Chapter 15: HTSCF CH 014 A date with milk tea, his one true love.

Following along with Theodore, Jun performed the blandest, most uninspired, and monotonous rendition of a love song ever. People couldn’t believe what they were hearing. Was something like this even possible? Had this poor man ever even been in love? How can someone turn such a passionate song into something that sounded like a toy robot trying to rap? Everyone, except Ezekiel, who was surprised to discover that Jun knew one of Paige Lyle’s songs, had black lines running across their faces.

 

“Ok, stop, stop. I believe you now.”

 

He really couldn’t be saved, singing-wise. Jun asked, “So can I quit now?”

 

“Yes, yes, yes, you can.” Paige Lyle said, all of his earlier amusement and enthusiasm evaporated. What he wanted to say was: Please leave, so I can recover from my trauma.

 

Such a level of tone-deafness was too impressive, too powerful, and far beyond anyone’s comprehension. It was absolutely unique.

 

Jun wanted to leave as soon as possible and get away from this death trap of a variety show forthwith. The further he was away from the murderer, the better since this was around the time he was supposed to die. He had to wonder, though, how exactly did participant G kill him in the original plotline? It wasn’t explained in the plot. Well, for now, he would just run far away.

 

|Why don’t you just kill him, Host? It’s allowed.|

 

|… Too much effort.|

 

|And killing zombies wasn't?|

 

|It's not the same. Zombies are already dead. I don’t want that emotional baggage.|

 

|But you might have to at some point, dearest Host.|

 

After all his things were packed and his cellphone returned to him, Jun stood by Ezekiel’s black Jeep Wrangler to wait for him to finish up some last-minute things with the show’s production team. He saw the protagonist shou approach Ezekiel, again, just to be turned away again. As he returned to the filming location, Asher Xavier shot Jun a look full of unresolved bitterness.

 

|Hmm, I don’t think this world’s Jun ever wronged the protagonist, right?|

 

|Right you are, my Host.|

 

|Then what’s up with that level of animosity?|

 

|Maybe he’s jealous? It’s no secret in the industry you’re Ezekiel’s sugar baby.|

 

|He wants to be Ezekiel’s sugar baby? He can have it.|

 

|Er… Host…| System 00 wanted to point out that Jun sounded a little irritated but decided not to.

 

|What?|

 

|Isn't he your Azel?|

 

|What ‘my’ Azel? … And that hasn’t been confirmed yet!|

 

At last, Ezekiel came over to the car and they could start the return to civilization. Once they exited the forest, Theodore kissed Jun on the cheek and left to go wake up from his coma.

 

Jun breathed a sigh of relief. Without realizing it, there had been an inexplicable negative pressure that had been weighing on him, much more than when he was dealing with zombies. Now that he had passed his death moment in the original storyline, he wasn’t sure what to do for the following weeks. The plot would still come for his life, but it wouldn’t be as intensive, so he was confident he’d survive.

 

However, how had the original lived his life? That much wasn’t written and he lacked the memory. While he was thinking about those things, the car came to a stop and Ezekiel got out, but not before locking it and telling Jun to stay put. The answer the man received was a roll of his eyes. 

 

Minutes later, the driver’s door opened and Ezekiel came back with two drinks in his hands and gave one of them to him. “Here, your favorite. Oolong milk tea.”

 

Never one to reject some free milk tea, Jun received the drink with a small smile and immediately removed the straw from its wrapping to stab into the clear plastic top—too satisfying! Making your own milk tea was fine and all, but it was completely different from having readily made milk tea, which he hadn’t had in quite some time.

 

“This one is also for you, for later.” Ezekiel almost—almost—redeemed himself in Jun’s eyes, but he wouldn’t give in. He would just tolerate the man a little longer. “Let’s go home?”

 

Jun smiled. “Ok.” 

 

An hour later, they arrived at a small villa and Jun was halfway through his first drink. He had been worried that the ice in the other would melt and dilute the flavor, but Ezekiel had been thoughtful enough to ask for the drink to be without ice. There was an itch growing in Jun’s heart but he couldn’t give in, wouldn’t give in!

 

|Aiyah, you’re so weak against milk tea, Host.|

 

|It’s not only the milk tea!|

 

|Then you are just too soft-hearted. I worry about you, dearest Host.|

 

Determined to prove System 00 wrong, Jun renewed his determination to not give into Ezekiel too soon. Milk tea? It was nothing to him! Though he thought that, inside he was crying bloody tears.

 

Ezekiel opened the door for Jun and picked up his luggage. The villa was located in a private area, far away from wandering and prying eyes, and at the front, there was a small garden. Everything about the villa was simple, pleasing to the eye, and unimposing.

 

After unlocking the front door for him, Jun expected Ezekiel to leave, but he entered the villa like it was his own home.

 

“Aren’t you going home?” 

 

“I am home.”

 

“Then what about me?”

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“This is your home too.” 

 

Without another word, Ezekiel took the luggage down a corridor into a corner room with Jun following close behind. The decorations inside the room were simple, consisting of a bed, dresser, and table. On the table, various broadcasting equipment was laid out. It was comfortable but not entirely lived in, and one could see the owner didn’t intend to stay long.

 

“I’ll put your tea in the fridge and start preparing dinner.”

