My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 113

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Side Story 8

The orchestra sponsored by the Price Foundation played beautifully.
Had I not heard that the ensemble members were deaf, I would never have guessed it.
“Aemerus.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you think the Price Foundation would accept a small donation from us…?”
Harry asked softly as she danced with Aemerus to the music.
“Of course they would.”
He chuckled in a hushed tone alongside her.
“Why are you whispering?”
“Just…. It’s embarrassing.”
When Sheryl first invited me here, I thought it was merely a gathering where the wealthy showed off to one another.
But now that I was actually attending, it felt far more meaningful than I had imagined.
“I think it would be wonderful if we did something meaningful too.”
Harry said after much deliberation.
When I was younger, my attention was fixed solely on Jessie.
Whether he would like me or not.
Whether I could become his lover or not.
I was so consumed by these thoughts that I had no room to care about anything else.
‘But things are different now.’
After dating Aemerus, I no longer had to spend all day worrying about whether he liked me or not.
He gave me certainty.
And so I finally had the peace of mind to look around at the world.
“Yes. Let’s find something we can do together.”
At Aemerus’s response, Harry broke into a wide smile.
The Huntington Couple seemed to believe that Harry was someone Aemerus desperately needed….
But Aemerus was equally necessary to me.
“Good.”
The girl whose only dream had been to marry her first love finally felt like an adult.
In the summer garden where roses bloomed abundantly, I danced in circles with Aemerus.
It felt like a summer that would never end.

Part 2. College Life

Robin had become an elementary school student this past fall.
By great fortune, he had been accepted to the Riverside Foundation’s elementary school.
Having an older sister as an alumna certainly helped, but it was Mr. Huntington’s letter of recommendation that proved decisive.
“Seeing Robin reminds me of Aemerus when he was young. It warms my heart.”
That was what Mr. Huntington had said as he handed over the letter of recommendation.
Whether those words were truth or falsehood, I couldn’t say.
In any case, Robin was adapting to school reasonably well.
“Robin, we’ve got to get to hockey!”
Nick came over with an arm around my shoulder.
His real name was Nicholas, and he was Hispanic with deep brown skin.
After the two of us tied for last place in an English dictation class, we became inseparable best friends.
“Wow.”
“Who’s that guy?”
The school gate was unusually crowded today.
“What’s going on?”
Nick, who was taller than me, stood on his tiptoes and craned his neck to see.
“There’s an incredibly handsome guy standing there.”
“Why should I care about that?”
If it were a pretty girl, there was a chance my older sister Lili had come to pick me up.
Since Nick said it was a guy, it had nothing to do with me.
As I walked with an indifferent expression, the handsome man Nick mentioned gradually came into view.
“Hey, Robin.”
My eyes went wide.
I abandoned Nick beside me and bolted forward.
“Aemerus!”
The man who had caused the commotion at the school gate was none other than Aemerus Huntington.
“My, you’ve gotten quite heavy. Next time we meet, I might not be able to lift you.”
Aemerus groaned as he picked me up.
Though he lifted me with surprising ease despite saying so.
I had hugged him first out of sheer joy, but….
As I came down from Aemerus’s embrace, I looked up at him with confusion.
“Why are you here?”
That was right.
Aemerus should have been at Yale University right now.
‘Am I dreaming?’
Seeing my bewildered expression, Aemerus laughed aloud.
“I came because I missed you.”
“That’s a lie.”
“It’s not a lie.”
Nick slipped up beside Robin, who looked flustered.
“Who is that? Do you know them, Robin?”
“That’s my older brother.”
“Your older brother?”
Nick’s eyes widened like a flatfish as he looked back and forth between Robin and Aemerus.
Then he nodded as if he understood.
“You mentioned having an older brother. I thought you only had a sister.”
Perhaps it was because they both had black hair.
Nick seemed genuinely convinced by Robin’s claim that they were siblings.
Aemerus suppressed a smile and gestured with his chin.
“You’re heading to the Ice Rink, right? Get in the car. I’ll take you.”
“Wow, is this your car, hyung?”
Nick’s jaw dropped at the sight of Aemerus’s Range Rover.
“My dad bought a new car recently. I saw this one then too. He said it was an incredibly expensive car and wouldn’t even let us get close to it.”
“Lucky you. Get in.”
As Aemerus opened the car door, Nick eagerly climbed in.
His wariness toward Aemerus had long since melted away.
“Can I sit in the front?”
“Sure.”
Robin climbed confidently into the passenger seat.
I fastened my seatbelt while listening to Nick whining enviously from the back seat.
“Did your friend fasten his seatbelt?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Aemerus carefully checked that Nick had properly secured his seatbelt before departing.
Nick marveled as he watched Aemerus’s back while he drove.
“Robin, your older brother is really cool.”
Robin’s shoulders soared with pride.
But what Aemerus had prepared didn’t end here.

