#46
As soon as Noah entered his dormitory room, he not only slammed the door shut but also locked it. He flashed a bright smile at Elisa, who was looking at him with a surprised expression.
“What’s for dinner tonight?”
Noticing Elisa’s gaze slowly traveling from his head downward, Noah quickly added before she could speak.
“Later. After dinner. Library. I mean, I might go back to the library.”
He had forgotten both the bag he’d taken to the library and the jacket he’d draped over the chair in his haste to escape.
“I haven’t prepared dinner yet. Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
Though her expression was suspicious, she seemed willing to let it go without further questions, prompting Noah to answer promptly.
“Chicken. Fried chicken in oil.”
“Alright. Go wash up. Oh, are you going out again? Then just wash your hands and wait a bit. I’ll make it quickly. Is someone coming to see you? Derik?”
I’m not going out, I’m going to eat and go to bed.
I’m definitely staying in my room until lecture time tomorrow.
After causing that scene at the library, who knows what might happen if I go out again.
Noah, who in his hurry had said he’d go back to the library, kept his mouth shut when Elisa—who would normally tell him to shower—asked him to just wash his hands. For now, he’d just wash his hands and then make excuses about being tired before going to bed.
“Even if the Dean comes looking for me today, I’m exhausted and sleeping.”
“…Alright.”
At Elisa’s somewhat delayed response, Noah dashed into the bathroom.
Of all times, at that moment when every student’s attention was on him, a song he enjoyed listening to popped into his mind. Saying someone’s name at that moment would have been like self-destruction. If he had hesitated and not answered immediately, Ray would have continued asking playfully with those sparkling red eyes.
“Chicken Song.” That addictive tune that keeps playing in your head once you hear it was floating around in his mind, and he unconsciously blurted out the opening line.
And even now, he was humming that song.
“I~~~ Like Chicken.”
It’s not like people here knew English or would understand what he was saying. Others might not know, but Ray would definitely ask what it was the next time they met, and Noah thought he’d have to brush it off somehow as he removed his clothes.
Though Elisa had told him to just wash his hands, Noah continued humming the song while showering. The more he sang, the more he craved chicken. Above all, what he wanted most was spicy seasoned chicken. The sweet and spicy seasoning that perfectly balances out the richness…
Wearing the shower robe hanging on one side of the bathroom and toweling his wet hair, Noah walked out and smiled with satisfaction at the fantastic sound and smell of chicken frying in oil. As if drawn by instinct, he went to Elisa’s side.
“Did something happen today?”
Watching the chicken pieces floating in the sizzling oil made his mouth water.
“No. Earlier at the library.”
“At the library?”
“Yeah. Suddenly all these kids started asking me weird things.”
Noah’s gaze followed Elisa’s hands as she first removed the potatoes that had been frying with the chicken. The potatoes, beautifully browned to a golden color, were neatly arranged in a basket.
“What things?”
“No. They suddenly asked me who I liked better between Derik and Ray.”
“And what did you say?”
With his eyes fixed on the fragrant french fries that had come out and the chicken still floating in the oil, Noah quickly ate the fried potato Elisa placed in his mouth.
“Ah… hoo… hot… So… Haah— this is hot.”
Noah was quite busy blowing hot air toward the ceiling and moving the french fry around in his mouth with his tongue to cool it down.
“What I said was, those guys don’t know… Ah. Um. Call me when the meal is ready.”
They had been living together for 13 years now.
Entranced by the sensations of smell, taste, and sound, and ultimately fixating on taste, Noah almost spilled everything to Elisa. It wasn’t the first time—whenever Elisa asked in her casual voice and manner, Noah would end up revealing even his most closely guarded secrets.
If asked who he was most attached to in this place, he would definitely say Aeongi, but if asked about a person, Noah could immediately say Elisa. When they first met, she was a middle-aged woman with brown hair that now had a few strands of white hidden in it, and the wrinkles around her eyes had deepened.
Having spent so much time together, they knew each other well. If he had stayed by her side, he might have ended up telling her everything about Merry and Benjamin too.
