Chapter 8: 1.7

The first week as said before wasn't really much to talk about. Many of the mob characters were dropped off and the two challenges were mainly tests of skill and basic knowledge. Jia Hyson almost had a close call when he split his hollandaise sauce twice but other than that he remained nicely in the upper middle ranks of the group.

The more important things happened once the kitchen closes and everybody heads back to the Miracle Chef house.

Maddy, unlike in the original story, had made more friends than just Anne Brooks. Anne Brooks also was not strongly infatuated with Daniel Green since they hadn't been forced to interact in the long car ride and Anne's character would be too shy to talk to such a dazzling man like that in any other circumstances. Not that Adrian was complaining. As a result Anne while meek was more three-dimensional than before, and thanks to Maddy was opening up bit by bit. By Saturday she even had the courage to start up a conversation with him over breakfast!

It wasn't a very long conversation but Jia Hyson wasn't much of a fan of long conversations anyway so it was very pleasant.

The white lotus Susan Bee and Charlotte Stevens also became friends of Maddy's- Jia Hyson needs to keep an eye out for them in the future. The cheerful moodmaker Eric Jones was also a common sight in the group and with Adrian's own connections with Daniel Green and Lex Grey, it seemed that Jia Hyson no longer had to worry too much about the bullying.

Of course that didn't mean there wasn't still harassment but it wasn't enough for him to pay attention to. If it was something he could feign ignorance in he would even if it pained him to do so. After all, if Maddy didn't undergo some difficulties the story's appeal would drop.

Jia Hyson: 'Ah my baby is getting bullied under my nose!' QAQ

Bebe: 'Your baby is handling it better than you ever could. Forget about Maddy, don't you have your own problems?'

Right.

Drake Lanzoni.

The domineering impulsive beast male lead.

He has become very... sticky.

Jia Hyson is fairly sure that Drake isn't aware that he isn't being very subtle either. Like the rich domineering second generation he is, he bullied out a particularly pitiful participant to switch cooking stations with him just so he could stand behind Jia Hyson while he cooks. When they're resting in the house it's almost a guarantee that Drake would be in the same room he is. If Jia Hyson wants to go bed he will also go to bed. If Jia Hyson wants to get a snack from the kitchen Drake already has some of his favorite chocolates in his pockets.

Jia Hyson doesn't want to say he doesn't hate it. But he also doesn't want say he doesn't, doesn't hate it. It's all very confusing. Jia Hyson blames Drake's face. His gorgeous, gorgeous face.

Because of this constant puppy-like persistence so very much like the Jacob he knew and the rather clumsy but heavy handed attempts at trying to retain forgiveness that Jia Hyson really quite liked, it was very hard to hold onto his anger. Jia Hyson didn't like anger, he prefers the more long-term and poisonous resentment. Resentment is easier to keep, and even easier to grow. Even better, his mind would feel clearer and sharper rather than clouded, his mouth would water at all the ways he could imagine tormenting a person. To watch them writhe and cry on a dirty floor like a worm.

Begging for forgiveness, holding onto the last shred of hope in their desperate hearts as they throw aside all their dignity and pride to sincerely regret their mistakes. The power to push someone at the brink like that, ah, he misses it a little.

Bebe: 'H-host... that image just then... that was just a fantasy right? A fantasy?' (ﾟДﾟ?)

Jia Hyson: ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Bebe: Ah, Bebe has really gotten f*cked over with this host. Is this Bebe's retribution for being too cute? ಥ_ಥ

If Jia Hyson heard that he would have spat out blood because of his uncute system.

The point was. Jia Hyson dislikes being angry but thrives at being resentful petty bitch, to the point it can be argued as a perversion. When he was younger he used to take pleasure in watching people who scolded him twist in guilt and turn from righteous to self-hating as he weaves lie after lie about various tragic things that were at best greatly exaggerated and warped versions of the truth. It had gotten worse from there but he'd curbed himself through writing. Of course that had never stopped him from enjoying his strange secret pleasure and indulging as much as he could.

