System Mission: Seduce the Final Boss [BL]

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

’What the? What about Anthony?’

Blake’s heartbeat abruptly sped up.

’How did he even barge into the conversation? No, what, this is way too random...’

His raised eyebrow stayed exactly where it was as he looked at Zlatan.

"...No."

He answered almost immediately.

"Anthony doesn’t know anything at all."

He tilted his head.

"But, why are you asking? Did it seem like I was working with him? I never involved him into any of it."

Zlatan rested his chin against his intertwined fingers.

"Because even before Myles got to know you, he had already tailed me several times."

Blake’s eyes widened.

"What?"

For a split second, he wanted to deny it outright.

’That’s impossible. Anthony? Following this guy?’

He didn’t want to entertain the idea but, realistically, what would Zlatan gain from inventing something so oddly specific?

Nothing.

There wasn’t any point.

Blake slowly lowered his gaze.

"I’m not sure why Anthony would spy on you."

He shook his head.

"But it has nothing to do with me. When I met you at that restaurant, I genuinely didn’t even know you existed before then."

Zlatan watched him quietly.

"I believe that."

"You do?"

"Yes. But Anthony certainly seemed interested."

Zlatan’s smile remained as relaxed as always.

"You must have noticed something."

Blake frowned.

"What?"

"The way Myles behaved around Anthony."

Blake’s expression stiffened.

"He always kept his guard up."

Zlatan glanced toward Myles.

"Much more than usual. It wasn’t because Anthony wasn’t his type, but because Myles already knew Anthony had been following me."

Blake felt cold sweat gather behind his neck.

’Oh lord... what is all of this even about?’

He replayed every interaction in his head.

Anthony is quiet, shy, polite and awkward.

Around Zlatan, he had behaved exactly the same way, not once had Blake noticed anything unusual.

’I thought Anthony only looked nervous because of that awkward encounter at the shopping mall, not because he’d literally been following him...!’

His stomach twisted.

’No, that’s not even the biggest issue.’

His expression darkened.

’Anthony is Asher’s cousin.’

His fingers curled against his leg.

’This is bad.’

He had already connected too many dots.

First, by introducing Anthony to Myles.

Doing so, he unknowingly creating a bridge between Asher and Myles.

And to make matters worse, he had openly acknowledged that Myles and Zlatan knew each other.

Blake’s heartbeat became louder.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Realistically...

Anthony and Asher didn’t have anything substantial on Myles.

UD is still practically unknown.

Myles behaves like an ordinary student.

There shouldn’t be enough evidence, he knows as much.

He placed a hand over his chest without realizing it.

Trying to calm the pounding inside.

"...Do you know..."

His voice came out quieter than intended.

"...why Anthony started following you?"

Zlatan hummed thoughtfully.

"I honestly don’t."

He shrugged.

"I only realized after something rather amusing happened."

Blake looked up.

"A group of high school bullies cornered him. He looked absolutely miserable."

Blake winced.

"I didn’t stop to watch or anything, so I just walked away. But that incident made me curious. So I started testing my suspicions. Sometimes I’d suddenly stop walking, other times I’d pretend to tie my shoe or abruptly turn toward a trash bin."

His smile widened.

"And every single time... there he was, trying not to be noticed. It stopped looking coincidental very quickly."

Blake stared blankly.

’Anthony, seriously...?’

Zlatan leaned back.

"You mentioned earlier that you possess stealth capabilities."

Blake nodded slowly.

"Anthony has something similar. My senses aren’t extraordinary, but they’re still considerably sharper than an average human’s. And despite that, he escaped my notice more often than he should have."

Blake swallowed.

’Everything he’s saying is probably true, which means that Anthony has investigated him, possibly for quite a while. But then... has he investigated Myles too?’

The possibility alone made Blake’s chest tighten.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

He pressed his palm harder against his heart.

Before anyone could continue...

"For today."

Myles’ calm voice interrupted the room.

"That is enough."

Everyone looked toward him.

He had already walked over to Blake.

Without another word, he gently took Blake’s hand.

"I’ll help you back."

Blake instinctively looked toward the others.

He wanted to keep talking, there were still dozens of things left to plan.

Dozens of questions.

Dozens of explanations.

Zlatan noticed immediately.

"There’ll be time."

He smiled.

"There’s no need to discuss everything in a single day. Especially when you still look like you’re about to collapse."

Blake looked down at himself.

