Please Lend Me 50 Million - Chapter 42

“…Me, you mean?”

Harriet asked back with a bewildered air. It was an attitude of disbelief. Though his expression was calm and his eyes were without a trace of moisture, he couldn’t hide the gaze that kept shaking as he looked at Asha.

Asha, letting out a faint laugh, scolded him playfully.

“Why are you… crying? I’m the one who’s sick.”

Cough. She threw out a joke, intending to change the atmosphere, but the late-blooming cough ruined the atmosphere completely. At the short but strong sound of the cough, Harriet quickly continued. It was a fast and firm tone, unlike his usual self.

“I shouldn’t have made you talk. It’s alright now. Don’t say anything more.”

Harriet closed Asha’s eyelids with his hand, as if telling her to go to sleep. Asha, who was quietly feeling the warmth, felt mischievous and kept blinking her eyes. At the tickling sensation felt on his palm, Harriet said sternly.

“Asha, you must go to sleep now.”

“You won’t even answer me and just tell me to sleep.”

As she tossed and turned her body as if to show him her protest, Harriet withdrew his hand. Asha, who turned to face him, stared at him intently. At Asha, who stubbornly wouldn’t take her eyes off him despite her heavy sleepiness, Harriet let out a short laugh. Taking advantage of the moment he softened, Asha quickly lifted the blanket. It was a gesture mixed with temptation, inviting him to come into the blanket.

But this dense man showed no intention of moving despite the clear temptation. Eventually, unable to wait any longer, Asha blurted out as if urging him.

“It’s cold.”

“Asha.”

At the coaxing voice that seemed to say she was too much, Asha quietly lowered the edge of the blanket. It seemed she wouldn’t win him over with this method. She idly scratched the bedsheet with her index finger and peeked at Harriet timidly. Her acting like a cowed child poked at Harriet’s heart.

“It’s cold….”

Asha repeatedly glanced at her index finger and then peeked at Harriet again. When Harriet didn’t budge, Asha’s head spun busily, wondering if she should explicitly tell him to hold her. Around the time her head, which was spinning this way and that, reached the conclusion that she should pull Harriet in by force, a small sigh echoed.

And soon, a heavy body lifted the blanket and came in. The desolate space beside her was filled up by his large body. As if he didn’t intend to lie there like a log, Harriet’s hand tucked under Asha’s head. In an instant, Asha was lying with her head on his arm. She was so happy she felt like she could fly at the warmth of his embrace gained in an instant, yet mischief surged, and she deliberately buried her face in his chest.

Thump. Not satisfied with butting him once, she pressed her face firmly against his chest.

“Asha, isn’t it hard to breathe?”

Not at all. The warmth touching her face was just warm. Even though she knew it meant she should take her face off his chest, Asha used her cold as a shield and deliberately rubbed her head against his chest. Shaking her head adorably was a bonus.

Perhaps because he didn’t exactly dislike Asha acting like a child, Harriet tilted his body sideways and wrapped his arm around Asha’s shoulder. His hand, which slowly stroked down her shoulder and reached her waist, began to slowly pat her body. It was an awkward touch from someone who had never coaxed a child. Nevertheless, the patting that continued with a steady rhythm had a soft air about it. Rather, the sensation of him stroking her like a piece of fluff for fear she might break felt ticklish.

Pat, pat.

What are you going to do, treasuring me this much.

Mischievous words surged up, but an irresistible sleepiness swept over her body, which was exhausted from the fever. Pat. As the heavy touch was repeated, her consciousness sank below the surface of sleep. The chills that had been interfering with her sleep also vanished at some point, and Asha fell comfortably into a deep sleep.

* * *

“Umm.”

Her eyelids were stinging, so she frowned without realizing it. Cecile had worked diligently, issuing a no-approach order near Asha’s room so that no one could disturb her sleep, but unkindly, what woke Asha up was the sunlight. It was because even though she had covered the window further with thin curtains, it was insufficient to block out all the early summer sunlight.

I want to sleep more….

The sunlight and sleepiness had a fierce confrontation, but eventually, it was sleep that lost. As if it had never pushed down on her eyelids so heavily, it all vanished, so even someone like Asha had no choice but to open her eyes slowly. Unlike yesterday when she didn’t know what to do because her joints were aching, she felt her body was much lighter.

The existence of Harriet from last night fell like a bolt of lightning onto her slowly spinning head. Asha quickly checked the spot beside her. But contrary to her expectations, the spot beside her was nothing but desolate. It was only unkind that it was so neatly organized, to the point where it felt like sleeping while embracing Harriet last night was a dream.

Because the neatly arranged bedding was irritating, Asha slithered over and pressed her cheek against the spot where Harriet had lain. The soft remaining warmth heated her cheek. it was a soft warmth that would instantly soften the sharp emotions that had flared up.

It hasn’t been long since he left his spot.