He’s Just Putting On an Act

After my confession to my childhood best friend was rejected, I cried my eyes out at Aunt Gwen's place.

But then, by some stroke of absolute luck, I caught him through the crack of his bedroom door, staring at a photo of me, completely lost in his own feverish world.

I can't... give in too easily... he muttered, his voice strained.

"...God, I love her... Daisy..."

I peeked through the gap. He was half-reclining on his bed, his head tilted back against the headboard, his neck stretched tense, a deep, feverish flush creeping up his collar and staining his cheeks.

I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to quiet my frantically pounding heart.

A slow, amused smile curled my lips.

Unbelievable.

Who knew this idiot had a completely different side to him?

When Danny finally stepped out of his bedroom, he caught me with my arms wrapped around his mother, looking like the most miserable girl on earth.

"Aunt Gwen, I think it's time I moved out," I sniffled, playing the part of the heartbroken victim.

Gwen gently wiped away my tears, her heart breaking for me. "Don't listen to that foolish boy. This will always be your home."

I gently pulled back from her embrace. "But I've already packed my bags. I'm leaving tonight."

Danny, who had been pretending to fetch a glass of water, froze. His gaze locked onto the bright red suitcase sitting by the front door, his expression blank with shock.

"Daisy, what is the meaning of this? No one is kicking you out," he said, his voice tight.

"Can't a girl just want to go back to her own apartment?"

"Your place is miles away from your office. How are you even going to commute?"

I ignored him, walking over to grab the handle of my suitcase.

Panic flared in Danny's eyes. In a flash, he stepped in front of me, blocking the door.

"My mom loves having you here. Besides, I drive you to work every single day and look after you. Are you seriously telling me you're just going to leave?"

"Yes."

I finally looked up, meeting his eyes.

"You said it yourself, Danny. You said my feelings for you are just a habit because we've never been apart. You said if we put some distance between us, I'd probably fall for someone else."

I paused, letting the words sink in. "I thought about it all night, and you're right. So, I'm going to go out there and see what else the world has to offer."

Danny went completely rigid.

"I..."

He opened his mouth to explain, to plead, but the words seemed to choke him.

Behind his back, Gwen covertly gave me a subtle thumbs-up.

With a knowing nod, I rolled my suitcase past him and stepped out into the hallway.

The moment the door clicked shut behind me, I heard Gwen's hand smack hard against Danny's back.

"You idiot! What are you doing? Go after her!"

"Mom, I only see her as a sis..."

"Cut the crap! Do you honestly think your own mother can't see right through you? Stop playing stupid!"

"You don't understand, Mom! It's not like that, I..."

I didn't look back, but a triumphant smile was already spreading across my face.

Danny, if you love playing hard to get this much...

I'm going to drag you down and make you my absolute puppy.

Back in my own apartment, I sat on my bed and scrolled through my chat history with Danny.

We had texted every single day, from our school years right up to our corporate lives.

He had never missed a beat when it came to taking care of me.

He would bring me late-night snacks when I worked overtime. He would show up with an umbrella outside my office building before the rain even started.

Even when I casually mentioned craving a dessert from a bakery across town, he would drive forty minutes just to get it for me.

Yet, when I confessed to him yesterday, his immediate reaction was to push me away.

"Daisy, can you actually tell the difference between love and habit?" he had asked, sounding so clinical. "Do you even know what real love is before you throw a confession at me?"

I had been so angry and humiliated in that moment.

But thinking back on it now...

When he asked those questions, his eyes were darting around, his posture incredibly stiff.

Pff. What a total fraud.

I tossed my phone onto the bed.

On my first day back at my place, I didn't send him a single message.

Determined to play his little game, he didn't text me either. The chat screen remained dead silent.

The second day, still nothing.

On the afternoon of the third day, a notification finally popped up from Danny.

[Daisy, are you seriously not coming back to stay?]

Looking at the screen, my lips curved into a smug smile.

Oh, Danny.

Only three days and you're already losing your cool?

You have absolutely no game, yet you tried to play me. Hilarious.

I flipped my phone face down on the desk and went back to my work, leaving him on read.

On the fourth day, he managed to hold back and didn't send any more messages.

I wasn't in any rush.

After clocking out, I happily joined my colleagues for a dinner party.

A few drinks in, I took a group photo and posted it to my social media.

