Chapter 21 Reconciliation

Chapter 21: Reconciliation

Idris watched Samuel's every move closely. Although the male was smiling more brightly than usual, Idris inexplicably felt as if he was weeping inwardly.

He didn't know how to get Samuel back to how he was two days ago, and he worried that if this continued, the male might suffer another Mind Sea disturbance. He could only wordlessly agree to his request.

He thought that perhaps humoring him would improve his mood.

But when the room fell silent and he truly stopped speaking, he noticed that Samuel's hands holding the flowers and scissors were trembling slightly.

In an instant, the emotions he had just suppressed fissured again, pounding chaotically against his heart. Idris vaguely sensed that he was becoming overly concerned about the male, but the current situation left him unable to calmly analyze everything.

Rarely, Idris found himself agitated beyond his control.

"Your Excellency." Idris was the first to break, unable to stay seated any longer.

Jolted by the address, Samuel looked up blankly. He was still immersed in his earlier emotions, the corners of his mouth turned down, appearing both aggrieved and pitiful.

Idris felt a pang. Then, a panda-like plush toy with dark circles was stuffed into Samuel's arms. "This 'Yingying Beast' plush is very popular on the StarNet recently. Do you like it?"

"Huh?" The topic changed too quickly. Samuel didn't react immediately, but he instinctively squeezed the plush toy's paw.

The fur on the toy's paw was extremely soft, and the paw pad was embedded with a realistic cushion, like an oversized cat's paw—soft and comfortable.

After squeezing it lovingly several times in a row, Samuel belatedly replied, "I like it."

Seeing the male's expression relax slightly, Idris secretly breathed a sigh of relief, somewhat grateful that he had brushed up on male preferences at noon. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to cheer him up so quickly.

Thinking this, Idris casually pulled all the plush toys he had purchased nearby to his side, stuffing them one by one into Samuel's arms.

Thus, Samuel, in a daze, gave each toy a turn. However, the one that ultimately remained in his arms was still the original black-and-white fluffball.

With his cheek buried in the plush toy's head, watching Idris trim the flower branches for a while, Samuel suddenly asked, "Why did you give me this?"

Why?

Naturally, he hoped he would feel better.

But Idris didn't mention the worry that had been lingering in his heart since last night. Nor did he mention his frantic posting on the StarNet and scouring through comments to understand what males like. He placed the trimmed flower in his hand into the vase and gestured for Samuel to pick a flower branch from the table and hand it to him.

Samuel, not understanding, picked up a flower branch resembling a small daisy from nearby and passed it over.

Idris took it, skillfully trimming away the excess leaves and branches. While arranging the nearly finished work, he said nonchalantly, "I saw it on the street and thought Your Excellency might like it. It seems I guessed right."

"Does Your Excellency feel better now?" Idris paused for a moment before asking again.

He asked this question casually, as if it had just occurred to him. He didn't ask the reason for the male's anxiety and unease, nor did he probe into why he had suddenly become distant.

He suppressed all his questions, pushed down the tangled, unclear emotions since he entered, and ignored the repeated warnings he had given himself.

He simply asked, are you feeling better.

Idris didn't notice that his voice carried an unusual gentleness. He smiled, his voice light and faint, his purple eyes gazing at the male with a hint of indulgence that was easy to miss.

Samuel stared at Idris, focused and absorbed. He instinctively placed the one before him into the shell of "brother," drawing sweet sustenance from the ethereal fantasy to inject into his withered soul.

But when those purple eyes looked at him as softly as warm sunlight, for the first time, he quickly snapped out of the fantasy. It was also the first time he truly realized how different the one before him was from "brother."

"Brother's" concern was straightforward and fervent—he yearned for it, anticipated it, and also feared it. Yet, Idris's roundabout concern was like a gentle rain, imperceptibly nourishing everything. It seemed the other could tolerate all his moods.

He didn't mean to compare the two, but the latter seemed to make him feel more at ease.

Guiltily, like a thief, Samuel quickly hid his thoughts in a dark corner. He averted his gaze, burying his face in the plush toy's head. With overwhelming guilt, he mumbled a muffled "Mm-hmm."

Receiving a response, Idris let out a sigh of relief. Seeing the male bury his face in the plush toy like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, he couldn't resist teasing, "Your Excellency, plush toys don't have the function of serving as masks."

Samuel: "..."

Idris is being quite sarcastic today.

"Idris." Samuel still rested his head on the plush toy, meeting the female's gaze, his voice serious.

This was the first time the male had called his name since waking up. The same words, coming from his mouth, made Idris's heart skip a beat.

His smile fading, Idris sat up straight, his expression turning serious and attentive, waiting for the male to continue.

"Why didn't you go to the military department today?" Samuel asked.

After asking, he nervously lowered his eyes, the plush toy's fur in his hands a tousled mess.

Would Idris think his question was too presumptuous?

Idris hadn't expected this. After a moment's pause, he answered truthfully, "Your Excellency didn't come downstairs this morning. I was afraid you would wake up and find no one home."

"I stayed home for two days." Samuel understood Idris's meaning, his voice instantly tinged with grievance. "All by myself... just me."

If you were worried about me, why did you leave without a word? I didn't receive a single message, couldn't eat or sleep well every day, and nine times out of ten my dreams were about something happening to Idris.

"I'm sorry." Idris thought the male had been too bored at home. Without defending himself, he quickly apologized.

