Ch.77A Person on One Path! (2)

#077

Romance.

And love.

Emily knew the meaning of the words, but she didn’t understand them.

Dexter told her with serious eyes that he was in a relationship, while Jesse, sitting beside him, placed her hand on Dexter’s sturdy one and stroked it.

Seeing the two of them together, emotions she had never felt before were surging inside her.

While Grandma Bonnie, who had taught Emily all her skills, loved treasures and jewelry with stories behind them, Emily preferred vintage cars.

She appreciated their elegant or bold designs that differed from modern vehicles, but there was one main reason:

She could control something valuable exactly as she pleased.

When Emily first spotted Dexter entering the common room looking for Jesse, it was the first time in her life she felt her heart flutter at the sight of a man.

But Emily didn’t know if that was love.

Since she found it easiest to express her feelings in terms of how she felt when stealing cars, she recalled the times her heart had raced just as much.

In a secret garage that only Emily knew about, there was a ’61 Cadillac DeVille—the first vintage car she had ever seen.

It was the first car that had captivated her, and the first one she had stolen.

‘That heart-pounding feeling.’

Remembering that moment, Emily’s lips curled up slightly.

She also remembered the second time she met Dexter.

The third time,

The fourth time,

The fifth time…

With each memory, the corners of Emily’s mouth lifted just a little more.

That was the feeling of romance, and of love.

Emily had never properly experienced these emotions before, so she couldn’t name them.

But she vaguely sensed that this feeling was incredibly precious and something she shouldn’t forget.

And Jesse was the one who best recognized the change in Emily.

“…Are you smiling?”

When Jesse asked in a surprised voice, Dexter responded with confusion.

“How is that a smile?”

“Look! The corner of her mouth turned up slightly!”

As Jesse pointed to Emily’s lips, Dexter nodded in acknowledgment.

“…I guess so, but you call that a smile based on just that?”

“You don’t live with her! I’ve never seen Emily smile this much before!”

Dexter was dumbfounded, but since Jesse insisted, he decided to let it go.

“But why are you smiling when I said I’m dating Jesse?”

“…Good question.”

The two waited for Emily to answer.

After a few minutes, Emily’s expression, which had been staring into space with a smile, returned to its usual blank state.

With a coldness that sent chills, Emily finally spoke.

“…What is this feeling?”

“Huh?”

Jesse tilted her head, confused by Emily’s incomprehensible behavior.

“When I see Officer Hughes, I’m reminded of when I first stole the DeVille.”

Emily was trying to explain her feelings in her own way, but the two people who didn’t understand Emily’s mental landscape were completely lost.

“Sorry, but I really don’t understand what kind of metaphor that is…”

Jesse looked at Emily with genuine confusion.

Having seen such expressions countless times, Emily thought for a moment, then spoke again.

“How did you feel when you won your first race with a car you modified yourself, Jesse?”

“Obviously, I felt amazing…? Heart racing, thrilling, and even though I tried to act cool, my hands were trembling.”

“That’s how I felt when I first stole my favorite car.”

“Ah… wait.”

Jesse immediately understood Emily’s clearer explanation.

But what followed was the problem.

“Hold on… hold on. You said seeing Dexter reminds you of when you stole your favorite car, right?”

“Yes.”

“So that means… seeing Dexter makes your heart race and gives you a thrill?”

“That’s right.”

Emily spoke as if it were nothing, but Jesse and Dexter were dumbfounded.

“Emily, do you know what that means?”

“I’m not sure. I just feel that way when I see Officer Hughes.”

Dexter chose to press his forehead rather than respond to Emily’s words.

“Ah, how did things get like this…”

Dexter felt dizzy.

By this point, even someone as emotionless and empathetically challenged as Emily sensed something was off.

“Is my feeling… strange?”

“It’s not strange… Emily, that’s, umm… it means you like him.”

“Like him?”

“No, more than ‘like’… umm, yes. It means you love him.”

Like an android learning emotions from humans for the first time, Emily slowly nodded after hearing Jesse’s words and opened her mouth.

“So that’s what it was… Love? So love is what makes people feel this strange…”

Emily had two opportunities to learn about love in her life, but both had failed.

For someone like her, missing this chance might mean missing it forever.

It would have been better if this were happening in a more peaceful place, but unfortunately, it was in a prison—perhaps the strangest place to learn about love.

And the people in front of Emily were one of the strangest women in the prison and a man who had barely interacted with Earth people for fifteen years.

Emily, who had been yearning to understand this nameless emotion, spoke in a subdued voice to Dexter and Jesse after learning its identity.

“I have a request.”

“Yes? Go ahead.”

Emily looked at Jesse and said:

“I want to have a good relationship with Officer Hughes—I mean Dexter—like you do, Jesse.”

“…What?”

Even the usually brazen Jesse was defenseless against Emily’s attack, and Dexter, being the subject of discussion, couldn’t say anything.

“You said you and Dexter are dating, right?”

“…Yes?”

“Then I’d like to get your permission.”

“Wait, Emily. What about my permission?”

Dexter pointed to himself, but Emily just shook her head.

“You don’t have a choice, Dexter. It’s obvious that Jesse holds the power in this relationship.”

Dexter pondered Emily’s words.

‘Is that really true?’

The first time they got together, the initiator was… Jesse.

The next time, Dexter had only arranged the place, but Jesse had put in more effort.

When Jesse was busy, Dexter couldn’t see her even though he was a correctional officer.

And it was always Dexter who longed for Jesse.

“…You’re right.”

“Wait, Dexter. You’re giving up your decision here?”

To Jesse’s surprised question, Dexter nodded.

“Emily’s right. You’re the starting point of our relationship and the reason it has continued.”

If it weren’t for Jesse, even if Emily had fallen for Dexter at first sight, she would have wondered what this feeling was for the rest of her life.

