After checking that her breathing had calmed down, Kyle tugged at the nket, pulling it down a bit and watched as the moonlight reflected off of Noah’s tender pale skin.


    As he silently stared at her face, his worry over her gradually faded away as he thought back to what just happened, his lips forming into a small frown. In truth, Noah’s earlier actions were disgusting and arrogant yet it didn’t destroy the image he had of her. He still thought she was pretty cute. Ever since his eyes had closed in on her, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking of her. It hade to the point where Noah looked pretty, no matter what she did.


    A few days ago, when he’d seen her suffer a nightmare, he wanted to wrap his arms around her. And today, he wanted to kiss her.


    Observing her sleeping form, Kyle opened his mouth to say something before hesitating and setting down, the emotions with no origin and words he hadn’t revealed to Noah disappearing from the tip of his tongue.


    Muell, who had been hiding behind the window curtains, watching them, finally crept out of his hiding ce and onto the bed. Nudging Kyle’s hand, he chirped, “Uncle Kyle, what does tonic mean?”


    Startled, Kyle ces a hand over Muell’s mouth, blinking rapidly before rxing. “Shhh, kid. Noah’s asleep.” After he said this, Kyle scooped Muell into his arms and carefully left the bed, slowly and quietly making his way back to the window. Kyle ced Muell on the window sill and looked down at him, contemting how to respond to the child’s innocent question. After a few moments, he decided not to, at all.


    “Muell, from now on, do not leave Noah’s side.” Kyle murmured quietly, rubbing the little ck creature’s head with his finger.


    With inquisitive dark eyes, Muell tilted his head to the side as he asked, “Why?”


    “Noah needs protection. You have to protect your master.” He responded, smiling at the little creature’s reaction.


    “Protect Master. Yes. Master… You like Master.” Muell responded confidently, causing Kyle to gape at him in surprise.


    Well, it’s not exactly wrong? He thought to himself, watching as Muell butted his hand with its head.


    “You too, Mister?” Muell chirped, looking up at him with wide eyes.


    “Me too?” Kyle responded, confused.


    The little dragon hummed a reply as it wrapped itself around his hand, not bothering to exin.


    Confused, Kyle decided to leave the creature be. Stroking its scales, he looked out of the window and sighed.


    While Kyle lost himself in his own thoughts, Muell looked up at him, tilting his head to the side. Ever since he dreamt of being together with Noah, Muell had learned that, behind the visible expressions of human beings,plicated thoughts zoomed in their minds, entangling with each other like a knot—like what Kyle was doing right now. Since Noah and Kyle could do it, Muell deemed he would do it, too. Just like them, he would start saying the opposite of what he was thinking.


    Bobbing his head in happiness, Muell nudged Kyle’s hand once more before whispering: “Got it, Mister. I’ll protect her. So, you can’t even touch Noah’s fingernail!”


    ***


    What in the hell happened yesterday?


    That was the first thing that entered Noah’s mind when the warm sun rays hit her eyelids, waking her up. Groaning loudly, she pulls the nket over her head, not entirely registering her surroundings as she tried to rememberst night.


    What on earth did I dost night? She thought to herself, yawning softly. And when her brain gave her that answer, Noah stiffened, shocked.


    “I like you, that’s why.”


    “You… Uh, yeah. I like you. I think you’re a good man.”


    “Kyle, I like you.”


    Noah gasped frantically as she rolled in bed, burying her face against the pillow. Resisting the urge to scream into the soft pillow, Noah shook her head, as though she was trying to bury her face deeper into it. Thinking back to the memories ofst night, Noah’s face practically burst into a tomato. After all, Noah had been swayed by the gloomy sentiment of dawn. Noah ransacked her mind for memories of the previous night, only to recall one word: tonic.


    Well, the damage is done. Noah reminded herself, after finally noticing Kyle’s absence. For a moment, Noah’s blush darkened before she shook her head, sighing as shey back down on the bed, on her back, with the covers up to her mouth. Was his absence a sign of rejection?


    With a sigh, she turned toy on her side, fixing her gaze on the small ck lump beside her. Well, if there is one thing to be thankful for, it’s the fact that Muell crawled into bed and fell asleep with me. Smiling softly, she reached out a hand to pat the dragon-lump under the nket.


    At her touch, Muell fully stuck his head out from under the nket, turning to lock his gaze on Noah, the dark gems causing Noah’s heart to skip a beat. A baby angel came to erase my evil thoughts at once!