It wasnât easy for me to secretly prepare for Lariensaâs birthday party since she was practically glued to me every day.
âI have an interview with the Clean Newspaper.â
ââŚâŚâ
âItâs true, professor.â
An interview or two as excuses. The professor looked at me, sighed, and eventually gave me an exit slip.
âHere⌠but once the festival ends, these privileges are over, okay?â
âYes, professor.â
As Lariensa and I were the main victims of the incident, the professors werenât as lenient to Emily, Natalie, and Violet as they were to us, rendering them unable to go outside the academy. So it was naturally up to me to go outside and get some things needed for the party.
After collecting the money given to me by my friends, I gave the guard an exit slip and went out of the academy.
Then, I entered the busy street downtown to buy a list of gifts and some party items. First, I went inside a hat shop to buy a hat that matched Lariensaâs blonde hair.
âAs expected, white would suit Lara, but her favorite color is sky blueâŚâ
Now that the bruises on my neck were all better, I remembered the white scarf that Lycan gave me. I tried to shake it off of my mind as I was picking out a suitable color for Lariensaâs gift, but that white scarf kept bothering me.
Lycanâs gift was a bit burdensome, but I couldnât just throw out other peopleâs gifts in some corner, so I just tied it around on my wrist like this.
Really⌠what was Lycan thinking, giving me this white scarf?
Unlike Lariensaâs blonde hair, mine is brilliant red, so the color white wouldnât suit meâŚ
I fiddled with the scarf tied to my wrist for no reason.
âAhâŚ!â
Suddenly a long brim hat was placed on my head. My vision was blocked for a moment, but as I lifted the visor and looked at the mirror, I found out who was behind me.
âWhy are you here?â
Ash-blue hair and turquoise eyes. With a refreshing smile, he pressed the hat on me even more.
âItâs hard to meet you in the academy.â
âYou followed me?â
âMaybe I should also stalk you like what Bentley did.â
âYah, Ssi-bel!â
âUsually, people call me Sibel Khan without the middle name. But the way youâre calling me⌠it somehow doesnât sound nice.â
Itâs because I purposely say it as if Iâm cursingâŚ
âIâm too busy to play with you.â
âIs it for that galâs birthday party?â
ââŚSince when have you been following me?â
As I was preparing to flee from Sibel, he pointed to the note I was holding in my hand.
At the top of the note, it said, âList of preparations for Lariensaâs birthday party!â
âŚUgh, so embarrassing.
âSo are we clear now?â
I had no choice but to nod. Iâm the one who suspected someone without proof after all.
Of course, considering what he did in the original story, I canât help but be suspicious of anything that he says or does.
But somehow, by some strange luck, I was saved by Sibel during those dire situations.
The day he sneaked into Professor Bentleyâs room, he helped me out on the rooftop, and I was able to escape from being choked to death because of him.
It was all possible because Sibel was there.
âWell, since youâre here, do you have something you want to buy?â
âWill you buy it for me if I say there is?â
Because of Laraâs gifts, my friends and I have a little money left for saving. Still, I wanted to repay my debt to him.
However, looking at Sibelâs eyesâŚ
Itâs obvious that heâs going to pick something expensive on purpose.
âOkay, never mind. Donât pick.â
âSo mean. You havenât even thanked me once for everything I did.â
Ugh! My conscience!
Itâs true that Sibel helped me, but Iâm still too stubborn to thank him for that.
Although Iâve always regarded Sibel as an absolute evil while constantly being hostile to him, it hurts my pride seeing him be the complete opposite of that.
Sibel stopped trying to reach out to me as I closed my mouth and made a sour face.
âDonât you want to pay me back?â
âThatâs why I told you to choose what you wanted.â
âNot that⌠I want you to pay me back in some other way.â
âSo, what do you want?â
Sibel lowered his head towards mine. He was careful not to touch a single strand of my hair as he whispered.
âWhy donât you pick a hat first?â
Sibelâs eyes were then directed sideways. I followed his gaze, and I could see that the shopkeeper was staring at us with an annoyed look.
Well.
Iâve already been here for quite some time. Iâm sure sheâs annoyed by now.
âPersonally, I recommend that white hat.â
âI think white suits Lara too.â
âIâm talking about you, though.â
This is why handsome faces are bad for the heart. Even if you know that gentle personality is just a pretense, youâll be fascinated by their dazzling smile.
âIâm here to buy a present for Lariensa, not mine.â
I went back to choosing Lariensaâs gift while ignoring Sibel as much as I could. In the end, I picked up the sky blue hat and bought it.
After wrapping it up, I headed to the bookstore to choose the second gift, a book.
I was worried that Sibel, who had followed me there, would also bother me like what he did at the hat store, but he was surprisingly quiet.
On the contrary, he isolated himself and read a book quietly.
Him reading a book on fairy tales didnât sit well with me either.
After choosing the book about another country that Lariensa liked, I felt conflicted as I watched Sibel reading a picture book as if he were being sucked into the story.
âShould I leave him behind or bring him with me?â
I know that I can just leave him behind since heâs the one who followed me on his own anyways, but I was worried that he might hate me for it.
In the end, I was forced to head towards Sibel.
âIâm going to leave now.â
âI thought youâd leave me for sure.â
ââŚYou knew that I was done picking out a book?â
âI was keeping an eye on you.â
âBut werenât you reading a book?â
âIâm smart; focusing on two things at the same time is no sweat.â
ââŚJerk.â
âIâm flattered.â
âOkay, sure. Why donât we take a look at what you were reading.â
I read the title on the cover of the book.
