90
Riteran couldn’t hide the bitterness spreading across his face as he mentioned that the maid was a child cherished like a younger sibling by one of the other aides. He regretted that the unfounded trust he had given until now had brought things to this state.
“I’ve already had her treated, so there shouldn’t be any problem with having a conversation.”
Rohan finished his explanation after sharing a few more pieces of information he had learned afterward. The more he heard, the more it became clear that while the man appeared fine on the outside, he was completely obsessed with that ‘Fox God’ on the inside.
“…Truly, I don’t know what to say. I’m just sorry to both of you, especially to Arpel. Regardless of the reason, the fact that my aide attempted to take Arpel’s life remains unchanged.”
Riteran slowly bowed his head.
No matter what forces were involved, the fact that this incident occurred in his territory, targeting a guest staying at his mansion, remained unchanged. Wasn’t that reason enough for an apology?
A face showing not a hint of wavering received his apology. Without further questioning, assigning blame, or even offering reassurance. Just accepting the apology that was due. Some might call this attitude inhuman, but Riteran was actually able to lighten his mental burden a bit thanks to this attitude.
“I’ll organize the remaining documents as quickly as possible, so why don’t you two return to your room and rest?”
It was the words they had been waiting for. Arpel, not refusing Riteran’s words, ended with a short bow and immediately pulled Rohan’s hand.
Their steps leaving the office showed no hesitation and even seemed urgent, leaving only two bewildered gazes in the place they had left.
***
“Arpel? Is something wrong?”
After taking a few wide strides, they arrived at the room in an instant. Arpel, who had been hurrying without looking back, finally turned his head to look at Rohan. He noticed Rohan’s round eyes, unable to hide his confusion.
The reason Arpel had brought Rohan along without looking back at the words to rest in the room was simple. He had many things he wanted to ask him.
Why did you make that expression, why are you sad? These were things he had been thinking about for a while, but when the situation to ask finally arose, he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Especially seeing Rohan’s seemingly nonchalant expression.
That must have been why. Why he suddenly spread his arms.
“…Come here, Rohan.”
Quickly understanding what the softly calling voice and outstretched arms meant, Rohan moved without hesitation. Though he didn’t know why Arpel was doing this, his instincts urged him several times not to miss this opportunity.
Rohan burrowed into Arpel’s embrace like a docile animal. And he savored the comfort provided by the patting he felt on his back. The head that had been slowly rubbing against his shoulder suddenly stopped at Arpel’s next words.
“Thank you.”
“…Pardon?”
It was unexpected, but the voice was filled with such deep emotion that it couldn’t be easily dismissed. As soon as he slightly raised his head, he saw purple eyes full of warmth. Rohan’s eyes, unable to move and staring at Arpel as if entranced, were filled with blind emotion.
However, not long after, their eyes that had been staring at each other as if time had stopped, broke apart. Arpel was the first to avert his gaze. His strangely reddened earlobe persistently remained in Rohan’s view.
“…I just thought you had a tough day.”
“Ah…”
Even if he averted his gaze, the gentle hand patting his back didn’t stop. Rohan belatedly realized why Arpel was acting this way. Heavy emotions piled up layer by layer.
It’s because of me. Because he’s worried about me.
This was his clumsy attempt at comfort. Comfort so clearly imbued with affection. Thinking that, he couldn’t help the sigh that slowly escaped.
“Rohan?”
There was no way Arpel would miss that sound. Rohan quickly shook his head at the worry beginning to cloud his eyes. Rarely, his true feelings were completely exposed.
“…Kiss.”
“Hm?”
“I just… want to kiss…”
Worried that what he had just said might have been inappropriate, Arpel froze in place as if broken upon hearing Rohan’s answer. His widened eyes stared blankly at Rohan without blinking even once.
His bright red face was particularly noticeable.
Kiss, kiss…
That word kept swirling in his mind. His chest tingled, and his fingertips twitched as if electrified.
“…Can I?”
Though his fingers fidgeted and his face was flushed red, undisguised expectation flickered in Rohan’s eyes. The moment he saw those plump, mumbling lips, one intense thought arose.
‘Cute.’
Cute. So cute he wanted to bite. The thought that arose unconsciously, without any doubt, quickly conquered his mind.
Arpel, who had been staring at Rohan as if bewitched, only moved his hand when Rohan was about to become dejected from the lack of response. There was no hesitation in the action of tightening his embrace and pulling him close.
