Cat K | Chapter 36

Bang—!

The door slammed shut.

Calix stood in front of the closed door and smiled blandly.

The youth only opened the door a small crack to snatch the clothes before closing it again as if to say he had no other business here.

He purposely sent the tailor in with the clothes, but it seemed that such tricks wouldn’t succeed so easily. Because he had played by his side all evening, Calix had hoped that the youth might just let him in, but it was plain to see that it was only false hope.

He could sense the blatant shock from the guards behind him.

Since they had just seen their lord receive such a rejection, it seemed fitting. They were at a loss, not knowing if they should break down the door immediately and drag the youth out or if they should act as if they hadn’t seen anything.

Calix stared at the tightly closed door and waited silently. If he guessed right, the youth would definitely open this door again and let him in.



How much time had passed?

The door furtively opened, and the youth’s head peeked out from the crack. His gaze landed on Calix, who was still rooted to the same spot as before, and he narrowed his eyes.

“Kay.”

Calix’s expression brightened as he called the youth’s name, but the other’s narrowed eyes were brimming with doubt and suspicion. For a brief moment, the youth continued to stare at him with a fierce gaze, but then he opened the door a bit wider and nodded his head as if to tell him to enter. Calix strode through the open door before the youth could change his mind.

The room’s interior looked exactly as he had expected.

The clothes he had snatched through the door were strewn all over the bed. Calix could easily tell that he had rushed to try them on.

Having closed the door and walked over to the bed, the youth rummaged through the clothes, glanced at him, went back to rummaging, then glanced at him again. He wanted to say something, but he was loath to open his mouth first because he was currently angry at him. Calix took the clothes in the youth’s hands. The clothes were made of green fabric, which was specifically ordered when they were fitted side by side not long ago.

“Help me try them on.”

The youth was the one who spoke first. He snorted as he said so, putting his arm through the clothes Calix held out, as if gracing him with great generosity.

Many hands were needed just to put on the formal wear. One couldn’t easily put them on and take them off alone. Naturally, the youth who had eagerly tried to put on the clothes gave up in the end. He had been rejected the first time, but it was worth it to send the tailor in. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have the excuse of helping him dress.

After putting on the top, the youth hesitated. It appeared he had seen the pants in Calix’s hand. It hadn’t really mattered for the top since he could put it over the white shirt he was already wearing, but he would need to take off the pants he was wearing to put on the new ones. Now that he was guarded towards ‘that’ sort of thing, it certainly seemed like he didn’t feel comfortable taking off his pants as well.

Calix feigned ignorance and kneeled, holding out the clothes.

A withering look prickled his face. The youth, who had been glaring at him, hardened his resolve and took off the pants he was wearing. He pulled them down all at once and kicked the pants away from around his ankles. Calix looked at this and had the strong feeling it was a warning that he would be kicked away just like that if he even thought of fooling around.

The youth gripped his shoulder. At the sight of the youth’s legs revealed under his shirt, Calix’s eyes narrowed. This was different from how he looked at the youth before, when he was jumping about naked under the moonlight. Likely, it was because the way he saw the youth had changed. To his disappointment, the youth’s legs quickly disappeared into the clothes, and Calix fastened the waist and straightened his clothes for him as though he was indifferent.

The youth, who previously had his guard up tightly, immediately scurried to stand in front of the mirror. Calix slowly went over to the youth’s side, as he stood checking his reflection from every angle. When Calix met those black eyes through the mirror, he saw them turn hostile in an instant. His look was one that was ashamed of himself who had happily played by Calix’s side just a few hours ago.

“Pervert.”

The youth spat out the word.

Pervert, he says. Calix tutted internally as he knelt before the youth. When he reached out to arrange the details on Kay’s clothes, he heard the heavy breathing coming out of the youth’s lips. Coupled with his very quick heartbeat, the youth in front of him seemed tense.

“I’m sorry, Kay.” Calix whispered in a gentle voice.

The animosity faded slightly from the youth’s eyes when he heard the other apologize. Calix seized the opportunity and continued.

“I won’t kiss you without permission anymore, so please don’t be angry anymore.”

As he continued with his gentle apology, the youth’s expression softened to another degree. However, his lips didn’t utter a sound and they remained shut. Calix took the youth’s hands and raised them, lightly pressing his lips to his palms. The youth flinched in surprise at the sensation on his palms and pulled his hands away. Calix looked at his empty hands with a hollow smile.

“Kay. What can I do for you to forgive me?”

