#127

Beneath his curled eyelashes, his shining eyes curved beautifully. His pink lips, which seemed to blush just by looking at them, also formed a curve. Like a petal resting on his hair, the smile was gently placed on Kiyen’s face.

It was the smile he could only see on the day Cullen first gave him his name, the scene Cullen longed to see, was before his eyes.

The sight, more wondrous than the sudden discovery of the beautiful cluster of flowers, captivated him. He parted his lips slightly and stared blankly up at Kiyen. Wondering if what he had just seen was an illusion.

“Kiyen-nim?”

He whispered his name, unable to believe it. The thought that no answer would come crossed his mind. Then, a languid voice settled in Cullen’s ears.

“Yes.”

Then, gradually, his senses became real one by one. The embrace he was in was warm. The breath mingling with the wind was sweet, and the arms holding him tightly were firm. Realizing that, his insides burned.

“Why are you here…? No, I mean… how did you get here?”

The heat filling his ribcage made his head swim. As he couldn’t properly string words together like an idiot, Kiyen’s laughter deepened.

“Did I surprise you?”

“Well, I…”

His heart beat so fast that it was difficult to speak. Cullen took a deep breath and finally managed to answer.

“Yes, I didn’t expect Kiyen-nim to look for me.”

Logically, it made sense. There was no reason for Kiyen to come looking for him in such a short time. Was there perhaps an incident at the campsite?

“It’s not that far to the lake, but you didn’t come, so I came out. Now that I see, you were wandering in the wrong place.”

Cullen chuckled softly at the answer, as if he had read his thoughts. The laughter, scattering like a puff of air, also settled on Cullen’s face. He was finally starting to regain his senses.

“How did you find me?”

“It’s not difficult to find you, no matter where you are.”

Even though Kiyen was stating a fact, his heart fluttered.

“Can you find me even if I move away?”

“Yes. Even if you are very far away.”

It sounded like a promise that he would find him anywhere. Unable to contain his surging emotions, Cullen buried his face in Kiyen’s chest. He rubbed his cheek against his shoulder and hugged him tightly. He felt good. Because Kiyen was gentle and fragrant. If there was a being whose mere touch brought happiness, it would be Kiyen.

As Cullen hugged him, Kiyen let out a low laugh. His large hands, in contrast to their delicate shape, wrapped around his back. His fingers gently stroked his clothes.

“So, what were you doing? Were you looking for the way?”

At Kiyen’s question, Cullen’s head shot up. Only then did he remember the purpose he had forgotten. The scene he wanted to bring Kiyen to see was nearby. His eyes naturally curved at the feeling that everything was falling into place. His sharp eyes drew a refreshing curve.

“I have something to show you.”

Saying that, Cullen took Kiyen’s hand before he could even ask for permission. Breaking free from his embrace, Cullen led him. Kiyen raised his eyebrows slightly, but he didn’t push him away.

Cullen turned back the way he came. The desire to show him the flowers as soon as possible pushed Cullen forward. His playful steps soon turned into a sprint. Leading Kiyen, he ran far.

Before long, a purple hue appeared. Moonlight cast a shadow over Cullen’s face. The moment the vast, open field came into view, Cullen ran straight ahead. As if to tell him it wasn’t an illusion, the flowers were in their place. They welcomed Cullen there. It was a magnificent sight, beautiful enough to blind one just by looking.

Cullen turned to check on Kiyen, whose hand he held tightly. Despite the hurried run, Kiyen was as beautiful as ever, undisturbed. With a face that couldn’t hide his excitement, Cullen opened his lips.

“I was looking for the lake and found a beautiful place…”

His heart felt like it would burst. What was this, that made it so hard to simply enjoy the joy?

“I wanted to show it to you, Kiyen-nim.”

Without letting go of his hand, Cullen quietly waited for Kiyen’s response. Kiyen blinked and surveyed their surroundings. Cullen watched his gaze move.

His slowly moving gaze first fell upon the white field bathed in moonlight. Then, he saw the small purple specks rising between the fields, and finally, his eyes landed on Cullen, standing in their midst. His gaze stopped there. In Cullen’s purple eyes.

Soon, the same smile from before appeared.

Beneath eyes curved as if melting, his lips curved gently. If one were to sculpt kindness, it would be the very sight Cullen was witnessing now. It was a captivating beauty, as if speaking of his non-human nature.

“It is beautiful.”

The admiration Cullen had longed to hear came from beneath Kiyen’s lips. That alone felt like a reward for all his efforts, and Cullen smiled. His face, relaxed and beaming, shone with delight. His dark eyebrows curved sharply, his eyes crinkled neatly, and his lips curled upward elegantly.

“You dislike picking flowers… so I especially wanted to show you this scene.”

At his words, Kiyen’s grip on Cullen’s hand tightened. Kiyen looked down at their clasped hands and spoke. His gaze was fixed on the flowers that reached up to their ankles.

“They are Kielsharus flowers.”

“Have you seen them before?”

A flicker of longing crossed Kiyen’s eyes. He slowly extended the hand not holding Cullen’s. His fingers gently caressed the petals. Then, miraculously, the flower stammered, glowing brighter and moving softly. As if clearly stating they were alive.

