My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 40

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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 40

I crouched on the floor with my back against the sofa, and as I held Robin in my arms, clarity began to return.
I couldn’t afford to fall apart now.
‘I can’t waste time crying like an idiot.’
If anything happened, I had to be the one to protect Robin.
[Sister, are you crying?]
Robin looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Though Aemerus had claimed it was just a game, Robin could sense something was wrong from the look on my face.
[No.]
[But….]
[Shh, be quiet.]
While I hushed Robin, Aemerus finished texting a report to the Police Officer.
“I just called them, so someone will be here soon to help us.”
He spoke quickly in English so Robin wouldn’t understand.
“Is there anything in the house we could use as a weapon?”
A hockey stick would have been ideal, but of course I’d left mine at the School.
With tears still glistening in my eyes, I answered Aemerus’s question.
“There’s Dad’s golf club next to the shoe rack in the Foyer. I kept it there for emergencies….”
I never thought I’d actually have to use it.
I tensed my eyes to keep from crying in front of Robin, and that’s when Aemerus started to stand.
Startled, I grabbed him.
“What are you planning to do with that? Go out there and fight?”
“Of course not.”
Aemerus took my hand that was clutching his shirt and smiled reassuringly.
“I’m not going to fight—I’m going to protect us.”
He was assuring me he wouldn’t do anything reckless.
Reluctantly, I released my grip on him.
“Come back quickly.”
“I will.”
Aemerus nodded and crouched low, moving toward the Foyer in a crawl.
He spotted the golf club leaning against the wall beside the shoe rack and gripped it firmly in his hand.
While he was there, he checked to make sure the front door was properly locked before returning to the Living Room.
[Are you going to hit a ghost with a golf club?]
When Robin saw him return, his eyes widened as he asked the question—and for a moment, the tension broke.
It was only a fleeting instant, but even I managed a small smile.
[Of course this is just for intimidation. Ghosts are transparent, after all.]
[Oh.]
“If you’re sleepy, go ahead and rest. Your sister and I will keep watch.”
“Okay.”
Robin closed his eyes, his face nestled against Harry’s shoulder.
Not long after that, I heard it.
A man’s voice shouting from outside, a woman’s cries piercing through the walls.
Harry quickly covered Robin’s ears, desperate to keep him from waking.
‘What on earth is happening out there?’
My hands trembled as I shielded Robin’s ears.
The most terrifying part was not knowing how long this nightmare would last.
There was no guarantee the culprit would be caught the moment the police arrived.
If this coincided with our parents’ return home, they could be in danger too.
“Harry.”
“…”
“It’s okay.”
Aemerus watched me trembling with fear, barely able to breathe, and lowered the golf club to the floor.
Then he carefully pulled me into his embrace.
“I’m here.”
I fought back the urge to cry like a child and leaned into Aemerus instead.
His shoulders were broader than anyone else’s, and his arms wrapped around me with such solid strength.
With Aemerus Huntington here, it felt as though no matter what horrors unfolded, he would truly protect me.
I felt genuinely grateful that I wasn’t alone in this moment—that the person beside me was none other than Aemerus Huntington.
“I’m okay now…”
“Yeah.”
Even after I’d calmed down, I didn’t push him away.
The steady heartbeat transmitted through our contact was oddly reassuring.
From the way Aemerus didn’t separate from me either, he seemed to feel the same.
The tension that had been wound so tightly began to ease.
We held onto each other, enduring in silence.
A siren wailed outside, and red and blue flashing lights swept across the interior of the house.
“The police are here. Can you get up?”
Aemerus released his hold on me and asked.
Harry, her complexion ashen, tensed her body to stand, then shook her head.
Now that the danger had passed, the tension drained away, leaving my body completely limp.
“Excuse me.”
Even though he’d been holding her just moments before.
Aemerus politely asked for her permission first, then lifted Harry and Robin together and set them on the sofa.
“Just stay here for a moment.”
He picked up the golf club from the floor again and walked toward the window.
Through the glass, I could see the police speaking with a middle-aged couple in their pajamas.
The woman among them looked familiar to me as well.
‘Was that Maji’s name?’
She was the first neighbor I’d encountered while collecting Halloween candy, and she also seemed close to Harry, which was why I remembered her.
I watched as the Police Officer finished his conversation with the couple and began walking toward us.
