END OF THE MONTH BONUS CHAPTERS!
Ren, Why Do You Like Hyung So Much?
“It’s fine. It just seems like it’s because of me. I’m sick of hearing fighting.”
I was trying hard to hold back tears when Princess Coco said wearily.
But.
I also felt resentful. I endured with all my might, but Coco only chose hurtful words. Is this also an excuse?
Watching Coco turn sharply, I secretly hoped she would leave like that. Then hyung would be mine again, mine. Then, couldn’t we resolve things before resentment built up? If she’s with the Princess, hyung will care more about the Princess than me, so there clearly won’t be time to talk.
Right. I firmly shut my trembling lips.
If the Princess leaves on her own….
I had just organized my thoughts when the wind blew. Wind is frequent in the mountains. However, through the Princess’s thick violet hair fluttering like curtains, the veil she wore below her eyes also fluttered…, and I realized I had misunderstood Princess Coco.
The reason she suddenly covered her face wasn’t to ignore me, a country bumpkin, or because she didn’t want to associate with me… but because she was injured. There was a mark of something deeply stabbed into her cheek. A wound that had formed into a red scab, looking not very old. It was certainly from when we were attacked during the day.
Only then did I notice the bloodshot eyes and dark complexion. Her fingertips trembling. The bodies found…… were the Princess’s companions. *Thud!* My chest grew heavy.
“Wait a moment!”
Princess Coco, who had hesitated, moved again. Her hand quickly pressed down the veil.
“Stop!!”
At my sudden action, Temarr hyung tried to grab me, but I shook off hyung’s hand.
After staggering and running, I grabbed Princess Coco.
‘It just seems like it’s because of me.’
Someone as accomplished as Princess Coco wouldn’t blame herself. It wasn’t sarcasm, but if there was even a little sincerity in those words, I couldn’t pretend not to notice.
Because I also said sharp words. Because I also misunderstood parts of it.
“Just… stay with us.”
“Why? Suddenly feeling sorry for me? I won’t die, so save your pity for yourself.”
Right now, more than any other emotion, I strongly felt that I shouldn’t let her go like this.
Thanks to getting slapped by hyung, fortunately all my energy to get angry had completely drained out through my toes.
“That doesn’t sound like something someone who said you should be grateful if pitied would say, does it? Just stay with us. It’s not because of you. I got hit because I spoke badly, and don’t you know that the best answer comes when opinions differ? You might not see it this way, but hyung and Ruman are colleagues who’ve spent many years together. This much isn’t even fighting. Right, Ruman?”
“…That’s right.”
I said we’re not fighting, I didn’t say I’d speak nicely!
Ruman’s eyelashes trembled.
“……You have a talent for being annoying.”
Those words probably mean she’ll stay here, right?
My temper didn’t allow me to apologize. I can’t do it even if I die!
Should I have asked hyung that question just now? But… I’m embarrassed about getting hit by hyung, and I resent hyung…. No. I just avoided it because I couldn’t gauge what kind of eyes hyung would look at me with.
But after speaking to Ruman, it became more awkward. I wish hyung would speak to me first…….
Hyung talked with Del and Ruman about the night watch, then went into the tent.
“It’s all swollen.”
Ruman clicked his tongue after looking at my face.
“Ugh….”
“Don’t touch it. It’ll get worse.”
“Whatever. Whether it gets worse or not….”
“Tsk tsk. It hurts when such a pretty face gets scarred.”
“When there’s no benefit anyway, why bother?”
If I’m tired, I’m tired…. And it’s not particularly special looks anyway.
When I fiercely frowned, Ruman pulled me over and sat me on a thick blanket.
“Ren! You don’t know because you haven’t been to the capital. If you use it well, it’s a very useful ability.”
What. This person.
He’s subtly pathetic….
“Are you thinking I’m pathetic right now?”
Ruman asked with a magnificently bold smile. As if he had a woman he was trying to seduce right in front of him!
“Do I have to answer?”
“……Heuheue. No.”
“Why are you laughing like that? Like a pervert.”
“Because your cheeks are swollen, you look exactly like you’re sulking….”
“Sulking what.”
“Like a raccoon! Puhup….”
“……”
This person is thick-faced enough to laugh loudly at the younger brother who got slapped by hyung. Could the Hero’s mission be spitting venom with a smiling face or something? Or making people burst with frustration with a smiling face!!
“Ah!! That hurts! Are you crazy??”
Dammit. Why does he keep making harsh words come out!!
I looked at the tent hyung entered for no reason.
“……”
“Ren.”
“Why do you keep calling me.”
“Temarr is probably sleeping.”
“Who doesn’t know?? I’m just looking, okay?”
He won’t even let me look freely!! Just leave me alone!
The cheek Ruman poked stung.
“Ren.”
“Can’t you stop calling me?? Every time you call me it’s really annoying. Just! Just for today, try not calling me! I have things to think about….”
“What thoughts?”
“Things like that.”
