Romeo and Rosaline - 20

It suddenly dawned on her that she knew almost nothing about Romeo other than his physical appearance. She could vividly picture his small habits, coarse language, the scars along his waistline, and the way he moved right before reaching the climax. These were the things she could recall even with her eyes closed.

But whenever she asked about his inner thoughts or his past, he rarely gave a straight answer. Didn’t he evade the topic at the wine cellar?

Suddenly, she was engulfed in a profound sense of loneliness.

“Rosaline, I’ll be back.”

Lost in her thoughts, Rosaline felt her wrist being held. Juliet approached and hugged her tightly, without leaving any space. Rosaline instinctively embraced her. The warmth radiating from Juliet’s small body was tear-inducingly comforting. Juliet was such a good mistress that Rosaline wanted to cling to her and ask her not to leave.

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

“I’ll make sure to tell you how the sea looked to me. I’m sorry for leaving you alone.”

If she felt sorry, couldn’t they go together to see it? A twisted thought arose, but she quickly suppressed it, leaving no trace behind. Rosaline kissed Juliet’s cheek.

“Please give me a letter. So that I can imagine you, who have seen the sea.”

Soon after Juliet’s return, Rosaline would leave. There wasn’t much time left between them. Instead of growing restless, a sense of emptiness overwhelmed her.

Although she had only seen the sea in paintings, loneliness washed over her as if she had already plunged into the deep, endless sea.

With the excited voice of Count Paris and Juliet’s cheerful black hair disappearing beyond the door, an unbearable feeling overcame her.

“Hey, where are you going? Without even tidying up!”

Ignoring her mother’s newly raised voice with familiarity, Rosaline hurriedly moved her steps. She had never been so grateful for her room to be tucked away in a separate corner as she was today.

I wanted to see Romeo, who had fallen so badly as I did, right away; not Juliet, who I’d been together with for a long time but was now distant. Even if it was an illusion. If there was just one person who wanted me.

The quick steps turned into a stumble in an instant. At the end of the corridor, the afternoon sun, waiting for the night, dyed the interior of the mansion crimson. Just like Romeo’s hair.

No, like the light within him.

“Romeo!”

She forcefully opened the door. But her room was filled with nothing but silence, akin to a lifelong friend. She felt a chill in her fingertips.

He’d been acting like he was in love with her, showing up unannounced, harassing her, yet never being there when she wanted him. Childish resentment crept up on her. It was all because he needlessly messed with her habits. He would appear wherever she went, so how could she withstand it without unexpectedly building up expectations?

Because of you, my habits have become irreparable. I should tell him not to come. That determination formed as she turned her back at the doorway.

“Rosaline?”

Beyond the open door, Romeo stood there. He took a look at Rosaline’s complexion and frowned deeply as he approached.

“What’s the matter? Did you cry again? What on earth…?”

In the meantime, had he gone to wash up? His well-combed hair was wet, and his face was clean. His attire was the same as always, dressed in his cloak as though he was about to disappear somewhere.

But unlike his usual self, there was a subtle fragrance that enveloped the air. In his hand, there was a bundle of lilies wrapped in white packaging. Resembling white roses, the flowers were tinged with purple at the tips. It shouldn’t have suited his large hands, but the sight of him holding the flowers was quite pleasing.

As Rosaline’s gaze remained fixed on the flowers, Romeo, as if realizing the forgotten bouquet, hid it behind his back.

“Oh, this.”

The flowers had to be concealed, and Rosaline was crying. Romeo found the situation frustrating, and when her tear-streaked gaze flickered up at him, he was even more perplexed. After rolling his eyes, Romeo gave up and stroked her reddened cheeks.

“The flowers in the vase had withered, so I threw them away.”

He gestured towards the pitiful glass bottle on the side table. He had filled it with beautiful wildflowers and slender weeds he had picked from the garden or the woods, but now there was nothing but an empty vase.

“I brought this to refill it.”

Rosaline wordlessly cast her gaze at the glass bottle, then looked back at Romeo. With no response from her, he blinked his eyes like a dog waiting for a scolding.

“…Do you dislike it? Is it not to your taste?”

“….”

“Damn it, fucking William….”

William was the prince’s name. Rosaline didn’t know why he suddenly cursed at him, but before the bouquet in Romeo’s hands could become a mess, she grabbed his wrist.

“It’s going to get ruined…”

She gently took the flowers from his loosened grip. She deeply inhaled the scent of the flowers and smiled.

“It’s my first time receiving flowers, so I was surprised. They’re so beautiful, thank you.”

This time, Romeo remained silent. He stared at Rosaline with unfocused eyes, like he had been struck by an arrow.

“Romeo?”

He slowly raised his hand and pressed his thumb against the corner of her eye. It was an awkward touch, lacking gentleness and instead filled with a force, as if he wanted to steal away all her tears.

