animal ears

?The fruit forest is the outermost forest of Keer Village. Because it is far away from the village, except for the season when it is difficult to find food, few females are willing to come here to find food.But Cole is different. Being excluded since he was a child, he can't go to the places where everyone goes to find fruit at all. Even in the season when food is abundant, everyone doesn't allow him to pick fruits.

Therefore, Cole has been used to picking wild fruits in this orchard with few people since a long time ago, and because there are few people coming, the fruits in the orchard are big and sweet, and Cole can always return with a full load.

There is a salt lake near the fruit forest, and there is a green grassland on the shore of the lake.

Looking at Cole, who is proficient in picking fruits from the tree, Norman lay leisurely on the grass and swayed his tail leisurely. Today's weather is very good, the sun is shining on the fur, and the lazy Norman can't help it He opened his mouth and yawned.

"Are you tired?" Cole walked in, rubbed the lazy tiger's head, and asked with a bow.

The little tiger shook his head.

But maybe it was because the weather was so good. After a while, Norman really fell asleep. When Cole came back from picking the fruit, he found the little tiger sleeping soundly. His silly tiger face made him smile. Then he lay quietly on the grass.

The breeze blew across his face, carrying the smell of the forest. Cole looked up at the sky. The blue color seemed to be far away from him, but also seemed to be very close to him. This illusion of being far away and close at hand always makes people feel a little bit Lonely, so Cole involuntarily leaned towards the furry little tiger. The warm sun shone on Norman's fur, and there was a nice smell.

After a long time, Cole couldn't help closing his eyes and dozing off, but at the same time, Norman opened his eyes.

In fact, Norman woke up when Cole approached, because Norman felt very shy and nervous when Cole approached him so unconsciously, but he did not wake Cole up, but curled up quietly, Let Cole lean more comfortably.

Norman really enjoyed being near Cole.

He still remembers the first time he met Cole. At that time, he was still very young, playing alone at the door of the house. He saw Cole walking behind his mother and father with his head bowed from a distance. He was curious and leaned over to Cole. Sniffing around, he was suddenly hugged by Cole.

He struggled desperately, and at the same time realized that Cole was looking at him with a very liking look.

That female must really like herself!

Norman thought so at the time.

However, when he heard his parents say that Cole had a baby with his brother Tyson, Norman was very depressed, because he thought Cole just liked him, but the fact gave him a huge blow. Cole had a crush on his brother, a real, obvious, undisguised liking, and even though he didn't like him at all, the older brother took all of Cole's attention.

Yes, my brother is indeed very good.

I heard that my brother was able to catch prey bigger than himself alone at a very young age. He acted bravely and decisively, and his body was stronger than other young orcs in the village. Not only his parents, but the whole village were proud of his brother. Of course , I also admire my brother very much.

However, this does not mean that Norman can watch his brother take all of Cole's eyes as if nothing had happened.

Seeing Cole's expression of liking for his indifferent brother, Norman endured it once, twice, three times, and finally couldn't bear it anymore.

Since my brother doesn't like you at all, why can't you look at me?

Norman was furious.

But getting angry was useless, and the only way to get Cole's attention in the end was to bully him.

The more he cared about Cole, the more he bullied him too much, and those guys who didn't like Cole actually started to bully Cole.

Norman spared none.

He always came home with a bruised nose and a swollen face, and his parents got angry every time, but he never explained the reason.

But no matter how much he bullied Cole, Cole never got angry, as if Cole didn't care about him at all... This is really sad and even more annoying.

Why don't you care about me?

I've been watching you obviously!

Even if I bully you, I just want to win a little bit of your attention and get closer to you... just like now.

Norman licks Cole's cheek cautiously.

Suddenly seeing Cole's missing two front teeth, Norman suddenly felt uncomfortable. He secretly vowed that he would become stronger, and after becoming stronger, he could protect Cole, never let Cole get hurt again, and never let Cole get hurt again. Cole burst into tears.

I want to become a powerful orc!

The amber eyeballs kept looking at the little female leaning against him, slowly revealing a gentle brilliance.

Cole didn't wake up until dusk.

"Oops!" Cole couldn't help yelling, and said to Norman apologetically, "I'm sorry, Norman, I overslept!"

Norman shook his head, making a slight grunt in his throat, and looked towards the lake.

The calm lake water is illuminated by the light of the setting sun in a warm orange color, and the sparkling light on the lake surface is accompanied by ripples, which is unbelievably beautiful.

Cole couldn't help staring blankly.

"Wow~" Norman next to him let out a soft cry.

Strangely, Cole smiled slightly as if he understood, and turned around and said, "Well, you're right, it's really beautiful."

Suddenly, there was a gentle touch on the cheek, and Cole turned around to find that Norman had turned into a human form.

Under the short light brown hair, there are cheeks dyed red by the setting sun, and those sparkling amber eyes, which reflect his own appearance.

Just now... was kissed?

Norman blushed, then he gently grabbed Cole's hand and said, "Let's go home, Cole."

"Eh?"

Did Norman call his name just now? ...not "Ugly", but his own name?

Seeing Cole staring blankly at him, Norman was even more embarrassed, so he quickly turned his face, cleared his throat, and said impatiently, "Let's go! I'm hungry!"

Cole, who had reacted for a long time, responded, "...um, um."

The two quietly walked towards home. The setting sun stretched their shadows very long. Cole felt Norman's warm palm. If you don't intend to let go, let him go.

I was worried about Norman's injury, but Cole couldn't say a word when facing Norman in human form.

Because...it's embarrassing, isn't it?

So they returned to the village in silence with each other. When they met people in the village on the road, Cole quickly tried to pull away Norman's hand, but Norman held on tighter.

Cole couldn't help but whispered, "No, Norman..."

"Huh?" Norman turned around.

"Let go."

"No." He refused bluntly.

Facing more and more curious eyes, Cole pleaded again: "Let go, it's strange..."

After speaking, he tried to pull his hand away.

"I don't think it's strange." Norman squinted over, said seriously, and then tightened his grip, "It's not strange at all."

Cole couldn't say a word of rebuttal.

But... I am a "monster"!A "monster" with animal ears despite being female!People in the village have always disliked him since he was a child, and regarded him as a different kind of alien... Isn't Norman afraid of being implicated and rejected by him at all?

Looking at the little orc walking in front of him, Cole felt very complicated.

Back home, when Eli saw the two people coming back hand in hand, he was a little stunned, but he didn't say anything at the moment. It wasn't until night, when Yitzhak was helping Norman check the bones, that Eli quietly pulled Cole stepped aside and asked in a low voice, "Um... Cole, you don't hate Norman, do you?"

I don't understand why Eli would ask such a question, but Cole replied honestly: "I don't hate it."

Hearing this, Ali fell into deep thought for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes, gently stroked Cole's head, sighed, looked at Cole with a wry smile, and said, "That's good."

"Uncle Allie?"

Shaking his head, Ai Li raised his eyebrows, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and said with a smile, "It's nothing, I just trouble you to take care of Norman these days, and in the future...cough cough, I guess I will trouble you in the future."

after?

Do you mean to help take care of Norman in the future?

Nodding, Cole said, "No problem." Because Norman is like his younger brother.

Of course, the dull Cole completely misunderstood it, but when he really realized the meaning of Eli's words, he had already been eaten to death by someone. ?