There is no such thing as confessing in the Kremnoan language. Kremnoans are known for using action instead of words, as for example: a dual for marriage or a proposal. But that’s where it has Mydei stuck.

Mydei had a terrible crush on Phainon, a really, really bad one. In which, Mydei proposed a dual, to confess his love. Phainon didn’t get it and took it as a normal dual. So, for their next dual, he wore ceremonial clothing. Fellow Kremnoans had realized the situation and bowed. Yet.. Phainon still was clueless.

Mydei has found himself with Aglaea, complaining about Phainon. “Mydei, Phainon is not a Kremnoan. He won’t understand what you’re trying to tell him unless you explicitly tell him yourself. Try other ways.” Aglaea told him. Got it. He told himself. When Mydei return to Okhema during the middle of Curtain-fall hour, he hurriedly rapped on Phainon’s door and presented a big, blue brooch.

“Deliverer,” he spoke, taking a deep breath before continuing. “…This is for you. It reminded me of you.”

Phainon took the brooch with a yawn before a thanks. He stared at the brooch and then back at Mydei. “Mydei..” Phainon started. “This is really.. big.”

It was larger than Mydei’s hand, but so what? “Okay.” Mydei nodded, then continued staring Phainon down intensely. Phainon shifted uncomfortably. “And…” Phainon dragged out. “I appreciate it! But I don’t think I can get to wear this often. It’s too formal, Mydei. But thank you!”

“Okay.” Mydei said before he heading off. And finding himself with Aglaea yet.. again. “Aglaea…” he didn’t whine. Kremnoans never whined. No, he had said her name as he always said it. Before he could speak any more, Aglaea raised a hand to silence him. “Mydei, when I told you to try other ways, I mean for you to actually tell him. Have you?”

Mydei thought back on all his attempts. “No,” he admitted. “But I might as well have told him. Was it not obvious?”

“No. Not to phainon, no.”

Aglaea had soon convinced Mydei to confess. So, he found Phainon in the Garden of Life talking to the chimeras, and tapped him on the shoulder. So, Mydei said it. Phainon stared at him as he said: “Phainon, I like you.”

Phainon only tilted his head. Did he ever stop doing that? “What? Was that Kremnoan?”

“What,” Mydei repeated back fiercely. Phainon nodded to himself. “I’m glad you’re comfortable practicing your Kremnoan skills more, Mydei. What did you say?”

“I said you looked dumb, Deliverer!” Mydei yelled. in which ended in a constant back and forth mess. There may not be a word for ‘chickening out’ in the Kremnoan language, but you could certainly find it in any Okheman dictionary. And unfortunately, Mydei was currently its textbook definition.

This continued on for a while, Mydei would confess his love in Kremnoan to the clueless phainon. Or so he thought. He saw Phainon sneaking around with Krateros which was obviously confusing. And Phainon was keeping secrets and all the sudden he was too busy for their duals.

————

*It all came together one morning. Mydei had invited himself to Phainon’s place, and planned to make breakfast for the two of them. Mydei using the excuse of, “not trusting the deliverer to feed himself.” Just to hang out.

Phainon was still bleary with sleep as he stumbled over to the kitchen. Mydei was already wide awake, mixing a bowl of ingredients together and planning to cook a less formal variety of Janus’ Double-Sided Pancakes.

Perhaps he could blame the early hour for both of their slip-ups. Mydei was whisking the mix in the bowl, then asked Phainon in Kremnoan, “Hey, do you know where the spatula is?”

Phainon yawned, then replied in Kremnoan, “I think I left it in the sink.”

“Thanks,” Mydei said, then stopped, his heart dropping. “What.”

A silence fell. Mydei couldn’t hear anything over the beating of his heart. Mydei turned around slowly, locking his eyes with Phainon, whose form was still and eyes were large, clearly more awake. The deliverer can understand him?!

how do you think Mydei would react?