In the photo, my cheeks were flushed a pretty pink from the alcohol, flanked by handsome guys and beautiful girls laughing and talking.

Within ten minutes of posting, a text from Danny flashed across my screen.

[Are you out drinking? How much did you have? When are you coming home?]

Of course, I didn't reply.

A second later, my phone began to ring. I answered it, keeping my voice airy.

"Send me your location," his voice demanded, rough and urgent. "I'm coming to pick you up right now."

"No need, Danny. Someone is already driving me home."

Silence stretched over the line for a few agonizing seconds before his voice spiked.

"You're drunk and you're just going to get into a stranger's car? Daisy, do you have a single brain cell left in that head?"

I smirked silently.

He was practically dying of anxiety, yet his mouth was still as stubborn as ever.

I decided to push his buttons a little harder.

"He's not a stranger. Actually, he's my new crush."

I let out a soft sigh. "You were right, Danny. My feelings for you weren't real love. I'm so glad you rejected me and made me realize it. Thanks for the wake-up call!"

Without giving him a chance to speak, I hung up.

He tried calling back several times, but I ignored every single one.

A delicious thrill of excitement rushed through my veins.

When the dinner ended, I walked out of the restaurant side-by-side with Gavin.

Gavin was a new designer at our firm. He was tall, handsome, had a great personality, and most importantly, he genuinely liked me.

He was the one who had offered to drive me home.

The moment we stepped outside, a familiar car caught my eye.

Danny was leaning against the hood, hands shoved deep into his pockets, his gaze locked onto the restaurant exit.

A split second later, his eyes found me with laser-focused precision.

Impressive. He found me so fast.

He really didn't disappoint.

Pretending to be startled, I widened my eyes. "Danny? What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer.

His eyes swept over my flushed face before landing coldly on Gavin beside me.

I introduced Danny to Gavin with a sweet, overly familiar tone, calling him my "childhood friend."

Gavin offered a polite greeting and reached out, about to guide me to his car.

Suddenly, Danny grabbed my wrist.

"No need to trouble yourself," Danny said, his voice clipped. "She's with me. She lives at my place."

Before Gavin could even process the words, Danny pulled me toward his passenger side, ignoring Gavin who was trying to call after us.

He slammed the door, got into the driver's seat, and hit the gas, the tires screeching as we sped away.

I sat in the passenger seat in complete silence, my face darkened to look like he had just ruined my perfect night.

Danny glanced at me several times, opening his mouth as if to speak, but closing it each time.

I knew exactly what he was doing.

He was waiting for me to break the ice first, just like I always did.

Even now, he was still holding onto his stupid pride.

He clearly hadn't realized the power dynamics had shifted.

Fine. I closed my eyes and pretended to fall asleep, keeping the silence absolute all the way back.

When the car stopped, I opened my eyes and looked out the window.

Of course, he had brought me back to his house.

"You're staying here tonight," he murmured.

For once, I didn't argue.

I silently walked to my old room, went inside, and shut the door behind me with a firm click.

I knew that silence was the ultimate torture for him.

Enjoy it, Danny.

After a relaxing hot shower, I threw myself onto the bed.

Just as I was about to drift off, a soft knock sounded at the door.

Danny stood on the other side, his voice muffled and low.

"Daisy? Are you asleep?"

I remained quiet.

He lingered outside for a long moment before his heavy footsteps slowly faded down the hallway.

I rolled over and buried my face in the pillow.

The fabric smelled of fresh laundry and sunshine.

I had noticed it the moment I walked in: the bedsheets weren't the ones I left behind. They were brand new, featuring my favorite cartoon character.

Since Aunt Gwen was away on a business trip, Danny had to have changed them himself.

Even the framed photo of me on the nightstand had been moved slightly.

An image automatically popped into my mind.

After I left, Danny must have wandered into this room countless times, staring at my picture and aching with regret.

If he knew it would hurt this much, why did he have to be such a fool and reject my confession in the first place?

Oh well.

This was the perfect opportunity to train him.

The next morning, I made sure to slip out of the house before Danny even woke up.

As I reached the kitchen, I noticed breakfast already waiting on the dining table.

Of course. We grew up together. He knew my routine like the back of his hand.

The sandwich was sliced into perfect triangles, sitting next to a glass of warm milk and a sticky note.

