CHAPTER 326: A MUSICIAN’S THOUGHT

Quizen grew quiet after Coco said that no one noticed her love for music so far, his eyes staring straight into Coco’s face.

The soft breeze rustled through the air, its gentle touch caressing their hair and clothing like it seemed almost as if the wind had come to witness the exchanges between Coco and the two mediators.

Quizen’s eyes traced Coco’s sharp yet soft look, his heart brimming with unnamed emotion and newfound interest.

Quizen’s gaze traveled across Coco’s face, his mind instinctively comparing her features to notes, chords, and melodies.

It was a process he was accustomed to, as he often did the same when he played a song on his guitar, strumming the strings and humming random tunes under his breath so now, he couldn’t help, but think of notes, chords, and lyrics.

For example, the arch of Coco’s eyebrow resembled a high note while the curve of her nose mirrored a sustained tone, and on the other hand, the fullness of her lips echoed a soft melody—

Okay, that’s a little over the top, but can anyone blame him? Coco just looks extra beautiful today for some reason!

Despite Quizen scolding himself for staring at Coco, he still continued to ponder over her features, his gaze tracing the contour of her cheeks and the curve of her jawline, similar to how he would analyze a new song, preparing to incorporate it into a melody.

His eyes drank every single detail, the subtle shifts in tones— the overall harmony of her features.

His brain automatically began composing a melody whether he liked it or not, his mind effortlessly weaving together notes, chords, and rhythms inspired by the patterns he saw in her features.

He could feel the song taking shape in his head, its lyrics capturing the essence of Coco’s beauty in a symphony of melodic sounds.

Due to this, Quizen became blissfully unaware of how he looked in this moment, his gaze locked on Coco, but his expression filled with an unconscious adoration, something that made Coco look down to him.

His gaze was filled with an all-consuming adoration, as if he were witnessing a work of art come to life with the corners of his lips curled into a tender smile, his breathing growing slightly labored as if he were intoxicated by her presence alone.

Coco blinked, her own gaze meeting Quizen’s intense one.

She fidgeted slightly, feeling antsy under his gaze, and wondered what was going on inside his head— what thoughts and emotions were coursing through his mind as he looked at her.

Coco cleared her throat, breaking the silence.

"Anyway.." She began, her voice tinged with a hint of awkwardness. "As I was saying, I’m only Sinclair’s master, nothing more— oh, and he’s my friend."

Coco’s words hung in the air, her statement seemingly aimed at reassuring the two mediators laying on her lap.

The words that she considered Sinclair merely a friend and her familiar made their worries wash away as the implication became clear: Coco wanted to clarify that her relationship with Sinclair was strictly platonic.

Coco didn’t fully realize the extent to which she was adamant about assuring them.

Her actions were driven by the desire to ease their worries, to help relieve the tension that had settled in their heart, but beneath her earnest efforts, just like with Quizen, there was a feeling she could not name.

However, she found that the thought of her husbands being consumed by jealousy upset her deeply.

The cause of their pain, even if it stemmed from imagined betrayal, tugged at her heartstrings, and whether consciously or not, Coco was motivated to assure them by the desire to protect the mediators from such pain, even if it meant constantly reassuring them.

So, Coco didn’t mind reassuring Quizen and Zaque, even though they had already agreed on divorcing each other the moment she got the money to do so.

Perhaps it was a reflection of her compassion towards other people or maybe it was a subconscious effort to cling onto the connection that they somehow made on her stay in this world so far.

Whatever the reason, Coco found herself continuously addressing their fears and doubts because she cares for their well-being, even if their relationship is just labeled as nothing, but friends.

Quizen hummed softly, his voice gentle and sincere.

"Thank you.. I feel fine now." He murmured, his gaze still fixed on Coco’s face, the sound of his words carried a weight of relief, a proof to the calming effect her reassurance had on him.

The tension in his expression had eased, replaced by a relaxed and relieved smile.

While it was likely too soon to say the tension was completely gone, Coco could tell that Quizen became more relaxed by the way he let his weight press on her, obviously no longer consumed by doubt and unease.

Zaque nodded his head in agreement to Quizen’s statement, burying his face in Coco’s stomach as he turned to his side.

"Thank you." He said, his voice muffled by her clothing as he curled by her side, "You have no idea how much those words put me at ease."

In that moment, Zaque’s gesture spoke volumes about the comfort he found in her presence.

The act of seeking peace by burying his face in her stomach seemed like a natural reaction, as if he found reassurance in her physical proximity alone, and in a sense, it actually did.

Coco tensed up for a moment, her body briefly seizing as her mind adjusted to the unusual sensation.

She wasn’t accustomed to being on the receiving end of physical affection from anyone outside of her family— her mother and sisters, who are oddly affectionate, and mindful, with her even though she doesn’t like any kind of physical contact.

So, the unexpected gesture from Zaque triggered a mixture of emotions within her, stirring an uncomfortable feeling in her chest.

Coco’s heart raced, but she didn’t think of pushing him off.