Light Clouds

The afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of the school’s training hall, casting long, warm stripes across the wooden floorboards. The air smelled faintly of old books, lemon-scented cleaner, and a familiar scent that always clung to him—something like expensive cologne and mint.

Noah adjusted the strap of his bag, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. At twenty-four years old, being a senior high student often made him feel a little out of place, but he had long since gotten used to the routine. His dark orange hair fell messily over his forehead, a style he had given up trying to fix, knowing it would just fall back into place no matter what he did. He was dressed in his usual combination: a plain white shirt layered under a black open button-up, comfortable and simple, exactly how he liked it.

"Five minutes late again, Noah."

The deep, calm voice came from behind him, and Noah stiffened slightly before turning around.

Allan stood there, leaning casually against the doorframe. Even after hours of classes, he looked impeccable. His black teacher’s uniform was perfectly pressed, not a single crease out of place, and his glasses sat neatly on the bridge of his nose, catching the light just enough to hide the sharpness of his gaze. At twenty-six years old, Allan was Noah’s English teacher, his mentor, and the person Noah spent almost every single day with.

"Sorry, Sir Allan," Noah stammered, his shoulders hunching up instinctively. He had always been this way—easily flustered, submissive by nature, and prone to getting overwhelmed when attention was directed solely at him. "I got held back by some papers. I didn’t mean to make you wait."

Allan pushed himself off the wall and walked over, his steps slow and deliberate. He was tall, towering over Noah, and there was a heavy, possessive sort of aura that surrounded him whenever they were alone. To anyone else, it might have felt intimidating, but Noah just stood there, head slightly bowed, waiting for whatever instruction came next.

These so-called training sessions were never really about academics or physical improvement. For Allan, this was the highlight of his day—the only time he could keep Noah close, under his watch, ensuring that every minute of the younger man’s time belonged only to him.

"You know I don’t like waiting," Allan said softly, stopping right in front of him. He reached out, and Noah flinched just a tiny bit, only to freeze when Allan’s fingers brushed gently against his hair, sweeping the orange bangs away from his face. The touch was lingering, far too tender for a teacher-to-student interaction. "You look messy today. Didn’t you comb your hair?"

"I… I did," Noah mumbled, cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. He felt his heart race—not out of attraction, but out of pure nervousness. To him, Allan was just… well, Allan. Strict, demanding, sometimes a little scary, and definitely not someone he ever looked at and thought was attractive. Even with the glasses and the neat uniform, Noah only ever saw a mentor he had to obey. "It just… does this on its own."

Allan let out a low chuckle, his hand resting heavy on Noah’s shoulder, his thumb rubbing small, slow circles against the fabric of Noah’s shirt. "It suits you. Come on. Let’s start. We have a lot to cover today."

They moved to the mats at the center of the hall. The training usually consisted of balance exercises or reading drills—things Allan claimed were necessary for Noah’s development, but really just forced Noah to be within arm's reach.

"Straighten your back," Allan instructed, standing directly behind Noah. He didn’t just correct him with words; he stepped in close, pressing his chest lightly against Noah’s back, and wrapped his hands around Noah’s waist to pull him upright.

Noah went rigid, his face heating up instantly. "Sir! You don’t have to—"

"Quiet. If you don’t do it right, I have to help you." Allan’s voice was right next to his ear, low and warm. He held Noah there for a moment longer than necessary, his grip firm and possessive, as if he were holding something precious that might run away. "There. Stay like that. You look better when you listen to me."

Noah just nodded rapidly, eyes darting around the room anywhere but at the hands resting on his stomach. He felt overwhelmed, his mind spinning a little, completely missing the way Allan was staring at the side of his face with a look of deep, hungry affection.

An hour later, the session ended. Noah let out a quiet breath of relief, grabbing his bag and hurrying toward the exit, desperate for some fresh air. Allan followed behind him at a leisurely pace, hands in his pockets, watching Noah’s retreating form with a faint, satisfied smile.

As Noah pushed the double doors open and stepped out into the corridor, he almost bumped straight into someone small and energetic who had been waiting right outside.

"Cousin!"

Noah stumbled back, eyes widening. "Jez!"

Standing there was Jezreel—or just Jez—his sixteen-year-old cousin, the daughter of his Aunt Rena from his father’s side. She was wearing her school uniform, though the jacket was slung over her shoulder, revealing the volleyball jersey underneath. Even though she was younger, she was famous in school for her incredible talent with marksmanship and her deadly accuracy on the court.

