IIAD | Chapter 2.3

Claten spat in Baran’s face—just like he had back then—and stormed out. Baran wiped his cheek in a daze.

That was the last time he ever saw Claten.

Claten was executed as a traitor, one of the rebels who had taken over Sananta Castle and incited an uprising.

Amidst the chaos, someone had grabbed his brown curls in one hand and driven a sword into his pale neck.

Nika.

That name had always been salvation to Baran. But for the first time, it wasn’t.

His heart plummeted into the depths of his chest, as if it were being sucked into a sticky, suffocating darkness. His mouth went dry, and his fingers lost all strength.

The one who had killed Claten—was Nika.

── .✦

“What the hell, this is ridiculous.”

Baran groaned and slammed his face onto the table.

Across from him, Nika calmly placed down a perfect set of cards and took an unbothered sip of his milk tea. Baran, still in disbelief, kept glancing back and forth between his own hand and Nika’s winning one.

“You said you’d never played before.”

Nika gave a small nod in confirmation.

“But you’re too good.”

Baran’s lips curled in a pout as he grumbled.

“Way too good.”

“It’s not that I’m good,” Nika replied firmly.

“It’s that you’re completely unable to focus.”

He wasn’t wrong. The name Claten had resurfaced after so long, stirring up waves of emotion in Baran’s heart. His listless fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of his cards before they finally slipped from his grip.

Thud.

His wrist landed weakly on the table with a dull sound.

Watching Baran lost in thought made something in Nika’s chest feel unsettled.

It was Baran’s turn, but he seemed to have completely forgotten. He just stared blankly at his cards, trapped in his own world. Before Nika could point it out, Baran set his cards down on the table and ran a hand over his face as if trying to shake off his exhaustion. His complexion looked worryingly pale.

“You’re right.”

“…….”

“I just can’t focus. Sorry.”

Baran’s apology only made Nika feel even more at a loss.

Nika, too, neatly placed his own cards down on the table. Then, Baran let out a soft chuckle.

“I got lucky. You had the Joker, so I probably would’ve lost this round anyway. Good thing I surrendered.” He threw in a lighthearted joke, trying to lift the mood.

“Baran.”

“Hmm?”

“If I…”

Baran blinked slowly, not quite catching his words, and Nika’s expression darkened.

“If I really were your lover, tell me—what would I usually do in times like this?”

“In times like this?”

“When you’re feeling down.”

Baran let out a radiant laugh.

His downcast eyes and weary expression melted away as the corners of his lips lifted into a dazzling smile. It happened so quickly that Nika was briefly taken aback, momentarily stunned by the sight.

“You just have to be there. Just looking at you makes me feel better.”

“You want me to just sit still?”

“If you feel like it, you can kiss me or something. What do you think?” Baran chuckled. “Haha. Figured you’d say no.”

The cozy warmth of the fireplace flickered against the quiet stillness of the study, blending seamlessly with the sound of Baran’s soft laughter.

Nika found himself watching him carefully, his gaze tracing the way the firelight tinged one side of Baran’s face in a warm, reddish glow.

Come to think of it, there had been a time when Nika had once dreamed of something like this—sitting by a fireplace, drinking tea, having a simple conversation with someone dear to him.

‘Lover, huh.’

Nika quickly shook his head, trying to shove that absurd thought away before it could take root.

Meanwhile, Baran, now slumped over the table, had pulled out every single heart-marked card from his deck and lined them up in front of Nika.

His fingers fidgeted, then slowly tapped on the heart symbols one by one.

“I love you more than you think I do. So if you just smile for me once, that alone will make me feel better.”

Nika took in a deep breath. And then, as if drawn in by some unseen force, he met those blue eyes staring quietly back at him.

── .✦

Time passed rather quickly. By the time autumn had fully settled in, Nika’s body had healed completely—without even a single scar left behind. It had reached the point where calling for a physician felt almost embarrassing.

Baran had summoned a trustworthy tailor and ordered several outfits tailored to Nika’s physique. Now, Nika had transformed into someone who looked every bit the noble young master. His once-hunched back straightened, and the habit of constantly gauging his surroundings had all but disappeared. No one would ever believe that he had once been a lonely dragonkin, curled up in the shadows of an orphanage.

He had grown accustomed to Baran and to living by his side. Still, there was a lingering distance between them—an awkward gap that neither of them could fully close. Baran tried to stay as close to Nika as possible, attempting to erase that space, but he was a marquis, after all. His endless responsibilities made it difficult.

No matter how much Baran tried, he couldn’t fight against his overwhelming schedule, leaving Nika to spend most of his days alone.

