Crimson Scars

Chapter 8

Est sat stiffly in his seat, arms crossed, eyes trained forward, but his mind was anywhere except on the stage. The entire event had been a blur until now, an exhausting mixture of loud voices, academic chatter, and the overwhelming presence of too many people in one space. But now, his focus had zeroed in completely on one person.

William.

The man stood at the front of the auditorium, assisting in the demonstration of emergency first aid with the infamous Dr. Sarvani Mokhtan-whose cold and calculating demeanor had sent shivers down Est's spine the first time he met her. However, William, standing beside her, was the complete opposite. His energy was infectious, his voice smooth yet filled with authority, and his presence was enough to command the attention of the entire audience.

Est hated how his eyes followed William's every movement.

Every time William rolled up his sleeves to demonstrate proper bandaging techniques, Est's throat went dry. Every time he leaned in to speak to Dr. Vani, his smile flashing mischievously, Est felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest. He had told himself over and over again that William was nothing more than a fleeting attraction, a momentary lapse in his otherwise tightly controlled existence. But his heart was betraying him, beating just a little too fast, his fingers twitching as if they ached to trace the outlines of that smile.

He shook his head, trying to break free from the unwelcome thoughts.

"Est, you're staring," Neko whispered beside him, leaning in with a knowing grin.

"I'm not." He cleared his throat, sitting up straighter.

"You totally are."

"Focus on the presentation."

"I am focusing. But you're not," she teased, nudging him. "You've been watching him the entire time like he's the last piece of chocolate cake and you're on a diet."

Est groaned, running a hand over his face. "Neko, just-"

"Oh, don't worry. I think he's staring at you too."

That made Est freeze. Against his better judgment, he stole a glance toward the stage. His breath caught in his throat when his gaze locked onto William's. The man wasn't just looking at him-he was devouring him with his eyes, his expression unreadable yet intense.

The moment stretched between them, the world fading into a blur of background noise. Neither of them moved, neither of them broke eye contact. It was as if something unseen tethered them together, an invisible force pulling them closer despite the physical distance between them.

Est's pulse raced, his stomach twisting in a way he despised.

Then, Dr. Vani's voice broke through the spell.

"William, focus."

William jolted, turning back to the demonstration with a sheepish grin, while Dr. Vani gave him a suspicious side-eye.

Beside Est, Neko snickered. "Oh, this is fun."

He groaned again. "Neko, shut up."

"I will if you admit you have a crush."

"I'd rather crash an aircraft."

Neko hummed in amusement. "You're getting dramatic. You totally have a crush."

Est refused to dignify that with an answer.

The event continued, shifting to the next segment-Dr. Ling's talk on nutrition, with Rune assisting her. While Dr. Ling was informative and intimidatingly intelligent, Est found himself only half-listening. He was too preoccupied keeping an eye on Neko, who had gone from a giddy university student to a blushing mess beside him.