103 – Hoping to Get Closer-2-
In a quiet cafe in the city.
To escape the cold, Yuria and I sought refuge in a nearby cafe, ordered simple drinks, and sighed as we looked out beyond the frost-covered window, feeling the cold breeze.
“Warm places are truly nice. After being outside for over two hours, I find myself grateful for these little things.”
*Sigh*
“It seems that people only truly appreciate the preciousness of life after going through a tough time.”
Even though I felt sorry for Yuria, who also felt guilty, I had been in a bad mood after standing outside for an hour. So, while keeping an eye on Yuria, who was sniffling, I recounted the traces of that lonely hour in a sad tone.
“It’s cold…”
After a little while, the drinks we ordered started to be placed on the small round table.
As Yuria’s favorite carrot cake and two cups of warm yuzu tea were placed before us, I gave a kind smile to the waiter and thanked them.
“Thank you for bringing it so quickly.”
“You’re welcome…”
The waiter, whose face had turned red, accepted the 3 gold coins tip I handed over and politely bid farewell.
I smiled again.
Ignoring Yuria, who couldn’t lift her head, I held the steaming cup of tea in my hands and gave a warm smile, speaking once again in a sad voice.
“It feels like my frozen hands are thawing.”
“I’m sorry…”
“No.”
Yuria spoke in a voice that crawled, unable to raise her head. The murmuring voice strongly revealed a desire to hide even in a mouse hole, but my wounded heart was far from being healed.
I had a mischievous thought of teasing her a little more, but thinking that Yuria might cry if I continued to tease her like this, I decided to stop the joke and carefully placed the teacup on the table.
“It was very cold, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, yes…”
Yuria timidly nodded her head at the mention of the cold.
I apologized to Yuria, throwing a bored apology.
“I’m sorry for teasing you. I can’t resist teasing because my personality is so mischievous.”
“No… It was my fault…”
Yuria bowed her head again and apologized.
“…I’m really sorry. I know it might sound like an excuse, but I think I went crazy because I drank too much last night.”
“It’s okay. It could have been late, too. I’ve done it a few times before. When you come, Miss, you ask me to buy chocolates. If you really feel sorry, let’s forget it with the mistake I made to you, Yuria, before.”
It was a casually thrown remark, but it carried a heavy meaning. This meeting was connected through drunkenness.
Thinking that I needed to lighten a bit of emotional burden, I thought it was fortunate that I could repay one debt to Yuria.
Yuria hesitated at my words, but eventually nodded her head with difficulty.
“In return, I’ll treat you today.”
Yuria said that she would open her wallet today. Yuria was making a very audacious statement. She had touched a man’s pride.
As far as I remember, Yuria’s life wasn’t so good. An adventurer father. Yuria living off scholarships. Even school life must be tight, yet she said she would open her wallet.
Knowing Yuria’s financial situation well, I frowned and requested that she reconsider her opinion.
“What are you talking about?”
“Yes…?”
“The thickness of a wallet is a man’s pride.”
Even if on credit, the ability to open a wallet is a man’s pride. That’s why I clearly expressed to Yuria that I have no intention of mooching off her.
If I hadn’t settled the score with Malik, I might have taken advantage, but now, with a wallet turned Young and Rich, I thought a bit of extravagance was permissible.
Yuria bowed her head deeply and couldn’t continue her words.
“I can pay for this…”
“I’ll take your heart instead.”
“Thank you…”
“Don’t mention it. Instead, if you show me your wallet today, you’ll be the one benefiting from now on.”
“What?”
“A shattered pride can’t be restored.”
I lightened the somewhat tense atmosphere with a small joke.
I smiled at Yuria, forgiving her tardiness. I handed her a feeble comfort, telling her that anyone can be late and oversleep, using my own late arrival as an excuse.
“Anyway, thank you for coming today. I had nothing to do, but thanks to you, Yuria, I feel like I’ve spent meaningful time.”
“Oh no… I’m the one who asked you.”
Yuria also expressed her gratitude like me. In Yuria’s small, timid voice, there was a slight tremor.
“Thank you for coming.”
And so, the beginning of our hoped-for friendship commenced.
I raised my head and looked at the faintly visible Favorability Level above Yuria’s head.
