Chapter 351

Chapter 351

Eat The World Tree.

Episode 351: Sweet Night.

Being with someone who made you happy.

Even though I saw more flaws than merits, sometimes played mischievous pranks, acted like a pervert, a fool, and sometimes treated me too harshly…

“Aaaah~~~! Cough, cough.”

There was a man next to me who made me smile for some reason just by watching him.

“I can’t hit the high notes. Heh heh.”

Even the way he put down the microphone, looking dejected.

‘Cute…’

Even his look of being intimidated by my singing, and him looking so pitiful that I felt like teasing him. Could there be someone in this world with this much charm?

“Why are you laughing like that?”

“Huh? It’s nothing…”

Poke-

Pat pat.

His large hand stroked my head.

It felt good, but sometimes I wondered if he really saw me as a pet.

“…Don’t pat my head.”

It was a small act of defiance, but when I did that, Lee Shiheon patted my head until he was satisfied, then let’s go with a happy face after my hair was all messed up. When his hand touched me, I hated how I couldn’t resist.

‘Even so.’

I felt attached.

When he was beside me, my eyes were drawn to him, and when my eyes went to him, I wanted to touch him, and when I touched him, I wanted to cling to him, and when I clung to him, I wanted to act spoiled, and when I acted spoiled, I wanted to spend all my time with him. Despite all the burdens I carried, to think that one person could sway my emotions this much.

When did it start?

‘…’

It just naturally came to mind.

‘Hateful person.’

The person I couldn’t help but like.

Even though he could have done whatever he wanted with me, he kept his distance. Even when I confessed to him in desperation, he supported me to overcome my brainwashing.

There were times when we were distant, but… regardless, he helped me. He sacrificed his body to save me, took the brunt of a collapsing building with his own body.

He protected me so purely. How could I take my eyes off him?

“Not singing anymore?”

“Nah, that’s enough for today.”

Everything else seemed unimportant.

Unlike other people around me, he didn’t expect anything from himself, tried his best to answer even the strange questions about common people’s stories, and didn’t hide his flaws. Now, even those many flaws seemed charming to me.

Even now, just looking at his face, I find myself smiling foolishly.

“…Pfft.”

Others might call this being smitten.

“Oh, come to think of it, there isn’t much time left, right?”

“Yeah.”

“National Tree isn’t exactly free either. Well, it’s been quite chaotic lately.”

We only had about 3-4 hours for our outing.

We had been out for quite a while, had fun at the karaoke, so it was time to go back. If even this was seen by my secretary, I’d at least get a cold stare.

When we stepped out of the karaoke room, the sky had slightly turned yellow. 5 PM. The time when the food we ate wasn’t fully digested yet. A time that somehow felt lacking.

Lee Shiheon, who stretched, looked at me.

“How was it?”

“…It was good.”

“This is how kids play these days. Nobles might be different.”

Looking at Lee Shiheon, who spoke indifferently, I found his face annoyingly charming.

I shouldn’t think like this.

‘…Doesn’t he feel anything about being apart from me?’

Being happy together meant being sad when apart. The space between our elbows felt so cozy right now. Even this distance where only a leaf could fit felt happy. Did he feel this too?

I subtly moved my shoe and stepped closer by one step.

The 3 cm gap between us.

The ticklish feeling makes me smile bashfully.

“Ah, it’s a pity…”

“Yeah.”

Even when I mustered the courage to speak, the response was indifferent. It was somewhat disappointing and saddening. I knew it was a one-sided feeling.

…Because I pushed him away when I was mentally weak.

‘Could it be that I’m not his type?’

My heart sank. The scene I saw in the changing room then flashed before my eyes. My chest wasn’t big like a nursing mother’s, I was short, and everywhere I went, I was treated more like a cute cat than a beauty.

Normally, I should say we needed to go now…

But the words to return to France wouldn’t come out, just lingering in my mouth.

‘…’

Actually.

I planned to confess my feelings after meeting him today.

National Tree’s schedule wasn’t lenient.

If we parted now, we might not meet again for months, or if we didn’t match, it could be years.

With the possibility of war these days, if I didn’t convey my feelings, there was a lot I might regret in the future.

