'!'
"Who—!"
Arvia jerked forward instinctively, startled by the sudden voice that crashed into her like a hammer breaking through hazy memories. She lost her balance, stumbling toward the bed—almost crashing onto it—if not for the firm arm that wrapped around her waist and yanked her upward in time.
Her breath caught.
And then—
Grope.
A hand clutched at her right breast—not subtly, not softly, but boldly, pressing through the fabric of her nightgown and molding to her peak. Her eyes widened in electric shock. Her body tensed as heat rushed through her face.
"Haah… Wh-Who?!"
She blurted the word out purely out of reflex, overwhelmed by panic—but before she could even finish the breath, her voice was muffled. Her face was pulled forward—suddenly, rudely—into a solid, muscular chest. Her lips and nose pressed flat against firm pecs.
Warm. Familiar. Strangely scented.
Her voice died there.
"Y-you…"
Her muffled whisper vibrated against him. The faintest scent of citrusy cologne rushed into her nostrils. A familiar one. Her flushed cheek brushed against the grooves of taut abs beneath a thin shirt. Her hands, now resting flat against the chest, confirmed it—this wasn't a dream.
But… that face in her memory didn't match this body.
And then his voice came. Low. Calm. Annoyingly casual.
"Come on, Arvia, you shouldn't be this reckless."
Her pink eyes widened. Recognition exploded in them. She pushed herself back—hard.
"Y-you—!"
There he was. Her childhood friend, Satteus.
But... different.
Broad shoulders. Built arms. A tight shirt stretched over defined muscle. The same violet hair and striking purple eyes, yes—but his face, his jaw, the line of his neck, even the way he stood—everything screamed masculine glow-up.
He looked nothing like the chubby, awkward Satteus she remembered from literally just yesterday.
He looked hot.
Dangerously hot.
And then he opened his mouth.
"Good morning, pig."
He folded his arms across that chest—the one she'd just gotten a mouthful of—stoic as ever, with just a sliver of a smirk curving his lips.
Her jaw dropped. Literally. Mouth parted, stunned.
He reached forward, lightly brushing his fingers under her chin and pushed her jaw up until her lips shut. Then a slight shake of the head.
"Close your mouth. Unless you're in the mood for mosquito breakfast."
"Wh-what?"
She blinked again. Slowly. Almost dazed. Was this still a dream? Had she hit her head? Was there a coma?
She stared at him.
From head to toe. Even his pants didn't hide how built his thighs were. Tight muscles under casual clothes.
He didn't just look like a gym rat—he looked better than them.
He wasn't bulky, but slim and muscular.
This wasn't fair.
"So… uncle said you were calling me last night?"
He tilted his head as he spoke, as if the change in his entire body was no big deal. As if she was the weird one for reacting. He knew this would shock her, knew how close they were, and used it to yank her back to reality.
"Huh? Yes, it was... nothing."
Arvia, being called out by him, looked, parted her lips to speak, and even completed half of the sentence but halted.
Before folding her arms and averting her gaze, she wasn't interested in telling this man anything who didn't even pick up her call last night to hear about her breakup.
"Again a breakup?"
Satteus, as if knowingly, stated, moving towards her desk.
Where Arvia just glanced, knowing full well that he was going to pack her bag as usual.
Yeah, he always packed her college bag with books most of the time—so that wasn't surprising to her.
"Kinda... why are all men hungry for bodies? Tch?"
Arvia just shook her head slowly, coming out of her bed, wearing the nightgown and ruffling her pink hair.
She was clearly frustrated after having her fifth breakup, given that all the men she thought loved her or cared just wanted to have sex.
None of them were sane enough to realize that more than the body, one's emotions matter.
"Don't generalize all just because your choices are the worst," Satteus said before taking a locket that was hanging near the desk.
He lifted it up before putting it in his pocket.
"I like muscle guys. Is it my fault that they all want to be physical? Aren't all men the same? Come on... and why the hell are you stealing my things?!"
Arvia just took her towel, placing it on her shoulder with both hands on her vest as she noticed him literally taking a pendant from her drawer.
He had gifted her that on her birthday.
"It was actually my mother's. I will buy something new for you," Satteus just informed, giving a calm reply.
He knew well that she didn't care either way.
For her, it was a gift from a friend, but to him, it was a gift from his mother who once thought that her son would give this to his daughter-in-law.
Teenage years, love, crush, and all things....
His past was the same as everyone else's.
Though the reason for taking this pendant wasn't emotional gameplay, it was the start of slowly but firmly breaking Arvia.
"...I see. You shouldn't have given it in the first place, then." Arvia nodded with her eyes closed, realizing it was important for him.
Observing his expression, she blinked, as if understanding its importance, but more so, her words just came out unknowingly, given her eyes were settled on his sharp jawline, spotless skin, and the way little sunlight played on his ears.
'Hm', she averted her head, her face slightly tinted red due to some thoughts, but she felt his gaze calm.
Something she found confusing to understand.
His parents were already dead when he was very, very young, making his present reaction too vivid, which Arvia knew since they were friends since childhood.
"Yeah, I shouldn't have." Satteus just gave a calm nod, looking at her unbothered look as she turned and entered her bathroom.
He looked until the door shut before turning around towards the room.
His eyes moved as they finally settled on her bag placed on the table. He moved before arriving just near it and, moving his hand within his pocket, took out a small paper fold holding green powder which he sprinkled inside of it.
'...'
He turned towards the door before moving across the bathroom where he could hear the sound of the shower. He called out, telling, "I will be downstairs eating something... just come when you are ready."
"Okay... " came the voice from the bathroom as he, just giving a glance towards the exit of the room, made his way outside.
Creeeek
The door shut behind him, and its sound resonated within the room as another sound slowly followed once confirmed that he left the premise.
Krieekk
Opening another door that led to the bathroom, there was just a small gap through which a woman leaned.
drip
Water fell down, getting the mat.
Her hair, pink like cotton candy and now wet, draped over her shoulder, with water trickling down her face. Long eyelashes blinked, and her pupils reflected the closed door from within the room as her teeth followed suit, biting her pink, wet lips as if rose dew was getting crushed in her white teeth, far whiter than her wet milky white skin.
A swallow, breathing, and a soft sigh...
"Why... did he become so... hot? Suddenly?"