Despite the weak force, Rohan willingly let himself be pulled in, lowering his head at the touch that gently patted his nape. When their lips finally met slowly, the corners of his reddened eyes trembled slightly. A faint sigh that he couldn’t quite utter swirled in his mouth.
The unique warmth, neither cold nor as warm as a person’s body temperature, touched his lips.
The soft sensation like silk, the heart beating overwhelmingly fast, the faint sweet scent… Just savoring all of this seemed to make his mind hazy.
As if he couldn’t miss even a moment, his eyes, slightly open and fixed on Arpel, were hazily heated as if in a dream.
“…Was that enough?”
Just before the lips that had settled like feathers parted, Rohan’s eyes closed quickly. It was a truly remarkable reaction speed that some might consider a waste of talent.
Thanks to this, Arpel didn’t even guess that Rohan had been looking at his face the entire time they were kissing. He was just captivated by the eyes that opened tremblingly a beat late.
His breath stopped at the brilliant emotions pouring out densely. Clearly, he was the one who had pulled his lips away first, but the moment their eyes met, the urge to kiss again arose.
No, perhaps even more than that…
‘Arpel, what I want is…’
‘We need to become a slightly different kind of relationship to do that.’
He recalled what Rohan had said some time ago. Words whispered softly at a distance so close their lips could touch at any moment.
Hadn’t they already become that kind of relationship? So it should be okay to do more than just pressing lips together. He even had the illusion that someone was whispering this in his ear.
His heart had long since leaned in one direction. Arpel, who decided to faithfully follow that heart without going against it, reached out to grab Rohan’s retreating body, but…
“Thank you, Arpel.”
He stopped abruptly at the voice devoid of any lingering attachment.
As the opportunity was lost right in front of him, the strange atmosphere flowing between them subsided in an instant. Arpel just blinked blankly, watching Rohan tidy up the disheveled bed while asking, “You’re going to wash up, right?”
‘…Why?’
The gently smiling face seemed truly satisfied with just that brief kiss. The emotions pouring out of Rohan told Arpel that his satisfaction was not a lie.
That couldn’t be right. It shouldn’t be…
The emotions that flowed from Rohan the moment their lips parted and their eyes met were deep affection and greed, raw impulse and desire.
But when their eyes met again, and he noticed that the emotions he had briefly read had dissipated as if they were lies, he could no longer be certain even of that.
There was truly not a hint of hesitation in the touch that pushed him into the bathroom, and when Arpel came to his senses, he was already lying next to Rohan on the bed. His eyes blinked blankly, staring at the black ceiling.
“We should sleep soon.”
Perhaps noticing his rapidly blinking eyes, a soft chuckle scattered from beside him. Before he could say anything, Rohan’s hand came to rest on his chest.
The rhythmically patting touch resembled his own from some time ago. While feeling bewildered by this touch, he also felt utterly pleased.
‘I won’t fall asleep like this anyway.’
So he could stop, continuing would only tire his hand.
He didn’t say this right away, perhaps because this time felt somewhat special.
Maybe it was because the smile seeping into Rohan’s face, his slightly curved eyes, were whispering that this moment was so very happy.
Just a little, let’s wait just a little longer before saying it. This hesitation continued several times.
“Arpel. …Are you asleep?”
Arpel had fallen asleep as if by magic.
There was no response to the softly calling voice, just closed eyes and steady breathing. The hand that had been slowly patting his chest stopped, but rather than closing his eyes and trying to sleep, Rohan chose to gaze endlessly at Arpel’s form.
It was natural for the earlier voice to come to mind again. Throughout dealing with this incident, Rohan had been harboring guilt in his heart for exposing Arpel to threat by not detecting suspicious signs in advance.
He didn’t think he had completely hidden it, but… he didn’t expect to hear words of thanks. Did Arpel know what a big ripple that short word had caused?
He knows well that Arpel isn’t talented at comforting, nor skilled at saying emotional words. That’s why he could understand how much worry and courage it took for him to offer those words of comfort today.
How could one not love a being who tries so hard solely for oneself?
“…I like you very much.”
It was a confession without a listener, but that was okay. If he wanted to hear an answer, he could say it again tomorrow, or the day after.
It was okay even if the same love wasn’t whispered back. He had long known that the voice that preciously answered him, and those faintly curved eyes, contained deep affection.
Rohan, who had been looking at Arpel for a long time, finally sought sleep. Holding his hand tightly as if not to lose it even in dreams.
