Allen's heart raced so fast, as if it wanted to jump out of his chest after hearing the heated debate between Kazien and Alvin. Wherein Alvin forced Kazien to accept him.
Allen could no longer pretend to be asleep. Slowly and full of hesitation, he mustered the courage to open his eyes.
And the first thing he saw was Kazien's face looking at him from a very close distance.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Allen's heart beat fast seeing his cousin's handsome face from such close proximity.
Seeing Allen awake and staring back at him, Kazien didn't waste any time. He didn't want to leave misunderstandings or doubts hanging in the air.
He immediately assumed a crawling position, positioning his body right on top of Allen's. Kazien pinned both of Allen's hands to prevent him from struggling while staring sharply at his cousin's cute face.
"Answer me honestly! Do you like me?" Kazien asked, his voice low but demanding absolute honesty.
Allen's face instantly turned beet red up to his ears. He felt naked under that gaze. However, he knew there was no point in lying anymore. Shyly and with his heart pounding, Allen gave a small nod in front of him.
Kazien jolted in surprise. Even though he had heard Alvin's suspicion, seeing direct confirmation from Allen still had a different impact. He fell completely silent, staring at Allen's flushed face in his silence. His mind raced, weighing his vow of loyalty to Alvin and his oath not to make Alvin sad.
Kazien sighed deeply, trying to calm the turmoil in his chest.
"We'll discuss that later. Now, let's bathe and get ready to go to the academy. I have to settle my business with that foolish woman named Marina!" Kazien stated firmly, trying to shift focus to his mission of revenge.
He was about to get up, but Allen's soft voice stopped him.
"C-Can you carry me to the bathroom?" Allen asked with a squeaking voice, his head bowed low.
Kazien wanted to refuse. His principles screamed that what he was doing was not right. But the image of Alvin's face threatening to cancel the contract of eternity, which meant death for Alvin, made him unable to refuse. He had to start trying to accept Allen if that was what his fiancé desired.
"Hah... alright..." Kazien sighed resignedly.
Easily, Kazien lifted Allen's body. Like a baby, Allen was carried by Kazien against his chest.
Allen wrapped his arms around Kazien's neck, hiding his face in the crook of the young man's neck as they walked out of the room toward the bathroom.
In the living room, Elisa, who was reading a guild report journal, was startled. Her eyes widened as she saw Allen hugging Kazien around the neck so intimately.
Do Allen and Kazien have a special relationship? Elisa thought in panic. No! No! That can't be happening, right? They are cousins! And Kazien already has Alvin!
Unbeknownst to them, Elisa watched the two continue walking toward the bathroom.
Inside the spacious bathroom with wet ceramic floors, warm steam filled the room. After taking off his clothes, Kazien sat himself on a small wooden stool commonly used for washing.
However, instead of sitting on a separate stool, Allen sat on Kazien's lap. He wanted to sit there and felt reluctant to let the moment pass just like that.
Oh my, his lap makes me feel comfortable and peaceful, Allen thought, then rested his face on Kazien's chest. It feels like I never want to leave this lap forever!
Kazien, feeling the situation becoming more complicated, decided to ask once more, trying to understand the root of the problem.
"Allen, why do you like me?" Kazien asked to confirm, his hand unconsciously washing his cousin's back with a bath sponge.
"I don't know!" Allen answered honestly, his voice trembling amidst the sound of splashing water. "For some reason, I was suddenly captivated by you when I witnessed you treating Alvin so specially. Your gaze, the way you protected him... I really wanted to experience happiness like him."
Allen paused for a moment, holding back a sob that was about to escape, then continued.
"Since yesterday, I kept thinking about it. But the more I thought about it and realized my position, the tighter my chest felt, and it was very painful. This is the first time I've felt such a painful feeling. The pain of loving someone I shouldn't love."
Kazien stayed silent for a moment and didn't reply to Allen's words.
And then, he said: "You know I already have Alvin and I can't possibly betray him, right? If your mother finds out, she will definitely be furious with you and also with me!" Kazien asserted, trying to give Allen a dose of bitter reality.
"I know! I know that very well!" Allen exclaimed in frustration. "That's why I feel pain! My chest feels tighter when thinking about what you said. This guilt and love are killing me slowly!"
Allen hugged Kazien's neck tightly, burying his face in his cousin's wet chest. That hug was a hug of immense frustration.
"Forgive me for being so bold as to like you! I am truly tormented by my own feelings. To the point that I feel like disappearing from this world immediately so this pain stops." Allen sobbed.
Hearing that despair, Kazien's heart softened. He stroked Allen's purple hair gently.
"Don't talk about disappearing. At least, we must finish bathing and go to the academy. About your feelings for me, I'm confused about what to do. I'm in a dilemma. Right now Alvin has accepted you, and he even forced me. But honestly, I'm the one who feels burdened because I can't betray him! I don't want to divide my heart."
"I understand! I understand perfectly! I'm sorry for being a burden!"
Meanwhile, from behind the slightly thick bathroom door, Alvin and Elisa stood silently. They overheard the conversation clearly. Elisa's facial expression changed drastically.
She covered her mouth with her hand, not expecting that her biological son, Allen, had such deep feelings of affection for Kazien, his own cousin.
However, Alvin, who was right next to Elisa, looked calm, because he had already known from Allen's strange behavior since yesterday.
But for Elisa, Allen's feelings were something that shouldn't happen.
Slam!
The bathroom door was opened roughly. Elisa entered the bathroom immediately with a face red from holding back anger, followed by Alvin behind her.