System Mission: Seduce the Final Boss [BL]-Chapter 36: Just kill me...

’Too close, too close!!’

The thought rang loud and frantic in Blake’s mind, drowning out everything else.

Finally, Blake seemed to snap back into himself.

This wasn’t just awkward, but also quite mortifying.

Slowly, Blake lifted his hands and pressed them against Myles’ chest, intending to push him away.

And then he froze.

’...?’

His brain short-circuited for a completely different reason.

’Woah...?’

There was a pause. A very noticeable pause.

’I mean, he doesn’t look that muscular...’

Blake blinked, his thoughts momentarily derailing.

Myles had always seemed... normal. Tall, yes, bit above average. Lean, maybe. But nothing that intended this.

And yet, under his palms, there was firmness, defined in a way Blake hadn’t expected at all.

’Since when—?’

Nonchalantly, far too nonchalantly for someone internally spiraling, Blake raised his gaze.

His eyes met Myles’.

Silence stretched between them.

Myles didn’t react, but his gaze had already flickered downward.

To Blake’s hands.

Still resting on his chest.

The realization hit Blake like a truck.

"Huh—!"

He jerked his hands back fast.

"I—! Could you please back off?" he blurted out, voice a little too loud and rushed. "I mean, now we cleared this thing up."

There was a moment of embarrassing silence.

Then Myles stepped back.

Just one step.

But it was enough.

The pressure vanished instantly, leaving behind an empty space that somehow felt just as intense.

Myles didn’t say anything.

His gaze lingered for a second longer on Blake before shifting away.

Blake swallowed hard.

The two of them naturally started moving again, stepping out of the alley and back toward the street.

Neither of them spoke.

And that somehow made it worse.

Blake shoved his hands into his pockets, shoulders stiff, gaze fixed straight ahead as if that alone could erase the last few minutes from existence.

’Dude...’

His thoughts started creeping back in, one by one.

’That totally looked like I was feeling him up or something...’

His face heated up all over again.

’This can’t be real...’

He resisted the urge to physically cringe.

’The second-hand embarrassment I’m getting from myself right now is insane...’

He risked a glance sideways.

Myles walked beside him like nothing was wrong. Calm. Steady. Completely unbothered on the surface.

Which somehow made Blake feel even more unbalanced.

Because he was definitely bothered.

Very bothered.

And yet...

"...Hey," Blake suddenly spoke.

The word slipped out before he could stop it.

Myles glanced at him. "What?"

Blake hesitated.

For a moment, he didn’t even know why he had called out.

They could just get on the next bus and then part ways.

That would be okay.

Myles would go home.

Blake would go home.

And this entire embarrassing disaster could be buried and forgotten.

...Right?

So why did the thought of just letting him leave feel... wrong?

Blake frowned slightly, brows knitting together.

’I don’t want him to just... go?’

The realization came quietly, but it stuck.

He scratched the back of his neck, trying to sound casual.

"...Do you wanna grab something to eat?"

The words surprised even him.

Myles didn’t react immediately.

He just looked at Blake for a second, like he was trying to see through him.

"Sure."

Blake blinked.

’...That was fast.’

He had half-expected some kind of pushback. Or a question. Or even rejection.

But Myles had agreed so easily it threw him off balance again.

"Ah, okay," Blake said, nodding awkwardly.

And then, an unexpected problem surfaced.

Blake looked around.

Left.

Right.

Up the street.

Down the street.

Everything looked... quite unfamiliar.

’...Wait.’

A pause.

’Where am I even supposed to take him?’

Since transmigrating here, he had barely explored anything. School, home, a few surrounding areas, another city entirely, that was it.

He didn’t know good places.

Didn’t know hidden spots.

Didn’t even know what was considered decent or terrible around here.

’...Wow. That’s actually embarrassing.’

Blake coughed lightly, trying to recover.

"Actually..." he started, glancing at Myles, "you can decide."

Myles raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I invited you, it’s only fair you choose what to eat," Blake smiled, shrugging. "So... yeah."

"Alright."

And then he started walking in an unknown direction.

Blake followed.

At first, the silence returned.

But this time, it wasn’t as suffocating.

Blake’s mind, however, wasn’t quiet. Not even close.

It kept circling back.

To earlier.

To the alley.

To the way Myles had looked at him.

To the question—

"Because of him?"

Blake frowned slightly as he walked.

’...Was he actually jealous or something?’

The thought came out of nowhere and, once it appeared, it refused to leave.

Blake’s steps slowed just a fraction.

’No way... right?’

But then again, Myles’ tone, the way he had pressed the topic, the way he hadn’t let it go until he spoke up, the way he had cornered him.

Blake’s stomach did something weird.

Not quite discomfort.

Not quite anything he could name.

Just... strange.

’Why does that feel...’

He couldn’t even finish the thought.

Because the feeling itself didn’t make sense.

It wasn’t unpleasant.

But it wasn’t something he could easily accept either.

It sat somewhere in between, unsettling in the most confusing way.

Blake exhaled slowly, shaking his head slightly as if to physically clear it.

’Stop overthinking.’

Still, he glanced at Myles again.

’...Yeah. There’s no way. He must be suspicious of Anthony being a spy or something.’

Blake huffed quietly.

"Hey," he said again, this time more grounded.

Myles glanced at him. "What?"

"Where are we going?" Blake asked, genuinely curious now. "Do you know this place well?"

Myles shrugged lightly. "I eat there sometimes."

Blake raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Sometimes?" he echoed.

Myles nodded once.

Blake studied him for a second longer.

There was something about the way he said it, a little bit too casual, all things considered.

’...Whatever.’

They walked a bit longer before Myles finally slowed.

"We’re here," he said.

Blake looked up.

The place in front of them wasn’t anything extraordinary.

Not shabby.

Not luxurious.

Just... normal.

A small, cozy-looking restaurant tucked between two slightly older buildings. Warm light spilled from the windows, and there was a quiet, steady flow of people coming in and out.

Blake blinked.

’...Huh.’

It was exactly what he would’ve expected from someone who strives to act ordinary.

And yet, there was always something so oddly impressive about it.

"What a nice place," Blake muttered under his breath.

They stepped inside.

The atmosphere was warm, calm, and filled with the low murmur of conversations.

Blake followed Myles to a table and sat down across from him.

A waiter approached shortly after.

"Good to see you," he said politely, handing them menus.

Blake glanced down at it, scanning quickly.

But, something felt... off.

He looked up slightly.

The waiter was... looking at him, actually, full on stealing glances without even trying to hide it.

Blake blinked.

’...Okay?’

He shifted slightly in his seat, then glanced at Myles.

"Do you know the staff here?" he asked casually.

Myles didn’t even look at the waiter.

"Just their faces," he said.

That was it.

Blake paused, then shrugged.

"Alright."

Weird, but not worth overthinking.

The waiter took their orders and left, though not without one last glance in Blake’s direction.

Blake leaned back slightly, exhaling.

And just like that, the tension from earlier started to fade.

Bit by bit.

Word by word.

Blake found himself talking more.

Random things.

Even a few complaints about school slipped out without him realizing.

And surprisingly, Myles responded.

Not a lot, but more than usual.

Just enough to keep the conversation going.

And somehow, it worked.

Blake laughed at something small.

Myles’ lips twitched faintly in response.

The food arrived.

They ate.

Talked.

Paused.

Then talked again.

And at some point, Blake realized he wasn’t thinking about the alley anymore.

Wasn’t thinking about embarrassment.

Wasn’t thinking about weird feelings or confusing thoughts.

He was just... there.

Sitting across from Myles.

Talking.

Laughing, even.

But would this last forever?