by misacchi
Even while reading and savoring Rudin's messages one by one like this, Calevik didn't reply to him in order to not get any closer to him.
The biggest reason was his stepmother Charlotte, who moved even faster than Calevik had expected. A few days ago, Calevik had squeezed Bernard to get the results of Rudin's background check.
"Hand it over immediately."
Hearing Calevik's cold words, Bernard tried to deny it as always.
"What are you talking about, young master?"
"The Rudin Greenwood report."
"Haha… I have no idea what you mean…"
"Don't pretend you don't know. You already investigated him and gave it to that woman."
Bernard flinched at the coldly glaring eyes. Even though he had been assisting Calevik for over three years, he never seemed to get used to him being genuinely angry.
"Please calm down, young master. I, well… the truth is, Rudin Greenwood is such an ordinary commoner that the investigation results weren't very substantial."
"Don't make me say it twice."
The awkward smile that had been on Bernard's face disappeared.
In fact, other than his strange clothes and lackadaisical school life, Calevik didn't have many elements to criticize. He hated people, so he had no social life, and in his free time, he either stayed home alone or exercised, so his private life was so clean it was almost ascetic.
While other chaebol secretaries were fighting battles to clean up after their employers' children's drug use, abuse of power, gambling, assault, and promiscuous sex lives, Bernard was just filling the refrigerator with fresh ingredients, so compared to them, it was as good as getting paid for nothing.
But his sweet secretary life also had a fatal flaw, which was that he often felt his life was threatened by his master.
The White Tigercat was truly terrifying. When Calevik Roshaff Alstadt was angry, a blue aura like smoke emanated from his body. It was as chilling as dry ice. The fear that he would transform into a dazzling white tiger over 3 meters long and bite his neck off in an instant sent shivers down the other person's spine.
If Bernard was murdered by Calevik, how would Charlotte Emma Alstadt react?
No matter how much she hated and despised the illegitimate child, as long as he bore the name 'Alstadt,' she would never allow her stepson to tarnish the family's honor with the label of murderer.
She would grind Bernard's torn remains into even smaller pieces, scatter them in a deep mountain valley or the vast ocean, and then hire a new loyal dog as if nothing had happened to continue monitoring Calevik.
Bernard was easily replaceable. But Calevik was not. Therefore, in order for Bernard to survive, he had to cater to not only Charlotte but also Calevik's whims to a considerable extent.
Everyone only had one life. If the price of pledging allegiance to one side was being brutally murdered, then it was right to aim for survival, even if it meant becoming a bat.
"…I will send it to you right away."
Thus, the results of Rudin's background check came into Calevik's hands.
After kicking Bernard out, Calevik sprawled on the sofa alone and read the report on his tablet. Rudin's photo was there, along with his name, age, species, place of origin, family relations, education, and so on.
Calevik's gaze, which had been skimming down indifferently, reached the 'Notes' section.
○Notes
-Height 173cm, weight 58kg, on the frail side. Small face, looks younger than his age, and cannot hide his ears and tail, so he always shows them.
-Timid and quiet personality, but extremely enthusiastic about the fashion field to the point of not caring about anything else.
-Good at drawing and has good manual dexterity, so he is good at making various things. Received awards several times in drawing contests during elementary school.
-Has been very good at using sewing machines since he was young and was famous in the neighborhood as a 'sewing prodigy.'
-It seems that his family thoroughly protected him to the point that no one in the neighborhood knows that he is a Snicat. As a result of inquiries, residents knew the reason why Rudin did not go on to middle or high school as 'he had heart surgery when he was young and was physically weak.'
-No dating experience. Has never dated anyone, even lightly.
-Worked as a cleaning part-timer at the FDS new academic building from December of last year to February of this year. Received good evaluations from the management staff for working very diligently and steadily.
-The entire family is moral and law-abiding. There is not even a history of imposing small fines. Sibling relationship is deep, and the family is harmonious.
-The parents' assets are insignificant, but there are no debts. Own a two-story building in Plemil under the joint name of the parents (the first floor is a laundromat, the second floor is their own home). There has been no recent need for a large sum of money for Rudin himself or his family. Although we need to watch a little more, there are no signs yet that he deliberately approached the young master for the purpose of property or status advancement, marriage, or pregnancy.
-Favorite food: freshly baked bread, grilled fish
-Disliked food: citrus fruits
-Hobbies: drawing fashion illustrations, reading fashion magazines and design-related books
-Special skills: sewing, making doll clothes
-Weak areas: cooking, all kinds of sports
-Friendships: No particularly close friends (seems to have chosen isolation to avoid being exposed as a Snicat). No close classmates at FDS either. Was openly bullied by classmates Mikhail Schneider and Cresus Valdemar, and is treated almost like an invisible man by the rest of the students.
-Relationship with the young master: On the day of forming teams in the 'Men's Clothing Pattern Practice' course, the young master was late, so he was grouped with Rudin, who was left alone. There seems to be no other acquaintance. However, considering that the young master turned off the CCTV in front of the elevator and front door on the day they went to the Adellieg boutique together, it is highly likely that Rudin entered the young master's house for some reason that day.
-Latest information: The young master happened to discover and rescue Rudin Greenwood from being dragged away and sexually assaulted by the aforementioned Schneider and Valdemar, and even went to the police station himself to give a witness statement. However, they have not met separately since this incident, and their relationship has not become particularly close.
-Conclusion: The young master does not have a strong sense of justice or an meddlesome personality at all, but it is presumed that he reluctantly helped because he is not cruel enough to turn a blind eye to a classmate being sexually assaulted in front of him. Looking at it from any angle, it does not seem likely that the relationship will progress any further than this.
Calevik's impression after reading the one-page report was that it was 'quite objective for something written by his mother's loyal dog.'
He didn't know when, where, or who Bernard had asked, but he didn't write any false facts or make any unreasonable claims. The contempt for digging up other people's secrets like a rat and handing them over hadn't disappeared, but at least he had to admit that it didn't contain any lies.
More than that, the part that subtly caught Calevik's eye was Rudin's taste. The fact that he 'liked freshly baked bread and grilled fish and disliked citrus fruits' was so similar to someone Calevik remembered that he couldn't tell if it was a coincidence or a common characteristic of Snicats.
It was also interesting that his and Rudin's special skills and weak areas were complementary. Calevik was terrible at drawing or making things, but he showed outstanding talent in cooking and sports, while Rudin was exactly the opposite.
In any case, knowing full well that his and Rudin's every move was being monitored, documented, and reported, it was difficult for Calevik to reply warmly to Rudin's messages.
Rudin obviously didn't know, but he was being investigated solely because of Calevik. How unpleasant would it be if he knew all these facts? So, for Calevik, the only way to let Rudin live peacefully was to keep him as far away from himself as possible.
That's why he tried his best not to run into him at school either…
But to think that they would end up going on a 6-night, 7-day overseas volunteer activity together.
For some reason, he had a nagging feeling that Kwangbeom was constantly trying to put them together from behind the scenes, but there was no evidence. Rudin had applied before Calevik, and Calevik was the only student in the school without any volunteer activity record, so it wasn't far-fetched that the two of them were going. So he couldn't just blame Kwangbeom recklessly.
I don't know. It'll work out somehow.
