The bathroom smelled faintly of soap and steam, but to Theo it reeked of weakness. He braced both hands against the sink now, chest heaving, sweat cooling on his skin.
The shame rolled in like a tide, heavy and suffocating. He had lost control—again.
'It's nothing. Just confusion. Because I haven't been with a woman yet. That's all.'
His jaw clenched as he splashed water on his face, the icy shock grounding him. He stared at his reflection in the mirror:
Stern features, disheveled hair, blue eyes that betrayed the unrest he refused to name.
He gritted his teeth.
'It's not him. It can't be him.'
But even as he muttered the lie in his head, he could still feel the phantom warmth of Yu's wrist beneath his palm. And that untouchable gaze—like nothing could bind him—burned in his mind like a brand.
Theo slammed the faucet shut, shoulders taut. He would not think of it again. He would bury it. He had to.
---
