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Keirsey’s heart was pounding, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the book.
When she looked at the pictures, her imagination unfolded.
Not only was she thinking about the act itself, but it seemed as if she could see everything before and after the act as well.
Keirsey’s eyes searched for an explanation.
This act of kissing each other and mixing the tongue seemed to be called a ‘kiss’; it was reserved for the most special relationship.
Therefore, it was said that it was one of the most intimate expressions of affection that only lovers or couples could do.
Keirsey knew that giving someone a peck on the mouth was not a light act, but the moment she saw this kiss, she began to understand why; it was so naughty. Keirsey felt excited.
Swallowing her saliva, Keirsey turned the page. Her face was flushed with astonishment.
There were even more radical actions. She quickly closed the book and checked the cover.
[The Kiss Primer.]
Her head was confused. Cooling the cheek with the back of her hand, she muttered.
“…is this just a primer?”
It wasn’t until the moment when Cayden and Asena found her that she finally came to her senses and was able to put the book back into the bookshelf.
The book had already been read.
✧ ✧ ✧
After lunch, we sat down on the grass.
As always, when I sat on this cool grass and looked at the open plain, I thought of Pryster Estate.
Thinking about home, my mood brightened a lot and a smile involuntarily appeared on my face.
Not only me but Keirsey and Asena were also showing small smiles.
In particular, Asena seemed to be humming as if she was feeling well, but I couldn't hear properly so I wasn't sure.
We just sat like that for a while.
The day was not warm; it was a cloudless sky. The wind from the north was blowing and it was cool.
Keirsey said with a trembling body.
“..Ugh. It is colder here.”
“Compared to home?”
“Yes.”
While saying that Keirsey naturally drew her body towards me. It looked like she was going to dig under my arm at any moment.
She cautiously looked into my eyes—
"Ah..."
—and stopped. Through my eyes, everything I wanted to say was conveyed.
If her desire to be held in my arms right now was not acting, then it was really the right decision to stop these acts.
'I hope they will feel the weight of their words from now on.'
“…Oppa.”
Keirsey poked my hand with her finger and called out to me.
Since it was obvious why she did that, I spoke in a harsher tone.
“What?”
“…Oppa, I’m cold. Can’t I hug you?”
But it was really hard to refuse when she showed aegyo in her cute voice and puppy-like face. Besides, it was really cold, and her words stimulated my wish to protect her.
'Or is this just acting?'
I couldn't help but think that her desperate voice was real and she really wanted to be embraced by me.
“…Can't Oppa lift the ban on hugging..? I really don’t want to live without hugging you for the rest of my life…? And I never thought Oppa stinks...”
“…”
“…I don’t know who said…that you stink… but I think it’s a lie.”
She showed aegyo and she used her characteristically respectful words which she uttered when she had something she wanted.
“…lie?”
It was tempting to hear that it was a lie from her own mouth.
“…Yes, Oppa.”
I had no choice but to be swayed by her words. I also wanted to believe something that would make my heart more comfortable.
'Perhaps she really didn't want to swear at me.'
I wanted to believe that she had to lie for some reason. I wanted to believe this was my real Keirsey; not the one who spread such lies about me.
Suddenly, Asena came to me and grabbed the hem of my robe.
“…Oppa, we don’t hate you.”
I wanted to taunt her by saying; If you really didn't hate me, there would be no reason to expel me from the family, there was also no need for various gossips or tampering with my weapon in the tournament.
But seeing them behaving so desperately in front of me… I was confused.
“…..”
I didn’t even respond to their aegyo. As I said, I didn’t want to hug them yet.
My childish mind caught my ankle—
'Don't worry, I'll take care of the twins.'
—Suddenly I remembered the promise I made to grandma. Holding my hands, she had asked me to take care of my younger sisters; I was the eldest so I should take care of the children who were still lacking.
“….haah..”
Okay. We couldn't keep going like this. Especially in the academy.
As I was the eldest, I would have to put up with it.
“Okay. I get it. Do whatever you feel like.”
As soon as those words left my mouth, Keirsey came under my arms holding my waist, and Asena rested her head on my shoulder.
“Ha ha…”
“…thank god.”
They both showed different reactions and stuck with me.
But my words were not over.
I didn’t intend to just skip this question. In fact, this was also a compromise. My mind still wasn’t relaxed.
“…Asena, Keirsey, just one question,” I spoke.
“Yeah, ask anything. Hehe. Oh, it’s so good to hug you again.”
"Yes, Oppa?”
To the younger siblings with happy smiles, I asked like a child longing for love.