Calevik didn't tell Bernard about this trip to Aviria. He was planning to pack quickly the night before leaving and head to the airport leisurely in the morning. He would also leave his cell phone at home.
Since Calevik didn't need to book the plane ticket or accommodation, Bernard wouldn't know anything about it. Then, only after Calevik left would he hurriedly grasp the situation through the contact of the bodyguards and sweat profusely while reporting to his stepmother. Charlotte would lash out, saying, 'What have you been doing that you didn't even know the child had left the country?'
The thought of the two of them being so flustered made the lousy volunteer activity feel a little bit positive. Calevik smirked, raising one corner of his mouth.
Rudin looked around the inside of the airport terminal with a pounding heart. The airport was very crowded with many people going abroad for the Golden Week holiday.
Although he was going to do volunteer work, it was his first time going abroad, so he was quite nervous. When he thought back to his childhood, when he had to go to the hospital all the time, it felt like a dream that he had grown into a healthy and respectable adult and was going abroad. He was grateful for every single day.
That was why he had applied for volunteer work.
His parents told him that he must have had a hard time living with superior species in an unfamiliar environment, so they told him to come home and rest during the holiday. Rudin had originally intended to do so, but after seeing the volunteer recruitment notice and promotional video, he changed his mind.
He felt very sorry for the people who had lost their homes and had their daily lives destroyed by the earthquake, especially the children. The children in the video were wearing clothes that didn't fit them and looked uncomfortable.
Although he was physically weak, he felt that there must be something he could contribute to the poor children. He felt that helping people in need would be much more rewarding than just resting comfortably.
It was a holiday, so it wouldn't interfere with classes, and it was right after the midterm exams, so the timing was good. The flights and accommodation were all supported, so there was no separate cost. The volunteer work record required for graduation would also be filled at once, so it was a win-win situation. On the sixth day, during the free time given, he was planning to tour Bird City, the capital of Aviria, and visit the Costume Museum.
And so, at this time, Rudin was at the Cairn First International Airport departure counter, which was the meeting place. However, another participant who had applied from FDS had not yet arrived. He didn't know who it was, but it was almost time to go through the procedures, so he was worried as a fellow student from the same school that they wouldn't be late.
"Philadia Design School, student Rudin Greenwood!"
Rudin's cat ears reacted first to the sound of his name and turned around. Rudin, who quickly raised his hand and responded, approached the staff member from the organizer and received his share of the plane ticket.
"I wonder if your classmate hasn't arrived yet?"
Rudin nodded at the staff member's question.
"Yes. I think so. But actually, I don't know who that person is. If you have their contact information, should I give them a call?"
"I would appreciate it if you could. Just a moment, that student's name is…"
The staff member was rummaging through the list when suddenly there was a loud commotion in the distance. Rudin, who reflexively turned around, widened his eyes as if they would pop out.
A man who was a head taller than the others was walking towards them. As he passed, the crowd parted to the left and right as if the sea was parting, and a path was automatically created. Everyone was taking out their cell phones and taking pictures of him.
"Calevik…?"
Rudin muttered blankly. Calevik, wearing a flashy floral-patterned tracksuit that he had worn to school, was dragging a black carrier towards them.
"What, isn't that the youngest son of the Alstadt Family?"
"Oh my god, he's so handsome!"
"Look at his proportions. Isn't that crazy?"
"Wow, is this a dream or reality?"
"He doesn't seem like a human…"
As Calevik got closer, exclamations burst out around Rudin. Even though he had seen him for months and often admired him up close, he felt a new wonder every time at the sanctity of that outer shell, and Rudin fully sympathized with the tremendous shock felt by those who were encountering Calevik's real appearance for the first time.
But why was Calevik at the airport? Surely he wasn't coming here. He was the person who was the least associated with the word 'volunteer work' in the entire school. Rudin thought that Calevik would naturally board the first class of another plane and leave for a luxurious resort.
"That person is Calevik Roshaff Alstadt, right?"
Rudin came to his senses at the words of the staff member who was standing next to him.
"Ah, yes, yes. That's right. He's probably going somewhere to play…"
"Student Calevik! Over here, over here!"
The staff member, who was half-listening to Rudin's words, raised his hand high and called out to Calevik in a loud voice. A large shadow fell over Rudin's startled body.
"Thank you so much for applying for volunteer work! Fortunately, you arrived just in time. Here's your plane ticket."
Calevik received the plane ticket with a blunt face. Rudin was so surprised that both his cat ears and tail were standing straight up. Calevik, who glanced at him stiffening with his mouth wide open, frowned.
"What."
Rudin, who quickly came to his senses, instinctively shrank back at the Tigercat's power, but cautiously asked.
"Ah, no… did you really apply for volunteer work?"
"So what."
Looking at Calevik's face, it was full of dissatisfaction. Rudin, being as careful as possible with his tone so as not to sound teasing, whispered in a small voice.
"Did someone at school make you come here as a requirement? Like a professor or something."
"...."
Calevik didn't answer. Rudin knew well by now that his silence usually meant an affirmation he didn't want to admit.
"Because of graduation requirements?"
"Yeah."
Only then could Rudin understand why Calevik had shown up here. Although Calevik wasn't exactly the most comfortable person to be around, he figured he'd be better than a complete stranger, so Rudin relaxed his stiff face and smiled.
"I'm a little surprised, but I'm glad we're going together. Let's have a good trip."
Calevik made a sound like air escaping through his nose. But Rudin could tell that he wasn't mocking or despising him.
It might just be his imagination, but Calevik's attitude was different from how other superior species treated Rudin like he was invisible.
It was a little unfortunate that Calevik ignored him or tried to avoid him, but it didn't make him feel bad. To put it in perspective, Calevik's behavior felt more like an introverted person being overly shy and unintentionally acting cold.
Even if that wasn't the case, it was clear that Calevik wasn't treating him that way just because Rudin was a Pussycat, or rather, a Snicat. Calevik showed the same attitude to everyone, regardless of status, situation, or position, so it was more accurate to say that he was treating Rudin the same as everyone else. In a way, he was a very egalitarian guy.
"Are you immigrating?"
Calevik muttered, glancing sideways at the suitcase that was half-obscuring Rudin's body. Most other people had brought small carry-on suitcases, but Rudin's bag was particularly large, looking to be at least 30 inches.
"Oh, I brought a big one to fit my sewing machine."
Calevik's eyebrows twitched at Rudin's unexpected answer.
"Why a sewing machine?"
"I saw on the news and in videos that children in disaster areas were lacking clothes and wearing ill-fitting ones haphazardly. I want to fix those clothes to be more comfortable if possible, but I'm not sure if I can get a sewing machine over there, so I brought mine."
While Calevik was cursing Kwangbeom under his breath and packing his luggage in 10 minutes, Rudin had apparently been thinking about that and packing a sewing machine. Calevik, who had never even thought of such a thing, quietly shut his mouth.
"And I brought as many of the stuffed animals I made as I could fit. I know some people might say, 'What's the point of dolls in that situation?' and call it useless… but I thought cute and cuddly dolls might be comforting to the children."
Seeing Rudin's sheepish face, Calevik's tone became unintentionally blunt, as if something was stuck in a corner of his heart.
"What if they fight over them?"
Before the words were even finished, Rudin looked up at him sharply, making Calevik flinch involuntarily. His small, pale face was filled with anxiety.
