It was the third year with Landon when I overheard his buddy ask him: “Landon, you had your brother pretend to be you? Dating and even kissing your little naive boyfriend? He seriously won’t figure it out?” Landon exhaled a puff of smoke, utterly unconcerned. “We look practically identical. Julian’s simple-minded; he won’t notice a thing.” “Besides, my brother is totally homophobic. And he doesn’t do used goods, so he’d never actually sleep with him.” I lowered my gaze, pretending I didn’t know. For three years, the one I’d been dating, holding hands with, kissing – it was all Landon’s brother. The one who gripped my waist every night, whispering for me to call him ‘Husband’ – that was him too. 0 Landon’s supposedly homophobic brother was now holding me in the bathtub, gently murmuring. “Just let me clean you up, sweetheart. You’ll get sick.” I turned my face away, feeling drained. His expression remained unchanged. He could talk dirty and still look like a perfect gentleman. Who knew his kinks ran that deep? While I was silently fuming, a phone chimed. I watched Jasper subtly angle his phone screen away. I knew immediately it was Landon on the other end. Sure enough, he kissed my forehead. “I’ll just step out for a call. If the water gets cold, let me know.” I stood up, following him silently. *Click.* The sound of a lighter sparked from the balcony first. “Bro, is he with you right now?” “Hm.” Jasper lowered his head, loosely gripping the cigarette between his teeth. A moment of silence passed on the other end. “You really don’t need to go to such lengths. Just string him along normally. Why let him stay over… I went to his dorm tonight, couldn’t find him.” “Didn’t you tell me to pretend to be you and keep him placated?” Jasper exhaled a thin stream of smoke, unhurried. “What, changed your mind? You’re not chasing girls anymore, and now you want to date a guy?” “How could I?” Landon’s voice instantly filled with disgust. “He’s nowhere near Stella. At most, I’d just take pity on him and sleep with him a few times, that’s it.” Laughter and jeers erupted from the phone, and Landon’s voice grew even more contemptuous. “A real relationship? He’s not worthy.” I stood behind the door, listening silently, my throat tightening. “Landon, are you really okay with just tossing him to your brother like that? Julian is way prettier than a lot of the girls at school.” They were probably at a bar; Landon’s voice slurred with drunkenness. “No matter how pretty, he’s still just a guy. Can’t even get pregnant.” “Damn, you’re getting me all worked up!” “—Last time Julian kissed you, his lips were so red. Jasper, tell him, wasn’t that just so damn tempting?” “Knock it off! You know my brother’s homophobic. Kissing a guy is his limit. Right, bro?” Jasper slowly toyed with the lighter in his hand, not answering. The air suddenly went still. “Bro?” In the almost eerie silence, Landon’s voice grew noticeably tense. I quietly peeked at the man standing in the night. After our intimate moments, Jasper still looked perfectly put-together, not a hair out of place. He leaned against the railing, slowly exhaling smoke. After a long moment, he finally stubbed out the cigarette, speaking faintly. “Mm.” 0
“And you guys, don’t think I don’t know you’ve all been secretly eyeing Julian. Fine, crack all the jokes you want, but don’t you dare lay a hand on him. I’m not sharing my leftovers.” “Hey, aren’t you almost done reeling in the campus queen? Why are you still playing Julian? Honestly, Julian’s pretty innocent; he just got turned gay by you because the campus queen likes you—” “Who said he was turned gay by me?” On the phone, Landon let out a short, lazy laugh. “He secretly hid a photo under his pillow. He’d been crushing on me for ages.” At the mention of the photo, my breathing hitched. Then I heard him slowly utter the last few words: “He’s just inherently wired to be used by men.” “Holy shit, Landon, you’re a legend!” The call ended abruptly. I gently exhaled. That dull ache had long since passed, but there were always these tiny cuts. Fine, fragmented, like ants gnawing at me. … I don’t know how long I’d stood outside in the breeze, but when Jasper wrapped his arms around me from behind, there wasn’t a trace of cigarette smoke left on him. I instinctively