Riu muttered so softly that René and Albert couldn’t hear, then bit his lip in embarrassment.
From the start, Matthew had been watching as though he’d come specifically to meet him.
Emerald eyes so deep they hardly matched his black hair and a gaze warm as sunlight. The freshness was enough to call a forest to mind.
“Riu.”
Before he knew it, Matthew had closed the distance and greeted him cheerfully.
Riu felt a little uncomfortable but tried not to show it as he returned the greeting.
“Mm. Hello?”
“Why a coat on a day this hot?”
“Our Riu’s skin is delicate, so he has to wear a coat. If not, he’ll scorch in no time and suffer for it.”
René cut in like a spokesman to answer Matthew’s question.
Perhaps he’d made an effort today; René looked extravagantly dazzling.
“Our Riu?”
“Yeah, Riu and I have known each other since we were kids.”
Maybe it was just his mood, but René’s face looked bright.
He even seemed a bit excited, unlike usual.
Yet Matthew only twitched an eyebrow at René’s words and gave no reply.
The two of them looked like a perfect painting, and Riu felt something strange.
Unwilling to indulge pointless feelings, he dropped his eyes to his toes out of habit.
“Come here, Riu.”
“…?”
“The sun’s blazing over there. There’s more shade this way.”
Matthew spoke in a tone laced with kindness, a gentle smile on his lips.
Was he always this considerate?
Riu felt a faint pressure from Matthew’s steady goodwill toward him.
“It’s fine. I’ve got the coat on….”
“Matthew, you’re really thoughtful, aren’t you?”
René cut Riu off and addressed Matthew, eyes full of harmlessness as he edged closer to him.
“Wrong. I’m not as considerate as you think.”
As much as René approached, Matthew widened the gap.
“Liar. You look super considerate right now.”
“Who knows? Riu, what do you think? Do I look considerate?”
The flow of conversation swung back to Riu.
Not understanding why the question came to him, Riu couldn’t hide his confusion.
To be honest, his first real conversation with Matthew had been only when Matthew greeted him a few days ago.
If anyone knew Matthew well, it might actually be René.
While Riu hesitated, pondering, Matthew’s gaze clung heavily.
Their eyes met, and Riu hurriedly looked away before speaking carefully.
“Y-yeah, you do.”
“I’m glad… that you think so.”
“Huh?”
Matthew’s words were so softly whispered that Riu barely heard them.
When Riu asked again, as if he hadn’t caught it, Matthew just smiled with his eyes and said nothing.
“Shall we go, then?”
Matthew’s voice, carried by the gentle breeze, tickled Riu’s ear.
René chattered beside him like a small bird, but no words reached Riu’s ears.
The path he walked every day was so familiar he could tread it blindfolded, yet the scent at the tip of his nose kept slowing his steps.
Caught by the faint fragrance of acacia, Riu turned to look beside him.
“How did you end up joining this gathering?”
“I like painting too, so I came along. Is that not allowed?”
Since the group placed no restrictions on who attended, Riu shook his head.
“Why didn’t you come to the academy yesterday?”
“Just because?”
“I was worried. Thought you might be sick.”
“Really? Thanks….”
It felt odd that Matthew worried about him, but Riu returned the concern with thanks.
Before long they reached their destination, and Riu stretched long out of habit.
Colorful wildflowers bloomed beside the trickling stream, and the unusually clear sky was so blue even the white clouds looked faint.
Using a thick-shaded tree as an awning, Riu settled in place, and Matthew sat next to him.
“It’s your first time here, so how about we all sit together and paint? That’d be nice, right?”
At René’s suggestion, Riu nodded to show he agreed.
Matthew, however, merely took out the materials he’d prepared without answering.
The sun, angled differently now, fell on Riu’s shoulder.
When he shrank reflexively, Matthew caught his arm.
“Come a little closer this way.”
“I appreciate it, but I’m fine.”
“I’m not fine.”
Riu tilted his head, as if to ask what that meant.