"Will they…? What if it causes trouble for the kids who are already in a difficult situation…?"
He seemed like the type to worry about everything, one way or another, making life seem exhausting. No wonder he couldn't gain weight.
"If something like that happens, I'll cut back on sleep and make a few more small ones…"
Rudin muttered to himself.
What a difficult way to live. Completely forgetting that he was the one who had thrown a stone into the calm waters and caused ripples, Calevik brazenly snorted.
"Everyone has arrived, so we will be moving to the departure hall shortly! Those who want to check in their luggage, please bring it this way!"
At the staff's shout, Rudin dragged his suitcase and trudged along. After checking in the large suitcase, he was left with only a small crossbody bag, making his body feel much lighter.
While they were checking their belongings after entering the departure hall, Calevik remained silent. Seeing his bewildered expression, Rudin suddenly realized something.
"Calevik, have you ever traveled abroad before?"
Calevik nodded in affirmation. Rudin asked him again.
"Have you ever stood in line this long?"
"…No."
Just as he thought. Rudin chuckled inwardly. Calevik's face, seeing the long, winding line like an endless snake, looked more surprised than Rudin himself, who was flying for the first time, so he asked just in case, and it was just as he suspected. This ordinary and common experience was actually a first for Calevik, who was a chaebol.
After completing the security check, they passed through the metal detector, got their passports stamped, and came out. The organizer gathered the participants and announced.
"Boarding will begin in one hour at Gate 15. Feel free to look around, but please gather on time!"
As soon as the announcement was over, the participants scattered in groups of twos and threes to look around the duty-free shops.
Calevik, left alone with Rudin, had the same bewildered expression as before. Curious, Rudin asked him.
"What did you usually do before boarding a plane?"
After a moment of silence, Calevik answered with a rare embarrassed expression.
"I either came just in time for boarding, or if I came early, I went to the lounge…"
In fact, Calevik used a VIP-only lounge, not a regular one. He never had to wait in long lines or wander around aimlessly to kill time, no matter where he traveled.
"So today's experience is a first for you?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's go sightseeing together. It's an opportunity you might never have again."
Calevik's face was expressionless, making it difficult to gauge his mood. Meanwhile, Rudin realized that the gazes of people passing by were sharply focused on Calevik, and he spoke again.
"Ah… no, never mind. Sorry. I didn't think about how uncomfortable it would be for you because people are staring at you too much. Should we just find a quiet place in a corner and sit still?"
Calevik inadvertently looked down at Rudin. His small, pale face and clear, transparent amber eyes were full of concern.
Since losing his mother, had anyone ever worried about him so purely?
Those who didn't know him blindly praised or envied his glamorous appearance and status as the youngest son of a chaebol family. Those who knew him even a little often glanced at him with disdain for living a lazy and meaningless life despite having all the enviable conditions.
Perhaps that was why Rudin's worried gaze felt so unfamiliar to Calevik.
"It's okay. It's not like it's been just a day or two."
He was used to people's gazes. He had given up on individually stopping people from taking photos or videos. It was difficult to filter out even those who kept them for personal use, and if they uploaded them somewhere, the Alstadt legal team would handle it immediately, so it didn't matter.
"What do you want to do?"
When Calevik passed the choice to him, Rudin rummaged in his jeans pocket and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper as if he had been waiting for it.
"I wrote down the duty-free shops I want to look around in advance. I don't know when I'll be able to go abroad again. I want to go to a doll store called 'I'm Your Bunny' first. Do you want to come with me? I really want to get a doll keyring that they only sell at this Cairn International Airport branch."
Rudin's face was full of anticipation and excitement, having put his worries aside.
Two adult men in a doll store. Calevik felt dizzy, but he thought it would be even harder to endure people's gazes if he let Rudin go and stayed alone. He reluctantly followed Rudin.
As soon as Rudin entered the doll store, he busily wandered around every corner of the store. Calevik, who had no interest in dolls, went straight to the resting chair in the center and sprawled out. At that moment, a man approached Calevik.
"Excuse me, sir. If you have some time, would you like to touch our most popular doll?"
The man, who seemed to be the store owner, was holding a large rabbit doll. The owner, undeterred by Calevik's bewildered expression, suddenly placed the rabbit in his arms.
"This is 'Shubunny,' the most popular character in our store. It's comforting to hold. Please try it for just 5 minutes!"
Unable to throw the doll in front of the owner's smiling face, Calevik reluctantly held the doll with a nonchalant expression. People passing by soon discovered him and began to buzz.
"What is it? Are they shooting a 'I'm Your Bunny' pictorial?"
"Who's the model? He's so handsome."
"His clothes are terrible, but his face is divine."
The store was packed inside and out with people who had gathered to see Calevik. Regardless, Calevik stroked Shubunny with a soulless touch.
Customers who rushed in from outside started buying Shubunny-s of all types that Cale was holding. Not long after, all the Shubunny-s filling the store corners and even the stock in the warehouse were completely sold out.
Fortunately, Rudin had already put a large, soft Shubunny keyring wearing a pilot's uniform in his shopping basket, so he was able to buy it safely. Thanks to Cale, the shop owner achieved a week's worth of sales in just half an hour. As Cale left the store, the owner bowed at a 90-degree angle to him.
After leaving I'm Your Bunny, Rudin and Cale visited a few luxury brand stores. Rudin didn't go inside, just window shopping from the outside. When Cale asked why, Rudin said he felt bad about receiving staff attention when he wasn't going to buy anything anyway.
Why worry about people employed to attend to customers whether they buy or not? It was a mindset Cale couldn't understand at all.
He could have offered to buy something so they could go in together, but it seemed like too much, so Cale just stood blankly next to Rudin, who was staring intently at the window displays. As a result, the luxury store staff who had hoped Cale might come in were greatly disappointed, though neither Rudin nor Cale realized this.
Before they knew it, the hour that seemed like it would be boring had quickly passed. Rudin and Cale moved to Gate 15 in time for boarding. When they finally boarded the plane after waiting at the end of a long line, Rudin saw the most dumbfounded expression he'd ever seen on Cale's face.
"Huh, what kind of seats…"
Cale's tiny mumble was only audible to Rudin. The tightly packed seats looked kindergarten-sized to Cale's eyes. The thought of cramming his body into this space for four or five hours was already dizzying.
The seats were arranged with two on each side by the windows, and four in a row in the middle. Rudin and Cale's seats were in the left row, with Rudin by the window and Cale on the aisle side.
As soon as he confirmed his window seat, Rudin's pupils dilated and his ears and tail perked up. He was about to quickly sit down when he suddenly glanced at Cale's towering upper body standing beside him. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Rudin lowered his ears and asked slowly:
"If you want the window seat, we can… switch?"
Cale, who inadvertently looked down at Rudin, almost laughed out loud. Rudin's face clearly said, 'I absolutely don't want to switch.'
He had asked out of courtesy, worried that Cale might be uncomfortable with the seat, but the anxiety of what if he really asked to switch was evident in Rudin's expression. Seeing even his cat ears turn back sharply for saying something he didn't mean, it was clear how desperately he wanted to keep the window seat.
"That's good. Works out well."
Although he had no desire to sit in the inner seat when he was already feeling cramped, Cale ended up saying this out of curiosity about the reaction.
