Cassadin confessed to once more, now free from his title as my younger brother.
Without responding, I took a mont to take in Cassadins face for the first ti in a while.
Silvery hair and neat eyebrows drawn right below them, deep purple eyes that held my reflection within them, finished off with thinly pursed light pink lips.
I brushed my hand against my lips that had touched his. Maybe that had been because it didnt feel like we had actually kissed. Or maybe it was because it felt like a dream that he had co back to .
Perhaps it was both.
When I didnt respond, Cassadin hugged even tighter, likely anxious by the silence. Completely locking in his embrace, Cassadin buried his face into my shoulder.
The breath that touched my neck felt hot. I heard a racing heartbeat in my ears. For so reason, I felt relieved hearing his heart that sounded as if it could burst at any mont.
Then, Cassadin asked in a sinking voice with his head still on my shoulder,
Do you hate ?
You know that couldnt possibly be true, Cassadin.
No.
Listening to Cassadins heartbeat, I brought up my hand to his back. Even with a robe on, I could feel his toned muscles with my fingertips.
I dont hate you.
My hatred and resentnt towards you had already been long gone. The fact that you still liked and that you ca back to .
That was all that mattered to .
Hearing that I didnt hate him, he slowly raised his head up from my shoulder.
May I kiss you one more ti?
Cassadin asked with his eyes staring straight at . His deep purple eyes were filled only with .
There was nothing else that you could see in them other than .
Would it be strange for to find comfort in that?
Instead of responding to Cassadins question, I raised my heels and gave a short peck on his lips.
Cassadins eyes widened. And those widened eyes then fluttered down as if relieved. Unable to determine who was first, our lips collided together.
Inside the moonlit room, our breaths intertwined. Cassadin stole away my breath, and I stole his.
Like a persistent, thirsted passion, we craved for one another. Haah. When our lips parted because I could no longer breathe, Cassadin reeled my waist in with his arm as if he couldnt wait for even that short mont.
Not yet.
Without even a second to collect my breath, Cassadin once again swallowed up what was left of . My body and mind threatened to lt down from the kiss that stole away every last breath I had within.
It was only when my mind was starting to fade out that he pulled away with a regretful expression.
Taking in short breaths, I stared up at Cassadins face through dazed eyes.
But then, he licked away the remaining moist that had been left on my lips. Seeing that had been so sensual that it made my face redden just watching him.
Seeing my flushed face, he kissed my forehead once more before lifting my body up with his arms and sitting down on the bed.
After placing down, Cassadin leaned forward towards . I rembered seeing the sa eyes he had now multiple tis in the past.
With that sa expression I had once avoided out of fear, Cassadin was staring at .
His gaze tangled around . What I saw were eyes blinded by unconditional madness, but those eyes no longer scared .
I had tried to deny it. Because after once dying to a person I trusted, I thought it would be foolish for to trust a man whom I didnt know well.
But when you whispered your truth to , you shone so brightly that I couldnt look at you. You had claid that you were dirty, but it was you who shone brighter than the sun.
Because it was you who had been so clean and so beautiful that Id beco blinded.
I couldnt take my eyes off of you.
So I continued to deny my feelings. I tried to shove you and into the fra of siblings and suppress my emotions.
But then, one day, you, who I thought would always be beside , turned away from the family and left .
It was only after you left that I realized.
How big your absence was and how precious you were to .
I longed for your kind, compassionate touch. I missed the beautiful smile that you had only shown .
If it had been my past self, then it would have been natural for to be angry that you kissed without permission.
But, now. I was overjoyed just by the fact that you ca back to .
I liked that you still liked .
I even liked your unconditional affection.
Since when have I fallen so deeply into you?
The reason I had pushed you away all this ti was because I didnt want you in my heart. Because I didnt want you to cause turmoil in , as I had caused turmoil in you.
To think that I, who only planned on using you, had fallen for you this deeply.
Everything about you brought joy. It didnt matter if others called mad. Because at so point that I didnt realize, Id completely sunk into you.
Perhaps this was retribution for daring to ta you. If that was a sin, and if being with you was a sin, then I was more than willing to accept the consequences.
Is it alright for to assu that youve accepted ?
I answered by wrapping my arms around his neck.
For a while, I quietly hugged Cassadin, who had obediently been pulled into my embrace. Now, burying my face in his shoulders, I slowly closed my eyes.
Cassadin also remained silent.
But there wasnt a single bit of discomfort in the air in the midst of the silence.
There was only peace and comfort.
It was long after that when I broke the silence.
Youre not hurt, are you?
Id been bothered by the sll of blood that had been coming from Cassadin.
Its not my blood.
If it wasnt his, then whos was it? When I glanced up at him with a concerned expression, he gently pressed his lips against the back of my hand and whispered to ,
Are you worried that it may be mine?
With a low, calm voice, Cassadin smiled as if telling not to worry. I would be lying if I said that smile didnt reassure .
This is the blood of the man nad Kindel.
!
When an unexpected na ca out of Cassadins mouth, my eyes shot open as if soone had sprayed cold water on .
Slowly loosening my grasp around Cassadin, I asked him,
Kindel? How do you know that na?
Cassadins large hands intertwined with mine, rendering my attempt to withdraw useless.
Ive privately done research on Grand Duke Damian.
You did research on Damian?
Since when did he have the ti to do that?
Why?
