"Jean, I love you. I've been in love with you for so long. You're the only one occupying my mind every day."
"Wha—" Jean was shocked as well, but it was a pleasant surprise because he had been thinking of how good Matthew was. He responded to Matthew's hug by hugging him back. "Does this mean… we're dating now?"
'Dating?'
Matthew would be over the moon if Jean said that magical word when they were younger, or at least when they were still in the academy. But for now, he felt it wasn't enough.
Being Jean's boyfriend wasn't enough because it was just temporary. He wanted Jean to see him as a beloved husband, his soulmate, the only person he could count on.
Fuck those three men. Matthew refused to share Jean with anyone.
"I want more than just a date," Matthew said.
"Eh?"
"I want us to be in an even better relationship. I want us to be together forever, Jean…."
[Seriously, you've put a permanent bloody chain between our hearts, so I can't escape you no matter where you were going. And you still want more than that!?]
[You damn crazy handsome psychopath, count me in!]
[Pupa:… I really thought that you'd use the brain for a few seconds.]
[Anything for a handsome face and big cock, hehe.]
"Wu… how can we do that? We're already living together…."
…
Matthew had a plan, but this plan might sound too devious, especially for someone so naive as Jean. So he had to persuade Jean, probably with a tint of lies as well.
"We can be together forever, Jean…." Matthew released his hug and grabbed Jean's hand. He put Jean's palm on his beating chest, "Don't you feel this heartbeat? This heart is beating for you, only for you. I have been dreaming about giving this heart to you…."
"G—Giving your heart to me?!" Jean jolted and tried to pull his hand away from Matthew's chest. But Matthew held his hand tightly, "M—Matthew, I don't want you to get hurt!"
"I will not get hurt, Young Master. I just want you to feel the warmth in my chest. I want you to feel the same love that I feel. I want us to beat the same heart…." Matthew said obsessively.
[… Okay, that's hella psycho. That's like… Yuno Gasai kind of psycho. Pupa, this is actually scary…]
[Pupa: You said anything for a handsome face and big cock.]
[I know, but not like this—]
Jean got scared by what Matthew had just said, and Matthew noticed it immediately.
He knew the risk, and he knew that Young Master Jean would definitely get scared after he listened to Matthew's idea.
But Matthew really wanted it. He wanted Jean to be with him forever, even in his death.
In fact, if they shared the same heart, none of them would die alone. They would be destined to live and die together, something that Matthew really wanted.
"Are you hesitating, Jean?" Matthew asked. All that gentleness suddenly disappeared from Matthew's face as his gaze darkened and his pupil was glinting with the hint of blood red. "I thought you liked me."
Suddenly, Jean felt that his body was weakening quickly as if all of his energy inside his body got siphoned out by Matthew's gaze.
[He wants to turn me into a useless man lying on the bed again!]
[Pupa: It seems so. Aaron's craziness went up in each world. It's worrying.]
[Damn it, this is not part of the plan.]
[Pupa: What's the plan again?]
[I want to guilt-trip him, saying that I want to work hard, but I can't because of my weak body. Then he will lift up whatever magic he uses inside my body, and then I can escape!]
[Pupa: I don't think you can do that easily. He is not an idiot like the male leads in each world.]
Knowing there was no other way except catering to Matthew's request, Jean finally replied, "Y—Yes, I love you, Matthew husband… I want to live and die with you. I don't know what would happen to me if you just abandoned me."
"And?" Matthew asked with a malicious smirk on his face.
"A-And… I want to share my heart with you! I will do anything for you!" Jean said as he started having difficulty of breathing. At this point, he believed that Matthew would kill him if he didn't obey what Matthew wanted to do.
Matthew closed his eyes and smiled, "Thank you, Young Master Jean. I didn't expect you'd be so willing to share our hearts together. Maybe we're really destined to be together after all."
Jean's chest was beating hard as he felt a big burden suddenly lifted out of his shoulder.
Matthew hugged Jean and carried him on his arm, "Jean, I will start the ritual. It's forbidden magic that I've learned, but it's not dangerous for you. As long as you follow my instruction, okay?"
"Okay…" Jean replied weakly. "But… I also want something, Matthew Husband…."
"Hm? What do you want?"
"I've been weak and ill for so long, I want to feel healthy again. Do you know how to make me feel better? Maybe you can call a traditional healer if you've ever found one. Or at least someone that knows about herbs, so I can recover by drinking herbs—"
"I can do it. I… I know how to make you feel better. I promise," Jean frowned. "You can?"
"Yes, but it is my own method. I haven't done it to you since the very first time because I'm afraid you will not like it…." Matthew sighed. "Because it requires us to do this, to joint our heart together. So I can transfer my energy to you easily."
"Jean, I don't know what happened to you. I've been trying to search for herbs to heal you. But you're not recovering. This is the only way we can heal you back to full health."
"… this is the only way?" Jean asked.
"Yes."
…
"Okay, I trust you, Matthew…."
Matthew grinned. Of course, it was a lie. Jean became like this because he cursed Jean's body to block him from ever making progress in his recovery, making him weak for months and blocking his magic power.
It was part of Matthew's plan, and it created a dependency on Young Master Jean's part, making him fall in love with Matthew.
Joining heart with Matthew wouldn't grant Jean instant health. It was just part of the trick. He could just lift the curse in Jean's body after they have their heart joined together and acted as if he had transferred part of his health for Jean, so Jean could feel even more indebted.
It was a perfect plan to make Jean all for himself.
[Tch, perfect plan, my ass. Do you think I don't now? You damn psycho!]
[Pupa: Yet, you're still going for it. How dumb.]
[Ish, that's because I can't completely guilt-trip him! I'd do that if I could. But he actually wants more than what I expected ah!]
[Pupa: The effect would probably stay permanent if you joint heart with him.]
[… Do you have any other method so I can gain my magic back?]
[Pupa: Stab yourself and restart?]
[Wait, that's a good idea, let's—]
Before Yunyu could protest, Matthew suddenly brought him into a secret room that was locked most of the time. It was so dark that Yunyu couldn't see anything.
"Let's do the ritual, Jean."
**
Author Note: Sorry for slower update, Pupa is not feeling well these days. Thank you for reading [3
**