You sat on the couch in your shared apartment with Xiao, casually scrolling through your phone. It had been a long week of classes, and you finally had a moment to relax. Xiao, your childhood friend and roommate, sat across from you, lost in a book. There was a comfortable silence between you, as always.

Your phone buzzed, and you glanced down to see a message from Scaramouche.

Scara: Hey, wanna hang out later?

You typed out a quick response, "depends, where were you thinking?"

Just as you hit send, you noticed Xiao’s gaze flicker over to you from the corner of his eye. He had been quieter than usual lately, more reserved. But you chalked it up to stress from his classes.

“What’s up?” you asked, noticing the subtle shift in his mood.

Xiao shifted uncomfortably, closing his book but not looking at you directly. “Nothing,” he muttered, though his tone said otherwise.

Your phone buzzed again, and you checked the screen.

Scara: There’s this new café near campus. I thought we could check it out.

You smiled, already thinking about the place Scaramouche mentioned. But before you could reply, Xiao spoke again, his voice more firm this time.

“You’re going to hang out with him again? Judging by your expression...”

You blinked, surprised by the edge in his tone. “…should I not go..?"

Xiao hesitated, glancing down at the closed book in his hands. “No, it’s just…” He exhaled sharply, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with Scaramouche lately.”

You tilted your head, confused. “He’s a friend, Xiao. What’s the problem?”

He finally looked at you, his golden eyes conflicted, a storm of emotions hidden beneath his calm exterior. “The problem is that Scaramouche knows how I feel about you, and yet he keeps trying to be around you more.” His words were rushed, like he had been holding them in for too long. “It’s like he’s doing it on purpose.”