[b]Later, outside ${kyl_name}'s apartment…[/b]

${kyl_name} doesn't live far from the department, so it was a pretty quick drive. $!{kyl_she} still hasn't checked your message, so you're not sure what to expect. 

The fear of ${kyl_his} reaction and the uncertainty of your actions are eating you up inside, but you push it all down and press the doorbell, waiting.

You hope to calm your racing thoughts and heartbeat, but the door opens sooner than you expected. 

There's ${kyl_name}, with damp hair and a half-unbuttoned robe showing ${kyl_his} collarbones, and—

"${surname}?" $!{kyl_his} voice pulls you out of your thoughts. [i]Back to the formalities, is that it?[/i]

You force yourself to stay calm as you meet ${kyl_his} gaze. $!{kyl_she} looks shocked to see you, and pissed. [i]When isn't ${kyl_she}?[/i]

You part your lips to to explain, but before you can say anything, ${kyl_she} yanks you inside and leans over to close the door.

"What the hell? What are you even doing here? You—"

"You forgot this," you interrupt ${kyl_him}, holding out ${kyl_his} keys and ID card. $!{kyl_she} purses ${kyl_his} lips, slowly and almost reluctantly accepting them.

*fake_choice
	#"Are we not going to talk about what happened?" you ask, breaking the silence first.
		*set explain true
		"Are we not going to talk about what happened?" you ask, breaking the silence first.

		${kyl_name} looks away, tossing a bunch of keys with ${kyl_his} ID onto the dresser. "There's nothing to talk about."
		
		"We @{no_kiss almost |}kissed. You call this nothing?" you ask, barely containing your growing frustration.
		
		You see ${kyl_him} squeeze ${kyl_his} eyes shut. "@{no_kiss But we didn't. There's nothing to talk about!|I told you I can't!}"
		
		"@{no_kiss And you're just going to keep ignoring it|Can't what}?" you ask, and ${kyl_she} opens ${kyl_his} eyes and turns sharply toward you, ${kyl_his} brow furrows deeper. 

	#"Not even a thank you?" you ask wryly, feeling a familiar surge of irritation.
		"Not even a thank you?" you ask wryly, feeling a surge of irritation that has another reason behind it.

		"[i]Thank you![/i] Happy?" ${kyl_name} snarls, tossing a bunch of keys with ${kyl_his} ID onto the dresser.

		"Do I look like happy?" you retort sarcastically, and ${kyl_she} turns sharply toward you, ${kyl_his} brow furrows deeper. 

	#You remain silent, waiting for ${kyl_him} to say something—anything.
		$!{kyl_his} gaze becomes intense, almost unbearable, but you continue to hold it, silently waiting for ${kyl_him} to say something—anything.

		The air between you grows heavier, and ${kyl_name} averts ${kyl_his} eyes, tossing a bunch of keys with ${kyl_his} ID onto the dresser.
		
		Each second of silence tightens your chest with frustration until ${kyl_she} finally speaks. "Don't look at me like that."

		"Don't look at you like what?" you ask, your voice hoarse.
		
		${kyl_name} exhales shakily, annoyance flickering across ${kyl_his} face as ${kyl_she} runs a hand through ${kyl_his} hair and turns to face you.

	#Your hand finds the doorknob and you turn away, attempting to leave.
		$!{kyl_his} gaze becomes intense, almost unbearable, but you continue to hold it, silently waiting for ${kyl_him} to say something—anything.

		The air between you grows heavier, and ${kyl_name} averts ${kyl_his} eyes, tossing a bunch of keys with ${kyl_his} ID onto the dresser.
		
		Each second of silence tightens your chest with frustration that becomes almost unbearable, and you turn away, attempting to leave. Your hand finds the doorknob to—

		"Wait," ${kyl_she} says, and you reluctantly turn back, your back pressed against the door. 

		"Yes?" you ask, your voice hoarse.

		${kyl_name} exhales shakily, annoyance flickering across ${kyl_his} face as ${kyl_she} runs a hand through ${kyl_his} hair and turns to face you.
		
