Fang Chen glared at Seth in annoyance.
Who’d want to bite him!
He’s way too tough!
He’d probably break Fang Chen’s teeth!

The little lamb looked truly annoyed at being teased.

Seeing he was reaching his limit, Seth let go. Under the streetlights, several red finger marks were left on Fang Chen’s pale, soft cheeks.

He hadn’t used any force at all.
Why was his skin so soft?

Seth restrained himself and looked away, quietly slipping all the candies he’d caught into Fang Chen’s coat pocket.

Fang Chen huffed softly, finally seeming barely satisfied, turned away and muttered, “I’m hungry.”

Seth took his hand again. “Mm, let’s go to the restaurant.”

They walked along the main plaza’s road, with fireworks overhead and crowds—crowds of ghosts—taking pictures along the sidewalk.

Fang Chen stopped to look up. The bursts of fireworks made his bright eyes appear to glow too.

Seth stopped too, but what he watched wasn’t the fireworks, but the person watching them.

Fang Chen’s round eyes, the soft cheeks that puffed out a bit whenever he smiled in surprise… dressed up tonight, but not scary—if anything, he was cuter than ever.

Watching for a while, Fang Chen couldn’t resist pulling out his phone. “Seth, can you take a few pictures for me?”

“Sure.”

Seth stepped back with the phone and snapped shots of Fang Chen. Amid swirling neon, fireworks exploding, and that vampire outfit—Fang Chen smiled sweetly for the camera, eyes crinkling as he flashed a peace sign.

Seth kept pressing the shutter again and again, until Fang Chen’s pose got stiff. “Is it done yet?”

Seth hesitated, handed the phone over. “All set.”

Fang Chen opened the gallery in awe—so many photos! All he wanted was one!
He glanced at Seth, hesitated, and asked, “Do you… want to take one together?”

Seth didn’t reply—just smoothly stepped beside him. “Should we pose?”

Fang Chen, “…”
“No need, just act normal.”

They took the selfie; Fang Chen immediately realized the camera showed only his face and Seth’s chest.
…Yeah.

He tried to lift his arm higher, but suddenly Seth took the phone for himself. “Let me do it.”

Seth aimed the phone at them.
Paused…

Now you could only see his face, with a hint of Fang Chen’s fluffy crown.

He tried not to laugh, knowing the little lamb would get mad.
But in the end, he couldn’t hold it—he stifled two laughs.

Fang Chen’s eyes went round. “Are you laughing at me?”

Seth’s smile vanished instantly. “No.”

“Then what are you laughing at!”

Fang Chen looked very serious.
Seth paused. “I just thought of something happy.”

To divert him, Seth said. “Let’s ask someone else to take it for us?”

Fang Chen scowled, shot Seth another glare, but then smiled and went to ask a passerby.

A friendly blonde woman took the phone, even giving tips: “Hey! Act passionate—how about a kiss?”

Fang Chen’s ears burned red, his head shook like a rattle drum.

Seth looked down at him for two seconds, couldn’t help but smile again.

Just as the shutter clicked.

Checking the photo, Fang Chen was stunned—it was actually really nice.
Fireworks overhead, one tall, one slim, a pair of vampires but surprisingly harmonious. Fang Chen smiled for the camera; Seth, meanwhile, gazed down and smiled at him.

Fang Chen felt his heart skip—a sudden flutter as he licked his lips and glanced up, catching Seth watching him back.

He felt awkward, quickly locked his phone and said, “Let’s go, I’m starving.”

Seth nodded, “Send me a copy of the photo later.”
Fang Chen ignored it, walking faster.
Seth repeated, quietly insisting.
Only then did Fang Chen mumble, “I’ll send it later.”
Seth gently squeezed his hand, “Okay.”

Strange costumes were everywhere tonight, even in the restaurant. Luckily, Seth had booked a private room, so Fang Chen could relax a bit.

He rushed to declare, “I’m paying tonight!”

