It was 8:00 PM, and one of Bangkok's most elite restaurants was glowing under the city lights. Inside a private, plush cabin, Sky and his father were already seated. Dressed in a sharp black silk shirt, Sky looked effortlessly handsome, though his face carried its signature mischievous smirk.
The doors opened, and Kao entered with his mother. Wearing a simple white shirt, Kao looked the picture of innocence—until his eyes landed on Sky. His expression instantly soured, his mood dropping faster than the temperature in the room.
"Sit down, Kao," Sky's father greeted warmly. "Your mother told me you're both in the same faculty. Isn't that wonderful?"
Sky flashed a killer smile and pulled out the chair right next to him. "Oh yes, Dad. We aren't just in the same faculty; we 'talk' every single day. Right, Kao?"
Under the table, Kao swung his foot and landed a sharp kick on Sky's shin. Sky winced, a hissed breath escaping his teeth, but he kept his smile forced. "Ouch... yeah, Kao is just... very energetic," Sky managed to say through gritted teeth.
Throughout the dinner, their 'Tom and Jerry' dynamic was in full force. Every time Kao tried to take a sip of soup, Sky would 'accidentally' bump his elbow. When Sky tried to lead the conversation, Kao would cut him off with a sarcastic remark. Their parents, blissfully unaware, chatted away about their own future plans, thinking their sons had bonded remarkably fast.
"Kao, have some salad. You're way too thin," Sky teased with the tone of an overbearing older brother, piling the most bitter vegetables onto Kao's plate.
Kao shot him a look of pure fire and leaned in to whisper, "I'm going to kill you, Sky. You better watch your back on the way home tonight."
Sky just winked. "I'll be waiting, Future Brother."
While the 'Step-Brothers' were at war in the restaurant, a completely different atmosphere was brewing near the university dormitories. Pete's luxury car pulled up outside Wave's hostel. Wave was still in a wheelchair, but as he moved to get out, Pete didn't wait for him to struggle.
In one swift motion, Pete reached in and swept Wave up into his arms, carrying him bridal-style.
"P'Pete, I can do it myself... people are looking," Wave whispered, his face turning a deep shade of crimson.
"Let them look," Pete replied curtly, though his grip on Wave was surprisingly gentle. "I told you, as long as your foot is injured, you are my responsibility. You don't need to look at anyone else but me."
Pete carried him all the way up to his room. It was a small space, filled with Wave's old books and modest belongings. Pete took in the sight of the cramped room, thinking about the massive divide between his world as a billionaire's son and Wave's world of hard work and survival. Yet, at this moment, they felt closer than ever.
"Do you need anything? Have you eaten?" Pete asked, his cold 'Head Hazer' mask finally beginning to slide away.
"No, P'. I'm fine. You've done more than enough," Wave said, looking down at his lap.
Pete reached out, placing his fingers under Wave's chin and tilting his face up. In Pete's dark eyes, there was no longer any coldness—only a haunting, raw longing. "Wave... forget everything I said that day in the rain. I don't want you to be afraid of me."
Empowered by the softness in Pete's voice, Wave reached out and held Pete's hand. "I was never afraid of you, P'. I was just waiting for the day you would finally recognize me."
Pete ran his fingers through Wave's soft hair and leaned in, his breath warm against Wave's ear. "I never forgot you. I was just fighting against myself."
In the heavy silence of the dormitory night, the distance between them evaporated. Pete didn't seem to want to leave. He decided then and there that he would order dinner for Wave and stay until he finished every bite.
Just then, Pete's phone buzzed. It was a message from Gao: "James and I are outside. Do you have everything handled, or should I send James up to help Wave?"
Pete replied instantly, his thumbs moving with possessive speed: "No. I'm with Wave. He doesn't need anyone else."
Pete's protectiveness was a clear sign that as they approached Episode 10, the chemistry was about to reach a boiling point. With Sky and Kao's hilarious rivalry on one side and Pete and Wave's intense, brewing romance on the other—the Engineering faculty had truly become a battlefield of hearts.