The Reason I Keep Avoiding My Childhood Friend

I wanted to brag that I had been doing well for a year.

With that, Kir raised his eyebrows and put down the knife. I put it down elegantly without making a sound, but to my surprise, I felt strangely nervous.

“Are you going to continue to stay here?”

Fortunately, Kir’s voice was clear when he asked the question.

“Yes, of course.”

Now that I had gotten a taste of the Sage’s Study, I had no intention of ending my study abroad life. When I answered that, Kirr seemed to be in a bad mood.

Come to think of it, I had forgotten. Kir, he hates the Empire too. But he came here. That’s why he doesn’t leave the mansion.

So while he was in the Empire, was he alone in the mansion? How stressful would it be if he was alone in a place he didn’t like, even if it was inside the mansion?

Suddenly, I was worried about Kir, who was alone in the mansion while I went to the Sage’s Study to study. He wouldn’t be lonely like he used to be, but he was a very delicate guy, so I didn’t feel at ease.

Even if I’m no longer in the position of his babysitter, it seems like I can’t help it since taking care of him has become a habit.

Alright, let’s take a day off. Miss Katie seemed to want me to rest too.

“Shall we have tea time together tomorrow afternoon after a long time?”

“Aren’t you studying? Shouldn’t you go to the Sage’s Study?”

He looked like he liked the idea but why does he ask like that?

“That’s okay. It’s been a while since I saw you. I can take a day off from studying. When you returned, I won’t be able to see you again for a long time. So, let’s spend time together.”

Kir smiled prettily, perhaps he was happy that I had chosen him over studying. I was embarrassed seeing his bright smile that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

* * *

It was a sunny afternoon, perfect for a tea time. How languid Kir looked during tea time, his chin resting on his arm. A gust of wind blew through Kir’s hair. When our eyes met, Kir smiled.

He was really pretty today too. He shone beautifully with his bright blond hair and purple eyes in harmony, like gold has been ground and fine threads spun.

Really, what would have happened if he didn’t have that blessed look?

I admired his angelic appearance that temporarily covered Kir’s angular personality. Even within a year, his beauty had only developed further. Still, I should not be fooled by his appearance. I don’t know when his dirty personality will come out again.

That person is Kir. The strange-to-the-bone Kir.

But today, seeing his smiling face, it seems like he was in a good mood at tea time after so long. I really wanted to touch the golden hair that was swaying in the wind. Unable to hold back, I reached out and brushed Kir’s hair.

Kir, who felt my touch, moved his eyes as he glanced at me, but left me alone. Oh lucky!

This was something he often allowed me to do when I was younger. However, at some point, Kir started to make a fuss so that I couldn’t touch his hair, so his silence was surprising. It was a rare opportunity, so I stroked it to my heart’s content.

It was hair, but it was as soft as silk. It would be great if he had a soft personality just like his angelic appearance. He would have been the most attractive man.

Ah, thinking of an attractive man reminded me of the knight I saw yesterday. Naturally, my thoughts strayed to the absurd incident that happened next. Thinking back, yesterday’s incident was irritating. Talking about these things with a friend is the way to feel better.

“Hey, I think I have a bit of an unusual ability.”

“What ability?”

Kir asked languidly. It wasn’t particularly interesting, but he seemed to listen when I talked.

It’s surprising that even at such a young age, boredom can be buried in such a way of speaking and behavior. When he grows up a bit and develops a sense of maturity, I felt both anticipation and fear at the same time about how dangerous a man he would become.

I continued, stroking Kir’s head while wanting to ask him to live as kindly as he does now.

“The ability to seduce people by slapping them on the cheek?”

Even when I think about it, it’s funny. It’s an ambiguous thing to explain with the word ‘ability’, I also had a questioning tone. And I thought it would be difficult for Kir to understand this, so just as I was about to explain in detail, Kir’s hand grabbed my wrist that had been stroking my hair and quickly removed it.