Ch.170170. A Story Only You Can Tell

“Uh… hmm.”

I was about to make excuses without thinking, but I quickly shut my mouth.

The look in Hwa Nabi’s eyes was unsettling, making it clear that this wasn’t a situation I could just talk my way out of with a few casual words.

“Um, Nabi.”

“Yes, what is it?”

Hwa Nabi nodded slowly, staring at me intently as if telling me to go ahead with whatever excuse I had. It feels like lasers are shooting from her eyes.

I wasn’t this nervous even when proposing, but now my lips are completely dry. I moistened my lips with my tongue, looked her over, and slowly began to speak.

“You look really pretty today.”

“Thanks for the empty compliment. So, what comes next?”

It’s not just some hastily made-up excuse but my honest feeling. Though saying that probably wouldn’t help much, would it? How do I overcome this obstacle?

If only there were magical words that could melt away someone’s anger just by saying them. I thought about it briefly, but of course, such convenient words don’t come to mind easily.

“…Will you marry me?”

“We’ve already talked about that.”

Ah, that didn’t work. I thought it was my trump card, but Hwa Nabi cut me off immediately. If compliments don’t work and confessions don’t work either, is a direct apology my only option?

I’m not sure if apologizing will actually improve Hwa Nabi’s mood, but with no other options left, I have no choice. After hesitating for a while, I said to her:

“Um… I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“……”

And there it was, the phrase that triggers PTSD in all men: “What are you sorry for?” At that moment, I realized that Hwa Nabi was determined today.

Hwa Nabi is surprisingly cool-headed. She often pretends to be upset but rarely gets genuinely angry. Even when she does get upset, she usually gets over it quickly for most things.

For her to be talking like this means…

“Siwoo.”

“Oh, yes?”

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

Of course, there’s a lot I want to say. But I’m wondering if it’s really okay to say it.

While I was pondering internally, I glanced at her. Hwa Nabi was smiling. She was smiling, but her eyes weren’t, which made it even scarier.

I tried to brush it off casually, but that’s not going to work. Worried that she might really misunderstand, I looked at her and began to speak seriously.

“First, I want to say this in case you misunderstand.”

“Yes.”

“I never said I don’t need a fiancée.”

If nothing else, I can say this with confidence. At least, as far as I can remember, I’ve never said such a thing. After all, I only found out about having a fiancée on my high school entrance ceremony day.

Hwa Nabi furrowed her brow and stepped closer. The distance is close. Normally, I would have quickly kissed her at this distance, but doing that now would probably make things worse.

It’s quite pressuring to face her like this, so I tried to avoid her gaze. But as if telling me not to run away, Hwa Nabi grabbed my hand firmly.

“…What are you doing?”

“Wait. I’m trying to figure out if you’re lying or not.”

“Can you really tell just by looking at my eyes?”

“Yes, of course I can.”

Did she learn mind-reading without me knowing? Figuring there was no point in avoiding her gaze, I gave up and looked directly at her.

Looking at her like this, her eyes really are big. And with that emerald-colored iris, they’re quite fascinating.

While I was having these inappropriate thoughts, those large emerald eyes blinked a couple of times.

“So, what’s the result?”

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like a lie…”

What else could there be? As I waited quietly, Hwa Nabi tilted her head.

“But it doesn’t feel like the complete truth either.”

Neither a lie nor the truth—could there be a more accurate description? Judging by her uncertainty, it seems like Hwa Nabi was half-guessing, but my heart sank because there was something that made me feel guilty.

“So, you’re saying it’s not a lie?”

“Well… yes, but there’s something more.”

“…Then that’s fine.”

Talking more about this topic would only expose me further. Trying to appear as calm as possible, I cleared my throat and embraced Hwa Nabi. She didn’t resist the sudden embrace.

However, as if thinking about something, she let out a long sigh and patted my waist.

“Hmm, still suspicious…”

“What’s suspicious?”

“Usually, your hands start wandering as soon as you hug me, but today they’re staying still.”

“Someone might think that’s actually true…”

I never expected to be suspected just because my hands were still. But her observation was quite accurate, which made me even more uncomfortable. As Hwa Nabi pointed out, I did tend to touch her all over whenever we hugged.

Saying “touch all over” makes it sound strange. I’m just saying that’s how it comes across. Just saying.

“You’re unusually late with the touching today.”

