ORCA 52

Niah turned his head slightly. As soon as he moved, the sensation of the solid forearm shifted from his cheek to the back of his head. The body heat that had been touching the nape of his neck turned into soft hair, tickling his cheek. Unlike his own bright amber color, it was a shade like the dark night sky. He fought the urge to reach out and touch it.

Instead of the hair, Niah firmly grasped the young master’s arm that crossed his upper body. At that, his entire body was sucked backward as if it had been waiting for this. The pressure on his back, which was already closely pressed together, increased. He was clearly squeezed tight between hard muscles, yet it felt fluffy. It was a very confusing situation for him.

His greed only grew day by day. He knew he would get in huge trouble later, but he just wanted to stay like this together.

How wonderful it would be if they could stay together longer, closer, and forever.

Niah knew he shouldn’t wish for it, but he couldn’t easily organize his heart, which had already swelled up. Like a blister that forms over a burn, it was already grown by the time he noticed it. It wasn’t as if it wouldn’t swell just because he was reluctant. It had swelled up on its own, and someday, it would burst on its own.

Wounds heal after a scab forms and new flesh grows. On some spots, a scar remains, while others become as smooth as if they had never been hurt in the first place. However, he didn’t want new flesh to grow over the spot where his blister burst. If it were to heal, he wanted a deep scar to remain so that it would be irreversible. That seemed like the only way he wouldn’t be able to forget the young master.

“Since you’re already late, be even later. Just stay.”

“Y-yes?”

While Niah was babbling, Orca quietly racked his brain. He didn’t want to send away this small body that fit him perfectly, like a custom-made doll. The goldfish was light, soft, and warm. He disliked the heat, but for some reason, this wasn’t bad. However, if he dawdled any longer, the bathwater would go cold. It was easy enough to draw new water, but it was almost breakfast time.

When his parents told him around yesterday afternoon that they had something special to discuss and that he must come down, he hadn’t felt anything in particular, but seeing as things turned out this way, he wasn’t keen on it. He knew full well that if he did listen, it would be trivial or on a topic he had no interest in. It would be better to have a servant bring his meal to his room and enjoy a leisurely morning. However, he knew that if he didn’t go today, it would be even more bothersome later.

“Go wash up.”

Niah was immediately sat up, with no time to be flustered by his own weightlessness. His curly hair was a mess, and he looked bewildered. Orca picked up the round orange, who was sitting there blankly. He placed him well on the floor so he wouldn’t roll away, and then he swung his own two legs off the bed.

Niah swallowed hard. He nodded in late response and turned around hesitantly toward the door. It was stupid of him; he was the one who said he had to go, yet now that he was told to actually go, he felt suddenly sorrowful.

“Where are you going? Wash here.”

Just as he was about to become depressed, he was spun around again. Immediately, he was led into the bathroom by the young master, who had sprung to his feet. Because of his large, unhesitating strides, Niah was practically running. Perhaps because it was right after waking up, he was quickly out of breath.

Orca left the bathroom, leaving behind only the instruction to wash up quickly. He even watched the shape of Niah’s now-fluffy hair until the door closed completely. It was a treatment that felt harsh yet gentle.

Left alone, Niah stared at the empty space in front of him for a while. It was where Orca had stood for a moment. Then, he slowly went inside and took off his clothes. Once he was naked, he could feel the warm steam on his bare skin. He folded his discarded clothes neatly on the sofa.

White steam rose in curling waves from the bathtub. It was suffused with the young master’s scent. Even though he wasn’t by his side, it felt like they were together. As he sniffed, his mood quickly improved. Entranced by the fresh, green scent, Niah jumped in and sat down, splashing the water surface. The foam that had been fading surged back up in fluffy mounds.

He cupped his palms together to make a dish. He scooped up plenty of foam and blew on it, playing around. It felt like it would be fine even if he were scolded by Pepe all day today. The worry about what would happen if he got in trouble became simple. Niah found himself humming a tune, flailing his arms and legs in the water.

