---

Vivian slowly released her clasped hands.

Our hands were drenched in sweat.

I, without any complaints, asked a belated question.

“So why did you come?”

She wouldn’t have come voluntarily to kiss me.

Maybe she was here to keep an eye on Serena, but she must have brought some excuse along with her.

Vivian, cooling her flushed face with the back of her hand, replied.

“…Food…”

“What?”

“…You haven’t eaten in days. You’ve fought and bled, so… well, I brought you food.”

…

Vivian slowly stood up and walked toward the door.

She checked if it was locked, fumbled a bit, and then unlocked it.

Such a trivial action seemed to confirm the effect of her previous behavior.

Vivian opened the door and commanded the maids lined up in front of her.

“…Give me food.”

I heard the hustle and bustle of the maids outside and soon two warm bowls of porridge were handed to Vivian.

I accepted the portion she handed to me, and immediately afterward was given a spoon as well.

Vivian then closed the door again.

As if she didn’t want to be disturbed by the maids.

This was an unexpected behavior from her, who had wanted to leave the room.

“…Eat.”

As the aroma of food wafted through the air, my growling stomach protested.

Vivian seemed to feel the same, constantly swallowing as she looked my way.

It had been a long time since I had eaten. Ever since our mother’s incident, food was something I hadn’t touched.

Vivian did not eat first, even in such circumstances.

As always, she seemed determined not to eat until I did.

Perhaps it was her own form of rivalry.

She might as well be saying she didn’t want to lose to me.

I finally took a scoop of food and put it in my mouth.

Once I started eating, I was soon shoveling with a spoon, completely lost in the act.

Seeing me in such a state, Vivian also began to eagerly eat her share.

We continued like that, clattering utensils and devouring food.

Maybe I had starved for too long, but even a little was enough to fill me.

Vivian seemed the same; after a reasonable amount of food, she wiped her mouth and finished her meal.

Then she broke her long silence.

“…I’m not going to apologize.”

“What?”

“…About your mother’s incident.”

I scratched my cheek and replied.

“…Do we really have to go back to that?”

“I just wanted to say that. But also about our mother…”

-Thud.

I set my spoon down and said.

“I didn’t want to argue about it, but… I paid respects at your mother’s grave.”

“…”

“Of course, you trampled those flowers I laid, but.”

Not wanting to delve further into this painful discussion, I placed the bowl at a reasonable distance.

As I said, I wasn’t keen to talk about this.

It would only hurt us both.

After placing the bowl down, Vivian picked up a bandage nearby.

Then she spoke to me.

“…Look at me.”

“…”

She hadn’t finished her treatment earlier because we were interrupted.

Maybe it bothered her a bit, as she began to carefully wrap the bandage around my body.

…And this was where I often got confused.

When we hated each other, we bared our teeth without restraint, yet the minute we collected ourselves, we were tending to each other’s wounds.

Though we were each other’s greatest enemy, we felt like allies devoid of anyone else.

I knew Vivian hated me.

But could she do such a thing if it were purely hatred?

“…Does it hurt?”

Vivian asked.

I didn’t respond.

She carefully secured the bandage so it wouldn’t slip down, wrapping it around my shoulder.

When she turned the bandage over my shoulder, her movements slowed down.

It was as if she were carefully brushing over a burn scar, like a volcano’s crater.

That mark was a wound of sacrifice made for her sake.

“…”

Vivian was lost in thought for a while.

Yet she shook her head and continued wrapping the bandage.

I had to muster all my effort to ignore the feeling of her hand brushing against my skin.

As Vivian sank deeper into her silence, I, too, was enveloped in my thoughts.

Should I let go of Vivian just like this?

Should I abandon the day count of kisses on her cheek and demand just one more?

My cheeks still felt hot.

There was still a lingering regret that wasn’t enough.

“…Are you going to forgive me?”

As she finished wrapping the bandage, Vivian asked.

It seemed even the act of wrapping the bandage was a form of seeking forgiveness.

I slowly grasped her wrist.

Vivian flinched at this trivial gesture, surprised.

“…Just one more.”

“…”

I looked into Vivian’s red eyes.

“…Tonight, just sleep in my arms.”

****

Vivian couldn’t offer a reply.

The strange pleasure from Kyle’s demands was utterly ridiculous.

I hated it, yet loved it.

I didn’t want it, yet hoped for more coercion.

Though his embrace was disgusting, I knew quite well it would feel warm and safe.

Perhaps because the assassin incident had happened just recently, I felt it even more.

But, the only thing Vivian could raise against Kyle was her pride.

