“Yes. You two go in now.”

As they exchanged final goodbyes, Edwin patted Cyrus and Cecil on the shoulders. After this farewell, Edwin also boarded the carriage. The door closed and the coachman began to move the carriage.

The two stood waving goodbye until the carriage became a small dot, then sighed.

“…It seems our fathers don’t know?”

Cecil looked up at Cyrus with anxious eyes. Cyrus looked down at his lover and stroked his forehead. Though he couldn’t precisely understand what those green eyes meant, he felt obligated to reassure his lover.

“They don’t seem to know.”

“Thank goodness…”

Cecil placed a hand over his chest in relief and started walking back to the academy. Watching him from behind, Cyrus matched his pace. The sky on their way back to the dormitory showed the sunset with a cool breeze blowing. It marked the clear beginning of autumn.

*

After sending off their fathers, hectic days followed.

“Hey, doesn’t this go here?”

“No. That’s section C.”

With their unexpected role as library assistants, Cecil and Cyrus barely managed even with two bodies.

The academy library was renowned for its enormous collection of books, and now just the two of them had to organize it. Cyrus, who practically lived in the library, skillfully placed books in their proper places, while Cecil still struggled to get used to the work.

Whenever they pushed the small wheeled bookshelves around, classmates would snicker and deliberately throw books at them. Each time, Cecil restrained his urge to throw them back and instead placed the books on the shelves.

The books were so numerous that even such simple work made them sweat. This happened despite Cyrus handling significantly more work.

“Cecil, please take this too.”

“…Put it away yourself.”

“It’s your job now. Please.”

Peyton, whom they knew through Alesia, burst into giggles. Left speechless, Cecil sighed and picked up the book.

“Are you really doing this?”

“Yes, I’m really doing this. I’m graduating soon, and without fun like this, how would I get through the academy?”

At this shameless response, Cecil pushed the bookshelf away. This time, classmates from the same year threw books at him. They found amusement in seeing the beautiful man’s distressed face and had no intention of stopping their pranks.

“Are you seriously doing this?!”

“Cecil, this is a library. You need to be quiet.”

Left speechless again, Cecil vowed not to push the cart toward the desks anymore and moved on. He stood in front of a large bookshelf and began placing the sorted books one by one. Then he noticed an empty spot too high for him to reach.

Looking around, he couldn’t find the footstool—someone must have taken it. Finally, as he stood on tiptoe struggling, a familiar scent wafted by, and someone pushed the book in for him.

“Have you already finished your section?”

“Yes. I’ll help you.”

It was Cyrus, who had quickly finished his own section. Smiling, he looked around and planted a quick kiss on Cecil’s cheek. Surprised, Cecil covered his cheek and looked around, but Cyrus just smiled mischievously.

“No one’s here, but you don’t believe me.”

“No, I was just surprised.”

“Let’s finish quickly and rest.”

Saying this, Cyrus examined the sorted books and began placing them on the shelves at twice Cecil’s speed.

“How do you find them so quickly?”

“I’ve practically memorized them.”

“You memorized all these?”

“Yes. I’ve seen them so often that I memorized them.”

At this answer, Cecil looked around the vast library. He was amazed. With such intelligence and memory, it made sense that professors were eager to bring him into advanced courses despite only being a first-year student.

While Cecil marveled at his extraordinary memory, Cyrus shrugged it off, placed all the remaining books on the shelves, and returned to his spot.

“Today’s work is done. Let’s rest now.”

“Sure.”

Cecil, who desperately needed rest, smiled and navigated out from between the bookshelves. Cyrus put his arm around Cecil’s shoulder, playing with his hand. As Cecil opened the library door, laughing and telling him to stop, a familiar scent wafted in. Looking up with a start, he saw Alesia about to enter the library.

“…”

“…”

“Um, Sister…”

He tried to speak to her, but Alesia merely passed by the two with a cold expression. Seeing her frigid demeanor, Cecil lowered his head dejectedly. Cyrus grabbed his chin and lifted it up.

“Don’t lower your head.”

His tone suggested Cecil had done nothing wrong and shouldn’t be hanging his head. Cecil gave a bitter smile and nodded his captured chin. Only then did Cyrus release his chin and start walking.

“Where are we going?”

“Hmm. The forest?”

Cyrus, who enjoyed being alone, frequently visited the forest. The deeper they went, the fewer people they encountered. Cecil recognized his intention and smiled wryly.

