❝ EMBER IN ICE ❞

25

You opened your eyes groggily as you woke up and the beam of sunlight was what met you. You stood up from the bed and noticed that you aren't in the living room anymore.

"Oh right," you placed your palm on your forehead. "I fell asleep on the couch last night."

You immediately stood up and the cold contact on the floor almost made you jolt. You opened the door and what met you was a cold atmosphere, you walked to the hallway until you saw Rindou walking to the stairs.

He was wearing a black sleepwear tight sleeve that revealed his abs and muscle. It was your first time seeing him in this clothing since you rarely interact with him and he always wears suits. You had no idea he was so buff; perhaps you'll see the others as well.

"Hi, good morning!" You smiled, but you were merely ignored.

"Dang, never mind." You rolled your eyes and walked to the stairs.

Rindou stopped in his tracks and looked at you.

"Oh right, I think I AM blocking your way, MISTER Rindou." You said sarcastically as you exaggerated the words and moved out of his way on the stairs.

Rindou just ignored your indirect insult with a calm face, but his hand pointed at the side of his mouth which you raised your brows in confusion.

"What?" You asked.

"A good morning kiss?" You thought jokingly, damn you really hope that your intrusive thoughts and the things you say in your mind can't be read by anyone, especially by this man in front of you.

Shrugging in confusion, you stepped closer to the mirror mounted to the wall at your side, then you looked at yourself and your jaw dropped.

A visible dried-up drool on the sides of your mouth.

"Oh my gosh, that's embarrassing!" You gasped as you quickly wiped it with the hem of your shirt.

You were about to thank Rindou for at least reminding you, but when you looked back, you saw him walking away already.

And you swear you heard him chuckle just a little and saw the sides of his mouth lift up... for the first time.

"Good morning, Y/n."

You heard the others greet you as you walked downstairs. You looked at them and your eyes almost sprang out of your eye socket.

They were all half-naked, wearing only sweatpants and some were wearing their sleepwear that barely covers them up.

"Jumpscare," you whispered to yourself.

Mikey, Koko, Ran, Rindou, Sanzu, and... Kakucho are all in the dining area.

"Where the hell is the jam?" Kakucho shouted at Rindou as he only shrugged lazily and rocked his chair back and forth.

"Oh, hey Y/n." Kakucho greeted you.

"Sorry if Kakucho woke you up, this man really barged in our penthouse and asked for a jam because their pantry at their penthouse with Takeomi and Mochi is empty." Koko whistled as he exposed Kakucho, then he threw a sandwich with jam at Koko's face.

"Hi," you greeted back as you sat at the dining table with them.

"Eat now, I cooked breakfast." Ran said as he placed food on a plate in front of you.

Yeah, this man knows how to cook, as well as Kakucho.

"Get out." Kokonoi said to Kaku who was thrown a sandwich by him.

"Unless you give me my jam."

"Whatever, here, just buy one." Koko groaned as he took out his wallet from his pockets and gave him money.

"I asked for a jam, not money," Kakucho complained. "But okay."

"Bye bye, Y/n." Kakucho winked at you as he waved and went out of the door.

"Hey!" Sanzu who was surprisingly quiet the whole time finally spoke. "Another Mr. steal yo man." He grunted.

You kept on adjusting on your seat as your hands were clammy while holding the spoon, which Ran noticed.

"Why so tense?" Ran asked, and he fought the smirk trying to form on his face because he knew damn well what's keeping you tense.

"I don't know," you shrugged, speaking nonchalantly. "Maybe y'all should dress the fuck up." 

"Hmm, I wonder why." Sanzu said with his deep morning voice, as well as the others.

Sanzu purposefully stretched his arm and yawned as he teased you while side-eyeing you, your eyes glued to the food.

"C'mon babe, stop acting as if you haven't seen us half-naked." Sanzu chuckles. "Or maybe more than half-"

"Ew," you mumbled.

Ran and Koko gave a death stare at Sanzu.

"Oopsies." Sanzu whistled teasingly as he placed his hands on his sweat pants.

