Xerchin looked down at Leansei, who was trembling violently, panting for breath, and covered in a cold sweat despite the freezing weather. Leansei forced his eyes to stay open, locking his gaze onto Xerchin's striking blue eyes. Xerchin stared back, completely confused and alarmed by the state Leansei was in.
"W-what are y—" Leansei started, but his voice failed him. A wave of darkness finally took hold, pulling Leansei's remaining consciousness away. As his knees buckled and he began to fall, Xerchin moved with lightning-fast reflexes to catch him, supporting Leansei's weight and preventing him from hitting the floor.
"S-sir," a voice called out. It was Xerchin's bodyguard, but Xerchin's attention remained fixed on Leansei's pale, feverish face.
"Go and buy medicine. Immediately," Xerchin ordered, his tone sharp and commanding. Xerchin lifted him carefully and carried him into the nearby bedroom, placing him gently onto the mattress. As he did, a single tear slipped from the corner of Leansei's closed eye. The sight caused Xerchin's usual stoic expression to soften. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching Leansei attentively, and reached out to wipe the tears from the other man's cheek.
"What happened to you? How did you change so much?" Xerchin wondered aloud. He pressed the back of his hand against Leansei's forehead and winced; the skin was burning with a high fever.
Xerchin pulled the quilt up to Leansei's shoulders. He stood up, intending to fetch cold water for a compress, but he was stopped when he felt a sudden tug on his clothing. Looking down, he saw Leansei's trembling fingers grasping the edge of his blazer.
"D-don't go..." Leansei whispered, his eyes still tightly shut. The words left Xerchin speechless. He was not a man who typically offered comfort or allowed others to show such vulnerability in his presence. But as another tear ran down Leansei's face, the grip on his jacket didn't loosen. "D-don't leave me behind again," Leansei murmured, his voice strained. Xerchin let out a slow breath, looking from the door back to the man on the bed.
' I'll just stay this once,' Xerchin reasoned silently, sitting back down to wait for the fever to break.
.
The gentle warble of chirping birds and a stream of bright sunlight filtering through the window woke Leansei up.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked around, sinking into the comfort of the soft mattress beneath him and the warm blanket wrapped snugly around his body. Sitting up carefully, he rubbed his eyes and smiled, feeling surprisingly refreshed for so early in the morning. He stretched his arms upward with a cheerful sigh, then grabbed his eyeglasses from the nightstand to look around the room.
Suddenly, a strange daze washed over him. He felt like he was forgetting something incredibly important, but he couldn't grasp it. He stared blankly at the blanket, trying to piece together how he had even ended up in bed. The last thing he could clearly recall was a frantic knocking at the front door—His train of thought was abruptly broken by a delicious, mouth-watering aroma wafting into the room. Driven by the scent of fresh food, he quickly threw off the covers, left the bedroom, and walked out into the dining area.
He froze right in his tracks.
Standing in the kitchen was a girl with short, blonde hair, dressed in high-end, branded clothing. She was roughly his height, with pale skin and strikingly beautiful foreign features. She had a flawless, lovely complexion, looking exactly like a well-known fashion model. The moment their eyes met, she offered him a warm, sweet smile.
Panic and confusion instantly flared in Leansei's mind. ' W-what? Why on earth is there a girl inside Kean's condo?! Is this his g-girlfriend? Why do I have to deal with—wait—if he has a girlfriend, then why did Kean act that way toward Xerchin?! No, more importantly, how did she even get inside the apartment in the first place?! '
"Keaaan!!" the girl cried out excitedly, immediately lunging forward to squeeze Leansei's hand.
Leansei winced slightly, a wave of discomfort washing over him at the sudden physical contact. However, looking closely at her, she seemed entirely kind and harmless.
"I missed you so much! I heard about everything that happened to you," she continued, her voice full of genuine worry. "I'm so sorry, something urgent came up back at my place... I couldn't just leave right away. So, please take this! Consider it a gift and my official apology."
Leansei glanced over in the direction she was pointing and his mouth instantly formed a perfect 'O' shape. Resting on the counter were four massive bags packed with luxury branded clothes, alongside three heavy bags completely stuffed with food.
