My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 66

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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 66

“I know I’ve disappointed you countless times, and that my confession must feel terribly abrupt to you. I understand why it’s difficult to accept.”
The fear in Jessie’s eyes—the dread of rejection—was achingly familiar to me.
After all, there was a time in the past when my own gaze held that same desperation.
And so I found myself unable to turn away from Jessie as he looked up at me with such longing.
“I’m not asking you to date me right this moment. I’m simply asking for a chance to prove my feelings to you.”
“That doesn’t seem like a good idea….”
What if he failed to prove himself?
It was painfully obvious that we would become less than friends.
Jessie added to my hesitation.
“Just go on one date with me. Is that really so difficult?”
“I don’t know. I just….”
I bit my lip nervously and averted my gaze.
But Jessie was relentless, matching my eyes with an intensity that felt almost obsessive.
Faced with his unwavering determination to extract an answer, I finally surrendered.
“What if nothing changes even after we date? It’ll definitely become awkward.”
At my words, Jessie laughed with a hint of irritation.
“Awkward? We’ve been awkward ever since I confessed to you. There’s no going back now. Do you really not understand? Or are you pretending not to?”
“….”
“Lili, please….”
Whenever I fell silent, it felt as though his throat tightened.
In this moment, only she could save him.
“Let me beg you like this.”
Jessie pressed his face against the back of my hand, pleading.
He looked exactly like a dog begging for its master’s affection.
Seeing him strip away all his pride only made my heart heavier.
“Just one date. If not, I’ll give up cleanly. Friends—yes, I’ll become your friend again, just as you want, the way we were before.”
“…I understand.”
Worn down by his persistent coaxing, pleading, and entreaties, I reluctantly agreed.
Jessie immediately sprang to his feet and pulled me into his arms.
“Thank you, Lili.”
“I haven’t made a final decision yet.”
“I know. I’m grateful just for the chance you’ve given me.”
Unable to contain the surge of emotion, he rubbed his face repeatedly against the nape of my neck.
“Lili, we’re going to be wonderful together.”
“….”
“I knew it from the moment I first saw you. That we were destined, that we’d be together forever.”
Even as Harry listened to Jessie’s earnest confession, a petulant thought echoed through her mind: *Why didn’t he say this sooner?*
*No, I shouldn’t be so harsh on Jessie. I already decided to give him a chance.*
In truth, she’d been forced into this choice as much as he had.
But since the decision was made, she might as well see it through to the end.
*Who knows what might happen.*
Perhaps a real date would change things.
If, as Jessie claimed, the two of them were destined soulmates, then maybe.
“Let’s keep this secret from our parents.”
Jessie nodded readily at Harry’s words.
“It’s better to tell them once we’re sure about our relationship. Yes, let’s do that. When should we go on a date?”
“I’m flexible. Pick whatever day works for you.”
It was easier for Harry to adjust her schedule around Jessie’s availability.
“Got it. This time will really be different. You can look forward to it.”
Jessie made this promise while taking Harry’s hand.
He didn’t let go of her hand even as they made their way back to the Rehabilitation Center.
Just a few months ago, when they’d gone to Central Park, she’d held his hand like this too.
Back then, her heart had raced as if it might burst at any moment. Now it was perfectly calm.
Did she perhaps have a contrary streak in her nature?
While Harry pondered this, Caroline’s rehabilitation session came to an end.
“…Did you two have a fight while I was gone?”
Caroline asked, wiping beads of perspiration from her forehead with her sleeve as she emerged from treatment.
The shift in atmosphere between the two was impossible to miss during her brief absence.
“It’s nothing like that.”
“Nothing happened at all.”
Both Jessie and Harry maintained their denials, but Caroline wasn’t fooled.
“I don’t know what it is, but you should reconcile as soon as possible. The longer negative feelings fester, the harder it becomes to make amends.”
“We didn’t fight, I’m telling you.”
Jessie deflected with a light laugh, supporting Caroline as they walked.
Harry smiled awkwardly and led the way to the parked car.
Whenever she was with Jessie, she always wanted to stay out late before heading home.
But today, she found herself wanting to get home as soon as possible—a feeling that unsettled her.
*Will things really be different once I actually date Jessie?*
Well, for now, that’s all she could believe.

