<Chapter 59>
#6. Waves of Change (6)
Calix safely arrived at the bedroom while carrying Melty in his arms, and placed him down on the bed. As soon as Melty was safely seated, Naru, who had been steadfastly maintaining its position, unwound its body and retreated to a corner of the bed.
“You little drunkard.”
That mischievous hamster who didn’t understand people’s feelings and kept rubbing his cheeks against Calix’s shoulder while smiling with his eyes deserved an appropriate retaliation. Instead of revenge, Calix pressed his index finger into Melty’s plump, soft-looking cheek.
“Eeeng.”
Melty blinked his eyes while tilting his head toward Calix’s finger that had attacked his cheek. Just as Calix began to slowly pull his hand back, Melty’s head tilted more and more. Eventually, Melty fell face-first onto the bed and laughed out loud, seemingly pleased about something.
Calix’s expression easily softened at the clear, ringing laughter. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he gazed at Melty with a defeated expression as the hamster buried his face in the bed and laughed.
He had confessed, they had gone through plenty of ceremonial moments, and he had hoped to enjoy a good atmosphere in one go, but contrary to his expectations, Melty had returned to his usual self.
“So you were lying about thinking about me all the time too?”
Reaching out his hand, Calix smacked Melty’s plump, annoying bottom with a small tap. Flinching at Calix’s spiteful gesture, Melty turned his head sideways to look at him.
“Unlike certain people, I don’t tell lies!”
“Really? So you kept thinking about me?”
At Calix’s question, Melty gave him a sulky look. As if he had no intention of answering, he covered his mouth with his hand, making a “tup” sound.
“Oh my! Why are you covering your mouth?”
“If I don’t cover it, I’ll keep talking nonsense.”
“What nonsense did you talk?”
Calix turned his body more towards Melty and asked. Hearing his words, Melty hesitated. Calix smiled gently, finding it cute how Melty was seriously contemplating whether to speak or not. At his smile, Melty let out an “Aack!” and this time covered his eyes. Calix stared at him with a bewildered expression at this sudden action.
“What’s this? Why are you covering your eyes? Didn’t you say I was handsome before?”
At Calix’s disgruntled voice, Melty slowly lowered his hands that had been covering his eyes and whispered in a displeased tone.
“It’s Calix-ssi’s fault.”
“What is?”
“…Handsome guys are bad.”
Calix’s lips parted with a deflated sound, at a loss for words after Melty’s answer. With Melty acting cute and blurting out such impish comments, there was no way Calix could be angry.
“Didn’t you say my face was ordinary once?”
At Calix’s question, which had a hint of laughter, Melty wriggled up to a sitting position. Then he stretched his hand out toward Calix. Easily recognizing what Melty wanted to do, Calix obediently offered his face to those small hands.
As soon as he had Calix’s face in his hands, Melty pulled up his sleeve. Then he vigorously rubbed Calix’s face. Taken aback by the unexpected situation, Calix couldn’t help but let out a scream.
“That hurts.”
“This damn shine!”
“I said it hurts!”
“This damn shine that’s all shiny and bewitching people!”
They say you can’t reason with drunk people, but Calix hadn’t expected Melty to come at him like this. Calix pulled back to escape Melty’s grasp, but Melty didn’t let him get away. It was only when Calix felt the softness of the bed against the back of his head that he realized he was now lying down. And somehow this mischievous hamster was now boldly straddling his body.
Calix’s face instantly turned red because of Melty fearlessly mounting a snake and swaying his body back and forth. Since he couldn’t scold someone who was drunk, Calix let out a deep groan and raised his voice as high as he could.
“Stop it!”
Calix sighed deeply after grabbing both of Melty’s hands to restrain him. He had almost let it slide because it was somewhat cute, but it seemed that Melty’s drinking should definitely be strictly prohibited. Melty moved his hands this way and that, trying to free them from Calix’s grasp.
After struggling for a while, Melty gave up trying to free his hands. Calix was startled by Melty’s pouting lips and brown eyes that were becoming moist, and quickly released his hands and hurriedly pulled him into an embrace.
“What’s wrong? Are you upset because you couldn’t peel the skin off my face?”
“Sniff. Calix-ssi isn’t handsome at all.”
