alright. After this, Aether wished to be buried three feet underground and never resurface again, so that the world may forget about him. He couldn’t believe that he had the nerve to make such an unusual request to his father’s friend. What would he think of him now when they would see each other at future family gatherings… To be honest, he was grateful for Uncle Zhongli’s permission to have a look at his host club. His club was part of one of the trendiest clubs in the neighborhood. Therefore he had been ready to jump into the adventure and had accepted without thinking twice. He couldn’t see himself wandering like a tourist in a random club run by a stranger. Who knows what could have happened to him. Despite being a young heir pampered and protected from all danger since his earliest childhood, Aether wasn’t naive. He was aware that numerous people were just waiting for the perfect opportunity to take advantage of him. Nevertheless, he could take care of himself even without his bodyguards (after all, he came alone by escaping through the window. Let’s hope that his pillow-substitute would do the trick to fool the villa staff). Everyone liked to think he was as good as gold, the perfect candidate to inherit Viator Corp., but this was far from the truth. He too dreamed of incredible adventures far away from the vanity of high society; and perhaps meeting someone who could turn his life upside down, like the characters in the old soap operas that his parents loved to watch on Saturday evenings. He had more than enough with being put in a box. It was one of the many reasons why he agreed to do this foolish challenge. However well … he now bitterly regretted his decision. Seriously, what’s got into him to say that he was going to do it?!
“Mmh our number one host… It would be without a doubt Alatus, but he has the week off. Well, if he wasn’t a workaholic, that would be the case. This idiot still came to help as a bartender today, he must be in the back room tidying up some stuff, right Boss?”
His uncle frowned and whispered something to the red-haired young man in front of him. In response, he just shrugged his shoulders and let out a sigh. Aether wondered what they were saying to each other… After a few brief minutes, Mr.Zhongli turned his attention back to his favorite nephew:
“Be at ease Aether, Alatus embodies the kindness itself. I regard him as if he were my own son. I am confident that he will take excellent care of you for your first experience.” He said with a solemn smile and a pat him on the shoulder.
“I will ask him if he is available to meet with you.”
On these words, the owner of the club slipped into the darkness of the back room, leaving Aether alone behind. The young student swallowed his saliva with difficulty, suddenly he found himself fascinated by the checkered floor. One tile, two tiles… Three-
“Come with me pretty boy, I will seat you at your table. By the way, you can call me Childe!”
The voice of the handsome redhead from earlier abruptly snapped him out of his thinking. The young blond looked up shyly and tried to plaster on the best smile he had up his sleeve. Don’t be nervous, don’t be nervous Aether.
“A-Alright.”
And darn! He bit his tongue again… the red-haired man watched him with a slightly amused expression before resuming their walk.
“If Alatus is too rude towards you, don’t hesitate to come to see me. I will teach him a good lesson and why not take this opportunity to choose me as your favorite host?” He declared with a little wink.
“U-Um… I…”
I have no intention of coming back at all sir! It was what Aether wanted to reply with all his heart. However, he refrained from doing so. After all, he heard that host clubs were a black hole for your wallet. Despite being wealthy (thanks to his parents), he had never been frivolous about his spending and it wasn’t going to start today!
“Haha, just kidding. I am aware that you are trying to explore and get to know better your sexuality. This will be the first and last time you come here, am I wrong? Don’t worry, I will keep it a secret from Mr. Zhongli. He won’t learn a thing about it!”
“W-What?! You’ve got it all wrong!”
The absurd remarks of Childe left him speechless. He liked girls… He… He liked girls … right? From his earliest childhood, his parents had drilled into his head that he would marry a lady of noble birth, the classic talk you know with the “happily ever-after ending”.
“You are still young. You have all the time in the world to discover the vast universe. What could be more fun than being able to catch fish from both ponds.”
Aether never questioned his sexual preferences. To be honest, he didn’t really care. After all while growing up, there were people of the same sex who confessed to him and it didn’t bother him that much. He enjoyed receiving extra chocolate on Valentine’s Day, regardless of the gender of the giver. He could have twice more snacks to nibble on. It was a win-win situation for him.