She couldn’t crawl into his arms after suffering the humiliation of being kissed dozens of times on the cheek.

“…I don’t want to.”

Vivian whispered.

But Kyle, as always, wouldn’t easily let her go.

“There’s no other place to sleep anyway, right?”

Thinking back, the Rondore family’s chamber had been utterly wrecked by the ambush.

The last time I checked, the bed was drenched in blood.

The reality of not being able to sleep in her original lodging hit her, but pride and excuses remained.

“…I can sleep in the next room…”

“Stop insisting, just sleep here.”

That sounded like he was saying he would protect her from whatever she might still be afraid of.

“You didn’t keep your promise to kiss. Pay the price.”

“A few times on the cheek instead-”

Kyle chuckled softly.

“Do you really think that makes sense?”

“…”

…Was this enough already?

Getting to the heart of the matter, it was clear that Vivian wanted to sleep in his arms.

Having heard all that, it seemed there was no longer a reason to refuse.

I understood with my head, but when it came to saying it… Kyle extinguished the candle.

-Whoosh.

As darkness descended, Vivian stumbled a bit.

Kyle grabbed her arm and pulled her onto the bed.

A small cot, built for only one to lie down.

“…Ugh!”

As Kyle lowered himself on the bed, he wrapped her like a blanket.

“K-Kyle!”

One arm around her waist, the other from under her shoulder to her back.

Vivian found herself lying atop Kyle.

If not for this position, they couldn’t fit onto the small bed together.

“W-What are you doing…!”

Surprised by the heat of his embrace, Vivian squirmed, but Kyle’s arms would not loosen.

On the contrary, the more she struggled, the more entangled she became, like a net tightening around her.

“…Just sleep.”

Kyle whispered in a weak voice through the darkness.

His tone seemed to drop the pretense all at once.

“Just for tonight, sleep like this, Vivian.”

“…”

His words, coming so desperately, felt strangely eager.

As he dropped his pretense, Vivian’s body softened like a spell had been cast.

Lowering the sharp thorns she had kept at bay.

And in response, Vivian let out a deep breath.

It was then that his scent, intoxicating and dizzying, enveloped her.

Was there any smell in the world that was this comforting?

Unbeknownst to herself, Vivian relaxed her rigid body and slowly rested her head against his chest.

“Yeah. Just like this.”

“…”

“Then I’ll let go of the kissing issue.”

Thinking back to their earlier quarrel, the closeness now felt absurdly natural.

However, strangely enough, Vivian found this closeness quite normal.

Perhaps this is how it was supposed to be.

It felt more natural to be held by Kyle than by any other woman he might embrace.

And it felt even more natural to be in Kyle’s arms than to be held by any other man.

They had shared too many years and emotions, far too lengthy and profound.

There was no one closer to either of them than the other.

Kyle’s chest was so incredibly comfortable.

More so than any bed could provide.

Though she thought she wouldn’t fall asleep, it felt as if all the worries of the world melted away.

Vivian awkwardly adjusted her outstretched arms.

Very slowly, and without it feeling odd… her arms gently enveloped Kyle.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Vivian sensed an unfamiliar longing stirring within her.

…No, this can’t be.

Vivian thought.

She mustn’t show any desire toward Kyle.

“…This is just… sleeping together.”

Vivian whispered.

Perhaps she was trying to convince herself.

Earlier, the kisses on the cheek had been nauseating, but now they only left her feeling regretful.

She should have done more, should have been bolder.

Kyle’s hand softly brushed through Vivian’s hair for a moment.

It felt so much like an affection exchanged between lovers.

-Snap!

That blissfully tingling touch made Vivian jerk upright as if she were denying her feelings.

As she separated, a chill washed over her body.

“W-What are you doing…”

But Vivian’s resistance wasn’t as strong as she intended.

Kyle raised his hand lightly in surrender and spoke without an excuse.

“I won’t do it.”

“…”

Vivian, hearing that, gradually let herself lie back into his arms.

Kyle’s embrace wrapped around Vivian softly again.

That uncomfortable comfort returned once more.

In silence, they remained still, uncommunicative as time flowed by.

Hours passed when she should have been asleep, yet Vivian couldn’t find rest.

In fact, she felt herself growing warmer by the moment.

The lingering sensation of Kyle’s cheek against her lips left her yearning for more.

…Should I just do it one more time?

“…”

Vivian suddenly awoke from this devilish whisper, wide awake.

After having such humiliation thrust upon her, to want to do it again? Was she crazy?

