5. A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Part 1)

“Mm…”  

Cecilia, waking from her sleep, stretched out her arms and turned over. As she opened her eyes, something seemed to block her view, casting a shadow over her face. She rubbed her swollen eyes with the back of her hand, shaking off the remnants of sleep.  

At that moment, a low voice came from above her head.  

“Are you awake?”  

“Ah!”  

Startled, Cecilia let out a short scream and recoiled. Ethan, who had been lying diagonally in front of her, reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. The warmth of his skin against hers made Cecilia suddenly realize that neither of them was wearing a single thread of clothing.  

Her face flushed bright red as she quickly pulled the blanket over herself. In doing so, Ethan’s bronze, n*ked body was revealed under the morning sunlight. It was a perfectly sculpted physique, without a single flaw.  

Ethan greeted her in a calm voice, showing no sign of embarrassment.  

“Good morning.”  

Avoiding his gaze and looking away from his bare body, Cecilia replied softly.  

“Good morning… to you too, Ethan.”  

“Yes, it seems so.”  

When their eyes met, Ethan smiled brightly. It was a refreshing smile. At that moment, Cecilia’s heart thumped heavily in her chest. She tightened her grip on the blanket, trying to shake off the ticklish sensation.  

Cecilia suddenly realized how bright the room was. She usually woke up in the early morning when the light was still bluish, but now the light illuminating her surroundings was warm and golden. Although she hadn’t checked the clock, it was clear that it was much later than her usual waking time. She sat up abruptly.  

When she checked the clock on the bedside table, Cecilia covered her mouth in shock. By now, the maid should have come to wake her, helped her get dressed, and the butler should have already summarized the day’s tasks for her. If the maids had entered the room as usual, they would have immediately discovered the two of them tangled together, completely n*ked.  

Of course, she didn’t think she could hide their relationship from everyone forever. Even if they only changed the damp, crumpled bed sheets, it would be obvious what kind of night they had spent. Her body was covered in vivid marks from bites and kisses, so she would have to be careful even when dressing for a while. But being caught in the act was an entirely different matter.  

Cecilia urgently asked Ethan,  

“Did the maid come to wake me up?”  

Ethan, understanding what Cecilia was worried about, reassured her in a calm voice.  

“No, no one came. I’ve been awake the whole time, so you can rest easy.”  

“Really? That’s strange… Did they forget today?”  

Cecilia tilted her head in puzzlement. Although something didn’t feel quite right, she was relieved nonetheless. Her expression softened noticeably.  

Ethan, who had been quietly watching her, asked,  

“Are you feeling alright?”  

Cecilia nodded slowly.  

“I don’t think I’m in much discomfort. I thought it would hurt more, like before.”  

“So, it did hurt before.”  

Hearing the words Cecilia had let slip, Ethan gave a pained smile, looking regretful. Clenching his fist as if blaming himself, Cecilia hurriedly added,  

“Just a little… It got better quickly.”  

“It seems it was a good idea to massage you last night. Otherwise, you might have struggled today as well.”  

Cecilia’s eyes widened slightly. No wonder she didn’t have much muscle pain—Ethan must have loosened all the tense spots while she was asleep. Although her thoroughly ravaged lower body still felt a bit sore, it was manageable.  

Come to think of it, her skin was clean too. Up until the moment her memory faded, her body had been drenched in sweat and bodily fluids, but now her skin felt fresh and dry. Someone had clearly taken care of her. Cecilia looked at Ethan and asked,  

“Did you clean my body too?”  

“I made the mess, so I had to clean it up.”  

Cecilia’s cheeks flushed an even deeper red. Imagining him carefully wiping every part of her disheveled body was embarrassing, but it also made her feel cherished. She whispered sincerely,  

“Thank you.”  

The two of them stared at the crumpled, white sheets that bore the marks of the previous night. An awkward, slightly tense silence hung in the air. There was still a serious conversation they needed to have.  

It was Ethan who spoke first.  

“Do you… regret it?”  

Cecilia slowly shook her head. A whirlwind of emotions surged within her, but even when she searched the depths of her heart, there was no regret.  

A faint sense of joy and relief spread across Ethan’s handsome face. He closed his eyes tightly, as if trying to calm his trembling emotions. A moment later, his long, dark lashes lifted, revealing his clear golden eyes. Looking directly at Cecilia, he asked again,  

“Do you want to forget this time too?”  

Cecilia hesitated. Unlike earlier, when she had answered without hesitation, this time the words didn’t come out right away.  

‘I…’  

She knew that if she told him to pretend it never happened, Ethan would comply without question. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t even breathe if it caused her trouble.  

At that moment, Ethan’s words from the night before flashed through her mind.  

“If I say I’ll endure it, even though I know you’ll leave like the changing seasons… If I offer myself to you, like one of these carvings, to hold and discard as you please…”  

“…”  

“Would you then allow yourself to be shaken, just this once?” 

Ethan had said he was willing to endure, even if it was just a fleeting passion, even if he was cast aside. He had placed himself in her hands.  

‘If Ethan is okay with it… maybe I can be a little more selfish.’  

What happened last night wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t something driven by alcohol, nor a spur-of-the-moment decision swept up by the atmosphere. She had wanted him, and she had savored every touch of his, imprinting it onto her skin.  

‘I want to be honest.’  

Looking into Ethan’s eyes, Cecilia slowly opened her lips.  

“No.”  

“…”  

“I don’t want to.”  

Ethan’s golden eyes wavered dramatically. Frozen as if time had stopped, he stared at her. Cecilia moved closer to him on her knees, gently grabbing his shoulders and pressing her lips lightly against his before pulling away.  

“I like spending time with you, Ethan.”  

Her slender fingers brushed against Ethan’s flushed cheek. She whispered in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible,  

“Last night was wonderful. And…”  

Her face flushed as she struggled to say words she had never spoken before. At that moment, Ethan tilted his head and kissed her lips again, gently nibbling and licking at her lower lip to ease her awkwardness.  

With a soft, wet sound, their lips parted, and Ethan’s moderately full lips curved into a gentle smile.  

“I like you too, Cecilia.”  

Cecilia’s eyes widened. She had said she enjoyed their time together, but he had confessed that he liked her. Similar yet subtly different expressions.  

‘Does it mean the same thing in the end?’  

Cecilia was still pondering the nuance of his words when her body was suddenly lifted into the air. Ethan had picked her up and seated her on his lap.  

“Last night was wonderful.”  

Nestled in Ethan’s arms, Cecilia felt incredibly small. His large, firm body enveloped her protectively. The sensation of her soft chest pressing against him made her bite her lip at the peculiar feeling.  

“I could make you feel even better today.”  

Ethan’s hand gently and subtly caressed her waist. Her body, still remembering the ecstasy of the previous night, began to heat up. His fingers lightly traced her spine, betraying an impure desire. When his lower body twitched and brushed against her intimacy, Cecilia gasped in surprise and clung tightly to his neck.  

“Was this why… you loosened my body last night?”  

Her voice trembled with excitement, tinged faintly with reproach. Yet, even as she spoke, Cecilia neither pushed him away nor released her arms around him. Ethan chuckled softly and placed a light kiss on the top of her head.  

“Perhaps.”