…
Um…
Why did he feel that the only thing that mattered to seduce him was someone who could first catch him by the stomach?… Well, it was true that he appreciated the little gifts he would receive from time to time (especially when it was limited edition pastries from Dame Furina’s bakery). There were also the tasty xiaolongbao from Wanmin’s restaurant… The tender and crispy Sweet Madam from Mondstadt… And of course the exquisite almond tofu from Wangshu Inn.
…
Wait a second…
Was he really such a glutton?!…
“It seems like our little guest isn’t listening to me anymore.” Muttered the host while taking a peek behind him.
The blond student in question appeared to be deep in thought with a serious expression, and followed him mechanically.
“So I was saying…”
Childe displayed a mischievous smile as if he had an idea to get the attention of his adorable guest again.
“We should get married, how many children do you want to have dear Aether?”
Ooh… But the fish and chips of Fontaine… It had been a long time since he had the chance to eat it. He should plan a trip there for his summer vacation with Lumine. On top of that Neuvillette could be in charge of the organization of his wedding…
…
Wedding…
MARRIAGE ?!
Did the colleague of his uncle just ask his hand in marriage?! A tornado of questions engulfed him. He wondered what had caused their conversation to reach this point?! He had been too lost in thought to follow properly. Oh no, he still had this annoying habit of becoming distracted when it came to food. Uh… How about we start by politely refusing his marriage proposal? Certainly he was a very handsome and charming young man, but…
“I-I AM FLATTERED MR.C-CHIDE BUT I HAVE A FIANCE.” He ended up stuttering loudly.
“Pffft—hahahahahaha. What a shame!”
The red-haired man’s surprised expression turned into a loud laughter almost to tears. He had never met such an “intriguing” person. It almost tempted him to pursue him for real. However he did not yet have the ambition to be assassinated by his uncle. He shall give up for now. Meanwhile, the gears inside Aether’s brain slowly moved back into place allowing him to analyze the situation more clearly. Did he just reject one of the most popular hosts from the club? Yes. Was it a joke taken too seriously? Certainly. Did everyone from the club heard him? Undoubtedly.
Urgh… He…
He wanted to become a hydro blob and disappear. The exit door is only a few meters away, if he sprints now he could escape from here in two minutes and never return… Should he give it a try?
“Well, let’s continue our conversation next time shall we. Perhaps you’ll have changed your mind by then. Unfortunately we’ve already arrived at our destination.”
Before he could put his plan into action, Aether was led to a large black marble table located in the center of the club. Above it was a huge, extravagant crystal chandelier. Even the one that decorated the hall at his home would make a pale impression beside it. His uncle definitely possessed a greater fortune than he had imagined. The young man with golden locks sat down instinctively on the sumptuous burgundy-red velvet sofa and was surprised by how soft it was. He did his best to suppress the desire to ask his butler Sebastian to purchase the same one for their home.
“Wait here, Alatus will come to see you in a few minutes.”
On these words, Childe walked away and Aether found himself alone again. Well… Not that much.
“Who is that arrogant kid? Why is he inside the VIP corner?”
“My ears didn’t play tricks on me right? He said that Alatus was the one who would take care of him?!”
Hum… Some young ladies at the next table were squawking like seagulls and of course they were making no effort to be discreet. He could hear everything without fail. Nevertheless, he tried to remain calm and maintain a polite smile. It’s all right… He came only to do his penalty and after that he will never need to return here ever again. Rest assured ladies, there was no new rival to watch out for!
“But I thought that he wasn’t working today…”
“He isn’t! I've checked his schedule twice that's why it’s suspicious!”
If human beings could growl to communicate their displeasure and kill with just one look, it was obvious that he would no longer be in this world. Ha… Aether let out a tiny sigh. The only thing that kept him going in the present moment was the conviction that tomorrow morning it would all be just a bad dream and thanks the archons for that.
“Wah, check behind you, behind you! ”
“Kyaaaa~ It’s Alatus.”
“Alatus, look over here!”
The sound of footsteps was heard accompanied by a fanfare of cries of joy from his neighbors and other guests. It was so loud that the young blond wondered if an idol had inadvertently entered the club bringing with them a horde of hysterical fans. The mysterious man Alatus was finally here. Haa… What made him so special that —
!...