Once I’d confirmed the situation, I turned away from the window.
“Aemerus, what’s happening?”
“The police are coming. Don’t be alarmed.”
The midnight intruder might still be hiding somewhere in the vicinity.
Harry seemed to realize they intended to search the entire area and nodded in understanding.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang not long after I’d warned her.
I stopped her as she rose from her seat to answer the door.
“I’ll get it.”
I headed toward the foyer before she could protest.
I set the golf club back in its place and opened the front door.
“NYPD. We received a report.”
“Yes, I’m the one who called.”
I nodded in acknowledgment.
“Could you describe the situation in detail once more?”
“I was inside when I suddenly heard screaming followed by the sound of breaking glass. I was afraid it might escalate to gunfire, so I didn’t look outside. After that, I immediately called the police.”
The Police Officer across from me scratched his head.
“So you didn’t see the suspect’s face.”
“No.”
“That’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped. Still, you handled it well.”
If the suspect had actually been armed, the situation could have become far more serious.
The Police Officer offered reassurance to what appeared to be a high school or college freshman.
“It’s standard procedure, but would it be alright if we took a quick look around the house? We just need to confirm the suspect isn’t here, and it won’t take long.”
Though the probability was slim, there remained the possibility that the suspect had slipped inside and might take them hostage, demanding they act as if nothing had happened.
From a police standpoint, even the smallest possibility couldn’t be left unaddressed.
“Yes, please come in.”
Since I’d called the police, I had to cooperate.
I greeted them naturally, as if I were the homeowner, and even retrieved indoor slippers for them to change into.
The Police Officer changed into the slippers without complaint and began examining the house while asking a question.
“Are you alone in the house?”
“No. My girlfriend and her younger brother are in the living room with me.”
Harry heard my words but, unlike before, didn’t insist on correcting me to say we were just friends.
The atmosphere didn’t permit it.
It would have been awkward to explain why we were together at this late hour when we weren’t even dating.
“Hello there.”
The Police Officer greeted Harry first, who was holding her pale-faced younger brother close.
“My, you’ve both had quite a fright. Now that we’re here, you can rest easy.”
“Yes….”
“I’ve already spoken with your boyfriend, but I need to ask you one procedural question. Miss?”
Harry hurried to answer the question about her name.
“I’m Harry Lee. This is my younger brother Robin. Should I wake him up?”
“There’s no need to disturb a child sleeping so peacefully.”
“Give Robin to me. I’ll hold him.”
Aemerus, standing protectively beside Harry, took Robin from the officer’s arms.
The questions that followed were identical to those Aemerus had already answered.
“I heard screaming first, and then the sound of breaking glass. When I came to my senses, Aemerus had me lying on the living room floor.”
“I see. Was there anything else unusual you noticed?”
Anything else unusual?
Harry tilted her head in confusion before letting out a soft sound of realization and looking toward the coffee table.
She gathered her courage, recalling the words Aemerus had used to persuade her.
“I’m not sure if it’s related to the incident, but my brother received some candy today with something strange mixed inside.”
“May I take a look?”
“Here it is.”
“Wait—don’t touch it directly. Just point with your finger.”
The Police Officer pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and collected the plastic bag containing the colorful candies.
“This looks like fentanyl. We’ll take it in for investigation.”
“Um, my brother and I might have touched the bag. Is that okay?”
“There’s no health risk. And if you’re worried about fingerprints on the bag, that won’t be a problem either.”
“Yes….”
While the Police Officer was questioning Harry, another officer who had finished searching the house reported that nothing was amiss.
“That’s fortunate. We’ll continue patrolling the area, so rest assured and get some sleep. Just make sure to lock up securely.”
“Yes.”
As the Police Officer turned to leave, Harry asked him a question.
“Was anyone hurt?”
“No. You were lucky.”
Only after hearing that no one had been injured could Harry finally release the anxiety that had gripped her completely.
“Take good care of your girlfriend.”
The Police Officer patted Aemerus’s shoulder as he offered his advice.
Aemerus nodded, readily agreeing to do so.
As if he were truly her boyfriend, as if comforting her were his duty.

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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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