The moment their eyes met as Cale brazenly turned his head, Rudin made a strange sound like "Hiyak," like a hiss. Cale's throat tickled as he tried to hold back laughter at Rudin's inability to hide his disappointment, even though he couldn't take back his words.
"…You go in first."
Rudin mumbled reluctantly, his mouth stretched wide. Cale, who had barely managed to compose his expression by swallowing hard, replied:
"It's fine. I was just saying."
"Don't you want to see the outside view up close too?"
"You think I haven't seen it before? Besides, I absolutely can't sit on the inside in places like this."
"Why not?"
"It's suffocating."
"I don't find it suffocating at all."
"That's why I'm telling you to sit there."
Cale ended the seating debate by forcibly pushing Rudin in. As soon as he sat by the window, Rudin's face instantly became as bright as usual.
As Cale struggled to cram his broad upper body into the narrow seat, Rudin took out a small medicine bottle and poured it into his mouth.
"What's that?"
Rudin swallowed what was in his mouth at Cale's words and answered:
"This? Motion sickness medicine."
"What motion sickness, on a plane?"
"I tend to get pretty bad motion sickness, so I took it just in case. It's my first time on a plane."
How could someone not have been on a plane by age twenty-six? Since Filadia was quite a large country with many domestic flights, Cale found it hard to understand Rudin's words.
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"I was very weak as a child and even had heart surgery. My parents always took me on trips close to home, worried it might be too much for me."
"…"
"I got better as I grew up and I'm healthy now. I'm nervous about my first overseas trip, but it's nice to have someone I know here."
Rudin smiled with his eyes. Come to think of it, Rudin wasn't a bad travel companion for Cale either. Considering that they were moving as a group and he couldn't take individual actions like changing plane seats no matter how much money he had, it was fortunate that he didn't have to endure curious glances and barrages of questions from complete strangers.
As the plane started moving for takeoff, Rudin quickly pulled something out of his pocket. Hearing the rustling sound, Cale looked over to see him unwrapping a candy with a plum picture on it.
"They say you should eat candy during takeoff to prevent your ears from getting blocked. Want one?"
Cale shook his head indifferently. He thought it must be quite tiring to live so meticulously prepared for everything.
As the sprint for takeoff began, Rudin gripped both armrests of his seat tightly. Seeing him frozen still while frantically rolling the candy around in his mouth, Cale had to clench his molars to keep from laughing.
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When the risen plane reached a stable altitude, the seatbelt sign turned off. Cale immediately unbuckled his uncomfortable belt, but Rudin kept his on while looking at the outside view through the window.
"Wow…"
The weather on the ground today had been cloudy with lots of clouds, but as they rose into the sky, all those clouds had become a white, fluffy carpet. Rudin gazed in awe at the endless expanse of white clouds under the bright blue sky.
"It's so beautiful… Oh right, a photo!"
After staring for a while, Rudin hurriedly took out his phone and held it up to the window. He had promised to send daily greetings and many photos to his family group chat. He hoped to someday see this wonderful view with his family.
After thoroughly enjoying the outside view, Rudin took out a small pocket book from his crossbody bag and opened it.
[Um… My name is Rudin Greenwood. What is your name?]
[I am twenty-six years old. May I ask how old you are?]
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[I am a Pussy Cat. A Pussy Cat is a cat. What species are you?]
The words Rudin was muttering very quietly were clearly audible to Cale's exceptional hearing.
The sentences Rudin was repeating were basic Abirian conversational expressions. Judging by how the last part always ended in a question, it seemed he was practicing to converse with Abirian children.
[My hobby is making doll clothes. What is your hobby?]
Suddenly the volume of his voice increased, and Cale glanced over. Rudin was looking at Cale with a playful expression. He seemed curious if Cale understood Abirian.
[Eat, sleep, lie down.]
When Cale answered, Rudin looked surprised. He muttered the vocabulary Cale had used while frantically flipping through the essential word list in his pocket book. It seemed he hadn't understood a single word, even though Cale had used simple expressions.
"How are you going to have a conversation with that level? Use your phone's translator."
At Cale's cold words, Rudin made a sad face.
"I guess I'll have to. I wanted to try talking to the kids on my own. But what did you say just now?"
Seeing his very curious face made Cale want to tease him, so he replied arrogantly:
"Figure it out yourself."
"Ugh, how unkind. [Eat, sleep, lie down…] I should write it down so I don't forget."
Imagining how dumbfounded Rudin would be after diligently studying and figuring out the meanings of those words made Calevik chuckle. Trying to maintain his composure, Calevik asked Rudin, as if he had suddenly remembered, "By the way, are you good at Avirian?"
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Calevik was born in Aviria and lived there for five years. He spoke Feladian with his mother and Avirian with his nanny and others, so he learned both languages simultaneously.
Even after returning to Feladia, he continued to learn difficult languages. Foreign languages were essential for the upper class in Feladia, even if they weren't born abroad. In addition to the two languages he already knew, Calevik was forced to learn a total of five languages: Canidian, Reptilia, and the language of Amphibia, the country of amphibian beastmen.
"Not really."
In truth, he was fluent enough to understand dialects, but he had no desire to show off, so Calevik replied curtly.
His adoptive mother, Charlotte, had defined five-year-old Calevik as a 'thoroughly vulgar savage brat.' By her order to possess the minimum level of refinement that a member of the nation's most prestigious family should inherently have, Calevik had to follow a tightly packed schedule from six in the morning until one in the morning.
The driving force that allowed Calevik to survive in the suffocating and despairing atmosphere was the hope of reuniting with his mother, and nothing else. But now, even that had crumbled due to his biological father's words that his mother had died.
[I feel something special for you. From the moment I first saw you, my heart was captured by you, and my mind is filled with thoughts of you. You are my destined person. I will give you my heart. Can you join me on the long and arduous journey of life?]
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While Calevik was lost in thought, he heard Avirian spoken with a clumsy pronunciation. Startled, he quickly turned his head.
"What the hell are you saying, it's creepy."
Seeing Calevik's fierce expression, Rudin covered half of his face with his pocketbook and chuckled.
"Why? It was just about going to do volunteer work diligently?"
"Don't talk nonsense."
Calevik snatched the pocketbook from Rudin and found the phrase Rudin had just recited on the open page. There was a note that read, 'Famous line from the Avirian movie "I'll Fly Beyond the Boundaries of Time".'
"You're good at Avirian, huh? If it's hard to understand what the kids are saying, I'll have to ask you to translate."
Rudin took the pocketbook back from Calevik's hand. Calevik snorted in disbelief.
"What makes you think I'd do that?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"How do you know I won't twist what the kids say and pass it on?"
Rudin was shocked by the villainous words and gaped.
"W-what good would that do you?"
"I can do that kind of thing even if there's no benefit. I can laugh while watching you get tricked."
"I don't think you're that bad of a person."
"What do you know?"
Some people harass others simply because they're bored. Sometimes that act doesn't end until the victim dies. So, under no circumstances should one trust humans too much.
Calevik believed that it wasn't that he was paranoid, but that Rudin was foolishly naive for his age.
"Hmm…."
After narrowing his eyes and thinking for a moment, Rudin opened the pocketbook again.
