Chapter 82 A Long-Awaited Reunion Please don't be like this, it breaks my heart.
Lunch was eaten inside the palace, and afterwards, one could rest within the palace grounds, providing a more free and relaxed time for socializing, exchanging information, and building new relationships... all the way to the evening banquet, where collaborations, whether agreed upon or not, could find more opportunities over drinks.
The huge banquet hall could accommodate nearly a thousand people and still feel spacious. With more people, it would be easier for people to hide and slack off.
The car stopped in a secluded corner, with a large stained-glass window behind it, decorated with elements of the sun and flowers, a radiant red glow and a profusion of colorful blossoms, beautiful and magnificent; to the side and in front stood a round pillar, adorned with reliefs, paintings, gold leaf, and lacquer, shimmering with light and color.
East was no longer the main character at the dinner party; apart from those who were interested, no one would notice him at all.
Asan was just hanging out and having fun, so he had no interest in socializing and wandered over to East.
"Don't wait any longer. Two 'small abysses' formed entirely by high-level monsters have appeared over the Misty Mountains. The situation is not optimistic. He is leading a team to deal with it there."
Easter smiled and said, "Thank you. I wasn't entirely waiting for him. In your opinion, how eager am I? Do I seem like I'm hopelessly in love with him?"
What Esther really wanted to say was, was he really that much like someone with a love-struck mind? Fearing a cultural difference, Asan didn't understand the meaning behind his words, so she slightly modified the wording.
Asan, "Isn't that right?"
Easter chuckled, "People who think like that are probably themselves like that. Didn't you realize?"
"You want a beating, don't you?" Asang said. "I don't think you've had much to drink, so why are you talking nonsense?"
“Sir, why are you so serious?” Easter said.
"Don't use honorifics with me. Although you rejected me, the facts are undeniable. Don't misunderstand, I just... can't accept it, you understand?" Asang said hesitantly.
“I understand, you don’t need to…” Easter hesitated before saying, “with this cautious and awkward attitude, I am just me, and nothing will change.”
"Given the situation this morning, anyone would have thought they wouldn't have refused. Am I really that bad?" Asang asked, puzzled.
“I’m not a good person, but I wouldn’t do something so despicable.” Easter slowly took a sip of the wine in his glass. It tasted alright, but unfortunately, it was too astringent.
“Okay,” Asan patted East on the shoulder, “I’ll come talk to you sometime. You must have a lot of questions.”
East nodded. "Just letting them know in advance. We just finished talking to them, and things might get a bit hectic."
"Yes, I will." Asang felt a little more relaxed. He had lost his composure this morning, but it was understandable. If he could really handle things calmly, he wouldn't still be unable to let go of it after thousands of years.
Asasang was about to chat with someone more, putting aside Esther's special qualities, he thought Esther was a pretty good person, someone he could be friends with, when he noticed the change in Esther's expression.
A smile spread from his pupils, small creases appeared at the corners of his eyes, and the corners of his lips involuntarily turned up, gentle and tender, joy emanating from the bottom of his heart. Just by looking at his eyes, one could see how happy he was.
Asan looked away, and a man walked in from outside. After taking in the man's face, Asan gritted his teeth and glared at Esther, "Your eyes are practically glued to him, how dare you say those things?"
Easter said embarrassedly, "It's not my fault. We haven't seen each other for so long, and besides, I've never seen him dressed like this before."
The person who came could only be Arip. He was wearing light silver armor, with rubies and gold patterns adorning it perfectly, making it beautiful and not monotonous. The cape was designed to be worn on one shoulder, as if a red cape was being draped diagonally over his body. His flowing golden-red hair became an adornment, making him even more dazzling.
Isn't it understandable that he likes it? Easter thought to himself.
Ariber, with his keen eye, spotted Easter in the corner. His gaze softened slightly, and without doing anything inappropriate, he walked up to Derek, whispered something to him, and then left through the back door of the banquet hall, coming and going in a hurry.
