* * *
The two who had escaped the Duke’s office as if fleeing were heading toward Rowy’s room.
“……”
“……”
Silence flowed between the two walking down the corridor. Rowy, who had been obediently holding Van’s hand as they walked, glanced at Van’s mood.
‘Why does he look upset?’
Rowy, who had been examining Van’s firmly set jaw, tightened his grip and pulled Van closer.
“This way.”
“Yes.”
…What on earth is this? Rowy kept tilting his head as he watched Van being docilely led along with a sunken face.
“Sit here.”
“……”
Even inside the room they’d arrived at, Van didn’t look pleased. Rowy, who had been constantly reading the mood from the side, finally couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“……”
“Why are you in a bad mood?”
“…Why didn’t you come?”
“Huh?”
“I kept waiting, so why didn’t you come?”
Eyes full of resentment turned toward Rowy as if they’d been waiting for Rowy to speak. Rowy was at a loss for words at the unexpected statement.
“You’re all I have, Master, so how could you just ignore me like that and leave?”
“That’s…”
That’s… Tsk, I have nothing to say. Rowy slightly turned his head. However, Van had no intention of letting Rowy off.
“What have you been doing all this time?”
“Huh?”
“Tell me everything you’ve been doing. From start to finish.”
What, why is he suddenly being like this? Rowy, whose shoulder had been grabbed, looked at Van with a flustered expression.
“I need to know what you were doing that made you leave me alone.”
“No, it’s really not like that. I was busy too! It’s not even my wedding but I had dozens of outfits made! And they said they’d give me some massage so from morning to evening they toyed with me this way and that…”
Rowy began pouring out everything he’d experienced until now.
“And Leo even posted knights at the door!”
“…You mean you were locked up?”
“Yes!”
Van, who had only been quietly listening to Rowy whine for a while, finally reacted. Rowy pressed his body against Van while making an aggrieved face for no reason.
“But I still snuck out to save you!”
“Snuck out…?”
“Yes! I snuck out through the window!”
Through the window… Van looked at Rowy with a disapproving gaze. Somehow, he felt like he could understand the Duke treating Rowy like a troublemaker…
“…Come to think of it, you can’t interfere in a duel like you did earlier. What if you got hurt by mistake?”
“Now even you’re nagging me? If you’re going to be like that, go back!”
At Van’s appearance of only sternly scolding him as soon as they met, Rowy finally became completely sulky. Oh no, I should have appeased him first… Van, who belatedly realized his mistake, quickly grabbed Rowy’s shoulder again and pulled him close.
“Let go!”
“I’m sorry. It’s not that… I was just a bit anxious. It seemed like you forgot about me as soon as you came here, and now that you’re back home, I wondered if you didn’t need me anymore…”
“……”
What kind of frustrating talk is this? Rowy’s eyes became even sharper. However, whether or not Van knew of Rowy’s reaction, he continued to dig himself deeper. During the time he’d been left alone, Van had suffered much more mentally than Rowy thought.
“Isn’t that right? There are many people to serve you, and many skilled knights… And…”
“And what?”
“And… most of all, your real family is here.”
‘Of course, I’ve never had one so I don’t know what that feels like, but…’
Van also had brothers who were as good as blood-related. But real blood relations could be more special, couldn’t they? That was why he couldn’t go directly to find Rowy. He wasn’t confident that he was someone more necessary to Rowy than they were. And for good reason—as soon as they arrived here, hadn’t Rowy left Van alone and departed?
“So… if I went to find you and you said you didn’t need me… then I…”
Van’s voice gradually became smaller toward the end. How long do I have to listen to this frustrating talk, Rowy, who had been watching with an exasperated expression, finally couldn’t hold back and shouted.
“What on earth are you talking about? I told you I hate it here! You promised so confidently that you’d take me and run away, so what are you saying now!”
“…Rowy.”
“I’m going back to Seraphila with you!”
“…Haah.”
Rowy, unable to contain his irritation, kicked Van. Van, who obediently took that kick, finally let out a sigh mixed with relief and embraced Rowy. Even while being held in his arms, Rowy twisted his body this way and that in irritation, but eventually relaxed and went limp at the familiar warmth enveloping his body.
“I missed you.”
“……”
Hmph. Rowy turned his head with a sullen expression. However, Van, whose mood had lifted, paid no attention to Rowy’s reaction and began examining Rowy, whom he was meeting after a long time, from all angles.
“Let me see… What, why have you become so pretty?”
“……”
“I guess it really is because professional hands touched you, I never imagined you could get even prettier…”
Your skin is much softer than before too… As if he hadn’t just been digging himself into a hole, Van, whose face had brightened in an instant, sneakily reached out to touch Rowy’s arm, and Rowy irritably pushed him away.
