She made a deliberate effort to ignore Kamian behind her and focused her gaze on the plate. She tightly clenched her weak hands, then alternated between rubbing them before finally managing to scoop the soup without difficulty.
[Clan] The sound of the spoon hitting the plate and the gentle splashing of the liquid soup as it poured resonated unusually loud.
“Kamian..”
The thought of him staring at me intensely sent a sharp pang not only to the back of my head but also through my entire spine. Feeling uneasy, my eating pace quickened. The sound of me hastily shoving food into my throat, devoid of any leisure, seemed to echo like a proclamation of my heightened tension.
Therefore, I spoke up. It seemed less awkward to engage in conversation.
“I suppose you made this.”
“Why? Does it suit your taste?”
“Usually, one would ask if it doesn’t suit their taste.”
“You usually enjoy the food I make.”
It was true. Jex’s cooking skills were commendable, but generally, the flavours tended to be on the saltier side. If Debra had made potato soup for me, it would have been served in a pot instead of a bowl on the table. Kamian’s creation, however, perfectly matched my palate with just the right amount of subtlety.
“Kamian, when you speak so confidently, it makes me want to dislike even good things.”
“So, that’s why you’re saying you don’t like it and you are lying.”
“You need to learn the importance of humility.”
“And what about you? How about learning the value of ‘Kamian’s preciousness’? Cherishing, embracing warmly, and giving lots of praise.”
We engaged in friendly banter. I couldn’t help but chuckle at Kamian’s words, as they were quite amusing. What kind of praise was that? In response, Kamian added, “I’m not joking, you know.”
“Don’t hold back on the compliments for someone who’s as talented as me. Otherwise, you’ll regret it later.”
Although Kamian’s words were spoken as a warning, I wasn’t afraid. Instead, a playful laughter escaped my lips, amplifying my childlike tantrum. And I realized that it was a wise choice not to hold onto silence. Mischievous words, ready to tease Kamian, began to fill my mind, relieving the discomfort that weighed heavily on my shoulders.
I gently placed the spoon on the uncovered plate before turning around. With a tilt of his head, Kamian shaped his mouth to say, “You’ll regret it.” I smirked at him.
“Alright then. So all I have to do is give compliments every day? Sounds easy.”
“Go ahead, then.”
“What? There’s nothing to compliment right now. What praise should I give?”
As soon as I said that, Kamian’s mouth curved into a smile. It seemed as though my heart would leap out of my chest at his exquisite smile. He gestured for me to sit beside him. I couldn’t resist.
As soon as I sat on the bed, my waist was supported. Kamian effortlessly lifted me and gently leaned my back against the headboard. He didn’t forget to place a soft pillow behind my back.
“Inspect.”
Kamian spoke curtly. I furrowed my brow and asked inquisitively, “Inspect?”
“Yes, because I might not like your compliments.”
“Hey, that’s not a compliment, it’s more like flattery. Are you crazy? I won’t do it.”
“Flattery is when you want something from the other person. Praise is when you evaluate something I’ve done well and give a positive assessment. They’re completely different.”
Kamian’s index finger lightly stroked over my index finger. His words seemed to imply that he would reconsider my feelings. But his face, with a playful smile, and his relaxed tone, made it seem like he was just playing a prank.
The hand that was cautiously touching only my index finger boldly enveloped my entire hand. A comforting warmth spread snugly.
“…However, if I don’t feel particularly good even after hearing your praise, then it’s not praise but rather a meaningless exclamation,” I said, pondering the words I had just heard.
In truth, giving praise wasn’t a difficult task, as it could be given freely. However, unable to erase the feeling that I was being coaxed gently, I opened my eyes sharply and remained vigilant. Yet, as Kamian slid their finger between mine and asked, “Hmm?” my guard crumbled instantly, leaving only remnants to barely recognize.
To calm my racing heart, I pressed my lower lip with my upper teeth. Slowly, I untangled our intertwined hands.
“Alright, so stop pressing your face against mine. It’s burdensome,” I replied.
Upon closer inspection, it was a reasonable distance, not too close, yet not too far. A suitable distance for two intimate individuals to face each other and engage in conversation. However, fearing that the resounding beats of my colossal heart might be audible, I pushed Kamian a little further back.
I cleared my throat unnecessarily and fixed my gaze on Kamian, eyes wide open. One of Kamian’s eyebrows raised slightly, indicating a request.
What is there to be so tense about?
I comfortably stretched my legs, which had been gathered in front of my chest, to the side and turned my shoulders expansively.
“Excellent,” I said.
“No need for excessive compliments, my dear.” Kamian replied.
“…I’m sorry. This is not it,” I exclaimed, feeling as if my ears were about to burst. I couldn’t believe I was so stingy with compliments. Waves of reflection surged through me. Although I knew I couldn’t take back what I had already said, I extended my hand into the air as if trying to grasp the words that had already escaped. Then, I snapped my thumb and index finger in front of Kamian’s eyes and said, “Forget it. Forget it.”
Kamian chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.
“Let’s go again,” Kamian said.
“Is it really such a formidable task?”
“It’s noisy.”
Let’s simulate it. Without any specific context, if I were to praise indiscriminately, such bizarre words would surely emerge. Let’s say Kamian finished my assignments for me, cleaned the room, and even gave me a massage before going to sleep, asking, “Were you tired today?” Just the thought of it makes me feel admirable and beautiful to the point of dying. Unable to conceal the upward curve of my lips, I casually said.
“It is good.”
“Is it good?”
I was taken aback. Why did the word ‘good’ suddenly pop out?