Matthew drew slow circles with his thumb on the inside of Riu’s wrist he was holding.
“It feels like I made you uncomfortable.”
“…”
“So come here, Riu.”
The polite tone and the way Matthew lingered on his name kept pricking at Riu.
Whenever Matthew said his name like that, Riu felt as if he must do exactly what Matthew asked.
“Since when were you two that close?”
Still blank, Riu was finally pulled inward by Matthew.
Their closeness irked René, who asked quietly.
“From now on we’re going to get close.”
At Matthew’s reply, René’s brow twitched minutely.
The smile on his lips, as if forcing cheer, trembled ever so slightly.
“But see, our Riu is shy. If you press in like that, he might really hate it.”
René offered the warning with an artificial smile.
“Hmm? We’ll just have to ask Riu from now on.”
Unhappy with René’s answer, Matthew’s voice sank low.
The once-loose air seemed to tighten.
“All right, all right, let’s stop and paint already!”
Apparently Riu wasn’t the only one who felt it; Albert cut in.
Riu was grateful Albert was there at moments like this.
He picked up a brush because he ought to paint something, but Matthew’s blatant stare made it impossible to focus.
In the end, unable to bear it, Riu set down the brush and looked up at Matthew.
“Why aren’t you painting?”
“I’m observing so I can paint.”
“…”
“By the way, Riu, when did you start drawing?”
“Why do you ask?”
Puzzled, Riu fiddled with the edge of the paper.
Yet Matthew gave an answer different from what Riu expected.
“Just… your hands looked pretty.”
At Matthew’s words, Riu hurriedly hid his hands behind him.
After years of drawing, his fingers were blunt; no one would call them pretty.
But hearing Matthew say so made Riu’s face heat up.
“Why hide them? I meant it. They’re really pretty.”
From Matthew’s compliment, Riu almost thought his clumsy hands were indeed lovely.
“Th-thanks….”
Murmuring, Riu saw a faint smile spread across Matthew’s face, soft, like paint blooming on water and gazed at him blankly without realizing.
Before long, a cool wind swept by.
The once-clear sky filled with dark clouds, and flowers and grass shook roughly.
Perhaps it would rain; even as the thought formed, a drop tapped the paper.
Looked like a sudden shower was on the way.
As the raindrops thickened and quickened, Riu hurriedly slipped the paper into the scroll case.
Seeing that, Matthew seized his wrist as if he’d waited for the moment.
Startled by the sudden touch, Riu tried to pull away, but Matthew only gripped tighter.
“Where are you going?”
“Somewhere the others aren’t.”
“What do you mean?”
Even at Riu’s question, Matthew gave no answer.
He simply picked up the scroll case lying on the ground and slung it over his shoulder.
“We’re running now.”
“Suddenly?”
René and Albert’s eyes followed at Matthew’s words, but with the rain growing heavier they busied themselves packing up again.
Seizing the chance, Matthew sprinted off.
“Hey! Where are you two going?”
René called loudly, but Matthew ignored him.
Rather, he sped up lest they follow, running toward somewhere.
Not knowing why he had to run, Riu followed Matthew onto a forest path.
Even then, Matthew’s body heat felt cool against his skin like autumn air.
“T-too fast.”
When Riu spoke between ragged breaths, Matthew’s pace eased a little.
Riu used the moment to tug free, but Matthew pushed him beneath a great zelkova tree.
“We can stay dry here.”
Matthew brushed the raindrops from his shoulders, standing beneath the tangled branches.
His figure, highlighted by clinging clothes, created a subtle atmosphere.
Feeling as if he’d glimpsed something he shouldn’t, Riu gave a small cough.
In the hush that settled, Riu glanced at Matthew, as though choosing his words.
Something had Matthew staring ahead, cheeks slightly flushed, looking pleased.
Seeing him oddly excited, Riu carefully asked,
“Why did you bring me all the way here? René and Albert will be upset if they find out….”
“Doesn’t matter. I came because I wanted to be alone with you.”
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