I Tried to Become a Worthless Scumbag to Break Our Engagement for His Happiness, but Instead I Was Hugged, Kissed, and Sworn Eternal Love by the Ice Knight (BL) - CHAPTER 3

Fleck first met Heliosphere when he was about five years old, maybe not even that.

Because Heliosphere had an exceptionally rare constitution, urgent measures had to be taken.
And so, their engagement was decided at an unusually early age.

“It is an honor to meet you for the first time. My name is Fleck Torio. I may be unworthy, but please take care of me.”

His family knew that no matter how they tried to explain what an engagement was, the words would go in one ear and out the other. So instead, they desperately drilled him on how to give his very first greeting.

They also warned him to be quiet, calm, and to use polite speech.

So, when Fleck managed to say the greeting exactly as he had been taught, he lifted his head, breathing hard with pride.

And the person he had greeted—was an unbelievably beautiful child. Fleck couldn’t hold back his excitement. He wanted to ask why someone could be so beautiful.

But his family, especially his mother, had warned him strictly to behave. So, Fleck endured it, forcing a stiff smile.

“Are you truly unworthy?”

Heliosphere, in contrast, spoke in a voice so cold it seemed like the soul of an old, cunning man had been placed into a child’s body.

Normally, that alone was enough to make people shudder at his presence. Heliosphere was used to it, and he even preferred it. Even if he understood what a fiancée meant, he had no intention of softening his attitude.

“Eh? I dunno. They just told me to say that.”

Fleck was a bright and cheerful child, optimistic whether for better or worse.

So even faced with Heliosphere’s icy reaction, he thought, Ah, he must just be nervous since it’s our first time meeting.

He’s beautiful, and yet he gets nervous—how cute, Fleck thought, and before he realized it, a natural smile spread across his face.

When he beamed at him, Heliosphere blinked in surprise, and his expression softened just a little.

“…Could you give me the real greeting you want to say?”

The real one?

Fleck didn’t understand what that was supposed to mean.

But it was true—the formal greeting he had just recited didn’t feel like a greeting at all. It was stiff, forced, nothing like how he usually spoke.

So before the surrounding adults could stop him, he cheerfully gave his real greeting.

“Mm! Sure! Hey there! I’m Fleck Torio! Nice to meet you from today on!”

It was the kind of greeting that showed his optimistic nature, one that no one could mistake for that of a noble child.

But Fleck was satisfied, because he had properly greeted Heliosphere—the boy he had been told he must always get along with.

After all, Fleck had thought, at first sight, I really want to be friends with him.

And when Heliosphere smiled back, Fleck’s heart leapt with joy.

He stepped forward happily, wanting to be closer. But Heliosphere quietly stepped back, and Fleck felt just a little sad.