A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Can I Kiss You?

“…I’m not drunk,” Emeline replied firmly.

But her reaction was slower than usual, and her expression was uncharacteristically sulky.

Zenon looked at her carefully once more, then wore a face that said he could die from how adorable she was.

Most people, when drunk, would let their guard down. Zenon had never seen Emeline look so harmless.

“Yeah? You’re not drunk?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Still, it’s late. We should sleep.”

“Alright.”

Emeline obediently answered and stood up.

Zenon sat stunned as she passed him and walked to the bed. When he came to his senses, his mouth hung open in disbelief.

That Emeline Delzeier could be this compliant.

He recalled her usual prickly, sensitive, and snappish demeanor and let out a breathless laugh.

He had loved those traits as part of her many charms, but this was a different kind of delight.

Zenon, who had originally planned to tuck her in and leave, changed his mind and headed toward her bed.

Emeline glanced at him but said nothing. So Zenon, smiling to himself, lay beside her and pulled her into his arms.

He felt her small, warm body nestled against him. Her familiar scent mixed with the sweet smell of wine.

Emeline shifted uncomfortably, perhaps bothered by the close embrace. But soon she gave up and quietly rested her head on his chest.

‘Why is she so cute?’

The slight difference in her usual self left Zenon burning with emotion.

He wanted to kiss her right then and there, but doing that to someone trying to sleep would be madness. He wasn’t even sure he could stop at just a kiss.

Holding back his urges with great effort, he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

Perhaps because it was her, the goodnight he whispered after felt sweet even in his own ears.

“Good night, Emeline.”

And, of course, he didn’t forget the last part.

“I love you.”

***

From early morning, cicadas cried loudly.

The wind coming through the window carried the scent of summer. It was thick with humidity.

Half-asleep, Emeline furrowed her brow.

The chorus of birds and cicadas was grating.

More than anything, she was wrapped so tightly in her blanket that she felt stifled.

Judging by how much she had cocooned herself, the night must have been chilly.

‘Come to think of it, I came to Winderbilm with Zenon…’

When she thought about it, Winderbilm was cooler than Elvarto, with more wind.

So it was no surprise that the night had been cold.

Just as she opened her eyes, the heavy blanket suddenly pressed down on her. As if the blanket had opened its corners and wrapped her in an embrace…

“You’re awake?”

The illusion vanished the moment a gentle voice reached her ears.

Emeline lifted her head from where it had been buried. As she drew in a breath, her eyes met warm green ones.

She blinked in a daze. She had clearly just woken up, but why was he beside her?

Her blank stare gradually turned to shock. Did they sleep together?

She recalled what she had been wearing.

Nothing underneath—just a bathrobe thrown over her. She had met Zenon right after her bath, and they had ended up toasting together.

‘Even if we’ve already seen everything there is to see… that was four years ago.’

Her face slowly flushed red.

As far as she could remember, there had been no kiss last night, no further intimacy.

Could it be that she got drunk and forgot something happened?

“What are you thinking about?”

Zenon asked as if he could read her mind. He was still holding her in his arms.

He moved the arm wrapped around her shoulders and gently brushed back her black hair.

Then his hand moved to her cheek, then lower to cup her chin.

Zenon’s thumb pressed softly against her lower lip.

Smiling playfully, he spoke as though he could see right through her.

“We didn’t do anything last night. So why is your face so red?”

“Nothing… happened?”

“Surely you don’t think I’d take advantage of a tipsy and vulnerable Emeline Delzeier?”

“……”

As shocking as his words were, they held unmistakable consideration.

He was making it clear he wouldn’t act without her consent.

At the same time, Emeline felt a slight disappointment. Could it be that she had secretly hoped for something?

Zenon pulled her back into his arms. Emeline’s body sank into his chest. With only a few layers of fabric between them, they were pressed close.

“Want to sleep a little longer?”

“It’s already morning. Sleeping more now?”

“So what? What’s wrong with sleeping in?”

“It’s irregular. It might mess up our schedule. Only by moving diligently will we avoid feeling like the day was wasted…”

“No way. I’m going to hold my love in my arms and stay in bed all day.”

