When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 483: Really Like You

Chapter 483: Really Like You

The chime of the elevator jolted Gu Luoxin out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see the doors slide open on the third floor. He quickly shifted aside to make room to the people who had just entered, while giving himself a firm pat on the cheek.

Now was not the time to mope around! Besides, shouldn’t he be happy that Noir would be graduating soon? It was such a significant milestone in his life! Not to mention, the man was such a gifted sculptor. He was supposed to showcase his artwork to the whole world instead of a small college like theirs!

When the elevator finally arrived on the fifth floor, Gu Luoxin was done giving himself a pep talk. Muttering an ’excuse me’, he stepped out of the metal cubicle into a corridor that was tinged with the smell of paint, clay and resin. A handful of people strolled around, their clothes splattered with an array of vibrant colors and specks of clay.

"Wow..." Gu Luoxin breathed, feeling as though he had just stepped into a new realm. Utterly in awe, he cradled the plastic bag in his arms and looked around with eager eyes, taking in each and every novelty he spotted.

The entire floor seemed to consist only of studios, as Gu Luoxin could see a lot of students working on their artworks through the window. They seemed completely engrossed, pouring out their whole focus and dedication to bring their creations to life, and Gu Luoxin felt his heartbeat accelerating as he took in their concentrated look and the evident passion brimming in their eyes.

He couldn’t help but wonder, what kind of expression did Noir wear when he was sculpting? Did he look like these people too, or... even more intense?

Too absorbed in his surroundings, Gu Luoxin ventured deeper into the corridor and forgot the advice he received from Senior Yin Jinjing earlier, who told him to ask a random person if he couldn’t find Noir. Eventually, his wandering feet led him to the end of the hallway and oh... there Noir was.

Even if it’s just his back, Gu Luoxin was able to recognize him in an instant.

Gu Luoxin subconsciously halted on his tracks, his gaze fixated on the tall figure perched on top of the ladder, who was wearing a navy blue apron with the knot tied haphazardly behind his back. The bright overhead lights shone down on him, casting a faint halo over his brown hair which seemed to cascade with an extra bounce and curl than usual.

In the spacious room, there was nobody aside from Noir. Not that Gu Luoxin could notice any other person with the emerald-eyed man filling his field of vision.

Oh,

Gu Luoxin thought as his heart began to pump erratically in his chest. What’s that saying again? That’s right, a man focused on his work will look twice as sexy.

That certainly applied well in Noir’s case.

Gu Luoxin couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from the captivating figure before him, drinking in every detail the man’s presence. From the relaxed posture of his left leg resting on the lower step of the ladder to the folded right leg drawn close to his chest, from the rolled-up sleeves revealing his toned arms to the faint tension in his broad shoulders, from the minute sway of his hair as he tilted his head to the firm grip of his large hand on the chisel which carved the marble bit by bit— Gu Luoxin found himself helplessly enamored.

So mesmerized was he by the man himself, who could be considered a work of art, that it took him a moment to shift his attention to what Noir was actually working on.

And when he finally did, his jaws slackened and he almost dropped the plastic bag in his arms in sheer shock and astonishment.

Oh.

Oh.

That was—

"You’re still here?" The sudden voice startled Gu Luoxin so much that he jumped, and he whipped his head around to find Yin Jinjing, whose eyes glimmered in amusement. "Why haven’t you gone in yet? You’re here for him, aren’t you?"

"S–Senior..." Heat flooded Gu Luoxin’s cheeks as he realized he had been caught ogling at Noir like a lovesick fool he was. Goodness, how long had he been standing here?! The more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he was, and he couldn’t even bring himself to look her straight in the eye. "You... You have business here too?"

"Coincidentally," Yin Jinjing gestured at the neighboring studio, seemingly oblivious to his inner turmoil. "My workspace is right there, but unlike our genius Noir, I’m sharing it with a few friends." She went to stand beside Gu Luoxin and peered into the window, letting out a sharp whistle. "Damn, ain’t he a crazy one? It’s been only a day and look at how much he’s finished already. Geez, he’s going to put all of us to shame!"

It was fortunate that Yin Jinjing didn’t turn her head, otherwise she would have noticed Gu Luoxin’s beet red face. "I–It’s only been a day...?" he asked with tremor in his voice.

"Uh-huh," Yin Jinjing confirmed. "Actually, he was almost done with his original piece, but last evening, he suddenly burst in out of nowhere and announced that he’s starting a new one. Said he was inspired." She shook her head, a mixture of admiration and envy flickering in her eyes. "Of course, you never know what’s going on in a genius’s head."

Gu Luoxin’s throat rolled and he shifted his gaze forward, taking in the stone marbles that gradually took shape beneath Noir’s skillful hands. At first, Gu Luoxin didn’t even register what it was, as it appeared nothing more than abstract chaos with jagged, unfinished edges.

But when he took a step back, all of a sudden, the abstract piece snapped into focus.

It was a kingkong.

A massive kingkong with one hand outstretched as though reaching for something up above. Only one of its legs touched the ground, making it seem like it was flying. On top of its head, also the part Noir was currently working on, was a mouse.

A tiny mouse— so small that it seemed almost insignificant compared to the giant creature. Gu Luoxin doubted whether anyone would even notice it as people’s attention would definitely be drawn to the imposing kingkong first and foremost. And yet, it was the mouse that Noir was meticulously sculpting with his hands, mapping out its shape and detail just from memory.

Gu Luoxin’s eyes blurred with tears, and he had to bite down on his lower lip to suppress the overwhelming surge of emotions that threatened to burst out of his chest.

I like you.

God, I really, really like you.

His throat constricted so tightly that it hurt, and his heart felt like it was one second away from leaping out of his mouth. Now that he had acknowledged his feelings for Noir, it seemed more and more difficult to hold himself back. He truly feared that, one of these days, he would impulsively blurt out a confession out of nowhere.

But alas, could anyone even blame him?

Calm down, Xinxin. You must not make a joke out of yourself again!

Taking in a deep breath, Gu Luoxin attempted to regain his composure and blink back the tears in his eyes, but he hadn’t even collected himself when Yin Jinjing reached out to knock – or rather, pound – on the door, drawing the attention of the man inside.

She slid the door open just wide enough to poke her head inside, exclaiming joyfully, "Well, well, look at who’s here! So you can also ask your junior to run errands for you, huh?"

Gu Luoxin instantly panicked as Noir’s gaze shifted to him through the window. W–Wait a moment, he had not prepared himself mentally yet!