My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 67

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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 67

“What…?”
He wanted to know the reason I had developed a crush on Jessie.
What on earth was that supposed to mean?
Startled beyond measure, I forgot we were in the middle of class and let out a loud exclamation.
Click.
The film that had been playing came to an abrupt halt.
“You two there. Stop putting your heads together and worrying like middle schoolers. If you’re sick, go to the infirmary.”
The History Teacher’s reprimand sent the students into a fit of laughter.
“Middle schoolers? That’s too much, sir.”
“We’re about to graduate from High School.”
“If you’re so upset about it, why don’t you become a teacher?”
The History Teacher shot back with a quip and looked at Aemerus and me again.
“So what’ll it be? If you’re going to the infirmary, go now.”
“No, sir. I’ll focus on the class.”
“I’m sorry.”
When I apologized, the History Teacher resumed the film.
“Save the romance for after class.”
A boy sitting behind us poked Aemerus in the back and teased him.
‘It’s not romance…’
I’d rather be actually dating Aemerus than feel wronged like this.
Pouting, I rested my chin in my hand and pretended to focus on the film.
Even as my eyes refused to take in anything, I could feel Aemerus beside me writing something intently.
‘Does he have notes to take?’
Aemerus slid a piece of paper in front of me.
Having already been warned by the History Teacher, he seemed to have chosen written notes over whispering.
「When did you agree to go on a date with JJ?」
He really was curious about everything.
Could it be some kind of competitive spirit between boys?
Who gets to have a girlfriend first, something like that?
Though puzzled, I saw no reason to hide the answer, so I wrote the truth.
「This Friday」
Jessie seemed eager to solidify our relationship and had immediately set up a date.
“…”
Aemerus stared at the paper I returned to him with an expressionless face.
Then, without another word, he folded the paper and tucked it into his pocket.
After that, he never mentioned Jessie’s name again.