melted into his embrace. But I really hate being deceived. So, when he cupped my chin and kissed me, I mumbled in protest, “Landon…” The hand exploring my waist paused, his voice husky. “Call me Husband.” I squeezed my eyes shut, silently resisting. Jasper didn’t get angry. He slowly lifted me. My waist dipped into a breathtaking arch. He coaxed softly, “Come on, call me Husband, okay?” … I finally couldn’t hold back a choked sob. But the man behind me had already cast aside his gentle facade. “Husband, Husband—!” Remembering Jasper’s dominance, I quickly twisted around, rubbing my face against his hand. Coaxing, “Husband, it hurts.” “Hurts?” The one who had been silent finally spoke. “Why didn’t you say so sooner?” His long fingers brushed away the damp hair from my forehead. “Let Husband see.” “…You’re really crying hard.” His tone was loving, yet his gaze was clearly one of appreciation. My limbs felt weak as I buried my face in his chest. I couldn’t help but curse, “You jerk.” “Jerk?” he repeated, then smiled meaningfully. “You always did like jerks.” … 0
Compared to Jasper, Landon really was more of a jerk. I discovered this relationship was just a game of conquest. It was the second week after we got together, when Landon took me to meet his friends. Having crushed on him for two years, I knew he only liked girls before. I was terrified his friends wouldn’t approve. So, regardless of whether their intentions were malicious, or what kind of alcohol it was—red or white— I accepted every drink they offered, pouring it all down my throat. Finally, when I was too drunk to keep my eyes open, slumping softly into Landon’s arms, he finally spoke, lazily. “Enough. Can’t you see he’s already passed out?” “Tsk.” Someone’s hand brushed my face. “Damn, that face is really something.” Then a pinch on my waist. “Holy shit, his waist is tiny too.” “If you don’t like guys, Landon, why don’t you give him to me?” A puff of smoke was playfully blown into my face. “I love guys like this.” What was he saying…? I lay uncomfortably on Landon’s lap, coughing tears from the smoke. “Oh, can’t stand smoke?” The guy suddenly got excited. “Then imagine smoking while doing him—wouldn’t that be the best? Haha…” What on earth were they talking about?! My remaining consciousness waited for Landon to scold them. But no matter how long I waited, he remained silent. “So it’s settled.” “Kyle, wanna join tonight? The hotel downstairs has everything, it’ll be epic…” “Enough.” Landon pushed the guy away, his voice low. “Don’t even think about him.” “No way, Landon.” The guy laughed exaggeratedly. “Do you want to taste what a guy feels like, or are you getting soft on him?” “Come on, this is the guy the campus queen likes, he’s your rival. How can you be soft on him?” “Damn it, are you deaf?” Landon slammed his lighter on the table, his voice impatient. “I told you I’d hand him over to my brother. Once I get Stella, I’ll just find an excuse to dump him. If I hand him over to you, you’ll try to kill him? I don’t want a murder on my hands.” “As for getting soft,” Landon sneered. “The thought of being intimate with a guy makes me sick.” …No wonder. No wonder every time I tried to kiss him, he’d turn away with a dark look. I thought I was being too eager. Turns out, he just found me disgusting. …Good thing my face was down. I struggled to keep from throwing up, trying to find some bitter amusement in the situation. Otherwise, a grown man crying with snot and tears everywhere would look pretty bad, right? 0
“This is truly absurd.” When he placed me in the passenger seat, I distinctly felt him wearily rub his brow. “Landon, how could you come up with something so ridiculous?” “I don’t want my crush to like someone else, bro. I know you’re homophobic, and this is a huge sacrifice, but just help me out this one time, okay?” “I promise, I won’t touch a race car for at least a month afterward.” “That’s not the same thing.” Jasper’s tone was firm. “When will you ever grow up…” “Ugh.” My stomach churned from all the alcohol, and I couldn’t help but turn over. I met the gaze of the person leaning over to buckle my seatbelt. …They really did look alike. Even the mole at the corner of their eyes was identical. Yet, despite having the same face, Landon was ostentatious, wanting the