Chapter 98 Watching

Too close.

It was like the clouds growing downward from the horizon when a storm hit, giving me the terrifying illusion that I was about to be swept away and swallowed by them.

He stared into his eyes; those beautiful, clear colors were like a piece of stained glass, sealing the endlessly surging dark tide within. The other person had created all the great beauty humans could perceive, as well as a whole new ominous foreboding, perhaps a dark, expanding disaster that he could not comprehend.

Let go, he ordered, but the other man just fluttered his eyelashes slightly, looking a little sad, as if he wanted to say something - good time.

With the dull thud of a human body hitting the ground, this time he successfully replicated what the male protagonist had just taught him, and it was a different person who looked down from above and showed a controlling attitude.

Nova tried to calm his breathing, staring coldly at the beautiful humanoid beneath him. The creature seemed a little surprised, its golden hair flowing on the ground as if it had life.

He couldn't help but frowned and tried to get up from the other person: "You..."

The black-haired young man suddenly shuddered violently, letting out a slightly unexpected groan. He arched his back and grabbed the other man's throat with both hands.

"I said, let go."

His tone was exceptionally cold, and his fingers were shaking slightly from exhaustion and anger, but Nova could still easily feel the heat of human bodies surging through the gloves.

——The man grabbed his waist.

His sensitive waist was completely invaded by an unfamiliar high fever, and with the gradually increasing intensity, waves of unfamiliar, intense numbness, itching, and soreness shot up his spine and up to the top of his head. Instinct screamed for him to flee, demanding that he immediately get away from the unknown dangerous creature beneath him.

Nova didn't try to break free from the restraints around his waist. He'd experienced this before: resistance was pointless. So he simply shifted his weight to his arms, gradually tightening his grip on the man's vitals, believing that the weight of gravity, the threat of suffocation and death would sober anyone up—but the man suddenly smiled silently at his psychopathic gaze.

Are you angry with me? the other party asked gently.

He was smiling, but there was something strange in his eyes, with an inexplicable forbearance, as if he was enduring some destructive and terrifying impulse.

...What's going on? Could it be that this guy really can't stand it anymore and wants to beat him up?

"Last warning, let go." The black-haired young man cursed him with a gloomy expression, "Do you not understand the words or what people are saying?"

This time, the God's Blessed One did let go—but somehow, Nova lost his balance. He instinctively let go to support himself, but still fell onto the other person. Someone then pressed the back of his head, forcing him to bury his face in the other person's shoulder.

"...Don't move." The savior whispered as if he was enduring something, and his other hand pressed slowly and heavily on his stiff back.

The intense heat generated by their bodies pressed together created a damp, sticky, inseparable illusion on their already burning skin. Nova frowned uncomfortably. At other times, he might have reluctantly allowed himself to be held for a moment, but now, with an unbearable premonition of danger surging in his stomach, he wanted to escape immediately and didn't even notice the man's abnormality.

"—Damn it! Can't we get up first and talk later? Do you have a habit of rolling on the floor?!"

He struggled to free himself with his hands and feet, secretly vowing to punch that pretty man in the face if he dared to cause trouble again—thankfully, he succeeded this time. He immediately backed away three meters from the man, even wanting to take out the pistol hidden in the desk cabinet.

The culprit was lying on the ground, slowly covering his eyes with his arms, motionless.

Nova stared at him vigilantly. Seeing that he remained in the same position, he hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved over and gently kicked his shoulder with his toes. He was ready to tactically evacuate the scene immediately if the other party made the slightest movement.

"What are you doing? Why are you suddenly going crazy?" he asked coldly.

"...Sir, let me remind you," the other person replied calmly, "I am a healthy, normal adult male."

Nova: “……?”

He was stunned for a moment before finally reacting. Belatedly, he glanced down... Well, it was indeed quite obvious, even through his outer robe, he could see it - could it be that the other party was angry because of this? That made sense.

He simply lifted a corner of the blanket with his foot and threw it at the man's hips. He replied in a particularly cold tone, "It's just a normal physiological reaction. You should know that this is the way young men of this age are. Any external factors can cause it. You don't have to be embarrassed about it - and in the final analysis, this is all your fault."

Who made this guy insist on taking revenge on him through "exercise"?

“…”

Seeing that no one spoke, Nova added expressionlessly: "Although this is not a reason for you to be mad at me, I forgive you this time - do you need me to leave first and give you some private space?"

The other party finally put down his arm, raised his eyelids and looked at him with a smile, and then... then he got angry.

He's actually still mad at me? Nova stared at the closed bathroom door, thinking in disbelief, I've already decided not to be angry, and I'm still so considerate, so what on earth is he mad at?

I don't know how long it took, but suddenly, warm steam hit me. The savior must have taken the opportunity to take a shower. He was wearing only a snow-white shirt. His blond hair was wet and half-stuck to his cheek. The wet steam made his delicate and perfect features look particularly gentle and harmless.

