Then couldn’t they have broken off the engagement? Of course, promises between families weren’t something that could be easily canceled, but couldn’t they have at least tried to persuade them?
“I think so.”
But at Alexander’s answer that followed, Kalix momentarily asked.
“Did Skylar like her fiancé?”
That’s what he realized from Alexander’s ambiguous answer.
“Then what about you?”
Only after asking did Kalix realize his question was too much. Alexander must be having the hardest time right now. But that’s why he had to ask even more.
“What was the problem between Skylar and her fiancé?”
At Kalix’s question, Alexander looked at Kalix and answered thoughtfully.
“They got engaged when they were both very young, so maybe because of that, her fiancé only thought of Skylar as a friend. On top of that, he was quite a womanizer.”
But Skylar liked that fiancé. It could happen. It could happen, but the problem was that Alexander got involved in it. Don’t do that. If he knew from the beginning, it was obvious it would be painful, so don’t do that.
“So Skylar dated you because of that?”
“As I said, we were comfortable with each other, and if that made Skylar feel better, it was a good thing. Besides, it was something I could help with.”
He thought Alexander might get hurt someday living like that, but he never actually wanted something like this to happen.
“Then what about you?”
Even if he helped because he could help, Alexander said he liked Skylar. While watching the person he liked like someone else, while trying to ease even a little of her pain, how did he live like that?
If Skylar received Alexander’s help, then what about Alexander?
“I was happy too. Just, anyway I was happy, so that’s how it was.”
“But still, if that’s the case,”
Then what about you? Alexander’s attitude was as calm as it had been from the beginning, but maybe because of that, he became more and more upset. He hadn’t expected it to be that kind of relationship at all. He never thought Alexander’s “circumstances” would be this kind. He just thought they looked good together.
So from the beginning, even while meeting Skylar, was Alexander preparing for separation from the start? During that time, hoping that Skylar would be even a little more comfortable. But then, what about Alexander?
“I’m fine, so why are you like this.”
At those words said while lightly touching Kalix, Kalix looked at Alexander. Alexander really seemed fine, but that made him feel more troubled. There was no one who would say anything even if he cursed the other person a little, but Alexander really had the attitude that it was okay since it was something he chose.
“How is that okay?”
Even if Alexander knew everything and chose it, he wouldn’t have wanted to be used like that. He knew Alexander’s way of thinking was extraordinary, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be taken advantage of.
“I told you I knew everything from the beginning?”
“I’m sorry.”
He should have just not asked. Kalix had dug into something Alexander had sorted out on his own. There must have been good reason why Alexander hadn’t talked about it.
“What for. It’s already over anyway.”
At that peaceful tone, Kalix carefully observed Alexander’s expression.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
It was the same answer, voice, and expression, but maybe because of that, he felt worse. Kalix hesitated a little, then said.
“Alex, next time you must meet a good person.”
Alexander really deserved that. Good family background, handsome, and on top of that his personality wasn’t bad for what it was. There were aspects where he was selfish and didn’t care what others thought, but it was within tolerable limits. Besides, even if he had the problem of giving generously without calculating because he felt like it, if that was directed toward a good person, that was also good. So Alexander absolutely had to meet a good person.
“I wonder.”
But Alexander’s answer, the actual person involved, was only lukewarm. It seemed like he’d suffer again, so Kalix, who wasn’t even the person involved, became anxious instead.
“You should. Next time you absolutely have to be very careful. You have to meet someone who will like you that much and can cherish you that much. You must.”
In contrast to Kalix’s voice, which was earnestly urging him, Alexander answered nonchalantly.
“Well. I just want to treat someone well if I like them.”
His chest felt stuffy. But Alexander continued speaking as if he didn’t know Kalix’s feelings at all.
“How can you be calculating with someone you like? You have to treat them well.”
“Alex, you can’t do that.”
He answered really quickly and firmly, but Alexander just laughed, not seeming to understand the seriousness of the situation.
“Don’t laugh. Really, you can’t do that.”
But Alexander still just smiled with that relaxed attitude.
“Alex, I’m telling you that you really can’t do that.”
It was worry. Other people would know about Alexander’s personality too, so now that Alexander had broken up, there might be people who would try to take advantage of him. No, even without going to other people, Jasper was a problem first.
“Or do you already have someone you like?”
When he asked about the possibility that suddenly occurred to him, Alexander looked at Kalix as expected, then answered just as lightly.
“Someone I’m interested in, I guess.”
Since they broke up after vacation ended, it had been about a month now. He thought it was a bit fast, but Alexander had said he knew the end from the beginning, so he must have sorted out his feelings earlier. He was somewhat relieved that Alexander could forget Skylar by being interested in someone else, but thinking of Alexander’s suspicious taste, he couldn’t be completely at ease. Still, it seemed fortunate that there was no opportunity to show it to Jasper.
“Who is it?”
“There is. Someone like that.”
Normally he would have just let it go, but now that he knew about Alexander’s dangerously risky approach to relationships, he had to ask again.
“What kind of person?”
Watching Alexander, who was silent for a moment as if thinking about that person, Kalix hoped. He hoped it would be a good person this time. A really good person.
“I guess you could say they need a lot of attention. I have to look after them one by one, and they get anxious easily. That’s what caught my attention—I wanted to help. At first, I just thought I should help, but now I’d rather be the one to help.”
“You did that, you did that and ended up like this.”
Alexander had approached Skylar wanting to help when he saw her struggling, and now look what happened. And he was going to meet someone like that again?
“Hey, nothing’s wrong with me even now.”
“Alex, you really need to meet a good person.”
Alexander looked at Kalix somewhat sourly as he disparaged his taste. But Kalix continued almost desperately.
“You understand, right? You really need to meet a good person.”
“They’re a decent person.”
Alexander’s standards were completely unreliable. This wasn’t just Kalix’s opinion—if he asked anyone else, they would all think the same as Kalix.
“That’s not enough. Not someone you take care of, but you need to meet someone good enough to take care of you.”
“Well, I think it’s similar.”
All his answers were vague.
“That’s not what I mean. It has to be someone who’s obviously good to anyone who sees them.”
“Then what about you?”
At that question that came out of nowhere when they had been talking about Alexander, Kalix asked back.
“What about me?”
“What kind of person do you want to meet?”
At Alexander’s question, Kalix answered immediately without needing to think.
“I don’t want to meet anyone.”
To Kalix, it was just a natural fact. Alexander couldn’t not know this either.
“Then what will you do if I meet a good person like you said?”
But at Alexander’s words that followed, Kalix had to ask back.
“What?”
If Alexander met a good person, then that would be fortunate. Since he was just hurt by his last relationship, it would be good if he met a really good person this time and was happy. That was natural, so he couldn’t understand what Alexander was asking.
“If I’m in a relationship, I won’t be able to stay with you all the time like now. You know that, right?”
It was an aspect he hadn’t thought about. When Kalix quietly looked at Alexander, Alexander continued speaking.
“Right now we eat together, share a room, and are together all the time. But if I’m in a relationship, I’ll eat with them, often go out at night, and won’t have much time to talk with you.”
Thinking about it, Alexander was right. Originally, Alexander and Kalix had become close rapidly during winter break, and usually Skylar was with them then too. And before that, even though he didn’t share a room with Alexander, he still knew that Alexander often went out of the dormitory. To meet Skylar.
But since he always ate with his friends, couldn’t they at least be together during the day? Or was that just an effort to deliberately keep distance because they had decided on a breakup from the beginning? So for this relationship, was he really going to devote all his time to that person?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