Seth raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Why?”

“To thank you for taking me to the ranch before, and for cooking Chinese food for me last time.”
Fang Chen answered primly.

Seth barely frowned. He didn’t like how Fang Chen kept careful score between them.

But he said nothing, just handed over the menu. “Pick what you’d like.”

Fang Chen scanned the menu and froze.
Why was it so expensive?!
Even the salad cost $80! Was he being robbed?!

Little lamb nearly fainted.
He should’ve picked the restaurant!

Looking over the whole thing, the wine list at the end sent him straight to despair.

So he could only say, “I’m dieting—I’ll just have a salad.”

He closed the menu and pushed it to Seth, playing it cool. “You pick, whatever you want.”

Seth just raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, ordered a full meal and dessert too.

Inside, Fang Chen’s internal sheep was banging away on a calculator.
How much did he just spend!!

Finally, Seth closed the menu and politely asked, “Would you like some wine?”

Fang Chen shook his head hard; “No more drinking.”

Last time, drunk, he’d groped Seth’s chest.
Who knew what he’d try this time!

Seth hid his smile and just ordered bubbly water.

While waiting for food, Seth brought up Fang Chen’s studies again, mentioning he had no matches lately so wasn’t busy.

“You should come study at my place. I’ve learned more recipes, too.”

His third time making the offer.

Fang Chen peeled one of Seth’s candies and popped it in his mouth, strawberry sweetness spreading. He cupped his chin, eyes down, hardly glancing at Seth, voice soft: “Okay.”

Seth almost thought he’d misheard.
Looking at Fang Chen, pretending not to care, lips bulged from the candy, Seth just felt itchy—he wanted to bite him.

He licked his own teeth and mimicked Fang Chen, “Okay.”

Little lamb glared at him, “Don’t copy me.”

Too cute.

Seth stared at him long and hard.
If he really was a vampire, he wouldn’t want to bite Fang Chen—just wrap him up and coax him to bite back.

Under Seth’s dark gaze, Fang Chen pulled his cloak tighter around himself.
Was Seth a vampire for real?
Why did he look so hungry?

Thankfully, the waiter brought their food.

Seth had ordered a feast—table piled high—while all Fang Chen had was a sad, green salad.

Seth slowly cut into his steak. “You don’t need to diet at all. In fact, you should gain weight. You’re too thin.”

Nonsense!
(▼ヘ▼#)
Fang Chen furiously chewed on his greens.
Of course he wanted meat!

There’s no way Seth could finish all that food.
Seth finished cutting, saw the little lamb had puffed himself up into a pufferfish, and, stifling laughter, slid his plate toward Fang Chen.

Fang Chen blinked, “Huh?”

“Help me out—seems I ordered too much. Waste isn’t good.”

So his salad was swapped for steak, and Seth shifted all the favorite dishes over, even giving up the dessert—all devoured by Fang Chen.

After gorging, Fang Chen licked his lips, satisfied as could be.

Only as Seth led him to the door did it hit him, “Wait! I didn’t pay yet.”

“No need—if you really want to spend money, just transfer it to me.”
Seth took advantage to grab Fang Chen’s hand—soft, warm—and squeezed it gently.

“What do you mean?”

“This restaurant is mine. If you want to pay, just pay me.”

Fang Chen was dumbfounded, led away.
Seriously—his?
The ranch is his, the restaurant is his!
Little lamb, jealous, gritted his teeth. “Stop telling me you own all of New York.”

“Not quite.”
Seth, amused by his scowling face, coaxed, “Next time, you can treat.”

Fang Chen glared, “There won’t be a next time!”

“Then I’ll treat again next time.”

By the time Fang Chen got back to the dorm, it was after midnight.
Half-asleep, he wiped off his makeup and collapsed in bed.

Maybe it was the Halloween energy, but he dreamt all night.

In a dark castle, lying face-up on a bed, his eyes blindfolded with a ribbon, wrists pressed overhead, trembling, tears soaking into the silk.

