Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Back at his villa, Kaisisen saw the message from Nevi and frowned deeply, a sour feeling stirring in his chest.

Friend, friend—why did it always have to be that clingy bastard?

He'd figured Nevi was feeling low because of some trouble, or maybe something that went down at the full-moon banquet.

He never expected it to be over that female insect.

Watching Nevi's worried, upset expression over that female insect on his light brain, Kaisisen felt a strange tightness in his chest and a sudden wave of disappointment.

If he were the one who couldn't get in touch with Nevi, would Nevi worry about him this much?

The moment that thought crossed his mind, the dark aura around Kaisisen grew even heavier.

He pursed his lips and dropped his gaze, his loose silver hair brushing against the light brain, his beautiful, clear green eyes dulling a little.

Nevi was kind and sincere—he'd definitely worry about him. But probably not this much.

Kaisisen didn't dare think about it any further. Even if he refused to admit it, it seemed that female insect mattered more to Nevi than he did.

At that thought, Kaisisen's disgust for that female insect grew even stronger.

A dark thought crept into his mind—since that female insect had been gone so long, why not just stay gone? Why did he have to pop up now, all in the way, stirring up disgust?

Caught up in these emotions, Kaisisen's fingers moved, and a drafted message soon appeared in the chat box.

Kaisisen: Maybe he did something to wrong you and doesn't have the nerve to show his face! Nevi, stop thinking about that guy—he's really not worth your time!

Kaisisen stared darkly at the message in the chat box, paused, then finally, as if deflated, deleted every last word.

Kaisisen: Nevi, don't worry. Maybe he's stuck in some kind of trouble and can't get away right now, which is why he hasn't been able to contact you.

In the end, Kaisisen just couldn't stand to make Nevi sad. No matter how much he hated that female insect deep down, he pushed aside those dark, suffocating thoughts and typed out a new message of comfort to send.

Nevi: Is that really true? But I don't understand—why would his family member come looking for us but refuse to see me, without saying a single word about my friend? They just came to see the kids, left two super precious gifts, and left. TT

Kaisisen: Nevi, your friend left you a sign. His family member isn't related to you, so those two precious gifts might've actually been sent by your friend through his family for the kids. I'm guessing your friend and his family might be dealing with some trouble or a tricky situation and can't get away right now. But seeing that you were looking for him, and not wanting you to worry or drag you into trouble, they quietly showed up at the kids' full-moon banquet. Those two gifts might be your friend's subtle way of telling you he's okay now.

On the balcony, Nevi clutched his light brain, eyes wide, feeling as if the fog clouding his mind suddenly burst apart with a "bang," clarity flooding in like a bolt of insight.

Right—why had he been so dense? Aesop had been badly injured and taken away back then; maybe he was still recovering. Aesop had a head injury after all, and once his family found him, he'd definitely need proper treatment.

And thinking about it now, Aesop was stunningly handsome, a formidable fighter, and came from the capital star. How could he have ended up drifting to such a remote numbered planet? This surely wasn't a coincidence.

Whoever managed to hurt Aesop and get away with it must not be simple either. Maybe Aesop and his family were busy dealing with these important matters and couldn't get away.

The more Nevi thought about it, the more convinced he became. His expression shifting, he turned and quickly walked into the room, slowly opening the delicate jewelry box to reveal the two brilliant, gleaming green diamonds inside.

Nevi carefully picked up the two green diamonds and pressed them to his pounding heart. Whether it was his imagination or not, a warm current seemed to surge from his chest, spreading through his limbs and wrapping his whole body in gentle warmth.

These were gifts from Aesop for the kids. Such expensive green diamonds—how much had that foolish female insect spent!

Nevi's eyes reddened, glistening with tears, yet a radiant smile spread across his face.

The melancholy and gloom that had clung to his brow quietly faded away.

So Aesop already knew about Bai Bai and Mei Mei being born, didn't he? Had he also been secretly watching the kids on the livestream without Nevi knowing?

Watching the kids they'd both waited so long for—chubby, adorable, and full of life.

Was Aesop also dying to come see Bai Bai and Mei Mei? Was he thinking of him too?

Would that stubborn, single-minded female insect be hiding under the covers with reddened eyes, thinking of him and the kids?

Nevi reached out, gazing with deep longing at the pure, translucent green diamonds in his palm. Looking at that beautiful, familiar color, it was as if he could see that handsome, clumsy silver-haired female insect, whose heart and eyes were filled entirely with him.

His female husband, Aesop—his most beloved insect.

Nevi murmured silently.

Aesop, knowing you're safe puts my mind at ease. I'll take good care of the kids, and we'll wait for you to come back soon.

*

Though there was still no word of Aesop's whereabouts, at least he had indirect confirmation that he was safe. It was as if the heavy boulder pressing on Nevi's heart had finally been lifted, leaving him lighter and more settled.

