Brittany's POV

Flashback, Age 13

“You promised you’d keep me company while Taewon wrapped up our project,” Orien complains, his hand tugging insistently on my arm as he directs me toward the computer lab.

“I know, I know,” I answer, fighting back a giggle at the dramatic pout on Orien’s face. “But Eryx just asked if I could swing by the library for a second. I’ll only be gone a minute, I swear.”

He narrows his eyes, clearly unconvinced. “Eryx? A minute? Yeah, right. He’ll hog you the whole time.”

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t,” I insist, but my resolve seems to do little to sway him.

“What if I just come with you?” Orien suggests casually, giving a half-shrug.

“That’ll only leave Taewon alone, and you know how much I hate doing that,” I point out, shaking my head.

Orien smirks, a mischievous light flickering in his eyes. “Funny, you only hate that because Taewon hacks your socials every time he feels like you’re prioritizing us over him.”

“Uh, yeah. And the result? Him plastering the cringiest pictures of me all over the internet,” I reply with a laugh, vividly recalling the humiliation of that unfortunate episode. “You remember the double-chin photos? Absolutely tragic.”

He chuckles, reaching out to gently cradle my face. His thumb brushes against my chin, and my laughter falters. The humor fades as tension takes its place, buzzing between us like static electricity. My pulse accelerates. I don’t pull back, but an unease stirs within me.

“Tragic?” Orien echoes, his tone soft but incredulous. “Hideous, you say?” He pauses for a beat, his gaze locked on me. “Did you know I actually jerked off to those photos?”

A wave of disbelief and embarrassment crashes over me, my entire face heating up. “W-what?” I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper.

Orien, ever unbothered by his boldness, shrugs nonchalantly. “You heard me. They were real, unfiltered, one hundred percent you.” He grins provocatively. “And, Sugarplum, there’s nothing that turns me on more than you. At any angle.”

He has to be messing with me, right? We’ve practically grown up together—friends since forever, or close enough. This has to be a joke.

I remember the day our paths first crossed, back in the fourth grade. I’d just transferred schools mid-year, completely friendless, an outsider to already-formed cliques. The boys had been shoving me around on the playground, and Orien stepped in to put an end to it. I hadn’t met him or his friends before because they’d been out on some extended break, but from that moment, they took me in like family.

Ever since, the six of us have been a tight-knit group, our bond unshakeable.

Still, Orien’s brazen personality continues to catch me off guard. He’s always had this cocky streak, with a tendency to flirt or make offhand comments that leave me flustered. But this? This is definitely a new level of boldness.

I chalk it up to his upbringing—him and the others, raised around the wild and rowdy Inferno’s Demon Riders MC. Their world is chaotic, for sure. Most of the guys in the club dote on me like a little sister, and while I’ve spent countless hours at the clubhouse, they’re careful about shielding me from things they think I shouldn’t see.

“Earth to Brittany,” a different voice cuts in, snapping me out of my daze. “Are you glitching, or...?”

Turning, I find Ozais standing a few steps away, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips.

“Glitching’s my job, isn’t it?” another familiar voice pipes up, the rumble sending a wave of dread through me before I so much as glance over my shoulder. Even before I spot his tall figure, I know it’s Catori. His arm loops lazily around my shoulders, pulling me into his gravity before I can slip away.

“Speak of the devil,” Orien says with a grin, exchanging a quick fist bump with Catori.

“Don’t flatter me,” I mutter under my breath, attempting to shrug off Catori’s heavy arm. But he doesn’t budge.

“Aw, don’t be like that, Brit,” Ozais says with a wink. “Tough guy here couldn’t break you even if he tried.”

“Not from lack of trying,” Catori murmurs, his expression unreadable. His tone is low but deliberate, enough to send a chill darting down my spine.

Though Catori’s rough around the edges, he’s not all bad. Somewhere beneath the snark and bravado beats a surprisingly protective heart—though you’d have to dig pretty deep to find it. With his towering frame and combat-ready physique, he’s more intimidating than approachable. Still, his actions often speak louder than his sharp tongue.

“What’re we up to?” Catori asks, still not releasing me from his grasp.

“She thinks she’s marching down to the library to meet Eryx solo,” Orien chimes in, his smug grin resurfacing. “I told her no chance.”

“No way, absolutely not,” Catori adds, spinning me toward the school’s library entrance. “Let’s turn this into a group outing.”

Orien sidesteps to my other side, brushing his fingertips against mine as he matches my pace. I glance his way, and he shoots me a quick wink. Gosh, my face feels like it’s on fire. I quickly avert my gaze, desperate to hide the blush creeping up my neck.

“So,” Orien starts casually, the teasing lilt back in his tone, “ever thought about joining us at the clubhouse—"