Fortunately, Noah stopped speaking at the right moment and retreated to his room, letting out a small sigh.
The academy was bound to be in an uproar. He didn’t know what had happened after he disappeared, but by now, stories about Derik, Ray, Princess Merry, Benjamin, and himself would be flourishing.
It was natural for rumors to sprout when all the most popular people at the academy were gathered together.
Anyway, how should I explain “I Like Chicken”?
While pondering this and opening his wardrobe to take out his pajamas, Noah slowly turned his head at an unexpected presence.
There should have been no one else in this room right now. If there was anyone, it would be Aeongi, but what was sitting in the armchair by his window wasn’t the black and white-furred creature.
With long legs casually crossed and comfortably settled in the armchair reading a book, Noah confirmed it was Derik and his gaze naturally shifted to the window.
The window, which should have been tightly closed, was slightly open, and the breeze coming through was gently swaying the curtains.
Even so, this is the third floor.
This isn’t Romeo and Juliet. Why enter through the window when there’s a door? Despite his exceptional athletic ability and the architectural features that provided footholds, Noah couldn’t believe how he had climbed up the dormitory building with its high ceilings.
If it were Ray, he would have thought he used flying magic, but since Derik had no magical power, he must have climbed the wall with his extraordinary strength.
“Why are you here?”
Though the reason was obvious, Noah grumpily asked as he took the book from Derik’s hands. Not only had Derik failed to help him when he was cornered, but he had also just smiled smugly in that situation. To make matters worse, he even made that arrogant chin gesture urging Noah to answer.
“Arachi?”
“Airacheek?”
“Araichi?”
“Arachiki?”
As Noah placed the book he’d taken from Derik onto the bookshelf, strange words kept reaching his ears.
“What are you saying?”
“What you said earlier.”
After organizing the book, Noah went back to the wardrobe to get dressed, ignoring the presence behind him as he first took out his underwear.
Having just come from the shower, all he was wearing was a shower robe. He felt no embarrassment in front of Elisa, but being the only one undressed in front of a fully clothed Derik made him uncomfortable.
“What did I say earlier?”
Still with his back to Derik, Noah quickly put on his underwear and reached for his pajama pants. He planned to put on the pants first, then remove the shower robe and hurriedly put on the pajama top. Showing his back seemed like the best option.
“What you said before leaving the library. A~ra…”
“Something I like.”
He definitely asked what I liked. Of course, there was a person’s name attached to it.
“Is there something you like that I don’t know about?”
“Yes.”
Having successfully put on his pants, Noah glanced back slightly. He needed to remove the shower robe now, but he had to check if Derik was still behind him.
Derik had risen from the chair and was leaning against the window. The sunset, a mix of deep orange and pale blue, illuminated him. His silver-white long hair shimmered in an unusual color in the twilight.
His high nose created shadows on his face, making it difficult to read his expression.
Without any lights on, the room had grown dark, but Noah could clearly tell that Derik’s gaze was fixed on him as he stood with his arms crossed.
“What don’t I know?”
Noah’s skin suddenly prickled at Derik’s deep voice, which had completely gone through puberty. Tilting his head slightly and muttering again, “What don’t I know?” seemed more like he was talking to himself than to Noah, but the weight of his words made Noah wet his dry lips with the tip of his tongue.
“You… Well. Do you know everything about me? Huh? I have secrets too.”
“I don’t.”
“Everyone has secrets… Huh?”
As Noah paused in the middle of speaking, Derik clearly stated once more, “I don’t have any secrets from you.”
“Hey, who in the world doesn’t have secrets? Then, can you answer anything I ask?”
While they were having this brief conversation, it had quickly grown dark outside. Now Noah could barely see Derik’s face.
“Anything.”
At Derik’s calm and confident answer, Noah started thinking quickly. A difficult question. An awkward question.
“Then. You. You… you… Can you change all your clothes underwater within 10 seconds?”
Ah, do I have no brain? Surprised at the ridiculous question that came out, even by his own standards, Noah covered his mouth with both hands.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
