My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 28

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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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Chapter 28

“Oh right, your jacket is done being cleaned.
When should I give it to you?”
“I forgot to mention it at school.”
Aemerus chuckled softly upon reading Harry’s message.
Seeing her text immediately after finishing hockey practice lifted his spirits considerably.
“If you don’t mind, I can pick it up now.”
“Now?”
“I’m not home right now.”
His brow furrowed briefly at the revelation that Harry wasn’t home.
But his expression softened when he learned she’d gone to work at the Ice Cream Shop to cover for an employee who’d come down with the flu.
“The clothes are hanging in my room, so if it’s urgent, you can grab them today.”
“My mother and Robin should be there.”
After asking her to let him know if the cleaning had damaged the fabric, Harry stopped responding.
It seemed she was attending to a customer at the shop.
Aemerus decided not to pass up the opportunity she’d extended—an invitation to her house.
If he could grow closer to her family in the process, all the better.
With eager anticipation, he pressed the doorbell at Harry’s House, only to find himself face-to-face with Jessie—can you imagine how his mood shifted?
“Hey, JJ.”
Aemerus nodded casually, feigning composure.
But beneath that facade, his mind churned with anything but calm.
Harry had mentioned her mother and younger brother would be home, but she’d said nothing about Jessie.
She hadn’t known he’d be there either.
In other words, unlike himself, Jessie could come and go from her house freely without needing an invitation.
The realization made Aemerus dislike Jessie even more.
“Hey, Aemerus.”
The stiffness in Jessie’s expression as he returned the greeting was at least some consolation.
At least it proved he was aware of Aemerus’s presence.
“What are you doing here?”
“I had something to take care of.”
Aemerus had no desire to engage in lengthy conversation with Jessie.
He attempted to brush past him and enter the house, but Jessie blocked his path.
“What’s your business?”
Jessie carried himself as though he were the master of this household.
It was absurd.
“I know it might seem like I’m prying, but you’ll understand—we can’t just let anyone into the house. Especially not at this hour.”
Between Aemerus and Jessie, a silent battle of wills unfolded.
Aemerus was the first to make a move.
He pulled out the weapon he’d hidden in his pocket without avoiding Jessie’s gaze.
Of course, it wasn’t a real weapon—it was his phone.
“The clothes are hanging in my room, so if you’re in a hurry, you can take them today.”
When he showed Jessie the message Harry had sent, Jessie’s lips pressed into a tight line.
It wasn’t simply because she had invited Aemerus.
Their conversation thread contained quite a bit of accumulated messages from before.
‘What on earth do those two have to talk about?’
Their only connection was Jessie.
Jessie felt his insides twisting uncomfortably.
He even found the Riverside School Hockey Team’s exclusive letterman jacket that Aemerus was wearing distasteful.
It was the same jacket Jessie had worn with pride just a few months ago.
A wave of displeasure surged through him, as if Aemerus had extorted his own clothes from him.
“There doesn’t seem to be any reason to take the clothes today. It’s not like you won’t have anything to wear tomorrow.”
“That’s not for you to judge.”
“….”
“If you’re done talking, can I go inside now?”
Despite the polite question, Aemerus tapped Jessie’s shoulder and stepped into the house.
‘How often has Aemerus been here?’
Watching Aemerus cross the hallway without a moment’s hesitation, the question suddenly occurred to me.
Aemerus didn’t unnecessarily glance around, and he didn’t even ask where Harry’s room was.
I had no idea that Harry, who had been stood up by Jessie at the last Homecoming Party, hadn’t left her room, and that it was Aemerus who had brought her outside.
“Dancing King?”
Before heading up to the second floor where Harry’s room was, Robin peeked his head out from behind the living room sofa.
Aemerus, who had stopped in his tracks, knelt on one knee in front of Robin.
“Hi, Robin. You remember me.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Robin didn’t particularly dislike Aemerus, who lowered himself and met his gaze.
He was familiar with the name because he heard it often from Harry, and the video of the two of them dancing together had left a good impression on him.
Most of all, last Friday he had seen with his own eyes Harry and Aemerus together….
Robin fidgeted with his hands and glanced at Aemerus.
Aemerus was the complete opposite of Jessie, who looked like a prince fresh out of a fairy tale.
His wavy black hair and sorrowful green eyes, as if hiding painful scars, reminded Robin of the dark heroes or charming villains he liked.
