Noah had a thin face and hugging in public was embarrassing enough; he really couldn’t handle anything more! And on top of it all, with every minute that passed, the harder it became for him to distinguish the act from reality. He didn’t like this, he didn’t like it at all! Even if it was all an act, his feelings weren’t an act! Everything happening felt real to him, so once the act was over, how would he be able to just pretend like nothing had happened?!

Being kissed so gently like this, only a block of wood wouldn’t feel their heartstrings quivering!

Levi, whose eyes never left his baby’s face, noticed Noah’s momentary flash of regret and, like a seasoned general, seized this opening to strike. Looking very remorseful, he dropped another gentle kiss on Noah’s supple cheek, “I’m sorry, baby, don’t be angry. Next time I kiss, I’ll make sure others can’t see.”

Noah’s eyes widened, and he attempted to turn his head away to avoid further kisses, “Still acting? Who are you acting for, huh?!” then he complained under his breath, “And still intend to kiss in the future, huh? Hmph, what acting?! Aren’t you just using that as an excuse to tease me?!”

Levi’s eyes couldn’t help but curve. Even when angry, his little darling was still too adorable. Snorting left and right, yet he just looked like a huffing and puffing cuddly kitty, not threatening at all!

Levi couldn’t resist dropping another kiss on top of that wrinkled little nose. “Mn, not acting. Who made your face so soft and kissable?”

Baby Noah felt indignant, and his nostrils flared, “You are too much! It’s bullying! Bullying!!”

A low chuckle rumbled out of Levi’s chest, “If I am bullying you, then why don’t you bully me back, hmm?”

Angry kitty Noah shot this rogue a look of disdain, “And stoop down to your level? Hmph!”

“You are right; it’s me who is bad,” Levi tenderly cooed, “You shouldn’t lower yourself to my level. In fact, it isn’t even worth it for you to waste your anger on a bad bully like me. Mn? Don’t be angry, alright?”

Levi wasn’t even bothering to disguise his intentions, his attempts of coaxing so shameless and blatant that Noah couldn’t help but feel amused. An involuntary puff of laughter escaped him, and then, realizing he was supposed to still be angry, he attempted to cover it up as a puff of anger. Thus, Noah huffed and puffed a few more times for good measure, lest Levi thought he would let him off this easily.

Levi, cradling his precious darling in his arms, was extraordinarily patient, ready to wait however long it took for his baby to feel like he had sufficiently expressed his outrage. He even stroked his darling’s back soothingly, as if to say, ‘I was wrong. I’m sorry. Don’t be mad.’

His indulgence made it really hard for Noah to retain his anger. After only a few huffs and puffs, he lost interest and had to move onto the next phase, “This lovey-dovey act of yours is too much…”

Levi nudged the side of Noah’s face with his nose, “I admit there might be a few kinks I still need to work on, but I think that one who needs this practice the most is you.”

Noah’s prepared tirade was thus interrupted, and he stared at the other, dumbfounded.

Levi elaborated, “I’ve kissed and hugged so much, so how come I didn’t get any hugs and kisses in return yet? Doesn’t that make me look like I’m showering affection on an uninterested party?”

Noah choked on his own outrage but couldn’t refute. What the other said was indeed reasonable, ah! A one-man show was too pitiful!

And now that he thought about it, it would seem that he had indeed not acted out his role in this lovey-dovey play so far…

Noah’s roaring blaze trembled and withered down into a flickering candlelight. It–it–it’s not like he didn’t want to do his part; it’s just that Levi’s acting always left him too embarrassed to think straight! How would he have the mental capacity to think about how to best reciprocate?! All his brain cells were already wasted on trying to cool his head down, so it didn’t start smoking!

The problem was clearly…! Noah’s dying embers flared back up, and he snorted, “It’s because this level of intimacy is too much! What are you trying to do here?! Express your affection or take liberties with me?!”

“Of course, it is both,” Levi shamelessly deadpanned, “How would it be realistic if a smitten man didn't want to take liberties with his precious darling? If you ask me, a purely platonic love isn’t romantic love at all! If you were truly in love with someone, how would you not want to touch them?”

Levi’s righteous declaration left Noah speechless once again. He had no words to refute the other, yet there was also this nagging feeling inside – feeling like there was something not quite right in what the other said, but Noah just couldn’t pinpoint where the problem laid exactly.

Noah’s mental cogs rotated and rotated but made no progress in figuring out the issue. The only thing that they did manage to figure out was what had happened earlier.

Looking back at the transpired events, Noah quickly realized why Levi had suddenly pounced on him – he had felt Noah’s bad mood and was trying to cheer him up! It was just that this asocial man-child didn’t know how to do that, so he went with a tactic that usually worked on children – coddling them.

He was like a mother whose child had come back home crying! She’d hug him to her chest and kiss his cheek, cooing, “Don’t be afraid, it’s alright.”

Levi, whose clearly non-platonic love was once again misinterpreted as brotherly affection, “…” ‘Ah, come on! ‎(ﾉಥ益ಥ)ﾉ ┻━┻ Do I look like a mother to you?! And before you answer that, take a look at the mirror! Do you look like a five-year-old??’

Looking at what happened from that perspective, Noah’s anger completely receded, leaving behind only sweetness. The heart within his chest felt hot, and those places Levi’s lips had touched earlier now tingled.

This soon-to-be-husband of his might be a shameless rogue who liked to tease him, but he… had really soft lips… ‘Also,’ Noah’s own lips unconsciously curved up, ‘He is really adorkable…’ (／≧ω＼)

Noah let out a heavy sigh while peeking at Levi from underneath his long eyelashes. ‘Fine, since you did it with good intentions and you know your wrongs, I’ll let you off this time...’

Blackie, “…” (눈_눈) ‘So… you are done being mad just like this? I don’t know why, but I am suddenly having this curious sense of déjà vu…’

Noah, ‘…I’ll let you off, but you better not kiss me in public again!’

Blackie, “…” ‘Host … You do realize that by wording it in such a way, even you yourself tacitly approve of him kissing you in private?’ (–_ლ)

As for… as for what Levi had said earlier… ai, he did have a point… Noah really did need to work on reciprocating, otherwise, how would their interaction look in other’s eyes? One is “lovingly pampering” the other, while the other is just turning a blind eye to it! It really wasn’t right!

Blackie, ‘…Wait, what? ಠ_ಠ That’s your definition of “turning a blind eye”?? Turning pink all over and stuttering out your every third word?? Have you seen anyone else “turn a blind eye” like this?!’

Noah’s shyness and sense of reason once again battled inside of him. He knew he should, but he felt like he might die out of embarrassment if he did. He told himself to just pretend for a couple of days, but would saying “it’s all an act” help him feel less shy? Of course not! A hug was a hug! There was no such thing as a fake hug! Either it was a hug, or it wasn’t!

- Author Note -

Readers after chapter 169: “You tell it to him Noah! He is too much! Serves him right!” ψ(｀∇´)ψ

Readers after chapter 170: “You let him off? Just like that?! щ（ﾟДﾟщ）…Why am I not surprised?” (눈_눈)