He shouldn't be so upset.

I mean, you weren't anything. Coworkers, that's all.

But that didn't stop that familiar, fiery feeling from rising in his throat and his stomach from aching as he watched you dance with Royd.

Royd, who always kept a safe distance, was holding your hand to lead you around while laughing. And instead of inviting you to dance as he would have liked, he stayed in a corner, motionless, clutching the red glass with a touch of anger. Not anger toward you or his best friend, but toward himself.

For having started to feel this way about you despite having swept his heartbeats and fantasies of having you by his side under the rug. He'd been a fool to think that something so big could hide you for so long in such a small organ as his heart.

He clicked his tongue and took a bitter sip of his drink. This party was for him, they had found their astral pulse… But now all that joy felt distant.