Chapter 48

“……”

I made a mistake.

Afraid that she might continue to be swayed by Axel’s words and have her heart shaken, Judith hurriedly turned her gaze away.

“Do you remember this too?”

“……What?”

“That day, when I caught a cold taking care of you, you said you’d grant me a wish because you felt sorry.”

As Axel said this, he reached out and tightly grasped Judith’s hand.

The temperature of the hand that held hers was so cold that Judith couldn’t help but turn her head and look at his face again.

Axel, with a calm gaze, slightly moved his lips.

“If it’s okay with you, can I make that wish now, Judith?”

For a moment, she was lost in thought, but then Judith came to her senses.

“What are you talking about now……”

Axel spoke in an earnest tone.

“Please, Judith.”

Seeing his distorted expression, Judith’s heart began to waver.

It seemed as if he was saying he couldn’t live without her. His eyes looked as if they were filled with longing for her.

But it was all a misunderstanding. Axel still had Riana, his good fiancée.

If she expected her feelings to be reciprocated in this situation, it would only lead to endless pain again.

Judith turned her head and forced herself to stare at the plain white wall. She clasped her hands tightly on her lap.

Was I going to let herself be swayed by Axel again, seeing only what I wanted to see?

Did I want to justify my foolish actions by thinking Axel seemed lonely and unstable because of me, and that I needed to stay by his side?

At that moment, Axel seemed to notice Judith’s wavering and spoke again with difficulty.

“It’s not a difficult request, just…… if you could grant me one thing.”

Judith’s gaze involuntarily turned to him.

“I won’t trouble you anymore, so just this once.”

“……”

His voice, tinged with moisture, started to confuse Judith’s heart.

What am I to you? 

At that moment, as if reading Judith’s mind, Axel said.

“I’m not yet used to the empty space without you. It’s too hard to accept that we’ve grown apart. ……We spent so much time together, isn’t it too much to forget you all at once?”

Judith suppressed the urge to cover her ears and eventually asked him.

“……So, what is it that you want?”

“At this summer party, I want you to be my partner.”

At those words, Judith looked at Axel in surprise. Her confused emotions were clearly reflected on her face.

“What are you talking about? What about your fiancée?”

“I’ll take care of that. Riana will understand if I explain it to her.”

“……Still, no. What will Chase think of me?”

However, Axel was more persistent than she thought. He shook his head and said.

“That’s why it’s a wish.”

She couldn’t understand why Axel was being so stubborn. But she also couldn’t understand why she was just listening to him.

She could just ignore his words and leave, so she couldn’t move her feet.

“For the last time, just once, can’t you prioritize an old friend like me over Chase? If you could leave me with one last good memory, I think I could live with just that.”

“You really……”

She wondered if Axel ever clung to her like this before. He seemed to lack pride.

And she found it amusing that she was being swayed by his words uncontrollably.

She kept saying she was distancing herself, but when she looked back, it seemed her heart hadn’t retreated a single step.

In the end, Judith accepted his proposal.

“-Alright, but this is really the last time.”

What if rejecting him so firmly while he was this sick made his condition worse?

This decision was made simply out of concern for his condition.

Judith tried to convince herself of that.

“Thank you, Judith.”

But whether Axel knew her heart or not, he smiled brightly with relief.

Watching his eyes narrow and curve gently, Judith felt her heart pounding again.

Judith tried to suppress her racing heart.

After that, as if he had exhausted all his energy, Axel fell asleep again, and Judith stayed by his side for a while, tidying the wrinkled blanket.

Watching him sleep for a moment, Judith soon closed her eyes in fatigue.

How much more hurt and pain must I experience to completely sever ties with Axel?

Or……

Is it even possible to sever ties with Axel?

* * *

After finishing her supplementary class that day, Judith began organizing the teaching materials scattered on the podium.

At that moment, a long shadow fell in front of her. Curious, she looked up to see Chase standing there.

“Judith.”

“Yeah?”

Judith replied while gathering the books to put them in her bag.

Then Chase picked up her bag and held it out so she could easily put the books inside.

“Thanks, Chase.”

“No problem, but are you feeling unwell today?”

Chase asked with a frown.

“You haven’t looked well all day.”

Oh, I thought I was managing my expressions well……

I guess it was noticeable.

When Judith’s expression froze at his pointed words, Chase tilted his head and continued speaking.

“Besides, it’s strange that that Rodein guy hasn’t shown up either.”

“……”

“Did you two have a fight? Is that why you’re having a hard time?”

Judith hesitated for a moment, wondering how to respond.

But soon, she thought it might be better to use Rodein as an excuse rather than honestly talk about Axel.

After making up her mind, she nodded and said.

“Yeah, actually, there was a bit of an issue with Rodein. ……Sorry for making you uncomfortable by being around us.”

Chase had probably grown fond of Rodein while spending time with him, so she felt bad for creating this situation without consideration.

To bring it up only now, she should have explained it to Chase earlier.

But Chase, as if not understanding why she was apologizing, spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“When did I ever feel uncomfortable? And Judith, you haven’t done anything wrong, so stop apologizing. I’m sure that Rodein guy caused trouble and bothered you.”

Without even hearing the details, Chase defended her, saying it was obvious.

She was grateful, but at the same time, her heart ached.

She remembered secretly visiting Axel and promising to go to the summer party with him alone.

Chase kept his trust in her, yet here she was……

Thinking about it made her feel unbearably uncomfortable. 

How would he react if he found out?

Would he be angry, or surprisingly indifferent?

But Chase seemed to dislike Axel, so he would surely not be pleased if she started hanging out with him again.

Judith sighed deeply inside, hoping he wouldn’t care about things like the summer party.

And hoping that rumors about her attending the party with another man, not her fiancé, wouldn’t reach his ears.

Given Axel’s fame, she couldn’t be sure, but she hoped.

She hid her restless thoughts and awkwardly nodded.

“Thanks for thinking that way.”

“……No problem, it’s nothing.”

The two walked out of the classroom together and naturally stopped outside. They continued their conversation while waiting for Rodesha to arrive.

“By the way, Judith, can I ask you one more thing?”

Judith tilted her head and asked Chase.

“What is it?”

“What do you like the most these days?”

“……Huh?”

Why is he asking this all of a sudden?

Judith blinked, not understanding Chase’s intention. After all, her birthday was still a long way off.

Chase gave an awkward smile.

“Actually, you helped me with my cleaning duty last time. I wanted to thank you for that.”

“Didn’t I tell you last time? I was just doing what I had to do.”

“Even so.”

Chase hesitated before speaking.

“I’m grateful, so I want to show my gratitude.”

He seemed determined not to stop looking at her until she answered. Feeling awkward, Judith pondered for a moment before responding.

“I like sweet snacks.”

Snacks would be easy to get and not too expensive.

She chose it thinking it would be a safe answer, and as soon as she said it, Chase smiled faintly.

“Sweet snacks.”

Repeating her words as if to remember them, he looked quite kind.

It was a strange thing.

Chase, who initially seemed so sharp, had become so kind to her.