Male Lead, Please Dump Me Three Times - Chapter 3

[3rd Year at the Academy, On the Day of the Graduation Ceremony]

Before the ceremony started in earnest.

I revisited that place.

The ‘Forest of Dreams’ where I last saw Ray half a year ago.

I sat down under the tree shade where I had laid Ray down last time, leaning my back against it.

The forest scenery was still the same.

An eerie atmosphere prevailed, with little sunlight filtering through.

Coming here again brought back clear memories of that day.

“I wonder if Ray is okay…”

Surely…

He must still be enduring painful days.

Regrettably, the relationship between Delian and Killian is still ongoing.

“Ha…”

“Ha…”

Huh?

What…? Did someone just mimic me…?

“Hmm…”

“Um…”

Wait a minute…

What’s this embarrassing sound?

From not far away, I heard the faint moans of a man and a woman.

‘Smack’

The sound of lips parting followed shortly.

“Open your lips a bit more.”

The man urged the woman with a commanding and deep voice.

Once again, the excited sound of tender flesh meeting filled the air.

It was a deeper, more intense voice than before.

“…Uh, wait… what if someone comes… what do we do…?”

“Shh. No one’s coming.”

I immediately covered my mouth, startled.

No! Even if it’s graduation day, what are they doing in this sacred school…!

As a 3rd-year senior student who’s graduating, I stood up to give them a piece of my mind.

It was not because I was curious.

“…Killian… stop it, not there…”

At that moment, I felt an unpleasant shiver, as if I’d been shot with an electric gun.

Just now… that was definitely Killian’s name…

“Huh? What’s wrong, Delian.”

“Haah… if someone sees us… what do we do.”

“It’s okay. No one’s coming.”

My body froze at the mention of ‘Delian.’

I was completely hidden behind the tree.

They were completely unaware of my presence in their blind spot.

I cautiously turned around and peeked out with just my head.

“Hmm… but still…”

“You’re an adult now. I want to congratulate you. Don’t you like it?”

Killian was burying his head in Delian’s chest.

Delian couldn’t bring herself to stop Killian in the end.

She just clung to him, breathing heavily.

‘That XX, spouting nonsense about ‘congratulations’, he just wants to do whatever he pleases! Crazy bastard.’

‘Crunch’

XX, damn it all.

The rustling of leaves from my hand moving made a noise.

At the same time, the intense sounds from the couple ceased.

Suddenly, all my pores opened with sweat.

‘Damn it! Please…!’

I closed my eyes tightly.

“Wait…! Killian, stop!”

Finally, Delian pushed Killian away.

“Haah…”

Killian exhaled deeply and irritably, then he ran his fingers through his hair.

“We’re about to start the ceremony… If you mess me up like this… what am I supposed to do.”

“Fine. If you don’t want to, then we won’t.”

“It’s not that! It’s not that I dislike you…”

“Then I’ll see you next time. Oh, and congratulations on your graduation.”

As Delian had worried, her appearance was a mess.

Her top had slipped down enough to reveal her collarbone clearly.

And… it was clearly visible from afar.

The marks Killian had left on Delian’s skin.

Killian passed by Delian, who was in disarray, without any concern.

Delian just watched Killian disappear into the distance.

Her shoulders were trembling slightly. Her figure from behind looked quite lonely.

I wanted to go and help her right away… but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

* * *

“Sigh…”

“Why are you like that? Why the deep sighs on such a good day?”

“James, have you seen Delian by any chance?”

“No? Weren’t you with her?”

James, my classmate, looked at me with a blank expression.

Just a little while ago.

I hurriedly left the Forest of Dreams to avoid Delian’s eyes.

“The ceremony is about to start…”

“Huh? There, Delian is coming!”

James pointed over my shoulder.

Delian’s eyes were red, as though she had been crying. Fortunately, she had managed to tidy up her clothes.

“Delian! Why did you just come just now! We’ve been waiting for you!”

“Sorry… were you looking for me? I just went to the restroom…”

Delian lied. Her eyes trembled slightly as she said it.

Is it a relief, after all…

Maybe she’s shaken off whatever was bothering her…?

“This is it. I don’t know if I should be grateful…”

“Huh? Sorry, Daisy. I didn’t catch that. I was lost in thought for a moment…”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

Just then, the bell signaling the start of the graduation ceremony rang.

Before the ceremony began in earnest, the families of the graduates started to gather around us one by one to offer brief words of encouragement.

“James!”

“Father, Mother! I’m finally graduating!”

“Well done, my son! To tell you the truth, I thought you would surely have to repeat the year! But here you are, graduating safely! My tears are blinding me!”

Is that… a compliment?

“Daisy!”

Next up was my name being called.

I quickly turned my head toward the direction of the familiar voice.

“Congratulations to our daughter! A scholarship student for her grades—there’s no greater honor for our family! We should have had two daughters! If only we hadn’t had that useless son…”

“Oh, Father! Really! You may be right, but Dermian is listening!”

