Jai finally started to calm down, though his breath still hitched every now and then. His fists had stopped hitting, but he didn't let go of Shao. His tear-streaked face tilted upward, brows knitting in confusion.
"…What… what anesthesia?" he whispered, voice small and disbelieving.
Shao looked at him with a tired expression. He gently pried Jai's arms away from his waist and stepped back, giving them both a little breathing room. Jai let him go, but reluctantly—his hands curled at his sides like they didn't know what else to do.
"I wanted Qiu Yue to knock me out," Shao said simply, his voice low and matter-of-fact. "Maybe if I'm unconscious… this rut will pass on its own. Peacefully. Without anyone getting hurt."
He rubbed at the back of his neck, eyes flickering toward Yunfeng. "But Yunfeng said it's not a good way."
Jai blinked slowly, trying to process that.
He turned toward his best friend, still sniffling slightly. "Is that true?" he asked, his voice uncertain.
