Are men the appetizer, the salad, the main course, the dessert—

or merely a jar of seasoning in a woman's life?

A soup simmered for half a year, now faintly bitter.

A spice, tasted briefly, sears the tongue with its heat.

This dish before her, lacking in both flavor and appeal—

should she simply consume it to stave off hunger?

🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀

"Ryo, I heard you got a girlfriend recently?" Arden strolled into KSF, went straight to the fridge, and grabbed a bottle of mineral water.

Ryo waited patiently as Arden exchanged greetings with their friends lounging on the sofas in the KSF lobby and then dragged him to sit at the bar. 

Slouching like a wilted radish, Ryo gritted his teeth and muttered, "Don't bring it up."

Arden grinned, thoroughly amused by the sight of the usually lively boy looking so dejected.

People are like that—relishing others' misfortunes as long as they're untouched by the fallout. The messier the situation, the more magnetic it becomes.

Arden tilted his head, feigning concern. "What happened? Your girl got knocked up?"

Ryo shot back a glare sharp enough to cut. "Do I look like the kind of guy who leaves things unguarded down there?"

Arden's lips twitched, nearly breaking into a smirk. "So, what kind of girl could possibly bring our charming, handsome, dashing heartthrob to such despair?"

Arden's flattery was like a bitter pill stuck in Ryo's throat. His frustration burned beneath the surface, but his pride kept it buried. How could he possibly admit it? A "heartthrob" like him, struggling to make any progress with his so-called girlfriend after an entire week? That would be humiliating.

Ryo clenched his jaw, stubbornly refusing to respond. Moya, however, lacked such restraint. With a teasing tone, she chimed in, her playful remarks only adding fuel to Ryo's growing frustration. "Seven days and five hours. This guy hasn't even managed to sleep with his girlfriend."

"Pfft!" Arden barely managed to stifle a laugh, almost choking on a mouthful of water.

Ryo shot a fierce glare at Moya, who had just walked in, completely oblivious to the attention she was drawing from the pack of "wolves" lounging on the sofas. The icy chill in Ryo's eyes and the taut readiness in his posture were a sharp contrast to his earlier, defeated demeanor. Moya was clearly his stimulant—the two never stopped bickering when they were near each other.

"If you'd just shut up, no one would mistake you for a duck," Ryo muttered nonsense under his breath, clearly frustrated.

Moya arched her eyebrow, entirely unfazed. "You think everyone's as dumb as you? If I kept quiet, they'd just think I'm mute."

Arden pointed at Ryo, then looked at Moya, incredulously seeking confirmation. "You're telling me this guy hasn't been able to handle a girl in an entire week?"

A whole week—and Arden hadn't heard a peep about it. Ryo had kept this well under wraps. But then again, it wasn't exactly the kind of thing you bragged about.

Moya, holding a bottle of Tsingtao beer with her slender fingers, tilted her chin slightly, as if to say, "Ask him yourself if you don't believe me."

Arden shifted his gaze back to Ryo, studying him like he was some alien species. "Bro, did you finally meet your match? A girlfriend—that's not something we hear about every day."

Ryo pursed his lips and pretended to be mute.

He had once seen a sketch of a nude girl at a friend's place and had been struck by its beauty. The flawless proportions seemed almost too perfect to be real, leading him to assume his friend had embellished the details—until his friend revealed a secretly snapped photo of her from art class. Even though Ryo had grown up surrounded by models, the sight of her perfectly proportioned figure still instantly captured his attention.

Normally, Ryo wasn't the type to rush into relationships or label someone as his girlfriend. But this time, his usual tactics weren't working. Thinking the title of "girlfriend" might lower her guard, he decided to give it a shot. To his surprise, even that move failed to bring him any closer to her.

Arden nudged him with his shoulder, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Didn't expect there'd be a girl you couldn't handle."

Ryo rolled his eyes, not sure how to counter the claim. After all, it was true, no matter how embarrassing it was to admit.

"Is she a student? Or a model?" Arden guessed, knowing Ryo's straightforward tastes.

"She's a student at our school. Supposedly does part-time modeling," Moya chimed in, answering for Ryo without hesitation.

"One from your dad's company?" Arden pressed curiously.

Ryo's father owned quite a few well-established entertainment companies that had signed some of the most famous models and artists in the industry. Back in the day, Arden's mom had been one of their top artists. Ryo's upbringing in that world had shaped his tastes—simple yet selective.

"Nope." If she were from his dad's company, this wouldn't even be an issue—unless Ryo's dad claimed her first.

Arden raised an eyebrow, his tone turning more critical. "And you're chasing after a freelance model? Aren't you worried about the mess it could stir up with your family?"

For the young heir of the Chin family to be involved with a model from another company—or a freelance one—it would only elevate others' reputations while tarnishing his own. Freelance models, in particular, often came with complicated pasts. Fun was one thing; dating seriously was another.

"She's not exactly a freelance model... more like a nobody. A part-time one," Ryo muttered. Honestly, calling her a model was probably a stretch.

"That should make it easier. Didn't you tell her you're the heir of Ryo Entertainment? She should be falling all over herself to get into your bed."

"Of course I told her..." Ryo's voice dropped. Unfortunately, it didn't work. The girl just stared at him blankly, clearly having never heard of Ryo Entertainment. Ryo's father had founded the company shortly after his birth, and for over twenty years, it had become one of the leading entertainment companies in the industry.

Arden's expression turned serious. A model who wasn't aware of the Chin family's reputation? That seemed off—she could be a plant from a rival company, just putting on an act.

