Male Lead, Please Dump Me Three Times - Chapter 33

“Huh… Sorry, am I a bit late?”  

“It’s okay. But…”  

Ray took one step, then another, closer to me.  

Suddenly, because he was pressing in, I had no choice but to lean tightly against the wall.  

Ray then pressed his body against mine, leaving no space between us.  

With my back against the wall, I said,  

“Um, well…”  

In an instant, Ray bent down to align his face with mine at eye level.  

“Did you fall?”  

He said as he leaned his hand against the wall and tidied my disheveled bangs.  

“Yes. Just a little bit… I tripped over… haha…”  

Soon, Ray’s fingertips touched the area around my cheek.  

“Ouch…”  

“You got hurt. And there’s dirt on you.”  

I hadn’t realized there was a wound on my cheek.  

The area he touched stung.  

It seems my cheek had slightly grazed the ground when I fell.  

I hastily brushed off my hair and clothes, but it seemed noticeable.  

Ray gently stroked my wound with his hand.  

“Are you okay anywhere? Lie down over there for a moment.”  

“No! I’m really okay. I just stumbled a bit when I fell, so I didn’t get hurt anywhere else!”  

I waved my hands at Ray, as I said that.  

He would worry unnecessarily if he knew I got hurt on my way here…  

Ray looked somewhat skeptical but didn’t press further.  

“Then I’ll apply some medicine. Just sit and wait for a moment.”  

Suddenly, I was lifted into the air.  

Ray slipped one hand under my knees and wrapped his other arm around my back, lifting me effortlessly.  

“Oh, it’s okay…”  

“Stay still. You got hurt.”  

He carried me very lightly and walked over, then carefully placed me on the sofa.  

“Just wait a moment. I’ll go get the medicine.”  

I nodded at Ray’s words.  

Ray started rummaging through a cabinet next to the desk in his office.  

“Phew…”  

Perhaps because my tension was released… a slight tremor that started in my legs didn’t stop.  

Fortunately, it seemed like the bleeding from the wound had completely stopped. I no longer felt liquid flowing.  

But maybe a bruise was forming since the area around the wound on my leg throbbed.  

‘I just had to run into him there. Annoying.’  

Come to think of it… Why did Killian come here? It seemed like he came alone without any attendants…  

“Daisy.”  

“Hmm?”  

“Look at me.”  

I didn’t notice when he came over.  

Ray was kneeling on one knee in front of me, holding a large first-aid kit in his hand.  

With a click, the box opened.  

“Wow… Now that I think about it, there seems to be nothing missing from Ray’s office.”  

“I guess it’s because I often get injured. It’s bothersome to go to the infirmary every time.”  

“Right. That makes sense.”  

He opened a round tin of ointment made of silver and carefully held my chin.  

When the cold ointment touched me, a novel sensation made my body flinch.  

“Sorry. Did it hurt?”  

“No, it’s just cold.”  

I smiled at Ray to show him I was okay.  

Ray continued to apply ointment to my cheek with a serious face.  

“Just bear with it for a bit.”  

His hand, rubbing the sticky ointment, tickled, causing laughter to escape through my teeth.  

“Ray… Heh, it tickles! Stop…, it tickles.”  

The sound was closer to a moan than laughter.  

I instinctively caught Ray’s wrist.  

“Hold on. You have to bear with it.”  

Despite my protest, he pressed gently yet firmly against my skin with his earnest hand.  

Trying to suppress a moan, I ended up making a nasal sound mixed with a whimper.  

“Hmm…”  

Unlike my playful demeanor, Ray still had a serious expression on his face, furrowing his eyebrows.  

‘Someone might think he’s the one who got hurt…’  

Ray once again opened the first aid kit and took out a transparent bandage.   

Soon, a sticky sensation touched my tender skin.   

Ray tapped the bandage on my cheek and said,   

“All done.”   

“Thank you.”   

Ray still knelt on one knee, facing me directly.   

Our gazes intertwined in mid-air.   

Feeling embarrassed by the sudden eye contact, I slightly turned my head away to avoid his gaze.   

“Daisy.”   

“Yes?”   

“You’re sure you’re okay elsewhere?”   

I nodded at Ray’s question.   

“Sorry for causing you to get hurt.”   

“No, it’s not serious or anything… I hope you don’t blame yourself for such an accident.”   

As I expected, Ray was blaming himself for my injury.   

‘Maybe it’s better not to mention running into Killian. It wasn’t a pleasant encounter…’   

Ray’s red eyes moved slightly as they took in my full appearance.   

“Next time, I’ll come to pick you up myself.”   

“Next time?”   

“Yes.”   

