Saving My Childhood Friend Through... Questionable Means... - Chapter 56
“Seria, thank you so much for coming. I told you yesterday, I said it earlier, and I’ll say it again now—I love you. I’m serious,” Lucas said, staring at her with a determined expression.
Despite the swelling on one side of his forehead making him look a little ridiculous, Seria was too overwhelmed to notice.
‘What’s happening right now? Could this really be what I think it is?’
Her thoughts were a whirlwind, her heart pounding, and she couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from curling up. Lucas’s declaration of love and the ring—it was clear to anyone that this was a proposal.
But was it real? Was it really happening? She desperately wanted him to confirm that this wasn’t some misunderstanding.
Lucas cleared his throat, and suddenly, a sweet melody began playing from the terrace, accompanied by another gust of floral-scented wind. Unlike before, this breeze was gentler, with just the right amount of petals.
Lucas, his face flushed red, stood silently holding the ring box. When Seria didn’t respond, he raised the box higher and finally spoke. His face, so embarrassed and earnest, was a sight Seria had never seen before, making her own cheeks burn bright red.
“Seria, will you accept this ring? I want you to cure my lovesickness.”
“Why? Why do you want me to cure it?”
Seria needed to hear more, to confirm his feelings again. At her question, Lucas inhaled deeply, shut his eyes tightly, and began to speak.
“Because only you can heal this illness.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
When Seria feigned ignorance, Lucas, clearly reaching his limit, covered his face with one hand and forced the words out like wringing water from a cloth.
“I got sick because I couldn’t see you. In other words…”
“Yes?”
“It means I want to keep seeing you. I like you—no, I love you. So please, stay with me forever, Seria.”
As soon as he finished, Lucas, looking as if he might explode from embarrassment, clutched his hair in frustration. It had been far easier to shout this in the rain yesterday, but saying it up close like this was unbearable.
His face was now so red it seemed like it might actually burst. Seria’s face was equally flushed, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest.
Lucas, still fidgeting and visibly flustered, stole a glance at her, then stood abruptly, unable to wait any longer. He grabbed Seria’s hand.
“I’m proposing to you right now. Will you take the ring?”
“What? Proposing?”
She had thought he might ask to date her, but to go straight to marriage? Seria stared at him with wide eyes. Lucas met her gaze with a serious expression.
“Yes. You brought me back to life. So, you should take responsibility for the rest of it. No—wait, I’ll take responsibility for you. Let’s take responsibility for each other, Seria.”
“…Alright.”
Their joined hands trembled slightly as Seria gave her shy answer. Lucas, hands shaking, slipped the ring onto her finger. From the moment she’d learned he had waited in the rain for hours, all her doubts and anxieties had begun to melt away. Now, with his feelings confirmed once again, her heart raced as if it might burst.
Holding up her hand to admire the ring, Seria smiled brightly. Lucas, momentarily dazed by her glowing expression, quickly hurried to the terrace and glared upward. Soon after, the floral breeze and the accompanying music sputtered to a halt.
Seria, overwhelmed with happiness from this once-in-a-lifetime proposal, didn’t pay much attention to whatever Lucas was doing on the terrace. Her smile stretched from ear to ear as she gazed intently at the ring on her finger, basking in her joy.
“Seria.”
“Yes?”
“I love you. I love you so much.”
Lucas, having carefully closed the terrace door, returned to wrap his arms around her slender waist from behind. Encouraged by her soft laughter, he tightened his embrace.
Seria’s laughter faded as she felt his firm chest press against the back of her head. The heat from their bodies was overwhelming, and her breath hitched when she felt a solid, unmistakable presence press into her lower back. A rough, excited breath reached her ears, and Lucas’s soft lips brushed against her ear.
“Ah, sorry. It’s… happened again. But it’s okay, Seria. I don’t need anything right now. I can wait until our wedding day. No, actually… should I make a vow of chastity again? Or maybe… should I just cut it off? This troublesome thing!”
“I’m not sure I can do this right,” Seria said with a slight laugh, trailing off as she spoke.
For someone talking about cutting it off, Lucas seemed to be pressing against her quite blatantly. Still, she no longer felt annoyed like she had before. If anything, the things Lucas did now seemed endearing, proof that she had fallen for him completely.
With a voice tinged with laughter, Seria asked,
“Should I cure your lovesickness right now?”
