Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 5.6

The warmth seeped into my chilled body, and I let out an involuntary sigh of relief. “Ahh… That feels amazing. Thanks, Calli. Come sit down.”

“Hold on—let me get these wet clothes off first.”

“…Wait, what?”

I looked up just as his soaked jacket and shirt fell to the ground. Moonlight danced over his bare back, highlighting the defined muscles and smooth lines of his figure. I stared, unable to tear my eyes away.

Callisto turned abruptly, catching my gaze. “Brother, what are you doing?”

“…Nothing,” I mumbled, hastily averting my eyes.

“…Huh?”

I snapped out of my daze, realizing the direction of my thoughts. The realization made the tips of my ears burn. Perhaps the shock of falling into the sea had thrown my senses out of order. Flustered, I stammered, “No, I wasn’t… thinking anything weird! Why?”

“You should take off your clothes to dry them,” Callisto replied matter-of-factly.

“Take off my clothes? Me? Why?!”

Callisto frowned, puzzled by my overreaction. “Aren’t you going to dry them? If you stay like that, you’ll catch a cold.”

His rational response left me speechless.

After all, I’d practically raised Callisto and had bathed him countless times. Undressing in front of him should have been no big deal—five minutes ago, I would’ve thought nothing of it.

But things had changed.

The Callisto sitting before me now was nothing like the boy I used to know.

His physique, starkly contrasting with my own, left me momentarily stunned. Compared to him, my lean frame suddenly felt frail. It wasn’t an insecurity I could ignore, not even for practicality’s sake.

Gripping the collar of my wet clothes tightly, I muttered, “No, I’m fine.”

I wasn’t.

The fire provided some warmth, but my drenched clothes continued to sap my body heat. I knew he was right—it was better to take them off and dry them. Yet embarrassment outweighed discomfort. Sneaking a glance at Callisto, I repeated firmly, “I really don’t need to. I’m not cold at all—”

Ahchoo!

My body betrayed me. I sneezed loudly, shivering as the chill sank deeper into my skin. Callisto approached, his worried expression growing sharper. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Not cold at all, huh?” he asked, his voice tinged with both exasperation and concern.

“Taking everything off will just make me colder,” I mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

“The fire will keep you warm. Staying in those clothes will only make it worse,” he countered.

“But I’d rather…”

“Etienne,” he interrupted, his tone stern now. “Stop being stubborn. Listen to me.”

When had he become so bossy? I’d raised him, yet here I was being scolded by the same child I once carried on my back. Even if I had fallen into the sea and was being unreasonably obstinate, it felt unfair. I shot him a sharp glare.

Callisto crossed his arms, towering over me. Though his lips curled into a teasing smirk, his amber eyes wavered with genuine worry.

He sighed, his broad chest rising and falling heavily. A bead of water slid from his collarbone, tracing a path down his taut muscles. His abdomen glistened under the firelight, each line of his well-defined torso accentuated by the moisture.

Suddenly, he reached out and gently tapped my cheek with his finger. Startled, I snapped out of my thoughts.

“At least take off your jacket,” he said, his voice softer now. “Okay?”

“…Okay,” I muttered reluctantly.

Continuing to argue would only make me look more foolish. Resigned, I hesitated, fumbling with the buttons of my jacket. Before I could manage, Callisto leaned forward and unfastened them for me.

His large hands moved deftly, and for a moment, I found myself mesmerized by the scars etched across his fingers. Despite the rough marks, his hands were long and graceful.

Callisto took my jacket and hung it next to his clothes by the fire. Then, without hesitation, he sat down right beside me.

The heat radiating from his bare torso was almost palpable. His warm presence banished the lingering chill from my skin, and I suddenly felt less cold.

“If it’s too chilly, you can keep your shirt on,” he said, his voice laced with understanding. “I’ll dry the jacket for now.”

“Okay, thanks,” I replied hastily, eager to agree before he changed his mind.

Callisto chuckled, the sound light and refreshing as it pierced through the cold night air. I glanced at him, drawn to the warmth of his laughter.

The firelight danced across his golden hair, and the starlight illuminated his face. His amber eyes shimmered, bright as jewels against the dark sky.

That night reminded me of another—a night I’d thought was a dream.

Under a sky just as radiant, Callisto had looked at me with those same brilliant eyes. Back then, he had promised everything would be alright, that he would protect me from now on.

He had kept that promise, saving me from Roen and ensuring everything worked out. Callisto had stayed true to his word.

In my dreams, though, Callisto had also—

“Brother,” he called, his voice breaking through my thoughts.

“Huh?”

“Can I kiss you?”

“…What?”

I blinked rapidly, unsure if I’d heard him correctly.

Looking up, I saw Callisto grinning, his eyes narrowing playfully. But in that moment, the memory struck me like lightning—the kiss in my bedroom, the one I had convinced myself was just a dream.

“Callisto, you…”

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