***

“Today, I’ve brought a special coach to help with your training.”
The Junior Ice Hockey Coach announced this before practice began.
“A coach?”
“Who?”
As the young players exchanged puzzled glances at this unusual change in their training routine, one of them spoke up.
“Huh? Isn’t that your older brother?”
Nick nudged Robin’s arm.
Even without Nick’s observation, Robin was already looking at Aemerus.
“Hello. My name is Aemerus Huntington, and last year I was the captain of the Riverside High School Ice Hockey Team.”
The young players grew excited at the mention of captain.
Surely everyone here had dreamed at least once of becoming their team’s captain.
“You all know Riverside School won the championship in the North American Youth League last year, right? Aemerus is an excellent player.”
The Coach himself belonged to the Riverside Foundation and had taught Aemerus back when he was a junior player.
“This is a rare opportunity, so if you have any questions or need advice, don’t hesitate to ask Aemerus.”
“Yes!”
“Let’s start with warm-ups.”
Seeing Robin still standing there with his mouth agape, Aemerus winked at him with one eye.
The players in front turned to look around, wondering who he was winking at.
The fact that he was Robin’s older brother wasn’t revealed until near the end of practice.
“Actually, Robin is my younger brother. I look forward to working with you all.”
At Aemerus’s words, all the players turned to look at Robin at once.
The way they looked at him had clearly changed from before.
“Coach! Will you come to the next practice too?”
“If Robin wants me to.”
Aemerus added with a smile.
“Of course, I’ll need to get the Coach’s permission first.”
“Are you trying to put me out of a job?”
The players giggled at the Coach’s joke.
“That’s all for today’s practice. Don’t forget what you learned!”
“Yes!”
As the players left the Ice Rink, they spoke to Robin.
“Why didn’t you tell us Aemerus Huntington was your older brother?”
“I’m so jealous, Robin.”
“Can’t you ask your brother to come again next time?”
“I’ll ask him, but he’s probably too busy. Aemerus goes to Yale University.”
Robin proudly mentioned even Aemerus’s university, then moved along with Nick.
“Robin, we really are friends, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then later, when you’re learning ice hockey from your brother, let me join in too, okay?”
“We’ll see.”
Robin answered coolly, but internally he was more excited than ever.
Today felt like his own birthday.
As I emerged from the Locker Room removing my protective gear, I saw Aemerus waiting for me.
“Are you hungry? Let’s grab dinner. Want your friend to come along?”
“Me too?”
Nick instinctively glanced at Robin.
He was anxious, hoping Robin wouldn’t object.
“Yeah. Come with us.”
Robin nodded readily.
Since Nick was the first friend I’d made at School, he held special meaning to me.
“Thanks, Robin! We’re eternal brothers now.”
Watching the two boys solidify their friendship, Aemerus smiled with satisfaction.
He’d had no proper friends during his school years.
That’s why he’d hoped Robin would have real friends.
‘I didn’t need to worry after all.’
Before long, there would come a time when Robin grew tired of Aemerus’s attention.
‘If only Jessie had held on a few more years.’
It would have been impossible for me to fill Jessie’s void.
I never would have grown this close to Robin.
‘It was clearly Jessie’s mistake.’
How much longer would Robin crave his older brother’s attention?
To foolishly squander that fleeting window, passing in the blink of an eye.
“What do you want for dinner?”
“Can we get dessert too?”
“Of course.”
Nick let out a cheer.
Then he poked Robin’s side repeatedly.
“Robin, your brother is seriously the best.”
“I know.”
Robin looked up at Aemerus proudly.
“Aemerus, you absolutely have to marry Lili. You must, understand?”
The words were laden with selfish intent—to make Aemerus a true brother.
Fortunately, Aemerus was delighted by the suggestion.
“Don’t forget to tell Lili that too.”
“Just trust me!”
Robin declared confidently.

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