Chapter 12

“Why did you fall for him? Your ideal type is so grand, but you’ve never liked a guy before.”  

He asked curiously about the reason she fell for Harensys.  

It was embarrassing to answer, but she’d done so before, so she answered for the sake of their friendship.  

She recalled that moment and explained how she fell for him.  

“He saved my life by blocking a flying sword for me. When he asked if I was okay, the halo around him made me speechless. He was shining so brightly.”  

“You’re crazy.”  

“Hey, watch your language.”  

She couldn’t accept him trying to turn her embarrassing feelings into a joke.  

“Tch. Guess you won’t pay attention to me anymore. You’ll be busy thinking about another guy.”  

“Geez, is that what you’re worried about? I won’t pay attention to you…”  

She wouldn’t.  

Whenever she was with Harensys, her body moved on its own. And she poured all her excessive affection and attention on Harensys.  

“See? You won’t.”  

Loren pouted like a duck. It was hard to cheer up a sulking friend. She barely held back a sigh.  

“If things go well, I’ll pay attention to you.”  

“You better keep that promise.”  

“If I don’t, I’ll do whatever you want.”  

If she didn’t, Loren would keep sulking and ask, “You’ll really keep your promise, right?” That line never seemed to change.  

At her words, Loren quickly spoke.  

“Let’s go on a trip together.”  

“A trip?”  

She asked, and Loren’s eyes sparkled. He really wanted to go. This line hadn’t appeared before, so maybe not everything was repeating exactly.  

“Yeah. Let’s go on a long trip, like for a month. We haven’t traveled in ages, and I want to go somewhere for a while.”  

“Okay.”  

If things went well, she’d ask Harensys for permission, pay attention to Loren, and hang out together. But even if not, it wouldn’t be a big problem.  

Harensys probably wouldn’t let her go on a month-long trip with a guy friend, but maybe it’d be okay if they went together.  

“If your one-sided love gets tough, come to me anytime. You can lean on my shoulder.”  

Loren offered her orange-flavored jelly with warm words. Later, Loren really would lend his shoulder.  

Smiling contentedly, she popped the jelly into her mouth.  

“Thanks. Only old friends stick around.”

In the warm atmosphere, they finished all the jelly. As they chatted, the jelly was gone, and before they knew it, the lunch bell rang loudly.  

After waving goodbye, everyone split up to their respective classes. When she returned to her class, her gaze automatically drifted to where Harensys was sitting.  

Seeing Harensys’s handsome face made the jelly taste even sweeter.  

‘I’ll definitely make Harensys fall for me!’  

In the past, she clenched her fist with determination. She was sure it would happen, so she wasn’t worried at all. Instead, she wanted to escape death quickly and date him as much as she wanted.  

Even when she could move freely, she wanted to secretly kiss and hug him, but she had to be careful in case someone else saw.  

If only she didn’t know—knowing made her even more restless.  

She suppressed her crazy feelings and eagerly awaited the day she could finally be happy.  

Was she waiting so eagerly that she was now doing this with Harensys?  

“Haa.”  

They were kissing passionately in a corner of the library.  

She worried someone might see, but focused only on the deep kiss.  

After a long kiss, they reluctantly parted lips, breathing hard and faces flushed.  

“We’re about to lose control of our bodies again.”  

“Don’t talk about it. There’s no time.”  

Harensys looked at her with fierce, hungry eyes, as if he couldn’t stop. Before she could finish speaking, Harensys bit her lips again like a wolf catching a rabbit.  

For five more minutes, they shared warmth and tenderness.  

“Ha, haa….”  

Harensys’s skilled and passionate kisses left her face burning. Her breaths came out shy and heated. Then Harensys stroked her hair and spoke with honeyed eyes.  

“Your blushing face is so lovely.”  

“Don’t tease me.”  

He teased her, even though he was the one who made her blush! He was just as red, though not as much as she was.  

Not wanting to show her flushed cheeks, she covered her face with one hand. Harensys gently pulled her hand away.  

“I’m not teasing. You’re really lovely. I wish no one else could see this face.”  

Before she knew it, she was snuggled in Harensys’s arms. His warm, firm chest made her feel oddly happy. She nuzzled his chest and shyly spoke.  

“…I’ll only show you.”  

“Can I see a little more?”  

“Pervert!”  

At his cheeky words, she pushed Harensys away and walked off with a pout. Immediately, she heard hurried footsteps and a surprised sound as he ran after her.  

