The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 274

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Part 2, Chapter 66

“Why… are you crying?”

Irim, who had been smiling gently, stiffened his expression upon noticing Soya’s reddened eyes.

“Did my confession… make you uncomfortable?”

“….”

“If that’s the case, I apologize. I’m sorry.”

The moment he spoke in that pained voice.

[I’m sorry, Soya. I made you uncomfortable.]

Those tender words he had once said to me came to mind.

Pop—

Soya’s tears finally burst forth.

“Oh my, don’t cry.”

“Sob….”

“I’m truly sorry. It’s all my fault, so please stop your tears.”

“Sniff, sob….”

At the large teardrops falling silently, Irim was at a loss and tried to comfort her.

“What should I do to make you stop crying? Shall we go see the fireflies you like?”

However, his careful question had the opposite effect.

At his tender consideration, Soya couldn’t bear to look at his face and buried her head completely in her palms.

“…No, Your Majesty. I’m, sob, fine.”

Her mumbled response was mixed with sniffling sobs.

“Then shall I bring you sweet confections sent as tribute from the Southern Lands? Or gift you beautiful jewels imported from the Eastern Region?”

“….”

Though he asked various things to comfort her while suppressing his worried heart, Soya only shook her head while keeping her face buried in her palms.

Seeing her like this, Irim, who had an even more pained expression, suddenly seemed to remember something and asked carefully.

“There are flowering trees in full bloom on the rear mountain of the Imperial Palace, with pink petals falling like snow. Shall I show you that?”

“…Flowers falling like snow?”

At those words, Soya stopped sniffling and raised her head.

“Yes. It’s even more beautiful when seen at night.”

Having succeeded in diverting her attention, Irim smiled gently and extended his hand.

Soya, who had been staring at him blankly, carefully grasped his fingertips.

In an instant, he tore through space and brought her to the rear mountain of the Imperial Palace.

Soya, who had squeezed her eyes shut, slowly lifted her eyelids.

Soon, her eyes widened at the scene that unfolded before her.

Pink petals bathed in moonlight were gently falling like snow.

Sometimes on Horim Mountain, Gayul would climb up the flowering trees and shake the branches, saying he would make flower rain for her.

But this was the first time she had seen such a scene where the entire mountain was dyed pink, scattering petals.

“The petals are really falling like snow….”

Watching Soya, who couldn’t take her eyes off that beautiful scene, Irim let out a soft laugh.

“Now you’ve finally stopped crying.”

At his quiet murmur, Soya turned to look at him.

“Did you really cry because of my confession?”

He asked with a bitter smile.

“….”

When Soya couldn’t answer, however he interpreted that, an even more pained expression spread across Irim’s face.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to clear up the misunderstanding. That I’m not the kind of playboy you think I am….”

“….”

“I had no intention of forcing my feelings on you or burdening you. I’m sorry.”

“No, Your Majesty. How could a person’s feelings for another person be wrong?”

Toward him who was apologizing in a troubled voice, Soya quickly shook her head.

“Your Majesty didn’t force anything on me or burden me. It’s just that a fragment of a longed-for memory came to mind.”

“…In the end, didn’t I make you cry?”

“No, Your Majesty. This is my problem, not Your Majesty’s fault. So please don’t apologize to me. Besides, didn’t you show me such a pretty scene?”

Her gentle voice was both soft and firm.

“It’s really so pretty. Look at this. Thanks to Your Majesty, my tears have completely disappeared.”

Soya smiled brightly and looked at the scenery before her eyes again.

“….”

Irim gazed at her with a thoughtful expression for a moment, then suddenly said.

“I want to hear your story too.”

“My story…?”

To Soya, who asked back with a puzzled face, he inquired.

“The man you said you hold in your heart. What kind of person is he? I’m curious about that man.”

“Ah….”

Soya, who had been blinking slowly, soon burst into a quiet laugh.

“Why are you laughing? Does just thinking of him make you feel good?”

Irim asked with displeasure, furrowing his brow.

“That’s right. He’s someone who makes me laugh and feel good just by thinking of him.”

“You only cry in front of me.”

“He’s really a good person.”

“Is that man better than me?”

“Hmm….”

Soya was lost in thought for a moment, then smiled softly with an affectionate expression.

“He’s the most gentle and kind person in the world. The one who taught me about love, who taught me about yearning.”

At that expression, which was clearly of someone thinking of their beloved, Irim felt his heart squeeze tight.

“I shouldn’t have asked. I’m getting jealous.”

Irim deliberately hid his painful feelings and spoke in a mischievously sulky voice.

“Please don’t say that.”

“Are you taking his side?”

“….”

Instead of answering, Soya looked at Irim with a smiling face.

Just when he was starting to feel a bit strange at her expression as she gazed at him.

“He went to a distant place and got lost, so now he lives in my heart.”

“…?”

Irim stared at Soya as if he couldn’t understand her words for a moment, then frowned and asked.

“Were the tears you shed earlier because of that man?”

“….”

“I see.”

Irim let out a hollow laugh.

“That man made you cry and wait for him. What a detestable fellow. Shall I teach him a lesson?”

“…No, he’s someone who has the right to do that to me.”

“So you’re still waiting for that man now?”

“….”

At that question, Soya slowly closed her lips.

It was because she had suddenly realized.

That she had been waiting for him… waiting for the gentle him in her memories.

That she had been continuously waiting for him who remembered her.

Despite having thought it didn’t matter if he forgot her.

‘I have been waiting for His Majesty. I have been waiting all along.’

Perhaps, maybe I will wait for him for the rest of my life.

Finding that fact a little sad, Soya quietly fidgeted with just her fingertips.

Irim’s heart sank heavily as he watched Soya like that.

Because Soya’s feelings toward a man whose name and face she didn’t even know were so deep and firm.

Along with envious feelings, Irim felt angry.

“…I will not foolishly lose my way like that man and make you wait.”

That must be why. Why he suddenly said that, breaking the quiet silence.

“Your Majesty…?”

“I like you. I love you. If you permit it, I want to wait until your heart opens.”

Irim looked straight into Soya’s eyes and confessed once more.

“…Why are you asking for my permission?”

She asked in a voice that showed she couldn’t understand.

“Your Majesty is the Emperor who rules Taehwa Kingdom. No one would blame you for pushing your feelings without asking for my permission.”

Then Irim smiled gently and answered.

“Because I’m asking you as a man, not as an emperor. Please, look at me.”

“….”

“I promise. I will love only you with one heart for my entire life.”

“….”

“So when you grow tired of waiting for that wicked man who makes you sad, please turn around just once. I will always be waiting for you in that place where you turn to look.”

“Ah….”

At those words, Soya felt a sharp ache at the tip of her nose.

“Why are you making that expression like you’re about to cry again?”

Irim spoke in a distressed voice at Soya’s eyes that were reddening once more.

“…I don’t know either. This is all because of Your Majesty.”

“Yes. Let’s say it’s all my fault. So don’t cry and hit me instead. Hmm?”

Listening to the gentle voice comforting her, Soya thought.

That she liked His Majesty.

Even though His Majesty didn’t remember anything, she still really liked His Majesty.

That she was so glad she came to like His Majesty….

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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