**Chapter 1: A Night in the Penthouse**

The private bus wound its way through the crowded streets of New York, finally coming to a stop in front of a sleek, modern skyscraper. The AMP crew poured out of the bus, stretching their legs and gazing up at the towering building. Kai, resplendent in his hat and sunglasses, grinned at his friends. "Welcome to our temporary home, guys." Ray, bouncing up and down with excitement, his brown eyes shining with enthusiasm, exclaimed, "Wow, it's so big! And look, there's a butler waiting for us!" The butler, a dignified-looking man with a warm smile, greeted them and took their bags. As they settled into their rooms, the group began to argue over who would get which one. "Davis should get the biggest room, since he helped start AMP," Agent suggested. Chris nodded in agreement. Kai, however, had other ideas. "Let's get the rooms sorted out, and then we'll start the tour," he said, his light New York accent barely noticeable. After some bickering, they decided to start the tour of the penthouse. Ray, still bubbling with excitement, asked, "Where will I be sleeping?" Agent suggested, "You could sleep in the room with Chris, it has two beds." But Kai quickly shot that down. "No, absolutely not. I don't want him being cranky because he couldn't sleep from your snoring," he said, his tone a little louder than usual. Fanum raised an eyebrow. "Why are you acting like that, Kai?" Duke added, "You're acting weird." Kai just shrugged. "I'm not acting weird, I just don't want to hear him bitching because he couldn't sleep. Calm down, baldy." The group continued to discuss the room assignments, with Kai eventually suggesting that Ray sleep in his room. The others raised an eyebrow at this, but Kai just shrugged. Ray, happy to have a place to sleep, didn't mind. Two days later, Kai returned from his gaming stream in Miami, only to find Ray had gotten hurt while playing basketball with the others. Davis, looking guilty, explained that he had accidentally pushed Ray, causing him to fall and scrape his face, arms, and knees. Kai's expression darkened, and he glared at Davis. "What the actual fuck happened?" he demanded. Agent tried to calm him down, but Kai was having none of it. He stormed upstairs, leaving the others to breathe a sigh of relief. Ray, still bleeding, followed him, and Kai tended to his wounds with a gentleness that belied his anger. As Kai cleaned Ray's wounds, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt and protectiveness towards his friend. He examined the deepness of the wounds on Ray's face, his eyes scanning the scrapes and cuts. Ray winced in pain as Kai touched his forehead, but Kai just smiled softly. "I'm sorry, Ray. I don't want you hurt." Ray looked up at Kai, his eyes shining with gratitude. "I know, Kai. It was an accident. I told you I was okay." Kai's expression softened, and he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because I don't want you hurt. I care for you, Ray. I really do." As Kai continued to tend to Ray's wounds, he couldn't help but feel a flutter in his chest. He had always cared for Ray, but in that moment, he realized his feelings went far beyond friendship. He gently kissed Ray's forehead, and Ray's eyes widened in surprise. The scene was set for a night that would change everything.