Flower of Steel

Huh? You don’t like these delicious foods? Anyway, it sure is a surprise.
I didn’t think Rian had something he didn’t like.
It somehow made me feel warm.
It was as if I found a weakness in a man who I thought was perfect.

“But still.
Try at least once,” I spoke with a grin, and he became even more troubled.
Then I picked up a cookie, pushed toward his face, and added, “It’s really good.
It’s not that sweet.”

Actually, I wanted to tease him a bit.
Although it wasn’t his intention, he did give me an inferiority complex after all.
Because of my revenge, he somehow frowned and stared at it for a while. ‘Did I tease him too much?’ I thought and became sheepish.
Then, as I tried to bring my hand back, he lowered his head, took the cookie, and put it into his mouth.

“…It’s sweet.”

I froze in response to his quiet words, which sounded like a rant.
Then I laughed as he frowned, “Hahaha.
Rian, you look like…”

For a moment, he looked like Adrian and not the perfect Sir Droinel.
Or maybe it was me who wasn’t looking at what was inside of him, overshadowed by his looks.
Look, his ears became red, embarrassed for showing his weak side.
He, too, is human on the inside, just like me.
It doesn’t matter how he looks on the outside like what the Crown Prince said.

“Marin, stop laughing.”

That made me laugh even more.
I was a bit glad I learned this about him today.
I was worried that I lacked too much to be his friend.

Rian looked at me laughing, then made his usual bright grin and said, “I guess it’s okay.
There’s only me here…”

I laughed again as he spoke to himself.
Hahaha.
Is he saying it doesn’t matter because no one saw me laughing at him? He sure is a funny guy.

“Marin, what are you doing on the weekends?”

He asked me this while we were playing chess, and I gave him an honest answer, “I was invited by Secretary Harsen to his party.”

Rian’s expression turned a bit cold at my words.
Although his mouth was still smiling, his eyes weren’t.
Was he always on bad terms with Rave? I never heard anything like that, though.
I looked into their relationship after that incident by the gate, but they had no connection at all.
So then, why do they hate each other so much?

“Oh, really?” asked Rian.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Who are you going with?”

He was looking at me with a dark expression.
Is he worried about me? Then, I answered, “I’m taking my cousin Illumina.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

He then laughed at my confusion.
I had no idea what was up with him.
Well, Lumi is great when it comes to talking.
And like that, I spent my time at Rian’s place playing chess and returned to the Reclan’s before it got too late.

***

I opened my eyes as soon as the sun went up.
It was a frightening habit.
Today was a day off, but I still woke up the same time I did for work anyway.

“Daisy, can you get me some water to wash my face?”

I rang a bell to call Daisy, and she came in with water.
I washed my face with it and saw my reflection on the water.
I picked up the water with my hand, and the ripple distorted the reflection immediately.
Then it seeped through my hands.
Yeah, it is hollow just like this.
There’s no need to think much about it.
Whether the reflection is ugly or beautiful, water is still water.
The nature of it doesn’t change.

“Who cares if it’s not too pretty? What’s important is the nature of it.”