Chapter 64

“A summer sea.”

It was just me and Hania.

And there were Isabel, Mina, and Sharine facing us.

For some reason, Isabel was staring at me with blank eyes.

Sharine was looking at me with slightly narrower eyes than usual.

“Oh my, hello everyone.”

Hania laughed as if she had just noticed everyone.

She pulled my hand a little closer.

Don’t do that.

Something else might touch, too.

Mina gasped.

“Hania, when did you two become so close?”

Even so, with a girlfriend in front, shouldn’t she hold back on her boyfriend?

Mina approached me sweetly.

My eyes met Hania’s.

“Ah, during Magung, right?”

“Yeah, that’s when I confessed.”

With every word I spoke, Isabel’s eyes began to tremble violently.

I started to feel a bit weird myself.

“Hanon.”

At that moment, Sharine called out to me.

She was staring at me intently.

“Sharine, why did you call me?”

“Don’t you know?”

What do I not know?

Still, Sharine just kept looking at me.

“Ah, ha, ha.”

Mina must have felt the weird atmosphere too, as she awkwardly laughed.

Then Hania, still holding my hand, urged me to leave discreetly.

I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t stand this uncomfortable atmosphere any longer.

“Well, see you then.”

“Have fun, everyone!”

Hania and I left that place.

After the three of them looked away, Hania naturally let go of my hand.

“Why are you all just hanging around when our stuff is all taken care of?”

“I was just chatting for a moment since I saw some familiar faces.”

“But it seemed like you were enjoying having the girls around a bit too much, didn’t it?”

It’s not like I was grinning from ear to ear.

As I subtly touched my lips, Hania looked at me with a displeased expression.

“Are you getting jealous?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Should be a little intense there.

“I just don’t like it if I have to pretend to be jealous because you’re all smiley with other girls.”

“I don’t think I need to pretend that much, do I?”

“If you’re going to do it, do it properly. I’ll keep all the annoying guys at bay.”

To do that, she was planning to act like a genuinely in-love girl.

That’s some scary determination.

If Hania sets her mind to something, I think she’d achieve it.

“By the way, Hanon, about those two earlier.”

The moment Hania was going to say something, Iris waved over.

“Hania, Hanon.”

At that moment, Iris sitting under the parasol beckoned us over.

“Yes, Lady Iris!”

Hania threw away the expression she had just made and instantly smiled brightly as she ran over to Iris.

“Since we’re here to hang out, let’s go to the beach!”

“Of course!”

I hurriedly set down our bags.

Particularly, I felt troubled by Isabel’s expression earlier, like an abandoned puppy, and I trailed after the two of them.

* * *

On the surface of the sea.

I was floating peacefully on a tube.

I could see Iris and Hania splashing water and having fun far away.

They had been good friends since childhood.

So I thought they could have fun without me intruding.

Thanks to that, I enjoyed a long-awaited sense of peace.

‘I wonder what the others are doing during their break.’

Saron said he’s going home.

「Lightning Sweet Potato, don’t be sad just because I’m not there, okay?」

Wish he wouldn’t come back at all.

Same for Card; he decided to head home too.

His family’s place is quite far away.

Knowing Card’s family situation, I figured he’s going to have a tough time.

「Wang Non, making a girlfriend? You’re a traitor! But as your senior, I’ll go buy a futon for you and your girlfriend this time.」

Hope that guy meets a sticky end too.

Why do those two always make me so annoyed?

Honestly hoping something happens to them back at home.

Just then.

I felt something tickling my foot.

There was a foot touching me.

Wondering what it was, I looked down to see a pure white face.

“Hanon, hi there.”

It was Sharine, floating in the water with her hand raised.

When did she get here?

“Let’s chat a bit.”

With that, Sharine disappeared back underwater.

“Huh.”

In that moment, Sharine’s hand suddenly popped out from under the tube.

As I panicked, her hand yanked me in.

Plop!

I fell into the water without a moment to react and began flailing.

As I rushed to surface, I realized my hand was trapped against something.

At the same time, I was breathing.

It was an air barrier.

This air bubble underwater was a magic created by Sharine.

Shining with the light reflecting on the water, her hair was quite beautiful.

“Sharine?”

“Let’s talk.”

Suddenly wanting to talk was strange.

If she came all this way, it must be important.

“What about? If you want me to buy you bread, I’m not doing it.”

“What do you think I am, a bread ghost?”

Wasn’t I wrong?

“Let me ask you just one thing first. Are you really dating Hania?”

Is that a prerequisite I had to know?

We had shared many secrets until now, so I figured I could be honest with her.

“No, it’s not like that. Hania’s had a bit of trouble, so I’m just helping her.”

As I confirmed my cooperation, Sharine’s expression softened slightly.

That was an action she wasn’t aware of.

“Anyway, let’s get down to the main topic, the bell story.”

My expression instantly shifted.

Sharine is Isabel’s close friend.

