There was something more important than that. I had completely forgotten about it until we had a conversation. But when Kir stared, it came to mind.

“Is there something that you want?”

“Are you asking that yourself?”

Kir’s reaction, who quickly figured out the reason, was blunt. But I didn’t change the subject because I thought this was the most reasonable.

“Because it’s best to give presents according to what you want.”

I forgot that there was an important schedule in the middle of counting the date because of studying abroad.

It was Kir’s 15th birthday.

As the next master of the principality, they were preparing for his birthday with quite a fuss outside. I totally forgot because my thoughts were complicated.

I didn’t know anything else about Kir, but he wouldn’t forgive me for skipping his birthday. How bullied I was when I forgot to pack a present for his birthday that I went to for the first time. He wasn’t openly harassing me, but I was even more pissed off by him being cranky and subtly annoyed.

So I made up my mind that I would make sure to celebrate Kir’s birthday, even if he was annoying and mean. And I’ve been doing it without forgetting even once until now.

Forgetting such an important thing, I must have been really distracted about studying abroad. When I urged him with my eyes to say something quickly if he wanted something, Kir answered indifferently.

“You just pick one for me.”

Such a cheater!

“You don’t like everything I buy you.”

“I like it.”

When I buy you something, you’re busy grunting with a sullen face! You’ve never used anything I gave you!

Later on, I got angry, so I went and gave Kir this and that to his taste, but I’ve never seen him use the gift I gave him. I hated that, so even though I wanted to not give him gifts every time, no matter how grumpy Kir would be, I still kept bringing gifts.

Suddenly, thinking about it makes me felt very pitiful. Still, I put up with it because the birthday present that Kir gives me back is great. But it was true that it was tiring to give gifts to people who weren’t happy with anything I bought.

“I don’t know. I’ll just get anything.”

“Alright.”

Does that mean he doesn’t need my gift? After answering so simply, Kir stood up.

“Are you going already?”

“I can only go out here for a moment.”

Kir’s schedule got tighter as he got older. He separately studied to take over the principality, so he had a lot more classes than I did. He seemed to be following after the Grand Duke in his spare time to learn practical skills.

Still, he came to visit, so I thought the class was canceled, but it was not? Why was he here when he was so busy?

When I asked, Kir said ‘you don’t know anything’, and I stared blankly at him. Kir then smiled. That’s the look on Kir’s face when he looks at me like a kid.

As expected, Kir’s palm covered my head and swept over it. Kir has grown so much in the last few years, and I haven’t grown much. Was that why? Lately, the respect in Kir’s eyes on me had been fading. Rather, there were times when I felt low because I tried to treat him like a younger brother.

“Didn’t you hear that there was a guest, and the class was paused for a while?”

“Yes.”

Because of a special guest who came to the Grand Duke’s residence yesterday, access to the Grand Duke’s residence was restricted for a while. If I said I would go, they wouldn’t say no, and I could go. But I was busy preparing to study abroad anyway, so I didn’t feel the need to go that far.

“See you in a week. You’re okay then, right?”

“Yes. Of course I’m fine. It’s your birthday.”

How messed up would he be if I didn’t spare the time? I didn’t spit out my mind. Then Kir left with a satisfied smile. It was an annoyingly bright smile.

He suddenly stopped studying and came to me. Was there anything else he has been worrying about? What in the world was he here for?

* * *