Chapter 87.1

“Just a while longer…”

Damian let out a long sigh. 

I somehow….I felt very sorry for Damian. 

How much trouble he had to go through, stuck in a repeating nightmare. 

Does he still have to be afraid of whether I’m real or not when I’m right in front of him….

“….your Highness, I’m here.”

After some hesitation, I slowly raised my hand. 

As I gently swept his tense back, the force with which Damian held me soon lessened and he relaxed. 

Whoa. 

Damian let out another long sigh. 

It was a sigh of relief. 

“Yes, you really are here.”

It was then Damian let me go. 

But as far as his gaze was concerned, he continued to stare at me with tenaciousness. 

As if he was waiting for me to say something. 

…..it’s just, what should I say? 

I became slightly embarrassed. 

At the same time, Damian spoke, expecting something from me. 

“Do I have to ask this myself?”

Huh? Ask what?

Seeing I was puzzled, Damian promptly asked. 

“You know, didn’t you miss me?”

“What?”

Why this all of a sudden? 

I was amazed as I looked at Damian. 

Damian meanwhile spoke with a wistful expression. 

“I’ve had this feeling for some time, thinking I was the only one who wanted to see each other again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you get it? You’re always so calm, whereas I’m the one who’s anxious…”

No, you seriously think that? I can’t believe what he’s saying!

Snapping at him, I raised my voice unintentionally. 

“Of course, I missed you too!”

“You do?”

Damian’s expression softened the moment I said that. 

I’m at a loss for words. 

Even if it did feel good to say that, should I say more?

…..but, I truly did miss Damian. 

Now that I’ve said that, I decided to be a little more considerate by being more open with him. 

“I missed his Highness every day, so much so that I wet my pillows with tears.”

“….really?”

“Sure I do. You don’t believe me?”

I straightened my chest and looked Damian directly in the eyes. 

Damian was skeptical on the surface but his eyes and lips were more candid, revealing inwardly that he was convinced. 

Hey, Damian. 

Are you grinning like an idiot right now?!

“….your Highness, I think you should be grateful for your incredibly handsome appearance,” I murmured in a brooding voice. 

This was a first for me. I realized that even being drop-dead gorgeous could be offset by silly expressions. 

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Damian smiled broadly. 

“Does that mean I’m good-looking in your eyes?”

“Well, you are…” I said as I nodded slightly. 

Well, anyone with normal eyesight would agree. 

After hearing my answer, Damian had the most satisfied grin on his face as if he had just won the whole world. 

“Then it was worthwhile to not get hit in the face.”

“What? Worthwhile?”

“Yeah, you like handsome men.”

Ah, there’s no need to be that spot on, okay? 

I wore a frown on my face. 

Just then. 

Damian blurted out a question. 

“What do you think? Am I more to your liking now than the Duke of Rochester?”

He’s joking, right? 

I looked at Damian, a bit annoyed. 

But Damian had a serious expression. 

“Answer me quickly.”

“Your Highness, I really…”

“Am I better than the Duke of Rochester? Yes or no?”

Ugh, doesn’t he recognize the age difference between him and the Duke!

But Damian wasn’t going to back down till he heard my answer. 

I nodded repeatedly. 

“Yes, your Highness is better.”

“Yeah, I knew it all along.”

Damian raised the tip of his nose upwards, unaware he was pushing it.  

I narrowed my eyes. 

….I haven’t seen him in so long, but I swear Damian’s gotten a lot more childish than before. 

Or am I just delusional?

 

***

 

Damian and I sat together beneath the shade of blooming lilacs. 

He held my hand tightly. The gesture reminded me of a chick following its mother. 

Look, I’m fine with this but….

I glanced sideways at Damian. 

What will you do when other people see us? 

You and I are both adults now, to be holding hands so freely as we did when we were younger is a bit weird! We could be giving people the wrong idea!

Maybe dropping a hint about how this isn’t acceptable can work.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable to be holding hands all the time?” I said as I expected Damian to let go.

However…

“No, it’s comforting.”

….more attempts followed as I tried to free my hand but they were relentlessly blocked by Damian’s ironclad defense. 

Oh, dear. 

Damian…. 

I gave up on trying to dissuade him in the end. 

Well, there’s no one watching anyway.