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Kazuma met Barok on his first day of work as Klint van Zieks’ intern: Barok had just recently graduated from law school, and Kazuma was halfway through his last year. Their first actual interaction—other than the polite greetings—was when Barok sat beside him during their lunch break, and asked about his studies.
From there, the conversation slowly took a more natural and personal turn. Something about their personalities just clicked, and in the few months that followed they became close, not only as coworkers, but as friends.
If Kazuma had to be honest, he was starting to like Barok: nothing but a crush yet, but the more they spent time together, the more his affection for that man grew. Not that he had any plans to admit to those feelings out loud—at least not yet.
That day, they were about to have lunch in the break area when Barok’s phone buzzed, calling their attention. He glanced at the screen, seeming surprised.
“Is everything alright?” asked Kazuma.
“Yes. A friend from college will be visiting soon.”
“That’s nice.”
“Indeed.” Barok smiled. “He moved abroad after graduating, so it is quite rare for us to have the chance to meet in person nowadays.”
That was something hard to imagine, given how Kazuma was constantly glued to his best friend and roommate, Ryunosuke—who, since their childhood, had spent much more time at Kazuma’s home than his parents’, to the point of being more like a family member than most of his blood relatives. If Ryunosuke moved anywhere, Kazuma would probably find an excuse to follow him.
“Kazuma…” Barok called as he typed an answer to his friend. “Could you get my planner for me?”
“Sure.”
Kazuma opened Barok’s bag, and, in the brief search for his planner, something else caught his eye. He offered the planner to Barok, without looking at him.
“Thank yo—”
“I didn’t know you liked the Herlock Sholmes books,” said Kazuma.
“Pardon…?”
Kazuma raised the novel with a slight smile. “This is the latest one, isn’t it?”
Barok’s expression froze, and for a few seconds he simply stared blankly at that book. Kazuma was starting to wonder if he had said something strange when Barok finally broke the silence.
“I do not like them.” He reached for the book, retrieving it from Kazuma’s hands. “But, given the popularity of the series, I thought it would be good to have some knowledge on the subject.”
A slight flush covered his face, and Kazuma wasn’t sure of how to respond to such an obvious lie.
“You know you can just say you enjoy them, don’t you?”
Barok averted his gaze. “I certainly do not.”
So, even someone as cool and collected as Barok had a stubborn side… Kazuma had to hold back a small laugh.
“Alright, alright. Forget I mentioned it.”
Barok seemed glad to abandon the subject, returning the book to his bag before checking his planner. As he did, Kazuma retrieved his packed lunch from his bag; Barok soon joined him, and Kazuma frowned at his depressing meal: a protein bar and a cup of instant coffee he got from a nearby coffee machine. Kazuma had tried not to be judgmental of his eating habits before, but that day, his self-control finally reached its limit.
“You need to eat better, you know?”
Barok looked at him, seeming surprised. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean…” Kazuma gestured toward his meal. “You can’t survive on just that… It’ll be bad for your health.”
“Oh.”
Barok lowered his gaze, seeming embarrassed. It made Kazuma feel bad for him, so, with a small sigh, he took a pair of disposable utensils, offering them to Barok; then, Kazuma moved closer to him, pushing his food container in his direction.
“Here…” he said. “We can share it.”
“Ah…” Barok looked from the container to Kazuma. “Are you sure?”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
Hesitantly, Barok took a small portion of food, and Kazuma followed his movements with his gaze, anticipating his reaction. As soon as Barok tasted it, his uncertain expression softened into a pleased one.
“It is delicious,” he said.
His words made Kazuma smile. “Good to know, since I’m the one who made it.”
Barok looked at him, surprised. “I didn’t know you could cook.”
“Somehow, people always seem shocked when they hear about it…”
“I didn’t mean to sound judgmental, it was just a pleasant surprise.” Barok smiled. “Now that I think about it, since I moved out of my childhood home, I rarely have the opportunity to eat homemade meals.”
“You don’t cook for yourself?”
“No. The few times I tried to, the result was…” His face contorted into a slight grimace. “To put it shortly, I have learned through much pain to stay out of the kitchen.”
“Come on… You can’t be that bad.”
“I assure you, I am.” Barok took another bite of his food. “Remembering those days give me shivers…”
“I don’t know if I’m more curious or terrified.”