Didn’t you just say I was handsome? Didn’t you tell me not to use my handsome-guy tricks?
Thanks to Melty, who changed his opinion as quickly as flipping a palm, Calix could only make a strange expression, unable to decide whether to cry or laugh. Ignoring Calix’s complicated feelings, Melty nuzzled his head buried against Calix’s chest. With both hands under his face, Melty buried his face on the back of his hands and spoke with just his eyes slightly raised.
“…It’s a lie that you’re not handsome. Actually, only Calix-ssi’s face shines.”
Calix let out a short laugh at Melty’s confession of conscience. Now he understood why Melty had ferociously attacked and rubbed his face earlier. Since the shine was only visible to Melty’s eyes, it wouldn’t disappear no matter how hard he rubbed it with his sleeve.
“I do sparkle a bit.”
Ignoring the throbbing pain in his face, Calix smiled brightly. Perhaps because he knew the reason, he felt good despite his stinging face. Satisfied, Calix reached out and embraced Melty’s back.
“Nothing else you want to say?”
“What should I say?”
“Anything.”
Lying on top of Calix, Melty blinked. A contemplative “Hmm~” sound continued for quite some time. With the sound of contemplation continuing as if it would never end, Calix finally spoke up.
“What exactly happened with Lila McNeil?”
“Ah! We decided to be friends!”
“Huh? Friends?”
“Yes! Lila-ssi knows a lot of things, and she taught me so much.”
Wrinkles formed between Calix’s eyebrows. When Lila had said she was friends with Melty, it had been easier to ignore, but now that the same words were coming from his mouth, Calix was at a loss for words. More than their relationship, Calix was concerned about how much emphasis Melty had placed on the word “really” in his explanation.
“What exactly did she teach you so much about?”
In response to Calix’s question, Melty let out a small yawn and answered as his eyes slowly closed. Though his voice was faint, Calix could hear it clearly due to their proximity.
“‘Love.'”
“What?!”
Calix sat up abruptly and raised his voice in shock. When he suddenly raised his voice while leisurely stroking Melty’s back, Melty’s eyes, which had been gradually succumbing to sleep, opened wide. Through their close contact, the sound of Melty’s rapidly beating heart was fully transmitted to Calix.
“Ah, sorry. No, I didn’t mean to startle you….”
Calix instantly became a criminal in the face of those large brown eyes with tears clinging to them. After frantically giving water to Melty, who was so startled he was even hiccuping, it was only after a long while that Calix could escape Melty’s resentful gaze. Even after Melty’s hiccups had stopped, Calix couldn’t organize his confused thoughts.
‘What kind of trick is that seductive fox playing?’
Calix, who vowed to pluck all the fur from that fox’s tail the next time they met if she had flirted with Melty, made an effort to meet Melty’s eyes with a composed appearance.
“You’re not going to tell me you’ve fallen in love with that woman, are you?”
Melty blinked in a puzzled expression at Calix’s stiffened voice. Belatedly realizing what Calix meant, Melty moved to action before speaking.
With a sharp slap, Melty’s swinging hand struck Calix’s chest. Though being hit by his cotton-candy-like hands wouldn’t cause much damage, there was enough pain to make the struck area sting.
“I told you Lila-ssi and I are friends!”
Before Calix could respond, Melty’s hand swung again. Quickly grabbing his hand, Calix tried to soothe him.
“Stop hitting me, it hurts. You’re a complete violence-hamster when you drink.”
“What did you say?!”
“I’m sorry for misunderstanding… No, it’s because you suddenly said you learned about love. I was the one who confessed, and I’m the one waiting for an answer. Why learn that from her? You should learn from me.”
At Calix’s imperious command, the corners of Melty’s eyes drooped downward. At the same time, the strength drained from Melty’s arm, which Calix was holding. After gently wiggling the limp arm, Calix willingly released both of his hands.
“I’m… trying, you know?”
“What kind of effort are you making?”
At Calix’s leisurely question, Melty bowed his head deeply. Seeing that he wasn’t going to answer easily, Calix leaned back and lowered his head to meet his gaze. Melty’s heavy mouth, which had seemed like it would never open, finally began to move.
“I was studying how to recognize love!”
