The campus had always been loud—students rushing between buildings, laughter echoing through corridors, the hum of life everywhere.
But for Easter, everything had gone quiet.
Not because the world had changed.
Because he had.
---
Chapter 1: The Breaking Point
“Are you even listening to me, Hill?”
Easter’s voice trembled—not loud, not angry yet—but fragile in a way that made something in Hill tighten.
Hill exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. His phone buzzed again on the table. Another message. Another responsibility.
“I am listening,” he replied, though his eyes flickered toward the screen.
That was enough.
Easter let out a small, disbelieving laugh. “No, you’re not.”
Silence stretched between them.
“I waited for you,” Easter continued, softer now. “Three hours, Hill. Three hours like an idiot, thinking you’d come.”
“I told you something came up—”
“You always say that!” Easter’s voice cracked, breaking through whatever restraint he had left. “It’s always something. Your hospital duty, your family, your friends—there’s always something more important than me!”
Hill’s jaw tightened. “That’s not fair.”
“Then what is fair?” Easter shot back. “Tell me. Because I don’t remember the last time you chose me.”
That hit.
Hill looked away.
And that… that hurt more than any argument.
Easter swallowed hard. “Do you even want this anymore?”
Hill hesitated.
Just for a second.
But that second destroyed everything.
“…I don’t know how to keep doing this,” Hill admitted quietly.
Easter stared at him, eyes shining.
Then he nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
No shouting.
No drama.
Just that one word.
And suddenly, it was over.
---
Chapter 2: Drowning the Silence
The bar was crowded, warm, suffocating.
Easter sat between North and Dao, a glass in his hand that he hadn’t even realized he finished.
“Say it again,” North leaned in. “What did he say?”
Easter laughed hollowly. “He didn’t even fight for me.”
“That idiot,” Dao muttered.
Typhoon, already tipsy, slammed his drink down. “We fight him.”
“No fighting,” Nao said immediately.
“Maybe a little fighting,” North added.
Easter shook his head. “I don’t want to see him.”
But his voice betrayed him.
Because what he meant was—
I want him to come find me.
---
By the time they left, everything had blurred.
North was loudly arguing with someone about “respect,” Dao was trying to calm him down while stumbling, and Typhoon had somehow decided the pavement was his soulmate.
Easter barely noticed when someone shoved them.
Or when voices rose.
Or when the first punch was thrown.
---
“Enough.”
The voice cut clean through the chaos.
Tiger.
Behind him, Johan and Arthit moved fast.
Johan caught North mid-swing. “You’re done.”
Arthit pulled Dao back, steady but firm. “Stop.”
Tiger crouched beside Nao, steadying him gently before glancing toward Easter—
Who was half-conscious, leaning against a wall.
“You okay?” Tiger asked.
Easter blinked slowly, eyes unfocused. “…Hill?”
Tiger’s expression shifted for a moment—but he masked it quickly.
“Wrong person.”
Nearby, Typhoon was fully horizontal.
Johan sighed, already dialing. “Tonfah. Come help. Your omega’s gone.”
---
Getting them back was chaos.
North kept trying to square up with shadows.
Dao cried halfway through.
Nao clung to Tiger like he’d disappear.
And Easter… whispered Hill’s name once.
Soft.
Broken.
Tiger heard it.
He didn’t say anything.
---
Chapter 3: Regret Has Teeth
Hill stared at his books.
The words didn’t make sense.
Nothing did.
“You’re not even reading,” Tonfah said, tossing a pen at him.
Hill didn’t react.
“You messed up,” Johan added bluntly.
“I know.”
“Then fix it,” Arthit said.
Hill clenched his jaw. “What if he doesn’t want me to?”
Tiger crossed his arms. “That’s not your decision to make.”
Hill finally looked up.
And for the first time—
He looked scared.
---
Chapter 4: A Plan Built on Chaos
Easter cried the next day.
And the next.
And the next.
Until North had enough.
“Nope. I refuse.”
Dao blinked. “Refuse what?”
“This suffering!” North declared dramatically. “We are ending this.”
“How?” Nao asked cautiously.
North grinned.
“We make him jealous.”
Easter groaned into his pillow. “No.”
Too late.
---
“Hey, Tan,” North said into the phone. “Want to help destroy someone emotionally?”
