* * *
But what was this? When they arrived at the mansion, Deborah was there along with Kalix’s family.
“I heard you’ve already exchanged greetings.”
Even while listening to Alexander and his family exchange greetings, Kalix only thought about that. Why was Deborah here?
“Miss Deborah.”
Then at Alexander’s voice that followed, Kalix reflexively looked at Alexander.
“Since this is our second meeting, it would be fine to call me more familiarly.”
At Deborah’s response to that, what the hell. What was this?
“The same goes for me.”
What was that about?
“Alex?”
“Yes.”
“Or perhaps, Alexander?”
“Either way, please feel comfortable.”
They’d met twice. Setting aside why Deborah was here for now, they’d met twice. Once at Kalix’s coming-of-age ceremony, and now. It might be fine to call each other by name already. Their ages were similar anyway. But in that way?
“What the hell.”
At Kalix’s voice that came out helplessly, Kalix’s mother asked with a puzzled look.
“Is that such a surprising thing?”
“Right. Debbie is an old friend.”
At his parents’ words that came out together, Kalix tried to compose his subtly hardened expression. When he thought carefully, he did remember. Originally, Kalix had tried his utmost not to think about what would happen during this summer vacation. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even be able to see his family.
So he must never recall what had happened at this point in time when his body was taken. For that reason, he’d tried his utmost to forget all the other surrounding situations too. That’s why he hadn’t thought of Deborah at all.
But if he thought about it, Deborah was there too. Deborah was Kalix’s longtime friend and relative. She sometimes came to the territory in summer to stay together. So actually, it wasn’t strange for Deborah to be here.
But somehow now was a bit different. Because Alexander was here now. He wasn’t sure about Alexander’s feelings, but Deborah seemed to quite like Alexander. It was like that when they first met too. Though Alexander had a girlfriend then, he didn’t now.
“Did you tell Debbie that Alex was coming?”
“When she asked if you were coming in summer, I told her you were coming with a friend.”
“Are you perhaps jealous?”
Then at Cyrus’s sudden question, Kalix reflexively answered.
“What? Why would I be?”
What did it matter who Alexander was with?
“You were always close with Debbie.”
Oh, he wasn’t talking about Alexander. Though he realized it briefly, that made him even more sour. His family always seemed to hope that he and Deborah would become something. In reality, Deborah and Kalix had been together since they were very young, so they were just friends who felt nothing for each other.
“We’re just friends. Debbie and I.”
“That’s good too.”
It was a voice that could see potential for development anytime. He was about to insist once more that it wasn’t like that, but just then Alexander finished talking with Deborah about something and looked this way again.
“Once again, thank you for inviting me.”
Then at that polite smile he made, Kalix reflexively checked on Deborah. Sure enough, Deborah was looking at Alexander like that.
“It’s really nice to see you again, Alexander.”
The voice welcoming Alexander was warm, but Kalix just looked at Alexander expressionlessly. Didn’t you come because of me?
* * *
Even until they entered their respective rooms, his mood didn’t improve at all. Alexander’s room was even in the guest room area, as it would be when other people came. Kalix was in his original room. Which meant they were floors apart. Only after hearing the location of Alexander’s room did Kalix realize that this place wasn’t the academy. They couldn’t share a room.
It was natural, of course, but he was already anxious and couldn’t bear Alexander being distant too. So eventually Kalix succeeded in getting Alexander to come to the room next to his, making all sorts of reasons and excuses. But even so, his mood was still subtle. Would it be too strange to ask if they couldn’t share the same room?
If other people heard it would be strange, so if he only said it to Alexander, would that be too strange too? Kalix was blankly thinking such thoughts in his room for a while, then went out to the balcony.
“Alex.”
When he called Alexander’s name from the balcony, Alexander soon came out to the balcony.
“Is the room okay?”
“Yeah.”
Kalix almost said his room was even better. So come over. But that was too childish. Wouldn’t Alexander be curious about Kalix’s room? Was that strange too? Not knowing how to say it, Kalix was silent for a moment, then asked.
