Chapter 62
A question that had tormented men everywhere throughout history slipped out.
From Enya’s lips.
‘Is it work, or me?’
Childish and cute, a question that tickled the ear.
Tarmin belatedly came to his senses and exclaimed in surprise.
“…E-Enya?”
“…”
Tarmin tried to back away, but Enya was clinging desperately to his arm.
Unable to move a muscle, he belatedly realized what tonight’s dinner had meant.
Enya’s unusually sweet behavior.
The bathwater and dinner she’d prepared with such care.
Clinging to his arm, Enya felt fresh and dewy—perhaps she’d bathed beforehand—and her skin carried a faint yet alluring scent, as if she’d applied something.
The soft, yielding sensation through a single thin layer of white fabric.
He’d once taken advantage of the moment during a kiss to caress her soft body, but this was the first time Enya had pressed herself against him like this.
Feeling the back of his neck grow hot, Tarmin stammered.
“E-Enya? What, what are you doing right now?”
“…”
Enya had her eyes squeezed shut and was practically hanging off his arm.
She looked unbearably adorable.
Tarmin had to make a tremendous effort not to impulsively kiss her.
He raised his head and took a slow, deep breath.
It was hard to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.
“Heh, heh, hehehe…”
After quite some time, Tarmin finally regained his composure and turned back to her.
Smiling broadly, his face brimming with excitement, he whispered,
“Enya, I have something to ask you. Are you trying to seduce me right now?”
“…Eek.”
Enya let out an unintelligible whimper and buried her face against Tarmin’s arm.
Then she spoke into it.
“…Answer.”
“Huh? What?”
“Me or work? Answer.”
Once again, Tarmin had to summon tremendous patience to keep from pouncing on her then and there.
He let out a silent scream inside, then considered how to answer.
There was no need to think about what mattered more. But…
Tarmin wore a mischievous smile.
“Obviously, work matters more.”
“…W-what did you say?”
Enya abruptly lifted her head and stared at him.
Her large eyes shimmered in the firelight.
She looked utterly incredulous, as if to say, After everything I’ve done for you, how can you say something so ridiculous?
Tarmin couldn’t hold back any longer.
“…Pfft! Bwahahaha!”
He burst out laughing.
As he kept laughing, Enya belatedly realized what was going on and glared at him with puffed-out cheeks.
He tried to calm down at the sight of her anger, but it wasn’t easy.
Tarmin kept chuckling and said with a sly grin,
“Hehehe! Come on, think about it. If I don’t work, I’ll starve, right? But you, even if I didn’t have you, hmm. Hold on, let me check.”
Saying that, he put an arm around her shoulders and leaned in closer.
Just as their faces were about to touch, as if he were going to kiss her.
Enya suddenly punched him in the chest.
-Thud!
“Ghk!?”
Tarmin groaned in pain and pulled away.
It was a heavy punch with her weight behind it, not something he could call cute.
Enya snapped furiously,
“If you love work so much, get out and go work, you bastard!”
“U-Ugh?”
Tarmin was flustered as he clutched his aching chest.
After waiting for the pain to subside, he put on an embarrassed smile to smooth things over.
“No, haha, um, Enya? Are you mad? Work couldn’t possibly be more important. Obviously, I was joking…”
He leaned closer, but when Enya saw him do it, she drew back her tightly clenched fist,
forcing Tarmin to take a step back.
He’d planned to tease her and then casually brush it off, but Enya was angrier than he’d expected.
“Aren’t you leaving?”
Enya advanced threateningly.
Tarmin could only back away, step by reluctant step, under the pressure of her advance.
His eyes darted around as he was driven back, until he eventually reached the door.
If she kicked him out now, he wouldn’t get a chance to explain.
Tarmin thought for a moment, then cried out desperately,
“You want me to leave? Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
“What would I regret?”
“I told you I’d be busy starting tomorrow, didn’t I? If we part like this, you might not see my face for days. Are you okay with that?”
Enya stopped short when she heard that.
“Huh? R-really?”
The anger seemed to vanish, and she gazed at him with eyes that trembled faintly.
Tarmin breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously reached out an arm.
Watching Enya’s reaction, he spoke gently,
“Enya, um, I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
**
After much soothing, the two of them returned to the table.
Enya was nestled in his arms, whining in a tearful voice.
“…You’re really unfair.”
“What was that, Enya?”
Tarmin smiled as sweetly as he could and leaned his ear toward her.
As if that were a signal, Enya punched him in the chest.
“Ghk.”
“I said you’re unfair, you unfair jerk! After I went that far, how could you dodge the question like that?”
It was a smaller, cuter fist than the one from a moment ago.
