Chapter 2

Chacha wiped the foggy glasses and spoke.

“She liked someone, but since they’d been friends since childhood, she was too close to confess. If she confessed and got rejected, she’d lose both the friendship and everything else.”

“Ah…”

Chloe sighed unconsciously. She and Dante had also been childhood friends, visiting each other’s mansions before entering the academy thanks to their parents’ friendship.

When Dante entered the advanced class with her, she’d been genuinely happy. It was rare for a noble with a title waiting to inherit to enter the advanced class.

Normally, Dante, the only son of the Endak Earldom, would have returned home after finishing the intermediate class to prepare as heir, so Chloe felt lucky to spend more time with him. She even hoped their relationship might deepen during that time.

But even now, on the verge of graduation, they were still just friends. Dante was always kind and gentle, but that was all. He never crossed the line. Chloe found that disappointing but didn’t want to risk their friendship. She just kept wavering between hope and disappointment at his every little action.

“So what did she do?”

“In a fit of anger, she dated another guy. That made the guy suddenly change.”

“Just like that?”

“When the friend she’d always seen as just a friend started dating someone else, he suddenly saw her as a woman. So I’m saying, make him realize you’re not just a comfortable friend, but a woman.”

Chacha finished, waving her teaspoon. ‘Make him realize you’re not just a comfortable friend, but a woman’. That phrase hit Chloe hard.

Dante never treated Chloe rudely. He was fully aware that Chloe’s body was different from his. If she was carrying something heavy, he’d take it from her without a word, and when walking together, he’d always walk on the side of the road where the carriages passed. Sometimes he’d hold her hand lightly, but he never treated her like a same-s*x friend, never invited her into his bedroom without a thought.

But that was all. Being a woman was just one of many things that made up Chloe—like being the youngest daughter of the Belain Earldom or planning a small business after graduation. In other words, he didn’t feel any romantic attraction toward her.

But what if Dante found out someone else was attracted to Chloe? What if he learned someone felt romantic feelings for her? Maybe that would stir up at least a small ripple in his calm heart.

“But… where do I find a guy?”

Chloe asked cautiously. She couldn’t just grab any random man and ask him to help provoke her friend. But Chacha thumped her chest confidently.

“I’ll find one for you. Someone in a similar situation, who can keep secrets.”

“Really?”

Chloe brightened. But she didn’t expect much. Chacha was always busy, frazzled, and sleep-deprived. So Chloe thought of their talk as a bit of wishful venting. Until Chacha actually brought a guy and introduced him to Chloe.

*

The first man Chacha brought was twenty-one. Just three years younger than Chloe, he had a youthful face and a slender build. He was in love with a peer from the same social club but complained that she hadn’t noticed after two months of hints. Chloe comforted him, and the two started a fake relationship, cheering each other on in their romantic pursuits.

At first, Chacha’s help seemed to work.

When Chloe said she was dating, Dante looked genuinely shocked. His eyes, usually soft, widened in surprise, and Chloe felt an odd flutter in her heart. Maybe, like in Chacha’s story, he’d become interested in her, even if belatedly. She couldn’t help but hope.

“What kind of person is he?”

Dante asked, recovering his composure. His surprised eyes softened back to their usual calm. Chloe straightened her shoulders proudly.

“Callis Jaden from the Literature Club.”

“Ah.”

Dante nodded. Then he added casually,

“I didn’t know you liked younger guys.”

‘Was that jealousy? Was it?’ 

Chloe tried hard to suppress the corners of her lips from rising. But her excitement crashed back down with his next words.

“Callis seems decent. Clean record with women, good reputation… nothing to worry about.”

“…What?”

When Chloe blinked, dumbfounded, Dante simply smiled and patted her shoulder.

“Congratulations, Chloe.”

Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Those words echoed through Chloe’s mind like a refrain. What exactly is she being congratulated for? For dating another guy? Is she really supposed to be okay after hearing something like that?

It felt as if she’d been rejected before she could even confess. She thought she hadn’t expected much, but disappointment weighed her shoulders down.

“Still, you won’t stop hanging out with me just because you have a boyfriend, right?”

