Despite their return to normal, a nervousness persisted in their gestures. A late call from Kio made Aru anxious. A prolonged absence from Aru made Kio doubt.
They weren't broken. But they remained scarred. One evening, while Aru was working late, Kio entered the office silently. He had made tea.
He approached, set down the cup, but said nothing. Aru looked up, tired.
"Are you afraid we'll fall again?"
"No. I'm just afraid of forgetting how we love each other."
Aru stood up, walked around the table. He gently grabbed Kio by the waist and whispered,
"So we'll remember it. Every day."
They kissed. Slowly. Deeply. With this simple promise: to no longer lose themselves in the noise of the world. The newfound calm was fragile. A form of routine was setting in: work, intimacy, nights without drama. Until Yumi arrived with news that would shake everything.
"We're offering you an international interview. Live. Together. The theme? 'Alphas who love against the rules.'" Kio frowned.
"It's a trap, isn't it?"
"It will be seen by millions of people. You will be the first to speak openly about your relationship in this world where alpha/alpha relationships are still taboo. It's risky, but…"
"But it's an opportunity," Aru added.
Kio didn't answer immediately. He looked away, tense. That evening, as they lay in bed, back to back, Kio finally spoke:
"If I say yes… that means everyone will know. Even my family. Even those who wanted to erase me."
Aru turned his head.
"You're not alone this time." Kio nodded.
"Okay then."
But fear remained in his eyes. The spotlights were in place. The cameras adjusted. The whole world was watching. Sitting side by side on this international set, Kio and Aru wore sober shirts, no jewelry, no provocations.
Just them. The journalist attacked them almost immediately.
"Two alphas. One runs NOX, the other the heir to one of the greatest economic families. How can you justify this union in a society where alphas must protect omegas?"
Kio replied, calm but firm,
"Being an alpha isn't about dominating. It's about knowing how to love without crushing. And Aru never subjugated me. He lifted me up." Aru spoke,
"I'm not here to justify our love. It's real. It saves us, every day. It deserves to exist, even if it's disturbing."
The show continued with moments of tension, but also of emotion. Messages from omegas and other alphas were broadcast: some supportive, others insulting. But in the end, when they were asked,
"Are you ready to live with the consequences?" Kio took Aru's hand.
"Yes."
And the world saw them that way: united, vulnerable, but unshakeable. The next day, the networks exploded. Hashtags of support, but also threats. Contracts were canceled. Others were signed in solidarity. But the greatest shock came from Kio's father. A simple message:
"You've made your choice. You're no longer my son."
Kio reread the sentence ten times. He remained frozen. Then he showed it to Aru, his hands trembling. Aru approached, placed a hand on the back of his neck.
"Do you want us to answer?" Kio shook his head.
"No. I just want to… cry. One last time for him."
And Aru stayed with him, all night. No words were exchanged. Just an embrace that said it all. In the pain, their bond had grown even stronger. Kio had lost a father. But he had chosen a love that demanded neither silence nor submission.
The apartment was plunged into silence, broken only by the discreet sounds of rain against the windows. Aru came out of the bathroom, a towel around his hips, his hair still damp.
Kio was waiting for him in the bed. He hadn't said a word since his father's message, but in his eyes tonight, something had changed. No more fear. Just pure need.
"Stay close to me," he whispered.
Aru approached, slowly, as one approaches a fragile secret. They lay face to face. There was no rush, no raw fire. Just the caress of Aru's fingers tracing circles on Kio's chest. A breath against his skin. A hand against a cheek.
"Let me love you tonight. Not to forget, but to remind you that you are no longer alone,"
Aru breathed. Kio closed his eyes.
"I am yours. Completely."
The sheets slid off slowly. Clothes fell to the floor one by one, not torn off, but offered. Each kiss was an answer. Each sigh, a silent promise. Aru explored Kio's body with feverish tenderness, as if redrawing the contours of their story.
Hands slid, hips sought each other, gazes remained locked. They made love as if coming home. When Aru sank into him, slowly, Kio gripped his shoulders, trembling but serene.
There was no shame, no fear. Just two bodies made to welcome each other, two souls that recognized each other.
The movements were slow, deep, punctuated by the beating of their hearts. No words were necessary.
Everything was said in the shared warmth, in the clasped hands, in the muffled moans against a neck
. They remained connected for a long time, unhurried. The world could collapse. Here, there was only their truth.