Just recently he had 'inadvertently' seduced and bent a minor model's boyfriend because said model harassed him a little when he was starting his career, accusing him of being disgusting homosexual who did the unspoken rules with uncles to enter the industry. It had taken him three years and Jia Hyson had quite a bit of fun watching the model's face as her boyfriend tried to publicly confess to him in the middle of a photoshoot. Ah, the feeling of his resentment being satisfied so thoroughly had been almost enough to get him hard.

Bebe who had witnessed all of that: 'You know, even if you end up failing as a Beta, the Counterattack and Make-a-Wish systems will probably welcome you with open arms ah,'

And yet, for some reason, he couldn't muster up the ability to feel resentful toward Drake Lanzoni. Not really. Betrayed anger? Yes. Violent rage? Definitely more accurate actually. The very real urge to step on him and make him kiss his feet in tears? *cough* also yes but that may not exactly be purely for vengeful reasons.

But did he feel resentful?

It seems... he really does feel genuine affection for this young man then.

"Adrian?" Drake asks softly, still holding out the chocolates for him. Jia Hyson must have looked quite strange, lost in his thoughts as he stared at the offered treats. Now that he was focusing, he realizes Drake's hand had gotten a little sweaty. The chocolates must be half-melted by now. It would be rather disgusting to take them now.

Jia Hyson tentatively picks up one up. As expected even just gently pinching it, the chocolate inside the wrapper squishes.

Drake looked a little dazed that Adrian, who had for the past few days had completely treated him like air with only a few glances to assure himself of his presence, had actually took his offering. But then as he saw the way Adrian's slender pale fingers squished the chocolate he turned red from mortification, suddenly hyperaware at how clammy and wet his hands were.

"I- I'll get another one!" He quickly says, wanting nothing more than to rectify the situation. But to his amazement, instead of giving him a look of cold disdain or disgust he had been forced to endure this past week Adrian had actually chuckled! It was like seeing the first signs of spring after a barren winter.

"No need," Adrian says a little helplessly, his eyes lingering on Drake's flustered expression with faint amusement and a bit of something inexplicable and soft. Drake who had always been watching Adrian intently of course noticed. His heart beat a little faster. Could it be, his gentle future wife likes it when he was a little silly?

It's a bit embarrassing but he's very willing if it win's Adrian's heart! Didn't Adrian say he has a very cute little brother and sister? Maybe that's why he became so soft again. Adrian was also very kind to him when he was younger. If he is weak to children then wouldn't the quickest back into his good graces must be to shamelessly sell meng!

While he notes down his new idea in his heart, Drake intently watches as Adrian unwraps his chocolate. As expected it's very sticky but Adrian shows little disgust even as the melted treat sticks to his fingers. With a little frown that made Drake's heart itch, he watches as Adrian seems to regard the melted blob of chocolate with the utmost concentration like a puzzle he must solve.

Adrian was always like this, behind the gentle older brother was a very childish man who was a little muddle-headed and maybe even a little cruel. Sometimes Adrian could act like he was in a story that he had written himself, perfect and able to breeze through any difficulties and yet there are times when he acted like the smallest things were like the greatest hardships like now as he stares at his chocolate. Drake had liked him for his refreshing kindness and ignorance for his identity but after years of keeping in touch and getting to know Adrian better and better, how could he not have fallen to this point?

Jia Hyson feels a little conflicted at how to eat this. Maybe if some semblance of shape was retained he wouldn't be so hesitant but over sixty percent of it was plastered on the wrapper. Male lead how hot are your hands?!

Finally he decides that since it's only him and Drake in the room right- Maddy was hanging out with Anne and Susan, and Daniel and Lex were playing some sort of game in the house's smaller garden outside- and that despite the current situation they had been friends for a long time, Jia Hyson decides to slip out of his gentle mature facade to happily swipe his already dirty fingers onto the wrapper and suck the sweet into his mouth. He makes a soft happy noise at the sweet but rich flavors.

Jia Hyson: 'As expected of a show unafraid of smuggling aphrodisiacs, they can even be bribed to bring in these top quality chocolates! Really, so good~!'

Happily sucking and licking up the chocolate, Jia Hyson quickly finishes it up. It really was from his favorite brand 368, the name apparently represented the number of tries the chocolatier had made before he perfected his recipe. Jacob, or well, Drake had introduced him to it for his twenty-first birthday and he had immediately fell in love with it. However even when he became wealthy enough to enjoy the ability to freely buy snacks without worry, Jia Hyson couldn't find the brand anywhere. It was apparently very exclusive not to mention expensive so only Jacob could get him his supply and that was only occasionally. He had been very touched at the time.

