My Little Mind Reader

21. My Brother's Boyfriend

Joss's POV

It had been a very long day and I was tired when I went to take the night shift. I didn't get to have as many night shifts with Yo anymore, now that I was head of his security and had to be awake all day. But having fewer of them meant I treasured them even more. Yo was like my little brother.

I loved him so much, loved watching him grow up and become a man. I loved seeing how he loved others and his willingness to give so much of himself. I loved that he was smart and talented. I loved that he was loyal and courageous. I loved that no matter how much horror he saw, he was still filled with hope.

During the night shift, we could talk before he went to bed. It gave us time to reconnect. He'd become so much a part of my life that my parents and my sister considered him family. That was exactly why I liked the night shift, it was quiet time with Yo. When I knocked on the door to his room, I expected to be greeted by Yo or Ming, but found Pha instead.

"Why are you here?" Pha asked. It was annoying to be asked what I was doing by some guy who barely knew Yo, but I had a lot of practice in remaining calm.

"I'm here to see Yo," I said, keeping my face straight, but feeling the need to remind him that he was the outsider in this situation. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in your own room?"

"Hi Joss," Yo said, pulling Pha's arm so that he was no longer blocking the door. "Are you hungry? We have lots of food. I can warm something up for you."

"No thanks," I said, walking past a confused looking Pha and putting my bag down on the couch. "It's getting pretty late, Pha. Why don't you head to your own room. Yo needs to get some sleep."

"Y-you're not staying here," Pha growled out, looking like he'd rather try to sleep standing up in the shower than leave Yo alone with me.

I just shrugged, that was exactly what I was planning to do. I grinned at Pha's panic-stricken expression. He pulled Yo to the opposite side of the room, clearly trying to have a private conversation, but I could hear every word.

"I thought we agreed to be exclusive?" Pha asked quietly, sounding frustrated and a little angry. I'd heard about this ridiculous "not-boyfriend" business from Kao, but I couldn't really understand what he meant.

"Of course," Yo said, smiling sweetly at Pha. "I told you I wouldn't date anyone else."

"Then why is he spending the night in your room?" Pha asked him, probably annoyed by Yo's refusal to understand the problem.

"Joss is the head of my security team," Yo said slowly, like he was explaining to a child. "Someone is always guarding me."

"But why is he inside your room?" Pha asked. "Shouldn't he be in the hall?"

"Why should he stay in the hallway all night long?" Yo asked. "He goes out to do what needs to be done and he comes back to check on me. It isn't a big deal."

"Is there a man in your room every night?" Pha asked. I had the strongest urge to laugh. Pha's obvious distress didn't seem to be getting through to Yo at all. He was used to having to deal with constant security personnel, the idea of not having bodyguards walking into his room in the middle of the night to check on him probably seemed foreign. Yo was a deep sleeper, he didn't seem to mind the comings and goings. Finally, I decided to help. To be honest it was either help Pha or laugh at him, and I doubted Yo would appreciate it if I made the situation worse.

"Yo's security arrangements are a condition of his father's in allowing him to attend this university," I said, trying to sound like I was just doing my job, even though Yo was more important to me than any other client could have been. "He is never left entirely alone, not even when he sleeps."