episode_0015

The two of them walked out into the street, leaving Nathan behind.

“… But is he okay?”

Vita opened her mouth timidly, mumbling.

Actually, I was a little worried that I left Nathan in that state, collapsed.

“Well, it’s not winter. Even if you pass out in an alley, your mouth won’t turn.”

“No, that’s not it… ”

Carlyle answered in a casual tone as if nothing was wrong, but Vita felt a little annoyed.

I guess the rumors about that punk were bad for nothing.

If I were to define this feeling, I would say it’s about worrying about Carlyle, even though I don’t want to admit it.

‘What if I take revenge?’

It might be difficult. Those kinds of people don’t have any common sense.

He seemed so scared that he couldn’t even think of doing that, but isn’t it the nature of gangsters to be unpredictable?

“Are you worried about him? Or, me?”

“What, what?!”

Vita, whose true feelings were suddenly revealed by Carlyle’s question, stuttered in embarrassment.

“Me, you?”

Carlyle chuckled.

Because the answer is already known just by that reaction. So he says.

“Even if a bunch of those guys come, it won’t work on me anyway.”

I can’t even complain to the school.

“Because he wronged you first. Right, Bianca?”

Vita nodded, thinking that it wasn’t exactly wrong.

“Then, don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

You don’t have to worry about anything anymore.

The confidence contained in those firm words.

Vita took a second look at Carlyle at that moment.

‘Is this the leisure of a leader?’

I hate to admit it, but this guy is good at fighting.

So just a little bit, a little bit like dirt on a toenail, Carlyle looks a little different.

Certainly, it would be good to learn this kind of confidence. No matter how much of a rival they are, you have to learn their strengths.

Anyway, Vita felt like the anxiety that had been lingering inside her had completely disappeared.

Thump- thump-

The two walked down the street.

And now that the anxiety has subsided, Vita starts to worry about other things.

Actually, it started a long time ago.

Like his own hand being held in Carlyle’s large grasp.

I want to tell him to take this hand off right now and go alone. I want to do that, but I can’t get the words out.

Just half a day ago, I was determined to stay away from Carlyle Schultz.

Why now?

Why isn’t he rejecting this hand? Why is he just following this guy?

Vita thought silently. This situation was strange.

So this is the situation now.

For some reason, I feel anxious about the hand I’m holding, and my face feels hot for no reason.

For some reason, I felt strange as I continued to walk while looking behind Carlyle.

In the crimson lights of the street.

Carlyle takes the lead first, and this situation where he follows feels like some kind of strange dream to Vita.

It’s a strange dream that you may have once in a while in your life.

Otherwise, I can’t explain this strange feeling I have right now.

It’s not exactly good, but it’s not bad either.

No, actually.

It was when Carlyle was punishing him earlier. It was when he took out his anger on Nathan instead of him.

I don’t know why, but Vita was there at the same time.

I felt a mysterious feeling that I couldn’t explain. I felt relieved and a little relieved for some reason.

How on earth should I define this feeling?

“Here you go, Bianca.”

It seems that they have arrived in the meantime. Even when Carlyle said that, Vita was so confused that she didn’t even notice that the scenery around her had changed.

“Wait here for a moment.”

It looks like Carlyle is going somewhere and leaving her behind.

However, Vita had been following Carlyle unconsciously all this time, so now that he suddenly disappeared, she felt a strange sense of loss.

“… ”

Is that why?

Vita unconsciously grabbed Carlyle’s collar and startled him.

***

An odd silence fell.

What just happened?

‘What have I done…?’

Vita was inwardly shocked.

It’s as if he’s holding on to you and telling you not to leave.

Did he act strangely because it felt like a strange dream, or did he just briefly lose his mind?

“Ah, this is… ”

A ridiculous mistake.

Under the soft light, Vita’s face turned red like a tomato.

Carlyle also seemed momentarily surprised by the action just now.

“Ha, really.”

But the smiling face is full of satisfaction.

“I’m glad you’re okay. It’s hard to bear.”

“What, what…?!”

