I Faked My Death—Now I Have to Tame the Crazy Men I Left Behind-Chapter 72 - 70: The Peacock’s Display

When Mia Grant woke up, she felt like her head was going to explode.

She didn’t dare skip class again, so she quickly got ready and went with her roommate.

In the classroom, she sat in the back row, incessantly rubbing her temples.

Her head was so groggy. ’None of this information is getting into my brain!’

"I didn’t do anything too outrageous after getting drunk yesterday, did I?"

She couldn’t remember a thing.

Her roommate shook her head. "You were actually pretty quiet after you got drunk. You just kept sleeping."

"Oh, I’m so sorry for all the trouble. You even got me hangover medicine and got me back here!"

"We weren’t the ones who brought you back."

"Huh?" Mia Grant stopped rubbing her temples. "It wasn’t you?"

Her roommate helped her remember. "We were about to, but Ian Sinclair showed up before we could leave."

"Ian... Sinclair?"

Mia Grant blinked. She had no memory of it whatsoever.

"Are you sure it was Ian Sinclair?"

"Positive. He brought you right to the entrance of the dorm, and you even waved at him and said, ’Bye, Ian Sinclair!’"

"And isn’t his jacket still on your bed? Maybe you should wash it and give it back to him when you get back."

"Oh..." Mia Grant nodded, lost in thought.

"Speaking of which, Kitty, you don’t think Ian Sinclair likes you, do you?"

Mia Grant quickly denied it, not forgetting that this same roommate had tried to get Ian Sinclair’s number before.

"No way. He was always really helpful back in high school. Plus, we were deskmates for a bit, and I used to help him with his homework all the time. He’s probably just... repaying a life debt or something."

"I see!"

Mia Grant breathed a sigh of relief. Back in her dorm at noon, she climbed onto her bed and, sure enough, found the windbreaker crumpled under her comforter.

She made a special trip to get it professionally cleaned. Once it was done, she messaged Ian Sinclair to ask where he was.

Ian Sinclair was in his dorm playing games when the message came in. His eyes lit up. [I’m in my dorm. You back on campus?]

[Yep.] Mia Grant glanced at the time. [Come downstairs in five minutes, then. I’ll give your stuff back to you.]

Ian Sinclair tossed his phone aside and immediately jumped up to change his clothes.

Dixon yawned. "What’s with you, little young master? All worked up. Aren’t you napping? It’s the middle of the day."

Ian Sinclair retorted, "For a single guy like you, sleeping is all you can do at noon."

Dixon scoffed, letting out a sarcastic "Ooooh." "Then what does a superior breed such as yourself have planned for the afternoon?"

Seeing him change his clothes, fuss with his hair, and even put on cologne, Dixon perked up. "Where are you off to? All dolled up like a peacock showing off its feathers."

Ian Sinclair scoffed, raising an eyebrow at his reflection. The look in his eyes said it all.

Dixon whistled. "Wow, you move fast. Weren’t you just planning on stealing someone’s girl the other day?"

’Already dug,’ Ian Sinclair thought to himself.

He lifted his gaze, his eyes sweeping nonchalantly over a particular bunk as he ground his teeth. "Bro, your fever gone down yet?"

"I’m heading out for a date. Need me to bring back a box of meds for you?"

After a long silence, a hoarse voice drifted down from the top bunk. "No, thanks."

"Alright then." Ian Sinclair shrugged. "I’m off to find my baby, then. You guys get some sleep."

Dixon told him to get the hell out.

Ian Sinclair left, humming a song.

The door shut, cutting off his cheerful, off-key humming.

Inside the dorm, Dixon rolled over to go back to sleep. The bed frame let out a CREAK, and then the room fell silent again.

On the bed by the window, a young man’s eyelashes fluttered before he slowly opened his eyes.

He’d been caught in the wind, and a fever had set in during the night. He had taken medicine, but he was still burning up.

