“Nothing happened, right? They didn’t say anything else? Perhaps—”

“Have a little faith in your family.”

Eyes, bridge of the nose, earlobes, lips. Without even removing his gloves, his affectionate touch repeatedly landed and lifted from various places. Perry, as if accustomed to this, held her head up straight and lifted her lips.

Chk, slightly cooled lips gently overlapped. Her heels, raised high, left mischievous traces without falling. A faint orange glow stacked neatly on his Adam’s apple, jaw, and around his cheeks.

“I missed you.”

The first person to say those words was Yuan. No, was it Perry? Who spoke first wasn’t very important. It was just that the words that had been tickling their throats all month had popped out.

The two lovers, meeting after a month, fumbled for each other’s outlines relying on the white light. Kissing, embracing, holding all ten fingers together.

The man crumpled his large frame and leaned into Perry. It was a scene that would have made Della Bellium spit out her champagne if she had seen it, but fortunately, the clever cousin had long since left to search for a new love.

“I never want to go to training again……”

I don’t want to be apart like this, a whine leaked from his sweet voice. It wasn’t the first time Yuan Bellium had made this kind of joke—though it was utterly sincere. He occasionally—actually quite often—whined about wanting to stay by Perry’s side, citing various reasons.

The triggers were diverse. Because he couldn’t attend all of Perry’s performances, because consecutive long-distance flights were scheduled, because he was urgently called out on holidays……

Even though he wouldn’t actually throw everything away and quit, Perry knew that the temperature Yuan felt when looking up at the sky was different from hers. Just as an audience can never understand the heat an actor feels on stage.

And yet, knowing he wouldn’t quit. Perry deliberately responded dryly, saying “But you still have to fly.” Very occasionally, she would put on airs, saying “Well, can’t I support just one person?”

But today……

“Yes. Don’t go again.”

“……Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”

“A month was too much. I missed you so much.”

Two black eyes covered by a large shadow. A bright sincerity that even the surging waves couldn’t swallow.

Perry tightened her arms around Yuan’s back. Beneath the crumpled jacket, she could fully feel his warm body temperature.

Breath, the stillness between breaths, a large pulse.

“Yuan, I missed you so much.”

※※※

“It’s been a while.”

“I’ve been well. Are you in good health?”

“I’m as fit as a fiddle. Thanks to Miss Perry, I get to see your precious face.”

The gathering of the whole family was arranged three days later. It wasn’t that anyone was avoiding it, but rather that all members were busy with their own circumstances.

“You flatter me…… If you wanted to see me, you should have given me a hint.”

“As if you would. You barely come once or twice a year.”

“Even so, sending Della to call Perry was—”

“If I didn’t do this much, were you planning to call only after I died?”

“Of course not.”

His polite smile deepened. Perry easily read the truth underlying her lover’s answer. He hadn’t really tried to hide it in the first place.

The elderly woman seemed to guess his true feelings and snorted. Fortunately, the topic quickly shifted.

“Your work, you don’t have to go?”

“I took a vacation.”

“Good. It’s best to rest when you can.”

The atmosphere itself wasn’t bad. They briefly shared their recent situations, plates were emptied and refilled repeatedly, drinks were passed back and forth—

‘How many bottles is this now?’

Though she could only estimate by vague outlines and the sound of pouring drinks, the pace was incredibly fast. Perry slowly blinked her eyes while sipping the strawberry wine she had been given as her portion. It had almost no alcohol content, making it practically juice.

On the other hand, the others……

‘What’s the alcohol content of that?’

Her alert fingertips traced the braille on the bottle label. Past the name, grade, and production region, a two-digit number was clearly recognized.

After reading the number, Perry was astonished and looked around. Surprisingly, everyone in the Bellium family looked perfectly fine. Only one person showed signs of having drunk alcohol.

Della Bellium babbled while bursting into meaningless laughter.

“Yuan, Yuan. I really think it’s a good thing. That you met Perry, I mean. Really.”

“Yes.”