“Why are you crying because of someone as terrible as me?”

“Why would you say such a thing?”

Rosaline couldn’t understand why this arrogant person was showing such humility. Did he realize his own flawed personality?

“It’s not because of you.”

Resting her cheek on the palm of his hand, she wrapped her fingers around the back of his hand.

“You told me to be honest. That’s why I’m crying.”

“Is there something else bothering you?”

“…I was upset because you were gone.”

Though his hand tightened, she kissed his long thumb and continued speaking.

“I was angry because Romeo wasn’t in the room.”

He chuckled weakly, relieved. Rosaline took a step forward, embraced his sturdy waist, and rested her cheek against it. The sound of flower petals brushing against his back could be heard. Romeo naturally wrapped his arms around her shoulders. His grip was firm but not painful.

“Why do you like me so much? Enough to shed precious tears.”

“Yes, it feels like a curse at first glance.”

Juliet Capulet was not only her other family but also the first person to reach out to her when she was alone. They had grown up together in the same house, and Rosaline always thought they would be together forever.

That’s why lingering attachment remained in her heart, occasionally provoking impulsive actions. Despite knowing it was a dry well, she kept looking for him, wanting him to see her and constantly stirring up emotions.

But Romeo doesn’t need that. He doesn’t have a family to choose from, or a relationship to abandon and hold onto. Their relationship wasn’t one-sided rejection and clinging. Even without any forced exchanges between them, Rosaline could feel Romeo’s sincere affection.

A refined heart that can’t be ignored even if you try to.

Rosaline looked up and faintly smiled.

“I actually like the scent emanating from you. It must be a mixture of cologne and natural fragrance.”

“…”

“Whether it’s flowers or cologne, it feels like they were all suggestions from the prince to you. He seems to know how to charm people.”

As he tightly embraced her waist and rested his forehead on her shoulder, he murmured.

“Compliment me. Because it wasn’t that brat who used the… cologne, it was me.”

Rosaline wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed out loud, playfully teasing him. He bent down and pulled her closer. With the hand holding the bouquet, she gently stroked his hair.

“I’ll compliment you. You did well, Romeo.”

Rosaline whispered as she kissed his cheek. It had only been a short while since they exchanged words and whispers, and this situation felt unfamiliar yet ticklish. It wasn’t bad.

“…When do you cry and when do you laugh?”

He tried to kiss her without waiting for an answer. Bu, as Rosaline leaned her head back, his lips touched her chin. He looked up with raised eyebrows. Rosaline pretended to glare at his lips.

“You should smile too.”

I assumed there must be a reason he didn’t talk about it, so I decided not to pry. That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to see his various sides.

“You always smile when you’re angry or sulking, or… when you do that. I just want to see you smile.”

I caught a glimpse of Romeo smiling briefly when we were drinking before, but it was a fleeting moment, leaving only a faint impression on my memory. So I’ll consider it as something I haven’t seen.

“But I can’t just…”

“I want to see it.”

Romeo lightly pinched his eyebrows like it was troublesome, then rested his forehead on her shoulder again. His sharp nose pressed against her skin, and a warm sigh escaped.

“Quickly.”

Romeo buried his forehead in her shoulder again, his brow furrowing as though he’d never seen her before. It was fascinating how a person who was called Kata on the battlefield stubbornly refused to smile with just a few words. This must be why Lady Juliet enjoyed teasing someone. It made her lips itch.

As she playfully touched his ear, Romeo slowly lifted his head.

“Is it enough?”

Rosaline realized for the first time today that a handsome face could be distorted to this extent. With his mouth pulled up as much as possible, exposing his molars in a smile, his eyes didn’t reflect any laughter, making it resemble a poorly crafted sculpture by a third-rate sculptor.

“Pfft!”

Rosaline burst into bright laughter, revealing her white teeth. She laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face.

“Ah, ah. You’re really ugly. What should we do?”

“I’ve never heard such words before.”

“But, seriously.”

“But, seriously. I’ve never heard them before.”

Romeo couldn’t stop laughing and hugged Rosaline, who was hitting his shoulder. Then, with his cheeks and ears turning red, he glanced at her.

“You really know how to play with people.”

He chuckled, then finally burst into laughter. His left cheek formed a deep dimple. She pressed her lips against his dimple and murmured.

“Did you always have them?”

She had thought about it when she first saw him, but the pre-regression Romeo didn’t have such dimples. Maybe she didn’t notice because she didn’t pay attention. Romeo raised an eyebrow.

“It’s always been there, from the beginning.”

“Well, I guess I thought it was just a wrinkle.”

He kissed her, as if to dismiss her absurdity. A wave-like feeling surged through Rosaline’s holed heart. With futile expectations that she could fill his heart completely, she passionately responded.

The scent of unblooming lilies didn’t leave the small room. It was a powerful and beautiful fragrance that resembled Romeo’s scent.