Orca, who had retrieved clothes for Niah to change into from the dressing room, strode in and pushed the bathroom door open. He had just finished washing the clothes Niah had left behind a few days ago and put them in his wardrobe. At the sound, Niah was startled and ducked deep into the water. He poked only his face out and followed Orca with his eyes as he entered past the partition.

“Stop playing and wash.”

Orca placed the new clothes, underwear, and socks on the sofa. Then, he knelt beside the tub. Embarrassed at having been caught playing with the foam, Niah couldn’t bring himself to approach. He just kept his nose submerged in the water, watching carefully. However, at one gesture from Orca, he scurried over and looked up. Orca rummaged through his still-frizzy hair and combed it for him. He had to suppress a laugh because the more he combed, the more the hair looked like a bird’s nest.

“Change into those and come out.”

Niah nodded reflexively and said, “Okay.” Bubbles bubbled up to the surface. The water mixed with the bath salts tasted strange. When he frowned and popped his head up, Orca turned the faucet with a subtle expression. He had the expression of a child sitting perfectly still while observing a colony of ants.

A finger, wet with clean water, scanned the inside of Niah’s mouth. Niah, gripping the edge of the tub with his throat stretched taut, obediently received the touch. Orca rubbed and cleaned his tongue and delicate inner skin. He brushed against his even teeth and tickled the roof of his mouth. He pressed down on his tongue, being careful not to go too deep. The narrow space inside his mouth soon became wet and slippery.

“O- Orca, sir…”

The slurred pronunciation flowed out with difficulty. Niah couldn’t take it anymore and bit down hard on the finger. He couldn’t help it; his open jaw was aching, and his chapped lips stung. He caught his breath, being careful not to chomp down with his teeth. With every exhale, two fingers were licked here and there. Perhaps because they were thick, his jaw continued to ache even after biting down hard. Niah slowly backed away, holding only the tip of the finger.

“My j-jaw hurts…”

The finger slipped out obediently. Before moving away, Orca touched his lips, which had become bloodied in the meantime, ever so lightly.

“Come out, now.”

Niah said, “Okay,” again. This time, it wasn’t a strange taste, but a strange feeling. Whenever he saw the young master, whenever the young master was by his side, whenever he thought about the young master—over and over, he kept feeling strange.

As soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, Niah was caught by Orca, making his eyes squint. The towel on his head fluttered. Orca dried his hair, which had been dried only roughly, with great care. It was funny how it became frizzier and fuller the more he rubbed, so he deliberately rubbed it harder.

When it was mostly dry and Orca let him go, Niah shook his head vigorously as if he had been waiting for this. He looked less like a goldfish and more like a puppy that had been given a bath. In the end, a huff of laughter escaped Orca. Niah had forgotten the fact that he had overslept and was grinning foolishly.

Orca, leaving Niah standing there while he continued to smile, returned with a round ointment container from a drawer. He opened the lid without any explanation. Niah stood on his tiptoes to peek into the metal tin. He was curious about the object he was seeing for the first time. Inside, it was filled with a white mass. It looked like whipped cream, but it gave off a faint, bitter scent of grass. It seemed similar to the young master’s scent, yet different. As the thought that he wanted to dab a bit and taste it crossed his mind, his mouth fell agape. No sooner had he thought that than the top of his head was firmly pressed down.

Orca made the goldfish, who was busy sniffing constantly, stand straight. He cleared away the curious, prying gaze and applied a little ointment to his index finger. It was medicine that worked well on torn and cracked wounds. It was a much higher-quality type than the one the goldfish had asked ‘Harriet’ to bring.

“Close your mouth.”

Niah hurriedly tucked his lips away. Orca, who had supported his chin with one hand, bent his back and approached. The twitching cheek flesh felt soft like the surface of a marshmallow. It felt as if, if he were to sink his teeth in, it would melt away before he could even take a bite.

“You have to move your lips out of the way.”