[You are my destined person. I will give you my heart…]
"Ah, stop it."
Calevik cringed at Rudin, who was nonchalantly reciting the same phrase again. Rudin grinned and finally closed the pocketbook.
"You really can't stand these kinds of words, can you? Is it that cheesy?"
"It's disgusting. What do you mean, 'give'?"
"I thought you'd be used to it. I figured you'd have received a lot of confessions."
Confessions. Calevik hated many human actions, but the one he loathed most was love confessions directed at him.
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Just because someone's appearance is a little pleasing, can they say they like, love, or want to date a person they don't even know properly? In a world where the story of a tall, handsome, and kind person turning out to be a serial killer isn't just something in dramas, how fearless can they be?
Calevik knew some psychopaths among the children of wealthy families. They only looked good on the outside, but inside they were rotten and stinking. They gathered in groups to engage in drugs and prostitution, and if there was anyone around who seemed decent, they would try to drag them in and make them accomplices.
In Calevik's case, he was a superior species and the son of the nation's most prestigious family, so even if he ignored and distanced himself from those groups, they couldn't dare to do anything. However, those who were not superior to them in lineage or wealth had no choice but to obey them.
You never know what might happen if you judge people by their appearance alone. That's why Calevik felt nauseous with discomfort whenever he faced people who approached him saying they liked him just because of his looks and status. What do they know about me to talk about love?
Moreover, a confession, by its very nature, could never be free. The moment Calevik accepted their feelings, he would also create a debtor relationship in which he would have to give them a lot emotionally.
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That was no different from extracting all the little moisture left in Calevik's already dry and desolate desert-like interior.
For that reason, Calevik had been trying to block confessions from the source for some time. He never went out when someone called him with an atmosphere that seemed like they were going to confess. If he received messages or emails, he deleted them without reading them, and if there were letters or gifts in his desk drawer, he threw them in the trash without opening them.
When he didn't accept confessions even from pretty women with good backgrounds, rumors initially spread that Calevik was gay. However, since he didn't associate with men at all either, the theory of 'misanthropy' began to be accepted as more credible.
Then, now, with the 'desire to not let anyone have him if I can't have him' mentality, a tacit solidarity was formed to support Calevik's misanthropic life.
"Not really."
It wasn't a lie. It was closer to stomping on or cutting off the sprouts, but officially, he had hardly ever received a confession.
"Really? That's surprising."
Rudin tilted his head with his cat ears perked up and yawned widely, covering his mouth with his hand. Calevik glanced over and saw that his large amber eyes were half-glazed over.
"Actually, I didn't sleep much last night. I couldn't believe I was going abroad on a plane for the first time, and I was nervous… And the motion sickness medicine I took earlier has some drowsy ingredients."
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Embarrassed by yawning so widely, Rudin rattled off TMI that Calevik hadn't even asked about. When Calevik didn't respond, Rudin looked out the window for a moment and soon began to nod off.
After swaying back and forth for a while, Rudin's head fell onto Calevik's shoulder. It was absurd how he made himself comfortable as if it were his pillow after just touching it once.
Calevik's sturdy Tigercat shoulder could easily support the head of a small Pussycat, but the problem was those ears. Rudin's cat ears, covered in soft downy hair, kept brushing against his neck, making Calevik feel strange. He didn't really want to admit it, but it felt softer and more comfortable than the 'comforting Shubunny' he had been forced to hold at the airport earlier.
Seeing Rudin sleeping so soundly like a cat on its owner's lap made Calevik feel strangely annoyed.
Would he have fallen asleep so defenselessly if someone else had been sitting next to him instead of Calevik? Why doesn't he guard against and suspect people more thoroughly? And why am I so annoyed by whether he does or not?
Perhaps his mother was also caught in the clutches of a piece of trash like his father because she trusted people and was kind. As that thought crossed his mind, Calevik's expression became even more fierce.
Meanwhile, the Feladian people on the same flight as them were busy posting sightings of Calevik on 'Story Board,' an internet site where people shared various stories.
[His face is radiant, I thought a god of beauty had descended from the sky, I overheard that he's going to do volunteer work, I saw him sitting with a doll at I'm Your Bunny and thought he was a newly signed advertising model, he's a chaebol but he's using economy class with other college students, when I looked from behind, a third of his shoulders were sticking out from the backrest, his legs are so long that I'm worried they'll get numb from being folded, there's a skinny Pussycat sitting next to him, I think they've known each other for a while….]
Various stories were being posted in real-time, and most of them ranked high in the popular posts on Story Board.
It was exactly one hour later that Bernard, who had been thrown into a panic upon learning that Calevik had left the country, reported it to Charlotte with a pale face.
by misacchi
"Volunteers from Feladia University, thank you for coming all the way here. We greatly welcome and appreciate you. There are many residents here who need a helping hand. We would be grateful if you could divide up the roles and lend your assistance."
The representative of the Aviria NGO, who is in charge of overseeing the volunteer groups from various countries, spoke in fluent Feladian. He was a handsome beastman, a falcon, with a tall stature, sharp eyes, and a face that gave off a raptor-like impression. Rudin nudged Calevik and whispered in a very small voice.
"Calevik, do you think that guy can fly?"
"He's a falcon. Of course, he can fly."
"That would be so cool."
Calevik's brow furrowed slightly. It's not like he'd fly in human form, and if he transformed into an animal, he'd just be a bird. What's so cool about that?
"The temporary buildings over there are the temporary shelters for the displaced residents. The children mainly gather there, and the adults are working to rebuild the village. You can work in any field you want, such as cleaning the village, preparing meals, organizing relief supplies, or taking care of the children."
At the falcon beastman's words, the volunteers decided on the fields they wanted to work in and applied. As Calevik and Rudin were wondering where to volunteer, large beastmen approached from the other side. A middle-aged man who seemed to be an eagle beastman shouted at the falcon beastman in Abirian.
[Yo, Falcon! That big guy over there looks like he can use his strength. Put him on the building repair team.]
The 'big guy who looks like he can use his strength' that the eagle beastman was pointing at was Calevik.
[We don't usually recommend building repairs to volunteers because it's physical labor and they could get hurt.]
[Ah, we'll take good care of him so he doesn't get hurt. The guy who used to do errands is away for a few days, so we really need the help. Just let us take this one.]
At the eagle beastman's repeated requests, the falcon beastman, called 'Falcon', checked the name tag around Calevik's neck and asked.
"Calevik, would you be willing to help with building repairs? The people on-site say they just need help with errands."
"Yes."
Calevik didn't dislike jobs where he could just shut his mouth and use his body, so he readily walked towards the eagle beastman. The falcon beastman said to Rudin.
"Rudin, would you like to do the same work as your friend?"
Rudin, who seemed to understand the Feladian through context, didn't even get a chance to answer before the eagle beastman waved his hand and interjected.
[No, that guy can't do it. He looks too weak to handle manual labor. Send him to the relief supplies area or have him play with the kids.]
"He says you look too weak to do building repairs, Rudin."
The falcon beastman conveyed with an awkward smile. Only Calevik, who was suddenly deemed fit for 'manual labor', went to the building repair site with the eagle beastman. Rudin, who takes a long time to adapt to new environments, said worriedly.
"Calevik, should I just say I'll go there too? I'm pretty strong in my own way…."
