Chapter 60 - Blindness

Translator's Note:

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

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

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

A Wish Unfulfilled

 

 

"Lord Suno, welcome."

 

"Hello, Seta, it's been a while."

 

"Master Ren will return by evening, but Master Aoi and Master Yuto are eagerly waiting for you."

 

"Oh, that's nice… by the way, have you gotten used to calling Yuto 'Master'?"

 

"Not at all. I still find myself slipping up and calling him by name, which sometimes earns me a stern look from Master Aoi."

 

"Haha, that's a tough spot to be in~"

 

Chatting lightly with Seta, who had greeted him at the entrance, Suno made his way toward the guest room.

 

Even though it was a love he'd long given up on, the thought of seeing Aoi again soon made Suno's heart pound with excitement he couldn't deny. Annoyed at his own sentimentality, he took a deep breath to steady himself and stood behind Seta as he knocked on the door.

 

"Excuse me, Master Aoi, Lord Suno has arrived."

 

In the bright, sunlit living room, Aoi sat on the sofa, his long legs crossed gracefully. Sunlight sparkled on his platinum hair, illuminating his fair skin.

 

Aoi, who had been glancing down at a book, lifted his gaze to meet Suno's.

 

His deep, sapphire eyes, flecked with a hint of gold, fixed upon Suno, and in that intense, regal gaze, Suno's heart began to race, his cheeks warming.

 

"Suno, I'm glad you could make it."

 

Aoi's sharp, elegant eyes softened as he smiled slightly. Hearing his own name spoken in Aoi's low, velvety voice filled Suno with joy and left him flustered; he could only manage a bashful smile in return.

 

"Oh… yeah. It's been a while. Where's Yuto?"

 

"He's holed up in the kitchen with the chef, insisting on making sweets for you."

 

"...Really? Even after becoming your pair, he's still doing things like that?"

 

"'My pair,' huh."

 

—Wow… this is the real Aoi. He's so dazzling…

 

Even Suno was surprised by his own nervousness, but it had been quite a while since they'd spent time alone like this. It filled him with such excitement and happiness, yet he felt a pang of guilt toward Yuto, making his voice waver just a little.

 

Aoi gestured for him to sit, and Suno took the seat across from him. Glancing at the table, he noticed a book titled Easy Kanji Practice Workbook. Blinking in surprise, he looked from the workbook to Aoi.

 

Catching Suno's look, Aoi's brow twitched, and a faint blush crept over his pale cheeks as he muttered bluntly.

 

"…What's that look for?"

 

"N-nothing… Are you… working on this?"

 

"Yeah. My handwriting's still terrible."

 

"Terrible handwriting."

 

"Hey, don't laugh."

 

"I'm not!! I wouldn't laugh at that!"

 

On a whim, Suno reached for the workbook and flipped through its pages. In the carefully traced kanji, he saw Aoi's clumsy attempts at writing "Aoi Kunishiro," "Ren," "Yuto," and "Seta," all with awkward, slightly wobbly lines. Suno couldn't help but smile warmly.

 

"Oh wow, Aoi… this is adorable. Seriously cute~~"

 

"S-shut up. I've gotten much better at reading kanji, but… writing them is still so hard."

 

"I know, kanji are tough, right? But in this day and age, there's no real need to write difficult characters."

 

"No, I can't just let it go. At the very least, I should be able to write my own name and my family's names properly."

 

"Yeah, I get that."

 

Being able to chat like this with Aoi was nothing but happiness for Suno. Aoi was much warmer than he'd been back then, showing Suno hints of familiarity that filled him with joy.

 

But when Suno saw the names written on the white page, he felt a sudden pang of loneliness.

 

Though he'd long accepted that they wouldn't become family, the reality of it struck him, leaving an ache in his heart.

 

Seeing his expression darken, Aoi cleared his throat softly.

 

"Sorry. This isn't something I should be saying to you."

 

"N-no, no, no! Why not? Don't worry about it! I got over you ages ago!"

 

"…Yeah, I guess so."

 

"Do you even know who you're talking to? Alphas are practically throwing themselves at me! I'm in high demand, you know?"

 

"Heh… Really? Have you found a good Alpha yet?"

 

—A "good Alpha"? Plenty of awful Alphas, sure—creepy old men trying to drug me, stalkers chasing me, ones who push themselves on me without caring how I feel and get mad when I resist…

 

But he didn't feel like telling Aoi about any of that, so he forced a tense smile.

 

"N-no… I haven't really found anyone who clicks with me. Besides, I've been busy lately with TV and magazine work."

 

"Oh, we all watched the other day. My brother was worried you looked a little thinner."

