A Secret on the Lips
After drinking the milk Amy gave me, I headed to the cafeteria. As I walked, I kept fingering the red mark on my cheek. It didn't hurt, but it was bothering me.
"Jeff. If you keep touching it, it'll only get worse."
"Yes, ma'am."
I lowered my hand at Amy's warning. Just as she said, it felt like the red mark would only grow bigger if I kept messing with it.
"Did you not get bitten, Shine?"
"Nope."
I examined Shine's face from various angles. She had definitely slept right next to me, yet unlike me, she hadn't been bitten by any bugs. As I pouted, Shine let out a soft chuckle and took my hand.
"You got bitten on the neck too, right?"
"Yeah."
At Shine's words, I pulled down the collar of my shirt to check the red mark. My skin glistened from the ointment Amy had applied. Shine stared intently at my neck, then chuckled softly again.
"What are you laughing at?"
Shine didn't answer my question.
With Shine clinging even closer to me than usual, I walked with awkward, halting steps for a while. At the end of the hallway, I spotted a yellow chick waddling along. It was Rain, marching forward energetically all by herself. Her yellow hair, tied up high at the back of her head, wagged like a tail. I waved to her. Walking slowly at first, she seemed to spot my gesture; her eyes went wide, and she immediately came running toward us.
"Jeff! Shine! Amy!"
Rain ran toward us, waving happily. I smiled back warmly and was about to run to her. Or rather, I would have, if not for Amy. The moment Amy, who had been walking slowly, spotted Rain, she snatched her up like an eagle swooping down on its prey. Rain blinked slowly, her face frozen in utter shock. Dangling helplessly in Amy's grasp, she feebly flailed her arms and legs.
"Amy?"
"Comic books."
At the quiet words slipping from Amy's mouth, Rain began to hiccup. Hic, hic— At the tiny, quiet sounds escaping her small mouth, she quickly clamped both hands over her lips.
"Girls, I'm sorry, but could you head to the cafeteria first? I have some private business to attend to with Rain."
I squeezed Shine's hand tightly. Shine squeezed back just as hard. The two of us nodded in unison.
"Don't worry, Victor will help you out."
With those final words, Amy began to walk away, dangling and swaying Rain as she went. As Amy's back slowly receded into the distance, tears welled up in the eyes of the captured Rain. She shook her head frantically, reaching a hand out toward us. Shine and I ignored Rain's final, desperate plea and headed into the cafeteria.
Just as Amy had said, Victor was sitting inside the cafeteria. Shine and I approached the table where he sat.
"Hello!"
"Hey."
At our greeting, Victor's gaze drifted down toward us. Just like yesterday, he was eating fried rice. "Yeah, hey."
I immediately took a seat directly opposite him. Victor looked around the area as we sat down. Instantly understanding what his behavior meant, I spoke up.
"Amy will be here in a little bit."
Victor blinked, seemingly startled by my words, before giving a small nod.
"I wasn't particularly looking for her."
Victor muttered as he shoved a massive spoonful of fried rice into his mouth.
I smacked my lips at the sight. "Victor, please help us."
"With what?"
"Ordering breakfast for Shine and me."
"Me?"
"Amy told us you would help."
Victor's eyebrow twitched in reluctance, but at my next words, he shot straight up from his seat. Standing tall, he looked down at us and asked, "What do you want to eat?"
"Pork cutlet for me."
"The same as Jeff."
Victor immediately marched over to the ordering kiosk. Watching his back as he placed the order, I murmured softly, "Victor must really, really like Amy."
"Yeah. I can tell because he's just like me."
I shut my mouth at Shine's response.
"Um... Shine."
"Yeah?"
"You... you like me, right?"
"Yeah. I like Jeff the absolute most."
Shine's answer came without a moment's hesitation. Her white eyes, radiating her pure, unadulterated feelings, locked onto me. I swallowed hard.
"Is that... not the kind of 'like' you feel for family?"
At my question, Shine tilted her head. She closed her eyes and even crossed her arms, seemingly plunged into deep, serious thought. Watching her, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. She wasn't entirely sure of her own feelings yet. Shine had said that the feelings Victor harbored for Amy were similar to the feelings she harbored for me. And that I was starting to feel the same way, too.
"Is there a difference?" Shine asked, her eyes still closed.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Can't it be a different kind of 'like' besides just family?"
I liked Shine, too. I felt a deep, familial affection for her. She was the most precious person in my life, someone I absolutely couldn't live without. Shine surely felt the same way. Because she was just like me. Therefore, the fluttering in my chest right now had to be a mere misunderstanding on my part. This was a feeling I shouldn't harbor. That was what I believed.
"Shine. Family members aren't supposed to be like that."
"Why?"