“Alex, can you cross over here too?”
When he talked while looking at the balcony, Alexander also looked back and forth between where he was standing and where Kalix was standing, as if gauging the distance. Of course Kalix knew Alexander could do that. Though he’d never tried it, if Kalix could probably manage this distance, Alexander definitely could. Then couldn’t he cross over at night?
And Alexander had definitely clearly noticed Kalix’s mood.
“I don’t want to check.”
But since that was the answer that came out, Kalix reflexively asked.
“Why?”
“Because.”
Alexander continued in his usual even tone.
“The fact that there’s a man who can cross over to rooms at will might make the young lady anxious.”
What the hell. First of all, Deborah wouldn’t even know anyway. They were on completely different floors. But more than that, why did Alexander immediately think of Deborah? He was talking with Kalix right now.
“Did you become close? You met at my coming-of-age ceremony.”
What on earth did they talk about then? But at that time Alexander was dating Skylar. Alexander definitely liked Skylar then. But even so, it was stuck in his mind to the extent that seeing her face now made him keep thinking about it? Even with me right here?
“We talked a bit then.”
A bit? But there were no continuing words from Alexander.
“A bit?”
When Kalix finally urged him to continue that statement, Alexander looked at Kalix quietly. Kalix stared at Alexander to mean hurry up and talk. Then Alexander suddenly smiled somewhat playfully.
“You were mean to Debbie when you were little, right? When she asked to play together, you told her to go away.”
While Kalix was talking with his family about something, Alexander seemed to be having some conversation with Deborah, and now he was even using pet names.
“Is that funny?”
Kalix could tell stories like that too. Originally Kalix was also there for those incidents. And Kalix had never been mean to Deborah. Deborah was just saying it casually since it was old stuff anyway. Or did he find it interesting just because Deborah said it?
Before he could hear Alexander’s words, there was a knock on the door. Realizing it was mealtime, Kalix reflexively looked at Alexander. Until now, they’d arrived and exchanged greetings and had the rooms introduced, so they didn’t need to have deep conversations. Since Alexander was a guest anyway, attention went his way too.
But mealtime was different. Of course they’d want to hear a lot of Alexander’s stories, but they’d definitely ask Kalix many questions too. That meant he had to talk a lot with his family. His stomach already hurt even though he hadn’t eaten yet.
“CC.”
Alexander didn’t reassure Kalix as always. But still, quite a gentle voice followed.
“Shall we go down together?”
Since they were right next door anyway and had the same destination, it was natural to say, but even so, Kalix carefully nodded. At this moment, he really thought so. That seemed like it would be okay.
* * *
They’d definitely come down together for dinner. Because Alexander had suggested it. And because Kalix wanted to as well. But when they actually sat at the table, the seating was strange. It was natural for his parents to sit at both head seats. And it was fine for Alexander to be across from Kalix, but Deborah was next to Alexander. It wasn’t strange to seat the guests together, but why did the two of them have to be together?
Moreover, Cyrus was even next to him. This was also the usual seating arrangement when eating at the mansion, but it was only uncomfortable. Kalix had to eat while trying his best not to look at Cyrus. But what was more irritating was that Alexander didn’t really look at Kalix much either.
Cyrus often spoke to Kalix. Kalix answered while pretending it was no big deal, but it was only uncomfortable. Setting aside the awkwardness, since he was trying not to recall everything, he couldn’t even know how they originally got along. And Alexander obviously knew about Kalix’s situation, yet he was having quiet conversations with Deborah next to him. Why?
“Kalix, does it bother you that much?”
At Cyrus’s voice, Kalix flinched for a moment. Deborah was, when Alexander wasn’t there, Cyrus had also asked then. Because at that time,
“Kalix.”
At Alexander’s voice that came out just before thoughts that shouldn’t be remembered surfaced, Kalix squeezed his eyes shut once and opened them. Nothing had happened. So he didn’t need to think about anything. Things that weren’t his past or future really didn’t need to be recalled at all.
“How about telling them about how you’re doing at the Academy?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