whole world to fall in love with him. This man, however, meticulously buttoned his shirt to the very top, his sleeves rolled up only a tiny bit, revealing his wrist-watch. It gave him an almost unapproachable, ascetic air, combined with an undeniable hint of raw desire. His gaze lingered briefly on my lips for a few seconds before subtly shifting away. His long fingers tapped the steering wheel. “Fine, just this once.” … Later, everything proceeded smoothly according to Landon’s wishes. The two of them took turns holding my hand, going on dates with me. Every day, I received two hefty allowances and two sets of gifts. With one exception. Jasper would take me to bed. In stark contrast to his reserved and self-possessed exterior, his desires were intense, and his repertoire varied. Every time, with his back covered in scratch marks, he’d casually kiss my trembling inner thigh while calmly responding to Landon’s calls: “No, he’s been very well-behaved.” “Hmm, didn’t notice a thing.” Then he’d pull my groggy body into his arms. “Come on, sleep a little before school, okay?” … By routine, yesterday should have been Landon’s turn. But perhaps things with Stella had finally progressed, so he couldn’t even bother to pretend. He just turned off his phone and went sea fishing with his beauty. By the time he remembered me that evening, Jasper and I had already had several rounds in bed. 0
The next morning, Landon was waiting downstairs early. “Sit in the back. The front passenger seat is Stella’s spot.” Perhaps he thought I was an idiot, but Landon never bothered to hide his disdain for me. Or his unique special treatment for Stella. It seemed things were indeed getting serious. After just one day, the car’s decorations and air freshener had changed to styles Stella liked. I paused, hand on the door, and didn’t say anything, dutifully getting into the back. “Wait.” In the rearview mirror, Landon’s half-lidded eyes narrowed. “What’s that on your collarbone?” I followed his gaze and touched my skin,愣了一瞬. It was a tooth mark. Jasper, that jerk. “Probably a mosquito bite.” I cursed Jasper silently, then nonchalantly pulled up my collar. “A mosquito could do that?” Landon frowned. When he leaned closer, as if to inspect it, I suddenly felt a surge of weariness. So I curved my lips slightly. “Wasn’t it you, Husband?” “When the hell did I—” Landon suddenly fell silent. “Can we not go on for so long tonight? I’m really tired.” I yawned, fanning the flames. “…Okay.” Landon gritted his teeth, his face thunderous, dark enough to curdle milk. Sure enough, not long after I got out of the car, I heard him questioning Jasper’s voice. “Bro, did you touch Julian?” I don’t know what Jasper said, but Landon suddenly kicked the front of the car violently. “He’s my boyfriend! How could you touch him?” I walked back a couple of steps and heard the unhurried rustle of Jasper flipping through papers. “Aren’t you about to win Stella over? It’s the perfect time to break up with him.” Then a pause. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for Julian.” “I…” Landon irritably tugged at his collar. “Even if I don’t like him, he’s still my boyfriend. No one else touches him but me, damn it.” “I’ve been unfair to him these past three years. Once I sort things out with Stella, I’ll consider forcing myself to try with him.” “Aren’t you afraid he’ll leave you once he finds out the truth?” “No.” Landon’s brow instantly relaxed a little. “He loves me a lot.” “Sorry, bro, I shouldn’t have suspected you like that. You two definitely don’t have anything going on. Once I handle things here… No, I’ll take him to meet everyone around me tonight. It’ll be compensation.” “From now on, Julian won’t be bothering you, bro. You’ve worked hard these past few years.” Jasper turned another page. “No trouble at all.” 0
For the next few days, Landon truly seemed to have settled down, dutifully staying on campus. Several times, I intentionally made movements to get close to him, just like before, and he surprisingly didn’t resist at all. In fact, his reactions were quite intense. The next time I evaded his pursuing lips, Landon finally couldn’t hold back. He forcefully pressed me down beneath him. Panting, he commanded, “Open your mouth.” “I’m a bit tired today.” I innocently repeated his old excuse. “And a little unaccustomed to it.” Landon’s breath hitched for a moment, and he slowly released me. He lowered his gaze, muttering to himself, “It’s okay, after tonight…” I didn’t know what he had planned. But I tilted my head and thought. Whether it was with Landon or Jasper, it was time for this game to end. So I obediently nodded. “Okay.” 0
