“I neither care for you nor find your use as a masturbatory aid acceptable. Why are you behaving this way all of a sudden? Stop clinging onto me as if we were something significant. I’m exhausted.”
“Can’t we have a little intimacy?”
“Fix your attitude. It disgusts me how you pretend to be my lover. It’s as if we are a loving family.”
Then, there were countless arguments to refute her statement. I absentmindedly fiddled with my fingers, feeling the roughness of our intertwined hands. Despite my aggressive words, I couldn’t help but be cautious, fearing that Kamian might be hurt. She just gazed at me silently, withholding her emotions.
Finally, he detached herself from the backrest of the chair.
“Fine.”
Unexpectedly, Kamian spoke in his usual manner.
“Have a good date.”
“…Yeah.”
“Don’t come in too late. You might catch a cold if you’re out in the night breeze for too long.”
“…….”
Without paying any attention to my response, Kamian walked out. It was a simple conversation, as trivial as it could be. Was it truly alright? Could I let my guard down? I couldn’t tell. Kamian had always kept me on edge by revealing unexpected facets of his character.
However, the next day, when Leo came to pick me up, Kamian remained silent.
“Come in until before dinner.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
As he meticulously adjusted my scarf and removed stray hair from my mouth, his scrutinizing gaze made me rather uncomfortable.
I brushed off his hand that was gripping my shoulder, and only then did Kamian step back. Debra and Jex looked at Kamian with perplexed expressions.
I can’t forget their reaction, as if their eyes were about to pop out, when I mentioned going on a date with Leo.
“Liv. Leo… Did you say that? No, wait, more importantly, a date?”
“Yes. Leo will come to pick me up later. Please don’t be surprised.”
“Unbelievable… Then, what about Kamian?”
Jex looked at Kamian with eyes filled with empathy. Suddenly, Debra’s forceful palm struck his thigh, making him redirect his gaze.
“Be careful on your date.”
Although Debra spoke those words, she seemed just as astonished. Even now, she had an expression that was hard to believe as she looked at Kamian.
“Heh, heh. Liv, um…”
I heard Leo’s voice from behind.
“Oh, sorry. I made you wait.”
“No, let’s go.”
Leo looked at me as if warning Kamian and reached out his hand to me. I hesitated for a moment but forced a smile and clasped his hand, overwhelmed by the three pairs of eyes staring at my back. Leo seemed to faintly smile.
“Do you remember? When we were young, we used to climb trees together to see bird nests. I was the first one to climb up.”
Did we? I couldn’t recall it well. Leo, sensing my puzzled expression, hurriedly added,
“Oh, you might not remember because you were playing with Kamian at the back.”
“Maybe.”
“It’s a pity. I wish I could have graduated from the academy with you guys.”
“I heard from Sherry that you’re painting temple murals these days. Impressive.”
“Well, it’s not much. There are separate artists who lead the painting, and I mostly do odd jobs. Still, I consider myself fortunate to be among the thirty selected out of a hundred apprentices.”
My head cocked at Leo’s speech, which sounded like both a boast and not a boast. Was it the right timing to encourage him? Seeing Leo hold his head up high, it seemed like that was the case.
“Oh, how cool.”
“Haha, it’s not cool at all. I still have a long way to go. When I have my own studio and my paintings sell for high prices among the nobles, I’ll make sure to give you a gift too.”
“It’s okay even if they’re not expensive.”
It was a polite remark, but Leo’s face showed a sense of elation as if he had been deeply moved by it. I thought he seemed a bit tired.
We strolled around the town without calling it a date. I walked this route every day, so there wasn’t much excitement for me, but Leo seemed to be immersed in the nostalgia of returning after two years.
For me, this walk wasn’t bad. Thinking of it as exercise, I didn’t feel like it was a waste of time.
“Liv, it’s getting colder. Shall we go to my house?”
“Let’s do that. Sherry must be bored alone.”
“Oh… Sherry isn’t here today. She went to Tom’s house to play.”
“Is that so?”
