By Zephyria 
“What do you mean it’s not okay? It’s dangerous, so throw it away.”
Bliss shouted in anger at Cassian’s action of tossing his weapon far away as if to make a point.
“Do you think I did that for no reason? I was trying to take out the villain! The ghost, the demon coming out of the grave!”
At those words, Cassian let out a smirk.
“Of course you were.”
Seeing the indifferent reaction, Bliss grew impatient and yelled.
“I’m serious! I definitely saw it! Why don’t you believe me? I’m telling the truth!”
“Sure, I bet you did.”
“Aaaagh! I’m serioussss!”
Bliss screamed, not knowing what to do with his frustration.
“That bastard was glaring at me earlier. When you were holding me, he was like, grabbing my head and just—ki, mmpf.”
Just as the nonsense was about to spill out, Cassian blocked Bliss’s mouth with his remaining hand and began walking briskly. While being carried in the arms of a man walking so fast it was almost like running, Bliss continued to flail, trying to clear his name. However, his efforts merely scattered vainly within the palm of Cassian’s hand.
“It’s taking quite a while.”
The security team leader, waiting outside the park, frowned as he checked the watch on his wrist. An employee waiting with him replied with a smile.
“The park is quite large. Once you go in, if you take a look around other areas, half a day can pass by in a flash.”
That would be if they came during the day, the security team leader thought, inwardly clicking his tongue. What could possibly take half a day in the pitch-black middle of the night? To begin with, the fact that they had come here at this hour was incomprehensible.
Who knows what goes on in the heads of nobles.
He thought so and put an end to any further questioning. It was said that Count Herringer had a better character than the majority of arrogant and unpleasant nobles, but he was still a noble. When he realized that such incomprehensible behavior was simply inevitable, he heard footsteps.
The security team leader turned his head and relaxed his shoulders, facing the direction of the sound. The person walking out of the darkness was the very man they had been waiting for. A man with a physique that could be recognized instantly, no matter how far away he was. Leaving the security team leader standing there, Cassian’s personal secretary hurried to greet the Count.
“Welcome back, sir. I will have the car ready immediately. Do you happen to need anything….”
He paused mid-sentence. The people waiting froze in shock at the sight of the Count, who had stepped out of the darkness and into the dazzling light of the car’s headlights.
The pristine appearance the Count had before entering was nowhere to be found. His hair, which had been combed back without a single strand out of place, was now completely disheveled and falling over his forehead. His neat suit was wrinkled all over, and his tie was crooked, sticking out from beneath his jacket.
But more surprising than that was the presence of the young man tucked under the Count’s arm. The boy was shouting something incessantly, as if he had so much to say. However, because Cassian was blocking his mouth with his large hand, it was impossible to understand a word.
“Um, Count….”
The secretary cautiously began to ask who this person was, but Cassian cut him off.
“Open the car door.”
Hearing the voice, which sounded as exhausted as his pale complexion, everyone moved urgently. As soon as the rear door was opened, Cassian pushed Bliss inside as if throwing him and immediately slammed the door shut. Then, as he strode over and slid into the opposite seat, the security team leader, who had been waiting by the door, quickly closed it. Watching the people bustle about to prepare for departure through the car window, Bliss glared venomously at Cassian.
“I’m serious, the statue moved!”
Bliss once again asserted the truth he had spent all his strength shouting into Cassian’s hand. But the response he received was merely indifference.
“Right, I get it. You’re right. Happy? Now stop it.”
At the sight of Cassian drawing a line in the air with his hand as if training a puppy, Bliss clenched his fists in frustration.
“Hmph, don’t come crying to me when a zombie bites your leg, Count. By the time you regret it, it’ll be too late.”
He had no idea what statues had to do with zombies, nor did he particularly want to know. With a puffed-up face, huffing and puffing, Bliss stubbornly turned his head to look out the window, but Cassian knew it wouldn’t last long. He would fall asleep soon.
Meanwhile.
Hmph, you jerk.
