Liar and Liar - Chapter 71

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 71

“Are you now using me as a sacrificial offering for conversation?”

Frederick chuckled without showing any displeasure.

“Hehe, your reputation is none of our concern.”

The dinner table was naturally warm and cheerful without Danielle needing to make any effort. For a moment, Danielle completely forgot the word ‘fake.’

“Is Amedeo treating you well? When he puts his mind to it, he does well, but those times when he actually puts his mind to something are so rare.”

Danielle burst into unguarded laughter.

“Miss Danielle is smart, so when she goes to a good university, all the promising men will pursue her. Amedeo needs to understand that.”

“Frederick will go to a good university too.”

At Danielle’s words, Marilyn exclaimed in an excited voice.

“Have you decided to do that?”

…Had he said he wasn’t going to university? Danielle looked at Frederick with a surprised expression. He casually closed and opened his eyes, brushing off the answer vaguely.

Danielle realized that Sylvester and Marilyn were seriously observing Frederick’s reaction.

“We’re so grateful to Miss Danielle. Amedeo lacks motivation in everything, so we were quite worried.”

“Oh, yes…”

And then Marilyn brought up a story that Danielle had never even imagined. It started like this.

“Danielle, which direction are you thinking for university?”

“I think I’ll go somewhere within California.”

“With your good academic performance, you could go anywhere. Haven’t you considered the East Coast? Or perhaps Europe?”

Don’t they know my circumstances well…? That’s what she thought at that moment.

“The East Coast is good too, but we hope Amedeo will study in Italy, or somewhere in Europe. Are you interested, Danielle? It would be great if you went together. Of course, if that happens, we would pay for all tuition and living expenses.”

Flustered, Danielle blinked her eyes.

To Danielle, it was a completely incomprehensible proposal. Even with her brother’s situation, though Frederick had helped, when you think about it, they had benefited from his parents’ background, which already weighed heavily on her mind. But she never expected them to offer even more.

“Well, actually we don’t expect that much, and just going to the East Coast would be fine. We want Amedeo to have as many experiences as possible. It would be even better if he could do it with motivation.”

Danielle turned her head to Frederick sitting beside her. Frederick’s expression had already hardened into indifference. That made Danielle feel uncomfortably prickly.

“We’re not even engaged, I’m just his girlfriend…”

And only for about two months at that.

However, a shocking answer came back.

“Engagement can be done around graduation. We can think about marriage gradually.”

…Do wealthy families with only one son usually give permission for marriage this easily?

Looking across, Mari also had a surprised expression.

Though it was a grateful offer, Danielle felt more flustered than anything. While she hesitated, Frederick finally spoke up.

“This doesn’t seem like appropriate conversation for our first proper dinner together.”

Thump.

Her heart sank and Danielle felt her feet go numb. She felt like a caught thief. Even though it was clearly Frederick’s parents who had brought up this topic.

‘I never thought about marriage. There’s no way I could dream of such things.’

It’s good that I didn’t get excited about it… Danielle lowered her head slightly and forced strength into the corners of her mouth.

Her relationship with Frederick was uncertain to last even through 11th grade, let alone until graduation. Whether Frederick’s parents supported the relationship or not was irrelevant to the continuation of this fake romance.

Still, she could feel the expectation that it might last a bit longer, the small hope secretly hidden in a corner of her heart, crumbling.

‘…He clearly says no when something isn’t right.’

Even though he seemed to accept everything, there was definitely a line. Though sitting right next to him, Danielle could now clearly feel the line between herself and Frederick.

It felt like rain was falling in her heart. Maybe it was because she hadn’t been sleeping well lately…

‘No, I can’t.’

Don’t get depressed. Don’t sink down. These are all presumptuous emotions. What reason do you have to be sad about this situation?

Danielle pushed the heavy emotions over the cliff of her mind and forced herself to smile. Frederick’s parents also seemed unperturbed.

“The possibility is open, that’s what we’re saying. Especially with this kind of topic, it’s good to know in advance. So Danielle can consider it as an option.”

“Please don’t get ahead of yourselves with topics I’ve never even discussed. It makes me uncomfortable.”

However, Frederick disrupted the atmosphere once again with his cold response. As Danielle closed her mouth and lowered her gaze to her plate, Mari quietly muttered.

Why is he acting like that, seriously.

Then she quickly raised her voice and exclaimed.

“Oh right, Dani! I finally finished the perfume for you. I said I’d make one for you last time-“

On the day she was shocked by Eunho’s internet post, Mari, who had readily come out despite the sudden contact, had told her why she wanted to come to America and about her dreams.

Mari, who dreamed of being a perfumer, said she wanted to come to America to leave Italy, which values refined aesthetics, and take on new challenges.

“Oh, thank you…”

Mari led the conversation. Frederick didn’t bother to join in.

As they finished their meal, Marilyn called Frederick with a smiling face.

“Amedeo, Mari and we will be having tea, so you personally show Danielle around the house. You should have that kind of time together.”

“Yes.”

As his parents and Mari disappeared through the door leading to the courtyard, Frederick naturally extended his arm to Danielle.

‘His arm, not his hand?’

After a moment’s hesitation, Danielle slowly linked arms with Frederick’s thick arm. Her heart beat strangely.

“What would you most like to see? Or should we look around one by one?”

“I’m curious about your room…”

“My room? Sure, why not.”

However, as Danielle walked following Frederick’s lead, her eyes were once again drawn to the pristine white grand piano she had seen while going to the dining room.

“Do you still play piano?”

The last time Danielle had heard Frederick play was at the middle school recital. Since then, she had neither seen him perform directly nor heard news of him playing.

“Very occasionally, only when my parents want me to. Do you want to hear?”

Danielle slowly nodded. Changing course, they slowly approached the piano.

Behind the piano that occupied the center, wind from the arched front glass window was gently swaying the white chiffon curtains.

Frederick sat on the right side of the piano bench, and Danielle on the left. It was exactly the same arrangement as when Stella and Frederick had sat at the recital.

‘…He must have sat like this with Stella too.’

To think they would be this close…

Unlike viewing from a distance as a third party, sitting directly beside him made the sense of proximity strikingly apparent. At this distance, it wouldn’t be strange at all if turning their heads led to a kiss.

“There aren’t many pieces I can play without sheet music. I haven’t really practiced any pieces with that much concentration.”

“…Do you still remember the recital piece from middle school?”

“Oh, Schubert?”

Schubert’s Fantasie in F minor for piano four hands, D.940, first movement.

That piece, full of lyricism and passion, was described by a pianist as a piece where fingers cross each other, revealing the longing of love.

For that reason, without exaggeration, every middle school girl who could play piano wanted to perform this piece with Frederick. And the victor who defeated all those competitors and won the recital opportunity was Stella.

This duet had to begin from Danielle’s side, corresponding to the secondo part. As Danielle alternately pressed the keys with both hands, Frederick responded to the performance by pressing keys at the precise timing.

“Hmm? You know how to play this piece?”

“…Just a little.”

The touch of the grand piano keys was completely different from the heavy and stuffy feeling of the upright piano at church.

The unfamiliar touch of the piano keys, the constantly brushing arms, and even their legs touching completely shattered Danielle’s composure.

Danielle barely endured playing one page of the score before surrendering.

“Let’s stop…! here. My playing was completely messy, wasn’t it?”

“Not at all? It felt good.”

Frederick covered Danielle’s hand with his own and pressed each note of the latter part’s scale one by one. The heat that settled warmly on the back of her hand spread to her arms, neck, and back. Danielle couldn’t move at all.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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