Chapter 62: 22.52

On the third day of the new year, I have a part-time job at the pub from noon ‘til dawn.

There are still a lot of drunkards celebrating the New Year with alcohol, even though it was already the first Saturday of the new year.

As expected, the bar is in a state of pandemonium—I mean, great success.

But at around midnight, some drunk guys from this town and the neighboring one start a brawl in front of the pub.

The pub owner’s wife says, “You fight all the time, so you should be used to it, right? Go and stop them.”

What the heck?

It’s not like I get into fights all the time. And what does she mean by “should be used to it?” I haven’t been fighting so frequently that I’d get used to it. At least, I don’t think so.

There are many things in her statement that bother me, but for now, I push it to the back of my mind and stop the fight.

The number of people involved is quite a lot, making for a fierce brawl. Even if I attempt to talk things out, they may just ignore me and keep talking with their fists. I also don’t know who are in the wrong here, so I just knock them all out.

Whenever Lian stops the kids from fighting, he’ll say that both sides are in the wrong in a fight, so they have to be punished together. And I am of the same opinion.

In the end, I’m the only one left standing in front of the store, still and silent all around.

Although I stopped the fight, just like what the pub owner’s wife wanted, she hits my head. She scolds me, telling me that I overdid it.

“Things only get more troublesome when you’re here. Go back to the village before the police comes,” she says.

If it’s like this, won’t I look like the worst out of all of them? Even though I am the one who stopped their fight.

I leave for the village, saddened at being chased away.

I’m bothered. Try as I may, I don’t understand why she’s forcing me home, so it’s hard for me to accept it just like that.

And so I return to the church in a gloomy state.

During the fight outside the bar, someone hit my head with a liquor bottle, shattering the bottle to pieces and soaking me from head to toe. I’m not entering the church like this, so Marie hands me my pajamas first. And off I go to the bathroom.

After washing myself, I head straight for my bed since I don’t have anything else to do─

Lian is sleeping on my bed again.

What is he doing here?

Maybe he’s waiting for me?

No, there’s no way he’ll do such a thing. Calm down and wake up.

Maybe he heard from Marie or the kids that I will be staying at the bar again today, so knowing that my room will be vacant, he stayed in the church. That’s the reason Lian gave me the other day for why he was in my room last time. “Didn’t you say I can use your room when you’re not there!” he said, his face red in rage.

Because it’s cold, I slip into the bed for now. Lian frowns, but doesn’t chase me out.

He seems to be half-awake. “Warm…” he mutters before leaning closer to me, snuggling up against my chest.

He occasionally rubs his face on my chest like a cat, and breathes in my scent. Then he smiles, loosely clutching my pajamas. It is very, very cute.

Whenever I stroke his head, he sighs in comfort, his cheeks flushing slightly. The sight is no less adorable. And rather coquettish too… I can feel my lower body waking up.

Unable to endure any further, I’m about to make my move, but of course Lian wakes up. His face grows red, and his hair puffed up in anger like a cat’s.

I can ignore his unwillingness and force myself on him, but I know that he will definitely hate me afterward. So I suppress my urges at the last minute.

Because once it’s gone, this little star will never… return.

I don’t want that to happen. I won’t be able to stand it.

I’ll have to endure this trial all night.

What the heck is this?

Is he trying to test me?

Is this some kind of trial?

I probably won’t be able to endure Lian sleeping on my bed for another time, but not long after that, school starts once again.

From then on, even when I return to the church earlier than planned, I never find Lian asleep on my bed again.

I don’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

School resumes. My life is back to normal.

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I thought my days of being worked to death are finally over, but for some reason, I’m still very busy.

The cattle in Cheddar’s ranch are currently in a birthing boom, overwhelming Cheddar, his wife, and their two temporary hires. So they ask me to come and help them if I have time.

I have no choice but to help the couple, who already gained dark circles under their eyes.

If the couple collapses, the ranch will fall in disarray.

With that, I decide to sacrifice my Monday afternoons for Cheddar’s Ranch, in addition to my usual shift with them on the weekends. The day I usually visit the library.

But not being able to go to the library is making me suffer in impatience.

The sequel to ‘Detective Silkhat — Season 4’ should be out soon. I want to borrow it as soon as it’s out. The 7th volume of ‘Explorer Gorgon’s Adventure’ is also coming soon. Will he win in the deadly battle against the giant bipedal monitoring lizard? And if he wins, how does he do it? I really want to know.

I want to secure at least one day for a trip to the library.

To dig out some more free time, I decide to adjust my shifts at the construction site, shortening it from three days a week after school to two days a week.

However, when I walk into the office to make the request, the boss scolds me, saying, “Are you trying to kill us?!”

Apparently, they have two consecutive orders for two new buildings and three store refurbishments.

“If you’re free, go help out now!” he says, dragging me to the construction site.

Once I caught sight of my seniors’ and colleagues’ soulless eyes and mechanical movements, the words I planned to say get stuck in my throat.

I continue to work in such a manner day and night, going home only at midnight. These extremely busy days pass by in no time.

When things finally calm down, it is already mid-February.

Which is when the local school’s graduation ceremony will be held.

On that day, the skies are clear, not a cloud in sight.

After the school principal finishes his tedious monologue, the ceremony is officially over. The moment he steps out of the auditorium, people start to randomly group together in the corners.

And at the center of one group is someone with shiny, silver hair.

Lian.

Many teary-eyed juniors and classmates surround him.

Among them are the trio who always follow Lian everywhere. Tears and snot run down their faces.

When our classmates and juniors ask if they can go meet him or play with him after graduation, he smiles and says, “You can come whenever.”

His smile is soft and gentle.

Recently, I haven’t seen his fake smiles often. The ones he forces himself to make to appear strong.

Lian seems to have relaxed nowadays. It’s occasionally made his soft smile more natural.

Does the person himself know what people are saying about his smile? “It’s soothing,” “It’s the smile of an angel,” “Even though it’s just a smile, looking at it makes me happy.” Things like that.

A lot of people want to see Lian’s smile and get his goodwill, so they’re desperately trying to appeal themselves in front of him.

But he doesn’t seem to notice it.

After all, Lian is quite oblivious about matters concerning himself. Which is why his friendliness towards me can be considered unusual.

The trio and the other students circle Lian, making merry with their faces, rosy in happiness. Lian smiles along with them.

For some reason, I’m annoyed. I have half a mind to walk over there right now and get rid of all those people.

There’s even a junior who asks for a handshake.

Lian complies, a slightly troubled expression on his face.

Carried away, he prolongs the handshake on purpose. That bastard. Since Lian also looks troubled, the urge to drag him away grows stronger within me. But the place is jammed packed with students. Although I try to push my way through, people just keep coming, blocking my way. I have no way to approach Lian.

Moreover, a lot of people are trying to chat me up. I have never been more irritated in my entire life.

Frustrated at the enormous crowd, I stare at Lian again, and realize that he has been facing my direction since who-knows-when.

However, when our gazes meet, he narrows his ice-colored eyes in displeasure, frown lines appearing between his brows.

Why is that?

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