“…Do you love your Oppa?”
The twins answered without a single thought. Keirsey was even laughing as if it was ridiculous.
“Why are you asking something so obvious, Oppa!”
“Yes.”
I nodded at their answers, pulled them apart for a moment, and looked straight into their eyes.
“So would you continue to love me?”
I didn’t want to get hurt. My heart had shattered because of a few shocks already.
Still, I reached out to them today, because I cared about them. I even invited them to spend the day together. Even though I always felt complicated in their presence.
“Of course, I wouldn't stop even if you asked.”
“Do you doubt me, Oppa? What do you want me to do?”
The twins answered.
“Nothing.”
Once more. I cast a stern gaze.
“Okay, I'll keep loving you both too—"
'—for now.'
This was a signal to them; don’t hurt me anymore, don’t let me down.
There was no need to tell them not to spread rumors about me. If they loved me, it’s something they wouldn't do.
I wished they weren't just lying to me.
✧ ✧ ✧
Asena was on my lap. Keirsey was under my arms.
The twins were glued to me as never before, I didn’t even know if they had already fallen asleep.
We came out here after having lunch, and now it was already time for dinner.
My back hurt, and my legs were numb.
“Guys, we have to go back now.”
Some goals had already been achieved today.
Since we hadn’t been able to spend time like this lately, there had been thoughts that our relationship might have been strained.
But we had a nice time today, and the atmosphere itself was good, so the twins might have also felt some of their dissatisfaction diminish.
“Oh right.”
At my words, Asena naturally spoke out.
I couldn’t help but doubt that she spoke at this moment in part to thwart my proposal.
I looked at Asena on my lap, whose hair I was stroking with one hand.
“Oppa, do you know the prom is coming soon?”
“Prom?”
But instead of me, Keirsey reacted in surprise.
Asena frowned slightly.
“…Keirsey, how can you forget? It’s political science.”
“Ah, hehe..he...I think I heard it.”
“You haven't memorized these schedules?”
Before Keirsey could get even more scolding, I intervened.
“So, why the prom?”
As if Keirsey felt my consideration, she smiled and hugged me even more tightly.
Asena closed her eyes and sighed.
“…Now I think we have to decide how we’re going to act.”
“Well.”
A prom was, after all, the best place to get to know people. On the prom, one had the opportunity to make allies and enemies alike.
Several families under our control would also come, and there would also be families whom we were not on good terms with… For example, the Ice family will appear, so we had to prepare to some extent.
I wasn’t ignorant of those things either, but I had already left everything regarding politics to the twins.
There was no need for me to suggest any method. I just had to follow the strategy they set up.
“Therefore. How?”
“Let’s not do anything.”
My hand, which was stroking Asena’s hair, stopped.
Even though I didn’t know much… it was still a fairly unfamiliar method.
Would it be inappropriate to say hello to allies and hostile families…?
We would have the chance to meet second-third sons and daughters of various nobles as well, who did not join the politics but were fairly competent.
As I looked at Asena with a confused expression, she added an explanation.
“If you just wait this time, the other families will take care of it. We don’t have to move. I’m the head of the Pryster family. Our position is different from other nobles.”
An understandable answer came quickly.
“Ah. That’s right.”
“Yes.”
At that moment Keirsey opened her eyes a little wide and looked into Asena’s eyes with the sound of ‘Ummm…’.
Asena sighed at the sound and asked.
“…What?”
“…That…Unnie. So are we really going to just sit there and come back?” Keirsey’s eyes scanned me once. “…we wouldn’t even dance?”
Asena, who was lying on my lap, also looked up at me. She pondered for a moment at Keirsey’s words, then shrugged.
“…if we have time, we can dance to just one song with Oppa.”
“Well?” This time it was my turn to tilt my head. “Me?”
“Then would Oppa dance with anyone else? Not with your sisters?”
“No, can I be with someone after you both?”
Asena frowned slightly and stood up.
The moment she stood up blood began to flow through my numbed legs… But Keirsey hurriedly filled the space.
“What do you mean, Oppa?” Asena asked.
“Is it okay to be with Judy for some time, the enemies of Prysters? Because I have something to tell you guys. Without me—”
“—Oppa.” Asena interrupted me.
And as if it was a warning, she said, after getting close enough that I felt her breath.
“…don’t think about breaking up with us at the prom.”
At that moment, Keirsey also cried out—
"Ah..."
—As if she had realized something, she also nodded with an expression as serious as Asena's.
“…That’s right, Oppa. Stick with us at prom.”
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