“You finally decided to use your face proudly. I’ve been so disappointed all this time. You’re even acting cute now, really……”

Maybe not, should she start stopping them?

‘Yuan doesn’t seem drunk though.’

Perry recalled the myth of her lover’s invincibility at drinking parties that she had heard once. He had supposedly survived alone while all his colleagues had passed out…… In fact, there was no need to rely on rumors anymore.

Whether drinking alone with Perry or with others, the man never got drunk. He would take care of Perry when she drank more than her capacity, but he had never been incapacitated and troubled anyone.

‘But he’s never drunk this much before.’

She had wondered where that sturdy liver came from. It seemed the entire family was strong with alcohol. Perry repeatedly poked his elbow, intending to stop him. The handsome profile immediately turned toward Perry.

Yuan brought his face close so that Perry could see his expression well. His blue eyes were, as usual, affectionate and calm. There was no sign of intoxication.

“Yuan, maybe we should—”

“Cute.”

“……Huh?”

“Really cute.”

With the same tone as usual, with the same expression as usual.

Yuan kneaded Perry’s cheeks as if they were flour dough.

“Yuan?”

“Cute. Really…… so cute, what should I do?”

“But I think Bria is cuter.”

Another drunk person jumped into the conversation before Perry could.

“Bria was really pretty. Really the prettiest in the world……”

“Really cute.”

“Hey, honestly, the cute and pretty one is Bria. Perry is just—”

“Is there something wrong with your aesthetic sense?”

The pronunciation was too clear for someone drunk. If a stranger heard it, they might wonder if it was a public radio broadcast.

“It’s a shame your aesthetic consciousness only reaches that far.”

A clearly confrontational tone. Perry was speechless at the demeanor that seemed to have sold all manners. Perry’s lover maintained a formal attitude that was almost old-fashioned in public. Starting with the habit of always wearing gloves when going out.

Moreover, even if there was someone he disliked, he wasn’t aggressive enough to openly criticize them……

“Bria being pretty is the truth. It’s really the truth…… You’re just blinded by love—no, your recognition system is completely messed up.”

“Perry is cute.”

“That’s just your preference.”

The promising young people from work were childishly arguing. Like children competing over whose toy was the coolest.

“Yuan? Hello? My love?”

“Cute.”

A serious tone without a hint of humor. The man who had been kneading Perry’s cheeks again asked the servant who came to clear the plates.

“Isn’t she cute?”

“What? Oh, yes. Of course.”

“I’m going to be the only one looking at her.”

Perry could guess the other person’s thoughts without seeing them. It was probably something like “What do you want me to do about it?” or “Why are you asking me?”

Both cheeks were hot from Yuan’s constant caressing. His blue eyes were careful, and his firmly closed lips were the same. After looking at Perry for a long time, the man suddenly opened his mouth.

“No, this won’t do.”

“What won’t do?”

“I can’t monopolize you. This cuteness should be known to the whole world.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the tall man stood up abruptly. His hand with prominent joints pulled Perry. Perry stumbled along with her drunk lover in the confusion. Yuan was the one who had been drinking, but Perry, who was sober, was the one staggering.

‘His stride is so big.’

She knew this already. But normally, Yuan always matched his pace, so there was no need to be conscious of it. To keep up with his brisk steps, she had to move three times as fast.

“Yuan, wait a moment……! A bit slower…… Ah!”

After trying hard to keep up, she finally twisted her ankle. It was just a momentary misstep, but the back that had been moving without obstruction stopped abruptly. Yuan immediately turned around to face Perry. His black head lowered.

‘Does he want to be held?’

This big man often crumpled his body pitifully to burrow into Perry’s embrace. Though it was sudden, the behavior of intoxicated people was usually inconsistent. Perry spread her arms, waiting for Yuan to come into her embrace.

“Hmm……?”

To conclude from the start, Perry’s guess was only half right.

His knees bent, and his long arms lifted Perry up. The worn-out soles of her shoes were suspended in the air. Reflexively wrapping her arms around her lover’s neck, a dull exclamation escaped Perry’s mouth.