CH 33

Translator: Flameu

Editor: Yunan

Sniff.

Inside the cafe, Lara sat on a chair and tears could still be seen on her face from laughing too hard earlier when I was tickling her.

Oh! How can I look at those innocent eyes with tears in them?!

Even if one is not aware of her being the heroine of this story, her exuding beauty along with her teary expression is an artwork!

“Drink this and calm down first, Lariensa.”

Lycan ordered warm tea for Lariensa to make her calm down. My spirit was so fierce that even Lycan couldn’t stop me from “tickling” her sister.

As I fiercely stared at these two siblings, Lariensa bowed her head with a glum look while Lycan turned his head away.

“I will never attend a matchmaking party again, but this… I can’t let this incident go. You know that, right?”

“Yeah… I’ll accept whatever punishment you’ll give me.”

“Really?”

“…Yeah.”

I’m telling you guys, I’m weak against Lara.

But I can’t just overlook what happened earlier either.

“I’ll be moving out of our room for a while.”

“Huh? W-What?!”

“From now on, I’ll be staying in Natalie’s room.”

“Don’t do this to me, M-Marin!”

“You said you’d accept any punishment, right?”

“But I don’t want to be separated from you. That’s too cruel for me!”

Every time I see Lara’s expression like that it makes my conviction terribly weak…

No! I can’t just let this slide.

“Ruining today’s party was cruel for our friends as well. I would have let you off the hook if you were the only one who came and interrupted the party but…”

When I glared at Lycan again who was comforting his sister, he turned his head away again.

“I’m sorry I involved my brother…”

Lariensa had a look of despair. But I cannot let this slide either!

“I thought I should let my brother know…”

“Why?”

“Because Marin and my brother…”

“I’m not going to get married.”

Ding–

Lariensa looked stunned as if she had been hit by a hammer.

On behalf of his sister, Lycan refuted with a cough.

“Ahem, the future beyond us is uncertain.”

“That’s right, Marin! Don’t be so sure. My brother is really handsome, you know?”

“Also, I’m good at academics!”

“And kind!”

“And well mannered!”

What are these two sibling tandems up to? They sound like those suspicious side hustlers in the streets selling contrabands.

“Stop! Just don’t forget we’ll be separating rooms from now on.”

“Marin…”

“I won’t still let you go with that look.”

And that is how this incident was settled.

Since we were outside the academy, we took the liberty to stroll around town.

Normally, Lycan and I would have a war of nerves between Lara.

But that wasn’t the case today.

“Marin has a sweet tooth, right? Shall we go get some chocolate ice cream?”

“Strawberry flavor is also sweet. Add a scoop of that too.”

There was no war of nerves between me and Lycan at all.

“There’s something on your mouth. I’ll wipe it for you.”

“Brother! I’ll wipe it.”

“No, it’s alright. I’m much closer to her.”

We’re getting along well, but it feels like I’m in between the two of them.

“Since we’re in separate rooms starting today, I should stick to you as much as possible now!”

Lara wrapped her arms around my arms and didn’t think of falling off.

“Walk besides here on the sidewalk - it’s dangerous.”

Lycan made way within the sidewalk, saying it was dangerous, and he positioned himself on the outermost side.

Come to think of it, I am really in between the two of them…

Argh! Being stuck in the middle of these siblings is so burdensome!

“Lara should walk next to her brother.”

“I’m good enough being on Marin’s side.”

This isn’t it…

“Why don’t you walk beside Lara?”

“And why is that?”

“Because you have to protect your sister?”

“I can protect her from here, too.”

I’m telling you guys, this isn’t what’s supposed to happen!

＊ ＊ ＊

The day ended with our friends tickling (torturing) Lariensa, abandoning her as she held my legs, pleading not to move to Natalie's room.

I thought… everything was over after this day.

But I was greatly mistaken.

“Marilyn, look over there.”

After the festival, classes returned, and I was sleeping on my desk because I was tired. But Violet suddenly awoke me from my slumber and made me look at the front of the classroom.

There, I can see… Mr. Gatekeeper waving at me!

“How did you get here?”

I rushed towards the door while looking around the room.

Phew, fortunately Sibel isn’t in the classroom.

Forced to tread Sibel’s route, which has all the red flags planted on it, I was very worried about Mr. Gatekeeper.

“I was flustered that day and just let you go, however, I thought things over.”

“And…?”

“I… I…”

“……”

“I just can’t give up on you like this!”

No one knows that I went to a matchmaking party except for Lycan and my friends.

I was relieved thinking that this incident would pass quietly like this.

What kind of disturbance is this?

“Why are you so willing to go through all this trouble for me?”

Is it really because of what I did at the entrance of the horror house during the festival?

“When I first saw you, I thought you were really pretty. But then, you made those short-tongued sounds…”

So?

“…and it was so cute.”

The world is big and full of diverse people, so there may be people who have unusual tastes.

But you’re so hooked into that (aegyo) that you’re doing this much?

“Iff yu shay thoshe r showt-tonged shounds, Marini will bi mhad! (If you say those are short-tongued sounds, Marin will be mad!)”

“……”

“Mhad! Mhad! (Mad! Mad!) …This is what you’re talking about, right?”

Looking at him nodding with his red face down, unable to answer.

What an unusual taste…

Okay! If you’re so into my cuteness, then that’s a plus for me!

“Hmm? Hmmm~?”

“……”

“…For real though, please don’t like me.”

I’m getting all embarrassed here…

“Never mind Lycan or anyone else… what do you feel about me?”

Mr. Gatekeeper, who had escaped from my deadly cute act, returned to the main point.

“That day, I just attended the party for a friend’s favor. You said your name was Claus, right?”

