19.

Chapter 19

Sunoo couldn’t sleep.

He had tried. He had tossed and turned on the stiff mattress in his quarters, staring at the ceiling until his eyes burned, but every time he closed them—he felt him.

Riki.

His hands. His lips. That smug, knowing smirk that had wrecked Sunoo more than he wanted to admit.

Now you remember who’s in charge, doc.

Sunoo clenched his fists, willing the heat crawling up his neck to go away. He hated this. Hated how easily Riki got under his skin, how that one kiss had thrown his entire sense of control out the window.

He needed to shake it off.

Pushing himself up from the bed, Sunoo grabbed his coat and stepped into the dimly lit hallway. The asylum was quiet at this hour, most of the patients locked in their rooms, save for a few night wanderers. He knew exactly where he was going.

The common area.

He wasn’t sure why, but he needed to be around people. He needed anything to get Riki out of his head.

The common area was emptier than usual. A few patients lingered—Minji curled up in a chair, humming a tune under her breath, and Heeseung sprawled out on the couch, flipping a worn-out playing card between his fingers.

Sunoo took a deep breath, grounding himself. This was good. He could focus on something else.

"Doc," Heeseung drawled without looking up. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

Sunoo scoffed. "Just tired."

Minji smirked from her spot. "Oh, really? Because you looked very awake when Riki had his hands all over you earlier."

Sunoo froze. His stomach twisted.

"You—"

"Saw everything?" she finished with a grin. "Of course. You think I’d miss something that entertaining?"

Sunoo pinched the bridge of his nose. Great. Just great.

Heeseung whistled lowly, finally glancing up. "Damn, doc. Never thought you had it in you."

"I didn’t—" Sunoo started, but stopped himself. What was the point? They had seen it. There was no explaining that away.

Instead, he exhaled slowly, choosing to ignore them as he walked over to a chair.

He had barely sat down when he felt it.

That presence.

Again.

Like a shadow stretching across the room, suffocating, pulling all the oxygen out of the air.

Sunoo already knew who it was before he even turned his head.

Riki.

Standing by the entrance, arms lazily draped in his pockets, but his eyes—his eyes—were burning into Sunoo like a warning.

Minji noticed, of course. She grinned like she was watching her favorite drama unfold in real time. "Oh, look who decided to join us."

Heeseung leaned back, his smirk widening. "Let me guess. You missed your doctor, huh?"

Sunoo tensed as Riki’s jaw twitched.

Oh.

He was jealous.

For some reason, that realization sent a shiver down Sunoo’s spine.

Riki didn’t move at first, just stood there, staring at him, like he was debating something. Then, slowly—deliberately—he walked forward.

Straight to Sunoo.

He didn’t even spare Minji or Heeseung a glance. He only had eyes for him.

Sunoo swallowed hard, forcing himself to hold his ground as Riki stopped right in front of him, so close that Sunoo could feel the heat radiating off his body.

"You having fun, doc?" Riki asked, voice smooth, but there was a razor-sharp edge underneath it.

Sunoo raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Riki’s gaze flickered to Heeseung, who was still smirking at the interaction, then back to Sunoo. "Didn’t know you liked playing around with them."

Sunoo’s patience was wearing thin. "They’re my patients, Riki. Just like you."

That was the wrong thing to say.

Riki’s expression darkened, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "You sure about that?"

Something in his tone sent a thrill down Sunoo’s spine, though he hated that it did.

Before he could respond, Riki moved—fast.

One second, he was standing in front of Sunoo. The next, he was gripping the arm of his chair, leaning down until their faces were inches apart.

The room suddenly felt too small.

"You don’t look at them the way you look at me," Riki murmured.

Sunoo’s breath hitched. "Riki—"

"You don’t touch them the way you touched me earlier," Riki continued, his voice low, dangerous. "Do you, doc?"

Sunoo felt his pulse skyrocket. "Let go."

Riki’s lips curled into a smirk, but he did as told—only to do something far worse.

He sat on the arm of Sunoo’s chair, boxing him in completely, their thighs brushing. The heat of Riki’s body was unbearable, consuming.

Sunoo clenched his jaw. "You’re being ridiculous."

Riki tilted his head, his fingers ghosting over Sunoo’s wrist. "Am I?"

Sunoo sucked in a sharp breath. The touch was barely there—just a featherlight graze of Riki’s fingers against his pulse—but it was enough to send a jolt straight through him.

Riki noticed. Of course he did. His smirk deepened.

"You’re shaking," he whispered. "You nervous, doc?"

Sunoo exhaled sharply, his patience snapping. "No."

And then—he did something even he wasn’t expecting.

He touched Riki.

His fingers curled around the fabric of Riki’s shirt, gripping just enough to pull him closer, until there was no space left between them.

Riki’s breath hitched.

Sunoo saw it—the flicker of surprise in his eyes. The slight parting of his lips.

And that was when Sunoo knew.

He had the upper hand now.

"You think you’re the only one who can play this game?" Sunoo whispered, his fingers dragging slowly down Riki’s chest.

Riki’s throat bobbed. His smirk wavered, just for a second.

Sunoo leaned in—so close their noses brushed.

And then, he kissed him.

Unlike last time, this wasn’t Riki’s victory.

This time, it was Sunoo taking control.

The kiss was slow, teasing—his lips barely moving against Riki’s, drawing out every second, every breath.

Riki froze.

For the first time, he was the one caught off guard.

Sunoo smirked against his lips before pulling back, eyes gleaming. "Now who’s in charge?"

Riki stared at him, his pupils blown wide, his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths.

Then—slowly, deliberately—he laughed.

Low. Rough. Wrecked.

"You," he murmured, his fingers tightening around Sunoo’s wrist. "Are going to be the death of me, doc."

Sunoo swallowed.

Because for some reason, despite all his control—despite everything—

He believed him.