Chapter 2

Besides me, Leo was clearly choked up by Julian's use of "Cicada" too.

But he just found it unusual.

After all, calling someone by their nickname, a sign of intimacy, was something you'd *never* see his older brother do.

Still, it only stumped him for a few seconds before he completely forgot about it, loudly demanding dinner, totally different from how he was when I first met him.

Julian nodded, calling the housekeeper to bring the food to the dining table. We all went over and ate.

At the table, Julian kept finding ways to talk to me, his gaze laced with ambiguous warmth.

My actual 'boyfriend,' however, was completely oblivious, focused entirely on his rice.

"Even though Leo isn't young anymore, he's always been spoiled by the family. He's a bit childish, Cicada, so please be patient with him."

I understood his hint and replied politely, "There's nothing to be patient about. I think he's great just the way he is. I, for one, happen to like the 'puppy-like' type."

Julian picked up a piece of lean meat and put it in my bowl.

He feigned ignorance about the meaning of "puppy-like." "Puppies look cute, but they only know how to whine, act adorable, and play pathetic. They don't offer the same sense of security as a 'wolf-dog' type."

"Large dog breeds can be handsome too, and they're capable of protecting their owner."

The atmosphere between Julian and me at the dinner table was subtly charged, while Leo was in a completely different world.

He quickly devoured the food in his bowl, then looked up at his brother and smiled.

"You don't get it, Julian. Cicada isn't talking about actual dogs. It's a type of person."

He wiped his mouth and continued, "Cute and easy to pity, that's a 'puppy-like' type, like me. Overly dominant, full of security, and bossy, that's a 'wolf-dog' type, like..."

Leo scanned Julian up and down, not daring to finish his sentence.

"Like Julian, for example," I smoothly interjected.

Leo looked at me approvingly, as if to say, "Bro, you're awesome!"