There was no answer to the question of what he wanted to stay here longer for, but he permitted it along with his habitual threat.
In the firmly embracing arms, Cheche looked at the crimson spray shattering into pieces. When he rested his head on his shoulder, Evil flinched for a moment but soon took a position comfortable for leaning. The chest pressed tightly against his back was very solid and warm.
Mixed with the sound of crimson spray pouring down like rain, a steady sound could be heard. That thump-thump beating was like a heartbeat. It was beating a bit fast. Cheche couldn’t tell if that sound was his or his.
It’s probably a mistake. There’s no way a person’s heartbeat could be heard.
While thinking that, Cheche realized. Right now he must be hearing this heartbeat sound. Both his and mine. This scattering spray and the sound of waves crashing and breaking, the flapping of distant birds’ wings and perhaps even the sound of seaweed colliding below the surface. Evil is enduring such terribly loud noise.
After the sun completely set, Cheche’s body temperature dropped, and the slightly fast heartbeat found its normal rhythm again, they went back making a fuss that it was too late, but until then he endured all the noise while holding Cheche in his arms and waited.
***
Evil and Cheche, who returned after resolving the earthquake tsunami, headed straight to a luxury villa at Yuchuri Beach in Armal.
Regarding the unprecedented major event of tsunami elimination, they decided to hold an official press conference after returning home. This was because Evil had declared he would rest while viewing the beautiful beach night scenery from today until the weekend.
From the moment he heard the news that an earthquake tsunami warning had been issued in Armal, Evil had decided to quickly resolve such a small disaster and take the refugee to a villa with good scenery at the beach. He himself had never seen it with his own two eyes, but he was quite looking forward to it since it was counted as a must-visit travel destination before dying.
While Cheche prepared to board the helicopter in Alcity, he instructed James to find a villa, and James hurriedly found a luxury villa with as good soundproofing as possible.
It was a very rare occasion for Evil to spend the night in another region. He preferred his own mansion designed as the quietest and most silent place in the world, and even when he occasionally slept outside his house, the places he headed to were limited to places like the Endem family hospital. When disasters requiring continuous care like volcanic eruptions occurred, he would rather stay up all night and not sleep.
From such a person,
‘I’ll stay at a villa at Yuchuri Beach with the refugee until the weekend, so find a good place.’
When James received this instruction, unlike other times, he didn’t complain it was bothersome or difficult and did his best to find a place for Evil to stay. He even informed his father and the mansion servants of this tremendous news.
James sent a message to the group chat saying “The young master told me to find a villa around Yuchuri Beach, so if anyone knows a place with good soundproofing please let me know quickly,” and the chat room went wild. The mansion said they would make today Evil’s first villa overnight stay anniversary and bake a cake to hold a party.
Even though he always went around cursing him as a psychopath or devil or whatever, anyway, James was one of the closest aides who had been by Evil’s side since childhood. He ultimately found a place Evil would be satisfied with.
The villa was on some Alcity tycoon’s private property. At the news that Evil would stay for as many as three nights and four days, the tycoon personally sent people to clean in advance, and the Endem family attendants James sent cleaned again.
Evil, who arrived at the villa, narrowed his eyes and scanned the vast pool, tennis court, and large window facing the sea.
“Well, it’s decent enough to spend a few days. Come in.”
Whether it passed his standards, Evil let Cheche inside the gate. If it was a place he was going to for the first time, he might look around here and there, but Cheche was only indifferent. However, he did look toward the sea at the gently heard sound of waves. The villa was located high on the coast, so the horizon could be seen completely.
“What will you do about dinner?”
“Prepare it inside.”
“Should I bring out Alcity food? Or Armal’s….”
“Hey, refugee. Have you ever eaten Armal traditional food?”
“No.”
Cheche shook his head, and that was answer enough.
James left and only the two of them remained at the villa. Evil was about to go straight into the villa, but Cheche didn’t move as if nailed in place.
That refugee is breathing too much cold air today.
Armal was south of Alcity, a warm place year-round with no fall or winter, but once the sun set and evening came, quite chilly winds would blow. Even more so because it was by the sea.
“Hey, it’s cold. Go inside and look around.”