I have to think about how to make up with hyung!!
“Obviously about Temarr….”
When I glared, Ruman shut his mouth.
“I’m asking because there’s something I want to know.”
“What is it.”
“How did you live in the village?”
“……?”
How did I live in the village? What does that mean?
When I couldn’t understand, Ruman seemed troubled.
“I haven’t known you long, but it’s a bit strange.”
“What is. I’m strange? I’ve heard that a lot. If you’re going to say something about my bad personality, please do it tomorrow….”
“That’s not it. Haah. This is difficult.”
“What seems difficult is Ruman’s way with words.”
“What? Haah.”
Ruman sighed and laughed. While Ruman chose his words, I tried hard to forget the pain of my burning cheeks.
He’s poking where it really hurts.
Do people called Heroes not know what pain is? I glared at Ruman with sharp eyes, then hung my head. I felt like I was indirectly experiencing what Ruman said earlier about ‘being pretty is useful.’ Ruman without speaking is pretty and handsome… so when he kept his mouth shut, there was no satisfaction in glaring at him. Tsk, damn!
I grumbled inside while digging at the dirt floor with my finger, when something dropped at my feet with a thud.
What? The round thing looks exactly like some kind of medicine container.
“Ren. Who were you closest with in the village? The pharmacist old man?”
“……? Why suddenly that….”
“Sorry, but I’m curious about something too.”
“……?”
“That. Apply it to your face. I can’t stand looking at it.”
“Who asked you to look at my face and watch it??”
Take it away! The one who dropped the medicine container at my feet was Princess Coco. It was probably ointment for wounds. I held the medicine container and held it out, but the thick-faced Princess Coco pretended not to know and looked down at me haughtily.
What are you looking down at!!
When I tried to stand up abruptly, Ruman gave his seat to Princess Coco, telling her to sit.
Our eye levels became the same. I kept my rising bottom still.
“Why do you like hyung so much?”
“What?”
What kind of question is this.
“Puhup.”
“Ruman. If you’re going to laugh, get lost!”
Agh! He keeps making me say harsh words.
“Are you asking to mock me?”
“I’m asking because I’m genuinely curious. Like a child, why do you like hyung so much? There must be a reason, right? Does hyung treat you that well? He’s kind but doesn’t seem particularly attentive, so why do you like him so much? Are you happy even after getting slapped?”
“This son of a….”
That last comment really makes me choke up.
“Are you trying to fight with me right now? Huh??”
“No! Don’t you understand what people say? Didn’t I just say I’m asking because I’m really curious? Is it not that your hearing is bad, but your memory is bad? Ah! So that’s why you quickly forget getting hit too?? Must be nice having such a comfortable personality.”
What kind of… dogweed-like person is this! Why is a noble’s way with words like this?? It’s worse than mine?
“Keuheom.”
Princess Coco cleared her throat, then spoke in a somewhat softer voice.
“I’m. Not. Try. Ing. To. Fight. I’m. Cu. Ri. Ous. Re. Al. Ly. Hahaha!”
“Kids these days have really scary conversations.”
“Ruman. You’re noisy, okay??”
“Kup….”
Why is he like that really. Strangely from the daytime, he laughs whenever he sees me and acts crazy… was that too harsh? I mean he laughs and makes a fuss! While grating on my nerves!!
What does this Princess want to know anyway.
Why did she take off the veil covering her face again?? Making people’s hearts soft. The anger that surged moment by moment cooled down with a *pshh* when I saw the wound on the Princess’s face.
Is this similar to what Ruman was talking about. The world is rotten!
“You. Hey. Can. You. Not. Hear. Me?”
“I can hear you annoyingly well.”
Is she really asking because she’s curious?
Princess Coco also seemed to be holding back from screaming. Her throat bobbed. In her eyes that tried hard to smile, determination showed that she would get an answer.
“Just.”
“If you’re going to answer ‘just,’ forget it!”
How did she know?
We who spoke almost simultaneously stared at each other blankly. Princess Coco’s face quickly contorted.
“We’re family, can’t I just like him?”
“Ha. Is your head completely empty? Are you naive or stupid? If you’re going to just like them with the name of family, then why do succession fights happen and why do siblings’ corpses flow down the river?”
“Siblings’ corpses flow down the river??”
“……Forget it. Being stupid, you’re also slow to understand.”
Fuck. I did look a bit stupid just now. I admit it. But I did understand what it means!! My processing was just slow. Because I never imagined it.
The Princess, who was looking at my face that appeared stupid, opened her mouth again.
“There’s really no reason?”
“……”
Actually, if there were reasons, they overflowed.
Because hyung has many good points and is cool. And because he’s my hyung! Because hyung is kind and gentle and loves people! I also like hyung, and hyung also likes me!!
It felt like Ruman was looking at me a bit pitifully. Excuse me, could you turn those eyeballs away??
Since Princess Coco seems really curious, should I tell her just one thing?
“Hyung has no ill intentions.”