So she’s the most sensitive to changes in Isabel.

Although things have improved quite a bit recently, Isabel had once tried to take her own life after losing Lucas.

She still hadn’t completely escaped the trauma of losing Lucas.

Her heart could tip back toward that darkness at any moment.

“Spill it.”

As I adopted a listening posture, Sharine glanced up towards the surface.

She seemed to be looking at Isabel over there.

“Lately, Isabel’s behavior seems a bit off.”

“Off how?”

“I guess she’s blanking out. Can’t seem to focus.”

“You too?”

The air bubbles were decreasing a bit.

If this continues, I might drown.

“Since when?”

As I shifted the topic, Sharine wrapped her arm around herself.

“Well, um.”

Sharine hesitated for a moment.

For some reason, she was taking longer to respond.

“What is it?”

As I urged her out of frustration, Sharine shot me a glance.

“I think it started after you and Hania began dating.”

My eyes went wide.

And my head tilted.

Why?

How could Isabel start blanking out after Hania and I started dating?

No clue popped up in my mind.

“…I was trying to speculate a bit.”

This time, Sharine took a stab at an answer.

She’s pretty smart.

She might know the answer.

“I think Isabel might like Hanon.”

I could hear a dog barking in the distance.

I stared at Sharine silently.

But her eyes were sincere.

“…Does that even make sense?”

“But that’s the kind of reaction you get when a girl has a crush sees her sweetie getting a girlfriend.”

“Think about it logically. How many times have I expressed my disdain for that guy before? How could she like someone like that? That guy’s a serious creep!”

“You’re not being serious, are you?”

Suddenly at a loss for words.

Why are there only observant folks around me?

Having clever friends is a double-edged sword.

“Isabel’s not stupid. She probably realizes why Hanon is acting the way he is, even if just vaguely.”

Was I not clear enough?

While I was feeling discouraged, Sharine gave me another answer.

“But there should be a trigger for this. Above all.”

To me, Isabel’s expression seemed far from anything like love.

How should I put it?

There was an intricate mix of emotions I could hardly define.

“So let’s take this opportunity to check it out.”

“How do we confirm it?”

The magic that lets you read someone’s heart doesn’t exist, right?

“We just ask her.”

My eyes blinked.

As I pointed at Sharine, she shook her head.

When I pointed at myself, Sharine nodded.

“…Shouldn’t it be you asking about love?”

“Do you think Isabel would talk to me about love?”

I don’t think so.

If it were Sharine, she might blank out and accidentally let something slip, though.

“And if the person isn’t aware of it, it’d be better to just ask directly. That way, you can check their reaction.”

I let out a sigh.

No matter how I try to think about it, I just don’t see it that way.

But I needed to verify if there was something wrong with Isabel.

‘There’s not much time left for Isabel’s awakening episode.’

Until then, I had to keep an eye on Isabel’s mental state.

“Got it.”

Even so, I figured I could at least ask her about her weird behavior.

“So how will you ask?”

“I’ll create the situation.”

Sharine’s eyes glinted suspiciously.

“It’ll be a late-night event where any kind of story will roll out smoothly.”

Now I was feeling more anxious.

* * *

The summer nights make people sentimental.

The distant sound of crashing waves.

Crickets chirping through the brush.

A few drops of sweat slipping between my collar.

Summer surely has a charm to stir up hearts.

On such an enchanting summer night, here I was alone in a room with two of the school’s top beauties.

Iris, who had played hard all day, was sleeping peacefully on the bed of our lodging.

Being summer, she wore light clothing that often revealed her skin.

Hania sat beside her, fanning Iris to keep her cool.

Even with magical cooling in the room, Hania was dedicated.

“Lady Iris, I’m a guy, so wouldn’t it have been better to get another room at least?”

When I spoke to Iris, who lay there looking quite relaxed, she glanced over at me.

“I sleep better with Hanon next to me.”

“Hanon, just listen to Lady Iris quietly.”

Are they planning to cuddle up again tonight?

Wouldn’t they consider how it would feel for the person who has to sleep while being cuddled?

I was slowly losing focus due to Iris’s rose fragrance.

‘I better sort this out quickly.’

I felt like Iris might come looking for me after returning to the dorms, saying she couldn’t sleep.

But thanks to this situation, I realized one fact.

‘I can be certain about what the shroud of bandages has excluded from my feelings.’

Iris is known as one of the beauties of the Empire.

And even with her hugging me repeatedly,

my heart remained incredibly calm.

For guys, being hugged by a girl may not feel bad; it just doesn’t invoke many thoughts.

Even if a girl hugs me, it feels pleasant but doesn’t evoke many thoughts.

To be precise, I had completely excluded sexual feelings right now.

‘So, the feelings I lost to the shroud of bandages were indeed love, just like Lucas.’

Perhaps the reason Iris can hug and sleep with me freely may just be that I have shown her no sexual interest whatsoever.

Iris is exceptionally good at sensing emotions.

