Chapter 3.4

For a moment, Katia was at a loss for words. How was she supposed to respond to such an abrupt confession?

As she blinked in silence, Broin’s expression turned a little sullen, and he asked, 

“You didn’t know?”

“…I had no idea.”

“I guess I wasn’t expressive enough!”

Her head began to ache slightly, and she pressed her fingertips against her temple.

But she quickly made up her mind. She decided to pretend she hadn’t heard anything. Resolving not to react to Broin’s words any further, she started walking again. Before that, she reached for the bag he was holding. Realizing her intention, Broin quickly lifted the bag out of her reach.

“I said I’ll carry it for you!”

“Just give it back.”

“Please, let me do this for you.”

“I said no!”

She stretched her hand out as far as she could toward the bag. But the young man was tall, and his arms were long. Katia ended up clinging to his collar like a cicada on a tree, trying to grab the bag. While they were struggling like that, a familiar voice interrupted them from behind.

“What are you two doing?”

“Ah, Captain!”

Katia cursed inwardly. 

Of all times, why now?

As Broin hesitated and lowered his arm, Katia quickly snatched her bag back. After giving her junior aide a sharp glare, she turned around.

There stood Leonid, looking at her with a subtle expression. Arms crossed, he stood slightly askew, his face full of apparent dissatisfaction.

Katia tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear and bowed politely toward Leonid.

“I apologize for causing a commotion.”

“……”

Leonid didn’t respond to her words. His gaze shifted from Katia to Broin. With a bright face, Broin also quickly apologized. Though Leonid didn’t reply, Katia hurriedly resumed walking. Broin quickly followed suit. Just as she was about to pass by as if nothing had happened, Leonid suddenly grabbed her arm and stopped her.

Startled, Katia let out a small gasp and halted. Leonid, narrowing one eye slightly, spoke to her in a low voice.

“May I have a word with you?”

Then, raising his voice, he addressed Broin.

“Aide Glendale, please go ahead. I have something to discuss with Aide Evlaine.”

“Can’t I listen too?”

“If you were the person in charge, that might be acceptable… But since you’re not, it’d be better for you to go ahead and check on the things that need to be prepared.”

Leonid’s voice carried an odd sharpness.

Katia had expected Broin to comply and leave quickly, but for some reason, her junior aide stood his ground, meeting the captain’s gaze head-on.

She couldn’t understand why her young colleague was suddenly acting so audacious. Turning around, she glared at Broin with an intense look that screamed, “Get lost now!” Yet her words were calm and composed.

“Go on ahead. It seems Captain Karev has something important to discuss regarding security.”

“…Understood.”

Somehow, with a slightly dejected voice, Broin answered and left with noticeably heavy steps.

Finally, when only the two of them were left, Leonid released the arm he had been holding and let out a small sigh.  

“It’s really hard to talk to you. Why have you been avoiding me like that?”  

“…I’m sorry.”  

“I’m not asking for an apology. It’s just…”  

Leonid seemed to struggle to find the right words. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before running his hand roughly through his hair. Taking advantage of the moment when he couldn’t speak easily, Katia quickly apologized again.  

“Whatever the case may be, first of all… I’m sorry for speaking so recklessly. At that time, I must have been out of my mind.”  

“Ha, no… It’s fine. That’s not the issue. I just wanted to tell you something you’ve misunderstood for a long time.”  

Leonid looked somewhat anxious. Katia, already feeling guilty, lowered her head slightly and clasped her hands in front of her, waiting for him to speak. She looked like a student waiting to be scolded, and Leonid bit his lip before letting out a deep sigh through his nose.  

“Katia Evlaine, from the very beginning, you’ve misunderstood something about me. It’s partly because I didn’t explain myself properly.”  

“What is it?”  

“I don’t know why you thought that way, but I have absolutely no interest in Marielle Ivans. I never have.”  

Katia’s head shot up in surprise at his words. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Speechless, she tilted her head slightly, then shook it vigorously.  

“But, behind Lady Ivans, you looked at her with those eyes…”  

“What eyes?”  

“Like, um, full of pity, and, well, no, I mean…”  

“You think I did that?”  

Leonid raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Then he shook his head firmly in denial.  

“I don’t know what you saw, but I swear, I’ve never, even for a moment, felt anything for her.”  

“B-but why are you only saying this now… Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”  

Katia’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. She had misunderstood everything on her own, jumped to conclusions, and even made a proposal to him. Why hadn’t he cleared up the misunderstanding instead of accepting her proposal so readily?  

The relationship that had started from that wrong assumption had gone on for so long! 

During that time, the number of intimate moments Katia had shared with Leonid was too numerous to count.  

At her almost shrieking question, Leonid smiled. For the first time, Katia realized that this man could wear an expression of pity.  

“I was going to tell you.”  

“Then why didn’t you?”  

“I thought it was enough if I could comfort you. Even if you misunderstood, I didn’t mind.”  

Katia couldn’t immediately comprehend what she had just heard. Her usually sharp mind seemed to have frozen, unable to process any thoughts. Leonid’s hand gently brushed against her cheek as she stood there, dazed.  

“Even if it was on behalf of someone else, it didn’t matter. Katia, the only thing that mattered was that you wanted me.”  

“Oh my god…”  

“And that hasn’t changed. But… I didn’t want you to hate me for something that wasn’t true.”  

Katia took a step back, startled. Leonid reached out as if to grab her but clenched his fist tightly and pulled his hand back.  

She was utterly confused. She had always thought of Leonid as a shameless, sly, and physically compatible man who shared similar sorrows with her but was otherwise strictly professional.  

But now, she learned that Leonid Karev wasn’t like that at all. He hadn’t wanted Marielle; he had wanted her, Katia.  

Completely overwhelmed, Katia didn’t even realize what she was saying.  

“Captain, do you… like me?”  

To her surprise, Leonid’s face and neck immediately turned bright red. He covered his mouth with his large hand and lowered his gaze. Even so, he didn’t forget to nod his head firmly. Seeing the evident embarrassment on his face, Katia’s own face went pale.  

She had never imagined such a scenario. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that her superior and casual partner might actually have feelings for her. She swore to the heavens that if she had known, she would never have said such crazy things to him.  

Pressing a hand to her pounding heart, Katia took another step back. She had no idea what to say.  

“Well, for now, um… I’ll go inside.”  

“Katia.”  

“We’ll be leaving soon anyway. We can’t just stand here and talk for long, can we?”  

Speaking quickly, as if desperate, Katia turned her body to flee. But Leonid’s hand was faster. With an equally desperate expression, he asked her,  

“But Katia, by any chance, that guy earlier…”  

“Yes?”  

“Are you considering a serious relationship with Aide Glendale?”  

Katia almost screamed but managed to hold it in. 

So that’s why he’d been looking at us so strangely earlier—he’d been worrying about something as ridiculous as that.  

Katia shook her head. Immediately, Leonid’s face brightened. His grip on her loosened, and Katia quickly bowed her head before walking away. Feeling his gaze piercing the back of her head, she lowered her head even further and quickened her pace.  

Fortunately, Leonid didn’t try to stop her or say anything else. When Katia, with her complicated emotions, boarded the carriage, Broin sat beside her with a bright smile. Katia clearly saw Leonid glancing into their carriage as he passed by, but she quickly turned her head to avoid his gaze.  

The vehicles carrying the group began to move slowly. Katia rested her head against the carriage window, trying to clear her mind.  

All of her plans for the Belynas Island had fallen apart. Now, Katia truly didn’t know what to do. A long sigh escaped her lips.