“You should be terrified… I am a threat to the kitchen and to myself.”
Kazuma laughed, pretty sure that he was being dramatic—though something in Barok’s expression made him wonder how much was actually an exaggeration.
“Still,” said Kazuma, “it’s not good for you to go this long without eating a proper meal.” He thought for a moment. “You know… I could cook for you, if you want.”
“Ah, no… I wouldn’t want to bother you with this.”
“It’s no bother.” Kazuma shrugged. “I already make lunch for my best friend, anyway… A little more wouldn’t make such a difference.” Only then did it cross his mind that, maybe, he was being too pushy. “Unless you don’t want it, of course.”
“No, I…” Barok hesitated briefly. “Are you sure about this?”
“It’s better than enabling you while you eat nothing but protein bars every day.”
Barok lowered his gaze. “I apologize.”
“It’s fine.” Kazuma smiled. “I’ll start to pack an extra portion for you, starting tomorrow.” He gestured toward his lunch. “For now, just eat as much as you want.”
Barok still seemed unsure. “Is there any way I can repay you?”
Kazuma almost told him not to worry about it, but stopped himself in time. “I might have something in mind.”
“And what is it?”
He took a deep breath to gather his courage. “Are you free this weekend?”
“I believe so. Why?”
“Do you want to go somewhere together?”
As if only then realizing what Kazuma meant, Barok slightly widened his eyes. Before Kazuma could start to regret his decision, however, a warm smile took Barok’s lips.
“I would love to.”
All it took was one date for it to become clear that Kazuma’s feelings for Barok were mutual. So, quite a few dates followed that first one, until they decided to make that relationship official.
Kazuma introduced Barok to the two people closest to him—Ryunosuke and Susato—and Barok returned the favor by taking Kazuma with him to a science exhibition the next time his dear friend, Albert, came to visit him. More and more, they started to become an essential part of each other’s lives, and Kazuma soon realized that he liked it: even if their relationship was still in the beginning, he couldn’t help but hope it would last.
That evening, they were unlucky enough to be surprised by heavy rain after having dinner together. As a result, traffic was much worse than usual, which meant Kazuma’s bus was already half an hour late, and with no sign of arriving anytime soon.
“If it stays like this, I won’t get home before midnight,” he said.
Barok, who insisted on making him company until his bus arrived, considered the situation for a moment. “My place is a short walk away from here. You could spend the night there, if you want.”
The suggestion caught Kazuma by surprise, but he managed to smile in response. “Sounds good.”
Barok opened a pleased smile, and the expression seemed to warm up Kazuma’s chest. He moved closer, hooking his arm on Barok’s so they would both fit under the umbrella.
“Shall we go, then?” asked Kazuma.
“Of course.”
Despite the rain and the cold wind, walking together like that was far from unpleasant. In around fifteen minutes, they arrived at Barok’s apartment. The place was spacious and spotlessly clean, decorated with elegant, minimalistic furniture in neutral colors.
“Give me your jacket,” said Barok. “It should be dry by morning.”
Kazuma did as he said, his attention soon falling upon a framed picture over his coffee table.
“These are…”
Barok followed his gaze. “My sister-in-law and my niece, Irene and Iris.” He smiled. “This is from a few years ago, though… Iris is much bigger now.”
Kazuma had the feeling he had seen those two before, and now realized it had been on another picture, resting on Klint’s desk. Those details, as well as the way Klint and Barok talked to each other, made it clear that the van Zieks family was very close.
“You must spoil your niece a lot,” he said.
“Not as much as Klint does.” Barok chuckled. “But I cannot complain… I was quite spoiled by him as well.”
Kazuma nodded. “Prosecutor van Zieks does seem to be a kind man.”
“He is. An admirable man, and the best brother I could have wished for.”
Those words made Kazuma smile: it was nice to see Barok talk so openly about the people he loved. Part of him wondered if, someday, he would refer to Kazuma in that same fond tone…
But it was still too early to think about such things. He took a step back, and Barok did the same, gesturing toward the corridor.
“Come,” he said. “You should change your clothes before you get a cold.”
Kazuma followed him to his bedroom. It was as tidy as the rest of the apartment, but the decoration had a more… classic feeling, with wooden furniture in darker tones, and a number of books and vintage trinkets neatly displayed on thick wooden shelves. An unusual style, which seemed out of a 19th century novel, but something about it felt much cozier than the minimalistic perfection of his living room—and, as far as Kazuma could tell, much closer to Barok’s personal tastes.