“I saw them a very long time ago, before the Empire was even founded. After the Empire was established, they mysteriously disappeared, and we could no longer see them. To think they grew in a place like this…”

Kiyen gazed at the flowers for a long time, then looked up to examine Cullen. His head tilted slightly. An expression of interest appeared on his face.

“Do you know that?”

“What?”

“Kielsharus, when shortened, becomes Kiyen. Because it was long, humans of that era often called it that. It is a rare and noble flower.”

The hand that released the petals slowly touched Cullen’s cheek. Kiyen, lowering his head, drew closer. Their eyes met.

“It is a name that suits you.”

“…My name is Cullen.”

“It would be possible for Ella. She was very interested in the past; she might have known about ancient species.”

Though he was clearly teasing, Cullen couldn’t bring himself to deny it. The back of his neck felt hot. Kiyen was unusually kind and gentle today. The addition of his playful teasing made it feel as though their relationship was truly intimate.

“Cullen flowers grow in clusters by the lake. So you were not lost. Well done.”

His body gradually grew warmer at the act of attaching his name to the flower. It was a word that felt utterly unfitting for him, even bewildering.

“…Didn’t you call them Kiyen flowers?”

“Yes, Cullen flowers.”

He, who had so casually ignored the correction, now began to lead Cullen. Wherever they passed, the flower stamens glowed. A calm stillness settled. Only the rustling sound of walking through the field, the chirping of night insects from somewhere, and their breathing softly underscored the quiet.

Their hands remained clasped throughout their walk through the field. Cullen couldn’t tear his gaze away from the hand leading him and his retreating back. All sorts of joyful emotions swirled and filled Cullen.

At that moment, Cullen realized something. This was happiness.

A complete joy, felt only when he was with his family in the very distant past, settled in his heart. He hadn’t been this happy even with Gale and his companions. The pain of loss had always lurked within him. But now, at least for this moment, it was enough to make him forget the duties and suffering that surrounded him…

He was happy.

“This must be the place you were looking for.”

Just in time, Kiyen turned. A lake, bathed in silver, spread out in a circle before Cullen. A breeze from somewhere lightly ruffled Kiyen’s hair. Cullen, taking in his gently swaying blond hair, nodded.

“Yes.”

The destination Cullen had sought was none other than Kiyen, standing before him.

Arriving at the lake Kiyen had led him to, Cullen first scooped up water. Filling three round leather water pouches, he surveyed his surroundings. There was no sign of any beasts. A small greed arose. He hadn’t been able to properly wash for the day it took to get here, and he wanted to immerse himself. The weather was just cool enough to feel refreshing.

“If it’s alright with you, Kiyen-nim, may I wash up for a moment?”

At Cullen’s words, Kiyen raised an eyebrow.

“Your human companions will be waiting for you.”

“I’ll just wet my body. It will be quick.”

Normally, he would have complied with Kiyen’s words, but perhaps feeling accepted, Cullen spoke pleadingly. Kiyen closed his mouth. Taking this as permission, Cullen began to undress. It had been a while since he’d been by a lake.

After removing his leather armor, belt, sword, and various accessories, only his clothes remained. Lifting his arms above his head, he took off his upper garment. His torso, which drew a thinning curve as it descended to his waist, was fully revealed. The cool air touching his skin felt good.

Cullen placed his hands on his waist and paused for a moment. He felt a little shy undressing in front of Kiyen.

Glancing back, he saw Kiyen’s expression was indifferent. Seeing that, he made his decision. Kiyen, unlike humans, wasn’t someone whose body reacted first, and he had seen Cullen naked more than once. As long as the Rodiak curse wasn’t involved, it would be fine.

Thinking so, he began to remove his lower garments. His movements were slower than before. He was constantly aware that Kiyen was watching.

Kiyen might be fine, but he wasn’t. Unlike him, Cullen was human, and his body, having tasted pleasure, naturally recalled their nights together. The thought, once sparked, continued to grow. Their past encounters had always happened when he wasn’t in his right mind, and at other times, he was too busy to spare a thought.

But now, with a moment of peace added, unwanted thoughts kept arising. Conscious of his hardening erection, Cullen finally reached for his undergarments. He swallowed dryly. If he was too slow, he’d be found out, so he walked to the water’s edge and took off his clothes.

He felt as if he were being watched. His mind felt like it would explode, so Cullen quickly entered the lake. It would surely be cold, but he decided to just plunge in all at once.

With a splash, he submerged into the lake. The cold water touched his entire body. It was refreshing and clean. The cool sensation cleared his head.

Once his body was in the water, Cullen felt confident enough to face Kiyen, and he slowly rose to the surface. As he pushed his hair back from his face, water dripping down, he looked up and met golden eyes. The pupils, now sharp, looked down at him.

“…Kiyen-nim? Are you coming in?”

He asked with a smile, looking like a beast unwilling to enter the water. But that didn’t seem to be the answer. Kiyen tilted his head and said with a crooked smile,

“You have no self-awareness.”