In the end, the snowball had started rolling when Jesse pounced on Dexter in the infirmary.

“Jesse, please give me permission.”

“…You know you’re basically asking to fight over my boyfriend right in front of me, right?”

“Is that what I’m saying?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what you’re saying.”

Emily nodded at Jesse’s answer, then looked straight into Jesse’s eyes and said:

“I want to have a go with Dexter. If you don’t let me, I’ll tell the other inmates and officers.”

Now resorting to threats, Emily’s words made Dexter press his forehead again.

“Emily. Even though I taught you about PREA, you’re using it like this?”

“Because you don’t seem like you’ll agree otherwise.”

Jesse, who also knew about PREA, sighed deeply and said:

“Seriously… Dexter Hughes. Why do you have to be so attractive that it makes life exhausting?”

“…How is that my fault?”

Jesse glanced at Dexter’s wristwatch.

It was still morning, with plenty of time before lunch.

“…Dexter, can you use that boiler room?”

“What?”

“After lunch, are you free?”

Dexter made an uncomfortable face and said:

“I am, but are you really going to allow this?”

“What choice do I have when she’s threatening me like this! I’m frustrated too. I can’t believe I might lose my boyfriend right before my eyes.”

“Jesse, I don’t intend to take him from you.”

Unlike the conflicted Jesse, Emily spoke in a calm voice.

“What did you say?”

“Just because I stole a car doesn’t mean my friend can’t ride in it too.”

“You’re basically saying you want to steal someone else’s car and then ride in it with the owner!”

“Is that how it works?”

As Emily tilted her head in genuine confusion, Jesse looked at Dexter and gritted her teeth.

“This is all your fault!”

“What? Why?”

“It’s because you’re too handsome! If you were just moderately ugly, Emily wouldn’t have fallen for you at first sight!”

It was unfair.

Dexter needed someone to warm him, not multiple people.

Dexter could only sigh deeply, unable to respond.

* * *

“Is something wrong?”

Judy, who had come for lunch, asked Dexter as he was sighing heavily in front of his tray.

“…It’s nothing.”

He couldn’t face Judy.

No matter how straightforward Dexter’s personality was, he couldn’t tell the smiling Judy in front of him that he was “about to be pounced on by an inmate.”

“Really…? If you’re having a hard time, you can always talk to me. I want to help you as much as you’ve helped me.”

‘If I tell you that, I’ll feel even more sorry…’

“Thank you for your concern.”

“It’s nothing, that’s what I should do, right?”

Feeling guilty about Judy’s kindness, Dexter quickly wolfed down his food and hurriedly left the cafeteria.

As soon as he left, he received a text message from Himena.

-Have you eaten lunch?

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Today was full of people he felt sorry towards.

Especially Himena, with whom he had even kissed, making him feel terribly guilty.

‘I couldn’t even tell her I was dating Jesse, and now I’m adding one more person…’

It was enough to make him go insane.

>Ms. Himena, I need to talk to you later.

-??? What about? Is it important?

>Yes, very. Much.

-I don’t know what’s going on, but you’ll definitely tell me, right? 🙂

That smile was particularly hard to look at today.

Dexter sighed once more before sending a message.

>Yes, absolutely.

-Okay. Make sure to tell me? XOXO

Dexter closed his phone, lamenting his karma as he headed toward Medium Security Facility Building 2.

* * *

The boiler room in Medium Security Facility Building 2.

Dexter was sighing as he laid a thick mattress on the floor.

Jesse watched him with a complicated expression.

“…Is it okay to bring a mattress here?”

“It should be fine as long as we’re careful before winter.”

“Do we really need a mattress for what we’re going to do?”

Dexter looked at Emily, who was asking an innocent question, and said:

“Somehow this feels like we’re doing something wrong.”

“How do you think I feel watching this?”

While both Jesse and Dexter were preparing the bedding with headaches, Emily’s eyes were shining.

Though she didn’t know exactly what they were going to do, she was full of anticipation since Dexter and Jesse were doing this for her.

“…We can’t do anything in this atmosphere, so let’s chat casually first.”

Since the mood was definitely awkward, Dexter sat on the mattress, and Emily sat right next to him, sticking close.

“Emily, do you have an ideal type?”

“Ideal type… you mean in people, right?”

“Of course, I’m not talking about cars.”

As Jesse added, Emily ran her hands through her red hair with an expressionless face and said:

“Actually, I didn’t really understand the feeling of love until now. I wasn’t interested in men either. But Dexter was somehow different.”

“Different how?”

“I felt hot down there… Oh, is that inappropriate to say? Grandma Bonnie told me not to use such expressions.”

It was definitely explicit language for others to hear.

“Yeah, that’s… better not heard by others. Try not to say that when other people are around, okay?”

“I understand. Anyway, that’s how I feel when I see Dexter.”

“…Well, thanks, I guess.”

It was a compliment for Dexter, but in this uncomfortable situation, it didn’t feel like one.

“For starters, why don’t Dexter and Emily start with a kiss?”

Jesse suggested, seeing the two still awkward with each other.

“A kiss?”

With those words, Emily approached Dexter without blushing, cradled his head in her hands, and began to kiss him on the lips.

As if Jesse had prepared everything while Dexter was away, only a subtle mint flavor remained in Emily’s mouth.

Although Emily had never kissed anyone before, she accepted Dexter’s hot, sticky tongue entering her mouth without thinking.

At the same time, Emily felt a tingling sensation in her head.

It was a subtle but pleasant feeling—a warm sensation she had never properly experienced in her life.

Emily felt ticklish, embarrassed, and overwhelmed with emotion every time Dexter’s hands touched her body.

But Dexter hadn’t even started yet; he was just slowly warming up for Emily.