While Jepeto was agonizing over it, Luman had already sat down beside the rocking chair.
His long white fingers hovered through the air as though about to touch Ren’s face. The shadow of his hand brushed over Ren’s eyes, nose, and lips, then finally disappeared. Ren’s trembling eyelids showed no sign of opening. Beautiful features beneath thick lashes... But none of that entered Luman’s eyes properly. All he could see were the thin cheeks, the slender nape, and the arms and legs that looked as if they might snap.
“Was he always this thin...?”
Luman frowned.
“Physician, why is Ren so thin? It seems he must have been terribly picky about his meals.”
He asked playfully, but his gaze was sharper than anything.
“That is...”
Jepeto flinched and trailed off. Golden eyes flashed as they observed him.
Watching Luman quietly wait for an answer, Jepeto swallowed hard as though he had decided something.
“It seems...”
“Did he go on a hunger strike because his brother wasn’t here?”
Luman grumbled and turned his head again. Jepeto could not continue and could only watch the two of them. He did not know whether he would ever be able to bring up the words he had missed the timing for.
***
A faded landscape.
Red grass covered everything around him, and Ren stood alone on a hill. There was nothing to be seen in any direction, and dim sunlight seemed barely visible through the dark clouds covering the sky.
‘Where is this?’
Ren looked around, hesitated, then took a step. The grass beneath his feet was soft, like stepping on a carpet, and the ground was squishy as though soaked with rain. As Ren slowly moved forward, the sound of a beast’s low snort reached his ears.
‘What the hell!’
Startled, Ren jumped in place. Before he knew it, beasts had surrounded him in a circle. A white-shining deer, a blue wolf, a red turtle...
‘...!’
And at his feet...
A pair of identical fish were inside a black puddle.
It had definitely been a hill covered only in grass...
Ren crouched and looked at the fish. The pair of fish circled the puddle, each biting the other’s tail, then suddenly began fighting.
‘No, why are you fighting!’
Then the black puddle rippled on its own, though no wind was blowing, as if it had a will of its own. A small whirlpool surged and separated the fish, but they already seemed injured. Faint blood spread through the black water.
‘It’s you.’
‘...?!’
Ren flinched at the sudden voice and lifted his head to find a young girl standing before him. The girl looked at Ren, the beasts surrounding Ren, and the puddle, then nodded. Beside the girl was a massive bear holding a constellation. The bear looked at Ren, tilted its head, then flopped backward.
‘Whoa!’
Then it showed its belly.
‘......’
‘......’
Both Ren and the girl were so flustered they lost their words. The girl was the first to regain herself.
‘I have searched for you for a very long time.’
‘Why me?’
‘To ask you a question.’
The girl’s voice was mature for her age and far too calm. A chilling feeling ran down his back.
‘You are...’
‘What?’
‘...are... ...you...’
‘I can’t hear what you’re saying...’
At that moment, the constellation in the bear’s grip flashed and blazed with light, and Ren was struck by the pouring radiance just like that...
He opened his eyes.
“...!”
Wide open.
What was that just now...?
He felt like he had seen something.
His stomach churned with nausea. Ren held back the acid rising in his throat and blinked to gather his senses. The ceiling of the royal palace, now completely familiar. If he turned his head, Jepeto would be—
Not Jepeto.
Blond hair.
“...?”
What? Is this a dream?
Ren rubbed his eyes. Was he dreaming right now? There was no way Luman would be here after he had only taken a short nap...
Ren slowly stretched out his hand. He decided to check whether this was a dream or not. Sunlight slipped quietly through the curtains and pooled silently on the carpet. Floating dust. Platinum-blond hair that looked even brighter in the light, dazzling his eyes.
His slowly outstretched hand finally touched the lashes of the man crouched beside the chair. The finger that lightly brushed them froze there. Ren, who had meant to pinch his cheek or something, went completely still. Perhaps it was because Luman’s sleeping face was far too beautiful, and because Ren had wanted to see that face far too much.
“...Luman?”
A fragile voice scattered into the air. It was a voice too hoarse for someone who had simply taken a nap. Only then did Ren think he might have slept far longer than he had expected.
Then...
The person before him might not be a dream either.
No, this was not a dream. That touch just now had been real.
