KISS

PRIDE HIGH [THAT SAME NIGHT]  

Swimming Pool Party

The night pool party was alive.

Music blasted from the speakers. Some students danced near the shallow end. A group of guys took selfies under the fairy lights. Two girls argued over who pushed who into the water. Someone cannonballed into the pool and got yelled at.

It wasn’t quiet.  

It wasn’t stiff.  

It was chaotic.

Daniel stood on one of the pool chairs dramatically. “PEOPLE! Why are we acting boring? This is a party!”

A few students cheered.

Pinky laughed loudly, surrounded by three guys from class, all whispering and giggling.

Sab stood near the drinks table with some mates, but his eyes kept drifting toward Lionel.

Lionel wasn’t really involved with anyone. He stood slightly apart, talking to two guys from the basketball team — calm, controlled, respected but sometimes his eyes ridiculously found themselves on asses.

Evan sat with two quiet guys from his class near the edge of the pool. He smiled when they spoke to him, but he wasn’t fully present.

Because Jeremy was here.

Jeremy was across the pool with a group of boys, laughing at something one of them said. He looked relaxed.  

He wasn’t staring at Evan.

He never did.

But sometimes — when he thought no one noticed — his eyes would move. Not to Evan but to Lionel.

Lionel caught it, every time, their gazes would lock for a second.

Lionel looked away feeling guilty about what happened last time they met.

Daniel jumped down suddenly. “Okay, enough random chaos.”

He grabbed a random plastic bottle and held it up.  

“Let’s play a game!”

A few students cheered.

“Truth or Dare!” someone shouted.

“Nooo that’s old!” another complained.

Daniel grinned. “Fine. Modified version.”

He dragged a small table to the center and placed the bottle on it.

“If it lands on you, you either answer honestly… or do what we say.”

Students started forming a bigger circle now. Some sat on towels. Some sat cross-legged. Some stayed standing.

The energy shifted.

Pinky immediately sat in front. He loved attention.

Sab positioned himself near Lionel again.

Lionel sat calmly.

Evan hesitated.

Then sat beside his brother.

Jeremy walked over with the guys he was with.

And instead of sitting anywhere random — he sat directly across from Lionel. Not across from Evan. Across from Lionel.

Lionel noticed.

Jeremy noticed Lionel noticing.

The air between them tightened slightly.

Daniel looked around at the full circle of students now.  

“Good. Now this looks like a party.”

One of the guys whispered loudly, “This is going to expose people.”

Pinky smirked. “I hope so.”

Daniel spun the bottle dramatically.

Students leaned forward, some sitting on towels, some dripping wet from the water. Laughter floated in the night air, mixed with music from the speakers.

The bottle slowed.  

Turned. Stopped. On Evan.

A loud scream erupted from the circle.  

Pinky’s eyes immediately lit up. Sab straightened where he sat beside Lionel.

Daniel grinned like he had been waiting for this moment all night.  

“Evan,” he said dramatically, “truth or dare?”

Evan felt every eye on him.  

He didn’t like attention. Not like this. Not when Pinky and Sab were watching him like predators waiting for something to tear apart.

He answered  

“Dare.”

The circle exploded.

Pinky leaned forward with a wicked smile. “Oh, this is going to be good.”

Sab crossed his legs slowly, watching Evan with clear amusement.

Daniel rubbed his hands together. “Alright. Since you’re feeling brave…”

He glanced at Jeremy then back at Evan.

“I dare you to kiss Jeremy.”

The world went silent.

Even the music suddenly felt too loud.

Pinky’s smile widened instantly. He turned to Sab. “Did you hear that?”

Sab let out a soft laugh. “Poor thing.”

Evan froze.

His cheeks flushed immediately, and he looked down at his hands.  

Jeremy did not look at him, instead, his eyes shifted to Lionel.

Pinky broke the silence.  

“Well? Or was that ‘dare’ just for decoration?”

A few students laughed nervously.

Sab added sweetly, “It’s just a kiss, Evan. Don’t tell me you’re scared.”

Evan lifted his head slightly.  

He hated that tone. That fake sweetness.

“I’m not scared,” he said quietly.

Pinky tilted his head. “Then do it.”

Jeremy finally looked at Evan.

Evan’s heart was hammering so fast he thought everyone could hear it. The circle of students leaned in closer, whispering, half cheering, half gasping.

He swallowed, trying to steady himself, feeling every gaze on him. Pinky’s wicked smile burned into him, Sab’s quiet amusement was sharp as a knife, and Daniel was practically bouncing on his heels with excitement.

Evan’s hands trembled as he stepped closer. Jeremy didn’t move, just let him come.

When their lips met, it wasn’t simple.

His lips pressed softly at first, testing. Jeremy responded almost imperceptibly, tilting his head slightly, letting theirs meet just enough to feel each other.

Their lips twirled together in a slow, teasing dance—soft, fleeting, yet deliberate. A brush here, a gentle glide there, a subtle pull that made his heart hammer in his chest.

The students around them gasped, whispering, frozen in shock. Pinky’s smirk faltered. Sab’s jaw dropped. Daniel squealed.

Evan pulled back just enough to catch his breath, cheeks blazing. Jeremy smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

Lionel and Daniel jammed their knuckles together.

The bottle stopping in front of Evan wasn't orchestrated by them.  

It was obviously planned by them.

BRUCE'S MANSION

Bruce instantly regretted throwing the party, more like he regretted inviting Leonard. He secretly clenched his fist.

"Leo." Kai softly called, he held his arm pulling him towards him.

Jaxon rolled his eyes but he put on a pretentious smile.

"Don't keep Bruce waiting," Kai said with a fake smile which didn't reach his eyes.

"Thanks for the reminder Kai," Jaxon smiled sweetly as he went to join Bruce on stage.

