Chapter 15

After a busy morning arjun’ was standing in the side room, dimly lit by the soft glow of moonlight filtering through a half-open window. The air was cool, the room quiet except for the distant hum of the city outside. His heart thudded in his chest as he turned, his gaze locking with Elias’s across the room.

The world seemed to freeze for a moment, the sounds of the outside world fading, leaving only the two of them. Elias stood there, impossibly close now, his tall frame towering over Arjun, his dark eyes intense and searching, as if he could see right through Arjun. The space between them was electric, crackling with something unspoken. Arjun felt his pulse quicken, and his body, though uncertain, seemed to lean towards Elias of its own accord.

Elias took a slow step forward, and Arjun's breath hitched in his throat. There was no escaping it now. Before Arjun could even comprehend what was happening, Elias’s lips brushed against his, soft at first, as though testing the waters. But the moment was undeniable. The kiss deepened, and Arjun's mind spun. He was lost in the sensation, his hands reaching out almost involuntarily, gripping Elias’s broad shoulders. His lips parted, inviting the kiss to intensify, and Elias responded in kind, his hand cupping Arjun’s face, his thumb brushing lightly over his cheek as the kiss became more urgent.

The room around them seemed to shrink, the world outside forgotten. All Arjun could feel was Elias—his warmth, the firm press of his lips, the intoxicating scent of his cologne. The kiss was something raw, powerful, a feeling that Arjun didn’t know how to handle. His mind raced, questions swirling, but his body was wholly consumed by the experience. Was this real? Was this something he wanted?

But before he could process anything further, the world shifted. The room darkened, the light dimming until all he could see was Elias, his face unreadable. The kiss faltered, then broke entirely. Arjun reached out, his hand brushing through nothing but empty air as Elias stepped back, his eyes flickering with a strange mix of emotions—something unreadable and yet familiar.

With a jolt, Arjun’s eyes snapped open. He gasped for air, his heart pounding in his chest as he sat upright in bed. The room around him was quiet, nothing but the faint rustling of the sheets and the soft hum of the city outside his window. He wiped a hand over his face, trying to rid himself of the remnants of the dream. His breath was still unsteady, and his skin felt flushed.

Arjun’s heart pounded in his chest as he woke up that morning. He ran a hand over his face, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream that still clung to him. The kiss. That kiss. It had felt so real, so vivid, even though it had only existed in his sleep. Elias Matthews—his boss, his colleague—had kissed him, and the way it felt, the intensity, the hunger, was so much more than a mere fantasy.

He couldn’t deny it: the dream had left an imprint on his heart, his body. He could still feel the warmth of Elias’s lips on his, the way Elias had pulled him closer, as if he couldn’t bear the space between them. He could still feel the heat radiating between them. It wasn’t just a kiss, though—it was everything that followed. The sense of belonging, the connection that had swirled between them, had consumed Arjun completely. His body had responded instinctively, even if his mind was still in shock.

Arjun sat up in bed, pulling his knees to his chest. What did this mean? Why did Elias invade his dreams like that? He couldn’t make sense of it. He wasn’t sure how to process his feelings—was it just some random dream, or was it something more? Was this his body telling him something he hadn’t acknowledged yet?

When he finally made it to work, the sense of unease lingered. He walked through the hospital’s bustling hallways, keeping his head down, trying to push the memory of the dream out of his mind. But no matter where he went, his thoughts kept drifting back to Elias. His chest tightened every time Elias’s name was mentioned, or worse, when Elias himself appeared in his line of sight.

Arjun found himself increasingly aware of Elias. Every time he saw him, he couldn’t help but look at Elias’s lips—just for a split second—before quickly looking away, as though his body was trying to tell him something his mind wasn’t ready to admit. He didn’t know what to make of it. Was this some kind of attraction? Was he actually in love with Elias? His stomach churned at the very thought.

Elias, for his part, seemed to notice Arjun’s avoidance. His sharp gaze always lingered just a moment longer when he looked at Arjun, and there were times when Arjun caught him staring—almost like Elias was trying to read him, trying to figure out what was going on inside his head. But Elias never said anything directly. He was too composed, too focused.

That day, Elias approached him in the hallway, his presence dominating the space, making Arjun's pulse spike as if he had been caught in a trap.

“Arjun,” Elias greeted, his voice smooth, almost casual, but Arjun couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment. His eyes locked onto Elias’s for just a second before they dropped, unwilling to make eye contact.

“Elias,” Arjun managed, his voice barely above a whisper, his mind clouded with the image of their kiss. He felt heat flood his face. He could feel Elias’s gaze on him, sensing the subtle change in the atmosphere between them.

