Mize scooted closer, following Liam's gesture. But once he got there, he stopped.
His eyes flickered between the three men at the table, then his gaze snapped back to Liam's smiling face.
'Something's off' He narrowed his eyes.
Mize glanced down.
No chair whatsoever for him to sit, the air was as quiet as it was as no one even bothered to point it out.
'Yeah, Liam's game'
"What are you doing?... Sit," Liam said, tone easygoing as always, hand gesturing vaguely.
Mize narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what this guy was playing at.
'Oh? You wanna play games?'
He smiled.
Mize then nodded.
"Okay" He grinned, white shimmering teeth exposed.
And then, in one smooth motion, he stepped forward, grabbed the armrest of Liam's chair, heaved himself up.
With a final lunge and enough momentum!
Plop!
Directly onto Liam's lap.
The room went silent.
The black-haired man choked on his drink, hand slapping over his mouth.
The other two? They both immediately looked away, pretending this wasn't happening.
Liam, meanwhile, sat completely still, his face stoned with sweats and utter disbelief.
Mize wiggled a little, getting comfortable.
Liam's eye twitched.
"Quite feisty early in the morning, aren't you?" He finally muttered, voice low.
Mize tilted his head back, a smug grin tugging at his lips. "What do you mean? I'm just sitting, as you said"
"Is there an issue?"
He leaned back harder. Arms spread along the chair's armrests. Full weight as he pressed harder against the back.
The crotch of the yama Lord and Mize's butt was basically grinding against each other at this moment.
Liam grunted.
'This girl…'
His jaw clenched, gaze flickering between his subordinates, who were now very focused on their food, and Mize's completely pleased expression.
'Did she not realize what she was doing right now was?'
Liam's gaze involuntarily flickered lower.
indecent?
The oversized hoodie barely covered anything.
His hands instinctively tensed against the armrests, fighting the urge to grip those exposed milky-white thighs just taunting him.
He let out a slow exhale.
"Alright. That's enough."
Smack!
"Ark!"
Mize clutched his head, glaring at Liam for the karate chop.
"We have important things to discuss," Liam said, voice still perfectly smooth, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Let's eat first, shall we?"
The three men nodded immediately.
"As you wish, my lord"
"Indeed, we follow the lord's orders"
Mize, still in his smug little world, didn't care much about Liam's subordinates.
He had one goal.
Farm. More. Points.
One hand barbarically grabbed a loaf of fluffy bread.
His other?
Slid behind him.
A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes as he winked over his shoulder.
Liam's smile didn't falter.
But his fingers twitched.
Something felt wrong.
Then, he realized.
Too late!
Liam barely held back a groan, his fingers twitching as he fought the urge to retaliate immediately.
If Mize wanted to play dirty, then he was more than willing to take it a step further.
Mize, blissfully ignorant, was humming between bites, his delicate fingers tearing through yet another piece of bread.
The moment he dipped it into the creamy, greenish spread, his eyes sparkled with approval.
Soft, buttery, with a hint of something floral, absolutely delicious.
He had to admit, Liam's so-called "territory" knew how to whip up a damn good meal.
What he didn't realize was the impending disaster.
Liam's hands moved with a slow, deliberate ease, like a predator inching toward its prey.
A shadow creeping under the table, fingers ghosting over Mize's waist before finally clamping down.
"Huh?"
Mize barely had time to react before Liam twisted him sideways, his other hand locking onto the back of his head.
And then.
Heat.
A searing warmth crashing against his lips, suffocating, devouring.
Mize's pupils shrank, his mind short-circuiting as Liam's lips melded onto his.
This wasn't just some casual peck, it was a full-on claim onslaught.
His breath hitched, body stiffening as Liam's tongue pried its way past his lips without the slightest bit of shame.
"Mhmmm!" Mize squeaked, arms flailing.
His hands instinctively shoved against Liam's chest, but the bastard barely budged.
His brain was going haywire, this was bad.
Bad! Liam was… What the hell was this guy thinking?! They weren't alone!
And yet, the Yama Lord clearly couldn't care less. He deepened the kiss, tongue lazily sweeping across Mize's mouth as if tasting the remnants of the bread he'd just eaten.
His grip was firm but careful, fingers curling possessively around Mize's nape, tilting his head to the perfect angle.
Mize kicked his feet, his hands clenching onto Liam's sleeves, struggling to wrench himself free.
But his strength, his newly awakened power, was nothing compared to the sheer control Liam had over his body.
His mind turned blank. His face was burning. His heartbeat was so loud he swore it could be heard across the entire damn hall.