“I know it looks antiquated…” Barok murmured.
There it was… Barok’s habitual insecurity starting to show up again. Kazuma turned around, facing him with a smile.
“Maybe I’m antiquated too, because I like it.”
His words made Barok relax a little. Soon, however, something on the wall behind him grabbed Kazuma’s attention: there was another shelf there, filled with limited hard-cover editions of all published Herlock Sholmes novels, and a detailed action figure of Sholmes standing in front of them, like a small guardian. Looming over the shelf was a big promotional poster of the Adventures of Herlock Sholmes, in which the detective grinned confidently, wearing his iconic deerstalker and holding a pipe near his lips, with the streets of London in the background and a second man a few meters away, looking at him over his shoulder—his loyal partner, “Wilson”.
“That is…” said Kazuma.
Barok glanced at the wall, and all color seemed to fade from his face.
“This…” he quickly placed himself between Kazuma and the poster, as if it was enough to hide that giant detective and his cocky smile. “It is just something I found somewhere.”
Kazuma stared at him. “You… found it?”
Barok averted his gaze. “Yes.”
“And so you decided to place it on your wall?”
“Just to fill up the empty space until I find something more appropriate.”
“Sure…”
Kazuma chose not to press him—the last thing he wanted was to make Barok regret that invitation. Barok looked at him, seeming uncomfortable.
“Does it bother you?”
Kazuma shook his head, offering him a slight smile. “No, I was just a little surprised.”
But maybe he shouldn’t be… The books inspired by Mr. Sholmes’ adventures were becoming more and more popular with each new volume, so it was natural that he would have fans everywhere. To be honest, all that recent popularity was still a little strange for Kazuma, and Barok wasn’t the first person he would have guessed to like those novels…
Still, it was cute to see him getting so flustered over something that silly.
“Do you like mysteries, then?” asked Kazuma.
Barok shifted in place, looking away. “Not particularly.”
“Really? How did you learn about Mr. Sholmes’ books, then?”
“They are everywhere. I just wanted to see for myself what the fuss was about…” A slight flush covered his face. “Turns out they are quite childish, and the mysteries can be very unrealistic at times.”
He clearly didn’t mean any of that.
“I told you,” said Kazuma, “you can just admit that you like his books.”
Barok crossed his arms. “Those silly stories are nothing but a way to empty my mind when I am tired from working.”
Well… That subject certainly was going nowhere. Hopefully, Barok would soon lose his shyness over his taste in literature, so they could have a proper conversation about it later.
Before Kazuma could let the subject go, however, something crossed his mind.
“You know, Barok…”
“Yes?”
“I could get your Herlock Sholmes books signed, if you want.”
Barok stared at him, surprised. “Do you own signed copies?”
“Ah, no… I’d just have the guy himself sign them for you.”
“Will there be a meet-and-greet event soon?”
“No.” Kazuma paused, thinking. “I guess I haven’t mentioned it before, have I…?”
“Mentioned what?”
“Mr. Sholmes and my uncle are really close.” Kazuma gestured toward the poster. “You could say he is the Wilson in those stories.”
The shock on Barok’s face was so comical that Kazuma had to hold back his laugh.
“Dr. Wilson is… your uncle…?”
“That’s not his actual name, though,” said Kazuma. “And the man in those posters is just an actor. Uncle Mikotoba didn’t want to have his true name and face made public, so the writer came up with something else. But they’ve been close since I was a child… I’ve pretty much grown up with Mr. Sholmes as part of my family.”
Barok blinked. “You are… related to Herlock Sholmes…?”
“Not related by blood, but we’re still family.” Kazuma showed a half smile, lowering his voice. “And he sure does like to treat me like a kid even nowadays…”
For a long while, Barok could do nothing but stare at him, as if expecting Kazuma to start laughing at any moment. When he didn’t, Barok brought a hand to his mouth, lowering his eyes.
“This was… Unexpected.”
The hint of excitement in his voice made Kazuma grin. “Would you like me to introduce you to him?”
“Of course!” Noticing the enthusiasm in his words, Barok coughed. “Of course I would like to properly meet a member of your family.”