The youth seemed to hesitate as he saw the hollow smile on his lips, and he said,

“Yesterday. Why did you do that?” He asked in a brusque voice.

As the question was thrown into the air, his eyes darted away, avoiding Calix’s own gaze. The action was uncharacteristic of the youth. For a bit, he looked in a random direction, then sneaked a glance towards him, and when their eyes would meet his would jerk away to look at something else. Perhaps it was because he was too embarrassed and shy to hear the answer to the question he already knew. Only at this moment was he unable to tell exactly what the youth was thinking.

Calix opened his lips to repeat the words he had said to the youth just a few hours before.

“I did it because I like thee, so I did that without thinking. I couldn’t take my eyes off of thee from the moment I first saw thee.”

He tried to meet his eyes while he was telling him this, but the youth didn’t look his way even once. Calix took hold of his hand as the youth looked away.

“Kay.”

At the sound of his name, the youth slowly looked back to him, before his eyes avoided Calix’s gaze again.

That which he never thought he would have reason to say with his own lips, that which he considered to have nothing to do with himself; he had confessed his feelings. Calix who felt calm just moments ago began to feel unsettled. He hadn’t expected an answer, but as he looked at the youth trying to avoid meeting his eyes, the thought that it might mean rejection appeared in his mind.

He had definitely been confident, but… No, even if the youth might reject him, if he just spent more time and effort, he would definitely fall into his arms. That he would become this anxious over the single worry that he might be rejected…

“Kay.”

Calix called the youth’s name, this time having become truly desperate.

Was it because the youth had felt his desperation? The youth finally met his gaze.

The youth stared at him with a complex look for a while. Then, he gently patted Calix’s shoulder gently and said,

“Lixy, you like me that much?”

Calix smiled and nodded his head.

“Yes. I like thee very much.”

To be exact, what he felt was much more complex and just the word ‘like’ fell far short, but there was no need to mention that. Since it might just scare him away. Even now, it was a situation where he didn’t know if the youth might decide to reject him. It was much safer to approach him more slowly and naturally.

The youth’s gaze was complex, maybe even troubled. It looked like he was feeling conflicted.

A sigh came from his small mouth. The youth patted Calix’s shoulder again,

“I’ll let it go this one time.”

He said benevolently. Then he lifted his clenched fist up to Calix’s face and added,

“But if you do it one more time, you’re dead.”

Calix nodded obediently and replied.

“I won’t do it again without your permission, so do not worry.”

So…without permission, that is.

The youth nodded, having no way of knowing Calix’s inner thoughts.

“And…”

The youth stopped his sentence short and abruptly turned, and with his back to Calix, continued.

“That, what you said about liking me…”

The youth slightly lowered his head as he stood facing away from him. It seemed that he didn’t want to show his face, but, well. Though he stood with his back to Calix, it appeared he had completely forgotten he was now facing the mirror. Over the youth’s shoulder, he could plainly see his lightly flushed cheeks reflected in the mirror.

“That…I’ll make sure to…think about it…for a bit.”

As he finished his sentence, ‘Dammit,’ he grumbled and rubbed his flushed cheeks with the back of his hand. He spun around and glared at him snappishly.

“So be thankful!”

He yelled.

Calix clasped the hand of the youth who was repeatedly mumbling, ‘Dammit. How humiliating. Dammit,’ and gently smiled.

“Thank you, Kay.”

At his words, the youth began furiously rubbing his cheeks again. If he went on like this, he might end up throwing a fit. Worried he might take back what he said about ‘thinking about’ his confession, Calix took the youth’s hand and led him to the bed where other outfits were spread out.

As he had hoped, the youth’s face brightened when he saw the clothes.

“You will go with me to the ball tomorrow, yes?”

Calix asked the youth who was fiddling with his new clothes. In case the youth might worry, he added,

“I’m planning on going to the ball and coming back late at night to take a short rest/nap. I think it would be good to meet after that and go together.”

When he brought up this short window where Kay could steal his nightly kiss, the youth nodded eagerly. Calix held out the new clothes to try on to the youth whose mood had quickly improved.

The youth was full with anticipation, but he was not the only one looking forward to tomorrow. Hadn’t he said it himself? That he would ‘think about it’. Since today he had forgiven Calix, perhaps tomorrow he would….

Calix smiled to himself as he watched the excited youth.

Wowowowowow Calix finally confessed to K!!!! *squealing* I’m looking forward to whatever ridiculousness goes down at the ball, and I hope K’s heart flutters at the sight of his handsome Sugar Prince! (Also, what a long chapter OTL I nearly died while typing this up holy crap…)

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