* * *

Remy cut him off sharply, determined not to humor Ashton’s childish scenarios.

Ashton pouted, looking so pitiful that Remy was taken aback.

‘What the hell? Does he think that’ll make me feel sorry for him? Fat chance.’

Ashton’s fake look of dejection was unbearably cute.

Not that it was any of Remy’s concern.

His sole focus was on not learning to swim.

“Then…”

Ignoring Remy’s steely resolve, Ashton crept closer.

Remy glared at him, eyes narrowed like a bird guarding its food.

“What about this scenario?”

“What scenario?”

“When a friend dunks you underwater while playing?”

“…What?”

Before Remy could finish his question, Ashton suddenly scooped him up.

And with a leap, they plunged into the water together.

Completely unprepared, Remy flailed wildly, hands splashing everywhere.

Bubbles rose as he struggled, water splattering in all directions.

He thought he was a decent swimmer, but no one can withstand a sneak attack.

“Pffft! Ack! You lunatic!”

Ashton fished him out again.

Coughing and sputtering, Remy looked like a drenched kitten, his face red with anger.

He wheezed, “You out of your mind?!”

Despite his genuine fury, Ashton just laughed.

Seeing that infuriating smile made Remy’s blood boil.

‘Oh, you think this is funny? You’re so dead.’

“Wha—hey!”

Remy, standing a full twenty centimeters shorter and built like a twig, jumped up to put Ashton in a headlock.

He tried his hardest to dunk Ashton underwater.

“Gah! Hnngh!”

They say persistence pays off, but despite his best efforts, Remy found himself flipped and dunked again.

“Pffft! Help! I’m drowning! Blub!”

That’s what happens when you challenge someone stronger.

Once more, Remy ended up swallowing pool water, thrashing helplessly.

“Pwah!”

Ashton hoisted him out of the water again.

Remy coughed and gasped, his shoulders heaving.

Ashton just chuckled, patting his back.

“You wanna die?”

Remy snapped, only for Ashton to flash that infuriating grin, golden skin glistening under the sun.

“Well, who told you to fight me?”

“You started it, you jerk!”

“Did I?”

“Yes!”

“I was just giving an example. You know, why you should learn to swim.”

You… You asshole.

Every curse Remy knew threatened to spill out of his mouth.

“Forget it. I’m done. I’m getting out.”

Shoving Ashton aside, Remy made his way to the pool’s edge.

Ashton raised his hands in mock surrender, stepping aside.

‘God, this guy is insufferable. Just because you’re hot and have a great body doesn’t mean you can get away with everything!’

Grumbling internally, Remy climbed out of the pool.

He shook his head to clear the water from his ears, stomping his foot in frustration.

Then—

“…!”

From the corner of his eye, he caught Ashton pulling himself out of the pool.

The white shirt clung to Ashton’s torso, emphasizing every defined muscle.

Droplets of water glistened on his tanned skin, reflecting the sunlight like glass beads.

His powerful muscles flexed as he climbed up.

---

Remy stared, utterly entranced by the majestic sight before him.

The fabric clinging to a body more sculpted than any statue was soaked, sticking flush to the skin.

His bronzed, perfectly sun-kissed skin glistened under the pure white sunlight, demanding attention.

Remy’s eyes roamed wildly over that powerful body.

Ashton’s physique was, without question, unbelievably sexy.

Thighs spread wide like those of a horse and, above that, a mound that stood out.

The shadow of that ridge extended halfway down his thigh.

It was driving him crazy with how incredibly sexy it looked—

‘Wait… Hold on… A ridge? A shadow extending halfway down his thigh?’

Remy, who had been ogling Ashton’s soaked body, was suddenly appalled by the realization of the ridge on his thigh.

If his knowledge was correct, that should absolutely not be that far down.

And yet… why was it there?

Could it be that he was mistaken?

Maybe it wasn’t what he thought?

Did Alphas and Omegas have slightly different anatomy?

Was there something else there instead?

Otherwise, how could that possibly reach down that far?!

“No way!!”

In his confusion, Remy blurted out loud.

It went without saying that Ashton found Remy’s reaction strange.

“What’s no way?”

“Huh? Wh-what?”

“You just said ‘no way.’”