Halfway through turning a page in his book, Nika dropped his head onto the table.

‘You are beautiful.’

‘You are truly special.’

‘You are not hideous.’

Baran Taltamio was an extraordinary man. Every word from his lips was warm. Before meeting him, Nika had never even realized that the world contained so many beautiful words. Even his own name sounded beautiful when Baran spoke it.

Yet ‘Nika’ had originally been a word in the southern dialect of the kingdom that meant ‘monster.’ It was a combination of ika, which meant ‘hideous,’ and the prefix ne, which signified ‘corruption.’ Even when broken down to its very roots, there was not a single good meaning in his name.

But when Baran called it, with that smile that sent shivers through his chest—just hearing it was enough to make his heart race.

‘Maybe… maybe he really does like me.’

Nika propped his chin on his hand, staring at the stack of books he had taken from the library. A small smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

‘I know how he treats me now. Whenever I so much as brush against him, he panics as if I might melt away. If our hands touch, he turns completely red. He really…’

Nika rose from his seat and walked over to the window.

For the first time in his life, his reflection in the glass didn’t seem so bad.

Baran had told him countless times that he was pretty. And thinking about it now… perhaps he wasn’t that repulsive after all.

Nika was one of the lucky ones among dragonkin. He only had a few patches of scales, and though his pupils were slit, they could be hidden under his hair or in dim lighting.

Standing by the window, Nika studied his face carefully. His features weren’t all that different from a normal human’s—he had eyes, a nose, a mouth, just like everyone else.

And his height… he was on the taller side. People usually said that tall men were popular. So maybe—just maybe—he wasn’t entirely undesirable?

Lost in thought, Nika found himself picturing Baran.

Baran was tall, had glossy, curly hair, and striking blue eyes. He was, without exaggeration, even more princely than an actual prince. His features were sharp, noble, and undeniably beautiful.

Before, Nika had thought himself unworthy of standing beside someone like that. But now that he thought about it… their heights were nearly the same. If they stood side by side, they’d match quite well. Even their hair—red and black—was a combination that looked rather nice together.

These were thoughts he had never entertained before. Until now, Nika had never once considered his own worth. But after hearing Baran call him beautiful and whisper words of affection over and over…

Somehow, he was beginning to believe it himself.

── .✦

“Baran.”

“Nika! Good morning.”

Nika was walking down the hallway, carrying a few books from his bedroom back to the study, when he ran into Baran, who was rushing from the opposite direction.

Despite his obvious hurry, Baran came to an immediate stop the moment he spotted Nika, flashing a bright smile. Nika, though a little stiff, returned the gesture.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes. And you, Baran…?”

“I was too busy thinking about you.”

That kind of response always caught him off guard, making it impossible to breathe properly, let alone come up with a reply.

“I didn’t sleep much, not really. So I’m super tired right now.”

“You should go get some rest.”

“Wow.”

Baran suddenly let out an impressed sound, as if something had genuinely amazed him.

“You don’t even flinch when I say stuff like this anymore.”

“I’ve gotten used to it.”

Baran took a moment to mull over those words before breaking into a satisfied smile.

“That’s nice. Getting used to each other.”

“Who would have thought the day would come when I felt grateful to Lord Nika?”

A cold voice suddenly cut between Nika and Baran. Nika’s eyes widened in surprise, while Baran sighed, biting his lip and rubbing his face in frustration.

The person yanking at Baran’s collar with an iron grip—looking like a ghost from too many sleepless nights—was none other than Raymond.

“How do you have the nerve to run away after seeing the state of the office?”

“Isn’t this exactly why it’s great to have such capable subordinates, Raymond?”

“I try my best to hold my tongue most of the time, but not today. This is too much. And more than anything, why the hell am I the one reading your territory reports?! No wonder the people’s lives never improve.”

Like a prison guard dragging a condemned man, Raymond started hauling Baran away by the collar. It was honestly impressive that someone who spent all day writing with a pen had this kind of brute strength.

Just as Baran was flailing helplessly, resigning himself to his fate and sending a silent farewell to Nika with his eyes, something unexpected happened.

A hand reached out, blocking Raymond’s path.

“…”

“…Nika?”

Nika had grabbed Baran’s wrist, holding on tightly, refusing to let go. Even he seemed surprised by his own actions, staring down at his own hand in confusion. Then, when Raymond pulled harder to drag Baran away, Nika instinctively pulled back.

For a moment, it turned into an unspoken tug-of-war.

Baran, worried his arm might actually get ripped off at this rate, quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation.

“Nika.”