I didn’t expect Landon to be off his game even before evening. “I’m going out to take a call.” After dodging five consecutive calls, he finally couldn’t hold back, grabbing his phone and rushing out. As soon as he stepped out of the dorm building, a girl threw herself into his arms. “You said you liked me, so why did you suddenly stop coming to see me?” The girl sobbed, complaining indignantly. The one who had been constantly saying he needed to sort things out with Stella let her wrap her arms around his waist. His hands hesitated for a few seconds before finally resting on her shoulders, holding her tight. … “Ah!” Stella suddenly shrieked. I instinctively tried to step back, but someone wrapped an arm around my waist, kissing my neck with a low chuckle. Landon finally looked up, his eyes landing on me. “It’s not what you think!” He abruptly pushed the girl away, trying to walk over and explain. But he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the person beside me. “…Bro?” I pulled my hand from Jasper’s grasp, about to speak. Then I heard Jasper calmly respond, “Hm.” “I haven’t introduced you two yet.” Just like someone introducing their partner to family, Jasper calmly gestured towards Landon. “This is my brother, Landon. And as for Julian,” He didn’t bat an eye, taking my hand and intertwining our fingers once more, a smile playing on his lips. “This is your sister-in-law.” 0
“…What are you talking about?” It wasn’t just me; Landon’s face also went momentarily blank. I hadn’t expected Jasper to still be pretending to be his brother at this point. Seeing Jasper calmly pull me closer, Landon’s eyelid twitched. “When did he become your—!” “Are you asking when we got together?” Jasper’s lips curved slightly, but there wasn’t a hint of a smile in his light eyes; instead, there was a cold, cruel glint. “But are you sure,” “You want Julian to hear what I’m about to say?” “You bastard!” Landon quickly strode over, grabbing Jasper’s collar and slamming him against the wall like a furious lion, his eyes bloodshot. “He’s my—!” “Address me properly.” Even in such a disheveled state, Jasper met his gaze with an unnerving calm. Landon’s fury slowly dissipated under that steady stare. “…Sister-in-law.” He glared at Jasper, gritting his teeth. “Happy now?” Jasper nodded slightly, but he wasn’t done. “Didn’t you say you were introducing your girlfriend to everyone tonight? Julian isn’t an outsider; he can witness it too.” “Going, sweetheart?” Both men looked at me. Our eyes met, and I suddenly felt a sense of relief. For Stella, Landon had concocted this ridiculous rotation game. Now that he saw I wasn’t clinging to him anymore, he must be thrilled. So I smiled and leaned into Jasper’s embrace. “Of course, I’ll go. Landon’s brother is my brother, after all.” 0
Perhaps they’d already been briefed, but when we walked into the private room, everyone enthusiastically stood up. A chorus of “Sister-in-law” was on the verge of escaping their lips when they saw Jasper behind me. Their expressions immediately became a sight to behold. “Uh, L-Landon?” They took a few seconds to react, perhaps thinking Landon had suddenly changed his mind again. So they all pretended to be familiar and clapped Jasper on the shoulder. Then, the real Landon walked in, a dark scowl on his face. “Holy shit.” Someone finally couldn’t help but blurt out a curse. “Why are you looking at me? Order the food.” Landon, still fuming, sat down next to me. “Aren’t you going to introduce everyone first?” Jasper, while naturally sanitizing my forks, smoothly steered the conversation. “This is Stella,” Landon gritted his back teeth. “My girlfriend.” Stella shyly leaned against him. Landon immediately looked at me nervously. Seeing my lack of reaction, his face grew even darker. He finally ignored everyone’s winks and nudges, silently peeling a shrimp for me. “Eat shrimp.” Before I could even reach for it, the person on