Kazuma made an effort to contain a tired sigh. “You’re so difficult, you know?”
“Pardon?”
Instead of explaining himself, Kazuma simply shook his head. “Alright. I’ll let you know once I talk to him.”
Barok tried, but couldn’t completely hide his excitement. It was an incredibly cute sight, so Kazuma took a step forward and kissed him. Soon, the previous subject seemed to dissolve between touches, kisses, whispered words, and low laughter, as they lay together on the bed, getting rid of their wet clothes in a fairly unplanned way.
Kazuma was almost falling asleep close to Barok when his gaze fell once again upon that poster, startling him. It was weird to fall asleep with Mr. Sholmes looking at him with that grin, as if he was about to drag him out of bed and into a new adventure at any second, the same way he had done so many times before, since his childhood. Kazuma looked away, trying to ignore that poster as much as it was possible—which wasn’t much.
A few days later, Barok accompanied Kazuma home after work, more anxious than Kazuma had ever seen him before—especially for someone who “wasn’t interested” in detective novels.
When they arrived, they were welcomed by Ryunosuke, who was lazily lying on the couch, reading an adventure manga—something that would probably kill his strict literature teachers. He raised his head, offering them a small wave.
“Mr. Sholmes isn’t here yet?” asked Kazuma.
“No,” said Ryunosuke. “But you know how he is… Maybe you’ll go to the kitchen and he’ll jump out of the cabinet to surprise you.”
Barok looked from one of them to the other, seeming unsure if that had been a joke or not.
“He did it before,” Kazuma clarified.
“A few times,” Ryunosuke added, then gestured toward the couch. “Sit down, Kazuma will bring us some tea.”
Kazuma narrowed his eyes at him. “I will?”
Ryunosuke opened the widest smile, and Kazuma responded by grabbing his head and messing his hair, under many protests. Their silliness seemed to make Barok relax a little, and soon the three of them were drinking tea together, engaged in a nice conversation. But it lasted no more than one hour, since soon the front door opened, allowing an over-dramatic detective to waltz inside.
“Pardon the delay, my dear fellows,” said Sholmes. “I found myself quite busy this afternoon.”
The couch prints on his face told a different story.
“You overslept, didn’t you?” said Kazuma.
“Definitely…” murmured Ryunosuke.
“Sharp as usual, my dear boys! It seems like you are on your way to becoming great detectives yourselves.”
Kazuma shrugged. “I think that one was pretty obvious.”
Sholmes laughed heartily. Then, as if finally noticing his presence, he turned his attention to Barok.
“So… You are Kazuma’s partner, I suppose.”
Barok’s posture went stiff. “Yes. Barok van Zieks. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Sholmes studied him, interested. “Van Zieks, you said?”
“Yes.” Barok averted his gaze. “Is something the matter?”
“Oh, no.” Sholmes dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “The name simply sounded familiar.”
“You must have heard of my brother, then. Prosecutor Klint van Zieks.”
“He owns the office where I work,” said Kazuma.
“Of course! I have certainly heard of Mr. Klint van Zieks before.” Sholmes grinned, tapping an imaginary deerstalker. “What a small world, don’t you agree?”
Barok nodded, still not making eye contact with Sholmes, who seemed amused by his reactions.
“So, young van Zieks…” Sholmes continued. “I have heard from our dear Kazuma that you are quite interested in the novelizations of my adventures.”
For a moment, there was a glint of excitement in Barok’s eyes. “Ah, I have read all of them.”
Then, just as suddenly, he stopped, glancing nervously at Kazuma.
“As a pastime, of course,” he quickly added. “They are fairly entertaining as a light distraction.”
Kazuma furrowed his brow. Why was it so difficult for him to just admit that he was a fan? A casual reader wouldn’t have limited hard-cover editions proudly displayed on his shelf, or a ridiculously large poster on his bedroom wall…
Was it really just shyness? Barok had been less shy about much more embarrassing things before, so it was a little strange… Kazuma thought for a moment, and soon a possibility came to his mind: was he afraid of Kazuma’s reactions, for some reason? That would explain all those nervous glances and filtered words…
Why, though? Had Kazuma said something that made him feel insecure about his interests? He couldn’t remember anything like that, but… That would explain things, wouldn’t it?
