So before we countinue I'm going to post a last message this is on Monday chapter so what is left is Tuesday to Saturday and again ohhhhhh I would post one chapter per day for this week from Monday to on Saturday on Saturday I would post two for that day and on Sunday so don't excpect on Sunday then I'm going on break for test see I have only one week to prepare for test so I'm trying and also cause I know it but still I'm trying I would start posting around 30 of November yes 30 of November why cause I don't have a any novel stockpile again and I need to stock more and go to the land of imagination to tighten the novel especially our kain lead side and did I state that they would be different side story wish me luck in my test
Kai walked over to Derek's bunk, his damp honey-blond hair falling softly over his forehead.
The golden-brown undertones caught the light whenever he moved, Under the room's lighting, the soft strands revealed a subtle golden-brown undertone.
His warm hazel eyes, a beautiful mixture of golden brown and muted green, held a trace of amusement as he approached.
At 5'9", Kai had a slender, lightly toned build, with softly defined shoulders and a delicate-looking frame.
His white short-sleeved button-up shirt and matching casual trousers suited his appearance, making him look particularly fresh after his bath.
His fair skin carried a warm, peachy undertone, while his oval face, softly defined cheekbones, neat little nose and gently rounded chin gave him an almost doll-like prettiness without taking away from his handsome appearance.
Derek glanced up at him.
"Dry my hair for me," Kai said, his gentle, melodious voice carrying the slightest hint of expectation.
Derek looked up from his phone before sitting upright. "Come here."
Kai stepped closer, and Derek caught him by the waist, drawing him down beside him.
Kai landed against his side , one hand bracing against Derek's chest as though he had any intention of moving away.
After grabbing the towel Kai had brought, Derek pulled lightly at his shirt collar to bring him closer, using it to wipe away the water droplets that had collected around his neck.
His thumb lingered at the damp curve of Kai's throat for a moment before he lifted the towel to his hair.
"Don't you even know how to take care of yourself?" Derek muttered, rubbing the towel over his damp hair.
Kai tilted his head to make it easier for him, leaning into Derek's touch without hesitation.
"Hmm. It's my fault," he replied, sounding entirely unrepentant.
Derek gave him a sideways look but continued drying his hair, his fingers moving through the soft strands to get rid of the moisture.
Across the room, Felix finally managed to get himself free from Philip's hold. He snatched the remaining takeaway towards himself, only to discover that there wasn't much left.
"You're actually unbelievable," he grumbled.
Philip picked up the empty plate. "You were too busy fighting me."
"You stole my food!"
"And you still haven't beaten me."
Felix glared at him while Philip carried the plate away to dispose of it.
Rick, already stretched out on his bed, turned towards them.
"Do you guys still have practice?" Felix asked, taking the last bite of his food.
"Yeah." Rick shifted against his pillow. "We've got a basketball competition next Thursday. The representatives are also going to attend our classes throughout next week."
Jay walked over with Rick's practice clothes and placed them on his bed.
Rick glanced at the clothes before looking up at him.
"Where's my ice cream?"
"No ice cream," Jay replied, already turning away to continue arranging the room.
Rick sat up. "What do you mean, no ice cream?"
"You know how your body reacts when you eat something spicy, then follow it with something cold, and go straight to practice." Jay picked up a few things from the floor and put them away. "I'm not dealing with you complaining about your stomach later."
Rick reached for his hand and pressed it dramatically against his chest.
"You're breaking my heart."
Jay looked down at him without the slightest sympathy.
"Then let it break. And don't bother sneaking any in, either, unless you don't want snacks again."
He pulled his hand away and walked off.
Rick watched him leave, his lips still pushed into a pout.
"He's so cruel," he muttered.
Matthew finally returned to the dorm.
By then, Jay had already finished cleaning the room and was out on the balcony, washing his and Rick's clothes.
Felix lay on his bed beside Philip, who had disposed of the takeaway earlier; the two of them were watching a film on Felix's laptop.
Rick sat on his bed combing his hair, talking to Kai Or more accurately, Kai was listening to Rick while resting against Derek's chest.