“What nonsense…”

Zenon’s playful words left Emeline speechless. She was so embarrassed she couldn’t even speak.

Zenon, expecting her reaction, chuckled.

The hand that had been stroking her hair slid down and gently patted her back.

A calm, low voice followed.

“Back then, four years ago, I once left just before dawn because I wanted to stay by your side a little longer.”

“…You said you’d only watch me fall asleep and then leave, but you did that?”

Emeline’s eyes widened at the story she had never heard before.

Zenon had stayed by her side only when they spent the night together.

She would always fall asleep first from exhaustion, and Zenon would assure her it was fine and that he’d leave once she fell asleep.

When she looked up at him in disbelief, Zenon smiled faintly.

Then he lowered his head and brushed a kiss against her lips.

“I thought that might be the last time I saw you, and that after tomorrow, I might not be able to see you freely again.”

“……”

“So for a moment, I wondered if it wouldn’t be better to just run away with you. To a place where it’s just the two of us.”

Run away…

Emeline replayed his calm words in her mind. That one word felt both sweet and bitter.

Maybe it would’ve been better if they had run. Maybe they could’ve avoided all the pain.

Or maybe the wall they were born with was unavoidable, and their wounds were inevitable trials.

Emeline gently wrapped her arms around Zenon’s head. His soft blond hair spilled beneath her fingers as she drew him toward her, until their lips almost touched.

“Then why didn’t you say we should run away?”

“Because I loved what was precious to you just as much as you did…”

His voice trailed off as he looked into her eyes. She could see a strange heat rising in his gaze.

They were already close, and since he had been holding her all along, the bathrobe Emeline wore had loosened to the point it looked like it could fall with the slightest tug.

“…Can I kiss you?”

His earnest question made Emeline laugh. Not long ago, he used to kiss her without asking.

“Come here.”

She took the initiative and pressed her lips to his. Zenon leaned into her, deepening the kiss.

Morning sunlight spilled through the bedroom window and onto the bed where they lay together.

Zenon’s lips naturally parted hers and explored deeper. As their breathing grew rough and her mind hazy, he moved, shifting on top of her.

With that simple movement, her robe slipped off.

At the same moment, he trailed his kisses down to her chin. After covering her face with kisses, Zenon finally sat up.

Her eyes, breathing heavily, met his.

Just like the first time they embraced four years ago, he looked into her eyes deeply and seriously.

Soon after, he gave a soft smile.

“You’re nervous.”

“…You’re nervous too, I can tell.”

“Was it obvious?”

“You always get more nervous than I do when it comes to these things.”

Despite her blunt words, Zenon looked overjoyed.

His hand slowly followed the line of her jaw.

“This feels like a dream right now… I was trying not to let it show, but I guess I can’t hide anything from your eyes.”

His hand paused at her collarbone. His gaze slowly traveled down, drinking in the view inside her robe.

Though his eyes burned with desire, they were filled even more with overwhelming affection, looking at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

Emeline’s heart pounded in sync. She could now clearly understand what it meant to be overwhelmed by love.

“Zenon.”

“Yeah?”

Zenon’s hand slid inside her robe.

As she felt the familiar and deeply missed touch, Emeline spoke in a low voice, “…There will probably be a social party at the palace in about two weeks. Let’s reveal that we’re a couple there.”

Thanks to Zenon’s recent scandalous activities, people were wondering who he might be in love with.

If they made it public, their romance would surely stir the entire nation.

They might face shock and disapproval for a while.

But this was something they would eventually have to make known.

Zenon, having thought the same, responded without hesitation, “Yeah, let’s do that.”

Pleased by his straightforward reply, she let herself go in his touch.

His moist lips paused at her shoulder, then slowly trailed down with soft kisses.

Letting out a breathy sigh, Emeline gazed up at him with dreamy eyes. He looked so dazzling and special it made her chest tighten.

As her vision blurred, one thought echoed in her heart.

‘Now that I have time with Zenon again, it’s not over yet.’

She had fought hard for this love, which made it even more precious, and she couldn’t afford to lose it.

They had to declare this solid love to the world and to those who had stood in their way.

“Shall we get married?”

Just like they had once promised, to bring their destiny to its true conclusion.