"Come here." The man stood at the bathroom door and called calmly.

...Where to greet the dog? Nova stared at him for a while, but finally decided to give him this face reluctantly - but as soon as he walked over, someone covered his head with a soft towel.

"Why didn't you change your clothes after sweating?" The man wiped his sweat-soaked hair and carefully felt the warmth of his neck with his hand, while asking in a low voice with a hint of reproach.

The villain with the towel on his head said expressionlessly: "Because I need to take a shower first and then change clothes, while you are taking care of your physiological problems in the bathroom."

"...Did you do this on purpose?"

"What on purpose?"

"Makes me really want to punch you."

Before he could open his mouth to refute, the other party suddenly sighed deeply and hugged him in his arms.

Perhaps because the man's arms were only loosely held this time, and his nose was filled with a clean, moist breath, Nova did not struggle, but only frowned even tighter: "Now I'm all sweaty."

——Speaking of which, what about this guy’s mysophobia?

"You're always good at making people angry." The man ignored him and just complained in a low voice.

"I told you, this is a normal physiological phenomenon," the black-haired young man said coldly, "it's just that human society has attached various meanings to it. You don't have to be embarrassed by it. I don't care about it."

The other person was silent for a moment, then asked in a somewhat dangerous tone, "So, if you had some kind of reaction in front of me, you would still be able to remain calm?"

“I personally think so,” he replied strictly, “but I can’t give you an answer because I haven’t really experienced it myself.”

Seeing that the other party seemed to be about to laugh at him, Nova thought for a moment: "Okay, I apologize - I'm sorry, I won't mention it again."

"...That's not why I'm angry." The man seemed to let out a light breath, then let go of him and ruffled his hair with unusual tenderness. "But this isn't your fault either. You don't have to apologize to me."

"Why is that?" Nova frowned and stared at him.

The male protagonist smiled hatefully: "I won't tell you."

Villain: “…”

Now, this guy finally succeeded in taking revenge on him.

Seeing him staring up in disbelief, the guy actually laughed softly: "You see, if you are not honest with me, I will not be honest with you either."

Nova's face was tense. "I explained, but you didn't answer. I promised to inform you before any danger, and I kept my promise."

"That's not an explanation, nor is it keeping a promise." Azuka said in a calm tone, "You can't unilaterally ask me to give you all my trust and sincerity. That's unfair."

He lowered his eyes calmly. "You just don't trust me. You don't believe what I say. You don't believe I will make the right choice for you, even though I once said that your wishes and feelings are important."

“…”

Something felt off, and he wanted to retort, but every micro-expression of the person seemed to betray exhaustion and sadness. If the roles were reversed, Nova didn't think he would react too strongly, but he knew he was different. Perhaps the other person would be hurt by this "distrust"? Just like the teacher would be hurt by his concealment and calculations?

...The person in front of him is his important companion, and he does have the responsibility to consider the rewards and feedback that the other party can get from him, even though some of the costs are beyond his comprehension - but as of now, what he really wants seems to be just a kind of "trust", trust in the literal sense, trust without weighing the pros and cons, a beautiful, illusory, and warm thing.

But trust is also dangerous and irrational, like a small boat that has lost its helmsman and is sailing alone into unfamiliar waters, relying only on the wind for guidance.

"You once said I was arrogant. In fact, you are also extremely arrogant." Taking advantage of his daze, the God's Favored One gently cupped his face with her warm hands, letting him completely fall into those gentle, sincere, and tolerant blue eyes. "Our natures are so similar that this resemblance can hurt each other... But because I cherish you and don't want you to be hurt, I suppress my nature."

"But I can't do this alone. After all, compared to you, I'm just an ordinary human being who is dull, weak, and easily hurt..." His eyes quietly reflected another person: "I hope you can also come towards me, even if it's just to turn towards me."

—So may I ask you to try to look at me, really, look at me?

Just when the savior thought that his nemesis would remain the same as before, not saying a single word, or being irritating whenever he opened his mouth, the man suddenly spoke.

"You know I wouldn't feel the same way."

"I know."

"This is a dangerous and foolishly wrong decision."

"I'll prove it's not."

"...You can't lose your temper with me after you find out."

"When have I ever lost my temper with you?"

"One last question," his nemesis raised his head expressionlessly, allowing his palm to slide across the other man's jaw and rest on his neck. "Will you really be upset because of my distrust of you, and will it affect our partnership?"

The Savior looked at him deeply: "Nothing can shake the relationship between us."

“—but I’ll be sad.”

The professor was silent for a moment, then closed his eyes in compromise: "...Okay, I'll tell you."

He quickly added, "You can't stop it now anyway."

…

He had developed something about his moon that was enough to destroy that man and himself.

...This is not right, but he is sober, calm, desperate, and willing to accept it.