Chapter 5 - Blindness

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

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A Bad Omen

 

 

After Ren and Suno had left, Aoi asked to be left alone and sent Yuto and Seita back.

 

Then, he canceled all his various plans for the day, which was unusual for him, and secluded himself in his room.

 

Ren ended up leaving the main residence immediately after having breakfast with Suno and went back to work. Suno also called for his car and left shortly after, but he didn't forget to throw a few parting words at Yuto beforehand, "I guess I won't be seeing him today. I'll come again!"

 

After that, Yuto was reasonably busy, wandering around outside Aoi's room, helping with the gardener's work, and completing whatever task Seita assigned him... However, he couldn't help but worry about Aoi. Normally, Yuto was always by Aoi's side, so being separated for such a long time felt unusual.

 

And thus, the evening came.

 

Unable to shake off his concern for Aoi, who hadn't eaten all day, Yuto finally went to knock on his door.

 

"Master Aoi. It's me. Please let me know what you would like to have for dinner."

 

Although having already resigned himself to the fact that he would surely receive no answer, Yuto pressed himself against the door, trying to catch any sounds coming from inside. A few seconds later, the door opened in a sudden and casual motion. Caught off guard, Yuto fell directly into Aoi's embrace.

 

"Ah...!"

 

"Hey... what are you doing?"

 

"S-s-sorry...!"

 

"Good grief​...."

 

Aoi sighed in exasperation, but he firmly held onto Yuto's body, supporting him. A sweet fragrance wafted from Aoi's chest as he drew closer. At that moment, the spot where Aoi's hand touched felt unusually warm, and Yuito instinctively recoiled.

 

"I'm sorry...You haven't eaten anything since this morning, have you? Would you like to have dinner right now...?"

 

"Indeed, I'd like to have some... But before that, would you mind taking a walk with me?"

 

"Ah, yes! Of course!"

 

Yuto reverently seized Aoi's outstretched hand. Just touching Aoi's long fingers, which were infused with soft warmth, made his heart stir wildly.

 

Something feels off...

 

Despite feeling slightly uneasy about his own body's condition, Yuto still accompanied Aoi to step out into the garden at the latter's request.

 

+

 

The two walked through the spacious and beautiful English garden.

 

It was spring and the days were getting longer. The setting sun painted the sky in a fiery orange hue, casting long and deep shadows from the trees that adorned the garden, making the seasonal flowers look somewhat melancholy.

 

An English garden should be built while respecting the natural growth of the plants. The evergreen trees planted in one section of the garden looked a little too vigorous, but the garden always had a strong sense of life, as the plants were beginning to flourish in the approaching spring.

 

In the garden of the Kunishiro family, various flowers bloomed throughout the four seasons. It also housed some imported varieties of plants that you couldn't find here in Japan, which gave the garden a vaguely exotic charm.

 

Walking alongside Yuto down a small path lined with cobblestone tiles, Aoi's nose twitched as he seemed to be enjoying the smell drifting in the air.

 

After passing through the ivy-covered arch, the entire area ahead was filled with roses.

 

Although it was still early for the roses to bloom, they were always spreading their petals here. Yuto sometimes helped with the garden, but he wasn't allowed to touch the rose garden. Because there were many varieties of roses there that were difficult to tend to. They were left to the gardener who had wide expertise in the field to take care of.

 

"... Is this the rose garden? It smells great."

 

"Yes, it's filled with blossoms. Some are bright red, some are white, some are kinda bluish... Roses bloom in this garden throughout the year; it's quite amazing."

 

"Yes... This garden was created by my brother for me, a blind man. He said that since roses have a strong fragrance, I would be able to enjoy them even without sight."

 

"Oh, I didn't know that."

 

"He went through the trouble of importing a strong, prolific blooming variety, and after breeding it, he planted it in this garden. He is a kind person, I suppose."

 

"Probably...?"

 

Aoi suddenly stopped, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Looking up at him as he opened his eyes, Yuto saw the scarlet color of the sky reflected in Aoi's colorless eyes.

 

"What my brother says is right, I know it in my head. Besides, I want to help him, too."

 

"Yes... I know."

 

"But... somewhere deep in my heart, I thought I would be blind for the rest of my life. That it's fine to stay like this for the rest of my life."

 

"Huh? Is that how you feel?"

 

Surprised by such words coming from stoic Aoi's mouth, Yuto looked up at Aoi's profile standing next to him. Aoi briefly lowered his gaze and turned his face towards Yuto.

 

"I've been taking advantage of my blindness to avoid issues I didn't want to confront."

 

"Do you mean about... choosing a partner?

 

"Yeah, well, that's one of them. But if he says he's already set a date for the surgery, then I guess it's time for me to get my act together."

 

"Right..."

 

Yuto's heart ached every time he heard Aoi add another word. That meant that Aoi will no longer need Yuto's help. Aoi will be dashing around the town by himself and will probably be holding a lot of Omegas with the gentle hand that currently rested on Yuto's shoulder.

 

Don't overthink it. You should be more than happy for him! He's going to regain his sight. Isn't that wonderful?

 

"Ah, Master Aoi, after you recover your sight, what would you like to see first!?"

 

Yuto suppressed the urge to cry and asked Aoi in a cheerful voice. Aoi blinked his eyes several times and made a small humming sound as he looked up at the sky.

