My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 39

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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 39

Aemerus’s lowered eyelashes were neat and full.
But the moment I realized he was gazing intently at my lips.
The thought that he might actually kiss me made me reflexively push against his chest.
“W-what are you talking about?”
“Ow.”
Aemerus laughed carelessly and feigned injury.
So it really was just a joke.
‘What kind of prank is that?’
I felt foolish for genuinely worrying about what would happen if we actually kissed.
My face flushed crimson with indignation, and I huffed as I swatted his back.
Given that his body was fortified with muscle, the sound was a dull thud rather than a sharp slap.
Which meant only my palm hurt from the impact.
“…Go change into fresh clothes.”
I spun around, shaking my stinging palm, as Aemerus called out behind me.
“Where are you going? You haven’t even pulled down the zipper yet.”
“Figure it out yourself!”
His laughter grew louder.
Even after I closed the door, his laughter somehow lingered in my ears.
“Seriously, what’s wrong with him….”
Why was the house so hot all of a sudden?
I was fanning myself with my hand and grumbling when it happened.
[What are you doing there, sis?]
[You scared me!]
The sight of Robin standing abruptly in the Hallway startled me so badly that my heart seemed to plummet.
[You said you were tired—why are you standing there instead of going to bed?]
[I just got out of the shower, but nobody’s around.]
It seemed he’d been looking for us since neither I nor Aemerus were visible.
I pressed my hand to my startled chest and led Robin back to his room.
After changing him into pajamas and finally getting him into bed, Robin didn’t fall asleep—instead, he said this.
[Can’t I just eat one candy and then go to sleep?]
[You just brushed your teeth and now you want candy? Then you’d have to brush again.]
[…I hate you, sis.]
[Even if you hate me, the fact that you need to brush your teeth doesn’t change.]
Robin fell asleep not long after pouting.
I couldn’t understand why he’d insisted on eating candy in the first place if he was going to fall asleep like this.
[Sleep well, you dummy.]
Regardless of what anyone said, Robin was Harry’s one and only adorable younger sibling.
She would have preferred a sister, but well….
Harry smoothed out the blanket properly, turned off the bedside lamp, and stepped out of the room.
Aemerus, having changed out of his costume, sat on the Living Room sofa.
“Is Robin asleep?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank goodness. Looks like everything wrapped up well.”
As I listened to Aemerus speak, a quiet laugh suddenly escaped me.
It sounded like the kind of conversation a couple would have after finishing childcare duties.
I quickly composed myself and asked.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
It felt wrong to send him straight home like this.
As I pondered what I could offer him, I clapped my hands together.
I suddenly remembered that he liked root beer.
“There’s root beer in the Refrigerator. How about that?”
“Sounds good.”
As expected, I received a positive response.
I retrieved two cold bottles from the Refrigerator.
“Let me open the caps. Hand them over.”
“It’s fine….”
Aemerus brushed aside my protests and opened both bottle caps himself, handing one to me.
This man certainly had manners ingrained in his very being.
If he’s like this now, I wonder how well he treats his girlfriend?
“Thanks.”
I masked my embarrassment with a laugh and took a sip of the root beer.
The tangy, herbal drink slid down my throat, washing away the fatigue along with it.
“This is refreshing.”
“Yeah.”
Apparently thirsty, Aemerus drained half the bottle in the blink of an eye.
“Want another bottle?”
“No. There’s something I need to do first.”
“Something you need to do?”
Wasn’t everything finished for the day?
Surely he wasn’t about to say we needed to post photos on social media.
Aemerus spoke to my confused expression.
“We should check if there’s anything suspicious among the candy Robin received.”
“Huh? Is that really necessary? We only visited neighbors’ houses anyway….”
“It’s better to be thorough about these things.”
After a moment of consideration, I nodded.
He was right.
It wasn’t anything else—it was a snack meant for Robin’s consumption.
“I’ll grab the candy basket.”
I set the root beer down on the coffee table for a moment and stepped into my brother’s room.
Robin had no idea anyone had entered, sleeping soundly like a newborn with soft, rhythmic breaths.
I proudly placed the candy basket—pilfered like a thief—on the table and asked, “So exactly what am I supposed to be looking for?”
“Packaging that isn’t properly sealed.”
His answer was crystal clear, yet my doubts lingered.
“You mean like drugs disguised as candy? But isn’t that just an urban legend?”