Aether barely turned his head before feeling as if all the air had been sucked out of his lungs. In the distance, a young man with piercing amber eyes walked down the aisle with the elegance of a professional model. If the prince charming from his favorite novel were to appear in real life, he would undoubtedly be the spitting image of the captivating host. He was exactly the type of man with the reckless “bad boy” vibes that made his heart flutter.
…
Wait a minute.
What the hell?
Since when was it the case?!
This absurd realization dyed his cheeks in a color similar to a silk flower. The student tried his best to hide himself behind the cushions and become one with the sofa. If only he was a whopperflower, the task would be much easier. His thoughts were scattered everywhere making it impossible to focus properly. Why did he outrageously declared that he was his type of man?! He didn't even like men. He… thinks? However, this did not prevent his eyes from discreetly returning to admire the fine facial features of the attractive host. He had skin as pale as the first snow and ebony hair similar to the plumage of a raven. The hair on the right side was slicked back, while on the left side, wild strands fell in front of his eyes.
Stop staring at him with goo-goo eyes Aether! Aren’t you ashamed?! What if he notices you dummy—
!...
By chance, starry pupils met beautiful amber eyes and—
Badump.
Uh-oh… Did his heart just skip a beat?
…
Badump Badump.
Neither person looked away first. It was as if time had frozen and the only thing that was keeping Aether in reality was the symphony of his heart.
Badump Badump.
My Archons. Calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out.
Badump Badump Badump.
Unfortunately it was as if the young man with golden locks had forgotten the simple mechanics of breathing. Was he underwater? He couldn’t tell anymore. The longer he was observed by these inquisitive amber eyes, the more he struggled to keep the oxygen inside his lungs.
Badump Badump Badump Badump.
Badump.
After what seemed to be an eternity, Alatus was the first to break the semblance of staring contest that existed between them and casually adjusted his tie before resuming his walk.
…
Eh?…
Was it his imagination?… For a moment it appeared as though he had frowned slightly before returning to his impassive face… Aether didn’t have time to ponder over it for too long as he was interrupted by a high-pitched voice of a guest two tables away from him.
“Alatus, why are you here I thought you had the week off?” She asked innocently while batting her eyelashes with exaggeration.
The charming host’s lips seemed to sketch a small smile. He put his index finger to his mouth and worded silently "It’s a secret."
"To fully appreciate the main dish, patience is the key. You will wait for me won't you?"
This trivial statement drew a few giggles from the audience and caused the guest with golden locks to roll his eyes. What a casanova, he thought. You have to be really brave to say things like that without being embarrassed. He couldn’t believe that his heart fluttered for s-someone like him!
…
Well..
Hum…
(Coughs)
Look who’s talking. Was he not here to receive these unimpressive pick-up lines? However, it was odd… Now that Alatus was closer, he felt like he had seen him somewhere before. There was this sense of familiarity about him and he just couldn’t put his finger on what. Maybe they had passed each other in the street?… No, that didn’t seem right… Mmh…
"Pleased to meet you, my name is Alatus. Welcome to the Gardens of Liyue."
Wait… Wasn’t he-
X-Xiao ?!
Aether’s jaw dropped. Reflexively, he immediately placed both of his hands in front of his mouth to prevent himself from saying something foolish. Now that he was inches away (since when had he gotten this close?!), he was sure and certain. It was Xiao, he took Art History class with him at university. He habitually sat in the back row of the amphitheater, always wearing a mask and cap as if he had something to hide. As soon as the class ended, he would disappear and he would always emit an aura that clearly conveyed his desire to be left alone, even from ten thousand miles away. The blond had already invited him to parties he organized, but was always ignored in return. After a while, he stopped asking for fear of being too intrusive (he had concluded that he might be one of those people who needed their own space of peace and tranquility and that sometimes his bubbly energy could be overwhelming).
You are surely wondering how in the world Aether managed to recognize his classmate under his elegant tailored-suit, when heavens and earth separated these two characters? Well, just once. Just once. He was lucky enough to see Xiao without his cap. One day, while leaving the university in a rush to catch his bus, on his way out of the building, he coincidentally came across him. He was crouched in the middle of a pile of twirling papers and seemed to be doing his best to collect what was left of his history thesis. You had to be cruel not to help him out, therefore as a good samaritan Aether devoted himself unquestioningly. After a few minutes, the duo had almost finished fixing the disaster when a sudden gust of wind snatched away his classmate’s beloved cap. At that moment, Aether looked up and was astounded by his appearance. After all, he had not expected someone so attractive to have been beside him all this time. However what surprised him the most were those piercing amber eyes that revealed themselves like precious jewels thanks to the whims of Barbatos. So beautiful, ethereal and full of wonders, he thought.
