"Chen…"
Soft lips brushed against his, hesitant for only a moment before deepening into a hungry kiss. A rough hand cupped Chengyu's jaw, tilting it open as a tongue slipped inside, hot and insistent, tasting him.
"Your highness…" Chengyu tried to protest, but it melted into a moan as fingers wandered lower, slipping past the curve of his ass, teasing the most sensitive parts of him. "Y-you must not..."
"Don't look away." The voice came low almost a growl, and a calloused hand lifted Chengyu's chin, forcing him to face forward. "Your mana is leaking..."
Chengyu's breath hitched as he locked eyes with the man above him—ashen white hair damp with sweat, crimson eyes gleaming with heat, flushed cheeks betrayed by his own arousal.
Chengyu swallowed his saliva, face burning. "And whose fault is that…?"
The prince replied. "Tonight, we're going to sleep early."
With no further warning, Chengyu was pushed down onto the bed, the pressure of the prince's body stealing his breath. Fabric rustled—clothes discarded with no care—revealing muscled body and skin filled with scars.
"Wait—"
But rough fingers were already pressing in, making him gasp and arch, hips twitching involuntarily.
Their mouths collided again, tongues tangling, the prince's weight pinning him down as his wrists were trapped against the sheets.
Chengyu broke the kiss just long enough to groan, "Fucking lie! There's no way we are going to sleep early with you getting this horny!!"
So how did we get here?
If Chengyu remembers... it all began...
****
The clock glared at him from the corner of the convenience store: 2:30 AM. Chengyu sighed as he leaned against the counter, the fluorescent lights above buzzing like they were just as tired as he was.
He slid off his name tag, pocketed it without a second thought, and grabbed his jacket from the back hook.
Fifth job done for the day.
There wasn't a part of him that didn't ache, from his lower back—stiff from standing behind fast food counters—to his wrists, sore from scrubbing dishes at a place that barely gave him break time. His eyes felt like they were swimming in sand.
"Rest is for the rich," he muttered under his breath, stepping outside.
Ever since his parents left him with debts, Chengyu could only endure the resentment against them as he abandoned his dreams and goals, trying instead to focus on survival.
Which led him to juggle several part-time jobs, just to scrape by. He'd been doing that for ten years straight. Now he was already 26.
"If I was able to finish my high school... then probably I could get a proper job..."
The cool night air slapped his face, staving off the heaviness trying to glue his eyelids shut. He kept his head low as he walked down the dim, empty street. Just a few more blocks before home. Then maybe, maybe, three hours of sleep before the fast food shift started at six.
What a dream.
Chengyu's steps echoed in the silence, his breath visible in the cold as he muttered a list of what he needed to do under his breath, half reminder, half prayer.
"Laundry in the morning—wait, no, after work. Rent due Friday. Noodles at home. No more energy drinks. Maybe steal one from Jian at the store… I'm sure he'll forgive me anyway."
He laughed bitterly to himself, the sound fading into the night.
And then he stopped.
A silhouette.
In the middle of the road.
He blinked, rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm.
No—still there.
A girl, standing utterly still, framed in the center of the cracked asphalt. No lights. No cars. Just her, as if pulled straight from a dream or a nightmare.
Her hair fluttered slightly in the breeze, but she didn't move. Didn't speak. Just stood there.
"...The hell?" Chengyu whispered, stepping forward cautiously. His heart thudded a little louder now, more from instinct than fear. Something about her was off, though he couldn't explain it.
"Hey... are you okay?" he called out, but the girl didn't reply.
He was exhausted. Bone-deep, soul-numb tired. He had no energy to play Good Samaritan. But still, he found himself taking another step forward.
She seemed like a high school student. Obviously, she had no idea what she was doing.
As an adult, he felt like he had to step in.
Chengyu approached cautiously, hands slightly raised like he was calming down someone on the verge of snapping.
"Hey," he said again, voice low but steady. "It's dangerous just standing out here. You're gonna get yourself killed."
Still, the girl didn't move.
She stood motionless in the middle of the road, long hair swaying gently in the breeze.
Chengyu took another step.
Then suddenly, the girl lifted her head. Her eyes were wide, wild, and gleaming with something unhinged.
"Shut up! I wanted to be reincarnated in a fantasy otomeworld!"
His face twisted in disbelief.
"The hell? Are you crazy?"
A distant rumble began to grow louder behind him. Then a blaring honk shattered the silence.
Chengyu turned, heart skipping a beat.
A massive truck was barreling toward them, headlights blazing.
The girl didn't flinch. Instead, she threw her arms open, face lit up with twisted joy.
"Finally! I'll be reincarnated!"
Chengyu lunged at her, grabbing her arm and trying to yank her out of the road. Her feet dragged along the concrete as she resisted, her laughter echoing like a broken bell.
She wasn't even trying to move.
"Are you serious right now?!" he shouted, still struggling to pull her away.
The truck was too close.
His instincts screamed at him to let go. To jump. To save himself.
But something in him locked up.
The blinding lights swallowed him whole.
And then, everything went black.