Seeing Rudin looking up at him with an anxious face like a child separated from his mother, Calevik felt a strange twinge deep inside his heart. To shake off the strange feeling, Calevik retorted bluntly.
"Why did you bring your sewing machine if you were going to do manual labor?"
"Oh, right."
Rudin's cat ears drooped dejectedly.
You can do things for the children that I can't do. You even practiced conversation to talk to the children. So, you can do something much more rewarding than carrying cement bags…
Warm words that he couldn't bring himself to say swirled around in Calevik's mouth.
"Go to the kids."
"Okay…."
"…They'll like your dolls."
That was the best he could manage to say. Even so, Rudin's cat ears perked up again. He nodded with his usual bright face.
"Okay! I'll do my best. Be careful not to get hurt too."
If it were Leon Mathias Krueger, would he have stroked Rudin's head at a time like this?
The scene he had seen in front of the gym before came to mind, and Calevik's mood soured, so he followed the eagle beastman with a grim face.
Arriving at the site, Calevik put on a vest, hard hat, and gloves.
The state of the village was even more miserable than he had expected. The houses were mercilessly crushed as if a giant had been playing whack-a-mole with a hammer. Repairing what could be repaired and rebuilding the completely collapsed houses had been going on for months.
Calevik followed the instructions of the work foreman, the eagle beastman, and carried broken stones and cement bags. He didn't have any construction-related skills, so he only did simple physical tasks, but his natural physical condition was exceptional, and he was so physically fit that he easily did the work of two people.
[Wow, this guy is really good at his job.]
[He understands Avirian perfectly, he's amazing.]
[Calevik, eat two bowls of rice later. The meals here are pretty good.]
Calevik heard that he was good at his job for the first time in his life. Come to think of it, this kind of physical labor was an experience he had never had in his life. He was just carrying things without thinking, but everyone praised him so much that he was embarrassed.
After working for nearly three hours, he was very hungry. Manual labor consumed much more energy than sports. Still, there was a strange sense of accomplishment.
Hearing that he could return to the assembly point after dinner, Calevik followed the workers to the cafeteria. How long had it been since he had eaten food made by someone else? He was too hungry to worry about such things now.
[Calevik, you've worked hard, haven't you? Eat a lot.]
[You're coming tomorrow too, right? Please take care of us.]
Calevik nodded perfunctorily and diligently shoveled rice into his mouth. Aviria is basically a country of birds, so the dishes using fruits, nuts, and vegetables were very delicious.
There was no way that a double-edged poison aimed at him would be in the foreign cafeteria where so many people were eating together, so Calevik enjoyed eating out for the first time in a long time without worry. He seemed to have eaten at least two servings, just like the workers said.
[But you're really handsome. Are you really just an ordinary college student? You're not an entertainer or anything, are you?]
An owl beastman with graying hair glared with his large eyes. He wasn't quite as sharp as a real owl, but he said that he was much more alert at night than during the day because some of the characteristics of his species remained.
[I was wondering that too. Are you a model? Even as a man, I'm mesmerized by you, women would faint if they saw you.]
A parrot beastman with bright red hair followed. Perhaps because there were so many different kinds of birds, the appearances of the beastmen sitting around were surprisingly diverse. There were many foreigners living in the big cities, so the atmosphere felt much more liberal compared to Feladia, where all the citizens are feline beastmen.
[No. I'm just a college student.]
Calevik mumbled with his mouth full of food like Rudin. However, no one pointed out his table manners.
[Calevik, are you a tiger?]
This time, a swan beastman with particularly white skin asked. When Calevik nodded, he clapped his hands together.
[I knew it! You're big and strong. Does everyone remember that professor who came a few months ago? He worked here for two weeks. He was a tiger too, and this guy feels similar to him, doesn't he?]
[Ah, you mean that funny guy who treated us to drinks and meat at the end? He ate two bowls of rice every meal too. What was his name, Le… Loe… it was a bit difficult.]
Calevik, who had been eating silently, suddenly felt an ominous premonition and asked.
[Was it Loebe…?]
[Yeah! That's right! That was the name!]
[How do you know that guy, Calevik?]
Curious gazes focused on Calevik. To be entangled even here, Kwangbeom was truly tiresome.
[He's a professor at my school.]
[Really? Wow, that's a deep connection between teacher and student!]
Damn Kwangbeom. He said he had lost 5kg from working, but hearing that he had been eating two bowls of rice here made that statement unbelievable.
[Tell the professor hello when you get back. Tell him not to forget his promise to come back during summer vacation.]
Everyone laughed heartily at the eagle foreman's words. Calevik nodded with a sullen face.
It was past six o'clock when he finished eating and came out of the cafeteria. The eagle foreman took Calevik, who didn't know the way, back to the assembly point.
Arriving at the destination, he saw Rudin looking around as if searching for something. When Rudin's eyes met Calevik's, he raised his hand and waved it from side to side.
"I was looking for you because I couldn't see you. Wow, you're covered in dirt. Was work very hard?"
Rudin asked in surprise as he approached Calevik after parting with the eagle beastman. Unlike Calevik, he was dressed neatly, as if he hadn't done any rough work.
"Not really. What about you?"
"I organized relief supplies."
"Why didn't you go to the kids?"
"I heard that a lot of clothes came in as relief supplies, but they said that food and medicine were more urgent, so they haven't been able to organize the clothes at all. I sorted them by size and type so that the displaced residents could easily find the clothes they needed and hung them up. I'm going to take some children's clothes tomorrow and try them on."
It was indeed a great idea worthy of the son of a laundry shop. It was also the most specialized job for Rudin, who had organized countless clothes every day helping his parents.
"A lot of dust came up from the clothes, so my throat is scratchy even though I wore a mask. Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"I ate dinner at the cafeteria. What about you?"
Rudin looked noticeably relieved, as if he had been worried that he wouldn't eat the food made by someone else again. At that moment, the falcon beastman Falcon drew everyone's attention.
"Everyone, the volunteer schedule for the first day is over. From now on, you will move to your accommodations to unpack and rest. The accommodations are a youth hostel an hour away by car from here."
At the word 'youth hostel', sighs of relief were heard from here and there. Rudin had imagined sleeping in a tent at the disaster site, but it seemed that there was a separate, proper accommodation.
"Dinner is free time, so you can go out and play, but it's best to get plenty of rest as the volunteer schedule is packed tomorrow as well. From now on, we will move to the accommodations and assign rooms."
The university student volunteers took the group bus that they had used to come from the airport to the disaster area to the youth hostel. The scale of the volunteer group was considerable, so he thought they would use an 8-person room, but the assigned room was surprisingly a 2-person room. It seemed that they were being considerate so that they could rest comfortably in the accommodations, as it was volunteer work without pay.
"Calevik, is it okay if we share a room?"
Rudin, holding a large stick with the room number 2004 engraved on it, asked cautiously.
Calevik was staring at the key dangling from the end of the stick. He was amazed to see a 'real key' type of accommodation key instead of a flat plastic card.
"What about you?"
Calevik asked back bluntly. He thought that Rudin, the Snicat, would be the one who would be uncomfortable with sharing a bed with someone else, not him.
"I'm okay. I'm much more comfortable with you than with a stranger. I'm not in heat right now, and I've been taking my pheromone pills regularly, so you don't have to worry. But if you're uncomfortable…."