…
Well.
It is true that after this incident, he paid sliiiiiiightly more attention to him. He swears that it wasn’t a stupid crush or anything. He was curious by nature alright? He just wondered why someone as charming as him preferred to be a lone wolf. And today… Aether seemed to have unraveled one of his secrets by chance. But what if … he was mistaken and was imagining things? He had heard that there may be individuals in the world who bear a striking resemblance to each other. Maybe that was the case here?
"..."
The young blond kept staring intensely at the host with ebony hair, far too absorbed in solving the riddle of his life to notice that he had not yet replied to the Alatus’ introduction. The latter, seeing that he did not have the attention of his interlocutor, delicately took the guest with golden locks’ hand and grazed his lips on it.
“May I have the honor of learning your name?” He said with a honeyed voice close to a whisper while looking at him with affectionate eyes.
?!...
What—
He… The…
The poor young man was too distracted by the charming host’s hand in his to find the right words. Even the simple act of introducing himself became a challenging task.
“O-oh, my name is A-Aether.” He stammered with rosy cheeks like an idiot.
Wake up, for archons’ sake! Alatus couldn’t be Xiao. He couldn’t imagine his classmate being able to do that kind of thing without batting an eyelash. Unless he was a skilled actor., there was a 0.001% chance it was him. Besides… Besides the Xiao he knows had never made him feel that way: butterflies inside his stomach, sweaty hands, being at a loss of words… All of this… He… He felt as though he had regressed to his teenage years, where he blushed at the slightest thing. These notorious days where he was insecure and most importantly clumsy as hell.
“It’s a lovely name befitting an angel such as yourself.” He replied naturally with a tiny smile.
Ah… He had never seen Xiao smile before. A part of him wondered if his smile would be close to the charming Alatus in front of him (if he even had the opportunity to see him muster such a smile one day). Aether chew on his lower lip, thinking deeply about the striking resemblance between the two men. What if… What if Xiao had a twin? If Alatus and him were part of the same family, it would explain a lot of things.
…
No, let’s stop the speculation.
He had to make it clear right now. From the start, he kept comparing the two of them that the situation was becoming ridiculous. Come on, he just had to pluck up his courage and ask him… He could do it!
“T-Thank you. You… Um… Haven’t we already met somewhere before?” He alluded to the possibility with hesitation.
Alatus just sat down next to him while interlacing their fingers and leaned on his right elbow with an amused look.
“Who knows maybe we were soulmates in another life, and fate has brought us together once more?”
"!..."
Aether’s cheeks became redder than before if that were even possible. Contrary to what he expected, the man in front of him answered without hesitation and didn’t display any unusual behavior. It pushed Aether to conclude that Alatus was not Xiao. He wasn’t sure why, but a part of him suddenly felt relieved.
“M-my apologies… I… I must have been mistaken h-hahaha.”
He lowered his gaze and started to fidget with his fingers in order to hide his anxiety… He and his vivid imagination… Haa… He should just tell him the truth and cut their meeting short. He didn’t want to bother him more than necessary. It would be far too petty of him to take advantage of the kindness of his uncle.
“I-I’m sorry Alatus that you had to take care of me during your day off… I… To be honest I'm only here because of a stupid bet I made with my friends. I’m not used at all about… You…”
Aether looked up and removed his hand, a bit shy.
“You don’t have to treat me like one of your customers… Um… I’m… I’m going home.”
The young raven-haired man briefly contemplated his empty hand and then simply opened the menu that was on the table. He flipped through it casually and quickly typed something into his digital watch before returning his attention to his guest.
“There is no need for concern. I had some free time and… Fa—Mr. Zhongli inquired whether I could come to take care of you today and I have accepted the task. It is my responsibility to ensure that you have a pleasant stay in the Gardens of Liyue now.”
