[Music Recommendation: "My Eyes" by 10cm - Goblin OST (instrumental only) available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

[Please note: We're still in Crystal's POV - the morning when Callan visited her]

And so, he came in, walking like a king as usual. He went straight to the kitchen, dropping the groceries he bought on the counter top. I followed him and stood beside him, leaning on the counter top. As he put the goods out of the bag, he looked at me from head to foot, and clicked his tongue.

The nerve of this bratt! I scoffed and rolled my eyes the moment he did that to me. How dare he!

"You know," Callan started, "you shouldn't open doors and welcome anyone when you're still on your bathrobes. Especially if the visitor is a man."

"Oh," I was taken aback. So that's why he was clicking his tongue. "Well, I only did it because I know it's you anyway."

"Still! And what do you take me for? Am I not a man?"

"Pft! You're a boy."

"What did you just say?" he asked, dropping the bottle of condiments heavily on the counter top.

'Oh no. I think I ticked him off. It's fun though.'

"Why, it's true," I shrugged.

"I'm a boy, huh?" he replied, raising his eyebrows.

Callan stopped what he was doing and inched closer to me. He placed both of his hands on either of my sides, locking me into place. His muscular arms served as barricades, trapping me between him and the counter top.

'Is this him trying to act cool and mature to prove me wrong? He's a hundred years too early to—'

I chuckled and turned my head sidewards, where his sexy biceps made me gulp. He wore a sleeveless shirt that time so of course they would show. But I'm definitely not tempted by his ahm… yeah… t-that.

'Stop it, Crystal. Having a sexy body doesn't equate to manliness and maturity.'

Then, he bent low and leaned closer to my face. Damn it! How I hated the fact that he was taller than me. We used to have the same height as a child. Since when did he get so tall and surpass me?

"Yes, Callan?" I tried to act cool—not that what he was doing was hot and heart-pounding.

Badump!

'Come on! I just said it's NOT heart-pounding!'

"Crystal, you should have noticed it by now," he said while inching his face closer to mine until our nose touched, and we were barely a breath away.

"N-Notice what?"

"That I'm no longer that child you used to play with, pulling pranks on people we know. Nor am I that child whom you treat as your son."

'My goodness! Why did he suddenly sound so—No! I'm not saying it! But oh my gosh! His face is not helping at all! Why did you have to grow up so dashingly handsome? Ugh! This is killing me. And why is it suddenly getting hot?'

Since he was getting too near, I turned my face sideways, avoiding his piercing gaze. I tried to push him away from me, gently hitting his firm chest, but he didn't budge.

"F-Fine! You really changed a lot! You're no longer a boy, but still not yet a man. Not until you fix your rude attitude and learn to control your emotions."

"Heh. Controlling my emotions? I've mastered that a long time ago," he replied, sounding so cheeky.

In my shock, I scoffed and turned my face to him again. There was no way he could control his emotions. Just like that time he fought with Senara.

"Huh? Since when did you—" I argued as I looked back at him.

Then… it was just very brief but… I saw it. Callan smiled bitterly. That was the first time I saw him make that face. He quickly transitioned to his usual stupid smile but that expression left a stinging in my heart.

'Is there something he's not telling me? Something that's bothering him?'

Ever since I was a child, I knew Callan. He was this… special and very precious friend to me. Like another piece of me—sometimes, even more than my own twin. He had always been fun to be with, comfortable, and he always understood me even if I sometimes tried to hide my pain away.

Yes. Callan had always been the one to take my mask off. Whenever I try to fake my emotions… so others won't be hurt, and so that everything would be just fine—no conflicts. I hated conflicts. I'd rather give way… always. But for some reason, I could never lie to him. That's why he's really precious to me even if he's a huge brat.

What I never thought though was that… maybe, all this time, he, too, was wearing a mask. What a failure of a friend I am.

"Callan, are you…"

"Hm? Yes?" he grinned.

'No… I missed my chance to ask. He put his mask back on.'

"... Nothing," I sighed. "What are you cooking?"

"Fancy some clam chowder? I bought freshly baked bread to go with it, too. Just gotta transform it to garlic bread. I don't like what they have available so I'm prepping it instead."

"All up to you, chef. I'll just… sit there and watch you," I said, pointing towards the chairs on the dining table nearby.

"Yeah. You shouldn't be too near or you'll smell like food. Shoo." And he pushed me away, until I sat on the chair. He then placed a bowl of mixed nuts on the table in front of me. "Munch on this while you wait. And don't go for a second round of coffee before you eat."

"How did you know I already had my coffee?"

He glanced over the used cup on the other side of the table and smiled at me. Shaking his head and chuckling, he returned to the kitchen and started cooking.

'Shoot. There's evidence. Why do I feel like I'm the kid this time? What's so wrong with drinking 2 cups of coffee in the morning? This is abooz! (abuse)'

Well, whatever. At least he looked nice with that apron on. Feeling mischievous, I retrieved my phone from the plug and took lots of pictures of him while teasing him.

"Whooo! Sexy chef, why don't you remove your shirt, too? Just the apron will do!"

"HUH? Shut up."

"Come on! Take it off! Take it off!"

"If this tastes awful, you got yourself to blame."

"Take it off! Take it off!"

Ha-ha-ha! Just a little more and I'm sure he'd lash out and be angry again. Oh, Callan. I knew you like the back of my hand. I made sure my camera was recording so I could get a video of him lashing out. Just thinking about it was so funny. His face would definitely become beet red.

But to my surprise, instead of lashing out, Callan really took his shirt off!

And now… I'm the one who's beet red.