It was daylight, brightly perfect for the beach, yet King ran as if he was being chased by a bunch of stray dogs, which was what's happening actually. He panted, pushing his feet to pound against the pavement while he heard screams from behind him. He murmured curses as he ran, his lungs and heart pumping higher as he threw himself forward with even greater vigor.

Being chased in real life was nothing as cool, sexy, or anything as those action movies — just a ball of sweat forming under my armpits — King thought. How'd he ended up in this situation? That's what he freaking wants to recap again.

Just when he made a sharp turn to a corner, he bumped into someone's rock hard chest.

"You— King?"

He snapped his gaze up and found out that the guy he bumped into was Axel. What are the chances? Another guy he hated. Just great, he thought. However, he preferred Axel over the werewolves.

King snapped back to reality when he heard the loud, baying noises again.

"What are you doing here—"

"No time for chitchat. We gotta hide," he heavily breathed out. "We gotta hide!"

Axel's face contorted to a frown. "Wait, what's going on—"

"Just run!" Immediately King grabbed his arm and bolted, dragging the reluctant boy who was beside him.

Axel was so confused at his actions, but he turned around, confirming his assumption when he saw the men chasing behind them. He finally complied.

King didn't know where he was going, he just swerved and turned, and Axel didn't even seem to lose his breath. Curse this guy's stamina and abs, King mentally snapped. Oh, he had one before, he soothed himself. Before.

Finally taking action, Axel shook King's grip off, right before he clasped his broader hand around King's forearm, and then started to be the one dragging the other.

"Hey—"

"I know an abandoned building," Axel explained.

King remained silent, trusting his once best friend's words.

It felt like forever before they finally got into a decrepit old house — the one they used to play in when they were kids.

Axel discreetly peeked out beyond the mold-reeking windows. It was a rundown house in the middle of the street that had a hole leading to the kitchen.

"After running all around the town, I don't think they're going to find our main scent anytime soon. Good job." Axel slid down against the wall.

King snorted. He looked around, nostalgia in his face as he scanned the old and useless figurines in the room. His throat burned from the amount of dust.

"What's going on—"

"Why are you here?" He cut Axel, before letting out a small sneeze.

"I remember you telling me to run—"

"No, doofu— I meant here, in Busteni?" He pinched his nose close.

Axel chuckled. He brought one knee up and tucked a foot under as he laid his weight on one arm. "I'm here for the ascension's practice," he said.

King dusted one of the chairs with his hand and sat, crossing his legs. "Well, well, what do you know? You're finally going to be King."

"It's kind of weird when you're the one saying that."

"Well, I can assure you that everything about me is weird."

Axel's lips curled up. He breathed out a long sigh. He stared at King afterward. "Now, can I ask you? Why are you here?"

"Cause you brought me here?" King could have laced it with a little less snark, but it wouldn't get his point across to how much he was irritated with the man.

Axel pressed his tongue against his cheek and chuckled as he looked at the dusty ground. "And sarcastic as always," he mumbled.

He moved his head up and fixated his eyes at King. "So what's going on? Why are they chasing you?"

King shrugged. "Don't know. They have the same pack as the werewolves we encountered a few days ago. Freaking nutjobs, I say."

A helpless look crossed Axel's face. "You really are a trouble magnet, arent you? First, you got your ass whooped, and then there's Vance—

"I did not get my ass whooped." King spat.

Axel just chuckled at him. He looked back at the ground, running the tip of his finger against the dust. A mixture of nostalgia and sadness overtook his expression. "I missed talking with you like this."

Miss?

King's eyes reflected apathy. He snorted. "I seem to remember how you avoided me. Ignoring my presence. Pretending you don't even know me." He studied the smile that slowly faded from the lips of the other guy in the same room as him. "See? You're not even denying it."

"We were kids," Axel muttered. "It was pretty awkward when those rumors flew around. Then before I even got the sense of everything, you guys were already leaving."

"You could have at least tried to deny those rumors. But you just, up and left," King spat. There was a heavy feeling gripping in on his chest.

"I did deny it."

"You could have at least put more effort into it."

"I also did, King."

"Then why did you avoid me? Unfriend me, just like that— I mean, it's totally cool for me." King cocked both brows. "But like what, you just hated being in a gay rumor? Or was it because I wasn't cool enough? Or maybe you thought it was probably best not to hang out with the halfer that everyone was trying to shake off, that you decided to shake him off too, is that it?"

"It's because I was trying to avoid you.

King scowled and threw both his hands in the air. "That doesn't even make sense. I'm already asking you why you avoided me—

"Because I really did like you."

"You like me— Wait... what?"

Axel's phone buzzed, and King slowly blinked, trying to register both data in his mind. The blonde lad stood, patting his shorts in the process. He stared at the message in his phone, then at King, and chuckled. "You should really close your mouth."

At that moment, the words that left Axel's mouth were encoded to King's mind as: "I like you."