Bliss cast a sidelong glance at Cassian’s profile as he leaned back into the seat and closed his eyes, cursing him inwardly. To think he’d treat my words as a joke. Even though I clearly saw it.
Bliss glared and breathed heavily. I remember it clearly. That snow-white statue. That arrogant thing dared to look straight at me….
It looked at me.
…Cassian did.
Thump. His heart began to race again. He was sure it was an attempt to kiss. …Cassian, to him.
In an instant, his face flushed hot. Overwhelmed by the sudden heat, Bliss rubbed his forehead against the window, not knowing what to do. I can’t let that jerk find out! Cool down, quick!
While desperately trying to lower the temperature by turning his face this way and that, he hesitantly stole a glance at Cassian. Fortunately, he was still sitting as before, eyes closed.
Phew. Bliss let out a sigh of relief and fanned his face with his hands to cool down before straightening his posture. However, in a brief moment of let-up, his mind was once again filled with the memory from earlier.
Again, imagining something impossible.
Bliss smacked his own head with a “gah,” then suddenly paused.
…Come to think of it, what was that?
Another forgotten memory suddenly surfaced. What was that thought he had while looking at Cassian’s lips? What on earth was the scene that flashed before his eyes…
The image of Cassian looking down at him suddenly came back. The face that was looking at Bliss with a frown, as always, was gradually getting closer.
And then….
Gasp.
Bliss almost screamed. Quickly covering his mouth with both hands, he barely managed to avoid a crisis and hurriedly shifted his eyes to check Cassian’s state. Despite the commotion happening right next to him, he seemed completely unaware. Dull jerk, maybe the insomnia thing is a lie. After casting a suspicious glance, he slowly removed his hands from his mouth and sank back into thought.
Surely I didn’t actually kiss that jerk?
What, that’s ridiculous. Bliss immediately shook his head violently. That’s an impossible delusion. I must have been dreaming. Right, there are times when you dream even with your eyes open. So it must have been a brief dream. Yes, that’s it. Bliss clenched his fist in conviction.
There is no way I kissed that jerk, absolutely not.
On the other hand.
What is that kid doing?
Cassian let out a small sigh at the sight of Bliss suddenly and urgently rubbing his face against the window. He had long since given up on understanding Bliss, but on the other hand, it was true that he wondered if there was anyone in the world who could understand this crazy capybara.
Bliss, who repeatedly pressed his face against the window, checked Cassian’s reaction, hit his own head, and checked Cassian’s reaction again—as if he had some secret plot—finally quieted down after a long while.
He’ll be asleep soon.
Cassian thought so and waited for time to pass.
“Snooo….”
A moment later, as expected, the sound of snoring reached him. Opening his eyes and looking beside him, he saw that Bliss was fast asleep, just as predicted. Seeing him curled up uncomfortably with his head pressed against the window, Cassian silently adjusted his posture and covered him with a blanket prepared in the car. Seeing the boy smile in his sleep, as if the cozy feeling was pleasant, a smile unintentionally escaped Cassian’s lips.
Sinking back into his seat, he was finally able to calmly organize his thoughts. He tried to think about the next schedule, but unfortunately, his mind brought up a completely different memory.
I almost did something absurd.
He rubbed the crease between his brows with one hand and let out an annoyed sigh. He couldn’t believe it. No matter how messed up his head was due to lack of sleep, no matter how pitiful that kid’s face looked in the moonlight at that moment, no matter how slender and lovely the body in his arms felt.
How could I even think about kissing that crazy capybara?
“…Dammit.”
He clenched his teeth to hold back a curse. Instead, he gripped his head with both hands and pressed down hard before finally regaining some reason. Even so, the shivering sense of self-loathing did not disappear.
Get a grip, Cassian Strickland. You just need a comfort peanut for a good night’s sleep.
He scolded himself and turned his gaze aside. Staring at the blissfully sleeping Bliss, he made a vow.
I will never be swept away by that peanut crumb again.
While he whipped himself once more, the car sped through the darkness toward its next destination.