At Enya’s outburst, Tarmin cleared his throat exaggeratedly.
“Ahem, ahem. I-I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Just go die.”
“Enya. Want me to kiss you?”
She glared at him fiercely instead of answering, and Tarmin had no choice but to look away, chastened.
Enya let out a deep sigh, rested her head against Tarmin’s chest, and muttered as if to herself,
“…Would it kill you to just give in for once? You jerk. You change the subject and threaten me by saying I won’t see you for days.”
“Sorry. I was wrong.”
He gently drew Enya into his arms and apologized once more.
He’d meant to laugh and lighten the mood, but apparently he’d hurt her more than he’d expected.
Enya hesitated for a moment, then said,
“…Try again.”
“I-I’m sorry! I was wrong!”
“Not an apology, you idiot!”
“Huh? Y-yeah?”
“Answer me properly this time. Is it work, or me?”
Tarmin didn’t answer at once. He gazed at Enya for a moment.
Her golden hair kept him from seeing her face.
But it was obvious that Enya was giving him another chance.
Swallowing repeatedly, he carefully chose what to say.
If he made another lame joke, she’d kill him with the holy sword.
“Ummm.”
He already knew what he was supposed to say.
The answer that would let Enya win.
But Tarmin only groaned and couldn’t bring himself to speak right away.
He regretted not answering honestly the first time.
Somehow, after being scolded, saying it now felt even more awkward and embarrassing.
It was a relief that Enya had her face buried against him.
He didn’t have to worry about her seeing his flushed face.
Tarmin finally opened his mouth.
“…You’re a thousand times more precious to me than some trivial hunter’s job.”
He blurted it out, then scratched his head vigorously.
“There, happy now? Satisfied?”
“…”
He kept clearing his throat, watching Enya’s reaction.
Enya was trembling.
Wondering what was wrong, he leaned closer, and from between her hair came what sounded like a tiny laugh.
“Pff-hehehe…”
It was a silly, goofy sound.
Tarmin’s eyes twitched.
Enya stopped laughing with a start and lifted her head.
She glared at him with a prim expression, as if she hadn’t just burst out laughing.
“…Well, it’s not bad. Behave yourself from now on. Got it?”
“…”
“W-what? What are you looking at? I’m still not completely over being mad.”
**
A few minutes later.
The two of them were drinking reconciliation wine.
In their own way.
A suggestive sound, hardly one you’d expect while drinking wine, echoed throughout the house.
-Mwah, sluuurp… Mm, phew…
There was no need to worry about anyone hearing them.
This was Enya’s house, after all.
“Mwah… Phew, Taal, w-wait, stop, ahh…”
The wine in her mouth was gone, but Tarmin’s lips lingered greedily, refusing to leave hers.
The aroma of wine made her feel as if her head were going blank.
With him kissing her over and over without pause, Enya couldn’t even keep her eyes open.
Sitting on top of Tarmin, with his arms around her waist, she was being kissed senseless.
“Pwah, s-stop, stooop.”
“What’s wrong, Enya? Are you forgiving me now?”
“Y-yeah. I get it, I forgive you, so…”
“Doesn’t seem like it. You don’t look like you’ve calmed down yet. Let me see.”
“N-no, mmph!”
Only after helplessly enduring about five more sips did Enya finally manage to hide her face against Tarmin’s chest.
Otherwise, she couldn’t escape his face.
Tarmin buried his nose against Enya’s neck and breathed in.
“What’s wrong, Enya? Didn’t you buy this wine because you wanted to share it like this?”
His hot breath tickled her neck, and Enya’s ears turned bright red in an instant.
Enya hunched her neck and said,
“N-no.”
It was true she’d bought it for Tarmin, but she’d only prepared it as something to drink.
She absolutely hadn’t had anything naughty in mind, like that kissing technique they’d tried once before.
…Probably.
Tarmin teased her cheek with the tip of his nose and said,
“Enya, there’s still one sip left. Want to drink it?”
“No. You drink it.”
“Really? All right. But lift your head.”
When Tarmin said it like an order, a shiver ran through her whole body.
Enya almost lifted her head without thinking, then hunched her shoulders with a start.
“N-no. You drink it by yourself.”
They tussled for a moment, but there was nowhere to escape in his arms.
In the end, Tarmin shared even the final sip of wine with Enya.
“Haa, haa…”
The alcohol had gone to Enya’s head, and she couldn’t hold herself upright.
Tarmin gently picked her up.
He rose from the chair and began walking.
Enya opened her bleary eyes and asked with difficulty,
“Taal… d-did something make you angry?”
“No? You’re the one who was angry, aren’t you?”
Tarmin smiled easily and leaned his face closer.
*****