My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 96

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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 96

A new year had arrived.
Since Robin had taken up ice hockey, he’d made friends.
All of my younger brother’s new friends wanted to enroll at Riverside School, which was famous for ice hockey.
Following suit, Robin had been studying diligently, determined to attend Riverside School as well.
My relationship with Aemerus had been smooth sailing.
Though upon closer inspection, we had far more differences than I’d realized.
For instance, if I adored Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” he preferred Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights.”
Then again, we weren’t twins, so it was only natural that we couldn’t be identical in every way.
Still, there was a certain charm in discovering our differences one by one.
“Hi, Aemerus.”
I greeted Aemerus, who had come to pick me up as usual on my way to school this morning, and climbed into the passenger seat.
Recently, Aemerus had relinquished his position as hockey captain to another player, so he had more free time.
“Huh?”
I was startled as I settled into my seat and fastened my seatbelt as I normally did.
Aemerus in the driver’s seat was holding a bouquet of red roses.
“Happy Valentine’s.”
“What? I wasn’t even thinking about it….”
In the United States, Valentine’s Day was celebrated quite elaborately.
Even my father, a native Korean man, would give my mother flowers and chocolate on Valentine’s Day.
Aemerus, who was born and raised in the United States, would naturally do the same, but weren’t we still keeping our relationship secret at school?
So I’d assumed it would pass without incident, which made this all the more touching.
“Thank you. The flowers are really beautiful.”
As I brought my nose to the red roses, a fresh fragrance wafted through the air.
It was a scent that naturally brought happiness.
Seeing me smile broadly, Aemerus smiled back.
“Since this is our first Valentine’s Day together, I wanted to make it special.”
Could there really be another boyfriend this perfect in the world?
I marveled silently.
But Aemerus’s prepared gift didn’t end there, surprisingly.
“What’s this? Chocolate?”
The box was too small to contain chocolate, wasn’t it?
“Open it and see.”
I tilted my head curiously and accepted the box Aemerus offered.
With anticipation in my heart, I opened the box to find a pair of white pearl drop earrings inside.
“…!”
My eyes widened as I looked at Aemerus, and he smiled with satisfaction.
“Watching your grandmother give you that pearl necklace made me realize so much.”
“I didn’t mean to burden you with anything….”
I should have kept quiet about it to Aemerus back then.
Even though he’d asked first, still.
Aemerus spoke as if to soothe my embarrassment.
“I chose it because I thought it would look good with the necklace.”
“Mm….”
“Honestly, I wanted to give you a ring. Would that have been better?”
The meaning a ring symbolized was far too weighty.
For two people who’d only just begun dating, a ring was far too premature a gift.
“Earrings! Earrings are absolutely perfect!”
Aemerus laughed with the look of someone who’d known exactly what I would say.
“Don’t laugh.”
I glared at him briefly for falling into his trap, but immediately fastened the earrings in place right there.
The pearls hung gracefully beneath my earlobes in a delicate design, and I loved how they swayed with a soft chiming sound whenever I moved my head.
“How do I look?”
“They suit you perfectly.”
“They look good to me too.”
I added playfully while checking my reflection in the mirror.
“I think I can wear these regularly, even on ordinary days.”
The pearl necklace from Aemerus’s Grandmother carried a solemnity that suggested it should only be worn on formal occasions, but the earrings felt far less burdensome.
“But where’s the chocolate?”
Flowers are lovely, and earrings are certainly wonderful, but without chocolate, is it really Valentine’s Day?
At my question, Aemerus laughed aloud.
“Open the glove box.”
“Aemerus, you’re truly the best boyfriend.”
I cheered and opened the glove box.
“So a boyfriend who buys chocolate is better than one who buys earrings.”
I popped a piece of chocolate into his mouth as he muttered to himself.
“Tastes good, doesn’t it?”
“…Yeah.”
I smiled brightly with my eyes, then finally took a piece of chocolate for myself.
Now I understand why everyone makes such a fuss over Valentine’s Day.
Because the smile of the person you love is sweeter than any chocolate.
“Oh no, we’re going to be late! Let’s go!”
I checked the time belatedly and urged Aemerus forward with a panicked expression.
Aemerus savored the lingering sweetness of chocolate on his tongue as he drove the car.

