The Only Way to Break the Curse is Through Contact with You - Chapter 53

#53

“Roeni.”

It was a sweet voice that seemed to savor my name. His sluggish pupils contained only me. Suddenly, Diart’s face, sparkling under the moonlight, felt surreal. I couldn’t take my eyes off his flowing silver hair and deep golden eyes.

“Roeni Wheaton.”

I tried to snap out of it from the voice that melted people away. He was indeed the male lead. To think that just calling someone’s name could captivate someone like this.

“Hmm. W-well done calling my name.”

I spoke brightly to break the mood that had changed in an instant. Just a moment ago, I was hesitating and arguing when I called his name, but now, it seemed as if it were a dream. Diart was staring at me with strange eyes.

“Try calling me too.”

“Huh?”

“My name.”

“Oh, yes. I should do that.”

I couldn’t meet his eyes for some reason, so I looked away and cleared my throat before slowly opening my mouth.

“D-Dia, Diart.”

I stumbled like an idiot, wondering why I couldn’t say his name properly just once. It was all because of Diart’s strangely flowing aura and different attitude than usual. Blaming him for making me stiff, I quickly turned my head.

‘No, why here of all places!’

Are there lovers kissing over there?! I was already nervous and tense, and my breath caught in my throat, making my mouth dry.

“Um, when will the fireworks start?”

Trying to maintain my composure and break this uncomfortable atmosphere, I turned my head, but as soon as I met Diart’s deep and intense gaze, I shut my mouth. It seemed like he had never taken his eyes off me. Unknowingly, I licked my dry lips with my tongue. I felt like his gaze was following me wherever I went.

My throat felt like it was burning. A warning bell rang in my head that it would be dangerous to stay here any longer.

“Sh-should we go back to the mansion now? I’m a bit tired.”

As I held onto my stomach and fidgeted, Diart reached out his hand. Instinctively, I dodged his touch and lost my balance. At the same time, my stomach churned violently.

“Stay still.”

Diart said so, but I panicked and struggled to regain my balance, causing my body to rock even more mercilessly. In the end, when I tilted completely to the side, I closed my eyes, realizing that I was done for.

It felt as if a large hand had caught me and pulled me into a tight embrace. Held tightly in his strong arms, I was dragged into the river.

I was submerged in the water, but Diart pulled me back to the surface. Unable to swim, I struggled in fear of not being able to touch the bottom.

“It’s okay.”

Diart held me firmly and whispered in my ear. Thanks to him repeatedly assuring me that everything was fine, I was able to calm down little by little. When I finally regained my senses, I realized that I was being held in his arms, floating on the water.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Diart, who was holding me, asked as he slightly distanced himself. I flinched at the closeness that was so intimate I could feel his breath. As I tried to move away, soaked in water, I could distinctly feel his firm muscles. My cheeks burned as hot as his body temperature. I tried to distance myself from him again, but Diart didn’t allow it.

“Just stay still.”

With Diart’s firm words, I had no choice but to reluctantly relax my body as much as possible. His expression seemed somewhat displeased yet not entirely unpleasant.

“She said you would run away if I took my eyes off you. I guess she’s not really a quack.”

“What?”

“This little head of yours always thinks about running away from me.”

Diart, who had taken off his gloves with his teeth, traced my forehead with his finger and said something incomprehensible. I couldn’t meet his gaze as he looked down at me, so I avoided him as if playing hide-and-seek. He persistently chased after me, grabbing my chin with one hand to keep me in place.

“Look at me.”

No, I shouldn’t. It felt like something significant would change if I met his gaze right now. Desperately pretending not to notice, I ignored his words. But I couldn’t ignore the soft sensation that touched my lips.

When I looked up with widened eyes, Diart gave a faint smile.

“Now you’re looking at me.”

“What… What are you doing?”

“We kissed.”

I was taken aback by his nonchalant voice, as though he was asking why I would question the obvious. Diart, looking puzzled by my reaction, slowly opened his mouth.

“Let’s call off the divorce.”

“……What?”

I was speechless and my eyes widened at his sudden words. Diart’s gaze was more serious than ever. I tried to calm down and asked as calmly as I could.

“Why are you suddenly saying this?”

“I changed my mind.”

“No, Duke, even if you don’t want to, the documents have already been…….”

“Didn’t you say you wanted to try a proper relationship?”

Diart wiped my wet hair that was scattered in the water. My skin felt sensitive where his fingers touched, but I pretended not to know.

“Do it with me. That proper relationship.”

It was almost an order. The words I was about to retort caught in my throat. Diart was looking down at my lips as if he wanted something. Unconsciously, I twitched and covered my lips, and I heard him swallow his laughter.

Diart raised his gaze and met my eyes. His golden eyes were filled with heat instead of the coldness I already knew. I involuntarily gulped under his intense gaze. After sweeping his hair back, he held my neck and touched my lips with his thumb.

“I’ll do it well.”

As soon as he was done speaking, our lips met. Unlike before, when they lightly touched and pulled away, his warm tongue, which opened my lips, wrapped around me. I had to push him away, but I couldn’t muster the strength in my hand. He was gentle yet insistent, and wouldn’t let me go. There was a sticky sound in my ear, and the heat in my cheeks rose to my eyes.

A loud roar rang through my fading sanity. His lips parted for a long moment. I turned my head to follow Diart’s gaze to the sky. Before I knew it, colorful fireworks were lighting up the night sky.

Then he wrapped his hand around the back of my head and pulled me in. I was caught by his lips again.

* * *

“How did this happen?”

I lay on the bed in a gown and stared blankly at the ceiling with my eyes closed. I pinched my cheek with my fingers, and it was definitely not a dream. Everything that happened at the festival was real.

I touched my lips with my fingers as if the sensation still remained. Until the knights who were surprised to see us fall into the river came to rescue us by boat, Diart didn’t let me go. He looked at them as if they were unobtrusive obstacles and turned the overturned boat over to put me on top of it in one breath.

After taking off the knights’ jackets and covering them over me, he stuck to me all the way back to the mansion. After escorting me to my room, he headed for a separate bathroom that was prepared.

“I can’t believe I kissed Diart.”

I still couldn’t believe it. It was such a sweet, tender kiss that I couldn’t believe those were the lips that had uttered the scornful words. I found myself clinging to his neck,

“Good.”

It seemed like Diart was exceptional in every aspect, or maybe he received a protagonist buff, but his kiss drained my soul.

As I reminisced about the ecstatic moment, I let out a sigh.

“Now I have to admit it.”

I had gradually noticed it before, but I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Today’s events made it impossible to deny.

Diart likes me.