' I could never afford things like this! ' Leansei panicked internally. ' How on earth am I supposed to repay her? I'm not even the real Kean. Do I have to pay her back out of pocket? I shouldn't even use the clothes since they weren't meant for me anyway—but the food... I really don't want to let it go to waste. '
"You look different," she remarked suddenly. The comment snapped Leansei right back to reality. He looked at her, noting how every single person he interacted with lately seemed to point out how much Kean had changed. But he was tired of trying to act like someone he wasn't.
' I can't keep pretending to be Kean,' he mused. ' I just transmigrated into this body for some completely unknown reason, and trying to copy him is impossible. '
"Anyway, you look like you don't remember me at all," she said with a soft chuckle, stepping toward the counter. "I'm Perial Dezancho. We met back at the international university and we've been close friends ever since. It's actually been five months since the last time we saw each other."
She began unboxing the dishes from the paper bags as she spoke. "You must be incredibly surprised by how I managed to get in. Well, you always let your friends stay over at your condo whenever we visit, so you gave us all spare keys."
Leansei nodded slowly. It made him realize that while Kean might not have had any friends at his current school, his old circle of friends was incredibly wealthy and high-status. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he walked over to the kitchen counter to inspect the sources of the wonderful aroma.
Inside the containers were fresh porridge and aromatic chicken curry. A bright smile spread across his face as he carefully spooned the meals into two separate bowls.
"Do you want some?" Leansei offered, turning to her.
"No, thank you. I'm already quite full," Perial replied cheerfully.
Leansei helped Perial carry the remaining items over to the living room. He sat down on the sofa in complete silence, feeling incredibly awkward and out of his element. In his previous life, he had never had close friends of either gender, so this level of casual familiarity was entirely new to him. Perial, on the other hand, made herself right at home. She sank comfortably into the cushions, grabbed the remote control, and switched on the television.
"You should go ahead and eat," Perial urged, opening a small box she had brought along and popping a colorful macaron into her mouth.
"Are you not going to eat any rice?" Leansei asked, glancing up at the wall clock. It was roughly 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning, meaning he had the entire day ahead of him to just relax and recover.
"Oh, absolutely not. I am always on a strict diet," Perial replied casually. Leansei hid a small, amused smile behind his hand.
' She says she's on a strict diet, yet the very first thing she eats is a box of sweet macarons. '
He dug into the chicken curry, and his eyes widened at the rich, incredible flavor. He had deeply missed eating home-cooked meals like this, especially since he didn't know how to cook it himself and the school cafeteria never served anything quite so delicious. Determined not to let a single scrap go to waste, he happily finished every last bite of both the porridge and the curry.
' Perial's culinary skills are absolutely superb,' he thought, thoroughly impressed. ' Did she really cook all of this herself? It tastes phenomenal.'
Leansei's spoon froze halfway to the empty bowl as a sudden, vivid rush of memories from the previous night flashed through his mind.
He clearly saw the image of Xerchin standing right outside his front door in the pouring rain. He remembered the feeling of being lifted effortlessly and carried all the way to his bed. He remembered the desperate grip of his own fingers reaching out, stopping Xerchin from walking away, and the embarrassing words he had whispered into the dark room.
Instantly, a bright, burning heat rushed straight to Leansei's cheeks.
' What on earth am I thinking?! I am a guy! I shouldn't be feeling this type of way at all.' Leansei scolded himself internally, his mind racing. ' The memory felt entirely too real, but I am still incredibly glad it was all just a vivid dream. If that actually happened in real life, I would literally bury myself alive out of pure embarrassment and avoid him at all costs! '
"Breaking news! Reporting live for today, international supermodel Miss Perial Dezancho officially flew in from Singapore this morning," the television announcer boomed. "She is highly anticipated to join the massive runway show for the famous luxury brand later this month—"Leansei burst into a sudden, violent cough, choking on his own saliva the exact moment he heard the familiar name and saw her face flash across the screen.
"Aiiah, aiiah! That is exactly why you need to chew your food properly," Perial scolded lightly, quickly handing him a glass of water. Leansei snatched it, gulping the liquid down immediately to clear his throat. Perial looked up at the television screen and offered a sweet, entirely unfazed smile.