Ray promised, as if it were obvious we’d meet again next time…   

But pondering over that was meaningless now since I had already nodded in agreement with him. 
  
“But Ray,”   

“Yes?”   

“Did you change the sofa? It seems… bigger and wider?”   

“Yes. It was pretty old so I replaced it.”   

“Oh? But the last time it still looked very clean? It even shone like it was new.”   

Ray laughed softly at my comment and replied,   

“Well. Actually, I wanted to use something wider.”   

“That worked out well then! It’s better to have something a bit wider if two people are going to sleep on it, right? So… shall we lie down now?”   

I said to Ray with a smile.   

“Can’t we talk a bit more before sleeping? I want to talk with you.”   

“But… Aren’t you tired? You must not have slept well.”   

He seemed fine when we ran into each other at Delian’s house before.   

But today, the area under Ray’s eyes seemed darker than usual.   

‘Was he busy with work? Or did he really not sleep at all…’   

I leaned in and gently touched the area around Ray’s eyes.   

“You look very tired. Didn’t you sleep at all?”   

Ray covered my hand with his own and said,   

“Yes. There was something bothering me.”

He brought my hand, which he was holding tightly, to his cheek and pressed it against his skin.

“Is it because of the preparations for your departure?”

“No. Someone caused me trouble.”

“Oh, who?”

Some wretched person made that face look so worried…!

However, Ray continued to stare at me intensely without answering my question.

“It’s you.”

The innocent dark circles under Ray’s eyes, they’re because of me?

I was that wretched person?

“Me…? Because of me?”

“Daisy. You haven’t forgotten you agreed to listen to my story today, right?”

“Ah. That… I did promise… but you really don’t have to explain. Really.”

That day, his behavior was a bit strange…

I had no idea he was this concerned.

Today, I just wanted Ray to have had a slightly more comfortable sleep…

My gaze naturally fell to the floor.

But Ray continued to rub my hand against his cheek.

“Aren’t you curious?”

“To be honest… I am a bit curious… But it’s not like you have an obligation to tell me, Ray.”

“Then listen. I really want to tell you.”

I nodded at Ray’s words.

“Daisy. I actually know. Who Lady Ruina is seeing.”

“…Is that true?”

“Yes. That’s why I was asked to go. His Highness asked me to convey a message.”

“Ah… I see.”

But strangely, this moment made me feel like a knot in my heart had been untied.

“Ray.”

“Yes?”

“Will Delian be okay?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t really want to get involved in someone else’s love life.”

“I thought so… I was just wondering if Ray knew more than me.”

Suddenly, Ray’s tone became colder, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit hurt.

After all…

Ray has always been indifferent to others…

I dropped my head weakly.

Ray’s tone seemed to draw a firm line, overlapping with the cold treatment he had shown me before.

Without realizing it, I pouted my lips.

“Daisy.”

Ray removed my hand from his cheek and took both of my hands in his.

“Look at me.”

He gently rubbed the back of my hand, urging me to look at him.

“Do you have any questions?”

“…Can I ask you?”

“Yes. Come to think of it, His Highness didn’t order me to keep it a secret.”

Ray said, rounding his eyes.

At that moment, his demeanor made me feel like he would answer any question I had, which made me happy.

“Then… there’s just one thing I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

“The Crown Prince. He doesn’t like Delian, does he?”

“To be honest, yes.”

“I thought so… That’s enough for me.”

“Are you worried?”

“Yes… Delian is a really good friend of mine.”

“…I know.”

“I wish she would love herself more, but me being by her side doesn’t seem to help at all, which makes me a bit sad.”

“….”

“Watching her slowly fall apart brings a sense of guilt… something like that.”

“Daisy.”

“Yes?”

“It’s not your fault, Daisy.”

“But….”

Can I really say it’s not my fault at all?

I don’t think it’s not my fault at all.

Especially now, as I’m holding hands with Ray like this.

“Being in love seems to be like that. You can only see that one person. That’s why I don’t particularly want to get involved.”

“Uh-huh….”

“Lady Ruina must feel the same, surely.”

“Yeah. It seems like it.”

“That’s why it’s both pitiful and regrettable to see Daisy care so deeply. I do.”

…So Ray can say things like this.

Suddenly, a corner of my heart felt a sting but also warmth.

I felt relieved by his words that it wasn’t my fault.

That a single word of comfort from him could lighten the burden that has been pressing on my heart all this time.

“Thank you.”

“I haven’t done anything, though.”

“No, I really feel better.”

“Is that so? Then I’m glad.”

Ray once again gently rubbed the back of my hand.

The warmth coming from Ray felt good.

“Ray.”

“Yes.”

“I also… have something I want to tell you, Ray.”