[Yuria Lv. 32]
[Occupation: Academy Student/Virgin Candidate]
[Likeability: -7]
[Preferred Conversation Topics: Friends/Volunteering/Justice/Handsome Men/First Love/Saviors/Late Father/(New)Ricardo/(New)Pierre, First Love/(New)I’m going crazy…Is my outfit okay?]
[Disliked Conversation Topics: Olivia/Two-faced People/Liars/Hardships/(New)Cults/(New)Incompetence]
From Noble mtl dot com
The last time I saw it, I remembered the likeability score being “-81”, but after a long time, I noticed a significant improvement in the likeability gauge.
If things continue like this, it might be possible to cling to Yuria, who will become the strongest in the world, and live off her in old age.
Taking my time to let the story blossom, I started a conversation with Yuria.
What kind of story would be good?
As someone who remembers both novels and real life, I pondered deeply. Yuria will probably prefer wholesome conversations since she likes that kind of topic.
Miss, on the other hand, I mostly engaged in indecent conversations, but Yuria would probably enjoy more moralistic stories.
Flowers, perhaps.
Dolls.
And the everyday life at the academy.
After careful consideration.
I opened my mouth.
“You look beautiful today.”
Indeed, it seems starting with this would be the best.
*
In a hospital in the capital.
The De Mont family, with serious expressions, watched the patients entering the examination room with grave faces as they waited for their turn.
In the past, if it were the De Smunt family, they would have called a doctor to their mansion for an examination, but after experiencing a year of recession and learning a modest life, the De Smunt family, despite having immense wealth, walked humbly and waited their turn.
Incidentally, I’m going on a date with Olivia.
“The next patient, number 3, will come in.”
Olivia looked at the nurse calling the next patient and asked Darvab, “Abe, aren’t we the ones being called?”
“No. We are number 4. It’s the next turn.”
“No, we’re not.”
Olivia showed Darvab a paper with the number ‘3’ written on it.
Darvab made a puzzled expression.
“What’s this?”
Darvab looked at the number 4 ticket in his hand. Feeling a sinister premonition as to why Olivia had it in her hand, he asked his dear daughter.
“You’re good at sleight of hand.”
“I didn’t steal it.”
“What…!?”
Pointing at the ticket in Darvab’s hand, Olivia confidently said, “This is the one I picked.”
“No…”
Darvab’s eyes widened.
“You picked it without stealing…! You’ve grown up, Olivia.”
“Yeah. I tried to take number 2. Then Ricardo would scold me.”
Dervab lifted his eyes from the sight of the grown-up Olivia and covered his eyes with his hand.
“Are you crying, Abby?”
“No, it’s just some dust in my eyes.”
Meanwhile, Kyle, who had been silently holding onto the handle of the wheelchair, spoke to Olivia with a trembling voice.
“Olivia.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you really take the ticket with your own hands?”
Olivia nodded as if it were obvious.
“Ricardo told me. When you go to a store or a bank, you have to take a ticket and wait.”
The previous Olivia would have definitely just gone in without caring about the queue, saying “It’s my turn. I don’t have time.” But the grown-up Olivia, who had learned the patience of waiting, proudly looked at the number 5 ticket in her hand, and Kyle was moved to see her like that.
“You’ve grown up…”
“Yeah.”
Kyle nodded, swallowing his overwhelming emotions.
“Let’s go…”
Kyle pushed the wheelchair to go into the examination room.
And at that moment,
A rude, green figure cut in front of Kyle and Dervab and went into the examination room.
Olivia looked at the confident green figure walking by and her expression turned to confusion.
“That’s my turn, right?”
“Right.”
“Right.”
Olivia asked again.
“But what’s wrong with him, why did he cut in?”
“…Right.”
“That x jerk…”
The Desmont family walked towards the young man with green hair as one, with a grim determination.
Because Darvab and Kyle had interrupted a glorious moment. And Olivia just felt bad.
With a menacing air, they stood behind the boy with green hair.
At the front, Kyle handed Olivia’s wheelchair handle to Darvab and spoke in a very calm voice.
“Hey, Green.”
“What?”
“You want to be hospitalized?”
As Rui turned his head, he saw the menacing Kyle in front of him.
“What?”
Kyle said shortly to Rui.
“Be hospitalized.”
Luin, are you serious? Why you keep making problems wherever you are? Wanna get deleted by the author?