Although he had asked Bulun to keep an eye on the male's situation, leaving him alone at home was indeed inappropriate.

"I know you're very busy." Samuel's voice was low. "But not getting... any news from you... I was really... worried."

The male lowered his head, resembling a small beast that had been wronged but didn't know how to complain, only able to wipe away its own tears.

Pitiful and adorable.

"Your Excellency..." The male's words of concern fell on Idris's ears, instantly shattering the defenses he'd built up over so long. He unconsciously softened his voice. "I'm sorry for making you worry."

"I don't want an apology." Samuel slowly reached out, tentatively placing his hand on Idris's wrist, giving it a slight shake. "Next time... if you can't come back... could you... tell me..."

Idris glanced at that slender, pale wrist, remaining silent for a moment.

The room was quiet for a while. Samuel awkwardly withdrew his hand, his voice as thin as silk. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to interfere..."

"Of course you can." As the warmth left his arm, Idris's mouth tightened imperceptibly. Carefully considering the male's words, a certain thought flashed through his mind. He suddenly asked, "Your Excellency, do you remember what I said to you the night before last?"

"?" Samuel was dumbfounded.

The night before last?

He racked his brains, thinking hard for a long time, but still had no impression.

Seeing the male unable to answer immediately, Idris thought to himself, *So he really didn't hear it.*

No wonder he suddenly became anxious that first night and his attitude turned cold. It turned out he felt insecure and thought he was disliked.

Recalling the male's experiences, Idris sighed and proactively explained that he hadn't meant to ignore his messages the past two days. It was just that the StarNet was blocked during the mission, and he hadn't expected Samuel to be too tired to hear clearly, so he didn't leave further messages.

He then promised, "I guarantee that such a situation will never happen again."

After hearing the explanation, Samuel stared, dumbfounded, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed. Picking the lock at dawn and then acting like a lunatic by the bedside—what was I thinking?!

While internally panicking, Samuel also felt relieved. Thankfully, Idris was sound asleep at the time. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t have the face to see anyone... or any insect again.

"Id... Brother, I’m sorry." Samuel’s cheeks flushed with shame, his voice tinged with chagrin. "I thought you were trying to avoid me, so just now I... I..."

The sight of the male insect, so flustered, obedient, and cautious in his apology, stirred something in Idris. He deliberately sighed with a hurt and aggrieved tone, "So in Your Excellency’s mind, I’m such a petty and narrow-minded insect."

"No!" Samuel flustered, hurriedly refuting.

"Then why didn’t Your Excellency ask me directly after waking up? Just now, I thought I had offended you in some way." Idris pressed on relentlessly.

Samuel: "..."

After a moment of silence, he said, "Because... it seemed like Brother dislikes male insects. I didn’t want to make Brother uncomfortable."

Samuel dropped his head, his voice growing softer and softer. He deliberately pointed this out to test the female insect’s reaction.

This male insect was indeed perceptive.

Idris concealed his genuine smile, putting on his usual gentle facade as he retorted, "Your Excellency, in the insect race, female insects are naturally attracted to male insects from birth. No female insect dislikes male insects, so how could I possibly dislike you?"

"Since you don’t dislike me, does that mean you like me?" Samuel asked.

"..." Idris still wore a smile. "Naturally."

"Since Brother doesn’t dislike me, and I also really like Brother, how about Brother staying with me all the time? I don’t want to leave after half a year." Samuel blinked, his expression innocent and his tone straightforward as he continued to press.

"Your Excellency, do you understand what you’re saying?" The male insect’s words were utterly unexpected, and Idris narrowed his eyes.

Could this be the male insect’s real aim?

"Of course I know." Samuel nodded emphatically, seemingly unaware of anything wrong with what he said. He even spoke glibly, "Bulan said my rank is very high. As long as it’s a female insect I like, I can keep them by my side. I really like Brother and want to keep Brother by my side. What’s wrong with that?"

Idris: "..."

Samuel glanced at Idris’s dark expression but pretended not to see it, continuing to chatter on, "Brother also said that female insects are naturally attracted to male insects from birth, that they naturally like male insects. That means any male insect can have Brother, so why can’t I? Besides, other male insects are terrible and would definitely hurt Brother, so I’m the one who..."

"Your Excellency—" Idris’s lips pressed into a tight line. The male insect’s words had struck a nerve.

He lowered his head slightly, his purple eyes hiding deep disappointment and self-mockery. He had encountered hundreds, if not thousands, of male insects, yet he had still misjudged one.

How ridiculous—he had almost believed that this male insect was truly different.

"I don’t dislike you, but that doesn’t mean I have to choose you. Indeed, as the male insect most likely to break through to S-rank, you can naturally choose any female insect, but that will never include me." Idris’s tone was icy and resolute. "I will never compromise in my life."

Samuel stared at the female insect’s increasingly sharp purple eyes, now filled with anger, and couldn’t help but see stars in his own eyes. This version of the female insect was far more dazzling than the one hidden behind his mask.

"Yes! That’s exactly how it should be! No male insect is worthy of Brother!" Samuel paused, recalling a phrase he’d seen online, and shouted, "Brother shines alone!"

Idris: "..."

Author’s Note:

----------------------

Dear readers, the synopsis will be updated shortly. The revised version includes new plot details, so feel free to check it out if you have time. I think this version is a bit clearer than the previous one. [Kisses] [Kisses]