Chapter 47: “...really beautiful"
Andy stared blankly at the stage. Every idol up there shone like a fresh blade of grass, but in his eyes, it was as if only one flower was in bloom.
The girls around him were screaming nonstop. He pressed his lips together, almost instinctually, raising his camera, hands trembling as he tried to steady them.
Joshua...
At that moment, Joshua suddenly stepped into the center position. The bunny ears on his head were gone, but the little tail behind his pants remained. His deep V-neck collar revealed a glimpse of his pale chest.
He parted his lips—and began to sing.
It was the bridge.
His voice flowed out—husky yet sweet, smooth and drawn-out, like honey poured into a trap, luring everyone in.
Then, at the final line, he suddenly bent forward slightly, eyes half-lidded, teeth grazing his lower lip. His slender fingers tugged at his collar, pulling it loose—instantly undoing the corset-style knot. Yet he didn’t seem to care; he kept smiling, gaze smoldering, as if teasing the audience—tempting them to imagine something even more sinful.
Leonard stared dumbfounded at the screen. Even after Joshua’s face disappeared from the center frame, he still hadn’t recovered.
That feeling... it was strange. Just like that moment in the hallway, where he’d faced Joshua up close...
He didn’t know what it was. Leonard just felt heat rising to his head—and even his nose felt oddly warm.
"Leonard, are you okay?" A panicked voice came from beside him. Leonard blinked, frowning slightly. "What’s wrong with me?"
He felt perfectly—so fine that he could probably run ten laps around the training field without sweat.
His teammate, however, looked alarmed. "You’re... you’re having a nosebleed."
Leonard froze. Almost automatically, he raised his hand—and sure enough, felt something hot and wet.
His pupils trembled. His expression shifted several times before he finally cursed under his breath and hurried into the bathroom.
The others exchanged awkward glances but didn’t dare say anything.
[For the love of god, who can understand—Joshua didn’t even do the dance break, yet this was more than enough!!!]
[Has Joshua’s voice always been this good?!]
[That part—his voice, his expression—damn it, even remembering it makes my heart tremble!]
[I feel like an alpha watching my omega right now.]
[Joshua is definitely mine!]
The performance ended, and the entire audience was in an uproar.
[But seriously, Henry’s so talented! The way he rearranged the song made it perfect for a boy group! I feel like this could be released as its own version!]
[He’s confident and has every reason to be.]
[Joshua also choreographed the dance, right? They’re both insane talents!]
[Take my money! Just debut them all already! And please, more of this concept in the future!]
After all the intense practice and effort, the second performance showcase finally came to a successful close for most of the groups.
"We’re freeee! Everyone, wanna go celebrate a bit?" Lucian shouted.
"You guys go ahead, I’ll head out first." Joshua had just finished removing his makeup and changed into a tracksuit. After saying goodbye, he turned to leave.
"What’s he in such a hurry for? We haven’t even celebrated yet."
"Yeah, not even a group hug!"
"This stage was incredible though—I feel like we might actually take first place, hahaha!"
Henry watched Joshua’s back as he walked away, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression unreadable.
Just then, the door opened again. Justin stood outside, looking in with a puzzled expression. "Where’s Joshua?"
Lucian glanced at him. "He already left."
Justin looked a little disappointed upon hearing that. In the end, he said nothing and walked away.
Outside, Joshua had just reached the gate when he spotted Leonard leaning against a large motorcycle.
The bike had a striking, customized design—clearly something tailor-made.
Leonard was slouched lazily against the seat, looking rather bored.
Leonard’s body moved in a blur when Joshua was about to walk past him.
In an instant, he was standing right in front of Joshua, his teasing voice ringing out:
"Trying to pretend you didn’t see me? Joshua, do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you here?"
Joshua looked up, about to say something—but then his gaze caught on the bouquet in Leonard’s hands.
Small, delicate blue flowers swayed gently, their color soft and star-like.
Joshua blinked in surprise, glancing at Leonard—who had leaned closer, lowering his head until their eyes met.
He smiled, his fox-like eyes curving. "Tweedia caerulea—the ones you like."
Faced with Joshua’s startled expression, his grin widened. "I didn’t remember wrong, did I?"
Joshua pressed his lips together, his face faintly flushed.
Instinctively, he took two small steps back, widening the distance between them.
"Thank you." He accepted the bouquet, his gaze soft as it fell on the flowers. Even the way his fingers brushed against them was gentle—almost tender.
Leonard watched quietly, and for a fleeting second, he wondered—
What would it feel like if those same fingers touched him instead?
The thought alone made his head feel strangely hot again.
This isn’t good. Not good at all!
Leonard instinctively shook his head, trying to shake off the completely mosaic-worthy thoughts running wild in his mind.
Joshua was still fiddling with the flowers when he suddenly felt something heavy land on his head.
Click!
A helmet was locked securely in place. Leonard was already seated on his motorcycle, chin tilted up. "Get on. I’ll take you home."
Joshua touched the large helmet on his head. "Do you even have a license?"
Leonard smirked. "Who do you think you’re mocking? You getting on by yourself, or do you want me to carry you?"
In the end, Joshua climbed onto the seat behind him. Leonard chuckled. "Hold tight."
Then, without warning, he sped off—clearly doing it intentionally to mess with him.
Joshua, however, sat steady and unfazed, completely unbothered by Leonard’s teasing speed burst.
When Leonard realized there was no startled shout or complaint, he laughed. "Told you I’d give you a thrill. Sit tight!"
The words had barely left his mouth before he accelerated again. Joshua had no choice but to wrap his arms around Leonard’s waist.
His waist was solid—muscle sculpted like stone. The wind outlined every contour of his abs as they rode.
Joshua watched the scenery whip by, knowing he wouldn’t get home on time tonight.
But... he didn’t mind.
Maybe it was the afterglow of performing or the adrenaline from the speed and danger—either way, Joshua could feel his heartbeat rising, pulsing faster with every turn.
"I want to drive too," he suddenly said.
Leonard sounded genuinely surprised. "Do you even have a license?"
"No." The answer was blunt and honest. It made Leonard want to laugh and curse at the same time.
"Then how exactly would you drive? Take me with you off a cliff?"
Joshua laughed. "Would you come with me if I did?"
Leonard raised his voice without hesitation. "Of course I would! Even if you drove us straight into a volcano!"
Joshua burst out laughing.
Joshua, try leaning against my back. Listen to it—my heartbeat. It’s racing. I swear I’m about to have a heart attack... and you’ll have to take responsibility for that...
Joshua had no idea how many streets Leonard drove down. All he knew was that after weaving through the city for over thirty minutes, the familiar outline of his apartment building finally came into view.
"You live here?" Leonard asked as he reached over to remove Joshua’s helmet. It sounded more like a statement than a question.
A thousand daydreams—commutes together, chance meetings, morning greetings—started playing like a montage in his mind.
Joshua smiled at him. "Thank you for the ride. And for the flowers—they’re beautiful."
Leonard looked at Joshua standing there, bouquet in his arms, bathed in soft light. But in Leonard’s eyes, there were no flowers—only him.
He stared into Joshua’s blue-tinted eyes and nodded.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "...really beautiful."