By Zephyria 
What kind of nonsense are you spouting, you crazy peanut?
…is what he wanted to say, but before Cassian could even open his mouth, the capybara poured out words first.
“You fell for me at first sight, didn’t you? Your heart was pounding, right? That’s why you cursed and screamed like that, wasn’t it? You were shy and flustered, right? You’re still fluttering right now, aren’t you? You can’t even bring yourself to say it, can you? I know everything; Count Herringer is completely head-over-heels for meeee….”
Bombarded by a continuous stream of questions, Cassian was left utterly stunned. He couldn’t form a single coherent thought. The only thing on his mind was that he had to stop that incessantly moving mouth.
“Be—be quiet! Shut up already!”
Finally, Cassian bolted upright and clamped his hand over Bliss’s mouth. The capybara struggled wildly beneath his palm, shouting something, but it was fine. It only sounded like muffled mumbling. The problem was what came next.
What do I do now?
He had hurriedly covered the mouth, but he couldn’t stay like this forever. The capybara right in front of him was glaring at Cassian with wide eyes, looking as if he would bite the moment the hand was removed.
“Shh, quiet. Now, look here.”
Cassian first held up his index finger in the air, as if taming a fierce dog. After confirming that Bliss’s pupils were following the finger, he continued speaking.
“Calm down, good boy. Right, now I’m going to take my hand away. Then, listen to me calmly. No screaming, and no biting me. Got it? If you agree, nod your head. Now, nod.”
At those slow instructions, Bliss, who had been glaring at Cassian while snorting, bowed his head once and then lifted it. Without removing his hand from Bliss’s mouth, Cassian slowly backed away. In a state of hair-trigger tension, as if removing a muzzle from a vicious dog, the two stared at each other.
Amidst that taut atmosphere, the moment Cassian suddenly released his hand—
“Hah!”
“Where do you think—!”
Cassian narrowly dodged as Bliss tried to bite with a loud snap! When Bliss wore a frustrated expression after his futile attempt to bite, Cassian chuckled and lightly shook his hand in the air.
“You’re no match for me anyway, so stop your antics and sit still. You really are nothing but a reckless brat.”
Speaking with an air of arrogance while shaking his head, he sat down, crossed one leg, and took a deep breath. Then, he spoke in a tone more serious than ever.
“Now listen to me. What you said earlier was wrong. Let me make this clear: I do not like you.”
“I do nod liyke yoo, laet me make thiz clear.”
Bliss distorted his face ridiculously and mimicked Cassian’s words. At the reaction of the peanut crumb who turned his solemn declaration into a joke, a vein popped on Cassian’s temple for a moment, but he suppressed his emotions with another deep breath. It is not adult-like to react and get angry at every little thing a child does. He closed his eyes, counted to ten, and then continued.
“I don’t know how you came to such a misconception, but I must make the facts clear. I do not like you, absolutely not. So stop your delusions.”
Then, Cassian curled his lip into a cold sneer.
“Of course, you probably want to believe such an absurd fantasy is true, but you need to realize reality quickly. Otherwise, your head might actually go strange.”
Just as he thought, ‘He might already be strange,’ he heard a snort of laughter from somewhere. When he glared at the other with sharp eyes, Bliss tilted his chin up and answered firmly.
“It’s not a delusion, it’s the truth. It’s useless to pretend otherwise; I already know everything.”
“Hah.”
Cassian let out an involuntary exclamation of disbelief. What is this crazy peanut talking about? Moreover, what is with that confident face and tone? It was so absurd that he could hardly find the words.
“I do not like you, I swear.”
“You do like me, definitely.”
“I said I don’t, I really don’t.”
“Yes you do! Liar, fraud! You do! I said you do!”
Eventually, Bliss began to shout, stomping his feet. Along with that, Cassian felt a terrible throbbing in his head and covered his face with both hands. That damn migraine had started again.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t slept for over three days. Without proper sleep, moving from a car to a plane and then back to a car, his body had reached its limit. The inside of his eyes ached, and he felt nauseous. He felt so miserable he could faint at any moment, yet the crazy capybara continued to chatter.
Asking, ‘You like me, don’t you?’
