“Sleep well.”
It wasn’t like he’d only seen Alexander in sleepwear for a day or two, but maybe because they were at his parents’ place, the atmosphere seemed a bit different from the Alexander he usually saw. Perhaps because it was a place he’d come to rest comfortably, the particularly quiet air suited Alexander especially well.
* * *
Contrary to Alexander’s words that he would come the next day, Jasper actually arrived two days later. Kalix wondered if Skylar might feel a bit uncomfortable having not just her boyfriend’s friend but also his younger brother join their vacation, but when Skylar heard the news that Jasper was coming, she was genuinely happy.
She said that since Jasper was usually shy, she hadn’t been able to talk much with him, so she was glad to have this opportunity. Moreover, Alexander’s mother was calm as if she’d expected it. Since everyone’s attitudes were like that, Kalix could just accept it too.
Then Jasper arrived. As Alexander had said, there really was no occasion to meet. As soon as Jasper arrived, he said he wasn’t feeling well and didn’t come out of the annex. He even had all his meals there, so there really was no chance to see his face.
While he felt like it would probably be okay to see Jasper, he was a bit worried it might be different when he actually saw him, but that worry was pointless. There was no chance to see him in the first place.
Kalix, who had been walking slowly while looking around, suddenly looked ahead. Alexander and Skylar were walking side by side, occasionally talking. When Alexander first suggested going for a walk together, he’d naturally refused. But when even Skylar asked why he wouldn’t come along, he was practically dragged out.
Actually, the reason Kalix didn’t particularly want to come outside was that strange things always happened when he went for walks. Whenever he went for walks with someone, strange things always occurred. Finding some dark corner somewhere, or suddenly it would rain and while taking shelter they’d discover a cabin—anyway, the ending was always the same.
But right now it was just peaceful. Maybe it was because not only Alexander but also Skylar was with them. He couldn’t remember when he’d last enjoyed scenery so quietly and comfortably. The villa was somewhat removed from the city center, so it was calm and comfortable.
But looking at those two, they really seem like friends. It might have been because Kalix was there, but Alexander and Skylar were walking with some distance between them, not holding hands or linking arms. All the couples Kalix had seen at the Academy stuck close together as if they didn’t want to be apart for even a moment.
He’d wondered if they kept their distance because there were watching eyes at the Academy, but now it seemed they were like that normally too. He knew they got along well, but it was a considerably relaxed atmosphere for lovers their age.
Then suddenly, he saw Alexander extend his hand to Skylar. Then he put his foot forward in front of Skylar. Only then, checking below, he saw it was muddy ground, probably because it had snowed a few days ago. Skylar naturally took Alexander’s hand, stepped on his foot, and put her foot back on solid ground. Then the whole process of letting go of their clasped hands again was so familiar. If Kalix hadn’t been watching the two just then, he wouldn’t have even noticed.
Until now, even watching their relationship, he’d thought that even though they were lovers, it didn’t seem very obvious. But they really like each other a lot. Enough to naturally look out for each other and familiarly accept it. Enough to think of each other so comfortably that there was no need to show off.
Alexander did look after Kalix, but it was clearly different from what he did for Skylar. Even though he’d already realized this, having it confirmed with his eyes made all the tension he’d been pretending didn’t exist melt away. I really don’t like him. Nothing like that will happen between us.
Having that certainty made him feel at ease. Then he looked at Alexander and Skylar again. They weren’t a very talkative pair, but the atmosphere showed they knew each other well. He’d never had the leisure to observe others until now, so he’d never thought about it, but seeing them like this, they really suited each other well.
Both had basically calm atmospheres, and while Alexander was somewhat indifferent, Skylar was a bit more lively than that. Maybe they’d get married later? They’d suit each other well.
“Young master.”
At the sudden voice, when he turned his gaze, a servant he’d encountered several times before approached Alexander.
“Young master, Master Jasper has awakened.”
He wondered what that was supposed to mean, but Alexander actually looked at Skylar and Kalix once each.
“Keep talking.”
Then he left with the servant. For a moment, he was dumbfounded. Did he just go to Jasper? While he was with his girlfriend? Kalix didn’t have dating experience, but he at least knew this wasn’t proper.
He momentarily checked if Skylar was upset, but Skylar actually looked completely unbothered. Then, as she started walking again while looking up at the sky, Kalix carefully asked:
“Are you okay?”
“Huh?”
Skylar, who had been looking up at the branches that had lost all their leaves due to winter, looked at Kalix with a puzzled expression at his question. Though she had the same blonde hair as Alexander’s mother, Skylar’s hair was a bit lighter and paler in color. Her blue eyes were also quite bright, which gave Skylar’s atmosphere a somewhat static quality. But even so, Skylar had a unique vitality.
