“Mr. Dreg asked me to help him move the harvested oranges, so I went to the orchard. We had dinner there as well. And deliberately, I came in late to make him wonder about my whereabouts, yet he didn’t ask anything. He made the time spent at Mr. Dreg’s house is utterly futile.”
…So it was. Although it was nothing extraordinary, the content became more disheartening after hearing it. However, the vague discomfort that had lingered since last night still remained.
“If you weren’t curious, you wouldn’t have asked.”
“I saw your lips trembling because you wanted to ask.”
“Did you even dream about it?”
Oh, it’s dangerous. Just a few words exchanged, and the atmosphere was already becoming more relaxed.
“Stop talking. I need to exercise.”
“Yesterday… I was wrong.”
“…”
My hardened lips, which I had deliberately kept tight, unbeknownst to me, parted slightly. Why is he suddenly apologizing? Kamian lightly tugged at my sleeve. In response to that slight force, my feet moved.
Kamian had never apologized like this before. It wasn’t an apology or admission of fault. His way of apologizing was not so submissive. For example, there was a time when he said, “Here’s a sword, stab me!” if he had done something wrong.
I widened my eyes and grabbed the nape of his neck with both hands. Even though I pulled him towards me, there was still a height difference, so I raised my heels. Finally, my nose touched the corner of his mouth.
With a furrowed brow, I vigorously sniffed.
“What are you doing?”
“I don’t smell any alcohol.”
If it were a drunken Kamian, saying “I was wrong” would have been enough. However, unbelievably, the Kamian before me hadn’t consumed a single drop of alcohol.
“I’m perfectly sober.”
“Why are you suddenly… apologizing?”
“Yesterday, I grabbed your wrist and it hurt you.”
“…”
“Look, is there a bruise?”
Kamian tried to pull up my sleeve. I withdrew my arm and chuckled, as if bewildered.
“Give me a diagnosis and prescription?”
“Give me your hand.”
“If you want my hand, then give me yours.”
“Please, just listen to me for once.”
“Don’t give me orders.”
Kamian sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair.
“Wrist.”
“I anticipated an apology, but it was tersely started. With a weary gaze, I looked at Kamian, who seemed utterly unyielding to such an attitude.
My insides simmered with agitation. To claim affection for me, to express a desire to be by my side forever, yet behave in such a manner—what kind of person was he? Kamian never once moved according to my wishes. He remained unmoved even when pushed, instead manipulating me as he pleased, turning my world upside down.
Sharply, I stared at him and uttered my words.
“If you were so concerned, why didn’t you come early yesterday to check? Is it now, after creeping in this morning, that you demand to see my wrists? Do I have to comply and show them to you?”
To my surprise, a loud exclamation burst forth from my own mouth. It was an unforeseen outburst fueled by my heightened emotions. Despite my clear understanding in my mind, I couldn’t fathom why my body quivered in such a way.
I noticed a slight widening of Kamian’s eyes. Slowly, he inclined his head, an expression on his face that seemed more delighted than bewildered. His distinct lips formed a smiling curve at the corner, as if beckoning me into a cave of amusement. It was then that I realized I had fallen into his trap.
“You’ve been pondering quite a bit.”
With tranquillity, he tidied the stray locks of hair that clung to my cheek. He readjusted my loosened scarf, removing any specks of dust from my hair.
“…You knew I had no bruises on my wrists.”
He blinked his long eyelashes, his glass-like irises shimmering with an inexplicable radiance. It was a face that seemed to convey a lack of comprehension about what he was saying. However, having spent fifteen years never being one step behind him, I was not deceived. He was a hypocrite. Kamian knew it very well. In fact, he would never do anything to harm my body in the first place.
He tested me, and I gracefully passed.
“Even if I say I’m sick and tired of it, you couldn’t last a single day?”
“Mr. Dreg asked me to help him move the harvested oranges, so I went to the orchard. We had dinner there as well. And deliberately, I came in late to make him wonder about my whereabouts, yet he didn’t ask anything. He made the time spent at Mr. Dreg’s house is utterly futile.”
…So it was. Although it was nothing extraordinary, the content became more disheartening after hearing it. However, the vague discomfort that had lingered since last night still remained.
“If you weren’t curious, you wouldn’t have asked.”
“I saw your lips trembling because you wanted to ask.”
“Did you even dream about it?”
Oh, it’s dangerous. Just a few words exchanged, and the atmosphere was already becoming more relaxed.
“Stop talking. I need to exercise.”
“Yesterday… I was wrong.”
“…”
My hardened lips, which I had deliberately kept tight, unbeknownst to me, parted slightly. Why is he suddenly apologizing? Kamian lightly tugged at my sleeve. In response to that slight force, my feet moved.
Kamian had never apologized like this before. It wasn’t an apology or admission of fault. His way of apologizing was not so submissive. For example, there was a time when he said, “Here’s a sword, stab me!” if he had done something wrong.
I widened my eyes and grabbed the nape of his neck with both hands. Even though I pulled him towards me, there was still a height difference, so I raised my heels. Finally, my nose touched the corner of his mouth.
With a furrowed brow, I vigorously sniffed.
“What are you doing?”
“I don’t smell any alcohol.”
If it were a drunken Kamian, saying “I was wrong” would have been enough. However, unbelievably, the Kamian before me hadn’t consumed a single drop of alcohol.
“I’m perfectly sober.”
“Why are you suddenly… apologizing?”
“Yesterday, I grabbed your wrist and it hurt you.”
“…”
“Look, is there a bruise?”
Kamian tried to pull up my sleeve. I withdrew my arm and chuckled, as if bewildered.
“Give me a diagnosis and prescription?”
“Give me your hand.”
“If you want my hand, then give me yours.”
“Please, just listen to me for once.”
“Don’t give me orders.”
Kamian sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair.
“Wrist.”
“I anticipated an apology, but it was tersely started. With a weary gaze, I looked at Kamian, who seemed utterly unyielding to such an attitude.
My insides simmered with agitation. To claim affection for me, to express a desire to be by my side forever, yet behave in such a manner—what kind of person was he? Kamian never once moved according to my wishes. He remained unmoved even when pushed, instead manipulating me as he pleased, turning my world upside down.
Sharply, I stared at him and uttered my words.
“If you were so concerned, why didn’t you come early yesterday to check? Is it now, after creeping in this morning, that you demand to see my wrists? Do I have to comply and show them to you?”
To my surprise, a loud exclamation burst forth from my own mouth. It was an unforeseen outburst fueled by my heightened emotions. Despite my clear understanding in my mind, I couldn’t fathom why my body quivered in such a way.
I noticed a slight widening of Kamian’s eyes. Slowly, he inclined his head, an expression on his face that seemed more delighted than bewildered. His distinct lips formed a smiling curve at the corner, as if beckoning me into a cave of amusement. It was then that I realized I had fallen into his trap.
“You’ve been pondering quite a bit.”
With tranquillity, he tidied the stray locks of hair that clung to my cheek. He readjusted my loosened scarf, removing any specks of dust from my hair.
“…You knew I had no bruises on my wrists.”
He blinked his long eyelashes, his glass-like irises shimmering with an inexplicable radiance. It was a face that seemed to convey a lack of comprehension about what he was saying. However, having spent fifteen years never being one step behind him, I was not deceived. He was a hypocrite. Kamian knew it very well. In fact, he would never do anything to harm my body in the first place.
He tested me, and I gracefully passed.
“Even if I say I’m sick and tired of it, you couldn’t last a single day?”