“Are you cold?”
“Not me, you, dummy.”
He almost habitually said ‘you dummy.’ He ended up making a weird dog sound, but this was better. He was glad he didn’t say dummy.
“I’m fine.”
“…Then sit over there and look around.”
Evil took Cheche to a nearby bench. Perhaps an item for lovers, it was a swing-type bench just big enough for two people to sit side by side. Cheche naturally left the seat next to him empty and sat obediently on one side. Evil’s face bloomed with a brilliant smile, as if extremely satisfied with that.
Evil tried to sit crookedly with his legs crossed as per his usual habit, but decided to draw them in just this once since his long legs would touch Cheche’s knees gathered demurely. Evil had a physique much larger than average, but because Cheche was much smaller than average, the swing’s size fit perfectly. Feeling inexplicably good, he chuckled and admired Cheche’s profile.
The dark brown skin where starlight had settled glowed softly. His bangs swayed gently in the wind, and his small lips were slightly parted as he breathed faintly.
Evil followed Cheche’s gaze. To that distant end of the sea. Because it was already late evening, the sea was at a level where only the horizon was barely visible. Of course, Evil’s eyes could see very many things, but for ordinary people, it would seem difficult to even distinguish between sky and sea.
“Can you see anything besides the horizon?”
“I can see it.”
“Did you just see birds flying by?”
“Yes.”
“How many were there?”
“There were five.”
“You have good eyes.”
Evil chuckled. Eventually his gaze returned to Cheche again. It was fascinating. Even someone emotionless about everything would have their heart stolen by the white starlight embroidering the night sky or the endlessly spreading dark blue water surface.
But he soon realized it wasn’t something to find fascinating. This refugee had stared at even the fountain in front of the Center’s main entrance for a long time.
Long and dense eyelashes, an elegant nose bridge, reddish lips. Dark brown skin that glowed softly with moonlight. Like a fairy God had created last out of apology for creating too many disgusting things in this world.
He was curious what thoughts he was having. Whether he was thinking again of that tiresome Tar while looking at that sea. He’d always hoped people’s emotions wouldn’t be transmitted to him, but he so wanted to read that refugee’s emotions.
The sea breeze blew. Evil would be fine even if it dropped below zero, but he was anxious Cheche with his weak body might catch a cold. His body temperature seemed to have already dropped quite a bit, and his cheek was cold.
“…….”
Their eyes met—golden eyes and his own. Evil discovered his large hand covering Cheche’s dark brown cheek.
Why is the back of my hand on the refugee’s face?
Cheche wasn’t even surprised. He just looked up at Evil as if asking if he had something to say.
The skin felt against the back of his hand was a bit cold and soft as silk.
Evil, since he’d already touched him, decided to touch him openly and turned his hand over to cup Cheche’s face with his palm. Because his face was so small, all his features were covered. The cheek touching his thumb tip was very soft and squishy. Though it was dark brown skin that was by no means fair, words like white towel or baby formula came to mind.
“What kind of skincare do you do? A refugee who spent their whole life on a battlefield has skin that’s too good.”
“I don’t do any.”
Cheche didn’t avoid the touch either. He was indifferent as if they had always touched and been touched like this.
“I feel like I could touch it all day.”
Evil traced Cheche’s eye area with his finger. The neat ashen eyebrows and fair space between the brows, the nose that had turned slightly red despite saying he wasn’t cold, and the small parted red lips he poked for no reason. At the rough yet squishy feeling touching his fingertip, Evil’s hand lingered on Cheche’s lips for quite a while.
Long enough that the indifferent Cheche tried to pull his head back.
“Stay still.”
“…….”
“I said stay still.”
Evil grabbed and lifted his chin with a “tsk.”
“It’s not like it wears down, so don’t move.”
“Why are you touching me?”
“Because I want to touch you. You’re really soft. How are you the same age as me?”
At Evil’s boldness, Cheche’s eyes showed some bewilderment. Cheche’s golden eyes seen under the night sky’s starlight were like a spoonful of stars scooped up and placed there.
“I want to touch your eyes too.”
“…….”
“Can I touch them?”
“Yes.”