“Oh, Alexander?”
“Yeah.”
While Kalix was frustrated on her behalf about how Alexander could leave his girlfriend like this, Skylar, the actual person involved, smiled as if it was nothing and said:
“Jasper’s been sick and staying only in the annex since he arrived. But yesterday he had a fever. He apparently couldn’t stay conscious, so Alexander asked to be told immediately if he woke up.”
Even hearing that explanation didn’t justify Alexander’s behavior. No matter what, he was with his girlfriend. Besides, so what if Jasper was sick? It’s not like Alexander being there could do anything.
If Jasper had suddenly fallen ill, that might be different, but this was the opposite case. Actually, even if Jasper had suddenly fallen ill, he couldn’t understand it. When you’re with your girlfriend, shouldn’t you naturally prioritize her?
“But right now you’re with me.”
He wondered if this happened often. Maybe that’s why Skylar just naturally accepted it, but thinking about it, that didn’t seem likely. Jasper was a first-year student in the first place. It had only been a few months since the two had overlapping living spaces. Even so, Skylar’s attitude was nothing but natural.
“I’m always with him anyway. Jasper is sick, and when you’re sick, having family there makes you feel a bit better. When you’re sick and alone, it’s lonely.”
Listening to that voice that slightly stretched the pronunciation of words connecting sentences, Alexander suddenly came to mind. Alexander always clearly cut off sentence endings with clear distinctions, but he was different from Skylar.
“When your younger brother is sick and you can be there for him, it’s natural to do so.”
At those words, Kalix didn’t add anything unnecessarily. Maybe it really was like that. As Skylar said, maybe that was natural and Kalix’s thinking was wrong. Kalix couldn’t properly judge what was natural.
But listening to what Skylar said, he kept thinking she suited Alexander well. They both knew what was natural for them and didn’t hesitate to tell others about it. Moreover, the atmosphere in which they treated each other had stability.
If these two people really got married, they’d really suit each other well.
* * *
When he suddenly woke up from sleep, it was still before sunrise. But if he went back to sleep now, he felt like he’d wake up completely past morning. Besides, he wasn’t particularly sleepy, so Kalix got up from his spot to get a book from the living room bookshelf.
Then he left his room, and saw someone in the middle of the hallway. Skylar was two floors up, Alexander’s mother was right below that, and Jasper was using the annex, so only Alexander and Kalix were on this floor. So he thought it might be Alexander, but even at a glance, the build was too small to be Alexander. Looking more carefully, it was Jasper.
He wasn’t fully awake so he couldn’t judge for a moment, but as soon as he realized Jasper was in front of Alexander’s room, his head cooled sharply. But Jasper wasn’t approaching inside and was just standing there blankly, the same as when Kalix first spotted him.
Only then did Kalix realize briefly and approached Jasper. Jasper seemed unaware that Kalix had approached, still staring ahead blankly. Though the door was open, the owner wasn’t inside. He probably went to see Skylar. It was something he’d roughly known all along. Kalix looked down at Jasper for a moment, then lightly grabbed his shoulder.
“Jasper Clifford.”
When he called that name, Jasper momentarily stiffened, then looked up at Kalix. Then, as if grasping the current situation, he looked once at the ownerless room in front of him, once at the hallway, and once again at Kalix.
“Ah.”
With that short, faint voice, focus slowly returned to Jasper’s eyes. He already knew Jasper had mild sleepwalking. So he’d been a bit uncomfortable and anxious wondering if something might happen, but when he actually faced him, it was fine enough to make his worry seem pointless.
Of course, if Jasper had come to his room in this state, it would have been a different story, but that wasn’t the case either. Moreover, if Alexander had been in this room, he would have misunderstood something again, but Alexander wasn’t there either.
“You’re going to the annex, right?”
Jasper was still uncomfortable, but hearing that he’d been continuously sick made him seem a bit pitiful too. Had he lost a bit more weight? But since he’d never looked at Jasper closely before, he couldn’t be sure.
“I’ll take you there.”
If he fell somewhere in this state, it would be terrible. Still, since he was Alexander’s brother, Kalix should help him this much.
“I can go alone.”
At the quiet words, Kalix wanted to tell him to do just that, but Kalix slightly lifted the lamp in his hand.
“There’s only one lamp.”
Jasper really had nothing but his bare body. While the corridor had lights on, it would have been dark coming from the annex to here, so it was amazing he had come without getting hurt.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
After answering briefly and moving his steps, he felt Jasper following. Kalix consciously slowed his pace a little.
“Blackwood, since when have you known Sasha?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
