My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 57

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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 57

After completing all the activities scheduled for the second day of our trip, I returned to the 5-Star Hotel and organized the photographs.
Most were taken to show my parents, but many were polished enough or amusing enough to post on social media.
Most notably, a video of Aemerus attempting to jump after me at the Ice Rink and tumbling over.
And two photographs taken at the summit of Sulphur Mountain, which we’d ascended by gondola after finishing souvenir shopping.
The first photo contained only Aemerus and me, but in the second, Robin appeared like magic—fast asleep and draped across Aemerus’s back.
He had dozed off completely at the mountain’s peak, oblivious to the world, despite having climbed all the way to see the sunset.
It was somewhat predictable, given that I’d woken him at 6 in the morning.
“I should post this on social media.”
It was my thoughtful gesture as his older sister—to let Robin see the mountain’s scenery through social media, since he’d missed it while sleeping.
The moment I uploaded the photo, a notification appeared.
「Lili? When did you have a kid?!」
It was a comment from Faye.
I burst out laughing and immediately replied.
「He’s my younger brother」
Another notification came through shortly after.
Aemerus had liked her comment.
‘So Aemerus was checking his phone too.’
There was no other explanation for such speed.
‘Will he comment as well?’
I was refreshing the post when a DM arrived instead.
「Can I come hang out in your room now?」
The moment I saw the message, I surveyed my room first.
I’d already put away all the clothes I’d worn yesterday and today, so it was clean.
「Yeah」
Not long after sending my reply, the doorbell rang.
‘It’s definitely Aemerus.’
I opened the door without even asking who it was.
Immediately afterward, I regretted it slightly.
Aemerus launched into a lecture.
“How can you open the door without checking who it is?”
“I knew it was you, so that’s why.”
“What if it wasn’t me?”
“If you’re just going to nag, go back to your room.”
Only then did Aemerus stop lecturing and enter the room obediently.
“Robin, what are you doing?”
At Aemerus’s call, Robin’s head snapped up.
He was spinning around the sitting room as if he were skating.
“I’m practicing so I don’t forget what I learned about skating today.”
“You have excellent form.”
Robin, who was contentedly enjoying Aemerus’s hand stroking his head, asked in return.
“What about you?”
At his question, Aemerus shook the champagne bottle he was holding.
“Alcohol!”
“Where did you get alcohol?”
Aemerus chuckled softly at the barrage of questions from both Robin and me.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you both, but it’s non-alcoholic.”
“Aw.”
“Ugh.”
“Still, it’s good for setting the mood.”
The news of non-alcoholic champagne was a letdown, but it was better than nothing.
“Oh, right. I’ll go get those cookies I bought earlier.”
I playfully gave a thumbs-down jeer and brought back the maple syrup cookies.
Since Aemerus said he’d never tried them before, it seemed like a good idea to taste them together.
Along with the cookies, the cheese and strawberries Aemerus had brought to accompany the meal looked quite elegant when arranged.
“Shall we all make a toast? Even if it’s not alcohol.”
“Sure. Robin, wait before you drink.”
Robin couldn’t resist and was already licking his tongue like a cat to taste the champagne.
“To enjoying this journey to the very end, cheers.”
After delivering such a proper toast, I felt like I’d truly become an adult.
I giggled and made a toast before tasting the champagne.
The pale pink champagne, like cherry blossoms, was sweet yet effervescent.
“This is delicious.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
“Try the cookies too.”
The quiet room came alive again.
The three of us talked about what had happened today.
Like how I’d chased away a man who was hitting on me at the Ice Rink, or how terrifying it was when the gondola I rode while Robin slept swayed every time the wind blew.
Throughout these stories, laughter—both big and small—never ceased.
“Tomorrow we’re going to the Open-air Hot Spring. Everyone brought their swimsuits, right?”
“Yeah. Do you think they provide towels there? We don’t need to bring our own, right?”
“You don’t need to bring any.”
As we talked about tomorrow’s plans, Robin rested his head on Aemerus’s thigh and lay down. He looked like he was getting sleepy.
“Robin, don’t lean on Aemerus. Come here.”
I quickly called Robin over.
‘I’d just forgotten about it…!’
The memory of resting my head on his thigh last night and being startled came rushing back, leaving me flustered.
“It’s fine. Just leave it.”
Fortunately, Robin was leaning against Aemerus’s left leg, not his right one.
Watching my younger brother cling so tightly to Aemerus, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“Robin, whose sibling are you anyway? Anyone looking at you would think you’re Aemerus’s little brother.”
At that, Robin immediately tried to switch over to Aemerus as if he’d been waiting for the opportunity.
“Is that okay?”
“Would it be?”
Harry scoffed dismissively.
“Why not? It could work.”
Robin wriggled his toes as he talked back.
“You two should get married. Then it would work.”
“Wait, what…”
The word “marriage” that suddenly popped out left me speechless.
Meanwhile, Aemerus seemed delighted.
“Then she’d legally become my sibling. Smart thinking.”
“See! I was right!”
I was shaking my head at Robin’s triumphant expression when Aemerus suddenly threw a question at me.
Aemerus suddenly posed a question to her.
“What do you think?”
“About what?”
“Will you marry me?”
It was clearly teasing, but I couldn’t bring myself to meet his laughing gaze and looked away.
“I’ve never heard such a pathetic proposal before.”
“So I’m your first? That’s quite the honor.”
“…Stop talking.”
The ability to hear only what one wants to hear—that’s a talent in itself.
Seeing me grimace, Aemerus burst into hearty laughter.
“But seriously, why can’t you two just get married?”
“Quiet, Robin. Shut him up for me.”
“Mmph!”
When Aemerus followed my instructions and covered Robin’s mouth, betrayal welled up in the boy’s eyes.
“I take back what I said about you two getting married.”
A moment later, when Robin was released from his grip and spoke those words, I burst out laughing again.
We continued our conversation for quite some time. Before long, the champagne bottle was empty.
Now Aemerus would be leaving soon. I was just beginning to prepare to call it a night when—
“Can I sleep here tonight?”
“Huh?”
Aemerus’s request caught me off guard, and my thoughts momentarily froze.
“The master bedroom feels a bit scary sleeping alone.”
“You too? Me as well!”
“It’s not bragging, Robin….”
I pressed my forehead with my hand.
That said, Aemerus’s request itself didn’t strike me as strange or unreasonable.
After all, I’d already experienced sleeping under the same roof as Aemerus on Halloween.
If anything, I understood his reluctance to fall asleep alone in such a vast room.
‘I was the same way before Robin was born.’
Waiting for my parents to return late from their work at the Restaurant, I’d drift off into sleep plagued by every terrifying imagination that could consume me.
What if something happened to my parents and they never came home?
What if a thief lurking in the darkness suddenly lunged at me?
Young Aemerus must have grown up haunted by similar fears.
“Sure, stay the night. We have plenty of spare rooms anyway.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Your parents gave us this place.”
Is this guy an idiot?
I let out an exasperated laugh.

