Formo’s small body transformed in an instant. Long, pale arms and legs came into Formo’s view. Unprepared for this unexpected transformation into human form, Formo gaped for a moment before hastily pulling the blanket over himself.
Then, with only his flushed red face peeking out, he cautiously observed Serdin’s reaction.
He had his eyes wide open as if slightly surprised. Serdin, who was usually so quick with irritating remarks, was unusually silent this time, which made Formo anxious. Not only that, but the embarrassing situation from moments ago kept coming to mind, making him want to find a mousehole to hide in.
“……Pipi.”
Formo, who had been trying hard to suppress the surging shame, turned his gaze to look at Serdin at his call. Golden eyes were staring directly at Formo. Those eyes, which at first glance seemed only cold, held a mysterious light.
“If Pipi does that first thing in the morning.”
“……”
Formo’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed dry saliva, waiting for what would follow.
“I’m troubled.”
“……Troubled?”
Formo tilted his head in confusion at the incomprehensible words and asked back. If anyone should be troubled, it was him who had shown his completely naked body—what did Serdin, who was just the one who saw it, have to be troubled about? He responded to Serdin’s heated gaze with innocent eyes.
What kind of stimulus those eyes provided.
“……Fuck.”
“Wh-what?”
Formo’s eyes widened at the curse that slipped quietly between Serdin’s teeth. He had definitely told him that word had a very bad meaning and to absolutely never use it. He’d even said to punch anyone who used that word in front of him! How could Serdin, the very person who taught him this, use such a word?
It was just as Formo was about to open his mouth to confront him.
“Pipi, think about it.”
“……What?”
Formo furrowed his brow, speechless at the sudden question.
“What would it be like if I were naked in front of Pipi?”
“That would be……”
Formo recalled the image of Serdin walking around completely naked after throwing his nightgown on the floor the other day. Even though he’d seen Serdin’s careless behavior quite often, just thinking about it made his face burn hot and his earlobes turn red. He answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“It’s strange.”
“Right, Pipi. Of course it would be strange. You’d feel strange because you’d want to touch my body.”
“……Me?”
Formo’s face colored with absurdity. He gaped at Serdin, who was interpreting things completely differently from his intention. Formo had never once thought that way. To think he wanted to touch that wretched jaguar’s body. That was nonsense. Maybe if it were a thought of wanting to peck at him.
“N-no!”
As Formo shook his head from side to side, vehemently denying it, the corners of Serdin’s mouth curved up.
‘This wretched jaguar…… There’s a limit to misunderstandings!’
At the disbelieving expression, Formo became even more frantic.
“I said no!”
He shouted loud enough to echo throughout the room, but there was no change in Serdin’s expression. Formo bit his lip and then slipped completely under the blanket. Formo’s white hair stuck out through the disheveled blanket. Serdin stared intently at Formo’s snow-white hair, like white silk, then reached out his hand to touch it.
Soft white hair flowed between his fingers. Formo let out a sigh—hng—at his delicate touch. He’d felt it since Serdin first petted his head, but Serdin’s touch was, quite unsuited to him, extremely careful and warm.
Sometimes it was so unnecessarily careful that he wondered if he was deliberately trying to tickle him, but other times, like now, it felt warm enough to give him a strange feeling. The hand smoothing his hair remained gentle. Before he knew it, Formo had his languidly relaxed eyes lowered.
The touch that had continued for a while withdrew. Soon he felt the bed shift as Serdin got up. Formo peeked his head out with a puzzled face. Then he saw Serdin bringing clothes for Formo to wear.
“Pipi, let’s get dressed.”
Formo stared blankly at the clothes Serdin held out, then reached out to take them. Then he went back under the blanket and began wriggling as he tried to put them on. However, there was no way Formo, who wasn’t even accustomed to putting on simple clothes, could dress himself in complicated clothing while covered with a blanket.
Formo’s hands, which had been clumsily trying to button the blouse, stopped abruptly. It was difficult even to push the button through the small hole. Formo chewed his lip in contemplation, then finally poked his head out from under the blanket.
“……Help me.”
Formo’s cheeks flushed red as he asked for help.
Serdin alternately gazed at Formo’s disheveled hair and flushed face, then smiled slightly. He extended his hand toward Formo, who was clutching the blanket tightly, and said.