"Aiiah, these reporters are entirely too fast at gathering information about me," she murmured, shaking her head before glancing back down at Leansei, who was still trying to recover. "By the way, Kean... is that guy your boyfriend?"
The question caught him so off-guard that Leansei instantly sputtered the water right out of his mouth. Turning bright red, he scrambled to clean up the mess and wipe his face in complete mortification.
' What?? Boyfriend???? '
"Aaiiahh! Don't tell me it is actually true? So that intimidating guy from earlier was your boyfriend?!" Perial gasped, her eyes widening in pure surprise.
' Earlier? '
Leansei scratched his temple, completely bewildered by what she was talking about. "Who exactly are you referring to?.."
"The guy who was in the kitchen cooking the porridge and the other dish!" Perial clarified. Leansei went entirely still, his voice trapped in his throat as his eyes drifted slowly to the empty bowls resting on the dining table.
' Perial didn't cook the meal? ' A chill ran down his spine. ' Then who—don't tell me last night wasn't a dream at all?! ' He swallowed hard, the reality of the situation crashing down on him.
"The famous son of Mr. Vcheroi," Perial added casually. Leansei was completely left without words. His brain scrambled to process the terrifying realization that his embarrassing midnight vulnerability had actually occurred in front of Xerchin.
' But it makes absolutely no sense! It is completely impossible for a bastard like him to do something so kind. He is universally known for having a foul mouth and a completely heartless personality! And most importantly, what is he doing in my apartment??'
"A-ah, no. He is absolutely not my boyfriend," Leansei stammered, quickly diverting his gaze down to the glass of water tightly clutched in his hands. "He is just... someone I happen to know."
"Oh, really?" Perial mused, her eyes drifting back toward the television screen. The tense, quiet atmosphere was broken a moment later when Perial's phone began ringing loudly. Excusing herself politely, she stepped out into the hallway outside the condo to answer the call.
Left entirely alone, Leansei stared intently at his own trembling hands as his thoughts raced back to the memories of the storm. A strange, suffocating heat rushed right back into his cheeks, and a sudden spark of electricity seemed to ripple through his chest and heart all over again.
' Why am I reacting like this? Am I falling sick again? Why is my heart beating so incredibly loud and fast? If that scene truly wasn't a dream... it just doesn't align with who he is. It's impossible for someone like Xerchin to care for me.'
Leansei was sharply snapped back to reality when the front door clicked open and Perial rushed back inside the apartment. He blinked up at her in surprise. "I am so sorry, Kean! An unexpected emergency meeting was just dropped on me," Perial explained rapidly, slinging her designer bag over her shoulder. "I have to run, but I will absolutely visit you again soon!"
"O-oh, of course. Please take care on your way out," Leansei replied. Perial gave a quick wave of her hand before slipping out the door, leaving the condo silent once more.
Letting out a deep, heavy sigh, Leansei gathered the empty dishes, brought them over to the kitchen sink, and washed them thoroughly. He neatly packed the leftover food away into the refrigerator and carefully organized the heavy paper bags of luxury clothes into Kean's bedroom cabinet.
As he was cleaning up the living room, he paused when he noticed two unfamiliar, small paper bags resting on the desk. Curious, he walked over and peeked inside. The first bag was completely filled with various prescription medicines and health supplements. The second bag was stuffed with an assortment of candies.
A small, genuine smile curved his lips. He reached in, pulled out a piece of candy, and popped it into his mouth. Leansei couldn't help but wonder if Xerchin really had spent the entire night looking after him, and a nagging feeling told him he needed to find a way to thank him properly. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the contacts to find Xerchin's number, but his search came up entirely empty.
' Oh right, I forgot. We aren't actually friends at all,' Leansei reminded himself with a quiet sigh. ' But I will just have to treat him to a meal or something tomorrow at school. I absolutely despise owing people favors.' Suddenly, the phone in his hand vibrated with a sharp alert. Leansei flinched, looking down at the screen. A new text message had just arrived—and it was directly from the President of the Supreme Student Council.
________
TO: Kean Ferech and four others:
"As we discussed at the last meeting, we will continue the meeting on Sunday. It will only take an hour of your time, so don't worry. Let's meet at a nearby coffee shop in ******** at around 9:00 am. See you later!"