“Are you going?”

Lee Shiheon said.

My lips wouldn’t move.

I reached out, touched my chest, and clenched my fist. For some reason, I was sweating.

What face would I make if he rejected me? Should I just keep it to myself? Even if I was the only one in love… If I were a cat like he said, I could have just cried beside him.

…One more time.

Couldn’t he put that brainwashing on me again?

-Shudder.

With trembling fists lowered, I finally managed to speak.

“I, I, you know…”

“Hmm?”

My face was burning.

My nose, cheeks, ears, and even my eyes were all red. My emotions wouldn’t control themselves. Even my mouth started to twitch unattractively as I tried to speak.

Wouldn’t I look strange?

Why did this foolish face, which seemed to show no thought, look so irritating now?

I grabbed the brim of my hat with both hands and pulled it down. So he couldn’t see my expression. To convey my words more comfortably.

“That, that…”

-Coward.

The imaginary me in my head spoke up.

‘You shouldn’t be saying that to me.’

-What are two idiots doing? Moron.

I was on the verge of passing out. I didn’t know I could be this scared. My face felt like it was about to explode with redness. My vision was spinning.

At that moment, an idea struck me.

‘Ah!’

A good excuse comes to mind.

“The studio apartment…”

“Hmm?”

“When you talked about common people’s stories… you said you’d show me around.”

One of the many casual conversations we had before. Thankfully, I had a good memory, otherwise, I would have forgotten this. I unwittingly sighed in relief.

“Hmm… Do you have time?”

“A bit is okay.”

I could hear the sigh from the imaginary me in my head.

-Sigh. Can’t even confess, what a wimp.

‘…I’ll do it.’

I had to.

Because I wouldn’t have many chances.

Our night cat seemed suspicious.

Her face turned bright red, she was walking around distractedly like a dog needing to poop, glancing at me intermittently.

“Here it is.”

-Creak.

The musty smell that wafted out as soon as the door opened.

Somehow, we ended up in the studio, but was it properly tidied?

Of course, the unmanaged room was in chaos.

Thankfully, there were no worst-case scenarios like bugs appearing.

Instead, the floor was covered with a white film of dust.

Footprints were left as soon as I stepped from the entrance into the room.

“It’s a bit dirty, are you okay with it?”

“…Yeah!”

Maronnie seems to like the atmosphere of such a house.

I could agree. This was the epitome of common life. When I was first brought here from another world, I was almost terrified to death living in this room.

‘It’s been a while.’

I looked over to where the low desk would be.

There wouldn’t be a desk in this tiny studio. I studied here on a makeshift desk without a backrest, buying books with the little money left for the academy exam.

No bed, just a moldy mattress on the floor.

On it, neatly folded blankets.

I entered the room and sat on the mattress. Maronnie followed, wandering around every corner of the room.

Her footprints on the white dust were not even half the size of mine.

Leaving Blanche behind, who was marking her territory like a puppy seeing its first snow, I looked at the ceiling.

“Shiheon.”

“Have you seen enough? Come sit here.”

“Yeah.”

Blanche, sitting right next to me, still looked around curiously.

“Cough.”

Still, the room was dusty. So, I opened the small window on the mattress for some ventilation.

“So this is where you lived.”

“Yeah.”

It was the place where I lived when I had nothing.

Now I understand the context, but when I first came here, I was scared out of my wits, wondering who would provide such a place. My life was like a horror movie.

“…I see.”

She spoke softly, looking up at me.

-Thump.

She rested her head on my shoulder.

Taking off her hat, placing it on the mattress, revealing her long hair, she now moved her hands.

Tap, tap with her left finger. She scratched my thigh with her long nails.

As if signaling something.

“Uhm, by the way, Shiheon.”

It wasn’t natural at all.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the forced atmosphere.

What kind of favor was she going to ask for, setting up like this?

When I looked at her with that thought, Maronnie came closer with the same embarrassed expression from before.

When our distance couldn’t get any closer and we were practically stuck together.

“Do you remember… that thing you said before?”

“What thing?”

“…”

Blanche’s face turned as red as if it would explode.

“…You.”