âPrincess Flora?â
âWould you like to read it?â
The story was short since it was a picture book. It seems that I could finish it in just one sitting.
I quickly opened the book and read it. The story was quite simple.
It was about a princess as beautiful as Snow White who was offered to a monster because her father was possessed by a witch. In the end, the prince saves her from the monsterâs clutches.
Of course, it was a happy ending.
âYour taste is quite unique. Do you like these kinds of books?â
âI donât particularly like it. I just read these once in a while when Iâm bored.â
âYou usually read fairy tales like this when youâre young, though.â
âI never read fairy tales when I was young.â
âEyy, thereâs no one whoâs never read a fairy tale when they were young.â
However, as soon as I finished that sentence, I got flustered.
At this point in the novel, his past had not been revealed yet, even though heâs the male lead.
What he did to Lariensa in the original story was unforgivable despite his dark past behind it, but now Sibel isnât interested in Lara.
On another note, itâs also rude to carelessly talk about other peopleâs past.
ââŚSorry.â
I said it in a hurry, but Sibel was unexpectedly not upset about it.
But heâs fake. One shouldnât be fooled by that face!
âYou can say sorry, but you canât even manage a simple âthank youâ, huh?â
ââŚâŚâ
âThat wasnât something to be sorry about.â
âAre you sure itâs okay?â
âYou donât believe me?â
ââŚBut youâre good at putting on an act.â
Sibel laughed.
âI donât have to do that in front of you, though.â
Come to think of it, Sibel never hid that awful temper of his in front of me anymore.
He didnât play the perfect student with an infinitely sweet and gentle personality as if someone created him.
When heâs angry, he would just vent his anger out, and when somethingâs funny, he would just laugh as it is.
âAre you comfortable with me?â
I asked Sibel while choosing gifts and party supplies around the shop.
âSuper. Youâre fun.â
Sibel answered without hesitation.
But I couldnât say anything about it, so I just shut my mouth and continued shopping.
Finally, I was able to buy all the things that were on the list. I was about to head back to the academy whenâŚ
Sibel threatened me, no not threatened, asked me with a smile to stay with him longer; thatâs why Iâm currently sitting face to face with him at a cafe.
At least thereâs no pushing against the wall this time or any forced contact with him. It was clear that he cared about what I said regarding what counted as harassment.
ââŚHeâs more human than I thought.â
âI can see youâre thinking about something else.â
As I was drinking with a straw, I broke from my thoughts when he talked to me.
Hmm⌠what does he think of me now?
Does he think about me in âthatâ kind of way? If thatâs the case, Iâm definitely breaking his arms and legs!
âŚYou didnât go that far, did you? Gosh, goosebumps.
âI can see clearly what you think.â
âNot everyone can put on an act like you.â
âSo, are you thinking of Lariensa Jellinus again?â
âNo, I was thinking of you.â
Sibelâs eyes grew very briefly, but they immediately returned to their original state. It was a very momentary look, but I saw it clearly.
Sibel, with a relaxed expression on his face, held his chin in his hand and asked.
âSo, what were you thinking about me?â
If possible, I hope Sibelâs feelings toward me havenât reached that stage yet, but if he couldnât avoid it until the end, it would be better to face him earlier on.
âDo you, by any chance, want to lock me up?â
ââŚâŚâ
âDo you want to take away the sight of everyone who looks at me, and you want to own me even if I was broken?â
ââŚâŚâ
Sibelâs relaxed expression disappeared again. He, who was expressing his bewildered expression, soon burst into laughter.
Youâre making fun of me, arenât you?
ââŚMarilyn Launer, youâre really unique.â
Sibel, who barely stopped laughing, answered slowly.
âItâs true that youâre greedy, am I wrong?â
Is that so? Was I overthinking this?
âBut the idea of wanting to lock you up, or taking away the sight of someone else who sees youâŚâ
Why donât you continue it? That long pause is ominous.
ââŚI havenât thought about it yet.â
But Sibelâs tone seemed to be implying, âwhy didnât I think about it?â
I shouldnât have said that. I shouldnât have provoked that crazy guy!
âIf you lock me up, I wonât be fun to be with anymore.â
âWhy?â
ââCuz Iâm not going to say a word.â
I added the words in a hurry.
âIf you got ahold of my friends, Iâd still talk since theyâre my weakness. But it wonât be as fun as it is now. I have to be in a pleasant state to make jokes.â
I said it just in case, but my expression became strange as I was thinking about it.
I donât know if he did that on purpose, but the act he was putting in front of me wasnât perfect.
Sibel said he could see all my thoughts, but I can also see some of his thoughts.
âAnd one more.â
ââŚâŚâ
âYou canât force yourself to own the other person. It rather backfires with resistance.â
âThen what can I do to get you?â
The idea of owning the other person is wrong in the first place.
But he wouldnât understand if I said this.
âWell, Iâll let you know about that later.â
I donât think he thought of me in that way yet, so Iâll let this go for now, but on the fateful day that he does.
Iâll tell you on that day.
It would be better if such a day didnât come.
âAs expected, youâre fun.â
Listening to that, it certainly seemed far from romantic feelings yet.
Yeah, so far, your obsession wonât be a problem.
âLetâs go back now to the academy.â
Whether or not Sibel was satisfied with spending this much time, he returned to the academy with me obediently.