My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 55

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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 55

It was Aemerus who had kissed me last night without asking for permission first.
Yet somehow, only I—the one who had received the kiss—seemed to be dwelling on it.
Anxious and restless, consumed by worry all on my own.
It was profoundly unfair.
‘Anyone watching would think I kissed Aemerus.’
Something had gone terribly, irredeemably wrong.
I pouted my lips and snapped a photo.
Even in the hastily taken shot, Aemerus’s face radiated brilliance.
‘This is so frustrating.’
Even his flawlessly handsome features only fueled my irritation.
“Did the photo turn out well?”
“Yeah.”
“Come here too. I’ll take one of you.”
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t be like that.”
I pretended to resist before allowing Aemerus to pull me over to stand beside Robin.
‘I need to have photos to send to my parents anyway.’
Even though it was true, the excuse felt hollow as I smiled toward the camera.
“When are we eating?”
Just moments ago, Robin had been so absorbed in building a snowman that he’d refused to go eat breakfast.
The moment he finished, he was suddenly clamoring about being hungry.
“Let’s go eat now.”
I quickly finished taking photos while coaxing and soothing Robin, then we climbed into the car.
Instead of eating breakfast at the hotel, we arrived at a cafe in downtown, a fifty-minute drive away.
“The atmosphere here is really nice.”
After seeing nothing but towering buildings every day, the sight of quaint wooden structures nestled in a bustling street beneath snow-covered Rocky Mountains felt like a breath of fresh air.
“It seems like a great place for a walk too.”
As I marveled aloud while waiting for our food at the cafe, Aemerus nodded in agreement.
“There are souvenir shops too. Let’s check them out later.”
“Perfect! I want to buy a Banff magnet if they have one. I collect those.”
Should I buy two—one for myself and one for Jessie?
Jessie shared my hobby of collecting magnets from places we visited.
‘Oh right, I need to reply to Jessie’s message.’
Yesterday was so chaotic that I hadn’t had a chance to think straight.
I’d barely managed to send the travel photos I’d taken with Robin to my parents.
But still….

‘Don’t answer JJ’s call. Please.’

