Chapter 46: You’re Still Osh

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes. It has been a while, Your Highness.”

“You don’t look well. Tell me, has something happened recently to weigh on your heart?”

“…No. Nothing in particular.”

Kebel knew exactly what Beryl was trying to ask, and he cut the conversation short. At that, Beryl’s expression hardened. He looked as though he were deliberately putting distance between them.

Setting down the glass he had been holding, Beryl rose from his seat and sat beside Kebel.

By now, Kebel had grown accustomed to the prince’s impeccably fitted attire, and his expression remained calm.

Beryl picked up a cookie and held it out to him.

Kebel firmly shook his head.

Refused again.

In the end, Beryl snapped.

“What exactly is the problem?”

“What do you mean?”

“The way you speak to me. The way you treat me. Why have you changed so much?”

The cookie in Beryl’s hand crumbled beneath his grip, turning to powder and falling to the floor.

Even so, Kebel answered without the slightest change in expression.

“I don’t understand why Your Highness is angry.”

“You don’t understand? Not long ago, you acted as though you knew me better than anyone. And now you don’t understand?”

“What are you-”

“Kebel Ilya.”

Hearing his full name made Kebel flinch.

Still, he calmly took a sip of tea and set the cup down.

That composure only deepened the crease between Beryl’s brows.

After brushing cookie crumbs from his fingers, Beryl spoke again.

“Why did you place Enok Shrimp by my side?”

“That was…”

“He’s quite beautiful, you know. To be honest, he’s surprisingly close to my type.”

A faint laugh escaped him.

But it disappeared just as quickly.

Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. The movement made the muscles in his forearms stand out sharply.

“At first, I thought you did it to test me.”

“…”

“You know my tastes too well. It made no sense that someone who knew me so thoroughly had no interest in me.”

That wasn’t it.

‘I only introduced him so you’d stop paying attention to me.’

But Kebel kept that thought to himself.

“Part of me even hoped you’d misunderstand and become jealous.”

Beryl laughed bitterly.

“That’s how much I liked you.”

“Your Highness…”

“But do you know something? Because of that, I realized I truly loved you.”

Kebel froze.

Never before had Beryl confessed so openly.

At such a timing, no less.

Unable to respond, Kebel fidgeted with his fingers.

“When you genuinely care for someone,” Beryl continued quietly, “you begin noticing every little thing about them. Their actions. Their expressions. Even the smallest movement.”

His eyes settled on Kebel.

“I always find myself wondering what you’re thinking. How you’re feeling. Just like now.”

The sincerity in his voice made Kebel uncomfortable.

This was not the time.

Not when his mind was consumed by someone else.

“Tell me.”

Beryl’s voice lowered.

“Why?”

“…”

“When you were younger, you followed me around obsessively, saying you liked me.”

His jaw tightened.

“So why did your feelings change?”

Kebel inhaled slowly.

Then he met Beryl’s gaze.

“If Your Highness is speaking honestly, then I should answer honestly as well.”

Beryl remained silent.

“To begin with… I don’t understand why you like me.”

“What?”

“And I don’t understand why I’m supposed to like you.”

Beryl’s eyes widened.

“Even if I liked you when I was younger, there’s no rule saying those feelings have to remain forever.”

“…”

“And lately, it feels less like you’re considering my feelings and more like you’re forcing your own onto me.”

These were words Kebel had wanted to say for a long time.

Unfortunately, they spilled out on a day when his emotions were already frayed.

“I know I’m being disrespectful.”

“…”

“But if you truly like someone, then sometimes you need to step back when they say no.”

His voice trembled slightly.

“You don’t say, ‘I like you, so you have to like me too.’”

The room fell silent.

“Just as you didn’t decide to love me because someone told you to, feelings aren’t something you can demand from another person.”

Beryl stared at him.

Speechless.

“I think… if you really care about me, then instead of trapping me within the framework of an engagement, you should try opening my heart slowly.”

Kebel lowered his gaze.

“That’s what consideration is.”

Silence.

Heavy silence.

Kebel clenched his fists.

He had finally said it.

Everything he had been holding in for so long.

And now regret crept in.

No matter how true the words were, he had still hurt someone.

“…I’m sorry.”

His apology came out barely above a whisper.

Beryl heard it.

Yet he said nothing.

The prince simply sat there, staring blankly.

For someone usually overflowing with confidence, the expression looked strangely foreign.

“Your Highness?”

Only then did focus return to Beryl’s eyes.

He looked at Kebel.

Slowly.

“I didn’t realize… that’s how you saw me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Again, no answer.

Beryl rubbed a hand over his face before standing.

Kebel instinctively looked up.

“Let’s end things here for today.”

“Your Highness?”

“We’ll continue this conversation another time.”

His voice sounded tired.

“For now… just leave.”

“…”

“Even for me, hearing that hurts.”

With those words, Beryl turned and left the reception room.

The emptiness he left behind felt almost tangible.

The expression on his face lingered in Kebel’s mind.

For all his faults, Beryl had been sincere.

And Kebel knew he had wounded him.

His heart felt heavy.

As he stepped out of the reception room…

Someone was waiting.

“…Osh?”

“It’s been a while, Kebel.”

The moment he heard that familiar voice, Kebel rushed forward as if propelled by a spring.

Three weeks.

Three entire weeks.

And Osh looked terrible.

His face had grown noticeably thinner.

Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

Without thinking, Kebel reached up and touched his cheek.

The skin that had once been smooth felt rough beneath his fingers.

“Why do you look so… worn down?”

The sight made his chest ache.

But Osh caught Kebel’s wrist and gently lowered his hand.

Before Kebel could even feel disappointed, Osh glanced behind him.

“You’re the one who told me not to do things like this in public.”

“…Ah.”

“Ida is standing right there.”

His gaze flicked toward the attendant.

“If word reaches the Duke…”

“I’ll take responsibility.”

The response escaped Kebel before he could stop it.

The frustration he had been suppressing surfaced immediately.

Watching him sulk, Osh slowly released his hand.

Then he looked at him with eyes full of warmth.

For the first time in weeks, Kebel felt his chest tighten.

The familiar feeling made him almost dizzy.

“I happened to be visiting the palace,” Osh said softly.

“When I heard you were here, I waited.”

“Why?”

“There was something I wanted to tell you.”

Kebel nodded.

Then he hesitated.

“There’s something I want to ask too.”

“Go ahead.”

His voice remained calm.

“The night you came into my room…”

Kebel’s fingers tightened.

“Were you really trying to kill me?”

He already knew the answer.

Yet he wanted to hear it from Osh himself.

Osh said nothing.

No denial.

No excuse.

Only silence.

Sometimes silence was an answer.

Kebel slowly nodded.

The reaction seemed to surprise Osh.

“…You’re not afraid of me?”

A bitter smile touched Kebel’s lips.

Instead of answering immediately, he took Osh’s hand.

Then threaded his fingers through his.

Their hands locked together.

Osh stared down at them.

Motionless.

Then slowly looked up.

His expression had gone rigid.

And his eyes.

Those beautiful green eyes.

Trembled endlessly, like reeds caught in the rain.

As though he had been bracing himself to be hated.

To be rejected.

To lose everything.

Kebel smiled.

Just as he always had.

“Why would you be afraid of yourself?”

“…”

“You’re still Osh.”

For a long moment, Osh said nothing.

Then a helpless laugh escaped him.

He pushed a hand through his crimson hair.

Sunlight caught the strands, making them gleam.

“Honestly…”

His voice was low.

Soft.

Dangerously soft.

“Once again… you make me want to endure.”

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