But no mercy from the person before him.

Hot kisses covered his neck and jaw, traveling lower.

He whimpered, by instinct arching his chest.

Finally, the man leaned in, brushing his lips over Fang Chen’s throat.

Fang Chen, voice shaky, pleaded, “No, don’t bite me.”

Don’t drink his blood.

The man laughed softly, his low voice in Fang Chen’s ear.
“I want to kiss you.”

He woke up with a start, stared at the ceiling, then sat up and blushed, rushing, legs pressed together, into the bathroom.

Why would he dream that?

Since his eyes were covered, he never saw the man’s face—but at the very end, whispering in his ear, that voice… sounded a lot like Seth’s.

Standing under the shower, water streaming down, Fang Chen glanced at his soft pale belly and sighed.

How dare he?
How would his tiny stomach fit so much food!

After washing, dressing, and shaking off wild thoughts, Fang Chen headed for the pizza shop—no class today.

Jamin happened to be there.

They hadn’t chatted in a while, so they went to the back to gossip.

“How’s it going lately?”
“Awesome! Let me show you my new boyfriend—look at that ass!”

“…”

Seeing Fang Chen so bashful, Jamin laughed. “You’re still like this? Seriously, you should try having a boyfriend.”

Fang Chen said nothing, disagreeing inside.
You can’t just “try” a boyfriend.
It has to be for real, proper and serious!

Not that he wanted a boyfriend anyway!!

“Hey, want to hear some gossip?”

Jamin bumped Fang Chen’s shoulder, voice dropping. “Someone got pics of Seth on a Halloween date.”

Fang Chen almost choked, “Cough—who?!”

“Seth, look!” Jamin showed him—the pic from Halloween, Seth as a vampire, looking amazing.

Fang Chen’s heart leapt.

Watching Jamin scroll through, he relaxed a little.
Thankfully, thanks to the lamplight, Fang Chen’s face wasn’t clear.

“Just like a movie star!” Jamin admired, pointing to the “little vampire” beside Seth. “See—matching costumes! But… doesn’t that body look a lot like yours?”

He eyed Fang Chen suspiciously.

Fang Chen swallowed.
Jamin was his first friend since transmigrating—he didn’t want to lie.

After a pause, he muttered, “That’s me.”

“Oh, it’s you—” Jamin froze, then shouted, “What?! You?!?”

“How did you meet?!”

“It’s complicated,” Fang Chen answered carefully. “We’re just friends, not what you’re thinking.”

Jamin narrowed his eyes, “Don’t lie. Went out for Halloween together—just friends?”
He cocked his chin, mock-interrogating, “Have you slept together yet?”

Fang Chen shook his head fast.
Jamin nodded, “Seeing how lively you are, guess not.”

“…”

Jamin can make anything dirty.

Fang Chen’s ears burned as he tied on his apron, “I’m not talking—got tables to wipe.”

Jamin grabbed him, “Don’t run! Tell me—has he confessed to you yet?”

Fang Chen regretted being honest.
“No! I told you, it’s not what you think!”

Jamin scoffed, “What am I thinking?”

Fang Chen clamped his mouth shut.

Jamin mused, “That’s weird. Here, people don’t drag things out—if you like someone, you say it. If you’re interested, you go to bed.”

“Unless…”

Fang Chen stopped, ears up, “Unless what?”

Jamin shrugged. “Unless he’s not into you—doesn’t find you attractive.”

Fang Chen stood still, the sparkle fading from his eyes.

Is that it?

__

Author’s note:
Mini Theater
The man really knows how to use his strengths.

Like when Fang Chen’s crying, pushing him away, saying no, he’d reach out, gather him up, coax, “Baby, if you bite my chest, I’ll let you bite it all night, okay?”

Truth is, Fang Chen couldn’t even close his mouth anymore, drooling, too stunned to even make a sound, let alone bite.