He hadn’t gone to any of his morning classes, resting in the dorm instead.

He had thought he would be fine after sleeping it off, but now that he was awake, he felt even worse.

Not wanting to disturb his roommate, he quietly climbed down from his bunk.

His head was spinning, his vision was a blur, and he couldn’t see the ladder clearly at all.

He missed a step.

The loud thud startled Dixon, who shot upright. "Felix, you alright?"

"I’m fine." Felix Sinclair stood on the floor, looking down at his reddened ankle and shaking his head slightly. "You go back to sleep. I just came down to take some medicine."

"Alright, be careful." Dixon was extremely sleepy and didn’t say anything more.

He’d said he was getting medicine, but after opening the drawer, he couldn’t find where he’d put it the night before.

While searching, he found himself wandering out onto the balcony.

Down below, Ian Sinclair was like a big, affectionate puppy, practically throwing himself at Mia and nuzzling against her.

Mia Grant swatted at his shoulder with disdain, but he refused to let go, whining, "Baby, just a little longer."

The two of them walked away.

Leaving only Felix Sinclair standing in the wind, as if he were rooted to the spot.

His gaze followed their figures as they grew smaller in the distance, until they disappeared from view.

After who knows how long, he finally moved his stiff body. The wind had numbed his feverish, burning skin.

He turned around.

He reached for the balcony door handle, only to grasp at empty air.

The wind had just blown the balcony door shut, and it had locked automatically. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Felix Sinclair pushed it, but it wouldn’t open.

Expressionless, he withdrew his hand, took a few steps back, and slowly sat down in a corner of the balcony.

Maybe it was because he didn’t want to disturb anyone, or maybe he just didn’t have the strength, but he didn’t call for help.

Just those few steps seemed to have drained all his energy.

’So tired. I need to get some real rest now.’

—

Mia Grant wanted to go to the library, and Ian Sinclair insisted on coming with her.

"You don’t even study. What are you doing here?"

"Who says?" Ian Sinclair casually grabbed a book and flipped through it. "Aren’t I studying right now?"

’Whatever.’

Mia Grant found a spot, and Ian Sinclair immediately glommed onto her, sitting down right next to her.

A few minutes passed, but Mia Grant couldn’t focus on her studies. She closed her notes and sighed.

She turned her head, her gaze locking with his bright, piercing eyes.

Ian Sinclair’s face lit up. "Done already? Let’s go shopping!"

Mia Grant was speechless. "How am I supposed to study with you disturbing me like this?"

"When did I disturb you? I didn’t even dare to make a sound."

The puppy looked utterly heartbroken.

"I’m even turning the pages quietly."

"I’m talking about your eyes! They’re harassing me! Read your book! Why do you keep staring at me?"

"It’s your fault for being so beautiful."

"..."

’And just like that, I’m not mad anymore.’

The puppy was surprisingly obedient. Meeting her exasperated gaze, he sat up straight. "Alright, alright. You study. I won’t look at you."

But he couldn’t get into the book, either.

Looking around, Ian Sinclair picked up the bag on the floor.

This was the one Mia Grant had just shoved at him.

’Looks like a piece of clothing.’

’I didn’t get a good look at it just now. Why would she give me a gift out of the blue?’

’Does she remember my birthday is coming up?’

Ian Sinclair opened the bag, excitedly pulled out the windbreaker inside, and froze.

"What’s wrong?" Mia Grant tilted her head, noticing him staring blankly at the jacket.

She leaned closer. "Is there a spot that didn’t get clean?"

"..." The puppy turned his head, flashing her a smile that showed his canines. "Nah, it’s perfectly clean."

After leaving the library, Ian Sinclair walked Mia Grant to her academic building.

After watching her leave, Ian Sinclair looked at the bag in his hand, a cold sneer forming on his lips. He turned and, without a moment’s hesitation, threw the jacket into the trash.

’Tch. I’m really starting to hate this face of mine.’