 

"Maybe this garden. Yuto's descriptions don't really do it justice."

 

"Huh? They don't?"

 

"Well, yeah. But I wish you would study more and work on expanding your vocabulary."

 

"Study... Of course, I know, but... Since I'm busy taking care of Master Aoi, I don't have time to spare for that."

 

"Hehe... Once I regain my sight, Yuto will be able to go to school again. Maybe you can start studying from scratch there?"

 

"Uh..."

 

Aoi lifted the corners of his lips slightly and smiled, gently raising his hand to the height of Yuito's face. Aoi's white fingers wandered around as if searching for something, and suddenly came in contact with the tip of Yuto's nose. Then Aoi reached out his hand and patted Yuto's head.

 

It was the first time he had ever touched his head. Yuto's heart pounded wildly in surprise and delight. His whole body became hot, and his vision grew moist and blurry.

 

"It must have been tough on you. You're still young, but you've been forced to take care of someone as troublesome as me."

 

"T-That's... that's not true at all! I had fun with... Master Aoi every single day! I don't need school anymore! I've... always.... always...!!"

 

"Always... what?"

 

"I... I don't like it... Not being able to take care of Master Aoi anymore... I don't want... that..."

 

"Yuto...? Are you crying?"

 

"No, I'm not crying... Ugh..."

 

"Honestly..."

 

Aoi pulled Yuito's head, which he had been ruffling, closer to his shoulder. He lightly hugged him as their bodies pressed tightly together. It was the first time for him to feel Aoi's warm body so vividly and intimately.

 

The scenery of the garden, which was enveloped in the veil of night, the smell of his clothes, the scent of the roses, the warmth of his body, the sound of a racing heartbeat that was not his own... All of these shook Yuto's senses violently and strongly stirred something deeply hidden within.

 

Yuto's heartbeat, which had been raging since a while ago, became even faster, and his body, which had been burning faintly, was now blazing with more heat.

 

He was familiar with this sensation.

 

Ever since the day he first experienced it, he had been so afraid of it that he had forced himself to suppress it with various drugs. But there was no way he could forget the sensations he felt at that time.

 

Oh no, this is...!

 

Sensing the impending crisis, Yuto roughly pushed Aoi away. Aoi wobbled a step backward, but puzzled by Yuto's unusual behavior, he asked in a doubtful tone:

 

"Yuto? What's wrong?"

 

"A... ah, don't touch me...!"

 

"Yuto...! Wait a minute, I'll call Seita now."

 

"Don't call him! Don't call anyone, please!"

 

Yuto tried to clutch onto the smartphone that Aoi was trying to pull out of his black pants. But in the process, he was struck by severe dizziness and ended up falling limply to the ground while using both hands for support.

 

"Haa... Haa... Ha-... pills... I need my pills..."

 

He tried to search his pockets, but his hands kept shaking so much he couldn't move as fast as he wanted.

 

Did I run out of pills!? But I should have some suppressant that I always keep on hand. If I can just take one now, I'll be fine... Master Aoi may suspect something, but he can't see me, so I'll have to deceive him somehow...

 

"Yuto, you..."

 

"I'm sorry... I've had a bit of a fever since this morning... It will calm down soon, I'm sorry..."

 

"You're an Omega, I knew it."

 

"... Eh...?"

 

His hand, which was about to grab the pills scattered on the ground, froze in mid-air.

 

Yuto didn't dare look up and could only stare at the tips of Aoi's shoes.

 

The black leather sneakers suited Aoi's long legs perfectly, and Yuto thought they looked incredibly cool. He wondered why he would ponder such trivial things at such a time.

 

At that moment, Aoi suddenly folded his knees.

 

Aoi's hand found her way, as usual, to Yuto's shoulder, while he went down on all fours.

 

"... Seita? Come to the Rose Garden right away. Yuito has a fever and is feeling dizzy. Come alone, okay??"

 

"M-master Aoi...!"

 

Aoi, who just hung up the call, had a somewhat pained expression on his face. It wasn't just the mournful reflection of the setting sun that caused his white cheeks to turn slightly red.

 

"I've been wondering if that might be the case for a... long time now."

 

"What... N-No way..."

 

"Your scent... always..."

 

Aoi was about to say something more when he suddenly furrowed his brows and pursed his lips. The palm of his hand, resting on Yuto's shoulder, trembled slightly and tightly grasped the fabric of his shirt.

 

"This scent... it's affecting me..."

 

"Master Aoi...?"

 

The pheromones of an Omega in heat could strongly bewitch an Alpha who didn't have a pair.

 

It was like an aphrodisiac, stronger than any other, a kind of stimulant.

 

What to do... I-I'm luring... Master Aoi, with my pheromones... This shouldn't be happening, but...!

 

Aoi clutched his chest painfully and let out a ragged gasp from his perfectly shaped lips. Even if his pupils couldn't reflect any light, one could easily perceive the domineering masculine desire surging in Aoi's eyes right now.

 

"Master Aoi, are you there?"

 

At that moment, Seita rushed over. As Yuto was picked up by Seita, he heard Aoi instructing Seita in a decisive tone through his feverish and hazy consciousness.

 

"Take Yuto to my room. No one is to come near there until I give permission. Absolutely no one, do you understand?"

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