"Next time you meet her, let me tag along."

Ryo eyed him warily.

Arden winked with his left eye. "What, afraid I'm going to steal her away?"

🎬🔀

"Ah—"

"..."

"Yah—"

"..."

"Wait a minute... huff huff... alright... again... ah—"

"..."

"Keep going... don't stop... yah—"

"You've had enough, haven't you? If you're not tired, I definitely am." Yao wiped the sweat off his forehead and dropped down beside Sandra, his eyes fixed on the girl sprawled on the ground, gasping for air.

"Are... are you kidding me..." Sandra struggled to speak between heavy breaths. "Yao... you're so... strong... how could you... be tired..."

"I'm human too, of course I get tired. Unlike you, you're like a machine." Yao replied with a half-smile. He stood up, grabbing a towel and a bottle of water from a nearby chair, and tossed the towel to Sandra. "Even machines need fuel. You're tougher than one."

"Thanks for the compliment." Sandra sat up, grinning as she wiped the sweat from her face with the towel.

Yao couldn't help but be captivated by the dimple on her flushed cheek. However, her messy hair and wrinkled clothes gave off a somewhat inappropriate vibe, as if something had just happened between them.

He quickly shook his head, pushing away thoughts he shouldn't be having, and spoke with a mix of sternness and concern, "If you keep practicing like this, your back injury will never heal. How do you plan to compete in the tournament?"

Sandra sat cross-legged on the ground, clenched her fist, and her eyes gleamed with unwavering determination. Feigning seriousness, she declared, "Don't worry. I'll fight for the honor of our country and bring glory to the people!"

Yao chuckled, tousling her already messy hair. "There you go again, spouting nonsense. Right here, right now, you're only representing yourself."

Sandra stood up, untied her hair, and let her long locks fall freely down her back. "Yao, are you still holding a grudge over what happened before you left our country?"

Yao grabbed a strand of her hair and wrapped it around her neck twice. "Should I strangle you to shut you up?"

Sandra stuck her tongue out playfully and rolled her eyes, pretending to be dead. Yao laughed and let her hair fall free.

"Yao, it was just a girlfriend. There are plenty of others out there," she said, casually flicking her hair back into place.

"Sounds easy enough. So why haven't you found another boyfriend yet?" Yao teased.

"Me? I've only been single for a few days. I haven't had enough time to enjoy it yet." Sandra replied with a cheeky grin. She bent down to pack her things, but the sharp movement tugged at her injured back, making her wince.

Yao stepped forward, placing one hand on her waist and the other on her shoulder to steady her. He gently massaged her back. "A girl like you—why insist on fighting all the time..."

Sandra turned her head sharply to retort, "Yao, that's borderline sexist... ah—"

Yao held her slender waist firmly against his arm, his face leaning so close to hers that their breaths mingled. He froze, caught in the moment, unwilling to shatter the fragile intimacy. The dampness of her clothes under his palm and the faint, alluring scent of her sweat stirred something deep within him.

Sandra regained her balance and lightly patted his face. "Yao, are you daydreaming?"

Snapping out of it, Yao quickly let her go, turning his face away to hide his awkwardness.

Sandra chuckled, nudging his arm with her shoulder. "Yao, I'm telling you, you need to find a girlfriend. Stay single too long, and even a sow might start looking like a goddess to you."

Yao raised his hand as if to smack her but changed his mind halfway. Instead, he ruffled her hair playfully. "Watch your words and behavior. You don't even act like a girl. Who calls herself a sow anyway... Hey... get down... If you don't, I'm throwing you off..."

Sandra laughed, hooking her arms around Yao's neck and sticking out a leg to trip him. But Yao, a former national youth team athlete, was far from easy prey. He twisted his body effortlessly, breaking her grip and tossing her off balance.

Not one to admit defeat, Sandra flipped over with quick, sharp movements and used her shoulder to pin him down. But her small frame was no match for Yao's larger build. With ease, he freed himself, flipped her onto her back, and pinned her to the ground.

This wasn't Sanda anymore—this was judo.

Sandra wasn't about to give up. Though exhaustion from their earlier training weighed on her, she caught her breath and aimed a sharp kick at Yao's most sensitive area. If he hadn't dodged in time, things could have taken a painful turn. Forced to roll away, Yao left an opening that Sandra exploited with surprising agility, leaping on top of him.

Yao quickly pushed her off, but Sandra locked his arm between her legs, her determination unwavering. Not to be outdone, Yao clamped her thighs with his own, using his strength to flip her over and pin her face down against the ground.

This wasn't judo anymore—this was...a high-difficulty sex position.

"Let go," Sandra mumbled, her chin pressed firmly against the ground.

"You first," Yao replied, glancing at her legs flailing near his face, his breath slightly uneven.

"Let's both let go," Sandra suggested.

"Alright. One, two, three..."

Yao released his hold—but immediately grabbed her wrists when she tried to strike him. Pinning her down again, he smirked. "I knew you'd try something."

Sandra's mischievous grin faltered as her eyes locked onto Yao's intense gaze. The sweat dripping from his hair, the slightly open collar revealing his chiseled collarbone and muscular shoulders—all of it brought back memories of another man she had tried so hard to forget. Her heartbeat quickened, pounding in her chest like a drum.

Yao lightly patted her cheek, snapping her out of the moment. "Sandra, are you daydreaming?"

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Sanda, as full contact fighting, could be quite intense. (and fun to watch😎)

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