Chapter 19: The Aftermath and the Reclaiming

Kenji was gone, banished from Xander's life, a casualty of Shin's obsessive machinations. But his absence didn't bring the peace Shin craved. Instead, it left a gaping wound between him and Xander. Xander felt heartbroken, used, and deeply betrayed. He saw Shin's actions for what they were: a manipulative, calculated scheme to eliminate a rival, not an act of love or protection. The trust, already fragile, was shattered beyond repair.

Shin, blinded by his obsession, didn't understand the depth of Xander's hurt. He thought that with Kenji out of the picture, everything would be fine, that Xander would forgive him, that they could go back to how things were. He was wrong.

He tried everything to win Xander back. He showered him with apologies, gifts, and grand gestures, but Xander remained distant, his eyes filled with a cold, unreadable emotion. Shin cooked his favorite meals, cleaned his apartment, even tried to serenade him with a song he knew Xander liked. But Xander remained unmoved, his heart closed off, his walls firmly in place.

Shin’s anxiety grew. He couldn't stand the distance, the silence, the way Xander looked at him – with a mixture of fear and disgust. He started keeping an even closer eye on Xander, watching him from a distance, a constant, unseen presence in his life. He needed to know where he was, who he was with, what he was doing. He can’t be with anyone else…he’s mine.

One night, Shin saw Xander at a bar with Ethan and Caleb. He watched from the shadows, his jealousy a gnawing beast inside him. Xander was laughing, talking animatedly with his friends, but Shin could see the forced cheerfulness in his eyes. He knew Xander was still hurting, that he was just trying to forget.

Then, Xander started flirting with a guy at the bar. He was laughing, touching his arm, his eyes sparkling with playful interest. They started dancing, their bodies moving close to each other. The guy put his hand on Xander’s hip, a casual, seemingly innocent gesture that sent a jolt of pure, unadulterated rage through Shin.

He couldn't take it anymore. The image of Xander with someone else, touching someone else, laughing with someone else, was too much to bear. He pushed through the crowd, his eyes fixed on Xander, his face a mask of barely contained fury.

He reached them and grabbed Xander's arm, pulling him away from the other guy. Xander stumbled, surprised by the sudden intrusion. He looked at Shin, his eyes widening in shock.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice laced with anger.

Shin didn’t answer. He just pulled Xander towards the exit, his grip tight, possessive. He didn’t care about the other guy’s protests, didn’t care about the stares of the other patrons. He just wanted to get Xander away from there, away from anyone who might try to take him away from him. He’s mine. He’s always been mine.

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