Under bright lighting, polished tiles and metal fixtures gave off a faint glow.
The two stood side by side at the urinal.
While unbuttoning his pants, Kevin muttered out of habit, "Ethan, Maddie seemed pretty well-behaved earlier, go easy on her... holy—!!!"
Before he could finish, his eyes drifted over to Ethan, and his entire body froze on the spot!
The smile on his face froze, then got wiped out completely by overwhelming shock and disbelief. His eyes went wide, like they were about to pop right out of his skull.
It was like he'd been hit with some kind of curse. He forgot to keep doing what he was doing, just stared straight ahead, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.
Some indescribable feeling, mixed with shock, embarrassment, and even a touch of absurdity, surged straight to Kevin's forehead.
The only thought screaming through his head, deafening, was: "What the hell?! Are you a donkey or something? Oh my god, is this some kind of joke?"
The next few seconds were unbearably long and torturous for Kevin.
He more or less finished up in a daze, barely even zipping up properly, then stumbled after Ethan, who looked like nothing had happened, out of the bathroom.
Back in the bright, lively lounge, Kevin collapsed onto the sofa like a statue, his eyes blankly fixed on the expensive starry ceiling.
His earlier pride and teasing energy had completely vanished, replaced by a massive cloud of "questioning everything about his life."
Why?!
This kid Ethan, how many doors did the universe open for him, and how many did it slam shut for everyone else!
That face was handsome enough to offend gods and mortals alike, but fine, whatever, that's one thing!
But then he had to have that tall, perfectly proportioned build too!
And that calm, composed way he carried himself didn't even seem like something an eighteen-year-old should have!
And what the hell was that... how is it possible that on the most basic, fundamental level, the kind that touches on "dignity" and "confidence," someone could just grind you into the ground over and over until there's nothing left?
This wasn't just a gap anymore. This was practically a difference in species!
Kevin was screaming internally, a mix of grief and rage.
He felt like his entire worldview had just been shaken to its core.
Brandon noticed something was off and nudged him. "Kevin? What are you zoning out about? Did you lose your soul taking a leak or something?"
Kevin turned his head mechanically, shooting Brandon a complicated look full of awe, jealousy, grief, and pure despair, then slowly turned back to stare at the ceiling, muttering weakly, "Don't worry about me... just let me be... I just need a minute."
He desperately needed someone to help him process this earth-shattering "discovery."
Oh my god. This is so unfair.
.....
Brandon raised his hand to check the understated Patek Philippe complication watch on his wrist. The dial glowed softly under the lounge lighting.
He looked up at Kevin, sitting on the sofa looking gloomy. "Kevin, is it about time?"
"Mm." Kevin nodded gloomily. "Yeah, should be about time."
Tony tactfully got up, a smile on his face. "Alright! I'll go up and bring down the auctioneer and the experts right now."
He headed toward the stairs.
Ethan also sat down on the single sofa next to Brandon, looking relaxed.
Brandon glanced over at him, a mischievous smile on his face, and asked, "Ethan, where's your girl Maddie? Why not invite her down to watch the fun with us?"
Before Ethan could answer, Kevin, slumped on the sofa across from him, seemed to flip some kind of switch. In a voice thick with bitterness, he said quietly, "His companion? Heh... I don't think she's coming down tonight. Tomorrow might be rough too. This guy's basically a machine. What woman could even keep up with that?"
After he said it, he absentmindedly touched his nose, like the scene he'd just witnessed had hit him all over again.
"Hm?" Brandon, Preston, Logan, and even a few of the girls listening nearby all perked up, every eye instantly locking onto Ethan like a spotlight.
The girls' eyes lit up with intense curiosity and undisguised envy. To get Kevin to say something like that, just how insane did Ethan's "stamina" have to be?
Brandon froze for a second, then a playful smile spread across his face as he looked Ethan up and down. "Tsk tsk tsk! Look at you, Ethan! Still waters run deep, huh! Didn't expect you to be packing that kind of skill set! All hidden under the surface!"
His tone was a mix of teasing and genuine amazement.
Ethan just picked up the ice water the staff had set in front of him and took a sip. His expression stayed calm and unbothered, neither proud nor embarrassed. That composure only made him seem even harder to read.
After a moment.
Footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Tony led three people down.
Leading the group was a woman in her late twenties, dressed in a sharply tailored black blazer with a white silk shirt underneath, giving off a sharp, capable aura.
She wore signature white gloves, a polite, professional smile on her face, her gaze sweeping steadily over everyone in the room.
A half-step behind her was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with a stern expression.
And finally, an older man with graying hair, dressed in an elegant suit, walking with steady, sharp-eyed confidence, carrying a fairly small leather briefcase.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen." The woman stood in the center of the room, her voice clear and pleasant, with a well-practiced approachability. "Thanks for having us at this little gathering. If everyone's ready, shall we get started?"
Her gaze lingered briefly on Ethan's unfamiliar face, then moved on.
Ethan looked over the three of them, and a flicker of doubt rose in his mind.
This was pretty different from the auction he'd pictured.
No grand venue, no flashing bid boards, just a yacht lounge, a handful of buyers, and these three, who looked professional enough but felt a little "low-key" compared to the setting.
It felt pretty casual, honestly, almost a little too simple.
Brandon seemed to have a knack for picking up on Ethan's shifts in mood.
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice with a smile. "What's wrong? Feels a little too casual, like some kind of pop-up operation?"
Ethan nodded slightly and said honestly, "Yeah, kind of."
This was definitely different from the elegant, tense, high-stakes auction scene he'd imagined.
"That's a totally normal reaction." Brandon nodded, understanding.
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