 

There was no other person in the villa, no housekeeper, no cooking aunt, and no maids. It was just the two of them. Jun laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was so peaceful he fell asleep. When Ezekiel went to get him for dinner and saw this scene, he sat down on the bed and watched over Jun for a few minutes before leaving.

 

After that day, Jun decided to stay with Ezekiel, mainly to ascertain whether he was Azel. That’s what he told himself. Also, there was no point in looking for a new place to stay when he only had some weeks left in this world, and Ezekiel was too good at cooking. 

 

‘Dammit.’

 

Not to mention Jun had already become so used to being taken care of by him in the last world. No, he wasn’t sure this man was Azel yet. During the day, Ezekiel would go to work and Jun would stay at home to watch the variety show. What could kill him at home other than a burglar or natural disaster or the house collapsing…? 

 

For the most part, he was pretty relaxed and although he had temporarily escaped the main death force, he was still interested in the murders that would transpire during the variety show. Jun followed the show with great attention and soon, the first victim fell.

 

The strangest thing about the murders was that they would always happen while the victims were sleeping. When they were found, they appeared very peaceful, almost as if they were still sleeping. Only the paleness of their faces and the lack of breathing hinted that they were dead.

 

Was it some subtle, slow-acting poison? The show checked but found nothing, and things were just left unexplained. There was also no visual information to analyze since the camera bots automatically shut down at midnight every day. Although the death of a participant was terrible, the show continued to air with renewed interest.

 

Why? Because the protagonist shou still managed to continue the plot, despite missing out on Ezekiel. There were other “tsundere” CEOs to snag from in the show, and after exposing his ability to see ghosts in front of everyone, he began to gain more popularity after he announced that he’d find the murderer and seek justice for the victim.

 

Sometime during the week, Theodore managed to push his way into the villa. When he saw Ezekiel’s eyebrows twitching, Jun laughed. Wasn’t this a reversal of what happened in the last world? Though he didn’t want to, Ezekiel somehow felt relieved to have Theodore around, especially when he couldn’t be with Jun during the day due to work.

 

As for Theodore, he was still “recuperating” after waking up from his months-long coma, so he didn’t have to work and could accompany Jun in watching the variety show.

 

“Why are you still watching this when you’re not even interested in singing?” Theodore passed Jun his cup of milk tea.

 

Jun happily sipped on his drink as he watched the show. “But the participants are dying and the show is still going. Don’t you think that’s strange?” 

 

Logically, it didn't make sense, but the producers and viewers found Asher Xavier's quest for justice too appealing.

 

The second week of the show was coming to an end and there had already been two victims. This meant only 6 teams were remaining. Per the plot, Asher Xavier won the weekly singing competition again, and he had lost that worn-out look of his before, appearing brighter than ever. Now it was the third week of the game.

 

“As expected of the protagonist shou,” Jun said with some admiration.

 

“Shou? What is that?”

 

“Er…”

 

Theodore smirked at Jun—as if he didn’t know what that was. From the moment he first saw Jun during his last year of high school, he had already begun researching those things. All that was left was to coerce the other. 

 

With familiarity, Theodore leaned over and pressed Jun down onto the sofa, his hot breath fanning over the younger man’s face.

 

“How about you become the protagonist shou in my life and I become the protagonist gong in your life?” Again with such flirtations. Though it wasn’t as intense as the last world, the feelings were the same, and Jun almost wanted to give in. “No isn't an option.”

 

After saying so, Theodore leaned down for a kiss, his lips brushing against Jun’s soft ones. Their kiss was light at first but quickly delved into something more fierce, needy, and full of yearning. Something wet pressed against Jun’s lips and out of habit, he opened his mouth to welcome Theodore’s probing tongue with his. Their saliva mixed as their tongues twisted and intertwined while Theodore’s body pressed down onto Jun’s.

 

Something big and hard rubbed against his hips and Jun trembled, his mouth opening wider for Theodore to invade and taste the sweetness. 

 

This was the scene Ezekiel walked into and he yanked the two apart, his face livid. “What do you think you’re doing?” 

 

Theodore escaped from Ezekiel’s grasp and formed a smug smile. “Isn’t it obvious?”

 

“You…” Ezekiel couldn’t form the words to express what he felt inside, a sort of hopelessness. Then he looked at Jun in anguish.

 

Jun was surprised by the intensity of the man’s feelings. While Theodore had always been natural in his affections and even shameless, Ezekiel had always been somewhat repressed, as if something was putting a constraint on him. But now it looked like whatever it was that had been holding him back had snapped.

 

“Jun…” Ezekiel reached out for his hand and held it, his head hung down and his eyes anxious. “I know I made a mistake, but please don’t leave me…”

 

If he was talking about the white moonlight thing, it wasn’t that big of a deal, and Jun had already forgiven him. It seemed he had come to accept this was Azel because he knew from the previous world the man didn’t know how to approach him because he was awkward, not good at expressing his feelings, and bad at communicating.

 

Having always watched from afar, Ezekiel didn’t know how to act nor how to get the attention of the one he loved, and Theodore was his wake-up call. 

 

“He’s begging so hard even I feel bad for him. What do you think, baby?”

 

Unlike the previous world, Theodore was being strangely accommodating. Then again, he had always been accepting of the other man, eventually or otherwise.

 

“I’m not leaving.” 

 

Ezekiel looked up at Jun with a mixture of incredulity and excitement. “Then…”

 

Jun was about to respond when something caught his eye on the TV. Participant G was just found dead.

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