Chapter 5

That was why I always kept my distance, as every time I saw his innocent face, I felt like a terrible person.

It was during that time when Thea 'accidentally' stumbled into Xir's tank chamber.

Naturally, her bright, pretty face was a lot more attractive than my burnt face, so it was almost expected that Xir fell in love at first sight with her.

Since then, he was always staring blankly at the door, and started to care a lot less about me.

And during the rare moments we met, he was asking about Thea.

"She's your sister? When will she visit again?"

"What's her name?"

"What's her favorite food?"

"What's her favorite color?"

In reality, I have not seen Thea since I came of age, when I kicked her, her mother, and Father out of my mother's house.

And after Father died, I lost touch with her completely.

When she sneaked in, she was caught on camera taking some jewelry when she bumped into Xir, and promptly fled.

Somehow, Xir fell in love with her at first sight instead.

Oh, the irony…

"You want to see her again?" I asked.

He nodded, blushing.

Remembering my attending physician telling me that keeping the merfolk in a good mood worked wonders for their growth, I agreed to it.

I even made a timetable, allowing Thea to come to my house and visit him.

Before long, Xir got dissatisfied with only meeting Thea once or thrice a week, and started to resent me because he wanted to spend every moment he had with Thea.

"Who do you think you are?!" he ranted. "You have no right to deny my freedom! You have no right to keep Thea away from me!

"You're so selfish, always keeping me to yourself! This isn't love—it's imprisonment!"

-

Back in the present, Xir was still ranting, "You're so selfish! Thea is your sister, but you won't even give her a job!"

Even as I felt a sense of deja vu, Thea pursed her lips. "Don't say that—Lyra is just too busy and has no time for me."

Xir snorted. "I don't think so, the way she keeps hovering around me every day! You're too nice for your own good, Thea!"

I didn't want to interrupt them for a moment, but the apple pies were getting cold, so I headed inside since I definitely didn't want Xir to make me run the same errand twice.

He was scowling as soon as he saw me anyway. "Give Thea a job at your company."

It wasn't even a request but an order as if it was his right, just like how he knew I wouldn't refuse him.

"Fine," I said.

Hearing that, Thea finally got off Xir and took the box of apple pies, shooting me a taunting look as she strode off. "See? You don't measure up against me at all."

"How so?" I shot back.

I honestly had no idea what she was so smug about. Was she proud that she was dating a fish?

Thea's smile stiffened, but she soon said, "Still trying to play it cool, huh? Oh, how much do you resent me for stealing Xir away?"

I shrugged.

If I allowed it to be taken from me, then it didn't matter to me.

Whether it was Father or Xir, Thea could take anyone or anything she wanted, but she'd never take what really mattered to me.

"I just want his heart. You can have the other parts."

It was not surprising they were so compatible, the way this human and that fish were simply incapable of understanding a word I said…