Chapter 33

Theo seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood today.

It was as if the conversation we had shared that morning had really struck a chord with him.

To be honest, it was almost to the point where I wondered if he was doing it on purpose just to tease me, knowing how embarrassed I got.

I felt utterly helpless all day long as Theo walked around with a strange, beaming smile on his face.

The aftermath of that conversation even carried over into tutoring time.

Opening the door and walking in, Frey was greeted by Theo with a brighter smile than ever before.

“Hello.”

“……”

Naturally, Frey stiffened up at the sight of Theo, looking as though he had just seen something he wished he hadn’t.

However, once the lesson actually started, Frey’s attitude changed slightly.

He actually began responding to Theo, who kept affectionately trying to strike up a conversation with him.

That didn’t mean, however, that a warm and cozy atmosphere had settled in.

To put it more accurately, had things actually become even more precarious?

“You really do know a lot about everything.”

“Thank you. You catch on fast too, Theo.”

Without a doubt, both of their eyes were smiling. But what on earth was this chilling, murderous aura?

“Still, I suppose the lesson materials have a reliable source, right? The academy entrance exam is critically important to us, after all.”

“Haha. If you feel that way, wouldn’t it be better to just stop learning?”

“……”

You two, you’re picking a fight right now, aren’t you?

There was not a single trace of hesitation in Theo and Frey as they exchanged thorn-laced barbs behind bright, cheerful faces.

They were tossing attacks at each other as naturally and seamlessly as breathing, without missing a beat.

I was getting more and more clueless about their relationship.

It was certain that they had some grievances with each other, but what on earth was the problem?

Theo’s anxiety about me was gradually fading away by now, and Frey had no reason whatsoever to loathe Theo in the first place.

So why on earth would the two of them be fighting—?

“I’m curious about that too. Why on earth did you insist on tutoring Iris? Could it be that you had some other motives in mind?”

“My, oh my. So you didn’t know yet. Iris and I share a very special relationship, you see.”

W-Wait a minute! You shouldn’t just casually drop a bombshell like that out of nowhere!

‘A special relationship.’

However, the words Frey spat out didn’t deal any damage to Theo at all.

Instead, Theo scoffed at Frey and retorted.

“If we’re talking about a special relationship, nobody beats the one between Iris and me. Just how extraordinarily special could yours possibly be?”

A tense, heavy atmosphere hung thick between Frey and Theo.

Just then, Frey’s gaze shifted toward me.

“……”

The look in Frey’s eyes, seemingly asking for an answer from me, left me flustered.

I had no way of knowing what kind of exact response he wanted from me.

Did he mean whether it was okay to reveal the fact that he was my family right here and now, or did he mean that I should take his side in this argument…

Whichever of the two it was, it spelled trouble for me.

I had intended to talk things through step-by-step regarding my relationship with Frey whenever Theo was ready, and I had no desire to take sides in a fight between the two of them.

When I kept my silence, a look of disappointment flickered across Frey’s face. But there was nothing I could do for him either way.

“It got quiet, hasn’t it? Are you two finally done fighting?”

To break up the icy, sunken atmosphere, I deliberately spoke in a bright voice.

“It’s awkward because you two suddenly started fighting, and I’m curious about the reason, but I won’t go out of my way to ask. Instead, let’s stick to studying during study time. Deal?”

When I spoke while looking back and forth between the two of them, thankfully, neither of them raised any objections.

Barely managing to cut short the psychological warfare between Frey and Theo, I let out a sigh internally and fixed my gaze back on my book.

When the perilous tutoring session with Frey finally ended, Theo and I grabbed a spot tucked away in a corner of the playground.

“Theo, why did you act like that earlier?”

“Like what?”

Playing innocent like that.

Giving Theo a glare that wouldn’t quit, I reached out and pinched his cheek.

Caught in my grip, Theo blinked his round eyes in thorough panic.

“You know completely well what I’m talking about. Why did you do that to the priest earlier?”

Despite my scolding, Theo didn’t open his mouth easily. But I had somewhat expected even this.

“Eat this.”

I handed a piece of candy to the tight-lipped Theo. In response, Theo reprimanded me with a counter-question.

“You don’t seriously expect me to spill my guts just because you gave me a candy, do you?”

“Is that a no?”

I tilted my head in confusion.

Doesn’t counseling always start with snacks?

To someone like me carrying memories of a past life, it was a completely natural course of action.

The image of snacks being invariably stocked up whenever one visited a counseling room was deeply ingrained in my brain.

Once you eat a snack, the tension melts away, which naturally leads to deeper conversations.

However, it seemed this tactic didn’t work on Theo.

