“You slept together.”
Where Alexander went every night, where he went on weekends, what happened at the villa—there was no way Kalix wouldn’t know. At Kalix’s firm words, Alexander seemed speechless for a moment, looking away, then said,
“That’s different from that.”
It was nonsensical talk. He had said he couldn’t sleep with anyone unless he liked them. He’d even said he could keep that promise for life. Had he been lying? But for that to be the case, Skylar and Alexander really did think of each other comfortably. They also took being by each other’s side for granted. When Kalix stared at Alexander as if demanding an explanation, Alexander let out a faint sigh.
“There were some circumstances.”
Since that voice seemed quite complicated, Kalix lowered his gaze for a moment. If Alexander said there were circumstances, then there were, but couldn’t he tell him about it? Alexander knew all of Kalix’s stories. If they broke up and it was hard for him, Kalix could listen too.
It seemed a bit disappointing, but come to think of it, that wasn’t what was important right now.
“Alex, does your younger brother know about that?”
It would be terrible if he knew. Of course, with the mindset to have such thoughts about his older brother, whether that brother had a girlfriend or not wouldn’t be very important, but still.
“That you broke up?”
When he nodded seriously with a hardened expression, Alexander said:
“Well. I’ve never directly told him about it. He never asked either.”
“Don’t tell him.”
When Kalix spoke firmly, Alexander looked at Kalix with an expression that he really had no idea why Kalix was acting like this.
“Absolutely don’t tell him.”
“If Jay asks, I have to answer. I can’t lie to him.”
“If he doesn’t ask, don’t tell him.”
At those words, Alexander looked at Kalix somewhat suspiciously, then nodded.
“Alright.”
That voice somehow made him feel complicated.
“Don’t you think he—”
But he couldn’t tell the truth. How could he possibly say, “I was just about to go into your room and saw your younger brother masturbating while calling your name”? Kalix knew better than anyone how shameful and shocking it was to be involved with family in a sexual relationship. He couldn’t let Alexander know about such a thing.
“Don’t you think your younger brother—”
What should he really do? Looking closely, Alexander had somewhat dangerous ways of thinking. While it was right to say it was natural to help if you could help, he didn’t consider at all the possibility that he himself might become endangered. The idea that you should trust first and if you get betrayed later that can’t be helped was like that too, and the saying that it was okay to be deceived was even more so.
If he was like that with Kalix, he’d obviously be even more lenient with his younger brother. When Alexander found out, the shock he’d receive was immeasurable. Such a situation had to be prevented at all costs.
“Never mind.”
Kalix finally continued resolutely:
“Anyway, don’t tell him.”
He had to hide it. Somehow, he had to hide this at his level.
“Alex.”
At Kalix’s call, Alexander looked at him. Kalix looked into those peaceful eyes and continued:
“I think it would be better to change rooms.”
At those words, Alexander slightly frowned. But he couldn’t continue to leave Alexander and Jasper in the same room like this.
“I swear I won’t touch your younger brother.”
He said this wondering if that’s what he’d been worrying about all along, but Alexander didn’t relax his expression.
“Even if you say that—”
Alexander seemed to think about something for a moment, then said:
“Well.”
After that ambiguous word, Alexander looked at Kalix again.
“I don’t particularly suspect that either, but just, why?”
He knew he had to make up something to say, but he didn’t have anything particular to say. If he said he was okay seeing Jasper now, that still wasn’t a reason to change rooms again. But he naturally couldn’t tell the real reason.
“You’re uncomfortable with Jay. Did something happen with Dylan?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Then why?”
It’s not like Kalix wanted to share a room with Jasper either. Though he no longer had any thoughts that he might want to sleep with Jasper, he was still uncomfortable. No matter how rare such incidents were now, if he kept seeing him, memories of what he’d done with Jasper using his body would often overlay.
And now it was even more so. How could he have such thoughts about family, about his older brother, especially about Alexander who treated him so well? Kalix felt betrayed on his behalf. So while Kalix also didn’t want to share a room with Jasper, the most important thing was to separate Alexander and Jasper first. Then suddenly, he had this thought. If he just needed to separate those two.