Damn it, Cassian swallowed a curse. You’re the one who likes me, you damn capybara. Not me, but you’re the one who likes me. And yet you dare frame me with such an absurd accusation? This insolent…
“…Ugh.”
With a pained groan, the thoughts in his head vanished. The already severe migraine was now continuing so viciously it felt as if his head were being crushed. His vision blurred, and his breathing became shallow. It was difficult to even think properly. Amidst that extreme pain, Cassian thought: if only he could end this misery, he would sell his soul to the devil.
…Wait.
A single question barely managed to squeeze into his throbbing mind. Why was he doing this absurd thing in the first place? Right, it was to win over that peanut crumb.
In that case, wouldn’t it have been much easier to sell his soul to that peanut from the start?
“Count Herringer likes me, likes me. He says he loves me. Ebe-be. Ebe-be. What should I dooo.”
Now the arrogant peanut was even making up and singing a song on his own. But that didn’t matter anymore. If he could just get rid of this migraine and sleep soundly right now, Cassian would willingly kiss his instep.
Yes, as much as it takes.
“Fine.”
Cassian finally spoke in an exhausted voice.
“I like you.”
“I knew it!”
At the sudden confession, Bliss leaped up from his spot and cheered. Before he could start singing another absurd song, Cassian raised his arm and gestured.
“I’m sorry for not saying it until now. So.”
He continued between shallow breaths.
“So, come here. Please.”
‘I’m sorry,’ ‘Please.’
At those two phrases, which sounded sweeter than any words in the world, Bliss’s face instantly brightened as he trotted around the table toward the seat next to Cassian.
“Ahem.”
After sliding into the sofa, he gave a prim clear of his throat and spoke.
“See? It would have been better if you’d just admitted it from the start. You cursed and screamed the moment you saw my face. In the end, it turned out like this anyway. There are two things in the world that cannot be hidden. One is a sneeze, and the other is….”
Bliss, who had been chatting excitedly, suddenly paused. He felt a heavy weight on his shoulder. When he stopped talking and turned his head, he saw Cassian leaning his head on his shoulder.
What is this? Is he perhaps crying?
For a moment, Bliss was touched, recalling protagonists in dramas who cried while leaning on their partner’s shoulder, but he soon noticed something strange. Far from the sound of sobbing, the surroundings were too quiet. When he frowned and listened closely, he heard the faint sound of deep breathing. To anyone, it was the sound of someone asleep.
Hesitating, Bliss slowly raised his hand and waved it frantically in front of Cassian’s face, but as expected, there was no response.
My goodness, he’s actually asleep!
Bliss’s mouth fell open in disbelief. This was the historic moment where Cassian finally admitted his feelings, and yet he fell asleep like this. This is unbelievable!
“You….”
Bliss tried to grab Cassian’s shoulder and shake him. Wake up, wake up and beg for my forgiveness! Apologize for the harsh words you said to my family! I’ll never forgive you unless you beg in tears…
…or so he intended.
But seeing Cassian’s pale face, completely devoid of color, Bliss couldn’t bring himself to wake him easily. Come to think of it, Cassian had been awake the whole time. He had heard that his insomnia was severe, but if he couldn’t sleep to that extent, it must be quite agonizing.
Maybe that’s why his personality became so bad because he couldn’t sleep….
‘Bliss.’
Recalling a brief memory from childhood, Bliss hurriedly shook his head. No, he was a bad guy to begin with. I mustn’t get soft!
At that exact moment, Cassian’s head, which had been resting on his shoulder, slipped.
“Aaah!”
Startled, Bliss let out a shout without realizing it. However, Cassian, having slammed his head onto Bliss’s lap, still did not wake from his sleep.
T-thank goodness….
Having inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, Bliss quickly regained his composure and thumped his own head with his fist. No, don’t get soft! This guy is a villain. A villain who must be punished!
…But since I am righteous and kind.
“Ahem.”
Bliss looked down at Cassian with a clear of his throat. Seeing the painfully furrowed brow and the way his large body was curled up in sleep, he felt a sense of pity. Right, even a villain should be allowed to sleep.
“Excuse me!”
Calling a flight attendant to recline the seat, he lay down next to Cassian. It was a full ten hours later when Cassian finally woke up—with the peanut crumb sleeping beside him, snoring loudly.