Aemerus’s pleading voice from last night kept echoing in my mind, making it difficult to reach for my phone.
‘Though the person who said it seems to have forgotten all about it already.’
I glanced at Aemerus before setting my phone down on the table.
I had no intention of messaging Jessie in front of him and reminding everyone of last night’s events.
“Your order is ready.”
“Thank you.”
A staff member arrived with our food at just the right moment.
Two cappuccinos for Aemerus and me, and one hot chocolate for Robin.
Along with one croissant, one brioche, one pain au chocolat, and three egg tarts.
When I’d initially questioned who would eat all these pastries, Aemerus had immediately claimed he would.
But now, catching the aroma of fresh-baked butter wafting from the warm bread, my appetite stirred to life.
“Ah, this is perfect.”
After taking a sip of coffee, the fatigue from my sleepless night seemed to melt away entirely.
As I pondered happily which pastry to eat first, I noticed Robin merely sipping his hot chocolate.
“Robin, eat the bread. You said you were hungry earlier.”
“I want rice instead of bread.”
“What? Already?”
We’d only been traveling for a few days, and he was already craving Korean food.
I was about to search for a nearby Korean restaurant when Aemerus spoke.
He soothed Robin with the calm demeanor of someone who had anticipated this very situation.
“I was planning to go to a Korean Restaurant this evening anyway. Should we go for lunch instead?”
“There’s a Korean Restaurant here?”
“Yes. You’ll like it.”
I was delighted to hear there was a Korean Restaurant nearby.
Seeing my eyes light up at the good news, Aemerus chuckled softly.
“Go there later and try it, then be sure to tell your parents exactly what you thought.”
He seemed to remember the self-deprecating joke he’d made once about his parents using him like a Trojan horse.
“Here we are on vacation, and all I’m doing is industrial espionage.”
I said this while giggling.
“Anyway, you heard that, Robin? We’ll eat rice later—eat the bread now.”
“You skate better when you’ve eaten well.”
With Aemerus joining in, Robin had no choice but to relent.
He reluctantly nibbled at the croissant, but once he tasted it, he found it delicious and finished the whole thing.
Only after satisfying Robin’s appetite could I finally enjoy my breakfast in peace, and I remarked:
“I’m grateful that Thanksgiving is on different dates in the United States and Canada. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to eat these pastries today.”
Most shops close on Thanksgiving when families gather together.
But the United States celebrates it on the fourth Thursday of November, while Canada observes it on the second Monday of October, much earlier.
Because their Thanksgivings fell on different dates, the three of us were able to enjoy the trip without any inconvenience.
I understood why Aemerus’s parents came here every year.
It was such an enchanting destination that I wanted to return next year as well.
Aemerus spoke to me, completely captivated by Banff.
“I’m glad you like it here.”
His tone was rather dry.
It sounded like something he was saying out of obligation.
Yet his flushed earlobes subtly revealed the sincerity he was trying to hide.
He must have felt genuinely sorry for dragging me along.
He would have spent this year alone and lonely otherwise.
He must have been quite grateful to Robin and me for keeping him company.
Hmph.
I tried to brush off his words as if they meant nothing, but it wasn’t easy.
My gaze kept drifting toward Aemerus’s lips without my realizing it.
His lips parting softly each time they touched the coffee cup.
The red tongue tracing his lips, marked with milk foam.
The soft movement of his mouth and the line of his jaw as he chewed bread.
Even his fingers brushing away the breadcrumbs on his face were difficult to look away from.
I must be losing my mind.
Until now, I hadn’t even realized that Aemerus had lips.
Or rather, even if he did have lips, I never imagined he would actually kiss me with them.
Perhaps because the shock was so great.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his lips.
I was beginning to suspect whether Aemerus had deliberately kissed me for this very reason.
The more I thought about it, the more irritated I became.
Aemerus said he was glad I liked this place, but that was the end of it.
He didn’t say he’d come to like me, or suggest we seriously try dating.
Yet here I was, dwelling on a single kiss.
And it wasn’t even a proper kiss!
It’s not like I was showing inexperience with my first kiss.
My pride was hurt.
Even when I secretly harbored feelings for Jessie, even when he spent time with other women instead of me, my pride had never been wounded like this.
You think you’re the only one acting unbothered? I can act unbothered too.
Eventually, this stubborn pride took hold of me.
With great difficulty, I tore my gaze away from Aemerus’s lips and ate the brioche.
At least the bread was truly delicious, which was some consolation.
Just as Aemerus had promised, our table was cleared without a single piece of bread remaining.
“Let’s go ice skating now.”
“Ice skating!”
Robin, who had been eagerly waiting for the day to learn ice skating, immediately became excited.
The three of us left the Cafe and headed to the Indoor Ice Rink.
Being Friday morning, it was quiet and sparse.
“There really aren’t many people here.”
“Right? We came at the perfect time.”
“Hurry, hurry.”
Robin didn’t even give Harry and Aemerus time to marvel before urging us forward.
By the time we arrived at the Indoor Ice Rink, his patience had completely worn thin.
Unable to resist his prodding, I hurried to rent skates.
“Robin, how are these? Do they fit?”
“They seem a bit large…”
“Tightening the laces should do the trick.”
Aemerus added that even shoes that fit too snugly would hurt.
Then he knelt down himself and tied Robin’s skate laces for him.
“Stand up and walk around. Let me see.”
Since the blade guards were still on, Robin waddled awkwardly.
“How is it? Can you walk in them?”
“Seems like it.”
“Tell me if your feet hurt. I’ll get you different shoes.”
“Okay.”
Aemerus’s gaze turned toward me next.
“What about you? Do your shoes fit?”
Did he think I was Robin?
I corrected my petulant feelings and nodded.
“I’m fine.”
“Right, you used to do figure skating before.”
“It was only for a brief moment.”
Aemerus chuckled softly, then took Robin’s hand and stepped onto the ice.
“I think I’m going to fall…!”
“You won’t. I’m holding you.”
I giggled at the sight of a terrified Robin, then glided smoothly ahead of him as if to tease.
“Robin, don’t put all your weight on your big toe. Think of pushing with your thighs instead.”
“How do I push with my thighs?”
It seemed Robin still had a long way to go before mastering skating.
I watched from a distance for a while, then warmed up my body after so long.
‘Should I try a lutz?’
A lutz was a relatively easier jump compared to a flip.
Though it had been ages since I’d been on the ice, I successfully landed a single lutz without difficulty.
Gaining confidence, I immediately attempted a double lutz but fell and landed hard on my backside.
“Ow…”
“Are you okay?”
I looked up, naturally assuming it was Aemerus, and was startled to find someone else entirely.
Other people had somehow arrived at the indoor ice rink, which had been empty except for us.
“Take my hand and get up.”
“It’s fine. I can get up on my own.”
The Unknown Boy extended his hand, but I declined.
“Did you come alone?”
“No.”
I brushed myself off and searched for Aemerus and Robin, but they were nowhere to be seen.
‘Where did they go?’
I needed to find them.
As I moved, the boy trailed after me.
“Actually, I saw you jumping earlier. I thought it was really beautiful. If you don’t mind, would you like to skate with me later…?”
“I have a boyfriend.”
The lie slipped from my lips without hesitation.

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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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