Chapter Text
Beyond the harsh sands and beautiful dunes of the Scalding Sands. There was a paradise, a thriving oasis. Despite the harsh environment around it, people managed to turn the oasis into a bustling place for trade across the world, creating and attracting a lot of merchants.
The Scalding Sands is the home of the Al-Asim corporation, a powerful merchant family that is responsible for trade and city development projects. Every child who was born into the family has their own purpose: to strengthen the family's business and influence. One of the children was called Kalim Al-Asim.
Kalim Al-Asim, one of the prospective heirs to the Asim company in the Scalding Sands. He would always wear "modest"-looking clothing (that's what he always insisted on...), created with the finest fabric in the scalding sands.
He was known for his big heart and endless kindness towards everyone. Unlike his older siblings, whose smiles never reach their eyes. Kalim greeted everyone with a warm smile that could rival the sun itself. Whether entertaining the guest, watching over his younger siblings, or helping the servants to arrange a party alongside his mother. He carried out everything with a genuine interest, he can never say no to anyone. Especially if they needed help.
Since he was "obedient" (he never said no to anyone) and attentive, he was well liked amongst his younger siblings and servants. He has this sunshine-boyish smile that can charm people's hearts, making their day 100 times better.
His attentive behavior would always succeed in winning the clients' hearts, which magically helped his father secure a valuable project contract, as a lot of the clients are very fond of little Kalim's silly, endearing behavior.
His father was amazed at little Kalim's charm and began to understand how dangerous his charm could be later on when he grows up.
Little Kalim found himself attending more meetings by his father's side and greeting more guests. His father would always tell him that it was an opportunity for him to learn the real world. And since little Kalim wanted to make his father happy, he could never refuse his offer.
As the family's success bloomed, it came with a price. Bad rival merchants began sending more assassins to kidnap and poison Kalim, wishing for the Al-Asims' downfall. The estate security went tighter with each attempt. And because of that, Kalim's father decided to not use little Kalim's charm anymore, as it would endanger him even more.
Little Kalim's cheerful nature made him the easiest target among the Al-Asims children. As a young boy, he survived many assassination attempts and kidnappings. All those experiences traumatized Kalim, making him unable to continue his life like he used to be, those experiences shattered him and left deep emotional scars.
He would subconsciously check out his food and be startled when someone touched him suddenly, and he hates the feeling of being alone. Everyone was worried about Kalim's well-being, and of course Kalim hated making everyone worried.
And because of that, he learned one thing. If he keeps smiling all the time, it will keep everyone happy and at ease. So he decided to cope with his trauma with his unwavering smile and happiness.
After all that, everyone agreed that he couldn't even exchange a single word with anyone outside of his family.
Other than his cheerful and endless kindness, little Kalim was also known for his artistic talent. He especially excelled in dancing and singing. He would spend all his time practicing and performing for his imaginary audience, it was the only place where he could distract and express himself (and pass the time, of course).
He would be homeschooled during most of his childhood, practicing singing and dancing whenever he needed to relax. By the time he finally persuaded his parents to let him attend college, it unironically honed Kalim's negotiation skills and charm even more.
One thing about Kalim is that he is also quite stubborn (like when he relentlessly persuades his parents to let him attend college). It can be a double-edged sword. Making him a bit more reckless and quite unpredictable than before.
Even though he was one of the candidates, he wasn't the brightest in academics compared to the rest of his siblings due to the trauma he experienced. Making concentration way more difficult than before.
To the upper class, Kalim was just a beautiful ornament, a cheerful, unfortunately little boy. Only a few realize how attentive and persuasive he can be beneath all the cheerful image.
Or so people thought.
Despite all the wealth in his life, Kalim's world was small, he was sheltered from the outside world. He developed a curiosity towards the outside world. Most of what he knew about the world up close was from the internet, where the only people he was allowed to see were the ones on the screen, like dramas and movies. And even so, it's not enough for Kalim himself.
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The 12-year-old Kalim always wondered why every dramas and movies, when two people kissed, the scene suddenly transitioned into—
"Are you feeling okay, dear?"
"Oh honey, you were amazing last night..."
—them waking up on the bed. Both naked.
Kalim, look at the screen... Confused as hell.
"Did the movie skip something...?"
"When you were about to... Kiss, what did you guys do?!"
"Why are you asking about her condition?? Is she sick?"
"What do you mean by amazing...?"
Kalim pondered for a very long time, he almost used all his brain power to fill the missing plot.
"Why does it feel like they are hiding something from me?!"
The curiosity was planted inside of Kalim for the very first time.
Then Kalim, at 16 years old, lying down on his bed while scrolling down through a website about his favorite movies, he first discovered... Something new... Something that he would hear and learn from the textbook, which says "dangerously addicting."
The screen showed a pop-up that redirected Kalim to another website. Kalim unknowingly pressed the wrong button on the screen as he tried to exit the website, and suddenly a video played.
It shows a scene where a tired-looking man, presumably because of work, is standing in front of the door, ringing the bell. A few seconds later, the door opened, and appeared a woman wearing an apron, without any clothes on.
Kalim finds the sight rather... Weird but also not THAT weird. But it seems like it lightened the man's mood somehow.
The man closed the door behind him, and the woman suddenly hugged him.
"Welcome home, dear."
"... I'm home, alright. Thanks for the little gift."
The man cupped her face and began to kiss her lips, licking her lower lips first, then began to devour her mouth with his tongue quite aggressively.
Kalim gluped, "Wasn't kissing supposed to be like a peck only...?"
"Are there other ways to kiss...?" Kalim asked to himself as the man carried the woman while kissing her to the bed.