“Get away!”
“I don’t want to. From now on, no matter what anyone says, I’m going to stick by Master’s side unconditionally.”
“What does that have to do with touching me!”
“That’s… I just want to touch you.”
“…You’re really shameless, aren’t you?”
Even as Rowy said this, he subtly leaned back into Van’s embrace, and the sight was so cute that Van ultimately couldn’t hold back his laughter and laughed loudly. Rowy, who had been looking at Van with a sulky face, opened his mouth.
“…So, what have you been doing?”
“I’ve been training together with the Flame Knights.”
“The knight order? Why?”
“I don’t know. According to Edner-kyung, it was His Grace the Duke’s order.”
Van shook his head. Though he didn’t know the reason, Van had participated in the training without complaint since he was told to. At the mention that he’d participated in all the training that took place from dawn, Rowy’s expression became subtle.
‘He’s been way busier than I thought. I was just playing around…’
All Rowy had done since coming to the mansion was hold out his arms when they measured him for clothes, and offer his face when they did skincare. Actually, it was only because Rowy found the servants uncomfortable—if not for that, it would have been a schedule that wasn’t very difficult.
“Did you sleep well alone?”
Sleep, well… Being pushed around by so many people all day, by night he was exhausted and busy collapsing into sleep.
‘…I feel kind of bad.’
Rowy, who felt guilty for no reason as if he’d been living well alone while leaving Van behind, burrowed into Van’s embrace. Van quickly pulled Rowy into an embrace in return.
“Sniff… You smell really good too. Is it the scent of fragrant oil?”
“Why are you acting like such a pervert?”
“It’s because I’m happy to see you after so long.”
Hehe, he smiled gently even while being scolded. Rowy’s face, which had still been sulky, eventually relaxed slightly too.
“…Anyway. Since it’s come to this, let’s stay together now. Don’t go to knight order training either.”
“Yes? Is that okay?”
“What does it matter? You’re mine anyway.”
If anyone says anything, use my name! Rowy said, lifting his chin. It was a confident statement. However, Van’s reaction upon hearing that story was subtle.
‘I wonder…’
Thinking back to Rowy earlier, scared stiff and unable to say a word before the Duke… he didn’t seem very reliable.
‘Well, as long as I can be with him now, that’s enough.’
It wasn’t like it was anything else—he was being told to stay by Rowy’s side, and there was no way Van would refuse that, so he pretended not to notice and nodded with a smile.
“Then I should just stay here from now on?”
“Mm, yaawn…”
“Oh my, come to think of it, it’s gotten too late.”
Since the situation seemed somewhat settled, the sleepiness he’d been holding back came rushing in. Van, who had picked up the eye-rubbing Rowy as he was, strode toward the bed.
“Still, you should change clothes.”
“It’s bothersome. You do it.”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
Van, who had been looking around, soon found pajamas and approached Rowy. In the meantime, Rowy had already half-fallen asleep. Van lifted Rowy with practiced hands and undressed him.
“I missed this too.”
“What? Serving me?”
“Yes.”
“Yawn… Anyone watching would think we haven’t seen each other for years.”
Years, what kind of horrible thing to say… Van stiffened his expression and pressed Rowy again.
“From now on, we don’t have to be apart, right?”
“Mm…”
“You’re sure, right?”
“Yeah…”
“You answered?”
“Yawn, be quiet. I’m sleepy.”
Van had said he’d help change into pajamas, but stopped unbuttoning midway and kept clinging and talking to him, so Rowy irritably pushed him away.
“But… are you really going to sleep? We met after so long and you’re just going to sleep like this?”
“I said I’m sleepy. Don’t touch me.”
At the hand that was now openly groping his waist, Rowy lifted his heavy eyelids to glare at Van.
“I said don’t.”
“Yes? I can’t hear you well.”
This guy really… At the cheeky tone, Rowy’s half-closed eyes sharpened again. However, Van just grinned.
“…It seems you’ve woken up?”
The fingertips poking at his waist were full of mischief. Rowy finally glared at Van with all his might.
“Don’t play around.”
“Isn’t that too cold-hearted? I’m hurt.”
“Hmph.”
Cold-hearted my foot, if you hadn’t been acting this annoying I would have played along with whatever you wanted. However, Rowy, whose spirits were already thoroughly soured, earnestly pushed away Van who was playfully touching him here and there.
“Don’t, I said don’t!”
“Hehe, Rowy…”
“Hey! Stop it!”
…He really shouldn’t have done that.
“What the hell kind of behavior is this!”
If he’d known that Leo would break down the door and burst in to grab Van by the collar and throw him just like that.
