LOVE ME MORE

CHAPTER SEVEN:HIS ABSENCE

The argument with Adrian lingered in Kai’s mind far longer than he wanted to admit.

Even after he returned to his dorm room.

Even after he dropped his bag onto the floor and tried forcing himself to focus on his independent coursework.

Even after he turned off the lights and lay staring blankly at the ceiling.

The sharpness of their latest fight kept replaying in his head.

But so did something else.

That stupid moment in the corridor the night before.

The laughter.

The ease of it.

The brief, impossible feeling that maybe—just maybe—they had stumbled into some kind of understanding.

And then this morning Adrian had acted like none of it had happened.

The memory irritated Kai enough that he barely slept.

By dawn, his head was pounding.

His throat felt raw.

And every inch of his body ached.

Still, Kai forced himself upright.

Missing school wasn’t an option.

Not with the championship approaching.

Not with his scholarship hanging by a thread.

He dragged himself through dressing, made it halfway to the door—

And nearly collapsed when dizziness slammed into him.

The room tilted.

He caught himself against the desk, breathing hard.

A knock sounded moments later.

Before he could answer, the door swung open and Maya stepped inside.

She froze immediately.

“Kai.”

He looked up.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh wow. You look awful.”

“Thanks.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

Kai straightened stubbornly.

“I’m going to class.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

Maya folded her arms.

Normally, her expression carried its usual teasing amusement.

This morning, it was pure determination.

“Kai, your face is practically gray.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re swaying.”

“I’m standing.”

“Barely.”

Kai reached for his bag.

The movement sent another dizzy wave through him.

His knees buckled.

Maya lunged forward just in time to steady him.

That was enough.

Her expression hardened.

“Absolutely not.”

“Maya—”

“No.”

She guided him back toward the bed with surprising force.

“You’re staying here.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“The practice session—”

“I’ll get the notes.”

Kai frowned.

“From who?”

Maya hesitated.

Then visibly grimaced.

“…Adrian.”

Kai blinked.

For a moment, even through the fever haze, that was alarming enough to sharpen his focus.

“You?”

“Yes.”

“Collecting notes from Adrian?”

She looked deeply offended.

“Why are you saying it like I’m volunteering for execution?”

“Because Adrian barely tolerates people speaking to him.”

“Encouraging.”

Kai managed a weak smirk.

Maya rolled her eyes.

“Stay here. Sleep. Try not to die dramatically before I get back.”

And with that, she grabbed his notebook and marched out.

---

By the time Maya reached the academic wing of Ravenscroft Academy, she was regretting every life choice that had led her here.

It wasn’t that she disliked Adrian.

Well.

That wasn’t entirely true.

She disliked how cold he could be.

How he always looked like he was silently judging everyone around him.

And she especially disliked the way he and Kai somehow managed to turn every conversation into verbal warfare.

Still.

This was for Kai.

And if Kai was sick enough to miss school, then things were serious.

So here she was.

Standing outside the advanced literature study hall, clutching Kai’s notebook like it might somehow shield her.

The room was nearly empty.

A few students lingered over early revision work.

And near the tall windows, exactly where she expected, sat Adrian.

He was alone.

Books arranged with mathematical precision.

Pen moving steadily across neat pages.

Maya inhaled.

Then approached.

He noticed her before she spoke.

His gray eyes lifted.

Immediately narrowing slightly.

“Maya.”

There was no warmth in his tone.

Just mild surprise.

“Adrian.”

He glanced briefly around her.

As if expecting Kai to appear.

When he didn’t, something unreadable flickered across Adrian’s face.

“Where is he?”

The directness caught her off guard.

“He’s sick.”

Adrian’s pen stopped moving.

For half a second, his expression changed.

Subtly.

So subtly most people would have missed it.

But Maya noticed.

Concern.

Gone almost instantly.

His features settled back into cool neutrality.

“I see.”

“He’s got a fever.”

Adrian said nothing.

Maya shifted awkwardly.

Right.

This was painful.

“He asked me to collect your notes.”

That was a lie.

Kai had absolutely not asked that.

But Maya doubted Adrian needed the distinction.

He studied her for a moment.

Then, without comment, reached into his satchel and withdrew a carefully organized stack of papers.

Already prepared.

Maya blinked.

“You… had them ready?”

“They’re the study notes for today.”

“Yes, but…”

She stopped.

Because asking why Adrian had prepared notes for Kai in advance suddenly felt dangerous.

Adrian held them out.

She reached for them—

And another hand reached at the exact same moment.

Their fingers collided.

Maya jerked back instinctively.

The papers slipped.

Several pages scattered dramatically across the floor.

“Oh no.”

A low groan sounded from nearby.

“Seriously?”

Maya turned.

A tall boy with dark hair and sharp features stood a few feet away, balancing two books against his chest.

Ethan Vale.

Adrian’s cousin.

Professional instigator.

Architect of the midnight banner disaster.

He stared down at the fallen pages with visible disbelief.

Then sighed and crouched to help gather them.

Maya immediately crouched too.

And because fate clearly hated her—

Their heads collided.

A sharp thunk echoed through the quiet hall.

“Ow!”

“Sorry!”

They both jerked backward.

Maya rubbed her forehead, mortified.

Ethan looked equally startled.

