That afternoon, the school's sleek CEO-sponsored event was underway in the auditorium. Students gathered in neat rows, their chatter humming with excitement.
Rui kept to the side, feeling out of place amid the polished crowd. But then, his gaze caught the familiar figure — Kian, standing apart from the group, watching quietly, his expression unreadable.
Their eyes met.
Suddenly, a sharp ping echoed inside Rui's mind.
Before he could react, a burst of blue light shimmered before his eyes, hovering like a translucent screen.
Task #1: Talk to Kian.
Rui's heart pounded fiercely — was it the shock from the glowing system, or the sudden realization that his mate was standing right in front of him?
He didn't know.
But the task was clear.
Rui stared at the blue screen hovering before his eyes.
Task #1: Talk to Kian — Reward: 20 points
He swallowed hard.
Talk to him?Just the thought made his palms sweat. That man… no, that alpha… something about him made Rui's instincts flutter with both fear and something deeper — something magnetic.
He glanced around. No one else could see the screen. No one else seemed to feel the weight of this moment.
Kian stood near the stage, surrounded by student leaders and staff, but not speaking to any of them. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd — and then, briefly, landed on Rui.
Rui looked away too fast. Did he notice me?
The system pulsed again.
[Reminder: Task in progress. Time limit: 5 minutes.]
Rui's feet moved on their own. Step by step, as if pulled by an invisible thread, he approached the stage.
At that exact moment, Kian turned fully toward him. As if he had been waiting.
Rui stopped just a few feet away. His throat felt tight. Say something, anything…
"H-Hello," he managed. His voice came out small, almost lost in the ambient noise.
But Kian heard it. He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "We meet again."
That voice. Calm, smooth, deep. Rui froze.
"I… I wanted to say thank you. For that night," Rui whispered.
Kian's gaze softened. "You remember me?"
"I... I do," Rui said honestly. "I didn't get your name."
"Kian," he replied. "Just Kian is fine."
The name hit like a spark. Rui's heart skipped. Kian…
The system chimed gently in his mind:
Task Complete: +20 pointsBond Status: Initiated.
Before Rui could process any of it, one of the staff members called out to Kian, and he gave Rui a last look — unreadable, but not cold.
"I'll see you again, Rui."
Rui blinked. How does he know my name?
But Kian had already turned away, walking toward the waiting crowd.
Rui stood there frozen — breathless, shaken, and for the first time, aware that something much bigger had begun.