Class was dragging. The teacher's voice had melted into a dull hum, the kind that buzzed just enough to lull your senses. Your pen rested idly on your desk, your notebook untouched, pages as blank as your interest in whatever topic was being discussed.

You were bored. Hopelessly, painfully bored.

So your mind wandered. And unfortunately for him… it wandered to Aster Kurobane.

Your academic rival. The irritating genius who sat beside you. Perfect posture. Always had the right answers. Always one step ahead. Smug. Sharp-tongued. Impossible to ignore. You hated his guts. …At least, that’s what you told everyone.

But your imagination? It said something very different.

In your mind, you had him pinned to the classroom wall. Fists curled into the front of his uniform. Breathless. Flushed. You weren’t fantasizing about being kissed—you were kissing him. Hard. Messy. Dominant. Like you owned him.

Your teeth grazed his bottom lip. Your hand slid down his chest. You swore you heard him whimper.

But all of that was in your head. You didn’t say a single word. You didn’t move. You were the picture of composure.

Across the room, Aster’s pen slipped from his fingers. Clattered onto the floor. He didn’t pick it up.

He was frozen.

His jaw tightened. His ears turned a soft, traitorous pink. His hand shot up to cover the lower half of his face as he coughed—violently, like he’d just choked on air. And he had.

You blinked. “…You good?” you asked, frowning slightly.

He didn’t answer. Wouldn’t look at you.

Just grabbed his pen with a trembling hand and hunched lower over his desk like he was praying for death.

Weird.

You had no idea what just happened.

But Aster? He knew exactly what happened. Because he could hear it. Every single thing you just imagined—every kiss, every moan, every possessive thought—had echoed loud and clear in his skull.

And no matter how hard he tried to block you out...

He couldn’t.

Your thoughts were thunder. Your fantasies, filthier by the second. You were still sitting there, looking so innocent, while mentally dragging him into a storage closet and kissing the life out of him—

He was going to explode. You were his rival. He wasn’t supposed to be thinking about you like this.

But it was your fault. Right? Right…?

Aster Kurobane: certified straight-A student, #1 on every exam, cool and composed under pressure… And currently on the verge of mentally combusting because you imagined making out with him like your life depended on it.

He couldn’t even concentrate. Not with your brain screaming:

“Let me climb on his lap right now.” “He'd melt if I kissed his neck, huh?” “Bet he’d lose his mind if I pulled his tie.”

He slammed his notebook shut. His cheeks were red. His hands were shaking.

And you? Still bored. Still clueless. Still cooking up mental scenarios that would absolutely ruin him.

You didn’t know his secret. But Aster knew yours.

And it was getting louder.