Watching Over You (10)
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They all stayed at the facility and mingled for the entire day with those who came and left. It was already late at night, yet some of the ‘big’ boys still wanted to hang out, to be more specific – go to a strip club and party. 

Christopher didn’t mind going, it’s just that there was extra baggage – that being Kristine; and Kincade didn’t seem like he wanted to go either. 

Christopher did want to further familiarize himself with everyone there and become closer business partners, thus he agreed to go. And of course, Kristine was going as well.  

“Are you going to go as well?” Kirin asked Kincade, slowly crossing his arms. 

Kincade glanced at him and flashed a smile, “Why do you want to know?” 

“What’s wrong with me asking? We’ve gotten so close these past two weeks and you still won’t tell me anything.” 

“... I didn’t think you would have wanted to try acting.” 

“You should’ve asked me first,” said Kirin. “I’m going to do it. Try auditioning.” 

Kincade’s eyes widened before his gaze became normal again. “Alright then.” 

“Kincade, let’s go,” Christopher said as he walked over with Kristine linking her arms in his arms. “Liam, Bryce. I’ll have someone pick you guys up and you guys can go home first.” 

“Okay.” 

“Alright.” 

Just as Kirin got up to grab his stuff, a firm grip clamped down onto his wrist. Looking over to the owner, Kirin raised a brow. Kincade pulled himself close. 

“Are... Are you alright with me going? To a place like that?” his voice was low and expectant. 

Kirin looked up into his silver-cerulean eyes. Their touching skin sent a warm, subtle pulsing sensation through Kirin’s entire body. 

It’s that feeling again...  

“Why are you asking me for permission? You’re capable of making your own decisions.” 

After having an intense staring contest that only lasted 5 seconds, though it felt like eternity to everyone else, Kincade finally released Kirin’s wrist. Only then did the electrifying sensation dissipate as well.  

Kincade smiled, “I’ll see you later.” 

=== 

That night, Kirin lied down on his bed, thinking. He’s been observing Kincade for the past two weeks now and has come to the conclusion that there was a 90% chance that Kincade and Jin were indeed the same person. After talking with S-01, and taking in account all that he is currently experiencing, it was not impossible to assume so. 

Jin was loud, outgoing and charismatic while Kincade was more reserved, soft-spoken and gentleman-like. Although their personalities were different, their mannerisms and habits were the same. Perhaps their soul was the same, and it's just that Jin has forgotten him in this world ... However, there were still things Kirin needed to confirm about himself. 

If Kincade really is Jin, would he pursue him? 

HELL YES!!!!! 

Jin was the first person Kirin has ever fallen in love after his tragic break up when he was still alive. Although Kirin knew Jin did not truly open up to him and was still shielding his own heart, he treated him better than that rotten scum ever did. Jin gave him wonderful memories up to the point when he died. Even the death Jin gave him was pleasant because Jin’s face was the last thing he saw before moving on... 

Jin was the only one who broke down the walls around Kirin’s sheltered heart, melting his frozen emotions that he thought he had long forgotten. After his break up, when he was still alive, he guarded himself for three hundred years, and all of that was broken by one man in a time span of a year. If it was not love, then Kirin did not know what it was. Only time would tell if his feelings are true. Kirin did not want to be alone anymore... and he was not going to leave his love either, not unless they did not reciprocate his feelings. But now that these feelings have begun to blossom, Kirin was going to let them blossom – he was going to chase after what it is that he wants; only he can control how he lives his life and who he loves. 

Looking at his palm, he still remembered the numbing yet tingling sensation of when their skin touched. He felt nothing when he shook hands with Dan, but as soon as his skin touched Kincade, that feeling came surging through his entire body. Just as it did when he first came into contact, skin-to-skin, with Jin. 

At first, he did not think much of it, brushing it off as whatever with Jin. But now that he was experiencing this pulsing feeling all over again, this time with Kincade, it made Kirin wonder. Kirin sat up and bolted to Bryce’s room where Bryce was on his laptop surfing the web. 

