Chapter 6: Glass Slippers

'Dear God, Jesus, Buddha, The Jade Emperor, Zeus, Apollo, Odin, Osiris, Oleg Weng, Anubis, Shiva, Obelisk, Artemis, Zarathustra, the fire, the water, the air, the earth, the spirits of mother nature, this lowly fellow hereby requested to transfer in another realm where the chrysanthemum will be safe, also please do it this instant.'

I prayed so earnestly with the eyes tightly closed. This is more than the tense I felt during exams, where I leave my fate in their hands.

My body involuntarily shakes while feeling his soft, warming touch; it tingles. 'This is dangerous,' I've thought but somehow, for a while, nothing happened.

I can't say it's good that Lixue only hugged me and nothing more. So, I tried to move for a bit, but my struggle was useless against his Hercules strength.

"Lahn... don't be afraid, just spare me a minute, I won't do anything to harm you."

His hug loosens a bit and his voice soften a little. Somehow, it looks like he wants me to trust him, assuring me with his words.

'Is he really the cold emotionless Lixue that I read in the manhwa? Or did I just heard him wrong? He teased me a while ago and now he's serious. Is feeling my body temperature the reward he ask me for? Nothing less nothing more? Just hug?... Then, am I the one who thought of perverted thing?`

`....`

D#mn, I want to hit my head to clear my mind away from useless thoughts.

`Begone evil, begone!`

I let myself drown in his embrace for a moment. This is just giving a reward and clearing my conscience. The made-up sentiment that I used to convince myself.

The surroundings suddenly sink in subtle silence resulting to clearly hear his heartbeat pounding so fast, `Is he sick?` an innocent thought that crossed my mind.

Though while listening to its drumming rhythm, strangely, it brings serenity and peace within me as if it sanctifies the uneasiness I have, especially the scent of mint he has.

`It feels like home...`

So soothing that makes me want to sleep and be with my family again...

"What are you doing?"

A sudden familiar voice made me speedily stand up in reflex, leaving Lixue dumbfounded. There I saw Eirwin standing near us in his casual clothes, glaring down at Lixue like a fury lion protecting his cub.

"What are you doing to Lahn?" he uttered in a fume emphasizing my name while grabbing me towards his back, shielding these pity ones against the mighty Lixue.

'Eirwin, I'm thankful you've come but you've misinterpreted what we're doing.' I want to say this to him but didn't out of embarrassment.

So, I forcefully change my mood and expressed, "Brotherrr~" I called with such sweet tone and sparkling eyes admiring the overprotective friend and brother I have, this is the truth. Ever since I've read Ailyn's manhwa, [The Alpha's Love Affair] he was the only character I'd thought highly of. Nonetheless, it was my way too caught his attention and to think less of what he'd seen.

Yet, he only patted my head. 'Geez, I failed.'

Lixue just calmly stands up, tapping the dust that sticks to his glorious clothes, though the pair of his mystic bluish eyes glued to Eirwin's hand holding mine, burning it with his gaze before he coldly answered, "Nothing." staring straightly at Eirwin.

"Then why is Lahn half-naked?"

'Oh yes, beloved sinkhole. Where are you now? I will gladly jump down.' That subject slaps me more with embarrassment.

Regarding that, Lixue only responded looking up at the trace of my escaped where Eirwin followed, and answered with puzzlement, "I have no idea either--"

But before he could even finish his statement, Eirwin grabbed both of my shoulders and exclaimed worriedly, "Why did you climb down using that unsafety rope?! What if something happened to you? Why are you so reckless? If Lixue didn't catch you what should you do?..."

Out of his overwhelming concern, my eardrums are about to bleed from his nonstop scolding. As expected of a genius, he grasped the situation in just one glance. He knows Lahn too much, he read him so effortlessly like an open book.

I only stand there listened to his lecture of a lifetime before he finally stops and deeply sighed. He covered me with his outer coat and cuddled me out of the blue. It was so warm.

"Thankfully nothing happened to you..."

He said with a trembling voice, it was then I noticed how shaky Eirwin's body was. He was truly afraid.

Eirwin cares more about Lahn than himself, it was such immeasurable concern to a person and a family he only has. This kind of thought pricked some guilt into me, as 'I'm not the real Lahn'. I stole the body of the person he treasures the most. This overflowing grief makes me hug him back. `I'm sorry...`

Somehow at that moment, I felt a gruesome chill coming from someone watching us, and the hurt expression he obliviously showed, weirdly added to the pain I felt.

'Why wearing that kind of expression? To think of it Lixue and I just met. We didn't even introduce ourselves. Why... geez, I don't care anyway.'

"Eirwin, let's go home," I said in a hurry.

But Eirwin simply smiled at me and face Lixue and uttered with such a respectful tone. "I apologize for the misunderstanding and thanks for everything, I will pay this favor someday. For now, we will take our leave."

"No need, I did it for Lahn."