“Sorry. I was wrong.”  

She ignored him and quietly left the library.  

He wasn’t usually like this. Harensys seemed to become very sly when dating.  

‘Well, I don’t hate it.’  

Pretending to pout, she tried to hide her blushing face and racing heart, making Harensys anxious.  

All the way back to the classroom, Harensys kept apologizing and looked so pitiful that she forgave him.  

‘At least no one else saw us kissing. That’s a relief.’  

She touched her lips and smiled in relief.  

“Why are your lips swollen?”  

Lea, who came to talk to her, was startled and asked.  

“I accidentally bit them.”  

She quickly made up an excuse. Even so, Lea stared suspiciously at her lips.  

“It doesn’t look like you bit them just once. Did you get a boyfriend and sneak off to kiss somewhere gloomy?”  

The girls nearby overheard and rushed over, staring at her with sparkling eyes.  

“Oh my! How romantic!”  

“What did the kiss feel like?”  

“No, that’s not the point. Who did you kiss? It’s been two months since you started liking Harensys, so it must be him, right? Why didn’t you tell us? This is important!”  

“Uh, it’s not…”  

She tried to explain, but before she could, her friend spoke up.  

“Don’t be shy! If Prezia’s too embarrassed, let her boyfriend Harensys speak!”  

“Hey, Harensys’s lips are swollen too! You two are really together!”  

“Wow, he acted so cold, but even the hardest tree falls after ten tries.”  

“Congratulations!”  

Soon, even the classmates who overheard clapped and congratulated them.  

It was a disaster. The kids already thought they were dating. Harensys’s swollen lips made it impossible to deny. Just hours ago, she’d been flirting—who would believe she kissed someone else?  

She was always flirty, but Harensys’s attitude wasn’t that of a boyfriend.  

What should she do? She was stuck.  

“The first couple in Class 2! Prezia and Harensys!”  

Since neither of them denied it, the loudest, most sociable boy in the class shouted it down the corridor.  

Ha. She shook her head, rubbing her forehead, wondering what to do. She glanced at Harensys, who shrugged helplessly, not knowing what to do either.  

Just then, she heard someone calling her from the corridor.  

“Prezia! Prezia!”  

She turned to the familiar voice and saw Loren frantically calling her. She got up and walked over to Loren, who grabbed her shoulders and spoke in a high-pitched voice.  

“I heard you’re dating Harensys. Is it true?”  

“Uh, well… I can’t say it’s not.”  

Seeing Loren’s pleading eyes, she scratched her cheek and avoided his gaze.  

She noticed Loren biting his lips, as if fighting back something deep inside.  

After a moment of silence, Loren opened his mouth.  

“…Is it true you kissed?”  

She nodded slowly. The blunt question made her blush.  

“D*mn!”  

Loren pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket—the same one he’d used to wrap her knee before.  

He wiped her lips hard with it, as if wanting to erase all traces of Harensys.  

“What are you doing!”  

She struggled, annoyed, but Loren didn’t give up and kept wiping her lips, his voice tinged with irritation.  

“I want to erase the traces.”  

“Why erase them?!”  

“Because those lips belong to my precious friend.”  

“Are you my parent or something? Or did my parents possess you?”  

He was her friend, but acted more like a parent. At her words, Loren widened his eyes and muttered ‘Ah’ as if coming to his senses. Soon, Loren looked truly sorry.  

“…Sorry. I overreacted. My childish friend suddenly got a boyfriend and kissed him, so I felt I had to protect you. I’m sorry.”  

“I’ll forgive you just this once. If you do it again, I won’t.”  

She felt his sincerity and quickly forgave him, knowing he acted out of concern. Loren nodded eagerly.  

“Okay. Thanks. You’ve grown up, already dating and all.”  

“At our age, we’re grown up. It’s not weird to have a fiancé, and most have dated a few times. I’ve only had flings, though. By the way, why haven’t you ever dated? Not even a fling. Lots of people confessed to you.”  

Loren had always turned down even pretty girls who confessed. He’d never had a crush, nor even a short romance. It was amazing and strange that Loren had never dated, even casually.  

Was it really possible to go so long without loving anyone? Some kids changed crushes ten times a year.  

To not have anyone for eighteen years was odd. Maybe Loren liked someone secretly.  

As she wondered, Loren spoke.  

“No one I wanted ever confessed.”  

“What? You like someone?”