_____
Leansei bolted straight to the bathroom to take a lightning-fast shower. Once out, he threw on a simple, comfortable t-shirt and jeans. He grabbed his bag, stepped out into the hallway, and securely clicked the deadbolts on his condo door.
Lately, he had been trying to figure out the local public transportation system, but he inevitably ended up getting lost because he was still completely unfamiliar with the sprawling streets of Lemous City. Realizing he was out of time, he quickly opened his phone and booked a ride through a ride-hailing app directly to the address the President had forwarded.
Thanks to the driver, Leansei managed to pull up to the venue at the exact scheduled time. To his relief, the student council members were already gathered outside the coffee shop. Spotting him, they immediately smiled and waved him over.
"Vice President! Over here!" Nenia called out cheerfully. Leansei awkwardly raised a hand to return the gesture, internally cringing at how stiff he felt. He truly lacked the polished social skills needed for these kinds of interactions.
"Let's head inside and get this meeting underway," Xeilin suggested smoothly, holding the heavy glass door open for the girls. The moment Leansei crossed the threshold, the rich, comforting aroma of freshly ground coffee beans washed over him, temporarily erasing the lingering stress of his previous life.
They placed their orders at the counter first. Leansei simply requested his usual go-to drink before joining the others at a large corner table, where everyone was already unzipping their laptops and spreading out stacks of paper files.
"Welcome to our coffee shop!" a warm greeting from the staff echoed across the room.
The cheerful voice prompted Leansei to glance up toward the entrance. Walking into the café was a stunning girl with long, silky hair and an incredibly attractive face. She carried herself with an aura of effortless grace, flashing a kind, radiant smile at the baristas.
Not wanting to stare, Leansei quickly averted his eyes and focused back on the physical documents in front of him. "Wait, she actually returned?" Delia murmured, her hands freezing over a piece of paper. Leansei looked up and noticed Delia tracking the exact same girl who had just walked in.
"Do you know her?" Leansei inquired curiously. The rest of the council members turned their heads to look, while Xeilin kept his eyes glued to his screen, his fingers continuously clicking away at his keyboard.
"Who wouldn't recognize her?" Felina chimed in, leaning across the table. "Honestly, you used to know her quite well too, Kean. But since your amnesia wiped the slate clean, it makes sense that you don't remember."
"I wonder what brought her back," Delia mused, tapping her chin. "I thought her parents' business ventures out in California were thriving."
"Oh, come on, Delia. You know exactly why she's back," Felina replied knowingly, before turning her attention back to her paperwork.
Luo Sen adjusted his eyeglasses, clearing his throat to fill Leansei in. "Since your memory is gone, here is the rundown. That is Seleigh Roshie. She is easily one of the most famous girls at our school and the daughter of the elite Roshie family. People consider her absolutely perfect in every single way—she's incredibly talented, vastly wealthy, and has a flawless social and romantic life."
Leansei nodded slowly, absorbing the information.
"Honestly, she and her to be partner were just too perfect for each other," Delia sighed dreamily, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling.
"Well, there's a heavy rumor going around that she has a fiancé now," Felina whispered, lowering her voice as she scanned a student list. "But neither family has officially confirmed it yet since it's rumored to be a strictly arranged marriage."
Leansei casually glanced over at Xeilin. Although the President appeared to be staring intently at his laptop screen, it was obvious from his frozen posture that his attention was completely elsewhere, locked onto their conversation.
"Her fiancé is actually—" Luo Sen began. He was abruptly cut off as a waiter arrived at their table, carefully setting down their fresh drinks and pastries. Leansei quietly reached for his bread and took a bite. He couldn't help but think that whoever her fiancé was, the man was incredibly lucky to be with someone so delicate and beautiful. Seleigh truly seemed lovely and kind, the type of person whose sheer presence could completely daze anyone standing near her.
' Well, life is certainly full of mysteries,' Leansei thought, chewing his food thoughtfully. ' I'm a bit curious, but at the end of the day, it's none of my business. I have entirely too many of my own massive problems to deal with right now. I need to focus on surviving my own life before I start worrying about the elite drama of others. '