“I actually have a gift for you anyway, so this works out well.”
“A gift?”
Robin’s eyes widened at the word gift.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation, looking exactly like Harry’s, and Aemerus couldn’t help but smile.
He was beginning to understand a father’s heart when giving his son a surprise gift.
Of course, he hadn’t been as cute as Robin when he was young.
“Close your eyes.”
Robin closed his eyes immediately as Aemerus instructed.
Under normal circumstances, I would have suspected he was up to something sinister, but not now.
Besides, Jessie was here with us too.
I’d been waiting with my eyes closed for quite some time, my mind at ease.
I felt something light settle on top of my head.
“Huh?”
“You can open your eyes now.”
The moment permission was granted, Robin opened his eyes and immediately felt his head with his hands.
It was a hat. But it was stiff with a wide brim….
Robin’s face lit up as he pulled the hat down to see it properly.
It was the cowboy hat Harry had won at a competition not long ago.
“Wow!”
It was identical to Harry’s hat in color and shape, just a different size.
Aemerus had asked his uncle and managed to obtain a children’s version with great difficulty.
As Robin quickly put the hat back on, Aemerus adjusted it properly for him.
“You were coveting your sister’s hat, right? Now that you have this, don’t steal hers.”
“Okay!”
Robin, delighted beyond measure, ran over to Jessie with his mouth wide open, touching the brim of the hat.
“Look at this. Am I a Dancing King now too?”
“You sure are. Robin’s lucky.”
Jessie clearly recognized that this hat was a bribe being handed to Robin.
But seeing Robin so excited, he couldn’t bring himself to tell him to take it off.
It was partly due to guilt over having neglected Robin while his parents were ill and he himself had been busy with work.
‘It’s all just an excuse, really.’
Jessie laughed bitterly.
Just days ago, he had chosen to be alone with Harry, and that choice had been entirely his own.
Despite Harry subtly expressing hope that he would spend time with Robin instead.
While Jessie stood lost in thought, gazing down at Robin, Aemerus stretched his legs and stood up.
He seemed to be heading upstairs to Harry’s Room now.
Sensing Jessie following behind him, Aemerus turned around midway up the stairs.
“Are you planning to keep watch?”
“Who knows what you might do in Lili’s Room.”
Despite being treated as a sinister pervert, Aemerus remained unfazed.
He judged that if the situation were reversed, he would have acted exactly the same way.
“Fine, suit yourself.”
As Aemerus, now satisfied, began walking ahead, Robin scurried after him.
“Are you going to Lili’s Room? She’s not home right now.”
“I know. I’m just coming to grab my clothes and leave.”
“Your clothes? Oh, I know what that is.”
Robin pretended to understand.
The black jacket hanging in my sister’s room.
Even to his young eyes, it looked impressive.
Like something a real man would wear.
So he’d pestered me to let him try it on just once, only to be shot down immediately.
Something about it being someone else’s clothes.
“So it was the Dancing King’s outfit!”
Should I pester him to let me try it on?
Robin stole a glance at Aemerus’s profile.
The fact that he’d even gifted me a cowboy hat proved he was definitely a good person.
“Want me to hold your hand?”
Aemerus asked that, then held Robin’s hand as we climbed the stairs.
It seemed he’d interpreted Robin’s sidelong glances differently.
‘He’s a good older brother.’
Robin’s chubby footsteps gained momentum.
I was amazed that there was another good older brother besides Jessie in the world.
While I was marveling at this, we arrived at Harry’s Room.
The owner had given permission, but could we really just walk in like this?
Instead of Aemerus, who hesitated after coming all this way, Robin flung the door open.
“This is Lili’s room!”
Aemerus stepped in carefully, following Robin, who dove onto the bed.
The last time I visited, I’d only seen this room over Harry’s shoulder.
Aemerus pretended to look for the jacket as he surveyed the room.
A pleasant fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose.
It was the same subtle scent that always emanated from her.
If I could, I would have wanted to stay in this room forever, but right now there were far too many eyes watching me.
“Isn’t that jacket over there yours?”
Jessie, eager to kick Aemerus out as soon as possible, found the jacket in a flash.
Apparently to remember to return it, Harry had hung the jacket where it was clearly visible outside the wardrobe.
“Grab it and get out.”
Despite Jessie’s urging, Aemerus remained unhurried.
The moment he leisurely retrieved the jacket, Robin sprang up from the bed and shouted.
“Can’t I just try it on once?”

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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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