"Yeah. I guess that’s true."

Using the polished metal cane in one hand and Myles supporting the other side, he slowly rose from the chair.

Both ankles protested immediately.

"...Ow."

"You shouldn’t rush."

Myles steadied him before he could stumble.

Together, they slowly left the central room.

The hallway felt strangely quiet after the lengthy discussion.

Their footsteps echoed softly against the concrete floor.

They were almost at Blake’s room.

"Blake."

He turned around.

At the opposite end of the hallway stood Tania, her hands resting behind her back.

Her expression remained composed as ever.

"I don’t trust every word you’ve said."

"... ah, I know."

She was silent for another moment.

Then, for the very first time, she smiled.

"However, we all thank you."

Blake looked genuinely surprised.

"Huh? For what?"

"For giving us this opportunity."

Her smile lingered only briefly.

"Whether you’re telling the whole truth or not, you’ve still offered something nobody else ever has."

Blake couldn’t help smiling back.

Brightly.

"I won’t disappoint you."

Tania gave a single nod, then quietly walked away.

Blake watched her disappear around the corner before following Myles into the room.

The door shut softly behind them.

Myles guided him toward the bed.

"Sit."

Blake obediently lowered himself onto the mattress.

His legs sighed with relief.

Myles reached for the blanket and pulled it over Blake.

Adjusted it around his shoulders with gentle movements.

Blake watched him quietly.

"You’re treating me like I’m made of glass."

"You currently aren’t much sturdier."

Blake chuckled.

"...True."

"Don’t sit for too long. In ten minutes, you have to lay down."

Myles turned to leave, only to feel someone tug gently on his sleeve.

He looked back.

Blake was staring at him.

"...Stay."

Without saying anything, Myles sat beside him.

Immediately, Blake leaned sideways, resting his head against Myles’ shoulder.

He let out a long, exhausted sigh, then covered part of his face with one hand.

’My head’s a mess, agh. So many things happened, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to think anymore.’

Silence settled between them.

"Myles."

"Hm."

"I’m sorry."

Myles turned slightly.

"I lied about several things, I know you already know that."

Myles’ expression barely changed.

"It doesn’t matter."

Blake lowered his hand.

"Really?"

"You’ve always had reasons, and I know speaking about certain subjects hurts you. Still, there is something I’d like to know."

Blake looked at him.

"Why were you suddenly able to speak more freely?"

Blake smiled awkwardly.

"I got... a bonus, in the middle of all this. So now, I can explain a little more than before. Not everything but... it’s better than nothing."

Myles quietly listened.

"What exactly changed?"

Blake thought for a moment.

"I can talk about things I chose to do myself. As long as they weren’t directly... connected to the one who gives me orders."

He scratched his cheek.

"It’s difficult to explain."

Myles frowned ever so slightly.

"Were those your own decision?"

Blake hesitated.

"Technically, I was ordered to investigate AL-TECH’s building, that was the first mission ever about infiltrating."

He sighed.

"But then, everything after was basically my own decision. I still can’t explain everything, there are topics I physically can’t touch. And I still can’t talk about the person giving me those orders or a few other things."

Myles hummed quietly.

"I see."

He gently adjusted the blanket again.

"You’ve talked enough, you should rest."

Blake watched him tuck the blanket around his shoulders once more.

Then, his thoughts suddenly flashed back to the screen he’d seen earlier.

Favorability: 13 → 79.

His cheeks warmed slightly.

He reached out.

Taking both of Myles’ hands.

"...I really want a hug."

Myles stared at him for a second.

Without the slightest hesitation, he slid one arm beneath Blake’s knees.

The other behind his back.

Lifted him effortlessly.

Then, instead of hugging him himself—

He simply placed Blake directly on top of his lap while remaining seated against the headboard.

Blake let out a surprised little noise.

"Hey."

His face quickly softened.

He wrapped both arms around Myles’ neck.

Resting comfortably against him.

The warmth, the steady heartbeat beneath his ear...

It made everything else disappear for a little while.

Blake sighed contentedly.

Then leaned back just enough to press a soft kiss against Myles’ cheek.

Myles didn’t visibly react.

Those pitch-black eyes became even more focused on Blake.

Almost intense enough to make Blake look away.

After several quiet seconds, Myles finally spoke.

"...Blake."

"Hm?"

His gaze remained fixed on him.

"Are you ever going to surprise me the way you said you would?"