A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 22

Tilia’s heart pounded heavily as she almost fell headfirst onto the marble floor. The delayed sense of danger made the hair on the back of her neck stand up before it settled down.

“Be careful.”

From behind her came a familiar scent, like stepping into a forest.

“You bruise easily.”

The deep voice that echoed in the humid air lingered a little longer in the empty space.

Tilia felt the warm hand holding her slowly fall away. The lingering warmth on her shoulder lingered like a fading afterglow on her thin shirt.

“Let’s go; I think there are people over there.”

For a moment, she was in a daze. The sound of the freshmen’s shoes moving away quickly, like an alarm, brought her back.

Tilia took a step back and turned around as if waking from a dream.

Then, with wary eyes, she looked at the man who had caught her shoulder.

The sunlight that came directly into the old library was filled with glistening dust particles floating in the air.

In the midst of it stood Ilex, his bluish-gray eyes appearing lighter under the strong light.

They looked distant, like faded glass beads that had been left in a display case for a long time.

‘Yes, those eyes.’

Tilia looked up at him and, almost instinctively, bit her lip again. She could feel his gaze being drawn, as if by some force, toward her lips.

Those inscrutable, unsettling eyes were the problem.

Despite their cold blue-gray color, there was a heat in them that seemed out of place.

Suspicious to the point of being disturbing, Tilia even felt a desire to gouge out those eyes to see what lay behind them.

Though, she was sure that if she actually looked into them, she would be disappointed by the emptiness.

“Ilex Davenpor,” Tilia spoke, releasing her bitten lip as a sharp sensation spread.

His murky gray eyes lifted back to meet hers. Staring into his eyes, Tilia quietly commanded, “Follow me.”

***

No matter how much history and tradition a library might hold, its aging condition was undoubtedly a problem.

When structural issues were raised, the construction committee decided to leave the existing central library as a memorial and build a new one.

As a result, the right side of the library, once a resting area, had turned into a construction site.

With dust and noise driving people away, Tilia sighed as she turned her back on a corner of the deserted area.

She looked at Ilex, who stood some distance away, her green eyes filled with irritation.

She had thought she had chosen the least troublesome target. Who knew he would turn out to be such a big obstacle?

She even wanted to go back in time and smack her past self for thinking she had picked well.

As Tilia debated how to start, she remembered the box that had been left untouched in the corner of her room and opened her mouth.

“A week ago, the box of medicine was delivered to the dormitory.”

Her eyes casually scrutinized her target.

“You sent it, didn’t you?”

There was no answer. But even if he didn’t speak, Tilia knew the answer.

Among all the medicines packed in the box was an ointment for deep wounds.

It was a medicine that only Ilex Davenport, who had been with her that night, could have sent. He was the only one who could have known about the injury in such a deep place.

“You sent it, didn’t you?”

There was no answer. But even if he didn’t speak, Tilia knew the answer.

Among all the medicines packed in the box was an ointment for deep wounds.

It was a medicine that only Ilex Davenport, who had been with her that day, could have sent. He was the only one who could have known about the injury in such a deep place.

“Take it back. I don’t need it.”

Tilia continued, her expression filled with annoyance.

“And I thought I made myself clear before, but since it seems you didn’t understand, I’ll say it again.”

Ilex Davenport remained silent. But Tilia didn’t need an answer from him either.

“I have no intention of letting the past tie me down to you.”

“……”

“And I hope you feel the same.”

Tilia looked down at the floor, as if questioning why she even had to say this, then sighed and lifted her head.

“I just want things to go back to the way they were, as if nothing happened. Don’t you understand what I mean?”

Somehow, saying this made her feel like a bit of trash.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter, since the other party’s trash too.’

Thinking casually, Tilia looked at Ilex.

“So could you stop following me around?”

It was different from just blurting out words like before.

This time, she needed a definitive answer from him. An assurance that he would no longer loiter around her or send covert glances her way, no matter where she went.

She couldn’t help it if he laughed and talked about her with his friends, but at least he shouldn’t interfere with her life.

Tilia looked at Ilex Davenport with a face demanding an answer.

But he still didn’t respond.

The noise from the construction site filled the silence between them.

Under the bright sky, the wind, mixed with plaster dust and pollen, stung Tilia’s eyes.

“Ha.”

Finally, Ilex’s expression changed.

‘…Is he laughing?’

But it wasn’t the response Tilia wanted.

Ilex looked down at her, sneering as if he had heard the most ridiculous story ever.

“You must be mistaken.”

His deep voice had become even more cynical compared to a week ago. A hint of annoyance, similar to what had been in Tilia’s eyes earlier, lingered in his gaze.

“I never followed you.”

It took Tilia a moment to interpret his words, and a delayed crease formed on her forehead.

“What?”

“I said, I never followed you.”

Tilia scorned Ilex for suddenly denying everything.

“Oh, really? So, was it your ghost I kept seeing around me for the past week?”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ilex shrugged as if she were making things up.

“It must have been a coincidence that our paths crossed. Is there a law that says I can’t go wherever you go?”

A coincidence?

Tilia found it so absurd that she almost laughed.

Even Judy, who was clueless, had noticed how he hovered around her. Now, here he was, acting as if nothing had happened.

“I went to the lecture building for a meeting with a professor, and I came to the library because I needed a book.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Besides, I heard that this library was built with donations from the Davenport family.”

But his childish argument was only just beginning.

“If you really want to argue, shouldn’t you be the one leaving, not me?”

Hearing him openly say, “My father built this place, so you should leave,” left Tilia momentarily speechless.

“…What?”

“Exactly what I said.”

Ilex simply glanced at the half-finished new building and crossed his arms arrogantly.

“This academy isn’t your property, is it? So why are you acting like you’re the only one allowed to use it?”

With that statement, one of Tilia’s definitions of Ilex Davenport crumbled.

She had thought he was an annoying person but still someone struggling to maintain his lofty pride.

‘So this is how low you can stoop?’

“You, are you…?”

Tilia looked at him, dumbfounded, and before she realized it, blurted out, “Are you eleven years old?”

She saw a slight twitch at the corner of Ilex’s mouth. His expression made it obvious that he was suppressing his laughter.

“Tilia.”

Still with his arms crossed, Ilex spoke like a thug teasing a girl he liked, “If I were eleven, you’d already be in jail.”

“What?”

“Think about it. If I were a minor, wouldn’t you be in trouble right now?”

What nonsense. Ilex whispered to Tilia, who looked puzzled.

“And I think I’ve already proven enough that I’m a grown man.”

The moment she found the sly curve of his lips distasteful—

“Hey, you…”

Tilia shuddered and growled, realizing a beat too late the meaning behind his lewd joke.

“Can’t you shut up?”

Despite her irritation, she lowered her voice and quickly looked around to see if anyone was nearby. At her flustered behavior, Ilex finally burst out laughing.

His clear laughter echoed in the thick air. For that brief moment, even the deafening noise from the construction site couldn’t drown out the lively sound.

‘What’s he laughing about?’

As Tilia glared at him with her brows deeply furrowed, she suddenly realized it was the first time she’d seen him laugh like that.

And somehow, it made him look more his age than he did when he always appeared so bored.

‘…More his age, huh.’

But what does that matter, if he’s just laughing at his own dirty joke?

Suppressing any other sentiment that was trying to surface, Tilia returned to her usual stern expression.