At the count’s words, Riu blinked slowly. It would be nice if, someday, as the count said, a day came when he could accept someone’s kindness without a second thought, but that didn’t seem likely anytime soon.
The world still turned on money and power. Even so, without letting it show, Riu replied,
“Yes, I will.”
At Riu’s answer, the count gave a kindly smile.
After finishing his meal, Riu hurried up to his room. The thought that he could now paint freely without watching anyone’s mood made his chest swell. With his heartbeat racing out of control, he hurried to the easel and sat down.
From the always-open window, the scent of flowers poured in. The white silk curtains fluttered in the breeze, and the sounds of nature at his ears lifted his spirits even higher. Unable to hide his feelings, Riu picked up his pen and began to draw on the white paper.
He worked in deep concentration for quite a while. When his body grew stiff, he stretched long and then his eyes happened to fall on the bed, and his face flushed red.
“This is crazy…”
Of all things, what popped into his head was Matthew sitting on that bed. Bronze skin stretched over well-defined muscle. The lust-filled gaze with which he had looked at Riu refused to leave Riu’s mind.
“Haa…”
Stifled, Riu let out a sigh. He rubbed his still-burning cheeks with both hands and squeezed his eyes shut. But the afterimages of Matthew kept rising, so he jumped up and ran to the window.
He thought breathing fresh air might help, but instead of easing, thoughts of Matthew only deepened.
“Seriously, what’s wrong with me.”
Feeling disgusted with himself, Riu drew in a deep breath and let it out.
“Young master, I’ve brought a snack.”
With a knock, Nick came in. When Riu looked toward his hands at the word snack, he saw on the plate the cookies the count had brought back from the palace a few days earlier.
“We only just ate… cookies?”
“The count asked me to bring them up. He said you get hungry quickly when you’re focused.”
At the mention that the count had sent them, Riu let out a small laugh. It was in these little things that he felt the count’s heart. Quietly, he picked up a cookie and brought it to his mouth.
“Riu.”
Having spotted him, Albert called his name. His face was full of worry, his eyes scanning Riu up and down, and Riu pursed his lips and asked,
“Why?”
“I was wondering if something happened.”
“Hm?”
At Albert’s words, Riu tilted his head and blinked. He stared, wondering if something had happened during the two days he hadn’t come to the academy. But Albert, as if it were nothing, set his bag on the desk and sat down beside him.
“Rene will be here soon…”
“He sent word he’s not feeling well and will be resting for a week.”
“I see…”
The mention that Rene had contacted him separately made Riu’s voice trail off. Normally, Rene would have reached out to him, too. It seemed Rene’s heart hadn’t yet settled. Feeling a vague pang, Riu flipped pages pointlessly, and Albert propped his chin and gazed at him steadily.
“What was that? Just leaving like that? I was worried, you know.”
“Sorry. I was going to say something, but…”
“It’s okay. I heard from Kian. Something came up suddenly, he said.”
Though that wasn’t the truth, Riu nodded. Feeling guilty about the lie, he only chewed at his lips until Albert poked him with his elbow.
“Hungry?”
“No, why?”
“Why are you chewing your lip like that? You’ll make it bleed.”
At Albert’s remark, Riu let out a short “Ah.”
When he absently ran a finger over his lips, Albert’s gaze fell on them.
“They’re already chapped.”
“It’s fine. If I put ointment on, it’ll heal quickly.”
“Do you have some?”
“Yeah.”
Riu took a small ointment from the inside of his bag. It was the one Matthew had handed him in the corridor the day they first greeted each other. He’d felt uneasy about it then and hadn’t used it, and it felt strange to need it now.
Riu opened the cap and dabbed some onto his pinky. Albert caught his wrist and brought it to his own nose.
“Ah, Albert?”
“Smells nice. What scent is it?”
“I don’t know. It was given to me.”
With an awkward tug at one corner of his mouth, Riu pulled his wrist free. A scented ointment, with essential oils… definitely a pricey kind you wouldn’t easily find in shops.
Feeling burdened, he hurried to cap the ointment. He resolved to return it to Matthew when they met, and spread what clung to his fingertip over his lips.
