Despite Rene’s sharpness, Albert didn’t mind. As if simply standing was uncomfortable, he took Riu by the wrist and naturally led him to the sofa to sit.
“Let’s sit and talk first.”
“Forget it. You’ll just repeat the same thing anyway.”
With a weary look, Rene let out a long sigh. He walked over to a drawer and took out some chocolate.
“What’s with the chocolate?”
“You can’t drink in broad daylight. Let’s have this instead.”
Wearing a less-than-pleased expression, Rene sat and popped a chocolate into his mouth. There must have been almonds inside. Each bite made a crisp crackling sound.
“…Is it good?”
“Yeah. You try one.”
As if asking the obvious, Rene held a piece out to Riu. When Riu just stared without taking it, Rene put the chocolate into his mouth for him.
The chocolate’s characteristic sweetness and slight astringency spread through his mouth. He caught a tang in it that made him briefly frown, but soon a smile rose at the corners of his lips.
It was an oddly compelling taste. Addicting, even. Riu picked up another chocolate and put it in his mouth. After they’d gone through the box piece by piece, Albert caught Riu’s hand.
“You said you’re a lightweight. These have alcohol in them, so stop.”
At Albert’s firm words, Riu looked sheepish. He stuck his lip out in faint regret, and Rene clicked his tongue and asked,
“What, since when did you two get so close? Riu, people would think you knew Albert before you knew me.”
“Are you jealous?”
“What? Jealous? Why would I be jealous? What would I be missing?”
Face slightly flushed, Rene fanned himself with his hand.
“That’s not it…”
“You two aren’t, like, secretly dating behind my back or something, are you?”
“That’s not it.”
At Rene’s words, Riu shook his head hard in denial. Then he spoke in a voice thick with a wobble, eyes glistening with tears.
“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Rene’s face filled with discomfiture at the sight of Riu about to burst into tears. As if the sight was unfamiliar, he scratched his cheek and carefully opened his mouth.
“What, why are you overreacting that much? Do you actually… like Albert?”
“It’s not the kind of thing you’re thinking… Like you, Rene, Albert is a good friend to me too.”
At Riu’s words, Albert’s face clouded with bitterness.
Not seeing that, Riu, distressed, grabbed another chocolate and ate it.
“Well, it’s not like you’d like anyone. You’re the one who avoids people.”
Rene’s bull’s-eye remark made Riu worry at his lips. He wanted to argue, but Rene’s words didn’t leave room to deny it.
“Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
“It’s the truth. The way you’re unusually wary of people—wasn’t that something everyone knew?”
“Rene Baldwin.”
“…Enough.”
As the two raised their voices, Riu sprang to his feet. Unable to bear it any longer, he looked at them with reddening eyes.
“I wish you’d stop fighting because of me.”
“Riu?”
“Every time you fight, I don’t know what to do… You’re both such precious friends to me, but you keep fighting because of me…”
Overcome by hurt, Riu bit down on his lip mid-sentence. His eyes kept blurring; as he scrubbed them with the back of his hand, Albert caught his hand.
“I’m sorry. Sorry.”
Bending to meet his gaze, Albert apologized. Rene glanced once at the two of them, then looked at the box on the table.
“It’s all gone.”
At Rene’s words, Albert looked down at the table, then at Riu. Apparently the claim that he was a lightweight hadn’t been a lie; Riu’s cheeks were flushed red.
“Riu? How many of these did you have?”
Flustered, Albert held up two fingers in front of Riu. He wasn’t actually that drunk, and Riu opened his mouth, thinking Albert was overreacting.
“Two.”
“That’s it. You need to go home.”
As Albert started getting ready to leave, Riu shot him an aggrieved look as if to say he’d answered correctly and he wasn’t drunk, but Albert merely said goodbye to Rene and led him out of the room.
“I got it right… I’m not drunk.”
“That’s why I’m taking you. In case you make a mistake.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
At Riu’s question, Albert stopped walking. His eyes held concern as he let go of Riu’s hand.
“I’m just worried about you. You’re being way too blunt, unlike usual. I was afraid you’d rub Rene the wrong way and start a fight.”
“…”
“And, you know… honestly, I also don’t want anyone else to see you when you’re tipsy.”
“Albert?”
“That’s all.”
With a crooked little smile, Albert ruffled Riu’s hair. Riu really hated people touching him, but he didn’t mind Albert’s friendly gesture just now.