Either way, he had to do something about it. Barok’s shyness could be cute, but not when the price was his discomfort. With that in mind, Kazuma stood up, touching Barok’s shoulder as he did.
“Could you excuse us for a moment?” He said to Sholmes and Ryunosuke, then looked at Barok. “Barok, come here. I want to show you something.”
Seeming confused, Barok did as he said, following Kazuma down the small corridor to an open door.
“This is my bedroom.” Kazuma gestured inside. “Come in.”
They stepped inside, and Kazuma closed the door behind them. Unlike Barok’s bedroom, Kazuma’s was fairly… common. It was clean and tidy, but much smaller, and neither the furniture nor the decoration followed a theme. Still, there was no place in the world that made Kazuma feel more at home than there.
Barok glanced around, but before he could comment on anything, Kazuma grabbed the stuffed animal that rested on his bed, throwing it in his direction.
“Here.”
Barok instinctively grabbed the bright orange plushie, looking at it, confused. “What is this?”
“It’s from a video game I played when I was a child,” said Kazuma. “You’d think it is very old, wouldn’t you?”
“Well, yes…”
“You’re wrong.” Kazuma took the plushie from Barok’s hands, holding it against his chest. “I bought it two months ago, with the money I earned from my internship. It’s cute, and also very soft, so I sleep with it every night.” Kazuma gestured toward the door. “By the way, Ryuu has a matching one. He’s still a big fan of this game, so you’ll find things like this everywhere in his bedroom.”
Barok nodded, seeming unsure of what to say. Before he could ask any questions, however, Kazuma returned the plushie to his bed, and walked toward his shelf.
“See this?” He gestured at a wide row of books on it. “It’s my favorite manga series. The art is incredibly detailed, especially the action scenes. Look.”
He handed the first volume to Barok, who skimmed through the first few pages.
“It truly is quite detailed,” said Barok.
Kazuma nodded. “Not only that, but the story and characters are much deeper than they might seem at a first glance. To me, its quality exceeds that of many novels.” He retrieved it from Barok’s hands, searching the pages for a moment, showing it to him again. “This is my favorite character of all time, and his arc alone makes me want to reread this series again and again.”
“It surprises me that you never mentioned it before.”
“I’m doing it now.” Kazuma closed that volume, carefully placing it back on his shelf. “I have convinced many friends to read this series, and I will do the same to you at some point, so you better prepare yourself.”
Before Barok could either agree or protest, Kazuma indicated his collection of samurai action figures on the lower shelf.
“Now, look at this.” He couldn’t hold back a grin. “Impressive, right?”
“Indeed.”
“Here.” Kazuma took his Tokugawa Ieyasu from the shelf, handing it to Barok. “I’ve painted this one by hand, and I’m very proud of how it came out.”
“By hand?” Barok examined the figure a little closer. “You are very skilled.”
“I sure am.” Once Barok was done inspecting Ieyasu, Kazuma returned him to his rightful place. “Speaking of which… Just wait a second.”
Kazuma opened his wardrobe, pulling a big cardboard box out of it while Barok followed his movements with his gaze. He opened the box, revealing a collection of handmade items of various kinds. Barok looked inside, intrigued.
“This is…?”
“As you can see, I’m deeply interested in arts and crafts.” He crouched on the floor, absentmindedly taking a tiny clay sculpture, rotating it in his fingers before returning it to the box. “I could spend hours upon hours working on these things that most people would consider a waste of time. Because I enjoy it, and nothing else.”
Barok said nothing, then also crouched before that box so he could take a better look at those many creations. Kazuma gave him a moment before speaking again.
“What does seeing all this makes you think of me?”
Barok raised his head, looking at him with a slight smile. “That you are very passionate about your interests.”
“Exactly.” He met Barok’s gaze. “And I like people who are openly passionate about what they love, too.”
His words seemed to catch Barok off-guard, as if only then he understood the reason behind Kazuma’s sudden actions. He lowered his gaze, seeming embarrassed.
“I see…”
For a moment, the room went silent. Kazuma moved closer to Barok, sitting by his side, looking at his face.
“Did you think I would judge you for liking something?” he asked.
“It has happened before.”
“Really…?”
“Not with you,” Barok quickly added. “But… I had many people mock me for my interests before. I suppose I tend to be very passionate about them, and it makes others uncomfortable.”
