Obsessed with a High-Ranking Esper (BL)-Chapter 217: Vigil shooting his shot.

The doors slid open with a soft hiss, and Jian Ci and Yu Xi stepped into the corridor side by side, their ceremonial uniforms catching the light like polished armor. The air around them shifted.

They were majestic, composed and untouchable. They moved with the ease of those who had nothing left to prove, their presence commanding without effort.

Down the hallway, a group of junior guides assigned to assist with the graduation ceremony, had been chattering excitedly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary seniors. The moment they saw the pair, their voices faltered into gasps and giggles.

One particularly bold young man couldn’t help himself. "Seniors, you look... so handsome!"

Jian Ci grinned, draping an arm around Yu Xi’s shoulder with casual intimacy. "Tell me," he said, eyes twinkling, "who is more good-looking between us?"

The young man’s face turned crimson. "Y-you are both good-looking," he stammered, voice cracking with nerves. "Really good-looking..."

His friend elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Shut up," he hissed under his breath.

"Why?" the boy whispered, confused until he followed his friend’s gaze.

Alarna stood at the far end of the hallway, arms crossed, her eyes locked on him with a stare that could freeze lava. The boy went pale, a chill crawling down his spine.

Yu Xi leaned in, voice low and amused. "Your girlfriend is here."

Jian Ci blinked as he said, "Wait for me."

He slipped away, his steps smooth as he made his way toward Alarna, leaving Yu Xi to continue down the hallway alone.

Yu Xi’s expression shifted, the lightness fading as he moved forward. He passed the other graduates, nodding politely, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

He had broken up with Caelus the night after the Lord Leung interrogation. It had been a messy breakup. Caelus had cried loudly, heartbreakingly and Yu Xi, though firm, had stayed with him for nearly an hour, trying to soften the blow.

He had been clear from the beginning. This was a trial relationship and he could end it at any time. But Caelus, spoiled by attention and unused to rejection, had clung to him like a drowning man.

He had even vowed to keep pursuing him. Yu Xi had left that conversation with a pounding headache and a deep sense of regret, not for ending it, but for ever starting it.

He had hoped Caelus wouldn’t show up today. But as he turned the corner, he saw him.

Caelus stood a little apart from the crowd, holding a gift bag and a hopeful expression, eyes scanning the hallway.

Yu Xi’s jaw tightened. He didn’t break stride or glance his way. Acknowledging him would only encourage him so he looked away and kept walking.

Soon, Yu Xi stood at the front of the line his posture regal, his expression unreadable as the corridor buzzed with post-ceremony chatter. The polished floor reflected the sharp lines of his ceremonial boots, but his mind was elsewhere until a familiar voice slithered in behind him.

"Broke up with your little boyfriend?" Vigil said, his tone laced with mockery and amusement.

Yu Xi didn’t turn around as he said, "It’s none of your business."

Vigil chuckled, unbothered. "Maybe you should try dating me. I promise you won’t regret it."

That made Yu Xi turn around. His glare was sharp enough to cut steel, eyes cold and dangerous. For a moment, it looked like he might strike him down right there in the hallway.

Vigil raised both hands in mock surrender, a crooked smile on his lips. "It’s just a suggestion."

Yu Xi turned back, adjusting his cufflinks with deliberate calm. "It will never happen."

Vigil tilted his head, the corner of his mouth twitching. "I would love to pursue you... that is, if you allow it."

Yu Xi opened his mouth, ready to tell him to get lost—

But then a chant rose behind them. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Yu Xi’s head snapped around.

It was Alarna’s friends, clustered together like a pack of overexcited birds, urging her and Jian Ci to kiss. Their voices were high and giddy, echoing down the corridor.

Yu Xi’s face didn’t change, but his jaw clenched so tightly the muscle twitched. He turned away again, eyes fixed forward, but his ears were tuned to every sound behind him.

Vigil, ever the opportunist, leaned in slightly. "They look like a perfect couple," he said, voice soft and cruel.

Yu Xi didn’t respond. He didn’t have to. The tension in his shoulders, the way his hands curled into fists at his sides. Then he heard Jian Ci’s voice ending the chant.

"No, no, I am not doing that," Jian Ci said, his voice firm, almost exasperated.

Yu Xi’s breath hitched. His fists clenched tighter, nails biting into his palms. This bitch has to go, he thought, the words cold and final. No matter the cost.

Vigil stepped closer, his voice low and oddly sincere. "How long are you going to wait? Ten... twenty years? Until they get married and have kids?"

Yu Xi didn’t move neither did he respond. "Team leader," Vigil said, quieter now, "you need to move on at some point." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

He was terrified inside, his heart pounding, his instincts screaming at him to shut up, but something reckless kept him talking. Maybe it was the way Yu Xi stood there, so composed and yet so visibly unraveling. Maybe it was the way he had always wanted to see what would happen if he pushed too far. Or maybe, just maybe, he wanted to see if Yu Xi would finally stop pretending he didn’t care.

Vigil’s voice was low, coaxing. "You need to be with someone who loves you.... Someone who cherishes you."

He was staring at the nape of Yu Xi’s neck, gaze fixed like he was trying to memorize the curve of it. The way the light caught on the edge of Yu Xi’s collar, the faint pulse beneath his skin, it was maddening.

Vigil leaned in, his breath brushing the shell of Yu Xi’s ear. "Just give it a try. I promise you won’t regre—"

He didn’t get to finish. A bone-chilling aura sliced through the air like a blade.