Don't Go
The words were so far beyond anything I could have expected that a dazed sound slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. What the hell is this woman saying right now? I stared at Aria with a blank face, only to find that she had already risen from her seat and was now standing by my bed, running her fingers over the covers.
Just as I thought. I should have known she wouldn't back down so easily.
“As expected of Young Master Leo, even your bedding is neatly arranged.”
“Yes, the servants take care of that… No, that’s not the point. What exactly are you saying right now?”
“Pardon? You told me to rest if I was tired, so…”
“No, what I meant was that if you’re tired, you should rest in your own room, my lady.”
“So you’re saying… you want to drive me out of this room…”
“No, that’s not what I meant at all. Still, I think using my bed might be a bit much. We’ve only been engaged for a short time. If word gets out that you’re sleeping in a man’s room like this, people might misunderstand, don’t you think?”
“I’m fine with it, though.”
What do you mean, you’re fine with it, you wicked woman?
I could feel cold sweat forming in my palms as I desperately tried to persuade her.
“I’m not fine with it. How could I be okay with something that would damage your honor, my lady?”
I put forward the noble cause of protecting Aria, but my true feelings were different. Since we were going to break off the engagement in a year anyway, any ridiculous rumor spreading now would be the end of me. If people started saying that Leo of the Stuart family was a playboy who easily fooled around with women, I might never be able to marry and would end up living alone for the rest of my life. For the sake of my future, I absolutely could not let this woman sleep in my bed.
“Then would it be all right if I slept on the sofa? I’m fine with that too.”
Aria smiled brightly, completely undeterred.
“No, ha…”
This conversation was going nowhere. Was this what it felt like to talk to a wall?
…Wait a minute. If she goes to my father later and claims I forced her out of the room or something, that would be even more troublesome. And who knows what kind of revenge she might take using magic.
Since she clearly wasn’t going to listen no matter what I said, maybe I should just let her do as she pleased.
…Yeah. As long as I make sure no rumors get out, it should be fine.
In the end, I scratched my head roughly and spat out in resignation.
“…Very well. Do as you wish.”
“Hehe, thank you. Then I’ll borrow the bed for a little while.”
“……”
I don’t even know anymore. Whatever happens, happens.
[POV: Aria]
Leo’s scent. Leo’s traces. Everything left behind on the bed made my heart flutter wildly.
I pulled the blanket he always slept under over myself and rested my head on the pillow he always used. I could feel Leo with my entire body.
Still lying under the covers, I peeked at him through half-lidded eyes. He was sitting at the desk, seemingly focused on his work. If I didn’t know him, I might have thought, How diligent—he can’t even put down his work in a situation like this.
But the way Leo kept stealing glances in my direction made it perfectly clear that he was extremely conscious of me. He was probably pretending to work to hide his embarrassment.
Our Leo really is adorable.
If I could do as I pleased, I would hug him as much as I wanted. I hid half my face under the blanket and giggled to myself.
By the way, the maid named Hannah who had brought the tea set earlier was one of the people from the Stuart family I had grown quite close to in my previous life. She looked blunt, but she was surprisingly easy to talk to and had often kept me company. She was a truly grateful girl. She had also been a useful source of information whenever I wanted to dig up details about Leo.
We weren’t close yet, but I was sure we would become friends soon. I should have a proper conversation with Hannah later. I also needed to go greet the butler, Sebastian.
I lay still for a few more minutes. The steady scratching of Leo’s pen against paper somehow calmed my heart. Thanks to the warm blanket and the soft pillow, sleep gradually crept over me. Before I knew it, I had fallen fast asleep.
[POV: Leo]
“……”
In the quiet room, the sound of steady breathing could be heard softly. Just moments ago, Aria had been sneaking glances at me, burying her face in the blanket and doing something incomprehensible. Now she was completely asleep.
Lying quietly under the covers with her eyes closed, breathing softly, Aria looked as beautiful as a sleeping angel. Of course, that was only on the outside. There was definitely no angel inside her.
Wondering if she might be pretending, I observed her for another ten minutes. When there was still no movement, I finally let out a small sigh and carefully set down my pen.
Then I stared at her sleeping face once more. Well, it made sense. She had visited our mansion early yesterday morning and gone through all sorts of things for two days straight. It was only natural that she would be tired.
I rose from my chair as quietly as possible so it wouldn’t scrape, then moved toward my bed where Aria lay, muffling my footsteps. As I drew closer, I could see her in even greater detail.
Her long, elegant silver hair, slightly disheveled. Her flawless, pale, and delicate skin. Her long silver eyelashes and gentle eyes. Her straight nose and plump, soft pink lips. The slender nape of her neck, slightly exposed. And above all, Aria’s unique sweet scent gently tickled my nose.
“……”
Then, suddenly, a wave of self-loathing hit me.
Damn it. What the hell am I doing right now?
I felt pathetic for secretly watching the villainess’s sleeping face. I should stop doing pointless things and go wait outside.
I tore my eyes away from her and carefully turned to walk toward the door.
“Mmm…”
That was when Aria let out a small moan.
I flinched and stopped in my tracks, turning back. As I examined her face, still asleep in the bed, I saw her brows furrowed in a pained expression.
Is she having a nightmare?
The moment that thought crossed my mind, the next words that came from her froze me in place.
“…Leo…”
Why was this woman calling my name?
Before I could even form the question, the words that followed were even more shocking.
“Don’t… Don’t go, Leo…”
My mind went blank. What kind of dream was she having? Don’t go? Don’t go where?
While I stood there in confusion, Aria went even further, reaching out into the empty air and beginning to sob.
“Leo… Leo…”
I was bewildered. My brain couldn’t keep up with what was happening. The hand she stretched into the air trembled faintly.
I don’t know why the thought occurred to me. It was purely instinctive. As if possessed by something.
Slowly, I reached out and gently wrapped my hand around the one she had extended into the air.
“!”
The moment our hands touched, Aria grabbed mine as if she had been waiting for it. Startled, I tried to pull away, but her grip was stronger than I expected, and I couldn’t free myself right away.
“Ha… ha…. Leo…. Thank goodness…”
Clutching my hand tightly, Aria breathed in relief. Watching her, I somehow felt that I shouldn’t let go.
The small hand gripping mine was still trembling faintly. Her tightly closed eyelids quivered.
What kind of dream could make her like this? My questions only grew deeper.
Gradually, our joined hands lowered and settled gently onto the bed. Aria’s tightly clenched fingers showed no intention of releasing mine.
“……”
Only then did her breathing become steady and peaceful once more. Our hands remained clasped together.
After staying like that for a few minutes, the initial tight grip had almost disappeared. It had loosened enough that I could probably pull away if I wanted to.
I probably could have… but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I simply couldn’t pull my hand away.
I didn’t know why. It was like the flea that had jumped against the glass lid of a jar every time—it couldn’t jump out even after the lid was gone. Some unknown force kept my hand there.
The joined hands were warm. I couldn’t tell whether the slight dampness came from my cold sweat or hers, but I didn’t really care.
With a complicated expression, I quietly gazed at Aria’s sleeping face. When she slept with her eyes closed like this, she really did look like an angel…
Somehow, with Aria asleep right now, I felt like I could look straight at that beautiful face.
Staring at her peaceful, silent expression, I suddenly wanted to ask.
Why did you leave me back then? And why did you come back only to torment me like this?
I couldn’t understand anything. Not the reason Aria had left me. Not whether her words were true. And now… not even my own heart…
Emotions I couldn’t comprehend swirled like a storm, turning everything inside me into chaos.