[Daisy, make sure you eat before you leave.]

I took a bite of the delicious sandwich, crumpled the note into a tight ball, and tossed it into the trash.

It tasted amazing.

But I didn't care about his notes.

I wanted to see him on his knees, begging for me.

For the next week, my routine was like clockwork.

I left the house at seven in the morning and didn't return to Danny's place until ten at night.

I didn't know what Danny had told my parents, but my mom had actually sent my suitcases back to his house, likely using Gwen's name as an excuse.

But Danny didn't dare show up at my office to pick me up.

I had warned him: if he ruined my chances with Gavin, I would go sleep at Gavin's place instead.

That terrified him.

So he changed his strategy, sending tentative texts asking if I'd be home for dinner. Sometimes I texted back a flat "no," and sometimes I just ignored him completely.

However, I still ate the breakfast he prepared every morning.

And occasionally, I'd throw him a bone and let him drive me to work.

You can't keep the leash too tight when you're training someone; you have to pull and release.

On the eighth night, I came home particularly late.

Danny was sitting on the living room sofa. The television was on, but his eyes were completely vacant.

On the dining table, several dishes sat untouched, cold.

When he saw me walk in, he stood up, his voice slightly hoarse. "You're back."

"Yeah. I already ate with Gavin. You should eat your dinner."

I kicked off my shoes and immediately headed toward my room.

"Daisy," he called out from behind me.

"Are you planning to keep this up forever?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him.

"Keep what up?"

"You've changed. You're so cold to me."

Danny took a step forward, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"You're angry with me because I rejected your confession, aren't you? Daisy, the truth is..."

"Angry?"

I tilted my head, putting on a look of pure innocence.

"Why would I be angry? I told you last time, your words actually helped me clear my head. Gavin and I have been getting along incredibly well lately."

Danny's fingers twitched, curling slightly into his palms.

"...Is that so?"

"Absolutely. Gavin is sweet, attentive, and always treats me like a princess. It feels amazing being with him."

I deliberately let my eyes drift down to his tightening fists, a slight smirk playing on my lips.

"Wait, Danny. You aren't jealous, are you?"

His expression froze for a split second before he let out a harsh, defensive laugh.

"Jealous of you? In your dreams."

Perfect. I almost laughed out loud.

It was time to bring out the heavy artillery.

I smiled warmly, my eyes crinkling.

"Actually, Gavin and I are official now. He's throwing a dinner party the day after tomorrow to introduce me to everyone. You should come."

The moment the words left my mouth, all the color drained from Danny's face.

"Daisy! Are you out of your mind? How could you..."

"How could I confess to you one day and start dating someone else the next?" I interrupted, letting out a soft, amused chuckle.

"You were the one who rejected me. What, did you expect me to stay single and mourn a relationship we never even had?"

Danny's face turned utterly pale.

His lips parted, but no sound came out.

I spun around gracefully and walked back into my room.

As the door clicked shut, I heard him draw a sharp, ragged breath outside, as if trying to hold back a flood of emotions.

I leaned against the door, my smile widening.

Come on, Danny.

Let's see how much longer you can last.

The dinner party was set for Friday night.

I specifically chose a stunning red dress that made my fair skin pop.

When Gavin came to pick me up, his eyes went completely wide.

"Daisy, you look absolutely breathtaking tonight."

"Thank you," I smiled, slipping my hand through his arm. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a slight movement of the curtains on the second floor.

At the restaurant, a dozen colleagues and friends had already gathered.

As I walked in arm-in-arm with Gavin, the room erupted into cheers and teasing.

"Look at you two! What a gorgeous couple!"

"Nice job, Gavin! You actually snatched our Daisy!"

I laughed and mingled, my eyes casually sweeping the room.

Danny wasn't there yet.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, the heavy wooden door of the private dining room swung open.

Danny walked in. For this celebratory occasion, he had dressed in a stark black shirt, making his sharp features look cold and unyielding.

His eyes immediately locked onto my hand wrapped around Gavin's arm.

His gaze was intense enough to burn a hole right through Gavin's skin.

"This is my childhood friend," I introduced him with a bright smile.

"Hey, man! Good to see you again," Gavin said warmly, extending his hand.

Danny looked down at the hand, then looked up to meet Gavin's eyes.

"Hello."

