Chapter 62
Paiki pulled her close by the waist, pressed his forehead against hers, and sighed. There were many eyes watching them, which was enough to drive her crazy. Of course, she understood the reason for this, as they had come this far precisely to show people.
But wasn’t it too much?
Aniella’s face turned red as if it would burst from embarrassment. Paiki planted kisses on her hot cheeks.
“Don’t look at me with those provocative eyes. If you do that and then fall asleep oblivious when I want you, you should understand my position of having to watch over you all night, my mouth watering.”
Aniella grabbed Paiki’s hand, begging him to stop. Feeling awkward, she looked around and saw a Count laughing awkwardly, “Heh-heh.”
“This might sound cliché, but the moment I saw that weekly magazine, I thought it was nonsense.”
He lightly raised the glass he was holding and gave a slight wink to the two of them.
“I saw the young lady leaning on the Duke’s shoulder, fast asleep, at a party the other day. Kidnapping? What nonsense. I just thought you were a particularly close couple.”
Aniella blinked rapidly. Who slept leaning on whom? She had no such memory.
“Aren’t you mistaking me for someone else?”
When she looked back at Paiki, he shrugged his shoulders.
“Don’t make me out to be some frivolous man who lends his shoulder to any woman just because you’re embarrassed about drooling in your sleep.”
Because he was acting, she couldn’t tell if he was lying or if it was true.
“Who else could I lend my shoulder to but you, a cute, prickly little cotton ball?”
Sun, star, pig, cotton ball.
She had been called many names today. The Count chuckled, apparently finding the ‘cotton ball’ expression amusing, and she felt like dying of shame.
It was better than ‘pig’, but ‘cotton ball’? Didn’t it sound too trivial!
“I let you call me ‘Candy’ when we’re alone, but you clamp your mouth shut when there are people around. You’re such a shy one, after all.”
“…….”
“You’ll still dance one dance with me, won’t you?”
Not seeming to expect an answer, Paiki took her hand and headed towards the center. She felt people subtly making way, watching his cue. Aniella felt everyone’s eyes on her from head to toe. The pressure was unbearable.
“What exactly is a ‘cotton ball’?”
She argued in a voice so low only he could hear. Paiki held her hand and waist, closing the distance between them.
“Have you ever seen a wary kitten? The way its fur puffs up is quite funny.”
“So you were mocking me for being nervous.”
“Did you think I was calling you that with a cute meaning?”
Paiki snorted and moved his feet. They danced to the waltz rhythm.
Aniella sharply turned her head away. She stole a glance at the clock on the wall. 10 o’clock. It was still too early to use curfew as an excuse to leave.
“You’re supposed to say ‘yes’ there.”
“……I don’t wish to have such expectations of you, Your Grace.”
“Why not?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
“Even though you cruelly rejected my confession, I still love you. So I’d like you to have ‘such expectations’ of me.”
Aniella glanced sideways at him, who had been avoiding her gaze. He wasn’t wearing that strangely twisted smile but had a serious expression.
“Now that I think of it, I never got an answer back then.”
“An answer to what?”
“Do you love me too?”
Aniella’s lips moved silently. She had to answer, either affirmatively or negatively, but her tongue was stiff, and no words came out.
“Fine.”
He let out a long sigh, as if that answer was sufficient. Aniella felt her heart sink. His one resigned remark lingered in her mind more than any shocking term of endearment she had heard.
“Now that I think of it, you have a curfew.”
But it’s only 10 o’clock?
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.