“So you decided to hide them, instead?”
Barok nodded, hesitating briefly before speaking again. “I was afraid it would make you think that I am strange, and drive you away from me.”
That low confession made Kazuma’s heart ache.
“That won’t happen.” He reached for Barok’s hand. “I really like you, Barok, and I want to know more about you. The things you love, the ones you dislike, and everything else that is important to you. I won’t judge you for any of it, so please… don’t try to hide them from me.”
Barok lowered his head. “I apologize for it.”
“No need to.” Kazuma leaned in his direction, kissing his face. “I just want you to be comfortable around me.”
As a response, Barok turned his hand around, intertwining his fingers with Kazuma’s. “I am.”
“Good to know.”
Barok smiled, then turned his gaze back to that box. “To tell the truth, I quite enjoy arts and crafts, as well.”
“Really?” Kazuma grinned, excited. “We should do something together sometime, then.”
A small laugh left Barok’s lips. “I would love to.”
“But, before that…” Kazuma brought Barok’s hand to his lips, giving it a brief kiss. “I think you’ll want to have a proper conversation with your favorite detective.”
Barok nodded, still seeming slightly embarrassed, but not uncomfortable. “If you don’t mind it.”
Kazuma narrowed his eyes. “Just don’t try to leave me for him, alright?”
“Don’t be silly.”
Barok cupped Kazuma’s face, then leaned forward, kissing his forehead; Kazuma hugged his neck, resting his forehead on Barok’s shoulder, and Barok held him close against his chest. They stayed close like that, enjoying each other’s presence for a minute longer, before joining the others once again in the living room.
The rest of that day was quite lively. Free from those previous insecurities, Barok managed to hold a proper conversation with Sholmes, asking for details of his adventures and unpublished cases with a glint in his eyes.
“I still cannot believe you are so close to Herlock Sholmes,” said Barok the next morning. “Have you ever accompanied him in his investigations?”
“Quite a few times.”
“And how was it? How did it feel to see the great detective in action?”
Kazuma tried to find a way to put it into words. “Let’s say the books make his deductions seem… Smoother, I guess. I mean, Mr. Sholmes is still an impressive detective, but his methods can be a little unusual.”
Barok nodded. “And that is why he is so incredible.”
The admiration in his voice made Kazuma chuckle. “Maybe you’re right.”
“This reminds me,” said Barok. “I should properly introduce you to my family, as well. You already know Klint, but Irene and Iris are both eager to meet you.”
“Did you talk to them about me?”
“A little.”
“And what did you say?” Kazuma couldn’t hold back an amused grin. “That I’m the love of your life?”
Barok smiled. “Who knows…”
The way he didn’t deny it made Kazuma feel bubbly inside. Once they were done with work for the day, they returned together to Barok’s apartment, where Kazuma prepared dinner for them—with Barok’s clumsy help. Then, they watched a movie together in the living room, until they were both too sleepy to stay awake for any longer.
Once they were together in bed, Kazuma’s gaze once again fell upon that giant, mischievous Sholmes on the wall.
“It’s still weird to fall asleep with Mr. Sholmes staring at me,” he said.
“I could remove the poster if it bothers you.”
“No, it’s fine.” Kazuma grinned. “I’ll just have to distract myself with something else.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I wonder…”
He moved closer to Barok, kissing his chest; with a pleased chuckle, Barok hugged him close, caressing his hair.
“This is nice, isn’t it?” said Barok after a while.
“What? Cuddling?”
“That too. But I meant being together… Just the two of us.”
Kazuma looked up, slightly amused. “It’s a little late to realize you like my company, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps.” Barok hesitated briefly. “I was just thinking…”
Kazuma waited, but Barok never finished that sentence.
“Yes?” said Kazuma.
“Nothing.” Barok averted his gaze, and even in that dark room Kazuma could tell his face was burning bright red. “It was just a silly thought.”
“What was it, though?”
Barok shook his head with a slight smile, and Kazuma had the feeling he wouldn’t get a proper answer from him. He sighed: apparently, getting Barok to be fully honest with him would still take some time and effort.
“You’re too complicated,” he said.
“My apologies.”
“It’s fine.” Kazuma buried his face in Barok’s chest. “It’s worth the trouble.”
Besides, they still had plenty of time ahead of them to work on those things.