I fell silent at Shine's curiosity-filled question. I had no idea where to even begin explaining.
"Because that's just how it is."
"I don't want to."
"Shine."
"I don't want to."
"Shi—"
My voice, trying to gently reason with her, was cut short.
A soft, fleeting sensation pressed against my lips and pulled away. Something soft and moist. Shine's scent washed over me intensely as she leaned in close. As my eyes went wide in sheer panic, Shine gave a playful, mischievous smile.
"Quiet, Jeff."
I shut my mouth, just as she told me to.
"I'm going to do whatever I want."
My heart hammered wildly. Her trembling voice left me utterly dazed, unable to pull myself together. My vision spun, making me dizzy.
"But... I'll wait for you a little bit."
I heard Shine's voice. But my chaotic, spinning mind couldn't properly process the meaning of her words. I slowly raised a hand and gently touched my lips.
"What are you two doing?"
As I sat with my head bowed, tracing my lips, Victor returned carrying our trays and asked.
"It's a secret," Shine said, taking her tray.
Victor gave us a suspicious look, then slid my tray in front of me. A piping hot, steaming pork cutlet appeared before my eyes.
"Eat."
I couldn't even open my mouth. I felt like the moment I did, the wild pounding of my heart would burst right out. Thump, thump, thump, thump— The drumming in my ears only grew louder. With a slightly trembling hand, I gripped my knife. As my heartbeat finally began to settle, I let out a small sigh.
"Sorry I'm late~"
The moment I plunged my knife into the center of the pork cutlet, Amy finally arrived. Behind her stood Rain, her head covered in freshly raised bumps.
"Hey..." Rain greeted us with a tearful face. She trudged over and slumped into the seat next to me.
"Rain," Amy called out.
At her name, Rain's small body flinched.
"Yes?"
"Don't bring things like that next time."
"Yes, yes, I understand. I'll never bring them again, ever." Rain rubbed her head as she answered Amy.
"Jeff. Shine."
"Yes?"
"Yeah."
"You two shouldn't copy the things in those comic books either. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am..." I nodded.
Shine also nodded and replied, "Yeah. I won't do it since Jeff dislikes it."
"Jeff dislikes it...?"
"Yeah."
At Amy's questioning look, Shine nodded in confirmation.
"Wait... you already copied something from the comic book?"
"Yeah."
Shine answered as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Amy pressed a hand to her forehead at Shine's shameless response.
"Sigh..."
A soft sigh escaped Amy's lips. She rubbed her weary face and spoke to Shine.
"Shine."
"Yeah?"
"We need to have a private chat later."
"Do we have to?"
"Yes. We absolutely have to."
"Okay."
With Amy and Rain joining us after ordering their own food, the quiet mealtime quickly turned lively. As Amy and Victor discussed work, Rain would occasionally chime in. Shine and I ate in silence. I used the knife in my hand to shred the pork cutlet to pieces. I was someone who faced off against pork cutlets every single day to ensure the swordsmanship I had honed over the years wouldn't rust. I immediately stabbed a piece of the tender meat hidden beneath the crispy batter with my fork and popped it into my mouth. Delicious.
After finishing his meal, Victor left first. He looked like someone who cared about absolutely nothing but work. Yet, despite clearly harboring feelings for Amy, he never expressed them for even a single second. There had to be some reason I didn't know about.
"Amy."
"Yes?"
"Is Victor always like that?"
At my question, Amy chuckled softly and stroked my hair.
"Yes, he's always been like that."
Stroke, stroke— My hair, which Amy meticulously cared for every day, flowed smoothly through her fingers. As I closed my eyes, enjoying the pleasant touch, Amy continued.
"Victor is a coward, you see."
"A coward?"
"Yes."
I nodded blankly. I hadn't noticed it myself until Shine pointed it out, but it seemed Amy, the target of his affection, was fully aware of Victor's feelings.
"How long have you known, Amy?"
"I'm not really sure. I just realized it at some point. I didn't exactly count the days."
"Doesn't it make things awkward?"
"Awkward? Well, maybe if Victor actually gathered the courage to say something, but right now, it's not awkward at all."
"I see..."
"Shall we head back, then?"
We left the cafeteria. Since there was no training today, we headed straight back to our room. Rain tried to sneak away while keeping an eye on Amy, but she didn't stand a chance. She was dragged all the way back to the room, firmly held in Amy's grasp.
Once inside, Amy handed Rain a small placard. The words written on it were as follows:
I showed the children comic books that corrupt their minds.
"Wear that around your neck for the rest of the day."
Rain nodded with a gloomy face.
"And Shine."
"Yeah?"
"Come here."
Amy led Shine into the toy dollhouse. Amy was using the playhouse—which I normally used to play with dolls by myself—as her interrogation room. I watched them go, munching on snacks.