Derek had one arm around Kai's shoulders, both of them covered by a blanket.
His face was tucked against the side of Kai's neck, warm breath brushing over his skin He seemed perfectly comfortable in that position, occasionally moving his fingers against Kai's shoulder as Rick talked.
"I'm thinking of dyeing my hair back to its natural color again," Rick said. "What do you think?"
"Change it back," Kai replied. "It's been a long time since I've seen you with your natural hair."
Derek pressed a slow kiss to Kai's neck.
Kai's breath caught, and he quickly bit back the sound before anyone could notice.
Derek shifted slightly, reaching for the curtain control beside the bed Kai immediately caught Derek's hand beneath the blanket, holding it still.
His expression barely changed, though his fingers tightened around Derek's.
Rick continued talking, apparently unaware.
"Really? You think it'll suit me better?"
"Your natural colour looked good on you."
Just then, Matthew walked in.
Derek lifted his head slightly, one eyebrow raised. "Matthew's here, so you guys are going to practice together, right?"
"kai , stop talking to Rick so he could get ready," Derek said, removing Kai's hand from his and pressing the button.
He removed Kai's hand from his and pressed the curtain control himself.
A soft mechanical sound came from the bunk.
The dark, soundproof curtain began descending from the upper frame, slowly enclosing Derek's lower bunk.
Unlike the upper bunk, which had its own separate arrangement, the curtain on the lower bed covered only Derek's sleeping area.
The arrangement of the dormitory made the separation even more effective.
Derek and v share the first bunk Felix and Rick the second bunk which occupied the right side, the two bunks divided by a pair of large wardrobes, one assigned to each bunk's upper and lower occupants.
Each person had a separate study area, with desks and storage arranged around the beds.
The same arrangement was repeated across the other two bunks on the left side of the room, where another two bunk beds the third bed for Philip and Kai the fourth for hsy and Matthew. Which were also separated by their own wardrobes and study spaces.
Beside each bunk was a personal area combining a study desk and dressing table, complete with mirrors, skincare products, books and other belongings.
In the centre of the spacious room sat a small table surrounded by beanbags, while the kitchen occupied the right side and the balcony was positioned on the left.
With the wardrobes and the distance between the two sides of the room, Derek's lower bunk was particularly difficult to see from the entrance.
As the curtain lowered, Derek pushed Kai gently back onto the mattress.
Kai tried to sit up, but Derek leaned over him, keeping him there with a hand braced beside his head.
"Derek—" Kai began, though there was no real protest in his voice.
"We have time," Derek murmured.
The curtain finally fell into place, enclosing the lower bunk in soft darkness and muffling whatever happened next from the rest of the room.
And now, with its dark curtain completely drawn, whatever was happening inside was entirely out of sight.
For a brief moment, the opening was still wide enough for someone outside to catch a glimpse of Derek's amused expression.
Matthew glanced at the closed curtain, then at Rick, who was still sitting on his bed with a comb in his hand.
Meanwhile, at Crownside High's basketball court, practice was already underway.
The indoor court was one of the school's largest sporting facilities, built to accommodate both regular training sessions and international competitions.
Its polished wooden floor was marked with crisp white and coloured lines, with the school emblem displayed at the centre.
Two regulation basketball hoops stood at opposite ends, their transparent backboards fitted with electronic score displays.
The lower audience section consisted of several rows of tiered seating facing the court.
Students usually occupied the central and upper rows, while teachers, visiting guests and school officials had designated sections closer to the front.
There were also reserved seats for the coaching staff and team representatives, positioned near the players' benches.
At the far end, behind a protective barrier, was the cheerleading section.
It had its own small performance space, complete with storage for equipment and a designated area where the girls could practise their routines without interfering with the players.
The school had gone a step further with its VIP arrangements.
On the audience side, several private viewing lounges were built into the lower stands, separated from the ordinary seating by glass panels.
They had comfortable couches, individual tables, refreshments and a clear view of the entire court.