 

"Really? You think so?"

 

"Yeah, you seem a bit skinnier. Are you eating well?"

 

When Aoi leaned forward with that concerned look, Suno's heart thumped. He hadn't expected to be caught off guard by such a gaze, and it left him feeling flustered.

 

But he couldn't react strangely, or Aoi might worry even more. Suno waved both hands quickly, his voice trembling.

 

"E-e-eating? I'm eating tons! If anything, I've got too much of an appetite!"

 

Just then, a gentle knock sounded at the door.

 

When Aoi said, "Come in," Yuto poked his head in, his face lighting up as he spotted Suno.

 

"Mr. Suno! It's been so long!"

 

"Oh, hey Yuto. I hear you made some sweets just for me?"

 

"Yes! I hope they suit your taste."

 

"I'm not picky, so I'm sure they'll be great."

 

"Really? I tried making nerikiri* this time."

 

[T/N: Nerikiri (練り切り) is a traditional Japanese confectionery, often used in tea ceremonies. It is made from sweetened white bean paste (typically shiroan) and kneaded with rice flour to form a smooth, pliable dough. This dough is then shaped into intricate designs, such as flowers, animals, or seasonal motifs, often reflecting nature. Nerikiri is known for its delicate texture and artistry, making it both a visual and gastronomic delight.]

 

"Wow, you're giving it a go, huh?"

 

Yuto, still in his familiar attire of a white shirt, black vest, and black slacks, looked every bit the part of a dignified servant. His handling of the lacquered tray with the Japanese sweets was remarkably graceful.

 

A year had passed, and Yuto had matured a bit. His once softly rounded cheeks had sharpened slightly, and the naive air he once carried had softened into an elegance in his movements.

 

This must be the result of Aoi's nurturing. When they last met, Yuto had still exuded a cute, almost angelic charm. Now, though, he'd blossomed into a young Omega radiating a touch of mature allure.

 

"Wow, Japanese sweets? That's rare," Aoi asked.

 

"Yeah, I thought I'd try something different. It was really challenging, but I think I might have a knack for it."

 

"Oh, really? Last time you made a meat pie, you burnt it to a crisp, didn't you?"

 

"T-that was just a mistake with the timer! Japanese sweets are totally different!"

 

"Sorry, sorry," Aoi chuckled.

 

Watching them interact, Suno noticed how much closer they seemed than before. Time had passed, and the situation had changed, leaving him feeling bittersweet.

 

—Oh, come on… They're so sweet it's making me want to roll around on the floor in envy. I'd love to have that kind of sugar-sweet conversation too…

 

"Mr. Suno? Is everything alright?"

 

"Huh? N-no, I'm fine. You two seem a lot closer now."

 

"R-really?"

 

At Suno's words, Yuto's face flushed bright red. Aoi maintained his usual cool expression, but his gaze on the flustered Yuto was filled with warmth and affection.

 

"Aah, how nice... being so young and passionately in love," Suno teased.

 

"It's not… like that…"

 

"I came over because I heard you were worrying about something, but it seems I didn't need to after all."

 

"Oh… You did? Thank you…"

 

Suno pouted a little as he said this, making Yuto look apologetic. Seeing Yuto's honest expression, Suno's tense brow softened.

 

"I'm glad to see you're doing well. Being surrounded by all this love, I feel full before even tasting the sweets."

 

"Sorry… for a while, things were really tough, but I'm fine now. I'm getting treatment at Dr. Ayase's."

 

"Ah, I see."

 

"Partly because of the suppressant medication's side effects, but it seems I have fewer heats than most Omegas. So, there's no point in worrying too much about it."

 

"Interesting."

 

"And Mr. Ren also told me not to rush, so… that really put me at ease."

 

"Mr. Ren understands, then."

 

"Yes."

 

Once, Yuto seemed almost afraid of Ren, but judging by his current expression, they seemed to have developed a good relationship. Suno, a little relieved, closed his lips into a small smile.

 

"I'm glad to hear it. Sounds like things are going well with Mr. Ren too."

 

"Yes."

 

When Yuto smiled brightly, Aoi, standing just behind him, also softened into a gentle smile. Feeling the gentle affection shared between Aoi and Yuto, Suno felt as if his own heart was being washed clean.

 

But still, a faint ache lingered—a quiet yearning in his heart, a wish that he could have been in that place.

 

To change his mood before it became too somber, Suno carefully picked up one of the nerikiri Yuto had made, piercing it gently with a bamboo skewer. The delicate peach-shaped confection was crafted from lightly pink bean paste.

 

The taste was refined and subtly sweet, very delicious.

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