Chloe looked up at the voice from above her head. Dante was watching her. His gentle face was right in front of her. He seemed to draw a line, yet he came closer; he seemed to approach, but never all the way. With things like this, Chloe couldn’t grab hold of him nor let go.

“Of course not. Just because I have a boyfriend doesn’t mean we’re not friends anymore.”

Chloe forced a smile as she answered. Dante quietly repeated, 

“Friend.”

“Yeah, we’re friends.”

It felt like the words “that’s all” were left unsaid after that. Chloe nodded, pretending it didn’t bother her.

Chloe kept trying after that. She bragged about going on dates with her fake boyfriend, asked Dante to go shopping for clothes to wear on those dates. Dante always nodded without hesitation. He helped her pick out outfits at the boutique, even suggested places to go on dates.

Every time Dante acted like nothing had changed, Chloe’s mood sank further. 

‘He really isn’t interested in me. He doesn’t get jealous no matter who I meet. Maybe it’s time to give up’—she was thinking that when Callis, her fake boyfriend, cluelessly confessed.

“Senior Chloe. Can’t we… actually date for real? I’ve started to like you.”

Callis said this and, claiming he’d written a poem for Chloe, knelt on one knee and began to recite with a wistful look. Of course, Chloe recoiled and rejected him.

The day she broke up with Callis and returned, Chacha comforted her and suggested a second plan.

“How about you say you broke up? And leave some room.”

“Leave room?”

“Yeah. Give him a chance to step in. Maybe he likes you but couldn’t show it because you had a boyfriend, and he’s been suffering inside?”

“Re…ally?”

It was overly optimistic, but Chloe couldn’t help but cling to that hope. Unrequited love makes you assign meaning to every little thing and expect the impossible.

Chloe ran straight to Dante’s house. The moment he entered the parlor, she blurted out,

“We broke up.”

“Already?”

Dante looked surprised again. Seeing his expression, Chloe realized too late—she’d only been “dating” Callis for less than two weeks. Would Dante think she’s someone who meets and breaks up with people easily? Chloe felt a bit uneasy, worried he might be disappointed in her. But Dante just cocked his head and bluntly asked,

“Why, was he weird when you met him?”

“Uh, uh?”

The sudden question almost made Chloe nod without thinking, remembering Callis’s odd, wistful poetry. But seeing Dante’s face turn cold, she quickly came to her senses. That look clearly meant… if he was weird, Dante would go and give him a piece of his mind. Chloe shook her head.

“No, no. I was dumped.”

“What?”

“I guess I’m… the kind of person who gets boring.”

‘D*mn this mouth!’

Chloe felt like slapping herself. She should be acting popular and proud, not putting herself down. She quickly tried to recover, but Dante spoke first, his face sour.

“He said that to you?”

“No, no, not at all. It’s just… just my own thoughts. I got too clingy, so we broke up.”

“…You were clingy?”

Dante asked, surprised. Chloe hesitated, then nodded.

“It’s just… it was my first relationship. I guess I got overly excited without realizing it. Maybe it was too much for him.”

Chloe tried to explain, but Dante still looked unhappy, as if he might run off and grab Callis by the collar.

“Why are you defending him?”

“I’m not defending him…”

Chloe swallowed dryly and waved her hands.

“It’s not like I was hurt or anything… I think I was more into the idea of dating than actually liking him. I don’t feel much about it.”

Chloe spoke, thinking of Callis. Maybe he was more fascinated with the idea of romance than with Chloe herself, which is probably why he confessed after less than two weeks of their fake relationship.

Luckily, Dante seemed to find Chloe’s explanation believable. His furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

“Yeah. You should enjoy things while you can.”

“What?”

Chloe asked at his small murmur. Dante smiled nonchalantly.

“It’s nothing. Anyway, you don’t have any plans today, right?”

“…Yeah? I got dumped.”

“Then I’ll hang out with you.”

“Really?”

Chloe’s face brightened at his playful voice. Dante saw her reaction and laughed with a sigh.

“Are you that happy? You actually like hanging out with me more, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. Why ask?”

Chloe answered sincerely. Dante’s eyes curved into crescents.