She had never expected her brother's reaction to explode so violently. It was a stark contrast to the calm demeanour shown by Arvin, Allen, and even Ordion when they first stepped through the mansion's doors.
"I am sorry, Alrain." Yonna said, her voice filled with sincere apology. She squeezed her own fingers, feeling a heavy sense of unease because her good intentions were being perceived as a disturbance. "I only didn't want you all to return to this house and find an empty dining table with no food ready to eat. I just wanted to make sure you could all rest immediately."
Yonna's explanation hung suspended in the air of the vast living room, receiving no immediate answer from her brother.
Alrain did not look at his sister. Instead, he slowly pivoted his body and cast a sharp, piercing glare toward Ordion. The red-haired teenager was stunned for a moment, feeling a slight shiver at the sight of Alrain's eyes, which were filled with immense pressure. The atmosphere in the living room abruptly became heavy, as if an invisible weight was pressing down on the shoulders of everyone present.
"This is all because you were too busy making love with him in the academy bathroom!" Alrain said. The sentence was uttered in an incredibly low tone, yet every word sounded sharp and biting. "Because of your ill-timed antics, I was unable to continue my cooking lesson today."
Ordion stared back at Alrain. He could not accept his private affairs at the dormitory being discussed in front of others, especially when accompanied by such a cornering accusation. He felt that what had happened was his absolute right as Arvin's legal spouse.
"What did you say?" Ordion retorted, his voice rising to an equal volume. He took a small step forward, challenging Alrain's dominance in the middle of the room. "Of course I had to bind a life-and-death contract with him as soon as possible, didn't I? Is there really something wrong with me binding a life-and-death contract with my own husband? Is your lust so high just because you heard the two of us moaning that you've become this resentful toward me?"
"What did you say?" Alrain barked back, his voice now rising even higher until it echoed against the ceiling of the grand living room. "How could I possibly still feel such things now! Do you think my self-control is that low? I am simply truly frustrated because I could not continue my cooking lesson for today!"
The argument erupted just like that in the center of the living room, causing Yonna to become increasingly panicked. She looked toward Arvin, hoping there was something that could be done to stop the debate before it spiraled even further out of control. Meanwhile, Allen could only stand silently, observing the two of them who had looked so close at the dormitory just moments ago but were now shouting at each other over a trivial matter.
In the midst of the escalating commotion, Arvin finally moved. Without a sound, he stepped into the middle of the two teenagers who were currently consumed by emotion. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed both Alrain and Ordion's heads, resting his palms upon their hair and then stroking them with immense gentleness.
Spontaneously, Alrain and Ordion froze. The insults that had been on the tips of their tongues were swallowed back down. Both turned simultaneously toward the figure who was now holding their heads with deep affection.
"Stop this ridiculous bickering, the two of you." Arvin said. His voice was not loud, it sounded incredibly calm, yet it possessed a firmness that could not be contested by anyone. "Cooking lessons can still be done tomorrow. Time cannot be brought back just by the two of you shouting at one another here. Now, let us go and eat. Do not let everything Yonna has prepared for our dinner go to waste."
As water extinguishes fire, that gentle touch and those wise words immediately caused Alrain and Ordion to cool down. They both fell silent, lowering their gazes before their husband. The anger that had been overflowing just moments ago seemed to evaporate into thin air, replaced by a profound sense of reverence.
In their eyes, Arvin was absolute. He was a husband who could be incredibly cold and firm, yet he was always fair and attentive toward all of his spouses without exception.
Yonna, who had been holding her breath, finally let out a long sigh of relief. She truly had not expected that two teenagers who were just shouting at each other could be silenced so effectively by a single reprimand and touch from their husband. Arvin's influence over his spouses felt very real in Yonna's eyes.
"The two of you are my spouses." Arvin continued, his eyes glancing sharply between Alrain and Ordion to ensure they were listening. "There is no need to rush over something like a cooking lesson. There is still plenty of time available for you to learn and cook various delicious meals for me in the future, Alrain."
Arvin ensured his message resonated within the hearts of the two of them before him. He wanted them to understand that their home was a place for mutual support, not for nurturing their respective egos.
"If the two of you truly consider yourselves my spouses, let there be no more arguments like this!" Arvin stated firmly, his voice now carrying a heavier weight. "I want all of us to support each other as one complete family. Remember, we are a family now. From now until forever, the four of us can never be separated by anything except for the death. Do you understand?"
"I understand..." Alrain and Ordion answered in unison. Their voices now sounded much softer, filled with a deep sense of regret.
Arvin slowly released his hands from their heads. Alrain and Ordion then looked at one another. An awkward silence hung over the living room for a few moments, before Alrain finally took a long breath and stepped toward Ordion.
"Ordion, I apologize for starting this fight with you." Alrain said with a tone that was truly sincere. He realized that he had been too carried away by his personal ambition to be a perfect spouse, to the point of losing control over his emotions.
"I apologize to you as well, Alrain." Ordion replied, also feeling guilty for having responded to Alrain's words so harshly. "I truly did not know that you wanted to learn to cook so badly to become the best spouse for our husband. I am sorry if my presence happened to disrupt your schedule."
"It is alright." Alrain replied, his voice now sounding calm and friendly as usual. "Just as our husband said, there is still plenty of time for me to learn how to cook and prepare various delicious meals for him."
"In that case, how about I be the one to teach you how to cook?" Ordion offered suddenly.
Hearing that offer, Alrain's eyes widened in shock. Not only Alrain, but Arvin, Allen, and Yonna all felt the same surprise. They never would have expected that Ordion could cook.
"Ordion, can you really cook?" Arvin asked with a thick tone of curiosity.
"Of course, My Dear!" Ordion answered firmly without a second's pause. A smile spread across his face, and there was a glint of pride in his eyes. "Back in my previous life, it was Allen who taught me how to cook. He said I had to be able to make my own food to survive if one day I was forced to live alone."
Alrain's facial expression changed drastically upon hearing that answer. He glanced toward Allen, then looked back at Ordion with a gaze that appeared slightly dejected, yet filled with honest envy.
"Damn it!" Alrain grumbled irritably, though a flicker of regret was visible in his eyes. "If only I had been willing to learn how to cook from the mansion's servants in my previous life, I would surely be as proficient as the two of you by now! I truly feel left behind."
Allen, who had been a quiet listener until then, stepped closer. He placed his hand on Alrain's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze to soothe his companion's heart.
"Don't worry, Alrain. I will definitely teach you how to cook until you are truly proficient." Allen said in a very soft voice. He offered a thin smile, trying to comfort Alrain who seemed a bit discouraged. "I promise you before that I would teach you to cook until you can serve the best dishes for our beloved husband, didn't I?"
Alrain let out a rather long sigh. "Hahhh.... It seems... for now, I really can only be patient." Alrain said with a tone of resignation.