By Zephyria 
Oops.
Seeing Bliss’s bewildered face, Cassian snapped back to his senses. As he belatedly recalled his current situation, a chill ran down his spine in an instant. What on earth did I just do? I let my guard down. Look at that capybara; he’s shocked. I have to fix this, quickly. Think, think fast.
In his urgency, Cassian’s eyes darted around before he forced the corners of his mouth upward.
“What’s this all of a sudden? My… dear Bliblair.”
He almost bit his tongue. Once he barely managed to navigate the crisis, Bliss, who had been staring up at him with a blank expression, blinked rapidly. Seeing Bliss’s puzzled reaction—as if trying to understand what was happening—Cassian continued, still wearing that forced smile.
“You’ll get hurt if you run like that. You should walk carefully.”
Suddenly, his stomach began to ache. This was the first time Cassian realized that saying things he didn’t mean could actually cause an illness. He had to get rid of that little Satan before things got any worse. Hurry, quickly!
“Now, Bliblair. I’m busy right now, so later…”
“I have business with you.”
As if sensing Cassian’s inner desire to hurry him out, Bliss declared primly and marched right inside on his own. Seeing him pass by and sit firmly on the sofa without even daring to ask for permission, Cassian was so appalled that he momentarily lost his words.
How dare that arrogant peanut?
However, Cassian couldn’t actually do anything. In the past, he would have grabbed that peanut by the scruff of his neck and thrown him out of the room immediately, but he couldn’t do that now. Because the worldview had changed.
To a worldview where ‘Cassian loves Bliss.’
Closing his eyes and letting out a groan that felt like it was boiling up from deep in his throat, Cassian eventually sighed in resignation and looked back at Bliss. The peanut was still sitting there, staring at him with flat, fish-like eyes as if searching for something.
“Ahem.”
Cassian cleared his throat to buy time, then made his decision and moved. Only after sitting opposite the sofa where Bliss sat and looking at his face did he finally speak.
“I wonder what it is you need to tell me so urgently? My… dear Bliblair.”
He managed to fake a tender voice, but he absolutely could not bring himself to say the word ‘love.’ Mumbling through the word and narrowly avoiding the crisis once again, Cassian smiled as if nothing were wrong.
He had spent his entire life saying things he didn’t mean or smiling as if he were close to the hypocritical nobles, so why was it so difficult now? Cassian couldn’t understand himself, but for now, he focused on the task at hand. His priority was to soothe the capybara, whose fur was standing on end toward him. Though he had no idea why the boy was looking at him with those fishy eyes.
“I came because I have something to say.”
As Bliss repeated what he had said earlier, his eyes narrowed even further. Cassian answered readily without stalling.
“Fine, speak.”
What could he possibly want to say that makes his fur stand up like that? Is it about going to the Duke’s estate? He should know since Penelope probably told him. Ah, maybe he’s going to say he won’t go? I’ll listen to the reason first. Though I plan to drag him along even if I have to force him.
Because if he’s not in my sight, I don’t know what he might do…
“You said you like me, right?”
At Bliss’s question, Cassian stopped his train of thought. Ah, that’s it. Looking at the serious expression of the capybara sitting opposite him, he thought he understood. He must have been unable to believe the words he heard and wanted confirmation. It finally made sense. He had come all this way because he had a one-sided crush on Cassian, and since he couldn’t believe it, he rushed over to confirm. Thinking this, the tension in Cassian’s lips naturally relaxed. As expected, children are hopeless.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Speaking in a much more relaxed tone, Cassian added, as if granting a favor:
“I like you. Can you believe it now?”
Now, what happens next? Surely that peanut isn’t going to burst into tears of emotion…
Leaning back comfortably on the sofa and waiting for Bliss’s reaction, Bliss muttered, still with his eyes narrowed.
“I see.”
It was a reaction as if he had decided something. To Cassian, who couldn’t predict what he was planning, Bliss finally declared:
“Then get on your knees.”
At the sudden request, Cassian stopped thinking and stared at Bliss’s face. What did I just hear? While he simply looked at him, doubting his own ears, Bliss—seemingly dissatisfied with Cassian’s reaction—said again with a heavily scowled face.
“I said get on your knees, hurry. Quickly.”
Bliss stomped his feet in urgency, but Cassian didn’t budge. What is this peanut crumb talking about?
“Were you dreaming?”
At the question asked with a smirk, Bliss glared with wide eyes and protested.
“You said you love me! Then get on your knees. Right now! Hurry!”
Watching him press urgently, Cassian soon realized. Ah, is that it?
He barely managed to stop himself from shaking his head in disbelief. See, he really is just a child. Looking at Bliss glaring at him triumphantly from across the room, a hollow laugh escaped him.
Fine, I’ve already said I like him; can’t I do at least this much?
Once he decided, he acted immediately. Without wasting time, he stood up abruptly from the sofa. As he took a bold step forward, Bliss seemed nervous and shrugged his shoulders. Cassian smirked at the boy, who had audibly swallowed hard, and surprisingly, he readily leaned down. He bent one knee before Bliss and looked up at him.
Hieeeek!
The moment their eyes met, Bliss felt as if his heart had dropped. Finally, this day has truly come! His shoulders heaved as he struggled to hold back his ragged breath. Now it was his turn to speak. You bastard, I came all this way for revenge! Apologize for the past when you insulted and slandered my family! Of course, I’m not going to accept your love!
Just as he took a deep breath to let out the words piled up in his chest—hup—Cassian suddenly beamed a smile. Bliss was so surprised that he ended up swallowing the words he was about to say.
What? Why, why is he smiling? While he was bewildered and unable to respond immediately to the unexpected situation, Cassian grabbed Bliss’s hand.
Huh? Huh?
Flustered, Bliss couldn’t even shake the hand off and just stared. What is he doing?
“What…”
Just as Bliss opened his mouth to speak after a delay, before he could even form a sentence, Cassian bowed his head, and a soft sensation followed on the back of his hand.
Chu. A faint sound seemed to echo from somewhere. Bliss stared blankly with wide eyes as Cassian closed his eyes and kissed the back of his hand.
…What?
He just sat there, blinking his wide eyes, when Cassian lifted his head. Their gazes met immediately, and Cassian wore a thin smile.
“I like you, Bliblair.”
Bliss gave no reaction. He simply continued to stare at Cassian with round eyes.
I like you, Bliblair.
He called me Bliblair again! He realized this, but strangely, he wasn’t angry. It was because there were words that bothered him more.
I like you, Bliblair.
‘I like you.’
In that moment, Bliss’s face turned bright red.
“Aaaaah!”
As if his skin had caught fire, he felt a burning sensation and instinctively leaped up from his seat. Cassian was still looking up at him, kneeling on one knee. Tilting his head, bewildered by the sudden reaction, he frowned and spoke.
“Why all of a sudden…”
“Aaaaah, aaaaah, aaaaaah!”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Bliss screamed and bolted out of the room. Cassian blinked in bewilderment at the sight of him disappearing like an arrow.
“…What is up with that guy.”
Having done exactly what the boy wanted, he stood up and let out a smirk. Recalling Bliss’s face, which had ripened red like a tomato, the corners of his mouth naturally loosened.
He is a bit cute.