Jet's breath caught. He had expected the conversation to turn personal, but not this fast. But as Han waited, his gaze steady and unwavering, Jet knew this was a moment he couldn't avoid.
Jet's heart pounded like he was back in the competition, but this was a different kind of challenge. Han's presence was magnetic—steady, sure, and so intense that Jet felt like he was the one being stripped bare.
He swallowed, his voice catching in his throat. "What do I want to know…?"
Han nodded, leaning back slightly but not breaking eye contact. "Yeah. You invited me here, Jet. So tell me—what's on your mind?"
Jet fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, feeling a bit trapped. He had always been good with people, always easygoing and cheerful, but Han was different. Han wasn't someone you could joke with until things smoothed over. He wanted something real.
"I guess…" Jet began, hesitating. "I guess I just wanted to understand you better. You're so… quiet, but there's something about you that feels familiar."
Han's eyebrows raised ever so slightly, his gaze never faltering. "Familiar how?"
Jet's sighed. "Like we've met before, or like I know you somehow, even though I don't."
Han tilted his head, his expression unreadable, but there was something almost… amused in his eyes. "That's interesting," he said as he smiled. "I could say the same about you."
Jet blinked. "Wait—you feel that too?"
Han didn't answer right away, taking a deep breath."Maybe," he said finally, his voice low and deliberate. "But feelings like that aren't always easy to explain, are they?"
Jet shook his head. "No, they're not."
The room fell into a heavy silence, the kind that wasn't uncomfortable but felt loaded with everything unspoken. Han broke it with a small, almost playful smile.
"Maybe we're overthinking it," he said. "Sometimes, it's just nice to let things happen naturally."
Jet couldn't help but laugh, though it was a little nervous. "You're probably right. I'm just not used to this."
Han leaned back again, his posture relaxed but his eyes still sharp. "Used to what?"
Jet hesitated, his cheeks warming. "Being… intrigued by someone. Like, actually intrigued."
Han's smile widened ever so slightly, his tone almost teasing. "Intrigued, huh?"
"Don't make it weird!" Jet blurted out, his face flushing bright red as he waved his hands in protest.
Jet froze, his heart skipping a beat. For a moment, they just looked at each other, the air between them buzzing with something neither dared to name.
Finally, Jet broke the tension with a shrug. "So, do you want to hold them?"
Han blinked in surprise. "You can?"
"Yeah." Jet moved to the cage and gently opened the top hatch. Reaching inside, he carefully scooped up a tiny hamster. "This is Peach. She's kind of like you."
Han arched a brow as Jet handed Peach over. "How so?"
Jet smirked. "Feisty."
Han chuckled, his large hands cupping the hamster carefully. "I didn't realize they were this small. She's lighter than I expected."
"That's because you're abnormally big," Jet teased. "Taller than the average Alpha, that's for sure."
Han tilted his head slightly, his gaze thoughtful. "And you think I'm not just an Alpha?"
Jet paused, caught off guard by the question. "I mean… what else would you be?"
Han glanced down at Peach, stroking her soft fur with one finger. "Maybe something more. Like an Enigma," he replied with a faint smirk, his tone teasing but laced with something that made Jet wonder.
Jet laughed nervously, brushing it off. "Right. Sure. The myth of the Enigma that could make Alphas conceivable." He waved one of his hands playfully while the other held Melon.
Han's smirk grew as Peach scurried across his hands. "She's really soft, but… this furry sensation is…" His expression shifted, discomfort flashing across his face. "Weird."
Jet immediately noticed and sat closer. "It's okay if it's too much. Just hand her back to me."
Han moved quickly to return the hamster, but Peach darted at the last second, almost slipping out of his grasp. Han managed to steady her, guiding her safely into Jet's palms.
Relieved, Jet smiled. "There we go. No harm done—"
"Except she left me a little gift," Han muttered, holding up his hand to reveal a tiny black dot. "She pooped on me."
Jet stared for a moment before bursting into laughter, unable to contain himself. The sight of Han—a towering Alpha or, possibly, an Enigma—caught off guard by such a small thing was too much.
Han shook his head, but a chuckle escaped him that quickly turned into a laugh, his deep voice carrying the sound easily.
As Jet's laughter softened, he glanced at Han, catching the rare sight of the man genuinely smiling. It caught him off guard, and for a moment, he couldn't look away.
Han noticed and tilted his head. "What's so funny now?"
Jet quickly shook his head, brushing it off. "Nothing. Just… never thought I'd see you laugh like that."
Han smirked, his gaze lingering for a moment before he murmured, "You're easy to amuse."
Jet cleared his throat, shifting the subject before it lingered. "The hamsters do that to me all the time. Don't worry, it's kind of their thing." He gestured toward the sink. "Go wash your hands, big guy."
Han stood, heading toward the basin, but not before glancing back over his shoulder. "If I really were an Enigma, you'd have to try a little harder to keep up."
Jet blinked, unsure whether to laugh or take the words seriously, his curiosity about Han deepening by the second.
But before he could ask anything further, Han's phone buzzed, cutting through the moment. He glanced at the screen, sighed, and answered. His voice dropped, short and efficient, as he spoke only a few words before ending the call.
Han turned to Jet with an apologetic smile. "I think something just came up for me. I'm sorry, Jet."
Jet waved it off, though his smile wavered slightly. "No, it's fine," he said, standing. "I'll walk you down."
Han followed him toward the elevator, but something had changed. The warmth Jet had seen in Han earlier was gone, replaced by a cool, distant air. Jet wondered what kind of call could pull such a drastic shift from the man.
The silence between them stretched as they descended in the elevator, and when they reached the drop-off area, Han stopped to face him. "Sorry for the disturbance," he said again, his tone polite but restrained.
Jet chuckled lightly, trying to ease the tension. "It's fine, really. Work comes first, right? Don't worry about it."
Han hesitated, his gaze flickering briefly before settling on Jet. "I'll make it up to you," he said. "Maybe next time... at my place?"
Jet's eyebrows raised in mild surprise but quickly smoothed into a grin. "I'll be waiting," he replied, watching as Han stepped into the sleek car waiting for him.
As the car pulled away, Jet lingered for a moment, the exchange replaying in his mind. There was something about Han's sudden change, something unspoken yet heavy.
Jet's lips quirked into a faint smile as he turned to head back upstairs. "Next time, huh?" he murmured, his curiosity about Han deepening even further.