The single word was cold enough to freeze the room.

Ignoring the outstretched hand entirely, Danny walked straight past Gavin and took a seat at the far end of the table, as far away from me as possible.

I whispered to Gavin not to mind him, joking that my childhood friend was just having a bad day.

Throughout the entire dinner, Danny barely touched his food, only downing glass after glass of whiskey.

He didn't speak to anyone.

He just sat there, staring at me.

Like a predator waiting in the shadows.

I deliberately put food on Gavin's plate, rested my head on his shoulder, and let him gently wipe a speck of sauce from the corner of my mouth.

Every single time I did, Danny's grip on his glass tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Midway through the dinner, I excused myself to go to the restroom.

The moment I stepped into the dimly lit hallway, a hand clamped around my wrist.

The grip was so strong it made me stumble.

Before I could react, I was pulled into the quiet stairwell.

"Danny! What do you think you're"

My words were cut off as he pressed me flat against the concrete wall.

He pinned his hands on either side of my head, trapping me in the narrow space between his arms.

The faint light from the hallway seeped through the crack of the door, illuminating the fierce, bloodshot glaze in his eyes.

"Daisy," his voice was incredibly raw, trembling slightly. "Are you really with him?"

I tilted my head back, looking at him defiantly.

"Of course. Did you think the dinner party was a joke?"

I scoffed. "Danny, since when do you care so much about my love life?"

His breath caught.

"No. You wouldn't be with him. I don't believe it."

"Why wouldn't you believe it? Gavin is handsome, sweet, and he treats me"

"What about me!"

He suddenly roared, the raw emotion he had been bottling up finally bursting through.

"Daisy, what the hell am I to you!"

The stairwell fell dead silent.

Only the sound of our ragged, heavy breathing echoed against the concrete.

Looking at his bloodshot eyes, his trembling lips, and the prominent veins bulging on his clenched fists, a sudden wave of dark satisfaction washed over me.

"You?"

I let out a soft, mocking laugh.

"You're like a brother to me."

I smiled up at him. "Didn't you say so yourself? You only see me as a sister."

He flinched violently, as if he had been struck across the face.

"I..."

"You what?"

I took a step forward, forcing him to lean back.

"You sounded so righteous when you rejected me, Danny."

"So who are you putting on this pathetic display for now?"

"Are you regretting it?"

"Are you jealous?"

"Does it tear you apart inside to see me with someone else?"

With every question I threw at him, his face grew paler.

Finally, his back hit the cold brick wall.

He had nowhere left to retreat.

I stood on my tiptoes, leaning in close to his ear, my lips curling into a cruel whisper.

"It's too late, Danny."

"The way you're acting right now... honestly makes me sick."

10

When we got back that night, Danny locked himself in his room.

As I walked past his door, I heard the muffled, crashing sound of something being hurled against the wall and shattering.

Aunt Gwen wasn't home to keep him in check.

In an excellent mood, I took a warm shower, changed into my silk pajamas, and crawled into bed to scroll through my phone.

A message from Gavin popped up: [How was my performance tonight?]

[Brilliant, Oscar-worthy,] I texted back.

[Is your childhood friend going to be okay? The way he looked at me, I thought he was going to murder me on the spot.]

[Don't worry about him. He brought this on himself.]

As I typed the words, a smug smile played on my lips.

Serves him right.

That's what he gets for playing hard to get.

For holding onto his ridiculous pride.

Now he finally knows how much it hurts.

My phone vibrated again: [Daisy, please think about my offer seriously. I wasn't entirely acting.]

Well, great. Now I had a genuine heart to deal with.

Gavin was a great guy, but we had simply met too late.

As you grow up, you realize that timing in life is everything.

It was late.

I switched off the bedside lamp and closed my eyes.

Just as I was drifting off to sleep, the bedroom door was pushed open with a soft click.

A tall, dark silhouette slipped silently into the room.

Instantly, my mind snapped awake.

It was Danny.

He walked over and stopped right beside my bed.

In the dark, I kept my eyes closed, pretending to be fast asleep. I couldn't see his face, but I could feel his gaze on me, burning hot like fire.

11

Danny stood by the bed for what felt like an eternity.

Then, he suddenly leaned down, his finger gently brushing against my cheek.

His fingertips, rough with light calluses, were trembling.