Kai held Leonard's arm possessively as they went to sit together in the VVIP area.

Tate hasn't stopped smirking since what conspired between Leonard and Jaxon right now.

Liam noticed it.

"Did you do something?" Liam asked.

He swallowed.

"No, why are you asking?" Tate smiled sipping his wine from the glass.

Liam stared at him suspiciously then he looked away with a shrug.

Jaxon’s gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on Leonard. His lips curved into that confident, teasing smile he couldn’t ignore.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, his voice dripping with charm, “tonight isn’t just about a party… it’s about a new beginning. And some things are just too special to keep hidden.”

The murmurs in the room grew louder. Cameras flashed, but his focus was on Leonard. A faint sparkle of mischief danced in his eyes.

He raised his hand slightly, letting his voice drop to a playful whisper only for him to hear:

“Ready to see what indigo really looks like?”

At that exact moment, the massive LED screen behind him flickered to life. The words illuminated the hall in bold, shimmering letters:

“JAXON AND BRUCE – BACK FROM HELL  

OFFICIALLY RELEASED – STREAM NOW!”

A wave of gasps and applause swept through the mansion. Guests pulled out their phones, scrambling to see the release.

The music was officially released. In less than a minute, it got 900,000 views.

[Next Day; GOLDEN ECHO Mansion]

Vincent climbed the stairs, his tab in his hand, he has been monitoring Jaxon's new release views since last night, he himself is shocked at the views.

Probably next week he and Bruce are going to sing it live at MET stadium.

Vincent pushed the door open and stepped inside, tab still in his hand. His eyes widened for a moment, surprised—but as always, he quickly masked it with his usual calm composure.

Ryu was sitting cross-legged on his bed, scrolling lazily through his phone, completely unfazed. He looked up, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.  

“Wow, you look… serious,” he teased, tilting his head. “Monitoring Jaxon again?”

Vincent’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’ve been keeping track of the release numbers,” he said calmly, tab hovering in front of him. “It’s… shocking. Even by his standards.”

Ryu raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. “Shocking how? You’re acting like he just broke the internet.”

“He’s already trending worldwide,” Vincent replied, voice steady but eyes betraying a hint of awe. “By next week, he and Bruce are likely going to perform live at MET Stadium. That’s huge.”

Ryu swung his legs to the floor, he dropped his phone on the bed and strolled towards him.

"You think I wouldn't find out."

"Find out what?"

"Ever since I asked you to be my addiction you've been ignoring me, you can't be my addiction by staying away from me. I want you to be close to me." Ryu said desperately.

Vincent mouth parted but no words spewed out.

"Am staying with you in the same room, final." he stubbornly said.

"Or do you want me to back to being a drug addict." he added jumping on the bed like a child.

Vincent smiled but it didn't last long.

"Fuck Kai! If only he didn't get me addicted," he cursed and Vincent's eyes widened.

"Kai got you addicted?" Vincent asked, bewildered.

"When I was chosen as Tate's replacement, Kai started feeding me with strange substances, I never knew it was drugs he told me it was to help my throat so I wouldn't wear out while singing. I later found out they were drugs but it was too late I was already addicted. I was scared to confront him, I didn't want to get dismissed also," Ryu confessed.

He felt like a huge burden was lifted from his chest.

Vincent clenched his knuckles angrily.

"Take off your shirt I want to feel your muscles," Ryu winked.

What?

CLIFFORD'S ENTERPRISE

Leonard sat at the head of the glossy conference table, surrounded by investors and executives. Charts flashed across the screens, numbers and projections filling the room.

“—and with the proposed merger, your ROI will increase substantially within the next two quarters,” one of the analysts explained.

Leonard nodded, listening, his tone calm, precise. “Understood. But we need to mitigate the risks on the supply chain side. That’s non-negotiable.”

The room was tense but professional. Everything was running smoothly—until his phone buzzed quietly against the table.

He checked it.

Short Witch: Let's have Lunch together at my mansion.

Leonard stood "Someone important needs me, reschedule the meeting or better still not."

The analyst clenched his knuckles, rage fuming, Leonard just disrespected him.

Leonard walked directly towards the door, he opened it and stepped out ignoring the murmurs.

His phone rang.

It's Kai.

He answered.

"Leo can we...."

He didn't even let him finish his statement, he cut the call.

"I can't keep my short witch waiting!"

JAXON'S MANSION

After he and Bruce music release last night Jaxon didn't go back to Golden echo mansion, that night itself he purchased a new mansion.

He's in the Kitchen right now trying to Cook something for Lunch, Leonard is coming over and he's freaking out.

He can't cook.

The noodles he made looks exactly like a yellow soup, he tried making pasta but it got burnt.

The door bell rang.

He didn't need any soothsayer to tell him who it was.

He left everything he was doing and ran to the large sitting room to open the door.

Revealing Leonard.

“Short Witch! Missing me already?” he said smoothly, stepping inside. Before he could answer, he closed the distance, one hand sliding to his waist, pulling him slightly closer.

Jaxon met his smirk with his own, a playful glint in his eyes. “Maybe a little,” he said, letting the corner of his mouth curl teasingly.

Leonard’s gaze flicked around the room, sharp, assessing—but his attention never left him. “I see you’ve been… busy,” he said, voice low, almost dangerous, as he glanced toward the kitchen.

Jaxon bit his lip, pretending nonchalance. “Just a little lunch prep,” he said casually. Inside, he was panicking. Noodles boiled into yellow soup, pasta half-burnt—but Leonard didn’t need to know that.

Before he could invite him to see his culinary disaster, Kai's sleek black car pulled into the driveway.

Jaxon smirked, he had actually anticipated this.

He deliberately invited Kai for Lunch.

TO BE CONTINUED...