A pause.
Then laughter.
“I’m in.”
---
Chapter 5: The Perfect Bait
Tan was everything they needed.
Confident. Charming. Just annoying enough.
“So I flirt?” Tan asked.
“You exist,” North replied. “That’s enough.”
Easter glared at all of them. “I hate you.”
Typhoon smiled. “We love you too.”
---
Chapter 6: Jealousy Burns
Hill didn’t expect to see them.
But when he walked into the bar—
There they were.
Easter.
Laughing.
Smiling.
And wrapped in someone else’s arms.
Hill froze.
“Who is that?” he asked quietly.
Tiger followed his gaze and winced. “…problem.”
Hill was already moving.
Tonfah grabbed him. “Don’t do it.”
“He’s touching him.”
“It’s a hug!”
“It’s my omega.”
The words slipped out.
Possessive. Raw.
Dangerous.
---
Then—
Darkness.
The entire bar went black.
Gasps. Movement. Confusion.
And when the lights came back—
Easter was gone.
Tan was gone.
Everything was gone.
---
Chapter 7: Losing Control
Days passed.
Hill watched.
Easter and Tan walking together.
Laughing.
Close.
Too close.
Something inside him snapped.
“Tell me who he is.”
Johan sighed. “Tan. North’s cousin.”
Hill’s fists clenched.
---
The alley was quiet.
Too quiet.
“What is wrong with you?” Tan snapped as Hill shoved him back.
Hill didn’t answer.
He just punched.
---
The fight was brutal.
Tan fought back hard—but Hill was stronger, fueled by something darker than anger.
It escalated fast.
Too fast.
Until—
“STOP!”
Tiger pulled Hill back.
Johan and Arthit stepped in.
Tan collapsed, breathing heavily.
“…you’re insane,” he muttered.
---
Chapter 8: Truth Unravels
The hospital room was tense when Easter burst in.
“Tan!”
North and the others followed.
Then—
Two more figures rushed in.
Fang and Phum.
Fang’s eyes scanned the room sharply. “What happened?”
No one spoke.
Until—
North sighed.
“Okay. So… we made a plan.”
Fang’s gaze darkened. “What plan?”
“To make Hill jealous,” Dao admitted.
Typhoon added, “It worked.”
Nao whispered, “Too well…”
North continued, “Tan agreed to help. We didn’t think it would go this far.”
Phum leaned against the wall, arms crossed… smiling.
Fang was not.
“You didn’t tell me?” Fang snapped at Tan.
Tan winced. “Surprise?”
“Not funny!”
---
Then Fang turned to Hill.
And destroyed him.
“You ignored him,” Fang said coldly. “You hurt him. And now you think fighting someone fixes that?”
Hill didn’t respond.
Because he couldn’t.
---
Chapter 9: Choosing Each Other Again
Easter walked out of the hospital.
Fast.
Like he needed air.
“Hear me out.”
Hill’s voice stopped him.
Easter didn’t turn.
“I’m sorry,” Hill said.
Silence.
“I thought I could handle everything,” Hill continued. “But I ended up losing you instead.”
Easter’s hands trembled.
“You did,” he said softly.
“I know.”
A pause.
Then Hill stepped closer.
“But I don’t want to lose you.”
Easter finally turned.
His eyes were red—but steady.
“You don’t get to decide that alone.”
“I’m not,” Hill said. “I’m asking.”
---
The silence stretched.
Heavy.
Real.
Then—
“For someone so smart,” Easter said quietly, “you’re really stupid.”
Hill let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh. “I’ve heard that before.”
Easter hesitated.
Then—
“One more chance.”
Hill didn’t even blink.
“Always.”
---
Epilogue: Chaos, As Usual
“So technically, we succeeded,” North said proudly.
“No,” Dao replied. “Technically, we caused a hospital visit.”
Typhoon raised a drink. “Worth it.”
Nao sighed. “We’re never doing this again.”
Tiger smirked. “Sure.”
Johan added, “Next time, less violence.”
Arthit nodded. “Preferably zero.”
---
Across the room—
Hill pulled Easter closer.
Not tightly.
Not forcefully.
Just enough.
Careful this time.
Certain.
And Easter…
Stayed.
Because this time—
Hill didn’t look away.