“Me.”

“Ah, no, I…”

“Me?”

I waited for her. Because it was cute.

She looked anxious, not knowing how to finish her sentence.

“…Ugh.”

Did I tease her too much?

Maronnie covered her face with her hands, overwhelmed by embarrassment.

After taking a long pause, she finally burst out.

“Aaah!”

-Smack!

“Huh?”

She suddenly hugged me with both hands.

My body, sitting, fell backward. Maronnie fell onto me.

She started rubbing her face against my chest, embracing my stomach.

Then, realizing she had accelerated too quickly…

“…What do I do now…?”

She asked me timidly.

“Are you asking me that?”

“…I couldn’t say it. It’s because of you…”

“What is it? I’ll listen, just tell me.”

When was my body ever mine?

I was the one filling the void in her life.

“Then… I’ll only say it once. Listen.”

Maronnie lifted her face from my chest.

Her eyes were teary, showing how much she had thought about this.

“I… think I still like you.”

Her choked voice echoed off the narrow studio walls.

Her clear voice tickled my heart even in this moment.

‘…Tsk.’

I kind of knew.

Why would she like someone like me?

Why would she, who knows my nature, like me?

Although I had these thoughts… her brainwashing was definitely undone.

Yes, I made a promise.

“If… you still feel the same after the brainwashing is gone… you said you’d take responsibility.”

“Um. I did say that. But Blanche, would that really make you happy?”

“…It will make me happy.”

Tears dropped.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Her strong heartbeat. Maronnie pressed her chest close to mine, burying her face in my embrace.

Her heart was beating so strongly that I wondered if it was okay.

Blanche held onto me as if she would never let go.

“…When I’m with you. Yeah, listen to this.”

She pressed her body closer, seeming to want me to hear her heartbeat.

My skin trembled with a faint pulse.

“Does this feel like I’m lying?”

“I didn’t say you were lying. First, get up. Look at your tears.”

“I don’t want to get up…”

“Then move forward a bit so I can hug you?”

-Shuffle, shuffle.

She moved forward well.

As she moved a bit more, I could finally embrace her properly.

Her small, light frame. I hugged her and patted her back, and she hiccupped intermittently.

“Why are you crying so much over one confession?”

“…”

“Can a tree that promised to take responsibility for a whole country be like this?”

Maronnie lifted her face from my embrace, reacting to the small jab.

She glared at me with slightly swollen eyes.

“I still haven’t heard your answer.”

“…”

She was smart.

She’d get a definite answer no matter what.

It was a scary determination.

I closed my eyes, thinking of Seyeong, Dallae, Byeol, and Hwangdo.

‘Sigh.’

Ladies, I am sorry. I was adding one more.

I pulled Maronnie’s cheek with a bitter smile.

“Alright.”

The light of joy in her eyes.

“But you could have just said you like me, why like this-”

As I was about to say something to calm her down, who was on the verge of crying, Blanche moved her head faster than anyone and kissed me.

Her soft, small lips left their gentle touch on mine for just a moment.

A kiss without tongue. So…

“Kiss me…”

Was Maronnie this spoiled during the brainwashing?

If that’s her character, the nights ahead might be tough.

Instead of sighing, I leaned my head forward slightly.

The sweet scent filled my mouth.

-Thump.

As I leaned over, this time, I was on top of Maronnie.

The small cat smiled at me.

“Is the time okay?”

Maronnie pushed her stomach out and gently opened her thighs without me saying anything.

“…Even if I get scolded today, it’s okay.”

Her voice, sweeter than any fruit, was captivating no matter how many times I heard it.

“Thirty minutes… no, one hour.”

Her laughter deepened, and her eyes dripped with honey.

Maronnie, fully immersed in the mood, was the epitome of romance.

“Just two hours… let me feel you.”

This was an overstatement, something Koreans would never say due to embarrassment, but she could say it freely because she’s a foreigner.

“How many hours?”

“…Three hours.”

I was sorry to Maronnie’s fans.

I buried my head between her pure white collarbones. Blanche took a small breath.

This warm night, not cooling down, was heated enough to be eaten right off the skin.

It was a sweet night.