She made a deliberate effort to ignore Kamian behind her and focused her gaze on the plate. She tightly clenched her weak hands, then alternated between rubbing them before finally managing to scoop the soup without difficulty.
[Clan] The sound of the spoon hitting the plate and the gentle splashing of the liquid soup as it poured resonated unusually loud.
“Kamian..”
The thought of him staring at me intensely sent a sharp pang not only to the back of my head but also through my entire spine. Feeling uneasy, my eating pace quickened. The sound of me hastily shoving food into my throat, devoid of any leisure, seemed to echo like a proclamation of my heightened tension.
Therefore, I spoke up. It seemed less awkward to engage in conversation.
“I suppose you made this.”
“Why? Does it suit your taste?”
“Usually, one would ask if it doesn’t suit their taste.”
“You usually enjoy the food I make.”
It was true. Jex’s cooking skills were commendable, but generally, the flavours tended to be on the saltier side. If Debra had made potato soup for me, it would have been served in a pot instead of a bowl on the table. Kamian’s creation, however, perfectly matched my palate with just the right amount of subtlety.
“Kamian, when you speak so confidently, it makes me want to dislike even good things.”
“So, that’s why you’re saying you don’t like it and you are lying.”
“You need to learn the importance of humility.”
“And what about you? How about learning the value of ‘Kamian’s preciousness’? Cherishing, embracing warmly, and giving lots of praise.”
We engaged in friendly banter. I couldn’t help but chuckle at Kamian’s words, as they were quite amusing. What kind of praise was that? In response, Kamian added, “I’m not joking, you know.”
“Don’t hold back on the compliments for someone who’s as talented as me. Otherwise, you’ll regret it later.”
Although Kamian’s words were spoken as a warning, I wasn’t afraid. Instead, a playful laughter escaped my lips, amplifying my childlike tantrum. And I realized that it was a wise choice not to hold onto silence. Mischievous words, ready to tease Kamian, began to fill my mind, relieving the discomfort that weighed heavily on my shoulders.
I gently placed the spoon on the uncovered plate before turning around. With a tilt of his head, Kamian shaped his mouth to say, “You’ll regret it.” I smirked at him.
“Alright then. So all I have to do is give compliments every day? Sounds easy.”
“Go ahead, then.”
“What? There’s nothing to compliment right now. What praise should I give?”
As soon as I said that, Kamian’s mouth curved into a smile. It seemed as though my heart would leap out of my chest at his exquisite smile. He gestured for me to sit beside him. I couldn’t resist.
As soon as I sat on the bed, my waist was supported. Kamian effortlessly lifted me and gently leaned my back against the headboard. He didn’t forget to place a soft pillow behind my back.
“Inspect.”
Kamian spoke curtly. I furrowed my brow and asked inquisitively, “Inspect?”
“Yes, because I might not like your compliments.”
“Hey, that’s not a compliment, it’s more like flattery. Are you crazy? I won’t do it.”
“Flattery is when you want something from the other person. Praise is when you evaluate something I’ve done well and give a positive assessment. They’re completely different.”
Kamian’s index finger lightly stroked over my index finger. His words seemed to imply that he would reconsider my feelings. But his face, with a playful smile, and his relaxed tone, made it seem like he was just playing a prank.
The hand that was cautiously touching only my index finger boldly enveloped my entire hand. A comforting warmth spread snugly.
“…However, if I don’t feel particularly good even after hearing your praise, then it’s not praise but rather a meaningless exclamation,” I said, pondering the words I had just heard.
In truth, giving praise wasn’t a difficult task, as it could be given freely. However, unable to erase the feeling that I was being coaxed gently, I opened my eyes sharply and remained vigilant. Yet, as Kamian slid their finger between mine and asked, “Hmm?” my guard crumbled instantly, leaving only remnants to barely recognize.
To calm my racing heart, I pressed my lower lip with my upper teeth. Slowly, I untangled our intertwined hands.
“Alright, so stop pressing your face against mine. It’s burdensome,” I replied.
Upon closer inspection, it was a reasonable distance, not too close, yet not too far. A suitable distance for two intimate individuals to face each other and engage in conversation. However, fearing that the resounding beats of my colossal heart might be audible, I pushed Kamian a little further back.
I cleared my throat unnecessarily and fixed my gaze on Kamian, eyes wide open. One of Kamian’s eyebrows raised slightly, indicating a request.
What is there to be so tense about?
I comfortably stretched my legs, which had been gathered in front of my chest, to the side and turned my shoulders expansively.
“Excellent,” I said.
“No need for excessive compliments, my dear.” Kamian replied.
“…I’m sorry. This is not it,” I exclaimed, feeling as if my ears were about to burst. I couldn’t believe I was so stingy with compliments. Waves of reflection surged through me. Although I knew I couldn’t take back what I had already said, I extended my hand into the air as if trying to grasp the words that had already escaped. Then, I snapped my thumb and index finger in front of Kamian’s eyes and said, “Forget it. Forget it.”
Kamian chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.
“Let’s go again,” Kamian said.
“Is it really such a formidable task?”
“It’s noisy.”
Let’s simulate it. Without any specific context, if I were to praise indiscriminately, such bizarre words would surely emerge. Let’s say Kamian finished my assignments for me, cleaned the room, and even gave me a massage before going to sleep, asking, “Were you tired today?” Just the thought of it makes me feel admirable and beautiful to the point of dying. Unable to conceal the upward curve of my lips, I casually said.
“It is good.”
“Is it good?”
I was taken aback. Why did the word ‘good’ suddenly pop out?
