What does it matter? Alexander had a nut allergy. It wasn’t severe and was usually fine, but when he was tired or in poor physical condition, mild hives would appear. For someone with a nut allergy, it was quite a mild reaction, but it could still be dangerous if things went wrong.
“I’ll just get new sauce, so wait a moment. Why were you just eating that?”
Moreover, there were menus without nuts, but he chose this menu and was just eating it without asking to leave them out. Kalix stood up, taking Alexander’s sauce bowl. Alexander really needed someone to take care of him. He handled his own affairs roughly and carelessly.
Of course, he lived well enough that way and there were no problems, but it was still good to have someone who would take care of him meticulously. Kalix, who had gotten new sauce, handed it to Alexander and sat down, glancing at Alexander. Was Rosie the meticulous type?
“Thanks.”
At that brief, everyday word and smile, Kalix quietly looked at Alexander then lowered his gaze. Did Alexander have to like someone? Looking around, there were many people who lived well without dating. Alexander could be like that too. But having that thought made him subtly wonder again. Was Alexander really liking someone right now?
And was that person Kalix?
“Alex, do you have a blanket?”
When he glanced at Alexander again, at that voice that suddenly approached Alexander to ask, Kalix frowned slightly and looked at the person. Why not handle something like a blanket yourself instead of bothering Alexander while he’s eating?
“There should be one in the room, probably.”
“Where’s your room again? You room with Dylan, right?”
It was even an unfamiliar face.
“I do, but I moved. Ask about Jasper’s room on the second floor. The left side is mine, so look through the closet there.”
Kalix watched the person leave again after understanding Alexander’s words, then turned his gaze back to Alexander.
“Is it okay to just tell them like that?”
At Kalix’s question, Alexander seemed to think about what Kalix meant for a moment, then said.
“They won’t touch your things.”
Since Alexander’s room was also Kalix’s room, Alexander seemed to think Kalix was saying this because he disliked someone entering his room. Actually, Kalix hadn’t even thought of that.
“Do you normally lend your things to just anyone like that?”
“At this point, there’s no guarantee that thing would be mine anyway.”
Come to think of it, that was true. Alexander and his friends treated each other’s belongings like public property, and there were quite a few cases where they forgot they had borrowed something after borrowing it, or even forgot the fact that they had lent it out. At this point, with only a couple months left in the school year, naturally they couldn’t properly know who owned what. But he didn’t want to easily agree.
“Still, they have to look through your closet.”
Alexander looked at Kalix as if to say what was wrong with that. It seemed only Kalix found it bothersome. But come to think of it, Kalix had been keeping Alexander’s handkerchief all this time too. He should return it, but couldn’t he keep it just a little longer? Alexander didn’t seem to know about it. Or would it be okay if Kalix gave it to him as a gift?
“Do you want to look at my closet too?”
At that sudden words that came out as he continued his thoughts, Kalix reflexively frowned.
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Look if you’re curious.”
“I’m not curious.”
What would he do by looking at that? Kalix answered immediately while looking at Alexander for a moment.
“What’s in there?”
“I don’t know either.”
For someone offering to show it, that was quite an irresponsible answer.
“Jasper’s clothes would be there. I wonder if he brought summer clothes too.”
Kalix reflexively hesitated. Alexander was using Jasper’s spot. Originally he used Kalix’s spot, but since he came to room with Kalix, he now returned the spot and used Jasper’s spot. So naturally there would be Jasper’s clothes in that closet.
“He seems a bit tall, so even if he brought them, they probably wouldn’t fit.”
For Kalix, whether Jasper was tall or not wasn’t his concern, and he didn’t really feel it either. Would it even show if he got a bit taller? Alexander seemed to notice Kalix’s reflexively sour mood and continued as if dropping the subject.
“You grew too.”
Kalix knew that too. Because his eye level with Alexander had changed. But this was the first time Alexander had directly mentioned it like this, so he felt strangely awkward. He’d thought Alexander wouldn’t notice such changes since Kalix and Alexander always saw each other.
“What about you?”
This time when Kalix asked, Alexander looked at his sleeve. Naturally Kalix’s gaze followed there too. The sleeve length that wrapped well around his body and was appropriately sized wasn’t particularly special, but still looked distinctly different among everyone’s identical uniforms.