Just as his slowly blinking eyes widened and Ren’s heart began to pound rapidly—
“...Ren.”
A belated answer came. His hazy, sleep-heavy gaze found Ren and curved into a smile. Long arms reached toward him, and Luman lifted his upper body slightly. Their noses touched before Ren had any chance to avoid the face that suddenly came close. They were near enough that the slightest brush would bring their lips together. At the distance where he could feel Luman’s breath, Ren held his own. Luman’s eyes, seen up close, were much brighter and more beautiful.
The moment Ren’s gaze was stolen by those eyes...
A dry touch went smack...
Past his lips and onto his cheek.
A parched but soft sensation...
Ren blinked blankly.
It was only after he saw Luman’s face slowly heating red that he understood the situation.
“Y-you, you, you!! You—!!”
Ren pointed at Luman, unable to speak properly, while Luman broke out in cold sweat and shook his head.
“Uh, uh? Uh?! Re-Ren! That’s not it. I thought it was a dream...!! Aaagh! Ren, I’m a patient!”
“Get out! Get out, get out!! I said get out!”
“What’s going... hm. I’ll come back later.”
Jepeto, who had entered at the commotion, pretended not to see anything and turned around to leave, dragging away even the servants who had been standing in front of the room.
And only after being beaten by Ren for a long while was Luman finally released.
After catching his breath, Ren curled up on the rocking chair with a sullen expression.
“I’m sorry, Ren. I really thought it was a dream.”
Luman swallowed the rest of his words. In truth, when their eyes had met, he had vaguely realized it. That it was not a dream, but reality. That was why he had deliberately done it on Ren’s cheek, not his lips, where there might still be room for forgiveness. As a result of the stolen kiss that was not quite a stolen kiss, his heart was still pounding. His expression was calm, but even the shameless Luman could not control the color of his face. Hiding his faintly red face behind a sly expression, Luman tossed out lies. Fortunately, Ren seemed to have calmed down a little.
“What about my brother?”
The question was tossed out as if it meant nothing, but Luman read the trace of worry in it.
“Who knows. He probably went for an audience.”
“......”
Ren rolled only his eyes and glanced at Luman. For some reason, Luman flinched at that gaze and licked his lips. His throat felt dry.
“Ahem. But he probably came to see you yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
When Ren lifted himself slightly, the blanket slid down. Luman reached out, pulled it back up, and chuckled.
“How long were you asleep to be so surprised?”
“I thought I’d slept half a day at most. I didn’t know a whole day had passed. He came in the meantime?”
“Are you disappointed he came too early?”
“As if! If anything—!”
Ren, who had been about to say he had no idea how long he had waited, closed his mouth.
“Hm? If anything? I’m curious about the rest.”
“I don’t know.”
“Temar will come later, so don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried.”
After hesitating, Ren turned his body fully toward Luman this time. Seeing his expression settle seriously, Luman could roughly guess what question was coming.
“You have something to ask?”
“...Yes.”
“You don’t need to look so grave. You want to know whether the person who was injured is all right, don’t you?”
This time Ren silently nodded.
Giselle and Luman had both assured him that his brother was not hurt, and Luman was sitting before him looking perfectly fine. Then the only one left was...
That man who had seemed as solid as a boulder must have been injured. How badly had he been hurt for news to be sent by telegram? How painful did a wound have to be for a Hero to be gravely injured?
The thought that he was relieved it had not been his brother turned into a sharp blade and stabbed Ren.
“He is perfectly fine.”
“...May I go? To visit him. It won’t change anything if I go, but.”
Hearing Ren’s lonely voice, Luman grinned. He could tell exactly what misunderstanding Ren had, but was it because Luman had such a rotten personality that he wanted to tease him rather than correct it?
“No, he’d like it better if you came. Hm. First, look.”
“Where is he?”
Ren arranged the blanket as though he might leave immediately.
“Here. Go on, look as much as you want.”
“What are you talking about? Where is Geloman...?”
“Here. Me. I’m the patient.”
Luman pointed to his own chest with his finger, eyes sparkling.
“Luman!! Seriously—! How can you use something like this to—!!”
“Aaagh! Ren! I told you earlier too! I’m a patient, a pa—!”
Luman’s scream echoed through the spacious room.