Make it stop.
Make it stop.
Make it.
A stifled cough came from the other side of the table.
"Should we… pretend we didn't see that?" the green-haired man muttered, adjusting his glasses with an awkward smile.
The black-haired officer beside him just took a sip of his tea, entirely unfazed. "That would be wise."
Meanwhile, the mustached man across the table was gripping his fork so tightly it bent in his hand.
His expression twisted into something unreadable.
Liam finally pulled away, just a fraction, eyes half-lidded, lips curled into a devilish grin. His thumb swiped across Mize's lower lip, almost as if savoring the aftermath.
"Delicious," he murmured.
Mize, still gasping for air, fists trembling on Liam's sleeves, had only one thought in mind.
I'm going to tase him in his sleep.
"You! you!!!" Mize barked, hands clenched into tight fists as he remained frozen in place.
Punch!
Punch!
Punch!
His tiny fists rained down on Liam's chest, each strike weaker than the last, like an angry kitten trying to fight a tiger.
And just like a tiger, Liam didn't budge, not even an inch.
He merely sat there, completely unbothered, with that same infuriating smirk still plastered across his face.
"Why bother being shy, Mimi?" Liam chuckled, catching one of Mize's flailing hands with ease, fingers curling around his wrist in a firm yet gentle grip.
"There's nothing bad about kissing the one we love, no?"
Mize's breath hitched.
His brain lagged for a moment, processing those words.
The one we love?
No. No, no, no! He refused to acknowledge such an absurd statement!
'I will not lose!'
His eyes flickered left and right, scanning the room in a desperate attempt to find a way out of this unbearable situation.
But the moment his gaze landed on the other figures at the table, his stomach dropped.
They were watching.
Oh, they were absolutely watching.
The green-haired man, who Mize had initially deemed the most trustworthy, was barely holding it together, a gloved hand clamped tightly over his mouth, his shoulders trembling as if he were suppressing the urge to burst into laughter.
The broad, mustached man had tactfully averted his gaze, but the barely concealed grin twitching at the corners of his mouth betrayed his amusement.
And then there was the third one, the ever-smiling, black-haired officer-type.
His mirthful eyes gleamed with something unreadable, and Mize instantly knew, this guy was dangerous.
Nope. Nu-uh. Not dealing with this.
His breath grew unsteady. His lips quivered.
His hands twitched.
Then, under the watchful eyes of everyone present…
Mize executed his ultimate technique.
His secret forbidden move.
His surefire trump card in times of dire distress.
The Super Pitiful Crying Attack!
'Secret series!'
'Secret move!'
'Mimi beam!!!'
H-hicc…
Liam blinked.
The room fell into silence.
The laughter stopped.
The air shifted.
Liam, who had been fully expecting another tantrum, felt something twist in his gut when he looked down at the trembling bundle on his lap.
Mize had curled up like a helpless kitten, his small frame pressing closer against Liam's chest, his arms weakly grasping at his cloak.
His long black hair spilled over Liam's lap like the finest silk, framing his doll-like face, now painted with an expression so heartbreakingly fragile it made Liam's heart lurch.
Tear-brimmed ruby eyes peered up at him through dark lashes, glassy and vulnerable.
His lips parted, quivering slightly, the faintest hiccup slipping through. The slight flush on his cheeks had deepened, giving his already delicate features a new sight.
And the way he clung to Liam, tiny hands gripping at his clothes as if he'd been wronged beyond measure, sent an overwhelming rush of guilt straight through Liam's chest.
For the first time, Liam panicked.
....
'Did I overdo it?'
His mind raced for a solution. He needed to fix this, now.
His hands hovered awkwardly over Mize's body, unsure where to place them.
Should he pat his back? Ruffle his hair? Hold his hand? Wipe his tears? Wait, was Mize actually crying?!
Liam's expression stiffened.
He had been fully prepared for Mize to throw another fit, to lash out, to bite him again if necessary.
He wasn't prepared for this.
'Ahh, the hurdle to take care of a princess'
Meanwhile, Mize, who had fully committed to his act, burrowed further into Liam's embrace, making himself seem as small and vulnerable as possible.
H-hicc…
Liam's grip on reality shattered.
His arms instinctively wrapped around Mize, pulling him in closer, cradling him like the most precious thing in the world.
His hand slid up to cup Mize's cheek, thumb brushing away a stray tear with a tenderness that shocked even himself.
"Mimi… Don't cry," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper.
It was over.
The moment those words left his lips, the victory was sealed.
Mize, hidden against Liam's chest, smirked.