“Need something?” Bryce asked innocently. 

“Give me your hand.” 

Although Bryce didn’t quite understand as to why the current Liam wanted his hand, he offered up his hand anyways. 

As soon as their skin came into contact, Kirin was expecting to also feel that pulsing, electrifying sensation. However, that feeling never came. He furrowed his brows in confusion. Hm, he was going to have to test this out some more. 

“Dude, you’re weirding me out. Is something wrong with my hand?” Bryce finally asked. 

Only then did Kirin realize that he has been caressing and flipping Bryce’s hand over back and forth for some time now. Releasing Bryce’s hand, he retracted his own. “Ah, no. I was just wondering how nice your hands were. Definitely an artist’s hand,” Kirin awkwardly laughed. “I’ll see you in the morning.” 

Lying back down on the bed, Kirin continued to ponder these thoughts. He could feel his chest welling up with all sorts of wild emotions of happiness and joy, making him breathe heavily. However, that feeling only lasted for a bit. Kirin did not want to give himself false hope before anything was confirmed. 

S-01, is there any way for me to confirm if someone from this world contains the same soul as someone else did in another? 

[There is a way. However, it is a gift that can only be purchased once you’ve reached the minimum amount of MP. Only then, will that gift appear on the list for purchase.] 

How much MP does it require? 

[S-01 will know once Host has reached the minimum MP to purchase gift. However...] 

However? 

[It is taboo to mention identities of previous worlds to souls of the current one. If the soul is awakened or reminded of their previous lives, it may cause a rift in keeping these worlds in their own natural order, tipping the balance toward chaos in keeping lives separate in their own worlds.] 

Makes sense... what happens if that taboo is breached? Kirin asked curiously. 

[Before taboo is breached, a security filter will be activated. But once breached completely, Host will cease to exist. Host will become nothing but dust, not given the chance to move on. And the rift among all worlds will be in chaos.] 

Hm, alright. I understand, Kirin nodded his head. However, Kirin being Kirin – he was willing to test to see how far he could go to try and confirm Kincade’s soul before he becomes nothing. 

Kirin was also able to find some loopholes in S-01's explanation, which he wanted to test out. First, the security filter will only activate if he is saying the name of the previous identity to the current one. Second, the separation of worlds can only be breached if the other soul is fully conscious and aware of their current identity and previous one mentioned. 

=== 

It wasn’t until 2 in the morning when Kirin heard the front doors opening and what sounded like people stumbling through the doors. Curious, Kirin head down to the living room. He was greeted with a struggling man, who looked irritated out of his mind, who was hauling two limp bodies over to the couches in the living room. 

“You guys had fun,” Kirin laughed at Christopher’s demise. 

“Fun?! This guy got drunk and blacked out after two shots! And this woman would not stop drinking! Tch, care to help?” Christopher asked helplessly. 

Kirin came over to grab Kincade. And in the process of doing so, his fingers brushed over Christopher’s. But he felt nothing. It was just a simple touch yet there was no distinctive electrifying touch that stirred him. 

“I’ll take Kincade up to his room. You can deal with that woman,” Kirin said quickly and effortlessly placed one of Kincade’s arm over his shoulder while one of his hand wrapped around Kincade’s waist. 

Kirin moved swiftly, almost as if he was carrying nothing. Christopher was speechless. 

Kirin gently placed Kincade on his bed as Kincade moved and groaned. Kirin chuckled at this adorable man.  

Jin was quite the same. Despite liking to drink, he was quite weak when it came to his alcohol tolerance. Kirin lifted up one of his hands and used his fingers to brush the few strands of hair that dangled over Kincade’s forehead. His skin lightly touched Kincade’s skin. However, that was more than enough for Kirin to feel the numbing sensation. 

Suddenly, Kincade began squirming around until he opened his bleary eyes. Although his vision was somewhat blurry, he knew who was sitting before him. A soft smile appeared on the drunk man’s face. 