Mmmh… Even if it were true. The situation made him a little uncomfortable. He felt again like a spoiled, privileged child who got everything he wanted with a snap of his fingers. What if Alatus currently felt obligated to be there? Simply because his uncle asked him to come and entertain him?… Perhaps he was just being polite. Aether had always been like that. He was systematically afraid that people would be considerate of him only out of obligation and not because they genuinely liked him. Come to think of it, it was a bit ridiculous that he cared about such details here, inside a host club where utopia and a lot of hocus-pocus constantly mixed with each other. As long as one paid the required fees, anyone could become king in such a place. Perhaps… Perhaps just for a moment he also had the right to lose himself in the false affection given to him by the raven-haired young man?… At least he knew it was futile to have expectations from the start since everything was only deception and illusions offering ephemeral happiness.
…
Aether sighed internally and tried to push away his insecurities. Alright, he was capable of staying a few dozen minutes more. He could manage. He could.
“Hum… What if you explain your role as a host a little bit more to me?” He mustered his courage to ask shyly.
Alatus intertwined his fingers and rested his head on his hands thoughtfully.
“Host huh… Our purpose is simply to brighten our guest’s day and make them feel beautiful.”
He shook his head with a small smile before continuing.
“We aren’t really a host club to be honest. Over time, people gradually started calling us this way and Mr. Zhongli found it amusing and never tried to correct them. So the name remained.”
Before Aether could react, the raven-haired host took his hand again. Kindly, as if he were a fragile treasure, he brought his lips to his palm and gave it a feather light kiss.
“In short, my task today is to treat you as delicately as a qingxin flower.”
The guest with golden locks held his breath for fear of letting out any sound that would still be unknown to him. He was captivated by the depth of Alatus’ amber eyes, which seemed to stretch as far as the galaxy itself. What kinds of secrets were you hiding? Aether wanted to know, he wanted to learn more about this enigmatic person.
“Q-qingxin?…”
His voice cracked slightly against his will.
“Yes. My little qingxin.”
H-His little qingxin… Aether had absolutely no idea what that could mean, but strangely … he liked … the sound of this nickname.
“The qingxin is a liyuean native flower. It has magnificent immaculate white petals and grows exclusively at the top of very high mountains. It is my favorite … flower.”
Then, gradually, the distance between them decreased until only a few centimeters separated them.
Badump Badump…
He-He wasn’t going to…
Aether closed his eyes, and tried as best he could to control this feeling of wild dandelions dancing inside his stomach. However, what he expected never happened and instead he felt a warmth breath near his left ear. The young man with ebony hair had leaned over to whisper to him some word as if it were a secret.
“They are rare, precious, unattainable…”
Badump Badump Badump…
“Just like you.” He ended up murmuring an octave lower.
...
....
............
If someone could describe the state of Aether at the present moment, well… he looked like a lavender melon that’s been struck by lightning. He didn’t even know where or what he was supposed to look at. His brain was in such turmoil from the sweet compliments he had received that he ... he...
AHFKFHFKJSJFBKD
The young blond cupped his cheeks with his hands and tried to close his eyes again to regain his composure without success. His heart had decided to run a marathon without him. The edge of his left ear burned with fervor. Alatus didn’t lie about it. He indeed felt like the most beautiful person in his eyes right now. What a dangerous job... He had to be careful not to be fooled any further by his sweet words and absolutely not start to thinking that everything was real.
“Shenhe, you’re here.”
Suddenly, a young lady with silver hair approached their table with the grace of a swan. She tilted her head slightly as if seeking permission to put the tray down. The man nodded with a simple wave of his hand.
“Thank you. You may place the tea set here.”
The latter complied quietly and left immediately, just as she had arrived. Aether couldn’t help but admire how beautiful she was. He wondered if he might have the opportunity to find out about her routine, hoping to learn how she achieved such silky hair. He watched her figure disappear into the distance before returning his attention to their table. Alatus was pouring with precision and delicacy the contents of the traditional clay teapot into one of the glasses. Once his task was finished, he calmly put the cup in front of the young blond. Was that what he was looking at in the menu earlier?… He could have asked him what he wanted to drink. To be honest, Aether wasn’t into tea that much but he did not wait to be told twice and brought his lips to the drink. And to his immense surprise, the tea tasted like a sweet dream: there was a comforting and pleasant feeling in the mouth. He felt as if all the tension in his muscles vanished at once and turned into stardust.
