Ken - KenPaul

Ken had been Belle's boyfriend for just over a year. The two were close and had a seemingly stable relationship. Having known Belle for years, Ken was practically part of the family and was always at her house. The only problem was Paul, Belle's younger brother and the only person capable of driving Ken crazy.

From the moment they met, the two could never be in the same room without exchanging provocations. Paul would make a mocking comment, and Ken would respond in kind. One provoked, the other didn't back down. To Belle, they hated each other, and she always tried to downplay it. They made a point of maintaining this impression because, when Belle wasn't looking, that hatred transformed into something else. There was no hidden romance or complicated feelings; there was attraction, desire, pride, and a tension that they both fueled precisely because they knew they shouldn't. Paul liked to provoke Ken, and he liked even more not to back down. It was a contest to see who would lose their temper first.

They both liked each other, but neither wanted to turn it into a relationship; they didn't want promises, labels, or sentimental conversations. They liked the risk, the adrenaline, and the feeling of doing something they shouldn't. Ken didn't intend to break up with Belle. Not out of guilt, but out of pride. He would continue being her boyfriend, pretending to hate Paul and finding ways to sleep with him. It was ridiculous, and they both loved it.

The bell rang for recess, echoing through the Engineering building. Classroom doors opened, and the hallways filled with students, conversations, and complaints about exams. Belle and Ken walked together to the cafeteria. In the middle of the crowd, Ken saw Paul walking distractedly with his cell phone in hand, keeping up with the Design students. Damn hot. Deliberately, Ken took a step to the side, causing Paul to bump into him forcefully.

"Are you blind?" he asked with feigned irritation, observing the younger one.