***

Morning broke the next day.
“Wow….”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept so soundly.
Truth be told, I’d barely slept on the first day of the trip, catching an early morning flight.
The second day was no better—I’d been awake the whole night.
But last night, I’d collapsed into sleep as if unconscious.
The only difference was that Aemerus was sleeping in the room right next door.
‘And I even woke up before Robin.’
To outpace a young boy’s stamina—truly remarkable.
I pulled the blanket back over Robin, whom he’d kicked off in his sleep, and stepped out of the room.
“Oh? It’s snowing.”
Now that I thought about it, weren’t we supposed to go to the Open-air Hot Spring today?
“Perfect weather for enjoying the snow.”
How incredibly fortunate with the weather!
I wanted to share this wonderful news with someone right away.
Torn between Robin and Aemerus, I headed toward Aemerus’s room.
Waking Robin would surely turn into a commotion.
Treading softly, I crept toward the bed and gently shook his arm.
“Aemerus.”
“Mm….”
“Aemerus, wake up.”
But no matter how much I grasped and shook his arm, he showed no signs of waking.
“Are you exhausted?”
After ferrying Harry and Robin around in the car and even teaching Robin how to skate, it was no wonder he was completely drained.
“Aemerus…!”
I couldn’t bring myself to speak loudly for fear of waking Robin.
I was leaning forward, whispering directly into Aemerus’s ear, when it happened.
“Oh!”
My body was suddenly pulled forward.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself sprawled across Aemerus’s chest.
“Is this a dream?”
Aemerus’s voice, fresh from sleep, was far deeper than usual.
His unfamiliar tone sent a tingling sensation across the skin where our bodies touched.
“Or have I already arrived in heaven?”
Heaven? Did he just say heaven?!
I’d only come to tell him about the snow forecast, yet somehow I’d ended up in this mortifying predicament.
Dangerous.
Every fiber of my being was screaming the warning.

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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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