Along with that, his straight fingers, large and well-shaped hands, and the wrist connected to them were slightly visible between the sleeves. When he moved, those solid-looking wristbones stood out particularly.
“I think I grew until last year, but I don’t think I grew this year. Last year’s clothes just fit.”
At that answer that followed, Kalix looked at Alexander’s face again. Alexander looked at his sleeves as if gauging the length, then looked at Kalix. At that calmness, he somehow felt subtle emotions. It was ordinary. The topic of conversation, the attitude, the voice, the gaze, everything.
For Kalix, it was comfortable. Moreover, he was grateful that Alexander didn’t make it obvious. And he felt sorry too. But maybe there was no need to not make it obvious in the first place? Was it right that he didn’t like him from the beginning? Does he not like me?
But there was no way he could ask. Kalix just ate his portion of food while occasionally checking on Alexander. Alexander was now eating fruit.
From now on, when Alexander chose a menu without fruit, Kalix should choose a menu with fruit. Then he could give it to him. He should come to the dining hall a bit earlier from now on. If they got food together, he could ask them in advance to leave out things Alexander disliked or couldn’t eat.
* * *
“Kalix.”
At the letter Owen presented as soon as he entered the lecture hall and saw Kalix, Bertram, who was already sitting next to Kalix, also took out a letter from his bag. Bertram even had two.
“Me too.”
Kalix quietly looked at the three letters presented to him. Why wasn’t everyone studying? Of course, looking at the library and lounge seats, everyone was struggling with exam preparation and assignments as finals approached. But it was amazing that they still had interest to pour into other things like this in the midst of all that.
“Give it back.”
He had always received letters steadily, but since he had always refused them, at some point there weren’t really people giving him letters anymore. But a few months ago, after Owen brought a letter once saying someone had asked him to deliver it to Kalix, letters now came steadily again through Owen and Bertram.
“You could just not accept them in the first place.”
Kalix had never even received one, yet Owen and Bertram brought letters every time.
“How can I refuse? How about you write a letter? Telling them not to send this kind of thing anymore.”
Of course, he had tried. Once, a letter came through another person entirely, so he thought he should at least give a direct response to the person who delivered the letter. So he sent an apology, but received a reply saying then let’s at least greet each other when we meet from now on, and when he said okay, this time he received a reply asking how about this weekend, and it didn’t end there.
Moreover, according to what he heard from Owen later, a rumor spread like some secret technique that if you got rejected, you could at least become acquainted and exchange greetings afterward. Since then, he hadn’t been accepting letters at all.
Having already learned his lesson, Kalix just shook his head, checked the time that was still left, and looked out the window. If the military studies department and the building were a little closer, he might have been able to see Alexander training. The military studies department had several classes conducted at the outdoor training grounds.
Kalix had never experienced it, but last semester, students who finished their finals early went to the training grounds to watch military department exams or practice. Surely many people went to see Alexander too. In the first place, Alexander was the only thing worth seeing in the military studies department.
Does Alexander receive letters too? He must, naturally. Since he doesn’t have a girlfriend now either. But Kalix had never actually heard that Alexander received letters. Come to think of it, Alexander wasn’t really the type to tell Kalix about himself in detail. When Kalix first received a letter, he was flustered and even asked Alexander how to refuse.
“Do you want to come play at our villa during summer vacation?”
At Bertram’s sudden question, Kalix turned his gaze again. He had already been invited once during winter vacation, but Kalix couldn’t give a positive answer even now.
“I’m supposed to spend vacation with Alex.”
After saying it, he suddenly realized. Summer vacation. That problem was approaching soon. Though he would only stay for half the vacation, he had to go see his family. Not just seeing them, but staying with them continuously. And Alexander too.
Of course, lately the relationship with Alexander was almost perfectly the same as before. But that was because it was the Academy where they all lived together, and perhaps Alexander might not be comfortable having to continue staying with Kalix. What if he said he wouldn’t go together? But he did say he would stay with him, so would it be okay? But no matter how much Alexander said it was fine, was it okay to take advantage of that?
“Really? It seems like you’re always with that senior.”
This really seemed like Kalix was taking advantage of Alexander. When that comment came out while Kalix was feeling uncomfortable, Kalix answered as if it were completely natural.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