Feeling as if something hollow was being filled, he toyed with the ends of his hair where Albert’s hand had been.
Maybe it was the buzz, or maybe it was his gloomy mood. He didn’t feel like going inside. Feeling troubled for no reason, Riu crouched by the door and looked up at the sky.
“Haa…”
The sky was unusually pitch-black tonight. The stars that were usually so bright had hidden behind clouds, and only the full, round moon shed a gentle light.
“…I miss you.”
Murmuring to himself, Riu blinked slowly. The time they’d had together was brief, but the hollow where Matthew had been felt deeper than he’d expected.
“What are you doing sitting out here.”
At the sudden voice, Riu jolted and fell right over. Still unsettled, he pressed a hand to his pounding chest and looked up at the man.
Black hair like the night, deep green eyes. It was none other than Matthew Davir.
Riu blinked blankly at Matthew’s unexpected appearance. Still sitting there, unable to get up, he watched as Matthew held out a hand.
“Did you commit some sin against me? Why are you so startled?”
“…What brings you here?”
“I was nearby on some business and dropped by as I passed. Why… should I go back?”
Riu shook his head at Matthew’s words. He even forgot himself and clutched the hem of Matthew’s coat, afraid he might leave.
At Riu’s anxious expression, Matthew’s face tightened for a moment. He looked like someone with a lot to say, but he only brushed off his coat and said nothing.
“Thank you.”
At Riu’s words, Matthew let out a short, wry laugh. Seeing him smile with the same steady expression as before they ended things made a dull ache throb in Riu’s chest.
“Hey, so…”
“Mm. Say it, Riu.”
At Matthew’s patience as he waited for Riu to speak slowly, Riu bit his lip for a moment.
He wanted to ask if they could at least exchange greetings now and then, even if not like before, but he forced it down and put on a smile.
“Have you recovered any memories?”
“Who knows… Is that what you were stalling to find out?”
“Yeah…”
At Riu’s answer, Matthew slowly rubbed the corner of his mouth. With an unreadable expression, he looked Riu over once, then rubbed the edge of his lip with his thumb and said,
“Your lips are really chapped.”
“Ah…”
His habit of biting them whenever he was nervous must have gotten worse lately. Riu hurriedly folded his lips inward and lowered his gaze.
“You’re impossible to figure out.”
“…”
“You have no idea what kind of face you’re making right now. Or if you did, you wouldn’t be acting like this.”
Looking at him with eyes soaked in tenderness, Matthew stroked Riu’s cheek. Softly, very slowly, his hand slid down.
Riu’s eyelids trembled. He’d only stroked his cheek, and yet it felt as if the emptiness in his chest were filling up.
“Riu.”
“…Mm.”
“When you keep biting your lips like that, I get very aroused.”
Like someone trading intimate words, Matthew’s voice was gentle. Still caressing around Riu’s lips with his fingers, he whispered quietly,
“I thought I told you to relax when it goes in. Already forgotten?”
“W-what…!”
As if he’d been waiting for Riu to speak, Matthew’s finger slipped in. With his forefinger, he pressed Riu’s lower lip and watched his reaction.
Every time he moved, the skin beneath Riu’s eyes flushed, a transparent response anyone could read.
Matthew smiled faintly, eyes curving with satisfaction, and said mildly,
“Still soft.”
“…Don’t do this.”
“You really are my Riu.”
Even at Matthew’s gentle words, Riu grabbed his arm. Feeling it would get dangerous, he shot him a look to stop, but Matthew took his hand instead and tilted up his chin.
“It’s faded a lot, so much you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely.”
“…M-Mat—Matthew?”
Matthew hooked a finger under the shirt button fastened up to Riu’s throat and tugged. He must not have pulled hard, but the shirt looked it was a heartbeat from tearing.
“It’s grown faint. As if that night were a dream… Isn’t that right, Riu?”
“Don’t do this… We said we wouldn’t do things like this anymore.”
“We did. If you didn’t look at me with eyes like that.”
In the thickening tension, Matthew undid a button at Riu’s collar. He ran his hand down the slender line of Riu’s neck revealed there.
“I hear the ball at Berschut Castle is being held again.”
In a flat tone, Matthew rubbed Riu’s Adam’s apple. Wearing a face full of dryness, he stared fixedly at Riu’s collarbone.
“I’m very much looking forward to it… to seeing whom I meet there.”
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