Chapter 1

To escape an arranged marriage, I crashed at my childhood sweetheart's place.

Then, in the middle of the night, something like live-stream comments popped up in front of me.

The first one said, [Holy shit! What is the second male lead doing with his hand down there?]

As I wondered what these words meant, a few more lines caught my attention.

[Seriously? He's jerking off with just one wall between them?]

[If the female lead steps out now, she'll hear his breathless, desperate moans.]

I suddenly realized that Ryan in the next room was probably doing something he'd never want me to walk in on.

*****

I was planning to finish the novel and head to bed when suddenly, what looked like live-stream comments started flashing across my eyes.

I sat up and stared at the words.

[Holy shit! What is the second male lead doing with his hand down there?]

[Chill out. He's got a high drive, and the girl he's been aching for is only a wall away. How's any red-blooded young guy supposed to hold back?]

[Exactly! If the female lead steps out now, she'll hear his breathless, desperate moans. Just thinking about it gets me fired up.]

The comments were full of stuff that made my face burn. I really couldn't take it anymore.

But then it hit me. Ryan Carter was right next door. Was he actually...

In the middle of the night, the comments stoked my curiosity. I quietly got out of bed, barefoot, and gently opened my door.

The comments were right. I did hear soft panting, and it sounded like Ryan couldn't help himself.

I crept along the wall to his door. It wasn't fully closed. A crack remained, and the sounds grew clearer.

I also heard his voice. "Emily... Uh, Em..."

When I made out the name he was whispering, I froze. Was he calling for me?

While I was standing there in shock, the comments were blowing up.

[Whoa! The female lead found out about the second male lead's dirty thoughts. What's she supposed to do now?]

[Honestly, before the male lead shows up, it's totally fine to ship her and the insecure childhood sweetheart for a bit.]

[I second that.]

[Did you guys notice the second male lead's fingers? So long and slender, they'd be a perfect match for the female lead's slim waist. If they were in bed...]

The comments were getting more and more outrageous. I seriously wondered if this was a proper channel.

Listening to the obscene sounds from Ryan's room, I thought we should stay away from anything dirty, illegal, or dangerous.

I retreated to the living room, making a lot of noise on purpose. I even "accidentally" dropped a cup on the floor to make sure he heard me.

Soon, the light in Ryan's room flicked on. He opened the door and walked over to me. "What's wrong? Did you get hurt?"

"No. I got thirsty and wanted some water. Then the cup slipped," I explained, giving him a quick once-over.

His face was a bit flushed, a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. His messy hair partly veiled his eyes, so I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"It's fine. I'll clean it up in a bit," he said.

His tone was cold and distant, and I started doubting the comments. Did Ryan really love me?

I was lost in thought when he suddenly lifted me up in his arms, jolting me back.

"You're barefoot. I didn't want you to get hurt," he explained.

He gently set me down on the couch, then turned on the living room light and started cleaning up the broken glass.

He was dressed in simple loungewear, half-squatting as he carefully picked up the shards. Watching his back made my mind drift. Memories from long ago surfaced.