Easter downed the drink in one gulp, suppressing the pounding in his heart; his numb fingertips almost dropped the empty glass.
Their eyes met in public, a secret known only to the two of them, a unique and unknown...flirting.
"Stop dwelling on it. He didn't even stop for a moment for you." Asan couldn't stand Ister's pathetic behavior.
Esther snapped out of his daze. "So dazzling, so spectacular, it was the most magnificent sunset ever."
Esther's smug expression nearly made Asan choke. "I can't be bothered with you. You'll regret not listening to my advice when you suffer the consequences."
Easter didn't want to say more; in these matters, who can predict the future until the very end?
The banquet ended late at night.
When East and his group returned to their lodgings, it was almost one or two in the morning, and everyone was exhausted.
Easter told everyone to get some rest, not to get up early tomorrow, and to talk about everything at noon, before dragging his heavy body back to his room.
Upon entering the room, Easter keenly sensed the change in atmosphere. He turned on the light, and soft light streamed in. Everything seemed normal, with nothing added or missing.
Easter's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly opened the door to the balcony and, upon seeing the scene outside, couldn't help but chuckle. How similar it was to the day they reunited!
The bright moon hangs high, its light seemingly illuminating the man sitting cross-legged on the balcony railing, casting a captivating glow around him. In a daze, it seems as if he himself is radiating light, like a beautiful, unreal dream.
Arip raised an eyebrow, tapping the ground with his dangling leg, making a soft sound. "Mr. Rabbit, are you unhappy to see me?" The subtle flirtatious teasing, along with the slight roguishness in his eyes, overshadowed his elegance, making him look like a libertine sneaking into a "deep boudoir" in the middle of the night, utterly disreputable.
Easter tilted his head in confusion. Areper's state was strange, seemingly drunk but not quite.
He removed his light armor and wore loose, simple casual clothes: a burgundy shirt, black skinny jeans, and knee-high boots that reached his calves. It was too simple and didn't match Arriber's identity at all.
"What happened?" Easter asked hesitantly.
Aripelago casually beckoned with his finger, exuding a nonchalant charm.
Easter stepped forward, getting closer to the man who was deliberately seducing her.
Arip lifted Easter's chin, leaned down and planted a light, casual kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water, leaving hardly a trace.
Easter grabbed Arip's wrist. "What's wrong?" he asked again, a sense of unease creeping in. Arip in this state was like a fleeting breeze, impossible to grasp or hold onto.
Arip looked down at East from his high position, his light and soft pale pink eyes filled with worry and concern for him, undisguised and unrestrained.
Arip placed his hand on East's shoulder, leaned down close to his ear, and let his long, flowing golden-red curls wrap around him like seaweed. "Mr. Rabbit, did you miss me?" His breath was intimate, and his magnetic voice sent shivers down one's spine.
East stepped forward, put his arm around Arepo, and sighed, "I miss her, I miss her so much."
Arip laughed, a soft, seductive laugh that was incredibly alluring. "I thought Mr. Rabbit had forgotten about me."
Easter nestled against Arebo's waist and rubbed against him slightly. "Sorry, I've been too busy lately."
Arip patted Easter's hair. "Alright, I'll reluctantly forgive you this time."
Their relationship began by accident; they hastily settled down after their second meeting. It was too fast, and they didn't seriously cultivate their feelings for each other. Although it was supposed to be a proper relationship, it turned out to be more like a casual fling than a romantic relationship.
Due to various reasons, they could only meet a few times in real life and could only communicate by letter. But gradually, the letters stopped. He knew that East was very busy, but feelings are beyond one's control, and besides, the last parting was not exactly pleasant.
East felt inexplicably sad, mostly out of heartache. "Are you going back?"
"I just arrived, and you're already hoping I'll leave?" Arip lazily pushed Easter away.
"I'm not..."
