Deflower 25

Heading toward the cart placed in front of the paneling connected to the living room, he carefully returned carrying a plate and a spoon.

“Here, Cassian.”

With a proud expression, Bliss set the plate and spoon down on the bed and looked up at him with anticipation. The child’s desire was clear. Cassian, who had been silently staring at the soup bowl and spoon brought without so much as a tray, let alone a bed table, let out a sigh and picked them up.

…Huh?

Unexpectedly, the soup bowl still held a fair amount of warmth, as if it had been brought only moments ago. Thinking that it would be quite hot for a child to hold, he looked down and saw Bliss resting both hands on the sheets. He soon realized why. Bliss was repeatedly moving his hands to the side, then to another new spot.

“…Is it hot?”

When Cassian asked, Bliss looked up and said, “Mm-hmm.”

“It’s okay! Hurry and eat, Cassian. I went to the kitchen and asked them to make it for me personally!”

His beaming face was full of joy. Suddenly, Cassian felt an indescribable sense of embarrassment and guilt. But it didn’t end there. Seeing Cassian sitting silently with the soup bowl on his lap, Bliss wore a serious expression for a moment before suddenly climbing onto the bed.

“Huu, huu.”

Watching the round head of the child diligently blowing breath into the soup bowl, Cassian couldn’t help but ask in disbelief.

“What are you doing right now?”

To this, Bliss answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“You can’t eat it because it’s hot. It’s okay, Cassian. I’ve cooled it down for you. It’s fine now, hurry and eat!”

“…Ha.”

Cassian let out a deep sigh. Bliss, having no way of knowing what was going on in Cassian’s mind, continued to smile brightly.

“I’m okay, Cassian. We’re friends, after all.”

As Cassian paused again and looked at him, Bliss continued with an excited face.

“I hope you get better soon so we can play together.”

Cassian said nothing. He simply gazed blankly at the child’s face. It was after a few more seconds of silence that he finally spoke.

“I can play with you now, too.”

“Eh?”

Bliss frowned, as if to say, But you’re sick? Unfazed, Cassian spoke.

“That book I gave you, remember? Bring it here, let’s look at it together.”

“Ah!” Bliss realized. That’s right, they could read a book together even if he was sick. They could play by looking at the book Cassian made while staying in bed. Really, Cassian was so smart!

“Yeah, I’ll go get it right now.”

Excited, Bliss hopped off the bed. Cassian shouted at his retreating back as he ran away in haste.

“Take it slow, you’ll trip!”

“Mm-hmm, I know!”

Bliss answered as he opened the door and left. However, the footsteps heard beyond the closing door did not slow down in the slightest. He really doesn’t listen, Cassian thought, shaking his head.

The soup remained. When he took a spoonful and put it in his mouth, it had already cooled to a lukewarm temperature, just as Bliss had said. However, he shrugged and continued eating the soup. By the time Bliss returned, the bowl had already been wiped clean.

“Now, look. This is the first bird I observed and drew.”

As Cassian, leaning against a cushion, opened a page of the book and spoke, Bliss, who was sitting in his arms, tilted his head.

“Why isn’t it the first page?”

“This is categorized by species. So….”

He pressed the book down to show a gap and explained.

“I tore it out and pasted it here with glue.”

“I seeoo.”

Cassian looked down suspiciously at Bliss, who was nodding.

“You have no idea what I’m talking about right now, do you?”

“Hehe.”

“You little brat.”

Cassian gave him a light, painless flick on the head and opened the page again.

“You saw this one too, right? Do you remember the wings?”

Bliss, who had been nodding, suddenly widened his eyes.

“It’s the bald bird!”

Cassian checked the spot where Bliss was pressing his finger, saying, “Here, here.” Recalling what Bliss had said at the time, he unconsciously smiled, but Bliss murmured.

“I probably won’t see it again….”

Hearing this, Cassian answered instinctively.

“We can just go again.”

“Eh?”

Bliss looked up at him in surprise. When their eyes met—Bliss’s blue eyes filled with doubt—Cassian ended up laughing.

“Didn’t I tell you before? That we should go out to observe birds again.”

“Uh, yeah. You did, but….”

Bliss mumbled, lowering his head as his voice trailed off.

“Because Cassian keeps going out….”

Bliss’s mood quickly turned gloomy. Cassian let out a deep sigh as guilt washed over him once more.

“It couldn’t be helped, Bliss. I’m sorry.”

The apology was sincere. Perhaps because he had played so hard for the past few days, he now wondered why such a decadent life had even mattered. He felt he had played enough, but….

The problem was that there was a remaining schedule. Moreover, the biggest plan of all, which could not be canceled.

After stroking his chin thoughtfully, Cassian had no choice but to speak.

“Let’s go next week.”

“Next week?”

As Bliss looked up at him again, he nodded and said.

“Yes, we can go next week. Let’s do that.”

As he repeated it, Bliss’s face gradually began to brighten.

“Really? We’re going next week? Huh? Really, really, you’re going to play with me?”

“Yes.”

Cassian nodded.

“I’ll play with you straight through starting next week.”

Until you go back. Watching Bliss jump up and down with a cheer of “Wow!”, Cassian thought. It had almost been a month. There was only about a week left, so it wasn’t a difficult task.

Only until Bliss goes back.

Thinking this, he hooked his finger around the pinky Bliss held out.

“It’s a promise, for sure.”

“Yeah, a promise.”

Whether it was just the imagination of it, Bliss continued to laugh and bounce around on the bed. Cassian felt the remnants of his hangover starting to kick in, but he left him be without stopping him.

14.

“Hwaaaaam.”

Bliss stretched widely as he walked down the hallway. Darkness had already fallen. He hadn’t even finished half of the drama series that spanned a whopping 320 episodes, but he had to return to his room. This was because the Duchess, seeing Bliss nodding off on the sofa, had sent him away, telling him to watch the rest tomorrow.

“I could have lasted longer.”

Bliss pouted, but the expression of dissatisfaction soon vanished as another yawn escaped him. As he rubbed his nose, something suddenly caught his eye. It was Cassian’s door.

Unconsciously, he stopped in his tracks. It had been several days since he had seen Cassian properly. He had been killing time watching dramas with the Duchess, but the void in his heart remained unfilled.

After lingering in front of the door for a moment, Bliss checked that no one was around and stealthily opened the door. As expected, there was no one in the room. As he crept into the dark room with the lights off, his heart pounded with tension and excitement. Hehe, I’m going to surprise Cassian.

On the first day, he had lain on the bed and accidentally fallen asleep. He would absolutely not make the same mistake today. Bliss quickly scanned the room and soon found a place to hide. Giggling, he curled his small body up under the curtains by the window. If I hide here, he’ll never find me.

Cassian would return soon. He would pounce on him while he had his back turned, completely unaware. Cassian would probably scream in surprise, right? Keke, this is punishment for leaving me to play alone today.

Ah, I wasn’t playing alone.

A smile crept onto his lips as he recalled the fun time he spent with the Duchess. While debating whether he should watch the rest with the Duchess tomorrow or play with Cassian, he gradually began to doze off.

“…….”

Cassian stood by the window with a serious face, looking down. As expected, Bliss was fast asleep, snoring and sprawled out under the curtain. With a sigh, he wiped his face with one hand, then leaned down and picked Bliss up in his arms.