As Kotetsu's suspicions grew stronger, he found himself increasingly certain that Barnaby was indeed his secret admirer. Each thoughtful gesture seemed to align perfectly with what he knew of Barnaby's personality and interests. However, just as Kotetsu was on the brink of confronting Barnaby, a new complication arose in the form of Luca.

Luca, a passionate fan of Wild Tiger, had admired Kotetsu from afar for quite some time. He saw Kotetsu as a hero not just in his role as a hero TV star but also as a person. Luca's admiration had grown into something deeper—a genuine affection that he struggled to keep hidden.

One afternoon, Luca found himself alone with Kotetsu in the break room. Summoning his courage, he decided to confess his feelings.

"Kotetsu, I... I really admire you," Luca stammered, his cheeks flushing. "You're not just a great hero, but a kind and caring person. I... I think I'm in love with you."

Kotetsu was taken aback, not expecting such a confession. He scratched his head nervously, trying to find the right words.

"Luca, I... I appreciate your feelings, I really do," Kotetsu said gently. "But I'm in love with someone else."

Luca's heart sank, but he managed a weak smile. "I understand. I just needed to tell you."

Kotetsu nodded, feeling guilty for unintentionally hurting Luca. "I'm sorry, Luca. You're a great person, but my heart belongs to someone else."

With that, Kotetsu left the room, leaving Luca to wrestle with his unrequited feelings. Meanwhile, Kotetsu's thoughts returned to Barnaby, his desire to confront him growing stronger with each passing day.

Unknown to Kotetsu, Barnaby had been watching from a distance, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions. He had hoped to reveal himself as the secret admirer soon, but Luca's confession had thrown a wrench into his plans.

Barnaby avoided Kotetsu in the following days, torn between wanting to confess and fearing the repercussions of revealing his feelings. He continued the secret admirer's plan, leaving small tokens of affection for Kotetsu, hoping to show him how much he cared without exposing himself just yet.

Kotetsu, unaware of Barnaby's internal struggle, grew frustrated by his partner's avoidance. He couldn't understand why Barnaby was suddenly keeping his distance, especially when they had been so close before.

One evening, as they finished a late patrol, Kotetsu finally confronted Barnaby outside Hero TV headquarters.

"Barnaby, we need to talk," Kotetsu said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Barnaby hesitated, his gaze flickering with uncertainty. "Kotetsu, I..."

But before Barnaby could say anything more, they were interrupted by a call from Maverick. They exchanged a quick glance, silently agreeing to table the conversation for now.

As they parted ways, Kotetsu couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He was determined to get to the bottom of Barnaby's behavior, even if it meant pushing him out of his comfort zone.

Meanwhile, Barnaby watched Kotetsu leave, his heart heavy with regret. He knew he couldn't keep hiding forever, but the fear of losing Kotetsu was overwhelming. He resolved to find the courage to confess his feelings, but first, he needed to be sure the timing was right.

And so, as the days passed, Kotetsu and Barnaby danced around their unspoken feelings, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The tension between them only grew, threatening to pull them apart even as their hearts yearned to come together.