Don't Come Near Me, I'm Just a Background Character [BL Harem]

63 - the Aftermath

The following week...

Remis darted through the dormitory halls, his steps swift and his eyes focused as he trained in on the door to his room. He heard the quick clacking of footsteps behind him, followed by a clear, resonant voice yelling for him to stop and just face him. His mind was in too much disarray and his body was too jumbled up for him to cast a spell to help him, and his lungs had long since started hurting from the lengthened period of exertion, yet he didn't dare to stop.

He finally reached the oak door and hurriedly fumbled around to unlock it, grabbing the handle and twisting it so forcefully that he swore it almost flew off. Then, with a quick swerve through the open door, he slammed it shut and instantaneously collapsed onto the floor, his chest rising and falling as he gulped in air. "I'm safe..." he wheezed out, his tired expression giving way to a resigned yet triumphant smile.

Just as he felt his heat slowing, his tired and flushed face regaining its usual complexion, the door swung open.

Shit. I forgot to lock it, Remis swore inwardly and wanted to smack his forehead.

"Remis... please, can you please... just stop running from me?" A crisp voice. From the floor, Remis saw flashes of that familiar platinum blonde hair and emerald green eyes. His mind subconsciously recalled that moment in the infirmary and his face immediately twisted inscrutably.

Just as his muscle twitched and he prepared to make a break for it through the prince's legs, Lucius grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into his arms. His thick chest was heaving from exertion, his face only slightly worn out as if he had just taken a light jog. Remis' heart soured at his unaffected figure, starting to struggle in the prince's embrace.

"You– I'll call workplace harassment on you! Let go of me–" Remis grunted as he tried to unfurl himself from the thick arms enveloping him like a little teddy bear.

Lucius' eyes furrowed, his expression quickly turning dark as Remis continued to struggle. "I'm the crown prince. You can't threaten me so stop struggling."

Remis' face twisted with vexation in response, but he knew that it was no use. He quieted down and instead tried a different tactic: acting as a dead, unresponsive human teddy bear. Seeing the black head of hair quieting down, Lucius' eyes had a trace of appeasement in them. He silently loosened his hold by just a bit and carefully rested his chin on the crown of Remis' hair, enjoying the sensation of silky hair brushing his skin from all sides. Remis' entire expression was deadpan, his heart resigned as he felt the pressure on the top of his head.

"Now..." Lucius muttered, his chest rumbling as a result of the deep voice, "..could you please explain why you're avoiding me?"

----

A few hours ago...

"You're fully healed, my lord. Congratulations." A healer, dressed in a pure white coat, smiled and bowed. Remis rubbed his eyes sleepily. It was early morning and he was finally released from the infirmary, his wound perfectly healed without a scar by the royal healers. It was abnormal to be woken up by doctors to release the patient, but Remis had specifically requested for them to do it.

Every day following the prince's confession, Remis had been playing dead. He would pretend to sleep from morning to night, then drowsily fall into real slumber just after midnight, repeating the cycle, all to avoid facing Lucius. He couldn't be "awake" if the capture targets weren't even there, either, since the doctors would quickly notify their masters and the capture targets would come rushing back.

So Remis decided he would rather be dismissed early in the morning and have a day to himself, completely avoiding any interaction with any capture targets.