For a moment, Theo—who usually only showed me doe-like eyes—was now casting a pitying look my way.

“Just try it first.”

I unwrapped the candy wrapper and popped it directly into Theo’s mouth.

The candy was something I had bought earlier from the candy shop I visited with Frey.

Theo wore a disgruntled expression, but he obediently opened his mouth and accepted the candy.

Watching him chew away with his white cheeks puffed out was rather cute. As expected, a kid was still a kid, even if it was Theo.

“How is it? Good, right?”

“……”

Perhaps feeling burdened by my sparkling, eager gaze, Theo let out a small sigh.

A sigh? How could anyone possibly sigh while eating something sweet?

I was too shocked to say a single word. I felt like I had genuinely met a formidable opponent.

What on earth should I do to get to the bottom of Theo’s inner thoughts, then?

I fell into a brief contemplation. Aside from sweets, what else could possibly put Theo at ease?

As I was pondering that, I paused momentarily.

Come to think of it, even though I had been getting along closely with Theo until now, I realized I actually knew nothing about what Theo liked.

“Theo, what are your favorite things?”

“Favorite things?”

Taken aback by the out-of-the-blue question, Theo didn’t answer right away. After thinking for a long time, he cautiously opened his mouth.

“Sausages, croissants, strawberry jam.”

It was an unexpected answer. Moreover, every single food item Theo mentioned happened to be my absolute favorites.

Excited by this newfound piece of information, I asked with genuine surprise.

“Did you like food, Theo?”

It was surprising enough that he liked food, but I had never dreamed in a million years that his tastes matched mine so precisely.

However, Theo slowly shook his head at my question.

“No. It’s just that those are things I can give to you.”

“Huh?”

What on earth was this supposed to mean?

Of course, I knew Theo shared delicious food with me.

But to think he found enough joy in sharing food to include it among his favorite things…

“You give me everything that matters to me. But I don’t have much, so there isn’t much I can give you back. Still, I can at least give you the food you like. That’s why I like it. Because I can give it to you.”

The quiet, measured sound of Theo’s voice seeped straight into my heart.

Who would have ever thought that Theo—who used to want to push everyone away—would start thinking like this?

I reached out and thoroughly ruffled Theo’s hair with all my might.

“Geez. What on earth did I ever give you that makes you want to repay me like this? You don’t need to do that.”

At my words, Theo smiled faintly and replied.

“You approaching me. You holding my hand… Those things matter so much to me.”

“Theo…”

A rush of deeply moved emotion surged up inside me, choking my throat.

It felt just like listening to the honest, unfiltered words of a young son.

Wrapping his arm gently around my shoulder, Theo whispered right against my ear.

“So don’t leave me. No matter what happens.”

“……”

My body froze rigid at that eerie, chilling voice.

It was the polar opposite of the warm, innocent voice he had been using just a moment ago.

I couldn’t even take a deep breath as I sat there, quietly cradled in Theo’s embrace.

It felt as though the cold air that had instantly taken over was heavily pressing down on my chest, making it impossible to breathe properly.

And so, irrelevantly, my mind wandered to thoughts completely unsuited for the situation.

Breathing in slowly, I felt the crispness of the air and finally realized the changing season.

The wind had arrived. Winter was beginning, almost before I knew it.

Slowly pulling away from me, Theo looked back at me with his usual innocent, clear-eyed face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

I stared blankly back at Theo. Theo looked so completely unconcerned as he asked what was wrong that I felt like I must have just had a bizarre dream.

“Just now, you told me not to leave you…”

“Yeah. I did. Why?”

“……”

Confusion left me utterly speechless, unable to muster any words.

It made me doubt the emotions I had felt during those brief few seconds. Whether that eerie feeling had even been real at all.

Which one of them was the real Theo? The Theo smiling right in front of my eyes, or the chilling voice that had just tickled my ear.

Seeing that I remained completely speechless, Theo slowly reached out and stretched my cheek.

“What are you doing?!”

“You weren’t answering, so Iris, you did this to me earlier.”

“That’s different! I was….”

I’m an adult, and you’re a kid, after all!

Just as I was about to say that, I hurriedly stopped myself and slurred the end of my sentence.

“I mean, you know, whatever.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just because.”

I felt like one of those petty adults who brushed off children with phrases like “Just because” or “You’ll understand when you grow up,” but I couldn’t help it. Because I really was a petty adult.

“Then what about you? Why did you fight with the priest!”

“Just because.”

However, proving to be an equally petty and cheeky child who wouldn’t let a cheap adult get away with it, Theo hit me right back with my own logic.