Despite her skills, she looked anything but dangerous. She had that same submissive streak that ran in the family, always soft-spoken, easily lost in her own world, and carrying a permanent expression of gentle confusion, like a little kid trying to figure out where she was.

But the moment she saw Noah and the teacher behind him, her eyes lit up with a very specific kind of knowing sparkle.

"Were you training again?" Jez asked, tilting her head cutely as she fell into step beside Noah. She peeked around him to glance at Allan, offering a sweet, polite smile that Allan returned with a polite nod. Then, she leaned in close to Noah, her voice dropping to a whisper that was definitely loud enough for the English teacher to hear. "You two are always together. It’s just like in the stories I read~"

Noah blinked, confused. "Stories? What stories?"

Jez giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. She absolutely adored BL stories, and to her, the dynamic between her older cousin and the strict, possessive teacher was the best plot she had ever witnessed in real life. She knew exactly what was going on. She saw the way Allan looked at Noah when Noah wasn't paying attention. She saw the way Allan always found an excuse to touch him or keep him late.

And she was the number one supporter of this slow-burn romance.

"You know…" Jez hummed, swinging her arms as they walked toward the school gates. "The ones where the strict mentor is actually super obsessed with the main character and always keeps him close because he likes him so much~"

Noah’s face turned bright red, mortified. "Jez! Don’t say things like that! Sir Allan is just… he’s just strict! And professional! I don’t even think he’s… you know… my type or anything. He’s just… scary sometimes."

Behind them, Allan’s footsteps paused for a fraction of a second. If Noah had looked back, he would have seen the way the teacher’s jaw tightened slightly at the word scary, and how his eyes darkened behind the glasses. But Jez did look back, and she sent Allan a small, secretive wink, mouthing the words Don't worry, I'm helping.

Allan’s expression softened instantly, and he gave her a barely noticeable thumbs up.

"But he takes such good care of you," Jez insisted, looking up at Noah with big, innocent eyes that held way too much wisdom. "He waits for you every day. He fixes your hair. He makes sure you eat lunch. He’s like… a very possessive boyfriend who hasn’t realized it yet."

Or maybe he had realized it, Noah thought silently, but just pushed the thought away. He was too tired and too easily overwhelmed to analyze it. "You read too much, Jez. You’re lost in your own world again."

"I am not!" She grinned, grabbing onto Noah’s arm and clinging to it tightly, just like the affectionate cousin she was. "I know everything. And I know that one day… you’re going to realize it too. That he’s been wrapped around your finger this whole time."

Noah just sighed, shaking his head as they reached the gate. He turned to say goodbye to Allan, who was standing by his car, watching them with that intense, unwavering gaze.

"Goodbye, Sir Allan. Thank you for… the training," Noah said politely, bowing slightly.

"See you tomorrow, Noah," Allan replied, his voice low and warm. "Don’t be late. And Jez… take good care of him."

"I will!" Jez chirped, waving enthusiastically as she dragged Noah away toward the direction of the houses. She looked back one more time, seeing Allan still standing there, watching until they disappeared around the corner.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Jez squeezed Noah’s arm and bounced on her heels.

"He’s so in love with you, cousin!" she squealed quietly. "His eyes literally turn into hearts when he looks at you! It’s so obvious! You really don’t see it? You really think he just wants to train you?"

Noah rubbed the back of his neck, looking genuinely perplexed. He really didn’t get it. To him, Allan was just… well, Allan. Strict, demanding, a bit suffocating, and definitely not someone he found attractive. He liked things simple, calm, and easy. Allan was complicated, intense, and overwhelming.

"I think you’re imagining things," Noah said simply, though a small, soft smile touched his lips as he looked at his cousin. Despite her odd obsession with romance stories and her habit of getting lost on the way to the cafeteria, he loved her dearly. "Besides… even if he did… I don’t think I’m ready for anything like that. I’m just… normal. Average. I like quiet."

Jez stopped walking and turned to face him, her expression softening. She reached up and patted his cheek gently, just like an older sister would, even though she was much younger.

"That’s exactly why he likes you, silly," she said sweetly. "You’re like light clouds. Soft, gentle, always there… but hard to catch. And he’s just waiting for the right time to hold you."

Noah just shook his head, a little flustered again, and nudged her forward. "Come on, let’s go home before it gets dark. You’ll get lost again if we stand here."

But as they walked away, Noah couldn’t help but think about her words. He didn’t know it yet, but the slow burn had only just begun. And Allan? He was already planning exactly how to make sure that every step Noah took… was a step closer to him.