***

Fortunately, I wasn’t late.
Arriving on time, I left the roses I’d been given in the car and stepped out.
After all, Aemerus and I had to keep our relationship secret at school.
“The flowers won’t get damaged too much, will they?”
“It’s cold out, so they should be fine.”
Chatting with Aemerus about this and that, I entered the school hallway.
The subtle scent of chocolate drifted from all directions.
“The whole world is Valentine’s Day.”
Not only did the chocolate aroma fill the air, but banners inscribed with “Happy Valentine” greeted the students as well.
Normally, I would have felt left out of this atmosphere, but this year it was simply delightful.
“What’s our first class today?”
“Study hall.”
“Good. I need to write some lyrics.”
My eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
The first song I’d contracted had finished recording successfully.
I was eagerly anticipating my debut this summer going smoothly as planned.
“I should watch you do that.”
Aemerus had finished his Yale University application at the end of last month, so he had some time to spare for now.
“What? Do your own thing. Read a book or something.”
“No way. It’s Valentine’s Day.”
“What does that have to do with anything, you idiot?”
Aemerus followed behind me like a puppy as I giggled.
He insisted on carrying my bag even though there wasn’t much in it.
In any case, when I opened my locker door wide with empty hands, it happened.
“Huh…?”
Something red was inside my locker.
“Did I open the wrong one?”
Wondering if I’d accidentally opened someone else’s locker, I closed the door again and checked the nameplate.
Even after double-checking, it was definitely my locker.
“What’s wrong?”
Aemerus beside me asked with a puzzled voice.
“Um, well…”
I stopped abruptly as I was about to explain the situation.
Could this be a surprise gift Aemerus had prepared?
No, that didn’t seem right.
Shaking my head, I opened the locker door wide again.
A bouquet of red roses lay quietly inside my locker.
“Hey Aemerus, did you…? No, you didn’t.”
I could tell from his expression alone that he hadn’t.
He wore the same serious look he’d had when that middle-aged man in Canada had been hitting on me.
“Hmm, then who gave it to you?”
Apart from Aemerus, there was hardly anyone who would have bothered to give Harry a Valentine’s gift.
He narrowed his brows and rubbed his chin as he deduced the culprit.
“Randy?”
“He’s your friend. There’s no reason he’d give me flowers.”
“Or maybe Tyler.”
“Ugh.”
Surprisingly, a professional hockey team had extended a contract offer to Tyler.
He’d received his reward for his dedication to the team, having broken his front teeth twice in the process.
As a result, his arrogance had grown worse by the day, and his popularity among the female students had plummeted to an all-time low.
“Is there a card or anything?”
“Wait… there’s nothing.”
“Then let’s just throw it away.”
“What?”
Harry looked at Aemerus with a displeased expression.
“We don’t know who gave it or what their intentions are. The fact that they know your locker combination is unsettling and creepy.”
Now that he mentioned it, his reasoning made sense.
Just like how some drug addict had slipped drugs into Robin’s candy on Halloween, there was no telling what strange thing might have been done to the bouquet.
“You’re right. It’s better to throw it away.”
He stopped Harry as she reached toward the flowers.
“Wait, I’ll throw it away.”
He made sure Harry didn’t even touch the bouquet before heading straight for the trash bin.
The beautifully arranged bouquet of red roses was about to be discarded.
“No, wait!”
Faye, who had been hiding behind the locker, suddenly jumped out and snatched the bouquet.
Having barely rescued the flowers, she threw a fit at Aemerus.
“This is a gift I’m giving to Lili! Why are you throwing it away like that!”
“Faye?”
Harry was startled by the unexpected appearance.
Faye fell silent the moment her name was called.
“Faye, why are you…?”
“It’s a peace offering.”
Faye answered hesitantly.
She kept watching Harry’s expression, worried she might be rejected.
“Actually, I’ve wanted to make up with you for a while, but I didn’t have the chance to talk to you…”
Things had become awkward between them after Thanksgiving, and with the short winter break that followed, there hadn’t been many opportunities to see each other at school.
So it seemed she’d seized Valentine’s Day as a chance to reconcile.
“Ah…”
Watching Faye, whose face was as red as the roses, Harry extended her hand toward Aemerus.
“Give me those flowers back.”
At Harry’s single word, Faye’s face bloomed into radiance.
Aemerus visibly emanated displeasure, yet he returned the flowers to their rightful owner.
Watching this unfold, an ominous thought suddenly struck Faye.
“Wait a minute—Aemerus isn’t some drug-sniffing dog. Why is he having such an extreme reaction to a gift Lili received?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t tell me… you two are dating?”
Faye practically shrieked the words.
Her voice was so loud that every student in the hallway turned to look at them.

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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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