Vita reacted immediately.

Because I don’t know what kind of nonsense he’ll come up with soon.

Whenever Carlyle speaks like that, he always has an ulterior motive.

“Then keep holding on! I said it clearly!”

“Then, I guess I’ll have to endure it.”

Carlyle chuckled.

“Or else there’s no point in coming all this way.”

The guy with the relaxed expression spoke soothingly.

“So wait, Bianca. Don’t be anxious.”

Vita was speechless.

“I’ll be back soon.”

And then, slap slap – he looked at the person walking away, feeling embarrassed and caressing his head.

“Oh, really.”

Only after Carlyle disappeared did Vita grumble softly.

“What kind of anxiety is this?!”

I feel wronged even though I gave you an excuse.

It was just a mistake. I was just out of my mind.

Yeah, that’s it.

After Carlyle disappeared, Vita sat on the bench and tried to rationalize herself.

“Illusion is also a real oil field.”

You’re feeling anxious? I’m so speechless.

“If you keep walking, you’ll fall down and break your nose.”

After saying those words, Vita shook her head.

‘No, this is.’

Still, he has a conscience. Even though he’s a hateful guy, he definitely got help.

I just had a really bad thought.

“After-”

Vita sighed deeply, not knowing her own mind.

“Why am I like this today…?”

After a while, Carlyle returned.

The things he brought in his arms were many kinds of ice cream. There were many parfaits in particular.

“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I just bought them all.”

“… Why the sudden parfait?”

Vita tilted her head and told us her taste.

“I hate parfait.”

Well, it’s just sweet. I don’t usually like sweet foods.

***

“Um… ”

but.

As a look of disappointment appeared on Carlyle’s face, Vita unconsciously snatched one of the parfaits.

“Please, give it to me!”

Yeah, that’s right.

Even if it’s just to see the other person’s sincerity.

Vita took a careful bite of the parfait.

“How is it? Everyone says it’s delicious.”

But this is strange?

‘No, why?’

It was really a little bit tasty. Vita nodded slightly with a displeased expression at Carlyle’s question.

And after observing the situation, he spoke carefully.

“Can I have one more…?”

“Cook, yeah.”

I guess it was like that for a while.

‘This is delicious!’

What, really?

When Vita eats diligently, feeling the change in taste.

Carlyle suddenly spoke.

“How are you feeling? I went for a walk and ate something delicious.”

The expression on his face was so serious that for a moment, I forgot how to react.

Actually, it’s more like my mind has stopped rather than me forgetting.

So what I’m saying now is.

I only understood it as Carlyle thinking of me and taking me for a walk with me, and intentionally trying to lighten my mood.

But I ended up panicking.

“Ah… Ugh… ”

I was already feeling okay. In fact, a long time ago.

What on earth could it be? I remember being so angry because of Nathan, but it feels like a long time ago. It’s a little confusing, but I feel okay now.

“It’s okay, really.”

Carlyle chuckled.

“Then. That’s fortunate.”

Suddenly, Vita thought that Carlyle was quite funny.

‘Come to think of it, this guy…’

I feel a little funny pretending to be so kind to the world when I went all the way with myself. But if I have to be picky, I have nothing to say since I was the one who accepted it.

[Then, give it a try!]

Because it was a match.

Anyway, despite these thoughts, I felt awkward about the situation and changed the subject.

“… But you don’t eat?”

“I hate parfait. So I bought it for you.”

The parfait that was delicious suddenly lost its flavor.

“What, what?”

Strange, as expected.

What the heck, this guy. He really makes people cringe.

While Vita paused for a moment, Carlyle’s gaze was once again focused on one place.

“I was touched, really?”

“What kind of emotion is that… ”

Carlyle was very good at diverting his opponent’s attention.

When Vita turned her head away in anger at his words, Carlyle pressed his lips to the spot he had been staring at for a long time.

For moist cherry-colored lips.

Overlapping lips fall apart under the scarlet light.

“Well, by the way. This parfait is delicious. I want to keep eating it.”

Embarrassment, and some inexplicable shame.