” ... It’s pear flavored Pu’er tea prepared by me. It’s good for digestion and … the heart.” Stated Alatus as if he had read his thoughts.
The young blond cracked a shy smile before hiding again behind his tea cup. It was impossible for him to look at the beautiful host with piercing amber eyes by his side for more than a minute after what had happened earlier. He was still trying to forget the strange tingling feeling in his chest. The student’s golden pupils scanned the table for something to distract him. Finally, he instinctively reached for one of the cakes beside the tea set and devoured it in one go. Unfortunately, he still had the habit of turning to food when he didn’t know what to do with his hands.
Oh…
“It’s delicious…” Aether commented on the taste of the dish out loud, with stars in his eyes.
“It’s a cake made with soybean paste. The filling is mostly black beans.”
“Did you perhaps … make it too?…”
Alatus nodded slightly his head while crossing his arms. Maybe it was his imagination, but he appeared somewhat hesitant and shy to disclose that he was an outstanding pastry chef. Aether chuckled a bit before adding:
“I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable about tea and such talented chef Xiao—”
CLINK
The raven-haired host stood up abruptly without warning. The sudden movement accidentally spilled the contents of one of the teacups onto his hand. The guest with golden locks looked at him horrified, eyes wide.
”Alatus, your hand! You have to run it under cold water!”
The blond’s worried words seemed to go in one ear and out the other. All kinds of emotions could be read on the face of the young man with amber eyes: confusion, agitation but above all strong displeasure.
”You…”
“?...”
“Tsk. Come with me.” He commanded in a cold tone, clicking his tongue.
Without further delay, he took him by the arm and led him through the door, past the back room. As they continued to walk, Aether was lost. He was unable to comprehend the situation. The young man’s sudden change in attitude left him confused. Eventually, he realized what he had accidentally said earlier. No way… He had called Alatus Xiao!... Did that mean… Before he could reach an answer, the man halted in his steps. The duo had unknowingly reached the backyard of the club.
BAM
In no time Aether found himself with his back against the wall, caged by “Xiao’s" arms with no escape route.
It was difficult right now to identify the person in front of him.
Was it Xiao? Alatus? Neither?!
”You know who I am right? So let’s stop playing this childish game of pretend shall we.”
Badump badump.
The blond’s heart was pounding again, but this time for a completely different reason. There was no affection in the eyes of the man in front of him. Yet, they were the same amber eyes of Alatus, despite being as piercing as small knives, cold and deep as the abyss.
”Don’t you dare tell anyone what you saw here.”
His throat tightened under the threats of his interlocutor. The two boys engaged in a stare fight for a brief moment, then as if caught up in a little je-ne-sais-quoi impulse, unexpected words came out of Aether’s mouth:
“Is... Is your hand alright?”
The innocent question without any ulterior motive broke the act of the raven-haired man for a millisecond. “Xiao” turned his head and let out a small sigh. He then stepped backwards a bit and ran his hand through his hair with an unreadable expression.
”Go home, a respected pure young master such as you doesn’t belong to this kind of place.”
He walked away little by little and let his gaze wander into the starry sky. His back seemed strangely lonely in Aether’s eyes.
“Don’t ever think of coming back here again.” He added with a harsh tone.
The young man with golden locks, instinctively clenched his hands into fists to these words. He felt … strange. He was somewhat melancholic, he believes? As if woken up from a dream, he remembered that Alatus was only a character Xiao created and didn’t really exist. Even though he knew it from the start, maybe deep inside him he foolishly wished for it to be true.
“You’re ... You’re so different from the caring, gentle and kind Alatus.” He mentioned with a hint of sorrow in his starry eyes.
This response elicited a slight mocking chuckle from Xiao. He stepped forward and approached Aether until their noses brushed against each other. With a nonchalant gesture of the finger, he lifted the chin of his previous customer and whispered with a low growl:
“If you want me to pamper you young master, you’ll have to pay like everyone else.”
At that moment, the twenty-two years old blond student didn’t know yet that he was already deeply enamored with...
An incredible sly bastard.