This is part 2 of Chapter 3.
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Meilin had a spacious yet cozy dorm room. It had a king-sized bed in one corner, a desk against the wall, and a large four-door closet. "All this space... is mine?" she mused, her voice trembling with excitement. She leaped onto the bed, laughing as she sank into the soft comforter.
After an hour of unpacking and adding her personal touches, the room began to reflect her style. She hung a poster of her favorite champion on the wall—an attractive, shirtless swordsman with long hair and a confident stance. He had well-defined muscles, intense eyes, and stood in a vibrant fantasy world. It was a bold choice for dorm decor, but it brought life to the otherwise plain wall.
"It's good that it's near the green screen, so I can cover it when I need to pray," she mused, eyeing the swordsman's bare chest. "Can't have THAT distracting me."
A team member leaned against the doorframe, holding a colorful flyer. He took in the changes, which had already begun to look like a girl's room. He focused on the poster she had just put up as she admired the champion. He watched her with a playful glint in his eyes, amused by her daring choice of decor.
"He seems like tough competition," a smooth, masculine voice remarked from behind her, causing her to jump.
Meilin spun around, her heart racing, to find Ningshun standing close, a teasing smile on his lips. "Oh! You scared me! What are you doing here?"
He eyed the poster. "Really? This is why you main him?" He raised an eyebrow. "I must say, I see the appeal. He's got the abs for it, I guess."
Scoffing, she rolled her eyes but could not help the smile tugging at her lips, matching his teasing tone. "It's not my fault he's got great hair and... other qualities."
He chuckled, his tone hinting at playful sarcasm. "I see. So that's your type, eh? Long hair and big swords?"
"Yup!" she crossed her arms with a grin. "If I'm going to stare at a character for hours while I play, he might as well be easy on the eyes."
"Fair enough." He flashed her a naughty smirk. "Just don't get too distracted staring at his... assets."
"No promises," she joked, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, he's a great champion... What, you don't think he's cool?"
Ningshun pretended to think about it, his gaze drifting back to the poster. "Your crush definitely has a... unique style. I'll give him that."
"Crush? I don't have a crush. It's called appreciation, thank you very much." Meilin caught his smug look. "What? Should I put up a poster of you too?"
"Only if you want the room to be unbearably handsome. You'd have to charge admission," he replied with a wink.
"Ha! Keep dreaming. Arrogant Chads like you aren't even my type!"
He gasped and clutched his heart, pretending to be wounded. "Ouch! You sure know how to hurt a man's ego, don't you?"
"I call it tough love." She chuckled, her tension melting away.
"I like the confidence." He shifted, as if trying to regain his composure. But his eyes stayed on hers a moment longer, and she felt a rush of warmth from the way he looked at her.
To distract herself from his gaze, she lowered her eyes and noticed the colorful paper in his hand, her curiosity piqued. She had seen it earlier but had not paid much attention to it. "What's that?" She pointed to the flyer, her brows drawing together with intrigue.
Ningshun glanced down at the flyer, remembering why he had come to her room in the first place. "Oh, that's right... Here, I almost forgot." He handed it to her.
Meilin's eyes lit up like a child's at the sight of the various pizzas. "We're having pizza?" her voice bubbled with excitement. "This day just keeps getting better!"
'That's all it takes? Cute.' He watched her reaction, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "So, Princess, care to tell me your favo—"
"I want them all!" Her eyes lit up like fireworks.
Rendered speechless, he blinked. "You... want all of them?" His skepticism gave way to a broader smile. "I mean, it's a lot of pizzas. How do you plan to eat all that?"
"I don't. I just want to try a slice of everything. I've never had pizza from this place before, so I need to figure out which one's my favorite."
Ningshun chuckled. "Sounds like a plan."
"By the way, did I hear you call me 'Princess' just now?" Meilin quipped, cocking an eyebrow. Her eyes dared him to deny it, lips curving into a sly smile.
He gave a sheepish grin, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks, and cleared his throat. "What's wrong with that, Princess?"
Her smirk grew, enjoying the way he seemed flustered. "That's so cheesy."
He chuckled, pretending to take notes like a waiter. "No extra cheese on your pizza. Got it. Anything else, miss?"
"Ew, stop..." She rolled her eyes with a playful expression, her smile widening. "I'll start calling you worse things if you don't stop that."
"Bring it on," Ningshun shot back, his voice smooth and full of confidence, but his gaze never left hers. He appeared to be daring her to step closer, even though his heart raced a little. "Call me whatever you want."
"You're so annoying!" Her jaw dropped at his audacity. "Are you done? Can I get the flyer now?"
"Oh, you want this?" Ningshun wiggled the flyer above her head.
Without warning, Meilin grasped his upper arms, dragging them down and taking him by surprise. He stumbled, but his reflexes took over, and in a single fluid motion, his hands slammed against the wall behind her, his body pinning her in place between his strong arms.
The sudden closeness felt like a jolt of electricity—intense and thrilling. The narrow space between them ignited as their bodies almost touched. She could sense the strength in his arms as he gave her space, but this only made the moment more charged.
She could feel his breath, hot and shallow, brushing against her neck. She caught her breath as he lifted his head and locked eyes with her, the close proximity sending tingles through her nerves. His scent had a dark, masculine quality that sent her heart into overdrive. The mint-green of his eyes held a raw intensity, his gaze so focused on hers that it felt like he could see right through her.
Ningshun's throat tightened, and he swallowed hard. His voice sounded low and rough, just above a whisper. "I, uh... Is this what you do to your poster every night?"
"Mhm..." she faltered, her voice a whisper.
Finding it hard to focus, his arms trembled under the strain, visible veins pulsing beneath his skin as he held his position. He tried to remain composed as his eyes darted from her lips back to her eyes, but the nearness made it difficult.
"Wow..." With their faces mere inches apart, she could feel the heat radiating off his body, sending a shiver running up her spine. 'He's even more beautiful up close...'
His pulse quickened, and his shallow breaths became more uneven. The closeness unsettled him, and his cheeks grew warm as he tried to contain the rush of emotions. He did not move, his hands still pressed against the wall, enclosing her in a space that felt too intimate for teammates and overwhelming with his restrained energy. "Meilin... you good?"
She struggled to find her voice, and how he held her gaze made her heart beat. "Yeah, I, uh, yeah, sorry." The temperature in the room felt as if it had risen several degrees. She struggled to focus on anything but the way his eyes studied her face, as if he memorized every detail.
"Right. Well, I should get going," Ningshun's whisper strained as he took a slow step back, his eyes never leaving hers. "Enjoy unpacking, and I'll catch you later." He turned to leave, but not without throwing one last glance her way, the intensity in his eyes lingering for a moment before he looked away.
Meilin watched him go, her heart pounding in her chest. Her skin retained the warmth from his body and the raw power of his presence. What had begun as playful banter had escalated into leaving her breathless. "What... did I do?" she whispered, her cheeks burning as her eyes fixed on the doorway he had just exited.
Oh, I love adding some trouble for... well, the characters. Hahaha!
Please give me a vote to help out. I'll appreciate your help!
Demon King's Love - Copyright © 2023 by Aurora Luxi. All Rights Reserved.