“Exactly. Like alligators living in the New York sewers.”
Aemerus readily conceded and added, “But torn packaging isn’t hygienic anyway.”
“Fair point.”
That was true enough.
Convinced, I helped inspect the candies.
“And if there are allergies, it’s safer to set them aside beforehand. Does Robin have any peanut allergies or anything?”
“No.”
“Shame. That would’ve been a legitimate excuse to steal some.”
I burst out laughing at Aemerus’s shameless joke.
“A couple missing won’t be noticeable anyway. Robin won’t even notice. Here, try this.”
We both sneaked candies one by one, giggling like conspirators.
“Tastes better when you eat it in secret.”
“It really does.”
Somehow, I felt like a child again.
When our arms brushed as I transferred the verified candies into a fresh container, I found myself smiling without reason.
I’d worried he might tease me again like he was about to kiss me earlier, making things awkward.
But my concerns proved entirely unfounded.
“This is the last one.”
Aemerus poured the remaining candy from the basket onto the coffee table.
Both our gazes locked onto a single piece simultaneously.
“….”
“….”
A colorful candy in a transparent vinyl packet.
It looked no different from the candies children typically enjoyed, but the fact that it was in a vinyl packet rather than a sealed wrapper….
“Didn’t you say it was just an urban legend?”
“I thought so too, until just now.”
Never did I imagine I’d become the subject of such a legend.
Aemerus stopped me as I reached out to examine the candy more closely, worried I might be mistaken.
“The perpetrator’s fingerprints will be on it. We need to call the police, so don’t touch it.”
“You’re going to call the police?”
“There will be fingerprints left by the culprit. Don’t touch it since we need to report this to the police.”
“Are you going to report this to the police?”
Harry was somewhat skeptical.
These were candies of unknown origin, appearing from who knows where.
Moreover, both she and Robin were Asian.
She could only hope the police wouldn’t turn around and accuse them of drug possession instead.
“Harry, I know what you’re worried about. But this is a serious act of terrorism. We absolutely have to report it to the police.”
Harry was just about to say she would inform her parents first and consult with them, when—
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the Neighbor’s House.
Crash.
The sound of shattering glass followed immediately after.
The flow of air surrounding them shifted in an instant.
Panic-stricken, Harry’s eyes blinked rapidly.
“…!”
When I came to my senses moments later, I found myself lying on the carpet beneath me.
Aemerus had pulled me down protectively, shielding me with his body as he lay flat on the floor.
With his ears perked up, listening intently to the sounds outside, Aemerus whispered.
“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a shooting.”
Harry’s lips had frozen, and I couldn’t manage any response.
All I could do was nod slightly while trembling so hard my teeth chattered.
My heart raced wildly.
Both mine and Aemerus’s.
Yet neither of us had time to feel embarrassed about our chests pressed so tightly together, about our rapidly beating hearts.
I had never been more terrified in my entire life.
‘What if the criminal runs to our house? Did I lock the Foyer door properly?’
Never mind me—what about Robin?
Robin was only five years old.
He hadn’t even started elementary school yet. He was far too young to die.
And what about Aemerus?
He had only come to help me, and if he died here like this, what would I do?
Worst-case scenarios consumed my mind.
Seeing me trembling with fear and crying, Aemerus tightened his grip on me.
“It’s okay.”
“A-Aemerus….”
“Just call the police on your phone. They’ll arrive soon. The criminal will be caught, and we’ll be safe.”
Listening to Aemerus’s soft voice, my trembling gradually subsided.
[Sister?]
Robin appeared, rubbing his eyes as he woke from the commotion outside.
[What are you two doing there?]
The moment I saw Robin, my mind went blank again.
If I told him the truth about the situation and he started crying—
So if Robin’s whimpering happened to provoke the intruder….
That’s when Aemerus gestured toward Robin.
[Shh, come here. Robin.]
Even in this urgent situation, Aemerus spoke calmly in Korean.
Soon Robin approached with a drowsy expression and plopped down onto the floor.
[We’re playing pretend right now.]
[What?]
Despite his sleepiness, Robin looked at the two of them with eyes that seemed to scold, “How old are you two, exactly?”
As if he wasn’t the child here.
In any case, Aemerus didn’t back down.
[It’s Halloween. There are ghosts wandering outside the house, and we can’t let them find us. Simple, right?]
At his explanation, Robin nodded in agreement.

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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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