How to Survive as a Supporting Male Lead

Kallian, shaped by all his past experiences, didn’t trust Iann’s kindness. But Iann didn’t seem to care in the slightest. Instead, he reached out and messed up Kallian’s black hair.

That was their first meeting.

They had become quite close. No matter how much Kallian tried to push him away, Iann would always come back, almost strangely persistent. He’d sometimes stop, close his eyes, and take a deep breath like he was truly angry, but he’d always end up taking Kallian’s hand again, pinching his cheek, or ruffling his hair.

It was only natural that Kallian’s heart had opened up.

They became so close, but before a year had even passed, they’d fallen apart. Looking back now, it was such a trivial reason, but at the time, it was a deep wound and a huge fight for two kids.

In the end, they turned their backs on each other completely.

And then came their first festival apart.

* * *

It was the day of the grand festival in the North, but Kallian was locked away in his room. He cradled his aching stomach, beaten again by the Duke, and clung to that small sliver of light coming through the window to do his assigned studies. Tears wouldn’t even come anymore. His eyes dull, Kallian kept moving his pen across the page.

It was then.

“Hey!”

“……”

“Hey!”

“……”

“Hey, Kallian!”

Kallian’s head snapped up. No one should have been able to get in. He couldn’t even guess who it was. He looked around wildly, and the voice came again.

“Hey! Up here!”

Two bright blue eyes filled the small window. It was Iann.

“Iann?”

In disbelief, Kallian said his name, then immediately ducked his head. Thinking about it then, he was a mess, trapped in that dirty little room. For Iann to see him like this… it was humiliating. His face turned bright red.

“What are you doing?”

“……”

“I said, what are you doing?”

“…Isn’t it obvious? Just look.”

Kallian answered in a small voice. Iann’s blue eyes flicked around the room, taking in everything.

“Whatever. I don’t really care what you’re doing.”

The way he said it, like he truly didn’t care at all, hit Kallian with a pang he hadn’t expected. Still, he’d expected Ian to be interested in him, after everything, and he felt like a fool for expecting that from him.

“Then why are you here?”

Kallian glared at him with his eyes red.

“Why else? I’m here for the Northern Festival.”

“Bragging, then?”

“Oh, come on. Would you just listen to me?”

“……”

“Anyway, I came to have fun, but there’s no one to show me around in the festival.”

“Find someone else and ask them to bring you around. You’ve always got people around you.”

Kallian’s voice turned sullen. After their falling out, he’d been alone, while Iann always had people following him around.

“No can do. I snuck out to get here.”

“Do as you please.”

“Hm…”

Kallian turned his head away, staring at the dirty grey wall.

“It won’t work.”

“What?”

“You’re going to have to be my guide to the festival.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go.”

“What are you talking about? Can’t you see I’m locked in here?!”

“What are you talking about? You’re outside.”

Kallian blinked. It was true. Iann’s blue eyes were right in front of him, up close, unlike earlier.

“What… is this.”

Stunned, Kallian reached out. He had just gotten out in an instant? Unable to believe it, Kallian touched Iann’s silver hair, feeling the soft, cold strands and gently prodding his pale cheeks.

“Ah, w-what are you doing? What are you doing? Hey!”

Iann yelped, shoving Kallian’s small, clingy hands away, as they were all over him.

“What is this…”

“There’s no time to be dazed. We don’t even have time to play around.”

Iann grabbed Kallian’s hand and strode forward with determination.

“Alright. Now start explaining everything. Go!”

“…That’s a flower that only grows in the North. It only blooms during the White Nights, so it’s very popular—”

Kallian found himself being pulled along blankly. Was it really this easy to leave that cramped room, that dark mansion? But every time he tried to get lost in the thought, Iann would tap him, demanding more explanations. He really did want a proper tour. Just as Kallian was starting to get annoyed, Iann suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Hey, let’s do that.”

It was a balloon dart booth.

“I don’t know how to play.”

“You’ll learn as you go, dude.”

Iann bounced forward on excited feet, pulling Kallian right along behind him. Kallian, his hand locked in Iann’s, found himself standing in front of the booth.

“Two players, please.”

Iann paid, picked up a blue dart, and gave Kallian a bright-eyed look.

“It’s a competition.”

“I said I’ve never done it before.”

“Scared? Afraid to lose?”

Kallian, his pride stung, picked up a red dart. He threw it with a flick of his wrist.

“No.”

Of course, the first dart thrown by an eight-year-old didn’t even come close to the balloon.

“Alright! Let the game begin!”