The man removed the apron from the woman's body, showing a fully naked body. Kalim was absolutely shocked. He almost wanted to exit the website... until he saw the man's body.
It was... Beautiful.
Kalim couldn't help but stare at the man, he was absolutely beautiful. His eyes filled with burning passion and the smirk on his face? It made Kalim feel sooo weird.
A muffled groan from the man catches Kalim's attention once more. Kalim felt the tingles rushing into his body. It stirred an unfamiliar feeling that he didn't yet understand.
When the video transitioned again into another angle.
He saw them, doing sex. In a more close-up perspective, as if it were purposely giving Kalim the best view of both people's expressions.
Of course, he knew what they were doing.
But he only knew some during his sex education with his tutor, like around months ago. This was the first time he saw real people doing actual sex. Not like a long description that has medical-term stuff, whatever... Kalim couldn't remember his tutor's explanation. But it was about something-something disease.
He knows that sex is an act of intimacy between 2 people and there's a lot of it, but why is there a video of it...? Isn't sex a private, intimate act? Why is it here being recorded? And letting people see them doing... it? Sure, sex education is published for, well... educational purposes. But this? What does it teach? Or maybe—
But that train of thought got distracted when he heard moaning and grunting sounds from the video, ecstatic cries filled Kalim's ear. Kalim suddenly felt the heat slowly creeping up inside of his body. He felt something fuzzy inside of him.
The way the man kept thrusting her, holding her waist tightly. Spouting very, very filthy harsh words, and instead of being hurt, the woman seems to enjoy it even... more? Kalim can understand, but not at the same time. Those filthy harsh words that the man spoke feel different somehow. It was kind of... hot. Wait, hot?
"Did I just find the man even more attractive...?"
It felt like... A hypnosis, the video hypnotized Kalim, the curiosity that was planted inside of him bloomed slowly and steadily.
Then, Kalim felt something hot... Aroused, even. He can even feel something hard in his lower body, feeling a bit sticky.
"A-ah... It's the same as that day... When I suddenly woke up from a dream I can't remember..." He blushed. He feels uncomfortable in his lower body. He once did ask his tutor about it, and it was natural.
"What was it called again...?" Kalim grew restless as more and more sweet, provocative voices rang inside of his ear.
"Is this even the same situation...? I wasn't asleep this time though..."
He wanted to continue watching but also wanted to stop this.
"I s-should stop..."
Kalim swiped up his screen as fast as he could, closing the website, and tried to calm himself down. But somehow the 16-year-old Kalim managed to do it by distracting himself by watching other stuff instead. But of course that video still lingers in his mind throughout the day.
But he didn't know. That one particular day would haunt him for the rest of his life.
For every small suggestive content that popped up in his algorithm, he would always remember that scene. Making him flustered every single time.
Every accidental glimpse of that stuff makes Kalim's heart race and awakens the unwanted feelings. The curiosity slowly became a temptation for Kalim. He wanted to understand what he was feeling.
After managing to subtly ask his tutor about it, the tutor simply laughed and said it was called porn. Something that he will learn later on as one of the prospective heirs, the final sex education that he will receive.
He will wait until he is "mature enough."
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Years went by, and the moment he turned 19, he had his final lesson with his tutor before he went to a prestigious college later in a week.
"Okay, Kalim. As one of the prospective heirs, you need to learn other things other than business and formality. You need to learn how to socialize, of course, either to find a business partner or someone to marry."
"But Sir, I—"
"I know, due to your circumstances, you couldn't interact much. But isn't this a perfect moment? You already persuaded your parents about going to college, right?"
"Yeah! But I'll think I'll do fine socializing," Kalim said with full confidence. After all, he already practiced a lot with his servants and tutors.
"True, but today's lesson isn't about expanding your relations," he paused. "It's for how to find a marriage partner and learn how to consummate."
"Huh..." Kalim definitely wasn't expecting this. Sure, he has to marry someone soon to strengthen his position, but he hasn't thought much about it yet. And now it's his time to learn about sex... Wait.
The flashback suddenly came back, oh dear. There's something clearly wrong with him. He couldn't focus what is his tutor is talking about, he needs to find a cure—
And alas, the tutor gave Kalim a book about it, and Kalim blushed even more. This day will be Kalim's worse day ever.
After bidding his tutor a farewell. Kalim spent his days... normally. But if only people know that Kalim is trying to hold back his growing curiosity. Kalim is trying his very best not to think about it.
Day after day, he couldn't get his curiosity out, so he braced himself and finally decided to verify his age and watch all sorts of adult content one could imagine, all to satisfy his growing curiosity, hoping he could forget about it.
"Why is it so different from what the tutor showed me...? There are so many of them!"
After Kalim binging every type of video possible day by day, his gaze would subconsciously stare at the male actor in every single video. All of them are different people, but they have the same persona as the man back then. It awakened something inside of him.
Since he has been sheltered for so long, this is the only time where he could feel something so exciting, even more than dancing and singing.
During those moments, he realized his preferences. He was drawn to charming, charismatic male actors, where they projected dominance alongside gentleness. He felt the tingles and thrills each time the dominant actor spoke roughly but still treated the other actor gently, basically soft BDSM. (That's the name in the video description.) Additional bonus if the dominant actor showers the other with praises during prep time.
Of course, Kalim doesn't like anything that crosses the line, especially when it has violence or other cruel behaviors. All of them reminded him of the memories that he wished he could forget.
Who would have thought that the prospective heir to Asim's company that was loved and raised to never talk with anyone... Currently watching porn with max volume using his high-quality earphones—would grow up into such a shameless... Pervert?