“Uh… Well, that is…”

Remy swallowed hard.

To say it out loud would sound insane.

But trying to come up with another excuse was impossible; he was too shocked to think clearly.

He was truly stuck.

“What’s no way?” Ashton insisted.

“Um, well… uh…”

“You’re not going to tell me?”

Unaware of Remy’s turmoil, Ashton stepped closer.

That impossibly handsome face leaned in, eyes twinkling.

Remy panicked and, before he knew it, the truth slipped out.

“That thing on your thigh! Is it real?”

Oh no.

‘Oh no!’

What the hell did he just say?!

At that moment, Remy wished he could sew his own mouth shut.

Of all the things to blurt out, that was beyond crazy.

Was he even human to ask something like that?

Barely clinging to his sanity, Remy tried to recover his composure.

“N-no, I mean… your thighs looked really thick. No, wait… I thought maybe there was something else there…”

He was screwed.

The more he spoke, the deeper he sank.

There was no escaping this.

“Oh… this isn’t what I meant…”

Ashton, watching the flustered mess that was Remy, seemed strangely calm.

He glanced at his own thigh with an indifferent expression and said, as if it were nothing:

“We’ve bathed together a lot. Why are you acting surprised? It’s not like you haven’t seen it before.”

Wait, what?

I have? I’ve seen that?

Confusion swirled in Remy’s mind as he tried to process.

Meanwhile, Ashton stared at him intently for some reason.

‘He’s acting weirder than usual today. What’s up with him?’

Then Ashton found the answer.

The solution was surprisingly simple.

The soft scent of flowers told him everything he needed to know about Remy’s current state.

“Remy.”

As Remy’s face burned bright red, Ashton whispered sweetly, his voice dripping with honey.

“What’s wrong? Did you really forget again, hmm?”

Ashton’s face was so close, Remy felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Looking straight into those eyes, lying was impossible.

His awkward expression and fumbling tone betrayed him completely.

“Well, you know… Ever since my manifestation… I keep forgetting things…”

Ashton had let that excuse slide before, so maybe it would work this time.

Remy clung to the hope.

“Oh, right. You did say your memories were fuzzy.”

Ashton nodded, agreeing with him.

It seemed like it would be fine this time, too.

Relieved, Remy let out a quiet sigh.

“Then…”

Ashton finally straightened up, moving his handsome face away.

‘Whew, that was close,’ Remy thought.

But before he could fully relax, Ashton grabbed his hand.

Startled, Remy’s eyes widened.

“Should I help you remember?”

“What?”

“My body. Since you don’t remember.”

“N-no! Why would I need to remember your—”

Remy was going to say he didn’t need to remember anything, but Ashton guided his hand to his chest before he could finish.

Ashton’s soaked shirt clung to his muscular chest, and under Remy’s palm, the firm contours were undeniable.

Thump, thump.

His heart pounded, and he swallowed dryly.

The large, solid chest was too much, even for another man to handle.

He never wanted to be aroused by touching a man’s body, but the sheer amount of muscle beneath his hand made his lower half heat up.

“…How’s that? Remember what my body feels like now?”

Ashton’s voice was too sweet, making it hard for Remy to think straight.

“N-no… I don’t remember…”

There was no way he could admit to remembering! But his voice and expression gave him away.

“Then I’ll have to show you more.”

Smiling slyly, Ashton slid Remy’s hand lower, down to the hard, defined abs he must have worked like crazy to build.

Remy’s hand trembled as it rested there.

‘What, is he planning to do laundry on his abs? Why are they this chiseled?’

Remy finally understood why they were called ‘chocolate abs’—they made you want to lick them like crazy.

“How about now? Remember?”

“N-no… Not yet…”

At his answer, Ashton guided his hand even lower, past the lean stomach, over the pronounced hip muscles, and—

The sight of those powerful thighs loomed again.

If they kept going, his hand would touch those horse-like thighs and the mound that rested atop them…

“N-no way!”

Before they could go any further, Remy snatched his hand back, regaining a sliver of sanity.

“Remy?”

Ashton tilted his head, confused.

“What’s wrong? Why ‘no way’?”

“Oh! It’s… just… something you don’t need to know!”

“What?”

“Just… If I say no, then it’s no!”

* * *