Chapter 13 : Even You (2)

 

“…Since when have you been here?” I asked in amazement.

 

Keirsey’s face was suddenly wrinkled. I had never seen her like this before; Her eyes were squinting as if tears were about to fall. Her mouth was shut and she couldn’t seem to open it either.

 

“…and what are you doing? Judy, what did you do?”

 

I looked at Judy and asked. I saw her snatching her hand from Keirsey's grasp earlier. But it didn’t seem like just this would upset Keirsey so much. So, I asked what else did she do.

 

“…Judy?”

 

Keirsey’s mouth suddenly opened and repeated Judy's name.

 

“…Ah!! C-Cayden… I didn’t do anything.”

 

Judy shook her head in embarrassment.

 

Keirsey didn’t add anything to that. She just stared at Judy. After staring at her without saying a word for a while, Keirsey’s head turned toward me.

 

“…But Oppa, why is that person talking so informally with you? Isn’t Oppa older? So why is she calling you by your name?”

 

Keirsey, who had been violent and seemed angry for a while asked me in a far softer and cautious tone.

 

“…Keirsey, if you meet someone, you should say hello first.”

 

I pointed at Judy lightly... Keirsey, who followed my eyes, looked at Judy and narrowed her eyes.

 

“…I'm Keirsey Pryster.”

 

She spat out her name as if tossing, then she looked at me again as if demanding the answer to her previous question.

 

It was not easy to see her like this, and at first, I thought she was joking, but there was no smile on her face. The more I remained silent to grasp the atmosphere, the more unsettling it felt. Soon, I answered seriously.

 

“…Judy is talking this way with me because I told her to – when we decided to be friends.”

 

“Friends…? Oppa…but…but you said you would tell me if you had any friends…”

 

Keirsey asked in a sad voice as if her whole world was crumbling.

 

“I was going to tell you today.”

 

“……”

 

“…So what happened? Why were you suddenly holding her wrist like that?”

 

“That’s…that’s…”

 

After wandering for a while, her hand slowly straightened and pointed to Judy.

 

“…That woman was wiggling her hands strangely behind Oppa's back.”

 

She behaved like a child who was blaming others for being scolded.

 

“…Ah... That's not it!!”

 

Judy quickly denied it. She seemed so surprised and panicked that she spoke in a little louder tone.

 

At that time, Keirsey sighed, ‘Ha..!’ and her gaze fixed on Judy; Two puffy eyes, an unusually stoic face, and an overflowing aura as if she was facing her archenemy, Keirsey spoke with a voice as menacing as her expression.

 

“Are you saying that I lied to Oppa then?”

 

“…that…it’s not—”

 

“You did! Weird hand signs. Like you wanted to touch Oppa!!”

 

Judy was so overwhelmed by the momentum that she couldn’t even answer, and staggered backward. She was much bigger, but her momentum was eaten by Keirsey easily.

 

“And why do you keep lying? Don’t you know who I am?”

 

Keirsey’s attacks did not stop. She even began to secretly use her last name to threaten Judy.

 

I could not even respond. It was my first time seeing her like this. I was so taken aback by Keirsey's behavior, my whole body became numb for a moment.

 

I thought I raised Keirsey to be kind, but her current behavior was similar to the villain I had read about in the novel. Once again, I felt like I was getting out of my illusion.

 

At first, I was under the illusion that Asena thought of me as a family member.

 

The second was the illusion that Keirsey was kind and cute, unlike the novel.

 

While Judy and I stood still, Keirsey’s eyes slowly scanned her. When Keirsey's eyes reached the family pattern embroidered on Judy's uniform—

 

“….uh?”

 

— Keirsey's confused voice was heard.

 

“…Ice family…?”

 

Then she looked at me.

 

“Oppa, that girl is from the Ice family.”

 

“…And?”

 

“Ice family…! Did you forget? Grandma told us to be careful.”

 

Keirsey’s voice towards me had softened again.

 

I unconsciously paid attention to this fact. Though I wasn't sure why was she so hostile even before knowing Judy belonged to the Ice family.

 

“Grandma indeed told me to be careful, but did she ever tell you to be rude?”

 

"....."

 

When I pointed it out, all her poisonous expressions vanished, like they were just an illusion. Even her face turned red as if she could not believe her previous actions herself.

 

She held the front of her uniform with both hands and acted like a frightened child. Looking at her miserable face I quickly calmed a little and an awkward silence followed.

 

Seeing Keirsey lowering her tail at every word I said, Judy looked at me cautiously.

 

“…Cayden, it seems you need some alone time with your sister, so I’ll take my leave.”

