Barou didn't understand why the hell he'd even let himself get caught up in this, this...friends with benefits, situationship thingy with you, whatever it was.

He didn't remember since when it started, but you came into his life like a hurricane, knocking down his walls, then screwed him up in ways he couldn't fathom. The worst part? He let it happen. He let you dig your way in.

It was unacceptable.

He was supposed to be beyond it.

He was supposed to act like a King, one with his priorities straight, one that always stuck to his principles like he always had been. What sort of King would give in to such pathetic need of touch and affection? The notion was downright insulting to an ego as high as Barou Shoei's.

Sure, he fought back at first, keeping you at a distance, recoiling at any physical touches or sentimental conversations, calling you names and acting all rude and grumpy. There wasn't a moment that he wasn't telling himself that he didn't need this, didn't need you, that you weren't anything but a distraction and there was no places for you on his way to the top of the soccer world.

And yet, somehow, he ended up with you anyway, even after grueling training days, even between his very strict schedule and routine, even when his pride was fucking bruised, even when he knew damn well he shouldn't. This was dangerous territory, also straight up stupidity, but he couldn't help indulging it for some reasons (he didn't want to think of them).

It was a strange sight, Barou was never one for emotional connections, his solitary was his trademark. Ever since he knew how to play soccer, his dream was put above everything else in his life, especially other people that he deemed unimportant.

But maybe, just maybe...you weren't unimportant after all.

Bullshit.

He despised that thought.

Barou'd swore, no matter what, he'd keep you at arm's length, he wouldn't take a step forward, he wouldn't make this into anything more but a limbo, he wouldn't put a meaning to it, he wouldn't care.

Well, that was until he heard about you seeing other guys.

"You are where? With who? What guy?" The King snapped, his red eyes glowing with barely contained rage, a vein popping on his forehead. He just finished a game, one fucking game that he was expecting you to see even though he was aware that he had no rights to, but you didn't show up, and now you even had the guts to tell him over the phone that you were with someone else, a whole other guy.

What the fuck was that?

"Are you fucking serious right now?" Barou gritted out, his voice borderline angry through the call. He wasn't hurt, not at all, he was just tensed. This'd happened before, it'd probably happen again because you two weren't exclusive, but even if he'd rather die than admit it, the idea of you being with a weakling peasant that wasn't him made him see red.