Now, well, he was admittedly even more touched! A brand that even the future Lanzoni heir had difficulty getting, how could not feel the chocolate was even more delicious? It's the taste of money ah, money!

Eagerly, he pulls out a well sucked finger out of his mouth with a small pop and looks at Drake for another piece. Only...

Jia Hyson: '...'

Drake : '...'

"You," he coughs awkwardly, "you uh, seem to have some chocolate on your hand?"

It seems while he had been enjoying his melted chocolate, Drake had... unknowingly clenched his hand, causing the already soft chocolates to be squashed out of their wrappers. When he unfurls the offending limb it was covered by the sticky treat.

"I..." Drake mutters, his voice a little rough, "I'll get some more."

Jia Hyson notes the faint flush of Drake's face, the involuntary tensed muscles and the dark midnight eyes that had gone impossibly darker as they stray to his wet fingers and suddenly it all starts to fall into place. After all, Jia Hyson was an experienced, worldly and frankly, a rather slutty, man. Anyway, even if he wasn't familiar with the face of lust, the only people who wouldn't be able to tell what's going on here are blind people, stupid people and main characters.

Still. This seems to be a really.. unforeseen development? ☉_☉

###I seem to have bent the male lead and I don't know what triggered it### Spent nearly five years with a handsome man and couldn't tell he liked me, can I return my gaydar??### ##Calling for help####

However unlike the many, many, many quick transmigration and system novels Jia Hyson has read, he did not feel very distressed at this revelation. In fact, he was incredibly pleased. After all, hadn't he already set the motions for this story to only have a minor focus on love drama? Hadn't he already vowed not to let his precious sister and the scum male lead get together anyway? So why can't he just take the scum lead himself? He already likes him a lot.

And now that he knows there's a chance...

There's nothing in his way now! ヽ(｀◇´)/

Jia Hyson smiles coyly at Drake, the flirtation clear in his expression, transforming the usual gentle smile on Adrian's face into something seductively sweet yet still somehow innocent. "No need," he assures, voice a little lower than usual, as he reaches out to hold the younger man's wrist, "we wouldn't want to waste good food ne?"

Staring into Drake's widened eyes, Jia Hyson could feel his heart beating unprecedentedly fast, however he forces it not to show on his face and gives him a devilish smirk before licking up a stray line of chocolate that had run down Drake's forearm. With his tongue he chases it upwards towards Drake's large wrist before curling up his tongue and swallowing the chocolate, tasting the odd but not unpleasant flavor of the sweet chocolate and faint salty sweat.

Drake was breathing heavily as he stares at the blatantly erotic sight. His cheeks were now flushed pink making his handsome appearance even better. Jia Hyson chuckles as he presses lips against his pulse. Ah, even if Drake's expression had gone almost blank, his rapid pulse betrays him. Jia Hyson pauses for a second and frowns. Wait. Wasn't his pulse going a bit too fast?

Then Drake Lanzoni, the supposed domineering scum sex god male lead, fell into a dead faint.

Jia Hyson: ⊙▃⊙?!?

"Drake? Drake?" Jia Hyson kneels down concernedly, and if he's going to be honest, a little bemused. F*ck, unexpectedly so maidenlike! Didn't the story say that he was aggressive and shameless with his carnal desires? How did it get like this?

Checking his body it looked like Drake really was out cold. Well. That wasn't true. Jia Hyson's gaze lingered at a certain sizable lower piece of anatomy that seemed to be very awake. At least some parts of the story was still true then.

He sighs. Just when the mood was getting pretty good too, ah just as well, if he succumbed to his attraction now it would be like slapping his own face. The whole point of being here was to minimize the sex scenes, especially around his dear sister and make it a nice story with a PG13 tag at worst. Not to mention, Maddy still has a very bad impression of Drake and Jia Hyson is unwilling to date without his little golden thigh's approval.