 

“...Okay... See you later.”

 

Even when we finished our brief farewell, Keirsey remained firm and still. Until I couldn’t see Judy anymore, I didn’t say anything to Keirsey either.

 

Keirsey seemed to be afraid of this silence; She fidgeted in her place anxiously.

 

Actually, I wasn’t even that angry, I was just surprised.

 

I looked behind Keirsey’s stiff back; Two baskets lay on the ground. One basket was upright, while the other was spread out, spilling the contents it previously had: fresh carrots and ripened apples. Immediately, I could see why Keirsey had come here.

 

I promised to introduce her to my new friend: Storm. I also promised to have lunch together. Looking at the basket, she seemed to have prepared a lot.

 

Seeing Keirsey's efforts rolling on the dirt floor, I felt a strange sense of regret. It was like watching a child dropping his ice cream.

 

Was it because Asena had hurt me too much? I was indeed surprised by Keirsey's behavior, but those baskets gave me comfort. I could feel that she was looking forward to meeting me after putting in so much effort. I couldn't even get angry anymore.

 

“Hey…Keirsey.”

 

She was surprised by my voice and made a pitiful face seemingly waiting for my scolding. Yes, this was the Keirsey I was familiar with.

 

I placed a hand on her cheek to calm her down, then gently put a little force to lift her head.

 

My eyes met her beautiful obsidian eyes, which were wet, seemingly on verge of crying.

 

“…Don’t cry. Did anything bad happen today?”

 

“……”

 

“What if I suddenly get so angry with one of your friends?”

 

“…but…but...she said I’m lying…!”

 

“But I trust you, right? So you don’t have to be so embarrassed.”

 

“……Ugh…”

 

“Ahhh, don’t cry over such insignificant things. By the way, you came to see Storm. You should see him.”

 

To refresh the mood, I wiped her tears and introduced Storm, who was resting in the stables.

 

A muscular black horse stood there proudly. But to my eyes, he still looked quite ugly... An ugly horse who never listened to me.

 

Keirsey looked at the black horse with her swollen eyes, then she moved her eyes between me and Storm, alternatively.

 

It seemed that she could not comprehend my action of letting her go scot-free.

 

I grabbed both shoulders from behind her—

 

“Isn’t he pretty?”

 

—and forcefully averted her gaze.

 

“…yes.”

 

Keirsey wiped away her tears and meekly affirmed.

 

Yes? I was just asking if he was pretty. I didn't actually think she would say 'yes' though.

 

I looked at Storm for a moment to see if he was pretty but not being able to change my mind after a few more seconds I headed toward the basket behind Keirsey.

 

Keirsey’s eyes followed me carefully. Ignoring the spilled fruits, I took an apple from inside the basket and returned to Keirsey. Then I handed the red apple to her.

 

"Did you know that Storm likes apples and hence prepared them for him?”

 

“…..yes.”

 

“Feed it," I nodded. "Oh, feed carefully. Storm is rather violent .”

 

It seemed that Keirsey’s mood was gradually improving.

 

Keirsey’s hand holding an apple hesitantly approached Storm’s mouth.

 

I was also a little nervous. Storm was such an absurd axis. But contrary to my worries, Storm accepted the apple gently.

 

Keirsey’s eyes widened slightly and there was a hint of joy on her face.

 

“Oppa, he ate it!”

 

“…Storm really likes you.”

 

Seeing the behavior of Storm in front of Keirsey, I was relieved as well as suspicious. After Storm swallowed the apple, I handed him a carrot this time. Unsurprisingly... he bit my hand.

 

“Ouch!”

 

Damn, it hurt!!!

 

When I threatened Storm by showing my fist, Keirsey suddenly burst into laughter... The sudden anger I felt because of Storm melted away in Keirsey’s cute laughter.

 

While she laughed, I opened the other basket. Keirsey also followed me.

 

“Wow…that’s pretty…”

 

The meal was so beautiful that the words ‘pretty’ came out first, not ‘it would be delicious’; There were colorful sandwiches that looked delicious and their arrangement seemed aesthetically pleasant.

 

“Wow, Keirsey, did you make this lunch?”

 

“…Uh?”

 

Keirsey hesitated for a long time without answering my question. That was an answer itself.

 

“You didn’t do it.”

 

“….yes.”

 

“Why are you depressed again? It's the thought that counts.”

 

“…..Hehe.”

 

One thought suddenly came to mind—

 

Was it because I was hurt by Asena? Keirsey's efforts looked cuter today.

 

—I suddenly wanted to have more fun with her.

 

“Keirsey, would you like to ride Storm with me?”