But then Riu went rigid, his lashes fluttering.
“What is it? Something wrong?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
The scent was, astonishingly, the very fragrance that always clung to Matthew. Subtle, pleasant, with a lingering tail—Riu felt his pulse start to race.
All he’d done was put ointment on his lips, yet it felt as though Matthew’s hand were lingering at his mouth. Why did his thoughts keep drifting that way? Hating himself for it, he still couldn’t stop thinking of Matthew.
“Oh, I remember. This is acacia, isn’t it?”
At Albert’s words, Riu ran the tip of his tongue over his lips. As if that would let him catch the scent, he tasted it, then folded his lips inward and bit them lightly.
“You just put it on. Don’t eat it.”
“Huh?”
“Seeing your face makes me curious. What it tastes like.”
With a suggestive note, Albert’s eyes narrowed lazily as he smiled.
Something sticky seemed to ripple in those eyes. Riu quickly tucked the ointment back in his bag and went back to turning pages for no reason.
At his awkward behavior, Albert’s mouth curled slowly. As if he found it cute, he gazed at Riu and spoke.
“Do you want to go to Rene’s after class today? We can stop by the bakery nearby and pick up some egg pies.”
Riu hesitated a moment at Albert’s suggestion. Rene didn’t seem over whatever he was feeling. But he was worried about Rene nonetheless, so he gave a slow nod.
“Doing this… doesn’t it really feel like we’re friends?”
“We are… friends.”
“Until now we were friends through Rene. But now, how to put it, I feel like I’ve gotten a bit closer to you.”
“…”
“And I like that, Riu.”
Because Albert blurted out such embarrassing things without hesitation, Riu’s face turned red.
Lately, Albert had been expressing his feelings toward Riu without restraint. To the point Riu wondered if he’d always been like this, the boldness of Albert’s advances felt overwhelming, and Riu could only tug up an awkward smile.
“I didn’t notice, since you were always quiet next to Rene. But you’re, uh… more than I thought…”
After a beat, Albert’s face came close to Riu’s. The distance closed in a sudden rush, and Riu’s eyes flew wide.
“I think you speak beautifully. And your voice…your tone is nicer than I expected.”
“Ah, Albert…?”
“I don’t know. There’s a very peculiar charm about you.”
“What does that…”
“So anyway, want one of these? My younger sibling made them in the kitchen today without our parents knowing.”
Albert held out a wrapped cookie to him. At the sudden shift, Riu could only blink in confusion, and Albert opened the bag and offered him a cookie.
Looking at the cute shape dotted with a harmonious mix of colors, Riu carefully took it. For something supposedly just made on a whim, the craftsmanship was expert. When he let out a small exclamation, Albert lifted the corners of his mouth, satisfied.
“I thought of you and brought some. I don’t know if it’ll suit your taste.”
“It looks delicious. Thank you, Albert.”
Moved by the thought, Riu took a bite. Contrary to his expectation of crunch, the cookie was moist. The tiny nuts inside added chew and nuttiness, and the crumbly texture filling his mouth gave him a peculiar feeling.
“…It’s good.”
When he murmured unconsciously, Albert set the rest of the cookies on Riu’s desk. For something he’d “gotten a few” from his sibling, it was more than a few. Puzzled, Riu tilted his head, and Albert grinned.
“Have another.”
“H-huh?”
“Have one more.”
Riu watched warily as Albert quickly fished out another cookie, his expression guarded. But Albert, all smiles, held the cookie up to Riu’s lips.
“Come on. Say ‘ah.’”
“…Albert.”
“If you eat just this one more, I won’t push you to eat any more.”
At that, Riu, not knowing why, took another bite. Watching him chew with a still-reluctant expression, Albert slowly ran his tongue over his own lips.
“As I thought… You’re the type who eats anything well.”
“…Huh?”
“I mean your lips. They make me want to put something to them, since they take anything so well.”
At Albert’s words, Riu forced down the cookie he was chewing.
Judging by Albert’s innocent face, it seemed like he’d said it without any special intent.
And yet… why did it sound so suggestive? Embarrassed for no good reason, Riu scrubbed at his lips with the back of his hand.
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