***

The next morning.
My first class was History, which I shared with Aemerus.
While the teacher played a film to aid our understanding, I jabbed Aemerus’s arm repeatedly.
Aemerus, who had been sitting with his arms crossed against the back of his chair, turned to face me immediately.
“What?”
“Don’t look at me. Watch the screen.”
I wasn’t being obvious about slacking off.
At my suggestion to focus on the film, he slowly turned his gaze forward.
“By the way, Jessie said he likes me.”
Aemerus suddenly erupted into a fit of coughing, as though something had caught in his throat.
“Aemerus, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
If you’re not feeling well, go to the infirmary or leave early.”
“Yes.”
By the time the teacher’s concerned nagging ended and the students’ attention returned to the film, Aemerus had recovered.
He leaned close to my ear and whispered.
“So what did you say in response?”
His tone was casual, as if he hadn’t just been choking moments before.
Did Aemerus truly not care? Would it make no difference to him if I dated Jessie?
Perhaps he’d simply been startled by the sudden revelation.
He probably hadn’t anticipated that our relationship would progress so dramatically overnight.
“I said I didn’t know.”
“You didn’t know? About what?”
“Literally, I don’t know.”
Since Aemerus looked completely lost, I elaborated further.
“I don’t know if Jessie truly likes me, and I don’t know if I can become his romantic partner.”
“…What did JJ say?”
“He urged me to take a chance.”
I exhaled deeply.
“He asked me to go on one date with him, so I agreed for now.”
“I see.”
That was all Aemerus said.
What answer had I been hoping for?
I couldn’t even make sense of my own feelings.
In truth, this was something I didn’t need to tell Aemerus about.
Just as I’d kept it secret from Caroline and my parents.
Yet I’d chosen to bring it up with him anyway….
Had I been hoping he would tell me not to see Jessie?
But that couldn’t be right.
To Aemerus, I was merely a good friend, nothing more.
She must have thought that simply because he often treated her like a girlfriend, she had become someone special to him.
There was no need for me to feel sorry for Faye doing something foolish over an ex-boyfriend, not even a current one.
The real fool was me.
You’re truly fine with me meeting Jessie?
I swallowed the question I wanted to ask.
Things couldn’t get any uglier than this.
What am I doing? I really do like Aemerus, don’t I?
Watching Aemerus’s impassive profile, I felt tears threatening to spill over.
Of all times, why did I have to realize my feelings for Aemerus while watching a black-and-white film in a darkened Classroom?
And I couldn’t even confess these feelings to Aemerus.
How long has it been since I was caught harboring unrequited feelings for Jessie?
Even a migratory bird would be more steadfast than me.
I absolutely cannot tell him I like him!
One wrong move and I’d lose my friendship with Jessie and my friendship with Aemerus as well.
No, wait. Have I already lost things with Jessie?
Jessie said that if my heart wasn’t decided even after dating, we could go back to being friends, but in reality, that was impossible.
Sigh….
How did things end up like this?
Everything was perfect until last summer.
I harbored unrequited feelings for Jessie, and Jessie….
“What did JJ say?”
“Huh?”
I’d been so lost in thought that I hadn’t heard what Aemerus was saying.
“You changed your hairstyle. What compliment did JJ give you?”
“Um….”
Did Jessie compliment me?
I furrowed my brow, searching my memory, but nothing came to mind.
Rather, he seemed to dislike it, asking why I cut it…?
Now that I thought about it, I didn’t feel particularly pleased.
Everyone else said it suited me well.
I touched my shortened hair and asked.
“But why are you suddenly asking that?”
“I’m curious.”
“Curious about what, exactly?”
Aemerus leaned his upper body toward me as if he were about to reveal some great secret.
Perhaps it was because I’d just become aware of my feelings for him.
The mere sensation of his breath against my ear made every hair on my body stand on end.
“I’m curious what kind of compliments JJ gives that made you develop unrequited feelings for him.”
….
“That’s what I’m curious about.”

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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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