“I neither care for you nor find your use as a masturbatory aid acceptable. Why are you behaving this way all of a sudden? Stop clinging onto me as if we were something significant. I’m exhausted.”
“Can’t we have a little intimacy?”
“Fix your attitude. It disgusts me how you pretend to be my lover. It’s as if we are a loving family.”
Then, there were countless arguments to refute her statement. I absentmindedly fiddled with my fingers, feeling the roughness of our intertwined hands. Despite my aggressive words, I couldn’t help but be cautious, fearing that Kamian might be hurt. She just gazed at me silently, withholding her emotions.
Finally, he detached herself from the backrest of the chair.
“Fine.”
Unexpectedly, Kamian spoke in his usual manner.
“Have a good date.”
“…Yeah.”
“Don’t come in too late. You might catch a cold if you’re out in the night breeze for too long.”
“…….”
Without paying any attention to my response, Kamian walked out. It was a simple conversation, as trivial as it could be. Was it truly alright? Could I let my guard down? I couldn’t tell. Kamian had always kept me on edge by revealing unexpected facets of his character.
However, the next day, when Leo came to pick me up, Kamian remained silent.
“Come in until before dinner.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
As he meticulously adjusted my scarf and removed stray hair from my mouth, his scrutinizing gaze made me rather uncomfortable.
I brushed off his hand that was gripping my shoulder, and only then did Kamian step back. Debra and Jex looked at Kamian with perplexed expressions.
I can’t forget their reaction, as if their eyes were about to pop out, when I mentioned going on a date with Leo.
“Liv. Leo… Did you say that? No, wait, more importantly, a date?”
“Yes. Leo will come to pick me up later. Please don’t be surprised.”
“Unbelievable… Then, what about Kamian?”
Jex looked at Kamian with eyes filled with empathy. Suddenly, Debra’s forceful palm struck his thigh, making him redirect his gaze.
“Be careful on your date.”
Although Debra spoke those words, she seemed just as astonished. Even now, she had an expression that was hard to believe as she looked at Kamian.
“Heh, heh. Liv, um…”
I heard Leo’s voice from behind.
“Oh, sorry. I made you wait.”
“No, let’s go.”
Leo looked at me as if warning Kamian and reached out his hand to me. I hesitated for a moment but forced a smile and clasped his hand, overwhelmed by the three pairs of eyes staring at my back. Leo seemed to faintly smile.
“Do you remember? When we were young, we used to climb trees together to see bird nests. I was the first one to climb up.”
Did we? I couldn’t recall it well. Leo, sensing my puzzled expression, hurriedly added,
“Oh, you might not remember because you were playing with Kamian at the back.”
“Maybe.”
“It’s a pity. I wish I could have graduated from the academy with you guys.”
“I heard from Sherry that you’re painting temple murals these days. Impressive.”
“Well, it’s not much. There are separate artists who lead the painting, and I mostly do odd jobs. Still, I consider myself fortunate to be among the thirty selected out of a hundred apprentices.”
My head cocked at Leo’s speech, which sounded like both a boast and not a boast. Was it the right timing to encourage him? Seeing Leo hold his head up high, it seemed like that was the case.
“Oh, how cool.”
“Haha, it’s not cool at all. I still have a long way to go. When I have my own studio and my paintings sell for high prices among the nobles, I’ll make sure to give you a gift too.”
“It’s okay even if they’re not expensive.”
It was a polite remark, but Leo’s face showed a sense of elation as if he had been deeply moved by it. I thought he seemed a bit tired.
We strolled around the town without calling it a date. I walked this route every day, so there wasn’t much excitement for me, but Leo seemed to be immersed in the nostalgia of returning after two years.
For me, this walk wasn’t bad. Thinking of it as exercise, I didn’t feel like it was a waste of time.
“Liv, it’s getting colder. Shall we go to my house?”
“Let’s do that. Sherry must be bored alone.”
“Oh… Sherry isn’t here today. She went to Tom’s house to play.”
“Is that so?”