When I tilted my head, Cassadin answered, his eyes narrowing slightly,
It had actually been because Sister said that youd fallen in love with him at
His voice trailing away, Cassadin seed to check for my reaction. Unable to figure out just how many points I needed to clarify, I just shut my mouth altogether.
And Ive figured out sothing shocking.
What is it?
Its a bit violent, if thats okay.
Its alright, you can tell .
After getting my consent, Cassadin tightened his grip on my hands and pulled a little closer to him.
It turns out that he had been extracting blood from the commoners and drinking it in order to alleviate the pain from his heart condition. He would send out notices that he was hiring servants for the mansion and then purposefully pick out those who had no family or close relatives in order to kill them.
A calm, low voice ca out of Cassadins mouth. What he had just said was incredibly valuable information that could lead Damian to his downfall.
Cassadin. Just how did you learn about that?
I used physical evidence to track down the truth. I did have so trouble at first because there was no solid evidence.
It seed like he had done a lot of research on Damian without my knowledge.
I had actually planned to co a little later instead of today.
But it was no longer possible. I couldnt just continue watching that bastard send you those gifts.
Then, had Cassadin been watching Damian send all those gifts?
You were going to co later than this.
Hearing the hurt in my voice, Cassadin shrank back a little. With his eyes gazing down, he answered ,
I have no excuses.
I no longer wanted to be Sisters younger brother
Then dont call Sister from now on.
Cassadins expression seed like what I had just said caused his world to collapse down on him.
Because you have left the family, I am no longer your sister, and you are no longer my younger brother.
Then what do I call you?
Thats your choice to make.
Aren.
Hearing Cassadin call out my na without hesitation, my lips parted in shock. Only after seeing his eyes curve into a smile did I realize that he had been acting just now.
Youve tricked .
Havent you also tricked ?
Alright. Since youve shown all of you, it should be alright to show you all of . Just like how youve been honest to , I will now tell you everything.
I told Cassadin the reason why I had brought him here and why I had approached Damian. Cassadin quietly listened to my explanation.
It was a lie when I told Damian I had fallen for him at first sight.
If you hadnt fallen for him, then why did you bother to go all the way to his prison cell to tell him that?
To protect you. If he figured out that you were the one who tried to poison the Crown Prince, then I thought he would steal you away from .
Swallowing back those words, I decided to tell Cassadin the truth. The truth that I knew and the truth that I heard from Prophet Notius.
The father of that man was the one who destroyed your kingdom. Ive learned that he used a prophecy as an excuse to annihilate the kingdom you were a part of.
It was the prophecy that a potential tyrant was born that caused the destruction of your peaceful kingdom.
Even if that prophecy had been true, that didnt make them the ones chosen for that prophecy.
Why couldnt those people be satisfied with what they already had? Or was it that if they couldnt obtain it with their own power, no one else could have it either?
Bottomless desire was truly fruitless.
Cassadin had been quietly listening to my words. Then, a dark shadow had drawn over his eyelashes, which were now angled downward.
.I see.
I caressed his cheek while he seed to have fallen into deep thought. The tips of my fingers ca into contact with soft skin.
I have healing abilities. Cassadin.
I knew of them.
Cassadin answered unhesitantly.
Wait. Since when?
I tried applying the balm youve applied to by myself, but it didnt do anything, much less cover the scar. The decisive mont was when you healed all of the scars that had been on my body.
He honestly told everything he knew. So, I also put my trust in him and answered him truthfully. Though our relationship started with lies, they no longer exist between us now.
Dont you hate ? For bringing you here in order to use you.
Why? Is there any reason to hate you? Youve been my salvation from start to finish.
Even knowing everything, you were able to smile and call your salvation. How could I not like you when you were this lovely?
There is still sothing I have to do.
What is it?
I cannot tell you right now. But I will once everything is over.
As soon as he finished speaking, Cassadin attempted to take his leave.
When everything is resolved, I will most definitely co back.
Adding to that, Cassadin gave a short peck on my forehead and turned around. I didnt try to hold Cassadin back.
Because I now knew that even if he left, he would return.
Co ho safely. Please.
Hearing that, Cassadin turned his head to and smiled brightly. I drank in his crescent eyes and gently curved lips.
Yes. Ill make sure to do so.
With those final words, Cassadin left my room.
After gazing at where Cassadin had last stood for a long while, I fell asleep.
Just after leaving Arens room, Cassadin stopped and stared down at his hands.
She had been the only person who had accepted his dirtied self. Her lips had been much softer than he imagined and sweeter than any fruit. To the point that any amount would never be enough.
He and Aren were no longer family. Although he had never thought of her as family since the beginning.
Cassadin tightly clenched his fists. It felt like Arens fragrant scent was still lingering at the tip of his nose.
Those blue eyes that resembled a clear lake and brilliant platinum hair always blinded him because of their beauty. At first, Cassadin had only planned to satisfy himself by watching her from afar.
However, his heart had grown so much that he could no longer control it, and he ultimately started to long for sothing he couldnt dare to.
But Aren had accepted him. She accepted his crooked heart. She had told him it was fine, even if they were not family.
She told him everything about herself. And that it was because of him that she approached that Damian.
He felt warmth spreading throughout his entire body.
It was warm, so warm that Cassadin never wanted to let go of this warmth again. But in order to do so, he needed to finish his own duties.
In order to stand proud next to Aren. So that no one would mock him, who loved her.
Under the bright moonlight, Cassadin gracefully moved forward.
Then, he arrived at the Founding Day festival.
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