Slowly, trace by trace, he mapped out the contours of my face.

From my brow to the bridge of my nose, from my cheek down to my lips.

His touch was incredibly gentle, as if he were touching something made of fragile glass.

"Daisy..."

His voice was barely a whisper, a soft, aching sigh.

"What am I supposed to do with you?"

I didn't open my eyes, keeping my breathing slow and steady.

He fell silent again for a long time.

Then, I felt a warm, soft pressure press against my forehead. It was his lips.

My heart skipped a beat.

Did he finally break?

Just as the thought crossed my mind, his lips slowly parted from my skin.

"Please don't hate me, Daisy," Danny whispered, his voice cracking so badly it was barely audible.

"I'm so in love with you, it's driving me insane."

"But I was terrified."

"I was terrified you were just looking for a temporary thrill."

"Terrified you'd regret it later."

He drew in a sharp, painful breath.

"But right now... I'm so much more terrified..."

"Terrified that you really don't want me anymore."

With that, he straightened up and turned to walk out.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob

[ THE ULTIMATE TRUTH HAS BEEN EXPOSED. WILL DAISY FINALLY REVEAL HER SECRET GAME, OR WILL DANNY ESCAPE INTO THE NIGHT? CHOOSE TO UNLOCK THE HEART-STOPPING CLIMAX NOW! ]

"Stop right there."

12

I opened my eyes and sat up in bed.

Click.

I switched on the bedside lamp.

The warm, amber glow instantly filled the room.

Danny froze by the door, his back to me, looking like a statue.

"Turn around."

His shoulders shook slightly.

Then, slowly, he turned to face me.

Under the warm light, I could see his eyes were red.

His long eyelashes were still wet with unshed tears.

My proud, arrogant childhood friend.

In this moment, he looked like a child who had done something terribly wrong, standing there completely lost and helpless.

"Creeping into my room in the middle of the night?"

I threw off the covers, my bare feet hitting the hardwood floor as I walked slowly toward him.

"Touching me?"

"Kissing me?"

I stopped right in front of him, forcing him to look down at me.

"Danny, do you realize I have a boyfriend now?"

His Adam's apple bobbed convulsively.

"I know."

"You know, and yet you still do this?"

I stared into his eyes, demanding an answer.

He lowered his gaze, his dark lashes trembling.

"I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry."

"Couldn't help what?"

His voice dropped even lower.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you."

"I wanted to see you. I wanted to touch you. I wanted to..."

He cut himself off, the tips of his ears turning a bright, burning red.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Wanted to what? Finish the sentence."

He bit his lip, refusing to speak.

I raised my hand.

Smack.

A sharp slap landed on his cheek.

13

It wasn't a hard slap, but the sound was crisp in the quiet room.

Danny's head jerked to the side, completely stunned.

Slowly, he turned his face back to look at me.

There was no anger in his eyes.

Instead, there was confusion, vulnerability, and... a faint, barely perceptible trace of satisfaction?

I held his gaze, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"That was for my boyfriend."

"Remember this. If you ever sneak into my room again, a slap will be the least of your worries."

Danny swallowed hard once more.

"Then hit me again," he whispered.

He reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling my palm back to press against his cheek. His gaze was burning with a desperate intensity.

"Beat me, Daisy. If it makes you feel better, you can hit me as much as you want."

With my hand pressed flat against his face, I could feel the feverish heat of his skin, the slight tremble of his jaw, and the rapid, shallow rise and fall of his chest.

I coldly pulled my hand away.

"You think a beating solves everything?"

"Then what do you want me to do?"

His voice carried a raw, desperate rasp that had been pushed to its absolute limit.

"Tell me, Daisy. What do I have to do to make you leave Gavin? What do I have to do to get you to look at me again?"

"What do I have to do..."

He choked up, his eyes welling with fresh tears.

"...to make you want me?"

My heart pinched.

But I kept my face entirely neutral, cold as ice.

"Let's get one thing straight, Danny."

"You were the one who rejected me. What is this sudden display of tragic devotion supposed to prove?"

"I only did that because..."

"Because what? Cat got your tongue again?"

I let out a cold laugh and took a step back.

"If you have nothing to say, get the hell out of my room. I want to sleep."

He stood there like a statue, refusing to budge.

"Get out," I pointed toward the door.