“Can’t I share a room with you?”
That would solve it, wouldn’t it? Then Kalix wouldn’t have to share a room with Jasper either. Naturally, he could separate Jasper and Alexander too. Moreover, since Kalix could keep watching Alexander, he could preemptively block any futile schemes Jasper might try.
“There’s nothing wrong with it, but do you not want to share a room with Dylan?”
At the question that seemed unable to grasp why Kalix was acting like this, Kalix said firmly:
“I have no problems with Dylan.”
Actually, he had no problems with Dylan, and there was a separate reason for acting like this now. But he couldn’t tell Alexander the reason. Then Alexander, who knew nothing, examined Kalix’s expression as if looking for something.
“Haven’t you been sleeping well lately?”
Kalix closed his mouth for a moment. Alexander was worrying about him, but Kalix couldn’t reveal the reason he had to act like this.
“Can’t we just share a room?”
That’s all he could say in the end, but instead of asking anything more, Alexander simply nodded as if he understood after some silence.
“Then, alright.”
At that ready answer even though Kalix’s attitude was obviously strange, Kalix became more sensitive instead. Why wasn’t he suspicious at all? Of course, from Kalix’s position right now, even if Alexander asked more questions, he had nothing to answer, so it was fortunate, but looking at Alexander himself, he couldn’t help but be sensitive.
He was definitely like this with Jasper too. If asked to do something, he’d just listen without asking anything else. Without knowing what Jasper was thinking inside. What Alexander considered natural behavior as family would definitely be different for Jasper. Kalix had to prevent such things from happening to Alexander.
* * *
He didn’t know how Alexander had persuaded Jasper, but Jasper went to Dylan’s room and Kalix returned to his original arrangement, sharing a room with Alexander. Dylan was experiencing his third roommate in one year.
He felt sorry for not thinking of Dylan at all, but Alexander said it was fine because Dylan didn’t care about such things at all. Actually, when he happened to meet Dylan the next day, far from seeming bothered, he was completely nonchalant as if he didn’t even know his roommate had changed. You apparently had to be at that level to be friends with Alexander.
Even though he’d changed rooms, he was on edge. What if Jasper approached Alexander and tried something while Kalix didn’t know? But from what Kalix learned while sharing a room with Alexander, Alexander wasn’t the type to approach Jasper first. He’d already known this, but seeing it right beside him made it even clearer.
Even so, he couldn’t feel at ease. Since Jasper and Alexander were family, it wasn’t strange at all for them to meet anytime. Naturally, Alexander wouldn’t suspect Jasper.
He was already sensitive from worrying about Alexander and Jasper, and recently even a letter from Cyrus had arrived. The content was that he was worried and would come to the Academy to see Kalix. The problem was that there was nowhere to escape to.
Originally, no matter how complicated his head was, he really slept well, but after returning to this body, he couldn’t sleep if there was even a little worry. It had been like that for several days, so Kalix stopped trying to lie still and sleep and got up from his spot.
Unlike Dylan, who slept well regardless of whether someone tossed and turned, came in to search the room, or turned on lights, Alexander was reasonably easygoing but had about as light sleep as a normal person. Worried he might wake him by tossing around, he tried to go out to the lounge, but when his hand touched the doorknob, a low, sleepy voice was heard.
“Why.”
“Sorry. Sleep more.”
He answered quietly and tried to open the door as carefully as possible, but Alexander’s voice held Kalix back.
“I asked you, CC.”
Even though it was a voice full of sleepiness, somehow when Alexander asked something like that, it seemed like he had to answer.
“A letter came.”
Since he couldn’t say your younger brother was the problem, when he mentioned another worry, Alexander asked:
“From who?”
“My older brother.”
Looking at Alexander, Alexander only then slowly opened his eyes.
“He says he’s coming here.”
When he continued, Alexander closed his eyes again.
“Open the balcony door, bring a chair over here and sit.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