When I stroked her back to dispel suspicion, Hwa Nabi, with her face buried in my chest, laughed softly. As I continued to gently stroke her back, I said:

“Um, just to be clear again. I really never said that. At that time, I…”

“Okay, I believe you.”

“…Huh?”

The answer was so refreshingly straightforward that it almost felt anticlimactic. I was momentarily stunned, thinking I had misheard. As I blinked in confusion, Hwa Nabi lifted her head from my chest.

“What’s wrong, was it a lie?”

“No, it’s not a lie…”

Is it really okay for her to believe me so easily? I thought she would question me a few more times even after I denied it. While this was the outcome I had hoped for, I was still confused by her ready acceptance.

“Then that’s fine.”

“…You’re not just bottling it up inside, are you?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Well, you know…”

With her eyes wide open like that, it’s normal to think she wouldn’t believe me so easily.

I swallowed the rest of my words and chose them carefully. There are times when being honest is beneficial and times when it’s not, and this is definitely the latter.

“Your hand stopped.”

“Hand? Oh… yeah.”

I had stopped stroking her back while thinking, and she noticed it immediately and demanded I continue. I carefully moved my right hand to stroke her back again.

“Did you put on perfume?”

“No, pregnant women shouldn’t use perfume.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Then what’s this scent? There’s a different smell from Hwa Nabi’s usual scent. It’s fragrant, soft, and sweet, which feels a bit unfamiliar.

Wanting to investigate further, I hugged her back and sniffed. It must have tickled because Hwa Nabi made a strange nasal sound and nestled deeper.

“Mmm, that’s it. That must be the smell.”

“That? What is it?”

“The mandarin oil your mother gave me. I was using it in an aroma candle for prenatal care, and I guess the smell stayed on me.”

“Perfume isn’t allowed, but aroma candles are okay?”

“Not all of them. I looked it up, and there are a few that are safe for pregnant women. Mandarin oil is one of them.”

“I see. But what’s mandarin?”

The smell is similar to citrus, but is it a type of aroma? I’m clueless about women’s cosmetics and aroma oils.

“It’s orange.”

“Orange… isn’t that tangerine?”

“Yes, it is tangerine.”

“So tangerines are good for prenatal care.”

So that’s why pregnant women particularly crave tangerines. I muttered this analysis quite seriously, but Hwa Nabi chuckled.

“I don’t think that’s the reason.”

“Why not? It could be.”

“The reason pregnant people crave sour things is because of hormonal changes, right? Who eats sour food for prenatal care?”

“Yes, that’s evidence that the body knows. Sour foods have good aromas. So they’re good for prenatal care.”

“Heh, whatever. Fine, maybe that’s possible.”

After exchanging this trivial conversation, we embraced each other a little more tightly. The gentle breeze, the pleasant scent at the tip of my nose—the situation itself is incredibly romantic, except for the fact that we’re on the rooftop of our house.

“Oh, Siwoo. I forgot to mention.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“About the aroma candle I just mentioned. I lit it in your room, is that okay?”

Despite having many other empty rooms, she used it in my room. It was a bit surprising, but understandable. My familiar room would be more psychologically comforting than other rooms she’s never entered before.

I don’t know much about it, but I thought that might be better for prenatal care too, so I nodded reluctantly.

“Yeah, sure. Use my room.”

“Thank you. By the way, Siwoo, what’s the password for the computer in your room?”

“Password? That should be 03090…”

I managed to stop before saying the last digit. She asked so naturally that I didn’t notice at first, but why is she suddenly asking for my computer password? Unlike me who was startled, Hwa Nabi calmly turned around.

As she started walking forward, I quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“To get ready for bed. Your mother said I should stay overnight today.”

“It’s not even three o’clock yet, and you’re going to sleep already?”

“Yes. Maybe it’s because of the pregnancy, but I get sleepy even when I don’t do much. Is it okay if I take a nap in your room?”

Her expression is full of curiosity, and she doesn’t look like someone who’s sleepy at all. If I let go of her wrist, won’t she run straight to check my computer? That absolutely cannot happen.

“Ah, no. Stay with me.”

“Why, do you have something to hide?”

“…No, of course not.”

“Then it shouldn’t matter if I go to sleep there, right?”

“Well… that’s…”

“Why can’t you answer?”

“……”

Without a doubt, the greatest crisis of my life has arrived.