Months of anxiety, fear, unease, and worry all drifted away with the wind in that moment.

With a gentle smile of relief, Nevi continued chatting with Kaisisen.

Nevi: Thank you, Kaisisen!! I really appreciate your analysis! I feel so happy now. Though I still don't know where my friend is, at least I know he's safe, and that's enough to put me at ease. Thank you for listening to me talk about all this, thank you ^ ^. Sorry I got too excited and forgot to reply earlier—I didn't mean to, please forgive me!

On the other end, Kaisisen, who had been clutching his light brain and waiting for what felt like an eternity, was growing restless and anxious. He had imagined Nevi's reaction countless times, even increasingly doubting whether he had said something wrong or misanalyzed the situation, upsetting Nevi and causing him not to reply.

Just as Kaisisen was organizing his words for a sincere apology, Nevi's sudden message finally put his mind at ease, and his furrowed brow relaxed.

But soon, a wave of intense jealousy surged from the depths of Kaisisen's heart, spreading relentlessly, leaving his sour, turbulent emotions churning endlessly, unable to settle.

Kaisisen's expression darkened, his gaze deep and brooding.

Fierce envy and faint resentment nearly overwhelmed his mind, leaving him unable to think calmly.

Was knowing that female insect was safe really enough to make him this happy? Happy enough to forget to reply to his message?

What was so good about that female insect anyway? That Nevi would remember him so obsessively.

Kaisisen gripped the light brain tightly, the uncontrollable force cracking the screen protector into several fissures in an instant.

Staring at the nearly shattered screen, Kaisisen froze, as if coming back to his senses. He lowered his gaze, looking dejected and at a loss.

What had just come over him?

It was as if he had been swept away by a fever, completely unlike himself.

Nevi's influence on him seemed to be growing stronger and stronger.

They were just friends after all—he never had this kind of patience or energy for his other childhood friends and close companions.

Kaisisen propped his hand against his forehead, recalling his clumsy, foolish friends, and a flicker of disdain passed through his eyes.

How could those friends compare to Nevi?

Nevi's earnest, focused expression during his livestreams surfaced in Kaisisen's mind, along with that crisp, gentle, melodious voice.

Yes, there was simply no comparison.

Kaisisen was completely unaware of the impossibly tender expression that had spread across his face.

His thoughts wandered, and the suppressed desire to meet Nevi in person blazed like a spark igniting dry grass, growing fiercer by the moment—once ignited, it became impossible to contain.

He wanted to meet Nevi in person, where they could chat, share meals, and enjoy outings together. And those two adorable chubby little ones could come along too. Just imagining such a scene made Kaisisen increasingly excited and full of anticipation.

He wanted to become better friends with Nevi, hoping Nevi would value him more—at the very least, rank above that male insect.

Hmph, a life-saving debt from their humble beginnings—that male just happened to seize that opportunity first.

He couldn't give Nevi real help, yet Nevi never forgot him. If it were him, he could give Nevi everything he wanted, as long as he was able to.

Kaisisen continued his sour thoughts.

Watching Nevi's obvious cheerfulness and liveliness on the holo-screen, he felt deeply conflicted.

He couldn't bear to see Nevi sad or upset; he wanted Nevi to always be happy, yet that happiness was linked to that detestable male.

It was so frustrating.

Kaisisen stared at the holo-screen, his jealousy getting the better of him, and he couldn't resist subtly badmouthing that male.

Kaisisen: That's good. Your friend still didn't handle things well enough, making you worry. If it were me, I'd have countless cleverer ways to hint to you so you wouldn't fret. But alas, he... had to use this method. He really doesn't seem very smart.

When Nevi received Kaisisen's message, a look of surprise crossed his face.

That strange, competitive, jealous feeling crept back again.

Kaisisen really seemed to get jealous easily, and his possessiveness as a friend seemed a little too strong.

But he really couldn't tell Kaisisen that it wasn't his friend—it was his mate.

Nevi felt a bit helpless, then frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure rising inside him.

Not because of Kaisisen's possessiveness, but because Kaisisen's words made him uncomfortable.

Aesop was indeed a bit slow and clumsy, and Nevi would sometimes grumble about it. But that didn't mean he could sit idly by while others said such things. Even if it was his good friend, Kaisisen. Even Barlow wouldn't be allowed to say that.

Aesop was the best in his heart.

Nevi pressed his lips together and, with a light tap of his fingers, quietly sent a message.

Nevi: My friend is a bit slow and not too clever.

In the villa, Kaisisen saw the message and the corners of his mouth curled up, looking very pleased.

But soon, the smile on his face stiffened.

There on the screen was a new message from Nevi.

Nevi: But he's the best in my heart. ^ ^.

*

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Author's note: Haha, what's it like to be jealous of yourself and badmouth yourself?

Thank you all so much for your support! I'll continue to work hard!