***

Friday arrived as swiftly as autumn leaves tumbling to the ground in the crisp wind.
Classes ended early today, so I planned to meet Jessie after school, changing out of my uniform first.
‘Think positively about this.’
Whenever doubt crept in about whether I truly needed to go on a date, I steeled myself.
Even if I ultimately rejected Jessie, I owed it to him to make a genuine effort first before turning him away.
That way, he could accept my decision and harbor no lingering regrets.
Then perhaps, despite the awkwardness now, we might one day return to being friends.
“Sigh…”
After arriving at school, I exhaled heavily and closed my locker door.
“Hey.”
Aemerus, who had been standing behind the locker door, greeted me.
Randy was with him, apparently having arrived together.
Among the ordinary scene, one thing stood out distinctly.
“Aemerus? Why is your hand like that?”
Aemerus seemed to realize the state of his hand only then, laughing awkwardly.
He tried to hide it behind his back, but I had already caught sight of the bandage wrapped around his hand.
A player preparing for the semifinals with bandages on his hand?
“Let me see your hand. I want to look at it properly.”
I extended my hand, but Aemerus shook his head stubbornly.
“It’s nothing serious.”
“If it’s nothing serious, there’d be no reason to hide it.”
At my urging, Aemerus reluctantly moved. Soon his hand rested gently on my palm.
His hand was large enough to cover mine entirely, and it was wrapped in bandages.
‘I wasn’t seeing things.’
Bandages were wound around his large hand, covering it completely.
“When did you get hurt? You were fine yesterday.”
Yesterday, even after lunch and during afternoon classes, Aemerus had been perfectly fine.
Did he get injured during Hockey practice after school? Or on the way home?
Not knowing how he’d gotten hurt, I couldn’t touch his hand carelessly, so I examined it intently with my eyes alone.
“I had a slight collision with Tyler during practice yesterday.”
“A slight collision, and you’re wearing bandages?”
Aemerus blinked slowly, then scratched his head with the unbandaged hand.
“Aemerus, just tell me the truth. Tyler actually hit your wrist with his hockey stick yesterday, didn’t he?”
“What?!”
At Randy’s words, my hair stood on end in shock.
Aemerus quickly added an explanation to calm me down.
“It was purely an accident. Tyler isn’t the kind of person who would do something like that intentionally.”
“If he did it on purpose, he should go straight to juvenile detention!”
Harry’s face crumpled instantly as she cursed at Tyler.
Tyler, who had an uncanny ability to catch his own name, wedged himself between them.
“Didn’t everyone hear what Aemerus said? It was an accident! And there was definitely enough distance for Aemerus to dodge—ugh!”
“If you’re not going to reflect on this, then just keep walking.”
Randy clamped his hand over Tyler’s mouth and shoved him in the opposite direction.
“Why won’t anyone believe me? Aemerus didn’t dodge!”
“That lunatic. I’ve known what he was about since he started subtly needling Aemerus in the Cafeteria over some trivial rumor.”
While Randy flipped Tyler the middle finger, Harry examined Aemerus carefully.
“Have you been to the Hospital?”
“It’s not serious enough for that.”
“What are you talking about? Are you a doctor?”
I couldn’t fathom where his confidence came from when he hadn’t even gotten X-rays.
Harry shook her head in exasperation, then carefully lowered his hand that she’d been holding.
“Go to the Hospital today.”
“Well, let’s just wait until the weekend first. If there’s no improvement, I’ll go then.”
Americans!
Harry tore at her hair in frustration.
Everyone knew medical costs in the United States were astronomical, but with the Huntington Couple’s wealth, they shouldn’t have to worry about that.
“What about Coach? What did Coach say when he saw your arm?”
Surely a Coach who cared about him would have told him to get it checked out?
Harry’s expectations were thoroughly shattered.
“He didn’t say much. He said minor injuries like this are common when you’re training.”
“….”
Shouldn’t a Coach be meticulous about taking care of his players’ physical condition?
‘Or does he think Aemerus’s body is made of steel?’
But as merely a student, I had no right to critique the Coach’s qualifications.
Keeping my lips sealed, I could only manage one more thing to say.
“If it keeps hurting, you absolutely have to go to the Hospital. Understand? There’s no need to tough out pain on purpose.”
Seeing her earnest plea, Aemerus smiled faintly.
“I will.”
I couldn’t force someone who didn’t want to go to the Hospital….
It was frustrating, but there was nothing more I could do.
‘Aemerus isn’t a child, and he’s perfectly capable of taking care of himself.’
Since he said it was a common injury, he’d probably experienced similar accidents before.
If he just rested without doing anything over the weekend as he said, it would be a minor injury that would heal. Probably.
Harry forced herself to think positively and turned off her lingering concern for him.
Just thinking about the date with Jessie planned for tonight was enough to make her head spin.
If Aemerus hadn’t approached her with that dark expression after school, I would have succeeded in completely ignoring him.
“Aemerus, aren’t you going to training?”
“Ah….”
Aemerus’s complexion darkened as his words trailed off.
Looking closer, it seemed he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
“You were right, Harry.”
Aemerus offered an awkward smile and raised the hand he’d wrapped with bandages as a temporary measure.
“I think I really need to go to the Hospital.”
Now that he mentioned it, his wrist did look more swollen than it had been this morning.
“So here’s the thing—could you give me a ride to the Hospital? As you can see, my hand’s in no condition to drive.”
“Of course! Let’s go.”
I’d wanted to go to the Hospital since this morning anyway.
I slammed my Locker shut, which I’d been organizing, and only then did a forgotten fact occur to me, making me flinch.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have a prior commitment….”
“With JJ?”
So he remembered?
I nodded, my expression one of surprise.
After History class, he hadn’t brought up Jessie’s name once, so I’d assumed he’d completely forgotten about it.
His reaction back then had been so lukewarm, too.
“Yeah….”
“Ah, then there’s no helping it.”
“What about your parents?”
“They’re overseas. A client they entertained in Canada last time invited them. They’ll probably wrap up a contract there and come back.”
The Huntington Couple were busy as always.
“What about Randy or the other Hockey Team players?”
“They all went to training. The match is coming up soon.”
I pressed my forehead with my palm.
So why on earth would Tyler crush the captain’s wrist at such a critical time when the match was just around the corner?
“Is that guy a spy or something?”
“That can’t be. Tyler wants our team to win more than anyone else.”
Aemerus defended Tyler as one of his own teammates.
‘You really do need that kind of composure to be a team captain.’
If I were in his position, I would’ve grabbed Tyler by the collar and fought him long ago, then made him experience the same thing while swinging a hockey stick at him in retaliation.
Then I’d probably get suspended and banned from the match too.
I exhaled a sigh and pulled out my phone.
“Wait a second. I’ll call Jessie and reschedule our appointment.”
“Don’t do that. You don’t need to do this because of me.”
“Then do you have another option?”
“….”
“You don’t, right?”
Aemerus couldn’t offer any response, and I went ahead and called Jessie.
The fact that there was a way to call a taxi faded quietly from Aemerus’s mind.

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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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