Fuck, here they were again. The tension between the three never stops, and to be honest, Sanzu is quite enjoying this.

I mean, what worse could happen to add more fuel to the fire? Isn't it twice as hot? Double heat? It may sound excruciating and absurd to fathom, but as he thought, what's wrong with a little cheat?

After all, it's all about achieving the ultimate goal of winning, right?

That's what represents him, or rather, all of them.

And that's what totally Sanzu thinks and desires, the tension, the thrill, the excitement, the rush of enticing just rapidly flowing, the heat of the tension slowly creeping up on the three of you, or should I say, the four of you.

Sanzu leaned back on the chair while his hands are both in the pockets of his sweatpants as he licks his lips at the evident tension and excitement emanating from the three of you, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he observes you intently.

"Oookay." Rindou raised his brows while he stood up from his seat. "You all are really doing this just for this woman right here, huh?" He shook his head and walked away while fixing his posture.

"Ew, disgusting." You whispered angrily as you cursed Rindou, but he heard it.

"Not as disgusting as your dried up dr-"

"Rindou!" You shouted.

The other Bonten members turned their attention on the both of you, "So, the two are finally interacting." Mikey mumbled who was quiet the whole time while busy eating his dorayaki for breakfast.

Rindou only scoffed as he walked away and went back to his room.

"Anyway, aren't we going somewhere?" Sanzu asked.

"Right," Ran said as he made calls with his employees. "Nightclub."

"Nightclub?" You questioned.

"You're coming as well obviously," Koko said.

"I don't want to go," you thought, scratching your head.

Mikey muttered as he stood up from his chair. "Get ready. I don't want to be late."

"Late? You're all forgetting that the nightclub I reserved is one of my properties, and we can go there whenever we want," Ran said with a grin.

"Mhm, Mikey, loosen up," Koko murmured. "It's not like someone is going to go there, so why are you still worried about their threat?"

"Threat to us?" Mikey asked. "I couldn't care less, we're capable of ending them, so what's the worry?"

"Then who? Worried about Y/n?"

Mikey took a quick glance at you and answered. "Why would I?"

Everyone went silent, especially you, until you got the courage to talk "Um, well, I can take care of myself." You forced a smile. "Or if you want, I'll just stay here and won't come, it's totally fine."

"What? Hell no." Sanzu replied. 

Not knowing what will you do, you just hurriedly stood up from your seat and then bowed at them as soon as you were done eating after a few minutes.

As you rushed and walked in the hallway to your room, you suddenly bumped into Rindou who had just gone out of the bathroom, and the only thing covering him was a towel around his waist.

You almost let out a scream, but then Rindou grabbed your wrist and dragged you into one of the hallway's corners, hiding behind the wall with your back facing the wall and his hands covering your mouth. The space was narrow and your bodies were almost touching behind the wall in the hallway.

"Mmm-!" You let out muffled screams as he was covering your mouth, yet you were too stunned to even form words.

"Shh," Rindou shushed you as he took a peek behind the wall and saw Sanzu and the others walk in the hallway while talking about stuff.

Finally, Rindou removed his hand from your mouth, as you were still too stunned to speak.

"What the hell was that for?" You whispered to him.

"I don't want them to think there's something going on between us, if they walk in on us while you were screaming, and I'm half-naked, they will probably think of something else." Rindou said.

"You think too much." You rolled your eyes.

"It's better to think too much than thinking stupidly like you." Rindou replied as you gasp.

"Well-" Your words were cut off as you suddenly remember he's only wearing a towel.

You immediately turned around and covered your eyes, then after some seconds, you asked him, "Can I peek now?"

"Hello-?" As you turned around, Rindou was only standing there, leaning against the wall while his arms were crossed, he kept quiet and only watched you with a face that tells what-the-heck-are-you-doing.

"So... I can't peek yet." You mumbled as you turned around, but then you felt a hand ruffle your hair.

"You can peek now." Rindou whispered in your ear as he pats your head and walked away, leaving you flustered.

You felt your cheeks heating up, and your eyes just widened at his act.