“Sorry,” he repeated quickly.

“No, that was my fault.”

“No, mine.”

“No, I moved too fast.”

“I was in your way.”

They both stopped.

An awkward silence settled.

Maya became painfully aware of how close they still were.

Close enough to notice the way Ethan’s ears had gone slightly red.

Close enough to realize—

Wait.

Was Ethan Vale blushing?

That made no sense.

This was the same boy who regularly tormented Kai for entertainment.

The same boy who always seemed absurdly confident.

And yet here he was, visibly flustered because they’d bumped heads.

Weird.

Very weird.

“I, uh…”

Ethan cleared his throat.

“Here.”

He handed her the pages he’d collected without quite meeting her eyes.

Their fingers brushed.

This time he withdrew so fast he nearly dropped the stack again.

Maya stared.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

When she finally stood, Adrian was watching the entire exchange with mild suspicion.

Ethan straightened too, suddenly finding the opposite wall fascinating.

Maya tucked the notes against her chest.

“Well.”

Brilliant opening.

She mentally winced.

Ethan looked equally trapped.

“Well,” he echoed.

Another silence.

Adrian looked like he regretted existing.

Finally Maya blurted, “Thank you. For the notes.”

Adrian gave a short nod.

Then, after the briefest pause, asked:

“How bad is his fever?”

The question surprised her.

She tried not to show it.

“Pretty bad.”

Adrian’s expression tightened almost imperceptibly.

“He should rest.”

Maya blinked.

There it was again.

That flicker of concern.

Gone before she could fully process it.

“Right,” she said slowly.

“I’ll tell him.”

As she turned to leave, Ethan suddenly spoke.

“Wait.”

She paused.

He hesitated, visibly nervous.

Then awkwardly held out a small packet of herbal tea.

Maya stared.

“What’s this?”

“For… Kai.”

His ears were definitely red now.

“My aunt swears it helps with fevers.”

Maya accepted it slowly.

“Oh.”

Ethan shoved his hands into his pockets.

“It’s nothing.”

Adrian looked deeply unimpressed by his cousin’s awkwardness.

Maya, meanwhile, was trying very hard not to smile.

This was unexpectedly adorable.

“Thanks,” she said.

Ethan gave a stiff nod.

And promptly looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.

Maya left the study hall fighting laughter.

That had been the weirdest interaction of her life.

And somehow she couldn’t wait to tell Kai.

---

Back in his dorm, Kai was half-asleep when Maya returned.

She dropped the notes onto his desk.

And the tea packet beside them.

Kai blinked blearily.

“What’s that?”

“A gift.”

“From who?”

“Ethan.”

Kai stared.

“What?”

Maya grinned.

“Oh, you have no idea.”

She launched into the entire story.

The awkward collision.

The blushing.

The nervous stammering.

By the end, Kai was sitting upright despite his fever, staring at her like she’d lost her mind.

“Ethan Vale was shy?”

“Yes.”

“That’s impossible.”

“I literally watched it happen.”

Kai looked deeply disturbed.

“This school is cursed.”

Maya laughed.

Then her expression softened.

“Oh—and Adrian asked how bad your fever was.”

Kai froze.

“What?”

“He acted all cold about it, obviously. But he asked.”

Something strange tightened in Kai’s chest.

“That’s… weird.”

“Mm.”

Maya’s grin returned.

“Almost like he cares.”

“He does not.”

“Sure.”

“He doesn’t.”

“Whatever helps you sleep.”

Kai glared weakly.

Maya only laughed again.

After she left, the room fell quiet.

Kai stared at the notes.

Neatly organized.

Carefully detailed.

And then at the tea packet.

A ridiculous warmth stirred somewhere beneath the fever haze.

He hated it.

Absolutely hated it.

Then exhaustion dragged him under.

---

The next morning, Adrian noticed Kai’s empty seat immediately.

He told himself it meant nothing.

It was simply practical concern.

Their championship preparation depended on Kai being present.

That was all.

Nothing more.

Certainly not the strange unease that had settled in his chest when Maya mentioned the fever.

Throughout class, his gaze kept drifting toward the vacant desk.

By lunch, irritation had replaced unease.

If Kai was well enough to argue endlessly, he should be well enough to return.

And yet—

He didn’t.

Maya appeared alone at their afternoon study session.

“He’s still sick.”

Adrian’s expression remained neutral.

“Unfortunate.”

Maya narrowed her eyes.

“You know, for someone pretending not to care, you keep glancing at the door.”

“I’m expecting punctuality.”

“From Kai?”

Adrian said nothing.

Maya smirked.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

“Why don’t you visit him?”

The suggestion landed like a challenge.

Adrian looked at her sharply.

“That would be unnecessary.”

“Mm-hm.”

“He needs rest.”

“Or maybe you’re scared.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Of what?”

She smiled sweetly.

“Caring.”

Adrian’s expression turned glacial.

“That’s absurd.”

“Sure it is.”

She gathered her things.

“See you tomorrow, Adrian.”

He watched her leave.

Then looked once more toward the empty doorway.

And despite himself—

wondered if Kai had eaten anything that day.

The thought irritated him instantly.

He shoved it away.

Opened his notebook.

Forced himself to work.

And failed to focus for the rest of the evening.