the other side snatched it with his forks. “You f**king done with your—” Landon slammed his forks on the table. Before he could unleash his anger, he heard Jasper casually say, “He’s allergic to shrimp.” Landon’s rage immediately died down. “I didn’t know.” He looked uncharacteristically flustered. Ignoring how bizarre it was for him to serve me, he eagerly picked up a piece of chicken. “You can eat this, right?” “Thanks, I can eat it.” I gave him a slight smile, and as his face relaxed in relief, I promptly put it into Jasper’s bowl. “But I don’t like it.” The smile on Landon’s face completely vanished. “Wanna step out for a smoke?” As if he couldn’t hold back his fury any longer, he stood up and tapped twice on Jasper’s chair back. It was boring to stare at a bunch of guys who enjoyed humiliating me, and I also wanted to know what Jasper’s game plan was. So I found an excuse and followed them out. Sure enough, around a corner, I heard Landon’s vicious voice: “Bro, what the hell is your deal? Are you addicted to pretending to be me, or did you seriously fall for your own brother’s boyfriend?” “It’s perfectly natural for me to get him food,” He let out a short, neurotic laugh. “But what right do you have to care what he’s allergic to?” “I don’t have the right.” Jasper held a cigarette in one hand, bringing it nonchalantly to his lips. Then he casually stubbed it out. “But I will soon.” Landon exploded, grabbing Jasper’s collar and slamming him against the wall, his eyes bloodshot: “Jasper! Are you really stealing your brother’s boyfriend?!” “What’s the rush?” Under Landon’s furious glare, Jasper remained outwardly calm and relaxed. His long legs, encased in tailored trousers, were sprawled lazily. “If I hadn’t pushed you like this, would you ever have seen your true feelings?” “What do you mean?” Landon narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “If I hadn’t forced your hand tonight, would you still be wavering between Stella and Julian?” “No matter how much Julian loves you, there’ll always come a day when he loses heart.” Jasper freed his collar from Landon’s grip. Like a dependable older brother, he patiently guided him: “Now do you know what to do?” Though still half-skeptical, Landon finally relaxed his hold on his brother, who he’d trusted for over twenty years. He snorted. “Alright, let’s switch roles back then. And book me a room.” “Condoms and stuff are basic, but get a few more varieties of kinks.” He carefully watched Jasper’s expression. “Something this simple, surely nothing else could go wrong, right?” “Of course.” Jasper’s expression was as usual. … When they re-entered the private room, the two had indeed switched seats. “Can we sleep out tonight?” Landon, now in different clothes, lightly bit my earlobe. A disagreeable stickiness immediately washed over me. I instinctively flinched away, my hand accidentally brushing against Jasper’s thigh. Just as I was about to move it back, my pinky finger was gently hooked. I looked up to see Jasper calmly sipping tea, his face devoid of expression. Noticing my gaze, he even raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “What’s wrong?” “…Nothing.” So, under everyone’s watchful eyes, right next to his own brother, Jasper subtly intertwined his fingers with mine, his ‘brother’s boyfriend,’ beneath the tablecloth. Slowly. So slowly. Then he squeezed tight. “I’ve booked a room.” Seeing I didn’t respond, Landon thought I was shy, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “I—it’s my first time too, but I’ll make sure you’re comfortable. Okay?” My fingertips were gently caressed by another, and my heart couldn’t help but quicken a few beats. But I carefully held back my answer. Because I knew Landon wasn’t the only one waiting for my reply. Landon was doing this for Stella. But what about Jasper? Was simply humoring his brother reason enough to sacrifice himself and sleep with a man? I’d even secretly wondered if he liked me. But then why had he lied to me for three years, never revealing his true identity? Yet, recalling the brothers’ interaction just now, I finally spoke with a smile. “Okay.” Since Jasper had gone to such lengths, even booking us a room. How could I possibly disappoint his efforts?
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