"Oh." June stared as Nyx walked past him beneath the rain. "You..." He immediately rushed over, grabbed him by the wrist, and pulled him beneath the shelter.
Nyx looked at him in surprise. "What’s wrong...?"
"What are you doing? Why are you walking in the rain?" June asked.
"None of your business... I have to go home..." Nyx replied, clearing his throat.
June shook his head. "You kid... always throwing a tantrum..."
"I’m not a kid. I’m twenty... Three years younger than you..." he protested.
"Still a kid," June said. "So now you’re ignoring me, huh?"
"I’m not..."
"Liar." June folded his arms. "You can avoid me all you want, but at least take care of yourself." His gaze swept over Nyx from head to toe. "Wait... did you train in the rain?"
"...."
June was speechless. "You dumb thing. What happens if you overwork yourself until you collapse? Will you magically become an S-Rank? Will they suddenly hand you admission? And here I thought you were smart."
Shaking his head, he slipped off his sweater and held it out. "Here... take this."
Nyx stared at it. "Why...?"
"At least wear something warm. Changing into light clothes like this won’t solve anything," June said, pushing it toward him.
Nyx looked between the sweater and June in disbelief. "You don’t even care about passing the exams... so why would you care if I caught a cold...?"
June glared at him before flicking him on the forehead. "Are you dumb or what? Why would I need a reason to care? Is it strange not to want you getting sick? Did you sell your brain or something? Here."
Standing on his toes, he draped the sweater over Nyx’s shoulders himself while Nyx remained frozen, staring at him with confusion and surprise.
Just then, his limousine pulled up.
"Oh, it’s here. Let’s get in."
"Get in? Why?" Nyx asked.
"Stop asking so many questions. Let’s go."
June grabbed him by the hand and ran through the light rain toward the limousine.
Nyx wanted to protest, but he couldn’t. He simply followed behind, letting June pull him along while confusion and surprise remained written all over his face.
They climbed into the limousine and sat down. Raymond handed each of them a warm towel to dry themselves, and once they had settled in, he drove off.
After drying his hair, June reached for the first-aid kit and placed it between himself and Nyx. Nyx watched in surprise as he opened it and took out a few supplies.
"What are you doing...?" Nyx asked.
"Treating you, of course."
"...."
"No need..."
"Don’t even bother arguing," June said as he picked out what he needed. "Just give me your face."
Nyx hesitated.
June sighed. "Then I’ll come closer."
He leaned in until their faces were only inches apart.
Nyx stiffened immediately. His breathing caught as June moved closer, and he instinctively looked away, his fists clenching tightly.
Without noticing his reaction, June gently used a cotton ball to clean the cuts on his face before carefully applying antiseptic.
Nyx remained perfectly still.
His eyes never left June’s face. Confused and Surprised. He couldn’t understand it.
"What are you staring at?" June asked with a grin. "Am I that pretty?"
Nyx stayed silent for a long moment, watching as June finally leaned back after finishing with the injuries on his face.
Then June reached for his hands.
Nyx instinctively tried to pull away, but June refused to let go. He carefully cleaned the scrapes across his knuckles, gently applying medicine before blowing softly over the stinging wounds.
"And you said this was from a fall?" June shook his head while tending to his injuries. "Who falls like that? That must’ve hurt..."
Nyx blinked quietly, unable to find his voice.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Why...?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you doing this...? Didn’t you hate me...?"
"And why would I hate you?" June asked with a puzzled smile. "That would be stupid."
Nyx fell silent again.
June continued smiling at him.
"You’re handsome. Blond hair, pretty eyes, a hot face. You’re smart, hardworking, and you’re basically one big puppy too. You’re practically perfect. Anyone who hates you is just dumb."
He chuckled softly as he continued cleaning the last of the wounds.
"If only you were a little lazier, you’d be even more perfect."
Once he finished, he took out a few cute bandages and carefully stuck them over Nyx’s cuts.
Nyx said nothing, he didn’t protest.
He simply stared at June without a word, like someone completely lost in an endless sea of thoughts.
After placing the last bandage, June smiled proudly and leaned back.
"Done! Pretty!" He looked him over with satisfaction. "When you get home, wash up with warm water and sleep under a thick blanket so you don’t catch a cold."
Smiling, he gently patted Nyx’s head.
"I guess I’ll call you Puppy from today."
Nyx only stared at him. His eyes lingered on that smile. That warm, carefree smile.
Just then, June heard Raymond speak.
"Young Master... who are those people out there?"
June turned toward the window.
Outside stood Simon and Finn.
The two leads were once again having their dramatic fallout in the middle of the rain.
He immediately remembered this scene from the novel.
Finn insisting he didn’t want to partner with Simon because he was only an F-Rank and would hold him back. Simon stubbornly refusing to accept that decision.
June rolled his eyes.
He had always hated this scene.
Seriously? The final examination was tomorrow, and this idiot was throwing a tantrum because he felt weak and useless.
"Raymond," June called.
"Yes?"
"Drive through that muddy puddle ahead at full speed and make sure it splashes all over them."
"..."
Raymond stared in shock.
"Huh? Young Master... is that even...?"
"Do it."
Raymond hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Okay."
He pressed down on the accelerator.
The limousine sped forward and drove straight through the muddy puddle beside the arguing pair.
A massive wave of muddy water shot into the air before crashing down over Simon and Finn, completely drenching both of them from head to toe as the limousine continued driving away.
Satisfied, June burst into triumphant laughter.
"Bingo! Take that for ruining my trousers!" he laughed smugly.
Behind him, Nyx quietly watched the entire scene.
His usual calm expression remained for a moment before the corners of his lips slowly lifted.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, Nyx found himself smiling.