C120
I opened my eyes to the sensation of the warm sunlight hitting my face.
"In."
As I got up and stretched, I realized that the clothes I was wearing were not pajamas.
Soon, the events that happened before I fell asleep passed through my mind.
Come to think of it, I was definitely so tired at the end that I was half asleep while talking to Terence...
"Did I just fall asleep like that?!"
I hurriedly got out of bed.
According to the plan, after telling Terence my whole story, if he still said that his feelings hadn't changed, then I had to tell him the answer to his confession.
However, I ended up saying what I wanted to say and fell asleep until the morning.
It's crazy, it's crazy. How absurd must it have been for Terence?
"Laura! I have to run now..."
It was then that I shouted as I left the bedroom.
"Where do you want to go?"
The person I planned to meet suddenly appeared.
"Terence! Why...?"
"Stop worrying about that."
Terence smiled shyly and pointed to the sofa where we had been talking until dawn today.
It seemed like he had fallen asleep on the sofa.
"Oh, right. I didn't even know what was happening and wanted to go check on Terence."
"To me?"
"Yes, we talked yesterday, and... I want to apologize again."
For enjoying his pure favor on a topic I approached with purpose and planning.
"You don't have to do that."
But Terence spoke firmly.
"If it had been like the novel you read, I would have continued suffering from headaches and obsessing over power."
That's true.
In the novel, Terence, who didn't have the medicinal tea or a blessing like Liena by his side, became a prince and did everything he could to obtain the emerald ring.
"Whether you had other intentions or not, thanks to Ethel, I was freed from a long period of suffering. Thank you."
"... Are you really okay? I approached you on purpose."
"It's okay. I'd prefer..."
He suddenly stopped talking.
"No. It would be better to say this later."
"What?"
"After we get closer."
After we get closer. It was clear that this didn't mean becoming close friends.
Now it was my turn to give him the answer to his confession.
"Terence, I..."
It was a topic I had been thinking about since last night when I told him my secret.
I liked Terrence too. This person says it's okay even though he found out the whole truth.
"But I'm not sure if this is love."
I didn't think of him as a friend like Vinetta and Diana.
There were definitely times when my heart raced when I was with him, and judging by the fact that I couldn't immediately reject his confession yesterday, romantic feelings also existed.
"I'm really grateful that you showed me so much kindness. But..."
I don't know if my feelings are deep enough to overcome all the problems I will inevitably face when I become Terence's lover.
Look. Am I still thinking about it?
If it's this kind of feeling, it might be better -.
"You're hesitating."
As if he could see through my inner conflict, Terence spoke up.
"That's enough for me. If you felt nothing for me, you wouldn't have come here like this."
"... I'm sorry for acting awkwardly."
If I denied it like this, there was a high chance that it would leave unnecessary regrets.
"No, that's my problem, not Ethel's."
But he said something unexpected.
"I guess it's because I lack charm."
"Oh no! Terence is quite an attractive person!"
"If that were really true, Ethel would have chosen me without hesitation."
"It's not that kind of problem..."
"That's the problem. So from now on, I'll try to perfect my charm."
Somehow, the conversation took a strange turn.
"So that you can take my hand without worrying about anything, whether it's what others think or future misfortune."
"Why is the conclusion...? No more than that! Why do you keep getting closer?"
Before I knew it, Terence was so close to me that we could feel each other's breath.
I slowly backed away, but the wall blocked me, and I was caught between the wall and Terence.
The man who placed both arms on the wall to prevent me from escaping smiled seductively.
"I'm trying to tempt you."
"Tempt me?"
"That's right. I want to show you my charms."
"I know them! I know them very well!"
"Is that so? Take a closer look. Don't you feel something?"
"Even if you say that..."
All I could feel was that Terence looked as handsome as ever today, and that even though he seemed a bit disheveled shortly after waking up, that couldn't diminish his charm.
"No, rather, I think I feel a new charm in his more relaxed appearance than usual."
While my head was busy with useless thoughts, my nose caught a fragrant smell. Is this a rose scent?