Within seconds, ${kyl_she} strides purposefully closer, stopping closer than necessary and slamming ${kyl_his} hand against the door next to your head, 
but you don't flinch.

"You… Why are you… Ugh!" ${kyl_she} groans, averting ${kyl_his} gaze. Neither of you move, and the tension keeps building.

*fake_choice
	#@{icon ❤️ |}You change your positions, pressing ${kyl_him} against the door. "Why am I what?"
		$!{kyl_his} gaze meets yours, and ${kyl_she} parts ${kyl_his} lips to say something, but you don't let ${kyl_him}, swiftly changing your positions and pressing ${kyl_him} against the door.

		$!{kyl_his} hands rest on your 
		*if (gender = "male")
			chest momentarily, 
		*if (gender != "male")
			abdomen momentarily, 
		not pushing you away.

		You smirk, a silent challenge in your eyes as you ask in a low whisper, "Why am I what?"

		${kyl_name} remains silent, and you lean even closer. A shaky exhale escapes ${kyl_him}, causing ${kyl_his} chest to rise and fall. Your gaze drifts lower, feeling the urge to touch ${kyl_him}, 
		to feel the warmth of ${kyl_his} skin beneath your fingers, to taste it with your lips.

		Your hand moves almost on its own, but instead of reaching out to touch ${kyl_him}, 
		*if (mc_heigh != "short")
			you place it beside ${kyl_his} head, 
		*if (mc_heigh = "short")
			you place it beside ${kyl_him}, 
		returning your gaze to meet ${kyl_hrs}, waiting.

		$!{kyl_his} ears turn red, and ${kyl_she} scowls, whispering almost desperately, "I hate you…" $!{kyl_she} looks away, but you grasp ${kyl_his} chin, guiding ${kyl_his} gaze back to meet yours.

		"No, you don't." And before ${kyl_she} can argue, 
		*if (mc_heigh != "short")
			you kiss ${kyl_him}, 
		*if (mc_heigh = "short")
			you reach up and kiss ${kyl_him}, 
		swallowing any words along with ${kyl_his} moan, and suppressing your own as ${kyl_his} hand reaches to the back of your head,
		pulling you closer.

		Your kiss is passionate, intentional, and sweetly bitter. It's a kiss that says there's only now.

		*page_break And the rest doesn't matter.

		You feel ${kyl_his} desperation, ${kyl_his} desire, and it ignites sparks of longing within you as you pull ${kyl_him} even closer.
		
		*if (h_styled = true)
			Goosebumps spread across your skin as ${kyl_his} hand loosens your hair, ${kyl_his} fingers burrowing into your strands, 
		*if (h_styled = false) and (mc_bald = false)
			$!{kyl_his} hand burrows in your hair, 
		*if (mc_bald = true)
			$!{kyl_his} hand strokes the nape of your neck, 
		and you reciprocate, tugging firmly but gently, tilting ${kyl_his} head to deepen the kiss.

		[b]Click.[/b]

		The sudden sound of the door locking distracts your attention, and you open your eyes to see ${kyl_him} closing the lock with ${kyl_his} fingers.

		Your heart skips a heavy beat, knowing what's coming next.

		You press into ${kyl_him} with renewed fervor, but ${kyl_name} pushes you away, following your lips only to lead you further into the depths of ${kyl_his} apartment.
		
	#@{icon 💙 |}Wordlessly, you turn the lock on the door closed. Whatever happens, let it happen.
		Without averting your gaze, your hand instinctively finds the lock on the door, and you twist it shut.

		[b]Click.[/b]

		That sound has an instant effect on ${kyl_him}, and within a second, ${kyl_his} lips crash against yours with fierce intensity, this time leaving all doubt and uncertainty behind.

		Your kiss is passionate, intentional, and sweetly bitter. It's a kiss that says there's only now, and the rest doesn't matter.