Arip sealed Easter's unfinished words with his lips. As they kissed, he realized the position was inconvenient, so he climbed off the railing. Their intertwined lips and tongues parted slightly, but their breaths still mingled, reluctant to part. The next moment, their lips were intimately pressed together again.
Easter moved his hand to Areper's back, tightened his arms, and pressed their chests together tightly.
Arip chuckled softly, ending the long, lingering kiss. Easter, his eyes still blurry, chased after the receding warmth. Arip gently pecked Easter's lips reassuringly, "Good boy~"
Ester was even more embarrassed than when she had been kissing someone so passionately, her face flushed and her ears burning. "Let's go back to the room first." She tried to remain calm, but the unintentional clinginess she revealed was so endearing that it made people's hearts flutter, and Arip couldn't refuse her at all.
Upon entering the brightly lit room, East noticed the unusual nature of the Arip shirt. The front was perfectly normal, but the back was almost bare, bound only by a few red ties crisscrossing across it, leaving the spine and waist completely exposed, like a carefully tied bow gift.
The perfectly smooth waistline and the untamed wildness that he inadvertently revealed all demonstrated the power of this body. Just thinking that this belonged to him made East look away uncomfortably, not daring to look any longer, for fear that if he looked any longer, he would do something impolite.
Arip squeezed East's fingertips. "Why are you still so easily embarrassed?" They had done intimate things more than once or twice, and had spent a lot of time naked together. Now, he had only seen her back, and she had such a cute expression. It was worth all the effort he had put in.
Easter squeezed Areber's hand. "It's getting late, let's get some rest."
Aripel placed his hands on Easter's shoulders, facing him directly. "Don't you miss me at all?" he asked, his voice trembling with exasperation. Over the past few months, they had barely been intimate. It wasn't that he was particularly thirsty; the problem was that Easter had been far too indifferent, making it seem as if he were the one chasing after him.
East raised his hand and stroked Arip's cheek, his thumb brushing against his lower eyelid. "You're both very tired. You need to rest. There's no rush." With that, he placed a kiss on those eyes that he loved so much.
Arip's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she put her arm around East's waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I dressed up so nicely especially for this trip," she said, seemingly aggrieved.
Easter hugged Arip back. "There's still time," he said. He couldn't bear to see him sad or tired anymore. Why couldn't they be open and honest? Why couldn't they have more time? His heart ached. He couldn't give him anything. "I'm sorry." He always had to accommodate him, always had to come to him. He was the one asking for this love, yet he had nothing to offer.
He used his emotions to bind an eagle that should have been soaring freely in the sky. It was his selfishness and his cowardice that led him to use words to disguise lies and deceive the eagle.
He was terrified. He feared that time and distance would erode their already fragile bond; he feared he would regret dragging this eagle into the water; and he feared even more that if the eagle wanted freedom, he might do something irrational.
Arip felt the hands around his waist tighten, and the person in his arms became increasingly repressed. He bit down on East's neck, applying a little force, leaving a bright red mark on that smooth, jade-like neck. "Baby, don't do this, it hurts me." He gently licked the tooth mark he had made. "Rest, I'll take you out to play tomorrow."
Easter looked up at Arip, overwhelmed with mixed feelings. Giving too little and receiving too much was always unsettling, and even more complex emotions welled up inside him—guilt.
"It's no big deal. You just need to praise me, right? Why are you so silly? Luckily, I don't mind." Arip patted Easter's head. "Stop being so cute. It's really getting late." His pitiful little eyes were so endearing that you wanted to give him your heart.
More than the unspoken, implicit boundary he now desired, he wanted to possess this person completely, to have everything he had. He was the one who had personally taught him, so why should there be any lingering boundaries? Fate had ordained them to be a match made in heaven.
Arribo lay back on the sofa, listening to the "splashing" sound of water coming from the shower. He covered his face with his palm and exhaled from his chest. Time has brewed a jar of pure wine. No one knows whether it is bitter or sweet without tasting it themselves.
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