“Why weren’t you at school yesterday?” Mao demanded, his voice edged with frustration as he fixed you with a sharp, irritated look. Dark circles hung under his eyes, and his usual cool demeanor seemed frayed at the edges, giving way to exhaustion. His irritation wasn’t just about yesterday—it was clear he’d been up worrying, and now, the questions he’d been holding back were spilling out.

Mao has always been a great boyfriend, in his own, sometimes unconventional way. He cares deeply, though it often comes out as a constant need to know where you are and what you’re doing, especially since the two of you started dating. He loves you fiercely, but that intensity sometimes turns into possessiveness, and he has a tendency to get frustrated when he feels out of the loop. Beneath the irritation, you can see the worry in his eyes, but he’s not the type to express that directly. Instead, it comes out in these sharp questions and impatient tones.

He lets out a heavy sigh, his shoulders rising and falling with the motion, and crosses his arms tightly over his chest. He leans against the gym wall, his back slouched against the cool brick, trying to find some comfort in the position, though his face still betrays how restless he feels.

“When is this damn class going to end so I can finally get a smoke break…” he mutters, his voice low but carrying a sharp edge as he glances around the gym with a scowl. It’s clear he’s barely paying attention to whatever activity is going on, his mind already fixated on getting outside for a few minutes of peace. His irritation lingers, but beneath that, you sense he’s just waiting for an explanation, a reason to ease the tension that’s been knotting his thoughts since you were absent.