The next few days were a blur. Nio and Tee spent almost every moment together - talking, studying, hanging out - like they were trying to make up for lost time. But it wasn't the usual easy camaraderie they'd always had. There was a layer of tension beneath everything they did, a constant reminder of the kiss, of what had changed.
Nio didn't mind it, though. In fact, he kind of liked it. It was like they were slowly figuring out what they could be together, one step at a time.
But then, things started to get complicated.
One afternoon, Nio was at the library, buried in a pile of textbooks, when his phone buzzed. He glanced down at the screen, a message from Tee flashing on the display: Are you with Somchai again?
Nio frowned. He hadn't even seen Somchai today. He quickly texted back: No, I'm studying.
Almost immediately, Tee's reply came: Good. Because if you're with him, I'm not sure I'll be able to control myself.
Nio's heart raced as he read the message. It was playful but also… serious. Like Tee wasn't joking.
He had no idea how to respond to that.
Nio couldn't stop thinking about Tee's message all night. The way Tee had teased him, but with a hint of something deeper, made Nio's mind race. He hadn't realized how much Tee's jealousy could affect him. There was a part of him that was scared - scared that Tee might get too possessive, that the fun banter between them might turn into something suffocating.
But there was another part of him - one that was excited by it. The way Tee cared, the way he was protective, even if it felt overwhelming at times, made Nio feel wanted. And he liked it.
The next morning, Nio woke up to find a message from Tee asking if he wanted to meet up for breakfast. He quickly agreed, glad for an excuse to see him. When they met in the café, Tee was already waiting, a coffee in hand, his eyes scanning the room.
"Morning," Nio said, sitting down across from him.
"Morning," Tee replied, his gaze softening when he saw Nio. "Sleep well?"
"Yeah, I did," Nio said, smiling as he looked at Tee. "How about you?"
Tee's lips curled into a small smile. "Better now that I'm here with you."
Nio's heart skipped a beat at his words. He knew Tee had been acting different lately - more open, more affectionate - but this was something else. Tee was always like this in a way, but now it felt more intimate, more serious.
"Stop looking at me like that," Nio said, trying to tease, but his voice betrayed him with the nervous flutter in his chest.
Tee leaned forward, his voice low. "Like what?"
"Like I'm the most important person in the world to you," Nio said, but the way his heart was beating gave him away.
"I don't think you need to worry about that," Tee said softly. "You are."
It was simple, but it hit Nio harder than he expected. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught in his throat. The truth was, Tee was everything to him. He just wasn't sure how to say it.
Chapter 28 - The Conversation
The day after their breakfast, Nio couldn't stop thinking about their conversation. There was something in the way Tee looked at him that made his heart ache, something in the way Tee spoke that made Nio feel like he was the center of Tee's world. And yet, Nio still felt like he was standing on the edge of something, uncertain about whether he was ready to dive in.
That night, Tee invited him to come over to his dorm room. Nio arrived, a bit nervous but excited to see him. He knocked softly on the door, and Tee immediately opened it, pulling him inside without a word.
"I want to talk," Tee said, his voice serious, but his eyes were gentle.
Nio raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
"About us," Tee said, sitting down on the bed and patting the spot next to him. "I don't want you to feel pressured, but I can't keep pretending like I don't want more. I care about you, Nio."
Nio stood still for a moment, processing his words. He hadn't expected this conversation to come so soon, but somehow, it felt like it had been coming for a while.
"I care about you, too," Nio said, sitting next to Tee. "But I'm scared, Tee. I don't know if I'm ready for all of this. What if I screw things up?"
"You won't," Tee said, taking Nio's hand in his. "We'll figure it out together. I just want you to know that I'm here for you. And I'm not going anywhere."
Nio looked into Tee's eyes, searching for any sign of doubt. But there was none. Tee's gaze was steady, filled with the kind of certainty that Nio longed for but couldn't quite find in himself yet.
"I'm scared, too," Nio admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "But maybe… maybe we can take it slow?"
Tee smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from Nio's forehead. "We can take all the time we need. But I won't stop being here for you."
Nio nodded, feeling a weight lift off his chest. Maybe this was the beginning of something good.
As the days passed, Nio and Tee fell into an easy rhythm. They spent more time together - studying, talking, getting to know each other in ways they hadn't before. But there was still that undercurrent of tension, of things left unsaid, and Nio couldn't help but feel that Tee was watching him more closely than ever before.
One afternoon, Nio found himself at the student center with Somchai again. They were sitting at a table, chatting about a group project they were working on, when Nio noticed Tee walking by. The moment their eyes met, Nio could see the shift in Tee's demeanor - a flash of something sharp in his eyes, something possessive.
"Tee, wait!" Nio called out, standing up quickly, but Tee had already turned and walked away without a word.
Somchai glanced at Nio, noticing the tension. "What's up with him?"
"I don't know," Nio muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I think I pissed him off."
Somchai raised an eyebrow. "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," Nio said, frowning. "He's just… acting weird lately."
Somchai shrugged. "Maybe he's jealous. You two seem close."
"Jealous?" Nio asked, his stomach twisting. "But I'm just friends with him. He knows that."
Somchai smirked. "Maybe he doesn't like sharing you."
Nio's mind raced. Could Tee really be jealous? He hadn't noticed it before, but now that Somchai had pointed it out, it made sense. Tee had been acting possessive, protective, in ways that Nio had dismissed as part of his personality. But now it felt different. More intense.
Chapter 30 - The Confrontation
The next evening, Nio waited for Tee in the dorm lobby. When Tee finally walked in, Nio couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Why did you walk away from me earlier?" Nio asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "What's going on, Tee?"
Tee's eyes narrowed. "I don't like seeing you with him."
"Somchai?" Nio asked, bewildered. "He's just a friend, Tee. You know that."
"I know," Tee said, his voice low. "But I don't like it when other people get too close to you."
Nio's heart skipped a beat. "Tee… are you jealous?"
Tee hesitated, and Nio could see the conflict in his eyes. Finally, Tee nodded, his shoulders sagging in resignation. "Yeah. I guess I am."
Nio stood there, unsure of what to say. He hadn't expected this - hadn't expected Tee to admit it so openly. But hearing Tee say it made something shift inside him.
"You don't have to be jealous, Tee," Nio said softly, stepping closer to him. "I'm not going anywhere. But you've got to trust me, okay?"
Tee looked down, taking a deep breath. "I do trust you. It's just hard sometimes. I don't know how to let go."
"I know," Nio said, reaching out to gently touch Tee's arm. "But we'll figure it out. Together."
Tee looked up at him, his eyes filled with something vulnerable and raw. "I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," Nio assured him. "You never will."