As they headed toward the forest surrounding the academy, they could smell the refreshing scent of trees. The sun was gradually setting, tinting the forest red with the sunset.

Cyrus headed in the opposite direction from their previous visit. He had something he wanted to show Cecil.

After walking through the forest for a while, they saw a dense reed field in the distance.

“Wow, what’s this?”

“I discovered it recently.”

The reed field, bathed in sunset, glowed like it was on fire. Cecil looked at Cyrus with a radiant smile, finding the scenery not just beautiful but majestic.

“It’s beautiful…”

“Do you like it?”

“Yes.”

Only after hearing the answer did Cyrus nod, indicating he liked it too. They walked to a spot with a good view of the reed field and settled down. From somewhere, Cyrus produced a handkerchief and spread it on Cecil’s spot.

“You don’t need to do this for me…”

Cecil looked embarrassed at the courtesy typically reserved for noble ladies, but Cyrus merely shrugged. His attitude suggested he wanted to do it regardless.

Finally, Cecil sat on the handkerchief and leaned against a tree trunk, gazing at the reed field. A pleasant silence flowed between them as they admired the scenery for quite some time.

Suddenly, Cyrus interlaced his fingers with Cecil’s. Cecil silently reciprocated, noting how Cyrus’s hand completely covered his own.

When he thought about it, not much time had passed, yet it felt like they had lived through countless years. Cecil felt as if he had aged prematurely. Whether this could be called growth, even Cecil himself didn’t know.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just… that time seems to have passed quickly.”

“I see.”

Cyrus responded bluntly and looked at the reed field. Cecil wondered what his lover was thinking now. So he asked the same question.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking how fortunate I am that you’re by my side.”

The answer was so consistent that even Cecil felt embarrassed, and he responded with an equally simple “I see,” resting his head on Cyrus’s shoulder.

“Judging from earlier, it looks like it will take about three years for Sister to forgive us.”

“Will three years be enough? It might take a lifetime.”

“That would be problematic…”

If that were the case, Cecil would become very sad. He now understood well that to protect his love, he would have to give up certain things, but he still wanted to preserve his friendship and affection with her.

“I hope Sister forgives us soon.”

He uttered these childish words while hiding his watering eyes. Everything had finally become peaceful, yet he didn’t know why tears were coming. As he tried to hold them back but ended up sniffling, Cyrus looked over.

“Why are you crying?”

His voice sounded slightly bewildered by Cecil’s sudden tears. Cecil wiped his tears and reached his arms toward Cyrus. A cool, firm embrace enfolded him like a child.

“I’m scared. What if Sister keeps acting like this…”

“…”

At these unexpected words, Cyrus bit his lip silently. Though he could solve all other problems, this was one he couldn’t fix because he was the cause of it. So all he could offer was a weak apology.

“I’m sorry.”

Cecil shook his head while sobbing. He didn’t want an apology. After crying in Cyrus’s arms for a while, he finally looked relieved.

“Still, I don’t regret it.”

Even now, Cecil didn’t know the right answer. Whether this was the best course of action, whether his sister’s choice was right, whether he was truly making a bad decision…

He was still too young to know all these things, but perhaps he wouldn’t know even as he grew older.

Nevertheless, Cecil had no regrets. He would never again lose his love, who had willingly sought out and soothed his beastly nature, through foolish choices and denial.

“Cyrus, tell me you love me.”

Instead, Cecil asked for love from his partner.

Cyrus looked down at that face intently. Before him was the person he loved too much to stop. He too knew nothing. Whether this was right, whether his choice would cause more wounds for Cecil to bear… Despite all this, he couldn’t let go of the memory from when he was very young, swimming in the womb.

“…I love you.”

Instead of apologizing for making things this way, he spoke of love, and Cecil, with his tear-stained face, smiled brightly. It was a fulfilled smile suggesting this was enough for him.

“Me too. I love you too.”

Now the two were looking at the sky, which was beginning to turn blue. Their hands remained tightly interlaced.

These beasts were still young and clumsy, uncertain whether their choices were right. Nevertheless, even if it was the wrong choice, they pressed their lips together and shared sweet breath, vowing to stay together. The family surrounding them, their sister, the eyes of the world… Perhaps everything would return as wounds. Despite this, the simple fact of being together gave them a mysterious strength that sustained each other.

They could understand without words. Together, everything would be all right.

Love was that mysterious.

Cecil now knew this well.