“I’ll help you, Pipi.”
Even though he had asked for help first, Formo hesitated, reluctant to show his naked body, but eventually grabbed Serdin’s hand with his eyes tightly shut. When Serdin’s large hand pulled with force, Formo’s body, which had been hidden under the blanket, was instantly pulled out.
Standing before Serdin wearing only a blouse, Formo hung his head low with his earlobes completely flushed. His body trembled from the surging shame. Formo swallowed dryly, hoping that Serdin would just keep his mouth shut and help him dress.
“Pipi.”
Formo’s shoulders flinched at the low call. He became anxious about what kind of nonsense Serdin would spout this time. Formo waited for what would follow with a tensely nervous expression.
“You have to lift your head for me to help you.”
At words completely different from what he’d worried about, Formo raised his head to meet Serdin’s eyes. Despite how tense he’d been just moments ago, Serdin had an indifferent expression, as if he’d had no intention of teasing from the start. No, rather, he looked a bit stiff.
Formo tilted his head at the unexpected situation and straightened his shoulders, which had been hunched inward from tension.
“Good job, Pipi.”
Serdin praised Formo in a small voice, then straightened the blouse that was carelessly draped over his body. Then he began fastening the buttons one by one. Formo blinked at the attitude that was clearly different from when he carelessly threw on his own clothes. Serdin dressed him meticulously enough to seem excessive.
He even tied the cravat tightly enough to be choking. Formo touched his neck with a rather uncomfortable expression and picked up the trousers lying on the bed. He tried to put on at least the trousers by himself, but even that was stopped by Serdin.
“You asked for help, Pipi.”
“What? No, this…!”
The words ‘I can do this by myself!’ that should have followed were swallowed as Serdin pulled up the trousers. Formo stared dumbly at Serdin, who took his arms and placed them around his own neck, then wiggled his lips.
“Wh-what?”
“What do you mean, what.”
I’m helping you.
After his curt reply, Serdin inserted Formo’s legs into the trousers one at a time. Formo’s face grew hot at how excessively he was being treated like a child.
Having been dressed in near-perfect attire with Serdin’s help, Formo walked creakily to sit in a chair. Formo squinted as he watched Serdin, who unlike him, just carelessly threw on a blouse and trousers.
It wasn’t fair. He had dressed Formo thoroughly according to proper standards, yet Serdin himself dressed so carelessly.
If Formo could just throw on a single blouse like Serdin, he wouldn’t need to receive his help at all. He was moving his lips to say something when someone knocked on the door.
“Your Highness, the meal is ready.”
At the maid’s words, Serdin opened the door. On the large trolley the maid brought was the cream soup Serdin had promised Formo yesterday, along with white bread, various fruits, milk, and more. Serdin, who received the trolley from the maid, closed the door. And brought the trolley to the table. At the delicious smell wafting over, Formo unconsciously sniffed.
While Formo had his eyes gently closed and was twitching his nose, food began to be placed on the table one by one. When Formo, who had fully inhaled the unfamiliar yet mouth-watering smell, opened his closed eyes, the table was already packed with food.
Formo looked at the food placed before him, then slowly picked up a spoon and brought it to the soup bowl. The soup he ate with clumsy movements was very soft and warm. The savory taste spreading through his mouth was very satisfying. Serdin, who noticed the gentle smile hanging on Formo’s lips, watched him with his chin propped up.
Formo savored the soup while chewing his lips, then took some bread and tore it into small pieces to eat. It was the method Serdin had taught him. While Formo was diligently chewing the soft bread in his mouth, he raised his head at the gaze he suddenly felt.
Serdin wasn’t eating and was just looking at him with his golden eyes shining. Formo gulped down the bread in his mouth and asked.
“……Why?”
Did I spill something? With that possibility in mind, Formo quickly wiped around his mouth with his hand. But nothing came off. Formo looked at Serdin with questioning eyes.
“Is it good?”
Formo, puzzled by Serdin’s trivial question despite his persistent gaze, obediently nodded.
Serdin, meeting Formo’s innocent eyes, opened his mouth and said.
“Give me some too, Pipi.”
At the shameless words, Formo narrowed his brow.