Without saying anything, Calevik dragged his and Rudin's suitcases in both hands and approached the elevator. Rudin quickly followed and shouted.
"I'll move them! You must have used a lot of strength at the construction site."
"It's okay."
"Still…!"
Rudin tried to take his large suitcase from Calevik's hand, but it didn't budge as if glue had been applied to the wheels. No matter how hard he tried to pull with all his might, he couldn't even make it shake slightly, and Rudin's eyes widened in wonder.
When the elevator arrived on the first floor, people rushed in. It was amazing to see the suitcase, which hadn't moved at all, being led by Calevik's hand and quietly loaded into the elevator.
Even though he was a grown man, albeit a weak one, Rudin realized that the difference in strength between him and Calevik was like the difference between a cat and a tiger. In the end, Rudin, who had given up on the suitcase, had to hurry after the tiger, who seemed somehow triumphant.
by misacchi
"Wow, the room is nice!"
Rudin exclaimed as he opened the door with the key and entered.
The room was much larger and cleaner than Rudin had expected. Two super single-sized beds were placed side by side, and on the opposite wall were a TV, a mini-refrigerator, a built-in closet, and air conditioning. The bathroom attached to the room was equipped with a toilet, sink, and shower booth.
"I thought I would be sleeping in a tent in the disaster area. I never thought I would be sleeping in such a comfortable accommodation!"
Rudin, who was looking down at the modest city night view through the small veranda, said in an excited voice. Then, he turned around and realized.
"Oh… well, it might be a little small for you, though."
Rudin smiled awkwardly. Calevik's expression was one of shock itself. Rather than disliking or being uncomfortable, it was closer to a face that said he was learning for the first time that such accommodations existed in the world.
That was indeed the case. No matter where he went in the world, Calevik had never stayed in a hotel below 5 stars. He had always used a room about four or five times the size of the room he had just entered alone. It was also the first time he had been in a room without a sofa, an extra-large wall-mounted TV, or a whirlpool tub where he could enjoy a spa.
Most surprising of all was the size of the bed. The bed, which was 1.1 meters wide and 2 meters long, was so perfectly sized for Calevik's body that he felt like he would roll off if he tossed and turned even a little. From the economy class of the flight to this room, this trip was like a visit to Lilliput for Calevik.
"Which bed do you want to use?"
Rudin asked with a smile, as if Calevik had managed to sort out some of the shock. It didn't seem to make sense to choose because both were equally small.
"What about you?"
"I'm fine with either, um…. I get cold easily, so I prefer the one farther from the air conditioner."
Rudin said honestly. Calevik didn't get cold easily, so if he had to choose, he preferred the cooler one.
"Thank you. You can use the bathroom first. I'll be organizing my luggage."
At Rudin's words, Calevik didn't refuse and took the clothes he would change into and headed to the bathroom. He had worked at a construction site, so his whole body was covered in dust.
Inside the small shower booth, like those of the Lilliputians, Calevik took a cold shower. He didn't know how he had ended up here on the golden holiday, but he felt refreshed just by washing away the dirt and sweat.
After showering, Calevik wiped the water off his body with a towel and shook his hair, then suddenly realized that he had only brought plain, monochrome clothes for the accommodations. He hadn't thought about sharing a room with someone at the accommodations and had thrown the clothes he usually wore into his suitcase.
Considering that the purpose of this trip was volunteer work, he had only packed training clothes for going out. Those clothes, as if symbolizing Calevik's identity, were all flashy and strangely designed. Since they were training clothes anyway, it wouldn't be too uncomfortable to wear them at the accommodations.
But…
After thinking for a moment, Calevik put on the plain black short-sleeved T-shirt and gray pants that he had brought into the bathroom. It wasn't likely that Rudin Greenwood, who was sharing the room with him, would go back to Feladia and spread rumors that 'Calevik was wearing clothes that made him look like a normal person at the accommodations'.
Even if he did spread rumors, what could he do? It was enough if he only looked strange when he went outside and was directly visible to people's eyes. It was enough if he didn't look like the 'perfect, charming, and beautiful human being befitting the Alstadt Family' that his adoptive mother so aspired to.
After getting dressed, Calevik opened the bathroom door and came out. Rudin, who had said he would be organizing his luggage, was not in the room. There was a convenience store in the basement of the accommodations, so he must have gone out to buy something.
As Calevik casually walked towards his bed, he heard a faint breathing sound from somewhere. Both beds were empty. Perhaps a thief or stalker had secretly entered and was hiding. Calevik narrowed his brow and strained his hearing to find the source of the breathing.
"Suitcase…?"
A pair of icy tiger eyes stopped at the suitcase placed between my bed and Rudin's. Rudin's large suitcase was lying on the floor. The sewing machine bag was out, but the stuffed animals Rudin had brought weren't visible, so they seemed to still be inside the suitcase.
Calevik lowered himself and brought his ear close to the suitcase. Sure enough, breathing sounds were leaking from inside. After confirming that the zipper wasn't locked, he carefully lifted one side of the suitcase.
"Huh…"
Surprisingly, Rudin was curled up and asleep inside. The area around him was filled with stuffed animals, making it seem like Rudin was also a large, life-sized doll.
He remembered seeing Rudin squeeze himself into tight spaces a few times before, but he never imagined he would go into a suitcase and fall asleep, leaving a perfectly good bed. Calevik chuckled and lightly shook Rudin's shoulder.
"Hey."
"Ugh…"
"Wake up, wash up, and sleep in the bed."
After a few more attempts to wake him, Rudin groggily opened his eyes. He seemed to have forgotten where he was or what he was doing, but when he met Calevik's eyes, he snapped awake. His cat ears flattened, and his tail puffed up in shock.
Calevik, who had reached out his hand, hesitated. Rudin, whose pupils were dilated and whose fur was standing on end, recognized Calevik and barely managed to calm down. He seemed quite surprised.
"What are you doing in there? You scared me."
Calevik stepped back and scolded him, and Rudin crawled out of the suitcase.
"Ugh, sorry. I feel comfortable when I go into dark, narrow places. I just wanted to rest for a bit, but I fell asleep."
Rudin, looking embarrassed, was about to grab his shower supplies when he suddenly turned to Calevik. His eyes widened as if he had made a great discovery, and he shouted loudly.
"Oh my god! It was the clothes!"
Calevik, who was about to unpack the suitcase, paused. What was he talking about now?
"I saw you in my sleep, and I was so surprised because I thought you were a stranger, and my heart almost stopped. I was wondering why someone I see all day suddenly looked so cool, if it was because I saw you in my sleep, but the answer was the clothes!"
Calevik was dumbfounded and didn't say anything, silently taking out his luggage. Just before entering the bathroom, he heard Rudin muttering.
"Just a plain T-shirt and pants, and you look that good. I understand why you only pick out weird clothes."
The bathroom door closed. Calevik let out a hollow laugh. It seemed Rudin misunderstood the reason why Calevik wore strangely designed clothes as 'because he looks too cool and his life would be tiring.' That wasn't it at all, but he didn't particularly feel like correcting him.
After finishing unpacking, Calevik flopped down on the small bed. He had left his phone at home to avoid being tracked, so he had nothing to do. He felt good thinking about how Bernard must have had a hard time after he successfully ditched the bodyguards in the middle.