		You feel ${kyl_his} desperation, ${kyl_his} raw desire that drives ${kyl_him} as ${kyl_his} hands move across your body. $!{kyl_his} touch betrays ${kyl_his} eagerness as ${kyl_she} explores further,
		squeezing you harder, and—

		You let out a moan as ${kyl_name} presses into you with more intensity. 
		*if (h_styled = true)
			Goosebumps spread across your skin as ${kyl_his} hand loosens your hair, ${kyl_his} fingers burrowing into your strands, 
		*if (h_styled = false) and (mc_bald = false)
			$!{kyl_his} hand burrows in your hair, 
		*if (mc_bald = true)
			$!{kyl_his} hand touches your jaw, 
		tilting your head to deepen the kiss. 
		
		$!{kyl_his} tongue slips inside eagerly, forcefully, and one of your hands slides down ${kyl_his} chest, fingers trailing lower, until ${kyl_she} stops abruptly.

		Again.

		You inhale the air greedily. "I'm sorry, ${kyl_name}, I—"
		
		$!{kyl_she} doesn't give you the chance to speak further, capturing your lips in another kiss and pulling you closer as ${kyl_she} guides you deeper into ${kyl_his} apartment.
		
	*if (explain = true) #[[b]×[/b]] "You can't give me an explanation? Fine. But don't expect me to accept this."
		The silence stretches longer than your patience.

		"You can't give me an explanation? Fine," you finally say, pushing ${kyl_him} away from you. "But don't expect me to accept this."
		
		*goto leave
	*if (explain = false) #[[b]×[/b]] "I thought you'd at least try to explain yourself, but I see I was wrong."
		The silence stretches longer than your patience.

		"I thought you'd at least try to explain yourself," you finally say, slowly but firmly pushing ${kyl_him} away from you. "But I see I was wrong."

		*goto leave
	#[[b]×[/b]] Feeling a growing disappointment, you turn to leave. "I… I have to go."
		The silence stretches longer than your patience, and eventually, you feel like you can't stand it, not anymore. 
		
		"I… I have to go," you say, slowly but firmly pushing ${kyl_him} away from you.
		
		*goto leave
*goto K_path

*label K_path
Faster than you realize, you're moving blindly through ${kyl_his} apartment, abandoning your shoes and knocking a few things along the way, until…

*fake_choice
	#…your legs bump into the bed, and ${kyl_she} pushes you down. [i][${kyl_name} will take the lead.][/i]
		*goto_scene MC_sub
	#…${kyl_his} legs bump into the bed, and you push ${kyl_him} down on it. [i][You will take the lead.][/i]
		*goto_scene MC_dom
*finish

*label leave
${kyl_name} doesn't respond, just stares at you with an intense emotion in ${kyl_his} gaze that you can't comprehend. Why would you, when ${kyl_she} refuses to explain?
		
After a few long seconds of silence, realizing ${kyl_she} isn't going to say anything, you turn to leave. ${kyl_name} doesn't try to stop you.

You open the door, and the cold air does nothing to cool the heat in your face or the resentment in your heart, but you walk out, not looking back at the icy blue eyes you feel on your back.

You don't remember how you got to your car, but suddenly you realize you're sitting in it, and all your thoughts are focused on what happened.

So this is how it's going to be… ${kyl_name}'s going to act like nothing happened. [i]Or maybe…[/i]

*page_break Maybe because nothing really happened.
In the end, we're the ones who give meaning to what goes on, but you can't force someone to see things your way, to feel the same way, and you have to accept things as they are. 

Right now, all you've got is you, sitting alone in a cold car, unable to change a thing, unable to make the other person care about you, especially when this person is causing you more pain than good.

And you don't know what awaits you tomorrow, not that it matters anymore: you just want this day to be over.

[i]For everything… to be over.[/i]

All you have to do now is let in the cold and pleasant numbness as your hands touch the steering wheel and all your thoughts seem to evaporate, forgetting everything but the road ahead.

*page_break It's time to drive home…
*goto_scene ending