The weeks passed, and Nio's relationship with Tee seemed to deepen, but with it, so did the tension. Tee's possessiveness was becoming more obvious - he would hover just a little too close when they were out in groups, his eyes always darting to whoever was speaking to Nio, particularly the older students who often tried to befriend him.
It was during a group hangout at a café one afternoon that it all came to a head. Nio was talking to a senior, Aek, who had just finished a presentation and seemed eager to discuss academic topics. Aek was smart, confident, and always seemed genuinely interested in Nio's thoughts. As the conversation deepened, Nio found himself laughing more than usual, sharing stories of his high school days and his newfound love for university life. But he couldn't ignore the feeling that something was wrong.
Every so often, he'd glance up and see Tee watching him with narrowed eyes, his jaw tight. At first, Nio chalked it up to Tee being his usual, sometimes grumpy self. But the longer they lingered at the café, the more intense Tee's gaze became, and Nio couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling in his stomach.
"Hey, Nio, can you pass me the menu?" Tee suddenly asked, his voice colder than usual, pulling Nio's attention away from Aek.
Nio hesitated before doing so, surprised at the sharpness in Tee's tone. He noticed that Tee had moved closer to them, as if he wanted to be in the conversation - just as Nio had noticed him earlier, his hand gripping the back of the chair just a bit too tightly.
Aek noticed it too, but just smiled and nodded as Tee sat down beside Nio. The atmosphere immediately became tense.
Nio couldn't ignore the way Tee's fingers brushed against his arm, just enough to make him feel both warm and conflicted. His earlier conversation with Aek felt like it had been interrupted, but he couldn't pinpoint why it bothered him so much.
Later that evening, Nio found Tee lingering outside the café, waiting for him. His face was unreadable, but his posture was stiff. When Nio joined him, Tee didn't waste any time.
"You were talking to him for a while," Tee said, the edge in his voice unmistakable. "I don't like it."
Nio blinked, confused. "What are you talking about? We were just talking about school stuff."
"Doesn't matter," Tee muttered, eyes flicking to the ground before meeting Nio's gaze again. "I don't like it when other people get your attention. I want it all to myself."
Nio was stunned. He had never seen Tee so openly possessive, but he couldn't help the thrill that ran through him at Tee's confession. There was a certain intensity in Tee's gaze that sent a rush of heat to Nio's cheeks.
"You're… jealous?" Nio asked, unsure how to react.
Tee scowled but didn't deny it. "Maybe. Just… don't let anyone else get too close to you, alright?"
And for the first time, Nio realized just how much Tee cared. But that realization didn't ease the knot in his stomach. He couldn't help but wonder - did Tee feel this way because of something deeper?