Vita’s face began to burn brightly, though of course there was also shame and anger involved.

What did you forget?

The Carlyle Schultz in front of me is just as crazy as any other idiot.

Vita felt like an idiot for trying to look at this guy differently, even if only for a moment.

“Die…! Just!”

“Keuk- Sorry.”

So I immediately swung my small fist around, but it never reached Carlyle, who burst into laughter.

***

The next morning.

Tiring- Tiring-

Vita woke up early to the sound of the alarm.

Then, I go into the bathroom, blankly rub my eyes, and start washing my face. Then, I roughly throw my clothes on the shelf.

The large short-sleeved shirt and shorts that he has enjoyed wearing since he was a boy are still Vita’s pajamas.

And always this moment.

For some reason, I can’t be calm at this moment. It’s awkward.

‘It’s my body, my body.’

Vita muttered those words and got naked. She slowly started showering.

Swaaaah-

At first glance, she may look like a girl?

In the hot water droplets, the cheeks of the young face turn rosy.

Is it because this body is still awkward? Or is it for another reason?

Maybe it’s because the water temperature is hot.

In fact, Vita was absentmindedly recalling what happened yesterday.

From the first day of school, you won’t be late for school in the morning, and what about the infirmary?

Squeak-

“After-”

Vita sighs and adjusts the water temperature.

My face felt strangely hot, so I cooled it down.

But still, random thoughts keep coming back to me.

Yeah, dinner.

The incident with the punk.

But there’s something really strange.

‘I was definitely really angry at the time…?’

I don’t know what to say now.

Looking back, I don’t remember much of it.

More vivid than that is my time with Carlyle Schultz.

Like a strange dream.

The figure behind me leading me through the crimson lights of the street. The words telling me not to worry, that I would take care of it myself.

In fact, Vita had been feeling strange since yesterday.

But I don’t want to know why it’s strange, why I keep thinking about last night.

“… What a funny kid.”

So, Vita just finished showering after wrapping it up like that.

After drying off quickly, I came out of the bathroom and spent a while struggling to put on women’s underwear.

And when she wears a spring and autumn school uniform over her underwear, she looks like a pretty school girl by any standards.

White frilled blouse, flowing navel skirt.

Over that, a thin cardigan and innocent white socks.

I have a quick breakfast.

I left the room with a piece of morning bread in my mouth that wasn’t even toasted in the toaster.

And yesterday, I was late and got to experience an atmosphere I hadn’t noticed before.

Groan groan-

-That guy?

-Oh, really…?

Vita was inwardly embarrassed.

It’s really grabbing my attention. But I don’t know why.

‘Why is everyone looking at me like this…?’

Knock knock-

It wasn’t much different when I opened the front door of the classroom.

Almost closed again right away.

‘Did I do something wrong…?’

Vita was quite flustered by the numerous gazes. Her natural personality is not that of an outgoing person.

But that doesn’t mean I can skip class.

Slowly- Slowly-

He moved to a corner, almost like a crouch, and found a spot to sit.

“Is there room here…?”

When I asked carefully, the female student sitting next to me showed an incomprehensible reaction.

“Huh? No! If you want to sit, sit!”

“Oh, thank you?!”

Strangely, the reaction was intense. Vita, who was surprised, also reacted intensely.

There must be no other reason for the cold sweat to flow.

In fact, he was originally quite shy around girls, so it took a lot of courage for him to even confess to Emily Swan in the first place.

Besides, something.

The girl sitting next to me is obviously popular. I wonder if I’m feeling nervous for no reason.

A light brown ponytail and sparkling eyes. Ruby-like eyes staring at you intently.

‘What, what is it…?’

Why do you keep staring at me like this?

Vita was momentarily flustered by the sudden compliment.

“You’re really pretty!”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Ah, no-! I said it without thinking, but I was truly truly impressed.”

The female student, who was laughing, asks Vita whether he really meant what he said or whether he was embarrassed too.

“By the way, are you and Carlyle dating?”

At the same time, attention was focused on him and Vita’s head stopped.