Noah wanted to refuse, but he just couldn’t squeeze those words out of his throat. This… this was important, ah! He hesitated, his emotions and rationality waging war within.

In the end, rationality won over. Even if it was embarrassing to death, this needed to be done! He absolutely couldn’t mess up their act on their wedding day!

And so, Noah gritted his teeth and nodded his agreement with equal doses of reluctance and determination, a rather peculiar sight.

Levi had expected such an outcome. His baby was cute that way. ❤ It was easy to get him to agree as long as he appealed to reason. Ah, his baby was really the cutest. (／≧ω＼)

So cute, so darn cute that Levi just wished to tease him and “bully” him until he puffed up like an angry yet cuddly little kitten.

The urge proved to be too strong for Levi to resist, so instead of stopping while he was ahead, he greedily pushed onwards. His eyes curved mischievously, “For a loving couple, endearments are also a must…” Levi turned to face his precious with an adoring look and finally spoke out the words that had been stuck inside his chest for far too long, “Baby~”

The fork Noah had just picked up ended up being dropped again. A ticklish sensation spread from his ear down to his heart, making his entire body shudder. Breath hitched in Noah’s throat, and though his mouth opened and closed, not a word came out. His heart was beating so loud inside his chest that he couldn’t even hear his own thoughts.

Finally, Noah’s two wide eyes even reddened in agitation, so incensed he seemed on the verge of tears. He pursed his lips, scrunched up his nose, and used his glassy eyes to shoot Levi an indignant glare.

This person! Bad! He was really bad!!

Blackie, ‘Who was it that said Levi was really good a minute ago?’ ?

Levi… he... he wasn’t practicing! He just enjoyed teasing him!!!

Why else, of all the possible endearments, would he pick the most embarrassing one?!? Ah, ah! Noah’s ears and insides were on fire! It was really embarrassing to death!!!

“Mn? Baby? Why are you not saying anything?” Low laughter rumbled out of Levi’s chest.

Levi got his wish and witnessed his baby puffing up his fur first-hand. Noah lifted his chin up and briskly turned his head away in anger as if to say, ‘Mad! Very mad! I’m ignoring you!’

Another puff of laughter escaped Levi, “Alright, alright, baby, don’t be mad. Eat some more?” Levi coaxed in his most loving and indulgent tone. He even poured Noah a glass of water very considerately.

Seeing how the other still hadn’t learned his lesson and continued to use that embarrassing endearment, Noah’s dissatisfaction grew, and he smacked the table, “You–you–you…! You think I can’t come up with equally as embarrassing endearment?! You! Just you wait!”

Far from frightened by the threat, Levi’s eyes lit up instead, “Of course you can.” He cooed, “Here, let me give you a few ideas to consider…” Levi’s rich baritone dropped lower into a sinful, seductive whisper, “Darling~ Precious~” with each word, he came closer to Noah’s face, “Honey~ Love~” finally he paused centimeters away from the petrified Noah, and puffed warm air directly into his neon pink ear, “Hubby~”

With a screech, Noah’s chair nearly fell back from the force its occupant used to get away from the table. “I–I–I’m done! I–I–I… go–go–going… to–to wash hands!” Noah tripped over his words and nearly over his feet, too, as he scrambled to run away from the private room.

Even from the back, one could see the red flush spreading down his neck.

Levi’s eyes gleamed with humor. Ah, his baby was indeed the most adorable! ❤❤❤ He bit his lips but still failed to contain his laughter in the end.

After a long while of chuckling, Levi, too, lost interest in the food. No food could ever compare to the deliciousness of his baby. It was all just tasteless.

As for his baby… Levi sighed, his eyes curving in a soft smile, ‘My precious treasure, if your reaction is so adorable, how do you expect me to resist teasing you?’

‘You are too addictive, a single taste, and I’m hooked for life…’

***

Noah ran into the bathroom as if ghosts and devils were chasing after him, and with great panic, locked himself inside a toilet stall.

Then he slumped down to sit on top of the toilet seat cover, hugged his legs to his chest, and buried his flaming red face into his hands.

Bah! It… it was his loss. ＞︿＜He really couldn’t compete with Levi when it came to such things!

Levi was really… really too much of a tease… ah!

How could he use such a sexy voice to speak such words?!

Bad! Really bad!

So very bad!!

Noah felt so helplessly flustered that even indignant tears started to come out.

Wasn’t Levi afraid that he would misunderstand?! Wasn’t Levi afraid at all that Noah might develop feelings for him he shouldn’t have?! Noah’s little heart was already so close to bursting, yet Levi still continued to ruthlessly tease him!!

Was it so fun to tease him?!? Noah’s red cheeks puffed up again. He jumped to his feet in anger and then started to pace up and down in agitation, or rather, turn in circles, because the space inside the stall was very limited.

But Noah being Noah, his anger was short-lived. In the first place, he was angered due to embarrassment, not because he disliked… disliked… ah, he really couldn’t dislike anything about Levi. Be it his overly intimate manner, or those shameless actions, or that ruthless teasing…

He would get flustered, confused, embarrassed, and mad, but actually… he didn’t really dislike it… not… not really…

Noah shook his head, trying to forcefully clear his head. But shaking it up didn’t work; thus, he had to resort to finding another topic to focus on. Unfortunately, the only thing he was capable of focusing on right now was Levi-related. Such as Levi. And the wedding.

The wedding!

Noah’s eyes widened. That’s right! There was still the issue of the best man! He needed to pick a best man asap!

Noah’s eyebrows furrowed in thought. If he was marrying literally anyone else, then he would have asked Levi to be his best man without a second thought. But his best best man candidate happened to be the groom...

So, whom should he pick?

He liked Trey, but the two have met only recently, and the other was even his bodyguard to boot, so asking him to be the best man would be inappropriate. Then there were Fynn, Case, and Shaw.

Shaw’s relationship with Aris was rather good, but there was an age gap of 8 years between them, making the two's relationship closer to that of a younger and an older brother than of friends. Picking him as the best man was a perfectly valid option, but it might not be the optimal choice.

Out of the three, Noah had interacted with Fynn the most since arriving in this world. However, considering how close the original Aris was with Fynn, picking him as the best man wouldn’t be the most appropriate. The two had been good friends, but they didn’t often spend time together, so they couldn’t be considered close friends.

If Noah were to consider the matter from the perspective of closeness, then the best candidate would undoubtedly be Case. But, ah, wouldn’t it be a low-blow to ask your best friend who had had a crush on you for a long time to be your best man?! Just look how outraged Case was when he received the wedding invitation! How could Noah bear to make him smile in front of the crowd at the wedding and wish his crush and the damned love rival, who stole his crush away from him, all the best in life?!

He’d already count his blessings if Case didn’t crash the wedding with a loud “I object!!”

Yet, if he was considerate of Case’s feelings and picked someone else to be his best man, then wouldn’t Case end up hurt all the same? How painful was it for your best friend to ask someone else to be his best man at the wedding?

Picking Case was not good, but not picking him was no good either!