Guests could watch the game without having to sit among the crowd.
There was also a smaller luxury viewing area positioned close to the court, slightly elevated above the players' benches.
Its glass railing offered an uninterrupted view of the players, while its private seating made it particularly popular with wealthy parents, important guests and students whose families had special arrangements with the school.
At the moment, the court was filled with the sound of bouncing basketballs, squeaking sneakers and the coach's whistle.
"Move! Move! Don't drag your feet!"
Five members of the basketball team were running through a series of conditioning exercises near the sideline.
One of them had slowed down, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
The coach blew his whistle sharply.
"You! What's that supposed to be?"
The boy straightened immediately.
"Sir—"
"Don't sir me! Get up properly. You're already acting like a wimp, and we haven't even started the difficult part!"
A few of his teammates exchanged looks, trying not to laugh.
"Keep running!" the coach barked.
The boy hurried back into formation.
On the other half of the court, another five players were practising amongst themselves.
They divided into two sides, passing the ball quickly, attempting interceptions and working on their shooting accuracy.
One player dribbled past his opponent, only for another to step in and steal the ball.
"Hey! That was a foul!"
"Then don't leave the ball hanging!"
"Give it back!"
"Come and collect it!"
The coach turned at the noise.
"Are you playing basketball or arguing? Keep going!"
The two immediately returned to their positions.
Meanwhile, the cheerleading team was occupying its designated section.
There were thirty members in total, although the actual number of active participants was considerably smaller.
Fifteen were regularly involved in performances, while the others had mainly been recruited to increase the team's numbers.
Ten of the original members were sitting together, taking a break and watching the training.
Four other original members were actively supervising the practice, helping the fifteen newer recruits learn the routines and correct their movements.
The remaining original member was occupied with organising the formations and checking the girls' progress.
Some of the newer girls were still struggling with their timing.
One kept turning a second too early, while another repeatedly forgot which direction she was supposed to face.
"Left! Your other left!" one of the senior girls called.
The girl quickly corrected herself.
A few of the original members sitting nearby laughed quietly.
It was hardly the most impressive practice session, but at least the girls were making progress.
Inside the luxury VIP lounge closest to the court, Ava was comfortably seated on one of the large sofas.
She wore a tailored white sleeveless button-up vest with structured lapels, a sharp V-neckline and a pointed hem.
The matching high-waisted white mini skirt had neat pleats that rested above her thighs, giving the outfit a polished, coordinated appearance.
Her red hair was styled in a high half-up bun, secured with a dark ribbon, while the rest flowed freely down her back in voluminous water-wave curls that extended past her waist.
The curls bounced slightly whenever she moved her head.
Small silver hoop earrings framed her face, accompanied by a delicate silver chain necklace with a tiny pendant.
A structured white leather shoulder bag rested beside her, its silver chain strap and metallic logo catching the light.
Her white knee-high leather boots had thick platform soles and several rows of buckles running down the front.
A tablet rested neatly on the table in front of her, positioned at a comfortable angle so she could read without leaning forward.
Beside it was an opened can of water, which she occasionally lifted to her lips.
Luna sat beside her, dressed in an oversized white jersey that reached almost to her knees, with a short black cover underneath.
Her long, full black hair flowed freely down her back, smooth and glossy, extending past her waist like a dark waterfall.
She had one leg crossed over the other, a small plate of grapes resting beside her as she scrolled through the school group on her phone.
A particular post caught her attention.
She picked up a grape and popped it into her mouth.
"Look at this. They're still talking about Matthew and Sophia. Some people have already decided they're dating."
Ava took a sip from her can of water, barely looking at the screen.
Luna continued eating her grapes, scrolling through the comments. "Honestly, they do look good together. Everyone seems convinced they're a perfect match."
Ava glanced at her briefly. "It seems Sophia is less busy this period."
Before Luna could respond, the lounge door opened.
Aiden entered with two of his basketball teammates.
He paused briefly upon noticing the girls, then walked further inside. He took a seat on the opposite couch while the other two settled into the extra seats.