“It’s Chris.”

“Okay, Chris. Thank you for liking me, but our interaction ended that day.”

“……”

“Although I had fun with you on that day, I wouldn’t have decided to meet you again.”

“I see…”

Was that too much? No, this is better than giving him false hope.

Was that already enough, Mr. Gatekeeper? If you already did this much, save your life from Lycan.

“…A-Are you crying?”

“No, I’m not… I’m sorry.”

Please don’t cry, please, please!

However, a tear fell down on his cheek.

“I’ve never felt this way before…”

If you say that line with such moist eyes…!

“I’m sorry. My feelings must be a burden to you."

NNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I’m not good at being thin and weak like that.

“But still…”

“……”

“Can I take you out for a date one more time? Please?”

“……”

“If after that day, you still don’t have any feelings for me, then I’ll give up."

Was my cute act fatal enough to be worth hanging on to?

Enough to throw away your pride like this?!

“Is that really not possible, Marilyn?”

If you look at me with such eyes, I’ll…!

“If I still don’t feel anything for you on that day, you have to keep your promise and give up, okay?”

“Of course!”

Sigh… I’m screwed. In the end, I ended up scheduling a date.

＊ ＊ ＊

Strike the iron while it’s hot. Today, we’re just going to take a short walk, eat something delicious, and talk for a bit…! And then break up right away!

As if to get rid of my delayed homework, I decided to go on a date with Mr. Gatekeeper today.

“Marilyn, where are you going?”

“I have an appointment.”

“With whom?”

“You think you guys are the only friends I have?”

“Yeah, we’re the only ones.”

“……”

Those words are so true that I have nothing to say.

Lara looked suspicious on the day when she went somewhere other than the direction of the dormitory.

I didn’t want someone to come and disturb us again, so I gave her a stern warning.

“If you or someone else follows me, we’ll be separating rooms forever.”

“…That’s too much.”

I won’t let you go even if you cry with such a pretty face.

Turning my back on my friends and Lara with a determined look, I rushed to the meeting place.

Soon after, I saw Mr. Gatekeeper who greeted me with a bright smile from afar.

“Hey, Chris!”

The name Chris is quite pretty…

But as expected, calling him Mr. Gatekeeper is much better.

“Did you have a hard time coming?”

“What’s so hard about walking?”

“Thank you for coming. Actually, I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“Since I promised you, it would be quite rude if I didn’t come.”

“Not only are you pretty and sweet, but you’re also polite too.”

I just kept the basics, It’s a bit embarrassing if you compliment me for just that.

I’m even more embarrassed because I’ve never met anyone who would tell me that they like me so openly.

Lycan and Sibel are trying to get me on their route, but they haven’t even attempted to make something as bold as a genuine confession!

“So what are we going to do?”

“I made up a plan.”

“Is there anything you want to do at the academy?”

"First, we’ll walk in the quiet forest together, sit in the giant fountain, then share food with you, and lastly, serenade you in the music room...…"

“Okay, stop right there.”

What person is going to report the date course they’ve prepared to their partner?!

“I worked hard on it, do you not like it?”

“N-No! It’s not like that!”

When did I say I didn’t like it?

I think it’s the best dating course one can do inside the academy.

Although the serenade in the music room was quite burdensome, the rest were fine.

“Is there a forest nearby?”

“Yeah, I saw one before!”

Mr. Gatekeeper took the course steadily as he had planned. We took a walk in the forest where there were few people to avoid the eyes of other students.

As we talked, I realized Mr. Gatekeeper was actually pretty kind.

You’d think he’s quite eccentric because he fell for my cute act but he’s just a pure and simple guy.

“Would you like to sit here?”

He’s also well mannered as he puts down a handkerchief in front of the fountain.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“…Oh? Ah, sorry! You’re just so pretty that I unknowingly…”

Whether he fell quickly for me or not, it seems that he likes me so much.

If you look at the person himself, there was nothing wrong with him.

However, there are too many interruptions just for me to flirt with Mr. Gatekeeper.

There’s Lara and Lycan, and also Sibel…

Wait, what is this?

I looked down and saw Mr. Gatekeeper putting his finger on my hand that I put down on the fountain.

And slowly he was getting closer to my hand as if he’s trying to hold hands with me.

I’m sorry, Mr. Gatekeeper, but let me just take my hand off.

I tried to pull out my hand first. I really meant to…

It was not that anyone was disturbing me, but that I was trying to deny skinship on my own.

“It’s curfew soon.”

But the timing was so bad that “he” saw it first.

“Also, the school rules tell us to refrain from excessive contact between male and female students, Senior.”

Sibel was precisely looking at my hand and Mr. Gatekeeper’s half-stretched hand.

My gut is telling me…

That he’s in a very bad mood right now!

I pulled out my hand so hard that Mr. Gatekeeper looked shocked.

Don’t look so hurt! This is for your sake!

“Holding hands is not excessive contact. Everyone else is also doing the same.”

“Excessive contact can only be subjectively judged unless specifically stated.”

Sibel was not pushed by Mr. Gatekeeper even though he was a senior.

You sound like you have no intention of interrupting with a smile on your face, but why is that smile so scary?

“Today’s date can’t end here…”

You stupid guy! The date’s not important right now, what’s more important is keeping your life!

Forget about the serenade in the music room!

“I know it’s still early, but I’ll confess right now."

Are you really going to confess right now?

…In front of Sibell?

“I’m going to confess with all my heart~ cuz I wanna be brave~”

No, it wasn’t just a normal confession. Mr. Gatekeeper started to sing his love serenade!

STOP!!! Right now! Just take a look at my face, please!