90 days

The Discussion

  Six days had passed since I returned to Shin Makoku from one of my trips home. When I was there, there were only two weeks left until my 18th birthday, so here they decided to celebrate it in three months—a decision made by Günter, who clearly volunteered to plan everything and needed time to do it big, again. Apparently, any excuse was a good one. For my 16th birthday, since it was a special event for the mazokus, they had already thrown a huge party in my honor, with the sand bear, baseball, and all that. But at that dinner, Conrad mentioned that in most parts of Earth, adulthood is at 18, and people are considered adults. It didn't matter how much I explained that in Japan it's not like that—the result was the present situation. They're planning another huge party, now organized by Cherie-sama, who arrived the next day and seemed to push Günter aside a little since I saw him sulking in the corners.

  Big parties are certainly not my thing, and despite the time and practice, I still have two left feet when it comes to dancing. Usually, Wolfram is the one who endures my missteps. By now, it's almost normal for me to dance with other men; here, it's common. Sometimes I still get confused with the hand positions too, though supposedly, as the King, I always maintain the same stance. But with some people, it gets tricky because of their size and height.

  I sigh as I look out from the dining room balcony. They were still discussing who should be invited. It's been a while since I lost my say in the matter, despite it being my party. Anyway, it was better to step out for some fresh air and gaze at the stars, and since I was at it, try to spot the constellations Günter had taught me this afternoon—not because I was particularly studious, but because I was bored.

"What's wrong, weakling?" I heard Wolfram's voice and his footsteps approaching until he was just a few inches away from me, leaning on the railing. I avoid looking in his direction and focus on the sky.
"Which one is supposed to be the Wind Dragon?" I ask, and Wolf laughs.

  I turn to look at him. Instead of observing the sky, he has his back to it and is looking at me.
"That one's not visible from here. You should pay more attention in class," he turns back and nudges me with his shoulder, staying pressed against my arm. "That one over there is the Fire Dragon," he points, bringing his face closer to mine to better gauge the direction. "See it?" His breath against my cheek sends a shiver down my spine, and I instinctively pull away.
"Uh... yeah, yeah, I see it now," I laugh nervously.

  I know by now, after years together and being engaged, I should be used to his closeness. But the truth is, while I'm mostly comfortable with it, it still unsettles me when he gets so close when we're alone, since he usually takes advantage of those moments of proximity to increase the intimacy between us. And by intimacy, I mean kissing me. More than once, he's tried, and each time my heart skipped a beat, then started pounding faster. On top of that, my stomach churned, and I found it hard to breathe. Each time, it's been pretty much the same. Obviously, I end up pulling away the moment I realize what's happening. I have to give him credit for his patience and perseverance, but it makes me uncomfortable that he doesn't give up. I wish he could be content with just being friends. I don't want to hurt him either, though, even if he brushes it off when I mention something. I'm not dumb—Wolf would never show that he's hurt; he has too much pride.

  I drag him back to the dining room to change the subject, telling him it's time to go to bed, which isn't a lie—I'm feeling tired and was only lingering because they were all still talking at the table.
  There are only a few left now. Gwendal has retired, as has Anissina. Cherie-sama is still chatting with Günter, who looks happier, and Conrad... I guess he was waiting for me because as soon as he saw us appear, he got up from his chair, gave his goodbyes—after making sure everything was okay on my end—and left.