Saving My Childhood Friend Through... Questionable Means... - Chapter 23
As Seria compared yesterday to today, she let out a small sigh. There’s no deeper meaning behind it. It’s just me overthinking. Forcing herself to shake off the spiraling negative thoughts, she put on a neutral expression and replied calmly.
“Of course, I’ll go with you. I’m your secretary, aren’t I?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Seria.”
And just like that, the awkward atmosphere returned. Eating felt less like enjoying a meal and more like chewing on sand. Even though the table was laden with delicious food, her appetite was nowhere to be found. The strained silence between them was suffocating.
‘What should I say to break this tension?’
She couldn’t very well blurt out, “Let’s do our best during tonight’s session! Go team!” That was ridiculous. But sitting here saying nothing wasn’t helping either. It felt so different from the way they used to be, and she hated this uncomfortable distance. Unable to bear it any longer, Seria hurriedly spoke up.
“Right! Uh, you… you were pretty good yesterday.”
“What? Oh, um, you too… you were really…”
His words trailed off, dissipating into awkward silence. In hindsight, it would’ve been better if neither of them had spoken at all. After their flustered exchange, the atmosphere became even frostier. Lucas’s cheeks turned pink as his gaze darted aimlessly around the room. He bit his lip and muttered under his breath.
“You’re… not upset, right? I mean… I thought it was fine.”
“Why would I be upset? I said I—”
She cut herself off mid-sentence, biting her tongue. Keeping her mouth shut would’ve been smarter from the start. With the words she almost said choking in her throat, she pressed her lips tightly together.
“Seria.”
“…What?”
“About that ‘casual relationship’ thing you mentioned. I asked one of my friends in the capital about it through the crystal communicator.”
“What?! Why would you ask them about that?”
Seria’s eyebrows shot up in shock, and Lucas hastily explained himself.
“No, no! I didn’t bring up you or anything. I just asked in general.”
“Uh-huh. Fine. Go on.”
“Well, apparently, it is a popular concept right now. My friend gave me some advice and said that casual relationships actually require… a lot of effort.”
“What? Effort? For that?”
She had never heard of such a thing before. What kind of effort could possibly be involved? Her confusion was evident as she stared at him, and Lucas pulled a book out of his coat. Seria’s eyes widened when she saw the cover: 101 Ways to Have a Great Night.
Lucas ran his hand over the cover as he explained his newfound enthusiasm for casual relationships.
“Remember how I said I was studying yesterday? This is the book I read. My friend said casual relationships aren’t something that just happen—they require a certain level of skill. Even if someone is naturally talented, they still have to refine their techniques to be a considerate partner. So, I’ve decided to give it my all. I want to be… a true gentleman.”
“Uh… I see. What kind of friend… never mind. That’s… a good attitude.”
The way his eyes sparkled with determination made it impossible to discourage him. Seria just nodded. If he was going to try harder at something they were already doing, she had no reason to stop him. Besides, Lucas always overcommitted to everything—whether it was being a paladin or anything else.
Lucas watched her with an eager expression, but when Seria returned to her meal without commenting further, he let out a disappointed sigh and tucked the book away. The silence crept back in, filling the room like an unwelcome guest.
Even after their plates were empty and their stomachs full, neither of them made a move to leave. Seria fidgeted with her fork, clinking it against her plate, while Lucas kept sipping from an already empty cup. Both of them seemed trapped, unable to be the first to break the stalemate.
‘If this goes on any longer, one of us is going to turn into a statue.’
Seria mentally counted down. Three, two, one… She abruptly stood, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. Lucas startled and looked up.
“…Already leaving?”
“Uh, yeah. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Can’t we talk a little more before you go?”
She shook her head. He probably wanted to restore some normalcy between them by talking, but what was there to say? Maybe Lucas could act like the past two nights were no big deal, but Seria couldn’t. She didn’t know how to respond to his talk of improving their nights together—it just made her feel more awkward.
What would they even talk about? How last night could’ve been better? What new positions to try tonight?
‘I shouldn’t have brought up the casual relationship thing.’
She had hoped it would make things easier, but his nonchalant attitude just made her feel worse.
‘Honestly, I’m such a mess. I keep flip-flopping between feelings. Why can’t I just make up my mind?’
Her emotions were all over the place, and she was afraid Lucas would notice if they kept talking. Glancing at his clear blue eyes, she quickly averted her gaze.
“No, we’ll see each other tonight anyway. Let’s just talk then.”
“Wait, Seria!”
Lucas stood abruptly, but she raised a hand to stop him. Without another word, she hurried out of the dining room, leaving him standing there with a frustrated expression.
As he watched her retreating figure, Lucas let out a low sigh. It echoed faintly in the now-empty dining room.