What if this stupid male lead becomes cannonfodder as a result? Clearly his halo has left him or how could he be left in such a pathetic state? But then if the relationship between the two become two good then they would probably get together and papapa. Rivals is the best option but it is a fine line to thread between both options. Jia Hyson felt a little irritated about having to worry about this just as he feels like he could have relaxed his guard a little and let the plot fall where it may. It really feels like his heart had picked up something very troublesome.

Unfortunately his heart didn't seem to want to drop it.

Jia Hyson sighs again and goes to get a pillow and a blanket for this stupid cute man.

Later when Drake woke up, he found Adrian lying idly on the bed writing in a notebook. From the angle he couldn't tell what he was writing but from the frantic speed of the pen in his hand he could tell Adrian was really pouring out a lot of words. Drake doesn't think he's seen Adrian this relaxed and enthusiastic even when cooking. As he sits up, he realizes he's been lying down on the floor. For a moment Drake's puzzled but then he quickly recalls what had happened before and the absolute disgrace he had made of himself, much to his horror.

Jia Hyson looks up from the system notebook he had been scribbling in once he heard the rustling of fabric. Drake had awoken and was looking very much like he was regretting it. "You alright?" He asks but it was hard to hide the laughter in his voice, "That had been quite a fall."

"Mn, ah, en," Drake flushes, humiliated beyond belief.

Jia Hyson looks at him with a bit of pity. It seems he's really lost his cool male lead halo then huh. The price of being bent in a smut novel sure is high.

Jia Hyson: 'Ah but I don't dislike that sort of embarrassed pathetic look~' (´｡• ω •｡`) ♡

Bebe: 눈_눈

Closing his notebook and shoving it carelessly in his bag, Jia Hyson looks at Drake solemnly. Drake, sensing the change, straightens his back.

"Drake, I'm sorry for what I did," he says in a regretful and sad manner, "my feelings for you... well, after some thought now I realize it was out of line."

Drake: ( ﾟдﾟ) !!!

"You," Drake chokes out, "you have feelings for me?"

Jia Hyson pretends to misunderstand, lowering his eyes in morose as he secretly asks Bebe to film this scene so he can watch his love flounder later, "I'm sorry, as the older one I should have restrained myself better. However now that I've reflected I will place cooking as my primary focus in my heart from now on, I hope we can still be friends."

If Drake had been regretting his body's maidenlike reaction before, now he was regretting so hard his insides turned green. He was regretting to death! One moment Adrian was seducing him with his tongue and the next he had been pushed into the friend zone without even a word to defend himself!

Jia Hyson shifts his legs, from Drake's point of view he looked like he was awkwardly fidgeting because of the situation, but only Bebe knew...

This f*cking pervert was hard!

Bebe: 'Shameless! Utterly shameless! Scum Host you are worse than the male lead! No! The male lead is so pure now he makes the white lotuses look black, comparing you two is insulting this male lead!'

The scummy host Jia Hyson: 'Come on! Keep it coming ah! While the words are very good your voice is definitely enough to make me go soft again!'

Bebe: ‎(ﾉಥ益ಥ）ﾉ ┻━┻ Bebe really doesn't want to be bound with such a hateful host anymore!

Once his body had calmed down from seeing Drake's utterly delicious state, Jia Hyson stood up and walked out. However before he did he pauses and looks back. Since he's forcibly strangled back their relationship dynamics into something more suited to a slow burn romance drama, he must also encourage Drake to cultivate some positive interest in his sister.

"Oh and Drake?"

Drake looks up at him, his handsome face still a little lost and glazed making Jia Hyson's heart skip again, "Yes?"

Unsure on how to encourage such complex emotions to grow, and a little flustered just looking at Drake, he decides to just act like his usual doting ways and just ask outright, "Can you please be nicer to Maddy? She's a very good girl."

Drake blinks, then he blinks again before frowning slightly. "Maddy.. Madeline Fenwick?"

Well at least he remembers enough for her full name, Jia Hyson feels relief at that. He smiles brightly and nods, "En, she's very dear to me, if she doesn't like you then I'm afraid we really can't be friends anymore then,"

There. That should stop him from doing anything too rash. Proud of himself he leaves the room to go get some better snacks from the kitchen. Maybe he'll just make himself a sandwich or something.

Since he left immediately of course Jia Hyson completely misses the dark look that flashes on Drake's face as he leaves.

"That girl.. again.."