Kirin’s movements came to a stop as he stared at the man who stared back at him. Kincade then grabbed Kirin’s hand that was touching his hair. Kincade’s smile deepened as he brought Kirin’s fingers to his lips. To be more exact, the finger that received the most pressure was his left ring finger, where his mole was located. 

“I’ve never told you this, but it’s quite adorable,” Kincade hummed in a low voice. 

Kirin’s lips lightly twitched. It took a moment before he recovered himself as he gently retracted his fingers. 

“You’re drunk. Here, let’s get you out of these clothes so you can sleep better,” Kirin smiled as he helped Kincade undress. 

As Kincade was removing his shirt, Kirin was holding his breath. As soon as the shirt was removed, Kirin snuck a quick peek at Kincade’s left shoulder. It was nice and smooth with no imperfections. There was no birthmark. And just like that, Kirin felt his heart drop. A scoff escaped his lips. He held too much expectations. 

In the next moment, Kincade toppled onto Kirin, tucking his head into the crook of Kirin’s neck. It caught Kirin by surprise. 

“Come on now. Be obedient,” Kirin said softly. Even if Kincade wasn’t Jin, he was still going to at least help the man change. That was the most he could do at this moment.  

Just as his fingers skimmed over the skin of Kincade’s left shoulder, Kirin noticed something was off. He touched the skin once again, however, the skin over the shoulder did not feel like skin. It felt dry and somewhat had a dust-like feel to it. Gently rubbing the ‘skin’, Kirin noticed that it did not rub off as much onto his fingers, but there was some kind of residue on the tip of his fingers. 

Though the area one his shoulder had the look of skin and if one did not pay careful attention, would believe it was just his skin, even if they touched it. However, Kirin knows how skin feels; even this impersonation of a skin could not escape his heightened sense of touch. 

Foundation? Kirin first assumed. However, it was not quite like foundation. It was more smear, smudge-resistant. Kirin grabbed the shirt Kincade had just taken off and looked inside. There were slight signs of residue, however, it did not leave much as if it would have if it were foundation.  

It was at this moment that Kirin’s heart began pounding loudly, beating in his ears. He placed Kincade down and rushed over to Kristine’s designated room. Inside the room, despite not having much attachments to her, Christopher was still having sex with her. And it seems like she was quite sober and energetic at the moment, considering that she was riding him with her loud moans bouncing off the walls. Good thing Bryce’s room was located on the opposite end of the hall.  

Kirin had no time to pay them any mind as he dug through Kristine’s handbag. Although Christopher was quite shocked at the sudden intrusion, it didn’t look like the intruder was even interested in what they were doing, so he ignored Kirin as well. 

When Kirin found what he was looking for, he closed the door and allowed them to continue. When he returned to Kincade’s room, he ripped the make-up remover wipe package open and gently began wiping away at the skin.  

Kirin held his breath. Soon enough, it was revealed. A birthmark. It was not just any birthmark however. Many people are born with birthmarks, many having them in the same general area and having the same general look, however, each birthmark is never the same. Like a fingerprint, each birthmark is unique in the way it looks and its formation. 

The birthmark on Kincade’s shoulder looked exactly like Jin’s - looking like a pair of wings, unraveling its feathers to fly away.  

It’s you! Kirin held back his breath, covering his mouth with his hand. He was ecstatic! Kirin could feel his eyes water, but he held them back. 

A big smile ran across Kirin’s face as his heart raced wildly. Kirin needed a moment to recollect himself.

After calming himself down, he leaned down and gently planted a kiss on Kincade’s forehead. When he moved back, he stared at Kincade with deep eyes, filled with all kinds of emotions for a long time. 

After he helped get Kincade into new sleeping clothes, he gingerly caressed Kincade’s cheek. At most, this is all he could do for Kincade. He’ll pursue him, however, if Kincade does not return his feelings, he would not continue to pester him – especially since he is the man that Kirin loves. 

“Good night,” Kirin smiled and went to his own room, discovering that he could not sleep at all. Not after what he had just unraveled.

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