I'd been waiting for the cashier's answer, biting my nails after asking if Kaiden's operation bill could really be taken back.

The cashier flipped through their computer, then looked up at me with a polite but firm smile.
"No, sir. They already did the operation."

I exhaled and thanked them before heading out.

At least I got a head start. That was eighty grand off my shoulders.

I decided not to see Kaiden today—pissed as hell, and I need to cool off.

Since I don't have a home—which Kaiden still isn't aware of—I headed for my usual inn.

I hoped they had vacancies; otherwise, I'd have to walk a kilometer to reach the next one.

A sudden honk behind me shattered the quiet. I looked back and hissed when I saw the car trailing me. Of course. It's the brown-haired maniac's tacky sports car.

"Aiden!" he called. "Pretty Aiden. Come here, darling! It's cold!" He even whistled like I was some pet.

I ignored him and kept going.

"Want me to sing you a song?" He cleared his throat. "Oh, my angel~" He added those awful vocal waves, like he knew he sounded terrible. "Come back to me~"

I stopped and glared at him. Yelling would've been my first choice, but with cars passing, I swallowed it down.

"Akio." He leaned in like he was waiting for something profound. "Can you please leave me alone for at least an hour? Just—one damn hour, Akio."

He went quiet. A full minute. Then:

"I can't do that."

I gave up, running inside the inn just a few yards away, hoping to lose him.

Once I reached the receptionist, I immediately pressed the bell to get his attention away from his phone.

"Give me a key." I almost slammed my money in front of him, frantically looking back at the entrance.

He lazily lifted his head to look up. "Hol' up." Then, opened the drawer as slowly as a sloth.

"This room has a busted toilet... this one was a murder site... this one has no AC..."
He sighed. "This one's too stuffy..."

He's taking so damn long! I looked behind me to see if Akio had actually followed me here. And there he was, smiling widely as he was walking toward me.

"I'll take it!" I snatched the key from the receptionist and ran to the room.

Light, fast footsteps followed me. I caught the door and swung it shut—hard—
—and it crashed onto Akio's outstretched hand.

"Ah!" he groaned. I frantically opened it. He stumbled in, flopping onto the bed like he'd been gutted.

"Aiden—" he sniffled, holding his hand to his mouth. "This hand bought me that BMW! How am I supposed to paint? My career! It's over!" Then, he settled into the bed and even put a blanket on himself after removing his sandals.

I closed the door so people—hopefully—wouldn't hear him and stood awkwardly, guilt gnawing at my chest.

"Who told you to put your hand in any way?" I muttered. Then, walked up to him. "Let me see."

Suddenly, his cries stopped. He smirked and yanked me down, making me lie on top of him. Then, he hugged me close as he buried his face in my chest.

"I know you still love me~" He squeezed me as he laughed, not hiding the excitement in his voice.

"I never did! Let go of me!" I tried to pry his arms off, twisting and pushing at him, but he only locked his grip.

"Aiden, I'm sorry." He croaked, making me stop.

"I knew you'd run the second you found out. I just... didn't want you to." He paused, then adjusted his hold, arms sliding under my shoulder, shifting us until I lay beside him with my head against the crook of his arm. "If I told you I paint naked bodies, you'd look at me like I'm filthy. Like I'm wrong for being what I am."

"It wasn't just that, asshole." I barked. "You were making me strip like I was some dumb dog!"

"No!" He sat up. "I was excited. I didn't know how to act. Promise—you'd feel the same when you're alone with the person you like."

His gaze lingered on me, acting like a kicked puppy. He kept fiddling with the fabric of my shirt as he stole glances, checking to see if I was buying it or not.

I really hate him. But the way his nose and eyelids flushed while on the verge of crying looked...

Adorable.

"You like me?" 

He nodded, but couldn't look me in the eye. 

I sighed. 

Damn it, I'm far too weak for this.

"Come here." I opened my arms.

He launched himself, knocking the air out of me as I grunted under his weight.

What have they been feeding him? His shoulders were broad enough for me to hug, but his waist was small enough to fit into my arms.

I fluffed his brown locks as he behaved while lying against me.

"You're stupid and annoying. Never forget that I said that."

He nodded, face still buried in my chest.

"I don't know what you want with me," I muttered. "But whatever. If you act nicer, I'll be kind. Get it?"

He lifted his head, nodded again... then broke into that stupid grin.

"We're fine, right? That means it's time for sex?"

I immediately pushed him off the bed.

"What?" He rubbed his shoulder, which had hit the bedside table. "We're literally in an inn, Aiden! What did you think was gonna happen?"

"I went here cause I'm homeless, and you followed me here!"

"What? Homeless?"

"Yes, and? You're gonna point and laugh at me?"

But instead of laughing, he jumped on me, pinning me to the bed with my hands on top of my head.

I squirmed, trying to free myself from his grip. But when I looked up at his face, he looked like he was about to overheat.

He panted, and those eyes hyper-focused on me. On his face appeared a wide, crooked grin.

I gulped. He's making me so nervous and excited at the same time. 

"Homeless?" He slowly leaned closer, planting soft kisses on my ear. "Let me take you home." His voice sounded lower than usual, making the hair on my body rise.

Then, he sucked my lower lip, and I submitted, closing my eyes, feeling more of his body against mine.

He finally let go of my wrists, and I cupped his face, allowing him to kiss me passionately. His lips were soft as always, and his breath still tasted like dessert. Everything about him makes me decide things without thinking, and even when I don't like it in my mind, my body can't say no to him.

As we continued, we deliberately became more aggressive. Our clothes went flying all over the place until we were left with nothing.

He bit me on my neck and trailed down my stomach while I guided his head to the place where I wanted him to taste.

All this notwithstanding, I still despise him.

I pulled his hair up and saw his dazed face—flushed cheeks, and lips glistening with saliva.

"Gosh. You're helpless. Promise that you won't do that to me again," I told him, tapping the tip of his nose.

"Yes, Aiden."

We kept going until both of us were exhausted and fell asleep.