Elias leaned a bit closer, just enough to make Arjun’s heartbeat race, but then he stepped back, a flicker of frustration in his eyes. “I just wanted to check in with you,” Elias said, his tone casual, though there was a trace of something more—something that made Arjun’s insides twist. “How’s everything going today?”

Arjun swallowed, unable to shake the feeling that Elias was far more aware of him than he let on. “It’s… it’s going fine,” Arjun replied, his voice barely steady. “Busy day.”

Elias gave a short nod but didn’t move away. “If you need anything, just let me know,” he said softly, and then, as though realizing his closeness, he stepped back. The brief moment left Arjun with the odd sensation that Elias had been… testing him.

As Elias turned to walk away, Arjun’s eyes couldn’t help but linger on his lips again. He quickly looked down, his face flushed, his heart hammering. What was going on? Why was this happening?

---

Later that evening, in the solitude of his apartment, Arjun found himself alone with his thoughts. The dream kept replaying in his mind, a constant loop of images, sensations, and feelings he couldn’t explain. He felt trapped by his own emotions, unable to understand the source of them.

In an attempt to make sense of it, he opened his laptop and typed in a search: "Why did I dream about kissing my boss?" He scrolled through the results, skimming the countless articles and forums, but found nothing that gave him a clear answer. Most of it was about analyzing dreams, psychology, or random musings, but none of it spoke to his specific experience.

He closed the browser in frustration, leaning back in his chair. What was going on? He had never thought about Elias like this before, not consciously at least. Was it a one-time thing? Could it just be a fluke? His fingers drummed against the desk in agitation, a knot of confusion tightening in his chest. Was this some kind of sign? He wasn’t sure what to think.

The next day, as he tried to focus on his work, Arjun found himself bumping into Rei. The energetic intern had a way of reading people—he always seemed to know when something was up. Rei’s usual bright smile was replaced with a softer, more knowing expression as he looked at Arjun.

“Something’s on your mind, isn’t it?” Rei asked gently, nudging Arjun’s shoulder.

Arjun glanced around, making sure no one could overhear. “I... I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice low. “I had this weird dream last night. About Elias.”

Rei’s eyes widened, a sly grin tugging at his lips. “About Elias? Care to share the details?”

Arjun flushed and shook his head, lowering his voice even further. “No, it’s just… strange. I can’t stop thinking about it. And I feel... confused.”

Rei stepped closer, sensing the tension. “Confused about what?”

“I don’t know!” Arjun said in a rush. “It was just a dream, but it felt so real. And now... every time I see him, I can't stop thinking about his—his lips. I don't know what to make of it.”

Rei’s smile softened into a knowing expression, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Well, Arjun, it sounds to me like you’re falling for him. In love, maybe?”

Arjun’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? No! I can’t—He’s my boss, Rei. That’s... not how things work. And it’s complicated.”

Rei laughed, the sound light and carefree. “Oh, trust me, I get it. But when your heart starts doing flips every time you see him, that’s love, my friend. You can try to deny it, but you’ll only make things harder for yourself.”

Arjun opened his mouth to argue, but the truth of what Rei said hit him like a ton of bricks. Was he really in love with Elias? His heart fluttered in his chest, a strange mix of excitement and dread bubbling up. He didn’t want to admit it, but the thought of it was too overwhelming to ignore. Elias—his boss, his superior—couldn’t possibly feel the same way. He was just another employee to Elias, right?

But Rei’s words lingered in his mind, and despite his confusion, Arjun couldn’t shake the feeling that Rei was right.

Rei patted him on the back before walking off, a knowing smile on his face. “Don’t worry. It happens to the best of us.”

As the days passed, Elias seemed to grow increasingly frustrated with Arjun’s avoidance. Every time they crossed paths, Elias’s gaze would linger on him just a moment longer, like he was waiting for something. And Arjun—despite the confusion and the embarrassment—couldn’t help but feel a strange pull toward him. There were moments when Elias’s gaze softened, when their eyes locked, and for a fleeting second, Arjun would think he saw something—something more than just a boss-employee dynamic.

But Arjun wasn’t ready to face it. He wasn’t ready to face the feelings bubbling up inside him. Every time Elias tried to engage with him, Arjun found an excuse to retreat, to distance himself from the emotional chaos he was desperately trying to avoid.

Yet the more he tried to ignore it, the stronger the pull became. The deeper he fell into this confusing web of feelings, the harder it became to stay away from Elias.

Apologies for late update I get really busy with work so I forget on updates

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