â⦠Olga, you had a fever whilst you slept.â
â⦠Yeah, I heard from Dante.â
I was startled when I heard about it, but I was even more startled from what I heard after that.
From the flow of the conversation, Rishell will probably ask about my confession.
Yep, letâs deny it with all of my might.
âDuring that time, you have regained your consciousness for a little⦠do you remember?â
See, it came!
However, itâs not like I can answer honestly.
â⦠I donât remember.â
To donât seem unnatural, I replied while looking into Rishellâs eyes.
⦠It would be nice if he didnât suspect me though.
â⦠I see.â
Rishell cast his eyes down.
I was trying to behave as calmly as possible, but my heart was racing.
⦠I would like if we stopped talking about it here.
However, Rishell didnât feel like stopping.
âThen, you donât remember what you told me when I was nursing you?â
â⦠I donât.â
It came after all! I was hoping that he would realize that I was just sleep-talking and leave it at that, but thatâs not happeningâ¦
â⦠Do you want to hear what you said to me?â
âNot really. It was something about wanting to eat anyway, right?â
The usual me would be screaming: âI want to know! I want to know!â but I would bring calamity upon myself if I said that.
I might have sounded a bit unnatural, but this reply was the best.
âTough luck. You are wrong.â
âEhh, then did I say that I am hungry?â
âWhy are you such a foodie?â
Because I canât think of anything else!?
I will be reaching my limit of deceiving soon as well.
I donât know what Rishell might attempt to do too.
Itâs not like he will stop anytime soon.
⦠While thinking of not being careless, a question that hit my core came.
â⦠Say, Olga. Do you like me?â
â⦠Ah?â
I let out some kind of strange answer, but I donât think I had a choice.
Why is he asking such an unexpected question?
I thought he would ask me indirectly, so I wasnât ready for such directness.
I thought of getting a curveball but I got a straight one instead!
â⦠Yeah, I do like you? We are friends after all.â
Anyhow, I canât allow to let him see that I was shaken up.
Thinking such, I gave him a harmless and inoffensive answer with a whole-faced smile.
⦠Ahh, my mimetic muscles are hurting.
âHee, is that so?â
Wow, an equally whole-faced smile floated on Rishellâs face.
⦠Of course, it was pitch black.
âWhatâs the matter? Asking that all of sudden.â
ââ¦..â
Silence? Stop that! It scary, so I would rather prefer some kind of reply instead!
Moreover, he was continuing with his malicious smile, so I was frightened terribly. This person is scarily good at threatening people.
âRather, is that all you wanted to talk about, Rishell? Thereâs no way I would hate you though?â
I said so with a bright voice and laughed ahaha.
⦠Did Rishell want to ask me only that question?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
I cannot read his heart, which is scary.
In the first place, he has been watching me in silence with a malicious smile since a while ago⦠what is he thinking, this person?
â⦠Indeed, but thatâs not the only thing I wanted to say.â
Hearing that, my body stiffened.
⦠Will he tell me that heâs disgusted by my previous confession? Even though I trusted him.
No, calm down, me. Even if he says something about the confession, I just have to deceive him with: âStop it, you~ we are friends~ donât be so concsiouss~ ⦠maybe.
Although itâs doubtful whether I would be able to deceive Rishell.
â⦠Olga, what would you do if I told you that I am conscious of you as someone of the opposite gender?â
âEh, thatâs surprising.â
It was an unexpected question, but I was able to reply reflexively.
No, anyone would be surprised about that.
Thatâs more impossible than the end of the world.
⦠Ah~ but, was I supposed to think a little longer about my reply?
âWell, thatâs right, isnât it⦠you donât see me as a man after all.â
âEh? What did you say?â
I wasnât able to hear the last part.
Thatâs why I told Celsior to speak properly the last time! I am troubled because the conversation basically cuts off in the middle.
âNo, itâs nothing⦠and so, based on that, thereâs something I want to tell you.â
Expecting what kind of absurd thing heâs going to say, my body froze in place.
I am afraid to hear what he is going to say next.
âThereâs no way I would have any romantic feelings towards you.â He might say that with cold eyes.
However, this is my punishment for being spoiled in my dreams.
⦠I have to endure.
â⦠Olga, Iâ¦â
ââ¦â¦â
While watching Rishell say what is on his mind, I tightly grasped my hand that I had placed on top of my lap.
⦠Eei, prepare for the worst, me. Deceive him even if he says anythingâ¦!
â⦠I love you.â
â⦠Wha.â
That moment, the feelings of wanting to continue deceiving him and the feelings of not wanting to be confessed to, all flew out of my head.
I stared at Rishellâs troubled smiling face like a fool.