Dermian is my younger brother.

He was watching us with a stunned expression on his face, as if he had been hit by a rock while eating candy.

“Daisy’s father is still the same, isn’t he? You’re lucky.”

I felt a pang of regret at that moment.

“Delian… Uh… Your parents didn’t come today, did they?”

“Yeah. Well, it’s okay. I didn’t expect them to anyway.”

Delian smiled as if it didn’t bother her, but it was a bitter smile.

‘No matter how much they treated her like an unwanted child, as a parent, shouldn’t they at least come to her graduation ceremony?’

And then, that happened.

“Um… Wait. Delian! Isn’t that Ian?”

Next to Dermian, there stood a boy who looked just like Delian.

It was Delian’s half-brother, Ian Ruina.

“Ian! Did you come to see your sister?!”

“Yeah! Sister Daisy! Take care of my sister!”

“Delian, did you hear? Ian came to see you.”

Delian had a hesitant expression, but…

On a day like today, it was a good thing that there was at least one family member who came to see Delian.

And soon, the bell announcing the graduation ceremony rang.

* * *

“Wow, and in the end, the last academic scholarship goes to Daisy as well. What are you lacking in besides personality, huh?”

“Shut it, James.”

James’s playful nature didn’t change even at the graduation ceremony.

As expected, Killian did not show up at Delian’s graduation.

If he wanted to congratulate her, he should have come and given her a grand bouquet of flowers.

What kind of congratulatory method is that, from whatever country?

Ugh… It’s rather a relief that he’s a piece of shit.

By now, Delian must have come to her senses.

But then, I suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

The bustling crowd, exchanging pleasantries, suddenly fell silent.

And Delian, facing me, had a serious look on her face as if she felt the same energy.

“Who is that…?”

Delian murmured softly, looking somewhere behind me.

A few classmates next to me also turned their gaze to the same spot as Delian.

And their expressions were all serious, as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have.

“Huh? What’s with you guys?”

“Wow… look over there.”

“Where? What are you talking about?”

Then, a gust of wind carrying a rich woody scent blew by.

“What is it that made you all like this?”

In the direction everyone was looking, there stood Ray, impeccably groomed in his uniform.

“Wow, he looks so noble…”

“Is that a halo or just the sunlight…? I really can’t tell…”

I could hear murmurs from my classmates beside me.

Ray had become a very neat-looking young man.

And he was slowly approaching us.

I didn’t know why he was coming this way…

As an added bonus, his every step was graceful and sophisticated.

Looking into his red eyes gave me a strange feeling.

‘I was worried… but he seems to be okay, thank goodness.’

It was the first time I had seen him since our encounter in the Forest of Dreams.

Then, Delian’s faint voice came from behind me.

“He looks elegant…”

Delian’s amber eyes were shining brightly.

Is Delian showing interest in Ray…?

Had she finally started to notice Ray?

Well, it made sense.

Today, Ray looked more dashing than ever before.

I pondered.

Should I take one more reckless chance… or should I just stop here?

‘Considering their relationship hasn’t progressed until now… it might be meaningless…’

Thanks to his long legs, Ray’s wide strides brought him swiftly to where we were standing.

‘To do it… or not to do it…’

Suddenly, I thought it was worth a shot even if I failed.

Especially since just moments ago…

Delian had shown interest in Ray for the first time ever!

I weaved through my classmates and approached him.

Yes, this is it. The last time.

If Delian’s heart is even slightly moved, that’s enough for me.

Ray looked down at me with a deep gaze as I stood before him. Facing him, I said,

“I’m graduating now! This might be my last confession. Would you like to go out with me? Of course, if you say no, I won’t bother you anymore!”

I said lightly and smiled.

Ray’s eyes seemed to relax a bit. For some reason, he had a distant expression on his face.

I glanced at Delian discreetly.

Delian’s expression was mysterious.

And then, it happened.

Something caught my eye in an instant.

In Ray’s hand, there was a bouquet filled with roses.

I stole a glance at the bouquet, thinking to myself.

‘Oh no. Who was he going to give it to…? Could it be Deli…’

“Okay.”

“What? What did you say?”

“I’d like that.”

Ray handed me the bouquet and said.

“Congratulations on your graduation.”

I accepted the bouquet out of the blue.

“Why, suddenly?”

Ray nodded his head. A thin line formed at the corner of his mouth.

Ray’s eyes, which always looked fierce, narrowed.

It was an expression I had never seen from him before.

Even though it was truly ecstatic and thrilling, only a cold sweat ran down his spine.

I carefully observed Delian’s expression from the corner of my eye.

Delian’s pupils were stained with a murky gray color.

“Ah. Haha… Well… I don’t quite understand… Why so suddenly…”

The surroundings were silent. It felt as if in this space, it was only me and him from the beginning.

Finally, I sensed that something was seriously going wrong.

This… This isn’t it…

What I wished for wasn’t this…

‘Ah, XX. It’s XXed.’