Lixue only spare him a glance and turned back looking intensely at my bare feet. I stand there astounded, this two should act as fire and water, that never be blended. But what did I just witness? These two seem on good terms.

Arghhhh, is this bad or good? I don't know anymore!!!

"Rez," Lixue suddenly called and Rez appeared instantly on his side holding a red cushion with pair of slippers on top of it. I was in awe with eyes gleaming intently to the butler.

'He was like a ninja, damn so cool.'

Lixue unexpectedly crouched down stopping my amazement for his aide and stunned when he lifted my feet and gently put the slippers on them.

Suddenly, our surroundings strangely shone, the cold wind blows from the north brings a fragrance of a sweet rose. The silky strands of his hair dance so elegantly and his sharp eyes filled with affection stared at me as if it was only the two of us. The vision of flowers blooming around him enhances the handsomeness he has. I was stupefied, caught by his mysterious charm.

The air feels romantic as if the world were singing and celebrating. He looks like a prince charming putting the glass slipper on a beautiful maiden named Cinderella.

That is if I didn't ruin it by puking a mouthful of chyme from being cringe. "bleurgh!"

Thankfully Rez brought a bucket. No one was shot with this disgusting skill of mine. You can never underestimate the head butler slash former assassin in being ready for anything.

"Are you alright?" the two alpha asked simultaneously.

'Oh yes, yes, these two people that cause me a headache.'

I only replied with a wave of a hand while busily wiping my mouth.

"Rex call the doctor immediately." Lixue commanded and was answered by his aide, "Yes my liege."

Eirwin has requested too, "Bring also a wheelchair."

"Hey! I'm fine!" I shouted within this overdramatic chaos. "Everything is fine, nothing is wrong, and I'm not such a weak child to be careful of."

I pulled Eirwin's hand planning to leave the place, but before I could even move a step, I saw it again, ... the expression of pain on Lixue's face.

I sighed, seeing him in pain made this fragile heartthrob too, a feeling like I'd bully a kid,... that must be it. I look directly into his eyes and say, "Thank you." a simple word of my gratitude for giving these slippers, I'm not heartless or a rude person to not even say this.

However, those two simple words made this cold soul... drop a single tear and faintly smile...

"I will see you again, Lahn."

****

I can't help myself but sigh and sigh again. Lixue's expression from that moment still stayed with me. He stirred my mind like a hurricane. Sigh, I want to go home and sleep and forget everything. He and I should not meet. But I can't even change that fate.

"Lahn,"

"Hm?" I dispiritedly replied to Eirwin calling me several times while driving.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Why should I?"

"You kept in silence ever since we leave the residence, and you kept sighing not looking at me. I apologize for leaving you temporarily there."

Ah, I focus too much on the scenery outside out of habit when I ride on vehicles, I always did this to collect my thoughts. "Eirwin, why was I even there? I told you to bring me home."

This time the sound of a screech emerges when he suddenly stop driving.

"That's... that, umm"

His countenance was in a panic that he can't explain well.

"Was it because Lixue was my fated pair?" I answered what he wants to say instead.

That took him in surprise, his fine brows knitted slightly looking at me, "Since when did you know Lixue?"

"Huh?" I exclaimed, startled. Right, I should not know him and so I lied, "Just a while ago. His head butler explain this to me when I woke up."

"That's odd," he replied in deep thoughts, "When you fainted he act as if he knows you for years. He takes care of you like a lover will do. He also respected my decision to only envelopes you with his pheromones than marking you. He stayed with you for three days not leaving your side, always holding your hand as if he was afraid to lose you...Lahn, in Lixue's eyes you are precious-- hold it right there."

Eirwin took a plastic bag and give it to me before I vomit again. "Gah, what nonsense are you saying Eirwin?"

"I might not like Lixue instinctively, but he was your fated pair. If you fall for him I will support but if he dares to hurt you. I will beat him to a pulp."

Ah, this line, it was in the story and Eirwin really did beat Lixue but that controversy put his beloved career to an end.

"Eirwin you don't need to beat him up, because me falling with Lixue will never happen," I said with confidence assuring him. "So, don't dirty your hand for some sh#t," I said that but the real owner of this heart contradicts.

Eirwin patted my head once again this time it was gentle than before. "Whoever the person Lahn will choose this brother will support you as long as that person cares for you more than I do."

I chuckled, "Then that means I will remain single, but Eirwin needs to marry more than I do, we are not young anymore."

"Lahn, an idol can't marry unless he was not in the line of work. My fans will cry if I do that, and the woman I marry will only suffer."

Ah, we two are hopeless men, but Eirwin will end up with Leana when the comes. I promise that time Lahn will be there to celebrate with you.

"Should I sing a song to lift our spirits?"

"That would be my honor to have such a superstar to sing for me, exclusively."

We laughed.

The engine starts again and Eirwin sung such a joyful song in our short journey. The exact opposite of the song I always heard.