Calevik took out a book he had brought in his suitcase. It was a book he had bought before but hadn't read because it was too thick and full of academic content. He only read such books when he was in an environment where he had too much free time and was bored. For example, in a prison, or a youth hostel in a foreign country without electronic devices.
"Wow, that's really thick. Can I ask what book it is?"
Calevik, who was reading, turned his head. He saw Rudin's small, bright face, fresh from the shower. His hair and the downy fur on his cat ears were damp. Perhaps because he was wearing a cream-colored pajama, his already pale skin looked even more transparent.
Calevik silently straightened the book and showed Rudin the cover.
"「The Origin of Good and Evil – Psychopaths Are Never Far Away」… It looks difficult. Do you like reading?"
Rudin blinked. Anyone who had only seen Calevik dozing off or spacing out at school would hardly think he enjoyed reading.
"I didn't bring my phone."
Rudin nodded as if he understood the hidden meaning in Calevik's non sequitur-like reply. It was just like Rudin not to ask why he had left his phone at home, even though he asked what the title of the book he was reading was and whether he usually enjoyed reading.
Perhaps that was why. He felt uncomfortable with the situation of constantly getting entangled with him, but he didn't feel like he had to escape this place and stay away from Rudin at all.
A vibration buzzed somewhere. Rudin quickly picked up the phone that was on his bed.
"Oh, brother. I just got to the hostel and took a shower."
Rudin, who had answered the phone, quickly went out to the veranda and closed the thin glass door, as if not to disturb Calevik. Despite his efforts, Calevik could clearly hear everything Rudin was saying.
"The hostel is really nice. It's a 2-person room, and it's clean and comfortable, so it's like a resort. I'll send you pictures after I hang up. It's on the 20th floor, so the night view is great. Yeah, yeah. I was surprised because I thought I would be sleeping in a tent or something."
Calevik, who was worried about whether he would be able to sleep properly all night because of the loudly creaking mattress every time he tossed and turned, suspected that Rudin, unlike him, had been assigned a separate room in a luxury hotel.
"Oh, I ate too. I had a cafeteria meal, and there were a lot of vegetable dishes, and the nut assortment was really delicious. I saw a lot of avian beastmen, so it was amazing. Today, I sorted out the clothes that came in as relief supplies. There was a lot of dust, and my arms were a little sore, but it was manageable. The kids? I haven't met the kids yet. I still have the dolls. Probably tomorrow…"
Rudin recounted in detail where he had gone today, what he had eaten, what he had done, and what he had seen. It mainly sounded like his brother would ask short questions, and Rudin would answer at length.
Bernard also occasionally reported to Charlotte about Calevik's daily life in great detail, but the feeling was clearly different. Why? Was it because Rudin's chattering voice was full of affection?
"Yeah, don't worry. My heat cycle is long over, and I took my pheromone pills, so…"
Rudin's voice decreased sharply. He suddenly whispered, making Calevik even more conscious, so he unknowingly sharpened his hearing.
"Brother, actually, the person I'm sharing a room with right now is Calevik. Yeah, that's right. That classmate from the Fashion Design department. He must have been forced to come because he doesn't have any volunteer work experience. Yeah, he's aloof, but he's actually a good guy. It's much better than sharing a room with another stranger."
When his story suddenly came up, he wondered if he should stop listening, but after hearing Rudin's words that followed, he had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.
"Don't worry at all. Think about it. He sees his own handsome face in the mirror every day, so how could I even look like a person to him? Yeah. To him, I'll probably look like a pillow on the bed."
The laughter was short-lived, and Calevik's ears turned red as he suddenly became conscious of the pillow supporting his head. Rudin's thin, long tail, leaning against the railing, rose upward and swayed gently.
"I can't hide my ears and tail like you, Brother, so I might just look like a cat. Hey, I'm only a cute and pretty younger sibling to you. Still, thank you. Yeah, sleep well tonight, and I'll call you again tomorrow evening. You rest well too!"
After finishing the call, Rudin took a few pictures of the night view with sparse lights. It was his first time abroad, so even the ordinary night view looked exotic.
When he slid the veranda door open and re-entered the room, Calevik seemed to be focused on reading. Rudin tiptoed and crawled into his bed. Calevik looked as if he was leaning against a child's bed, but when Rudin lay down, it felt quite spacious and cozy.
"Watch TV if you want."
Calevik said, his eyes fixed on the book. Rudin, who had pulled the blanket up to his chin, mumbled in a languid voice.
"No. I don't think I'll understand any of the Avirian broadcasts. I think I'll just go to bed early."
Already going to bed? Startled, Calevik looked at the clock hanging on the opposite wall.
"It's eight o'clock."
Because of the two-hour time difference, it was ten o'clock at night in Feladia time.
"I tend to sleep a lot when my body is tired. Oh, but I sleep very well even when it's bright, so you don't have to turn off the lights. You can read your book comfortably and then go to sleep."
Rudin yawned, opening his small mouth wide, and then slowly closed his eyes.
He wasn't an elementary school student, so why was he going to bed at this hour? Calevik, feeling dumbfounded, turned his gaze to the book he was reading, and a passage in the book caught his eye.
「Psychopathic serial killer Thompson Wakeup's fourth victim, Jackie Prelin (pseudonym), was a Snicat. Thompson meticulously planned the crime, taking advantage of the Snicat's characteristics of being physically weak, easily fatigued, and sleeping a lot to recover. He…」
It seemed Snicats needed more sleep than ordinary people.
Calevik's sensitive ears picked up soft, regular breathing sounds. Rudin had already fallen asleep while Calevik was reading a paragraph. It was amazing that his cat ears maintained their upward-pointing triangular shape without drooping downward.
Rudin's sleeping face looked utterly peaceful. There were at least many people on the plane, but there were only the two of them in this room. He couldn't have fallen asleep so defenselessly unless he firmly believed that Calevik wouldn't harm him.
Calevik turned off all the lights, leaving only the small lamp next to his bed on.
'He's aloof, but he's actually a good guy. It's much better than sharing a room with another stranger.'
Calevik felt embarrassed as he recalled Rudin's voice from the phone call.
A good person. The words he had only heard from Rudin came out of the same mouth again. He felt burdened because he didn't know what aspect of him kept appearing as a good person to Rudin.
If he had been born into a family like Rudin's, would he have grown up so carefree?
According to Charlotte's theory that the Snicat bloodline itself was low-class and vulgar, Rudin should have been that way.
However, Rudin had never tried to seduce Calevik or sexually appeal to him. If he had done so even a little, Calevik, who was sensitive to human relationships and hated all kinds of flirting, couldn't have failed to notice.
He couldn't focus on the words anymore, so Calevik closed the book. It was too early to sleep, but he had nothing to do. He didn't even have a can of beer in the refrigerator, and it was troublesome to change his clothes to go out and buy one, and he didn't want to attract attention.
It was a boring and tedious time, mixed with an unfamiliar and hard mattress, a rough blanket, the boisterous laughter of many people from the next room, and the faint breathing of a small, fragile cat.
Calevik turned off all the lights, including the bedside lamp, and closed his eyes. He felt the five nights he would be staying here stretching out endlessly. He endlessly counted the sheep jumping over the fence one by one.