Trying to regain her senses, Vivian squeezed her eyes shut, wishing for the morning to come quickly.

-Rustle.

In that moment, Kyle stirred.

Thinking he might be adjusting a restless position in sleep, he softly whispered.

“…Are you asleep?”

Vivian didn’t respond.

Reflecting on the reason, she realized she didn’t want him to find out that she couldn’t sleep because her mind was filled with strange thoughts regarding him.

“Are you awake?”

Kyle asked again.

The more he questioned, the more she relaxed her body, acting as if she were sound asleep.

-Rustle.

Kyle, seeing her seem so deep in slumber once more, gently stroked her hair.

His touch radiated warmth that bore no hint of hatred.

It was as if he were soothing her.

A sincerity that would never be conveyed with bare faces.

How long had it been?

Since someone had gently stroked her hair like this.

After her father left, her brother departed, and even her mother had gone, this feeling had been absent for so long.

It felt like being seen as solely Vivian, not just the powerless head of the Rondore family or the incompetent lord of Roktana.

It was as if he were expressing that she had worked hard today.

That he was worried about her.

“…”

This simple gesture ignited a whirlwind of emotions in Vivian.

The thought that he would do this even after she had believed herself asleep made her heart ache.

A past conversation shared between them flickered in her mind.

“So, Kyle, do you like me?”

“…Didn’t you hear me? I just told you I hated you.”

His eyes had shone like burning coals back then.

Ah.

As she felt Kyle’s gentle touch, Vivian pondered.

…By now, she couldn’t help but realize.

All of his actions. Every suggestion he made.

Having suspiciously thought about it occasionally, now she felt certain of it.

This behavior couldn’t be simply attributed to guilt or a sense of obligation.

What he protected came from guilt or duty.

Wanting kisses was to inflict pain upon himself as he was rejected.

…But to stroke her hair while she slept?

To tenderly wrap around her, treating her as something precious?

That was a feeling standing as extreme and irrational as hatred, remaining unnoticed.

But now, she finally understood.

…He likes me.

Vivian thought.

Kyle… likes me.

-Rustle.

Vivian once again raised her upper body.

Kyle, taken aback, spoke.

“…Stop pretending to sleep. I won’t do it anymore, really.”

But Vivian ultimately stood up and left the room.

“Hey, where are you going!”

Leaving Kyle behind, she walked into the adjacent room.

-Thud. Click!

Closing the door behind her, Vivian slid down onto the floor.

A laugh escaped her, echoing endlessly.

Had there ever been such a satisfying act of revenge?

The son of the man who killed her father and brother now harbored feelings for her while being completely infatuated.

The idiot didn’t even realize how precious his own life was, instead sacrificing everything for her.

Even if he was cut by a blade, if his skin melted in flames, or if his belly was gutted, he clung to that heart more tightly. No, in such extreme situations, he seemed to worry about her even more.

In the distant future, even if he’s told to leave, he might never go.

-Thud thud thud!

“Hey! I said I won’t! Open the door!”

Kyle shouted from outside, but Vivian only continued to laugh.

Covering her mouth, even biting her teeth together, she couldn’t stop giggling.

Leaning against the door, she sat down, still chuckling.

There wouldn’t be a greater revenge against the Allen family than this.

How utterly foolish it is that their useless eldest daughter has foolishly captured the heart of the capable eldest son.

When Jade Allen finds out about this, he’ll surely gnash his teeth.

-Drip…

And at that moment, tears fell from Vivian’s eyes.

-Tap…

She had no idea how long it had been since she last cried; tears soaked the floor beneath her.

That might have been because, at the moment she realized Kyle’s feelings, she had also glimpsed her own heart.

Vivian and Kyle shared many similarities. They had always abhorred each other.

…Ultimately, that was still true now.

This can’t be.

It’s not just a simple tale of Vivian liking Kyle as well.

If only it were that easy.

As the witch’s sacrifice furrowed in her mind, one thing stood clear.

Kyle was undeniably the one she hated the most.

Yet somehow… that very same person was becoming the most precious to her, an undeniable truth she was trying to ignore.

“…Ah…ah…”

Vivian curled up.

She mustn’t let it happen.

They said that love would bloom rapidly when both sides’ feelings aligned.

It might be fine when two things are separate, like oil and fire, but once they meet, it turns into an uncontrollable flame… that’s what love is.

Thus, Vivian had to deny her own heart.

She mustn’t let this flame grow any bigger.

Kyle mustn’t become her most precious thing.

…It would mean losing what was uniquely precious to her.

The cost of survival would become him.

 

---