If I had harbored even a hint of such feelings, she would have noticed without a doubt.

‘Could it be because I didn’t feel emotions from the get-go?’

Even with one lost feeling, I didn’t feel a sense of loss at all.

Rather, it helped me look at situations more objectively.

‘So this means.’

This was practically a constant state of wise contemplation.

‘Wait, is this more dangerous than I thought?’

Even though I feel fine at this very moment,

the erosion of emotions is definitely going to affect me somewhere.

‘Perhaps this too can be attributed to the effects of the shroud of bandages.’

I feel as though the gradual loss of emotions is something natural, recognizing it as no big deal.

Indeed, admitting that made this quite deadly.

‘Love isn’t restricted to interactions with others.’

Love encompasses not only other people but also pets and even my favorite activities and hobbies.

And on a deeper level.

‘Myself.’

I looked down at my hand.

As the feelings of love waned, I found myself treating myself with less care than before.

Of course, I did so because I found it dangerous to act otherwise.

But deep down, I scarily noticed the inclination to use myself recklessly.

…Realizing this might turn out to be more dangerous than I thought.

If I lose sight of love completely and even stop caring for myself,

what decisions will I make?

“Hanon?”

Iris leaned over to me and called out.

Noticing me lost in thought, her expression showed concern.

“Are you alright? Feeling tired?”

“I’m fine.”

“If Lady Iris is hugging you so warmly, you wouldn’t feel tired at all. Instead, your energy would boost.”

Hania grumbled with a hint of jealousy.

When it comes to Iris, she didn’t hide her jealousy.

I shook my head and shrugged my thoughts away.

Anyway, thanks to this, even with Iris and Hania in one room,

there was no way anything would happen.

‘More importantly, I’m worried about what the nighttime event that Sharine mentioned entails.’

She’s quite the unpredictable one, after all.

Feeling anxious about whatever shenanigans she might pull.

Looking outside, I noticed the sky had turned pitch dark.

The summer night breeze knocked on the window.

Knock, knock-

At that moment, a knock echoed from the door.

“I’ll go.”

Instead of Hania, who was about to get up to set down her fan, I stood up and went to the door.

And as expected, it was Sharine.

The problem was that there was an unexpected smell wafting from her.

I instinctively covered my nose.

“Sharine, you.”

That’s definitely the smell of alcohol.

I closed the door and stepped outside.

“So the late-night event is that, huh?”

“Anything goes once you start drinking.”

Unlike reality, in the world of butterflies and flames, anyone over 15 can drink without an issue.

So it wasn’t strange for Sharine to be drinking.

“I can’t see Isabel drinking.”

“Mina dragged her into it.”

For some reason, it feels like Mina brings all the troublemakers into the mix.

“And Isabel was pushed into it too.”

She might as well take the opportunity to lean on the power of alcohol now that she finally got a break.

“But she seemed to be doing pretty well lately.”

“Yeah, thanks to Hanon.”

Seems like my efforts paid off.

“Isabel hasn’t fully emerged from the shadow of Lucas.”

Sharine wore a pained expression.

Lucas was a friend to Sharine as well.

She wasn’t as close as Isabel though.

But Lucas’s death surely left a shock for her too.

“Isabel admired Lucas. He was someone who seemed capable of anything.”

When someone you looked up to suddenly turns into a cold corpse,

that shock is something you can’t easily put into words.

“Isabel is probably viewing Hanon through the lens of Lucas.”

“But I can’t think of any resemblance to Lucas.”

“In the sense of seeming capable of anything.”

Sharine smirked.

“In that regard, you’re kind of alike, aren’t you?”

That grin reminded me of the crazy things I’ve done.

“I’ve never seen someone who pulls off as many unexpected actions as Hanon.”

While I’m just as desperate, I’ve shown little regard for methods and means.

“So it’s not surprising Isabel can see Hanon through the lens of Lucas.”

Sharine was unusually chatty today.

I soon noticed Sharine’s ears turning red.

‘This girl.’

She’s definitely drunk.

She had been talkative, and yet her face looked fine, so I missed it.

‘Well, if Sharine’s going to make Isabel drink,

then she probably has to drink alongside her.’

‘This gives me clarity on how much Sharine cares for Isabel.’

Sharine wished more than anyone for Isabel not to suffer and to live her best life.

That’s why she asked me to draw out Isabel’s fury when we first met.

And today too, she was drinking with her to draw out Isabel’s true feelings.

“Sharine.”

Sharine’s eyes faintly met mine.

“Isabel is blessed just having a friend like you.”

Sharine couldn’t be the pillar of support for Isabel after losing Lucas.

Maybe she felt guilty about it.

Upon hearing my words, Sharine let out a chuckle.

That laughter appeared to be the clearest I’d ever seen.

“Hanon, I…”

Sharine covered her mouth.

“I think I’m going to throw up.”

Just before she threw up—it was her last desperate resistance.