Episode 100

Rose gazed up at Jasper with eyes full of moisture. 

Jasper had no idea that Rose would come here. There was no information from Briley either.

Trying to swallow her tears, Rose spoke.

“You told me you were going for military training… was that a lie?”

“First… um, come sit here.”

Jasper appeared remarkably calm for someone who had been shot. He skillfully shifted the topic of conversation. Ironically, it was Rose who was trembling.

Jasper turned and walked towards the bed. Rose followed, rubbing her face with her palm. 

She noticed that Jasper’s posture was more disheveled than usual. He seemed to move with a lack of strength. Despite his composed appearance, there was no doubt that he was not in perfect condition.

Desperately, Rose approached Jasper’s side and reached out to support him.

“Quickly lie down, Jasper!”

Jasper jumped, looking back at Rose. His face, which had been pallid, now started to flush red.

Jasper looked bewildered and curious, with his eyes fixed on Rose’s wet face as she scolded him.

Rose gently coaxed Jasper to lie back down on the bed, guided by her somewhat weakened strength. Without realizing it, curiosity and perplexity danced in Jasper’s pupils as he looked at Rose’s unfamiliar, moist face.

After gently tucking Jasper into bed and covering him with a blanket, Rose finally looked relieved. Jasper, who had been quietly observing, let out a dry laugh.

“Is this really a dream…”

There was a small makeshift chair next to the bed. Signs that someone had been taking care of and nursing Jasper were evident. Rose sat down on the makeshift chair and brushed the hair clinging to her forehead before speaking.

“I wish this were all a dream too. What on earth happened?”

Jasper didn’t answer the question. Instead, he reached out and placed his hand on Rose’s forehead.

“Why is your forehead so hot? You look like you’re running a fever.”

Rose looked startled and pursed her lips. 

“Is that what matters right now?”

“It matters, you look hurt.”

“Is it something a person who’s been shot would say?”

“Only if they didn’t die.”

Rose was speechless, not knowing how to respond. Someone had been worried about her, even losing sleep over it. Jasper was using his palm to check her temperature, and he casually asked.

“Do you have a cold?”

Even such a calm question.

In a moment of overwhelming emotions, Rose shouted louder than usual.

“Jasper!”

“Yeah?”

Uncharacteristically bold, Rose spoke quickly. Jasper moved his hand away from her face and listened attentively.

“Why… why do you keep deflecting the topic? I was so worried. The whole time you were gone, I had so many thoughts, and I thought you might be in trouble, how…”

Rose squeezed her small hand into a fist, trembling.

“Now is not the time for you to worry about me! You got shot. Who does that? Could it be… are you in danger because of my father?”

Rose’s eyes, which had just stopped tearing up with great effort, began to moisten again. Jasper briefly suppressed her momentum and then spoke.

“No, it has nothing to do with that. Your father’s matter has already been taken care of.”

“…You saw my father?”

“Well, while I was here, I took care of that too. I told the gang not to contact you directly, and it seems the news hasn’t reached you yet.”

Jasper briefly explained the story of finding George and handing him over to the Redmark Summit.

“He was working at the factory. Fortunately, I found him quickly.”

“…Did my father treat you rudely or say anything strange?”

“Well, not at all.”

“Really? He doesn’t strike me as the type…”

“I made him behave because he knows I’m a Conway.”

“You revealed your name. I hope Conway won’t suffer any consequences because of that.” 

Rose was relieved that Jasper didn’t get shot because of George, but she was certain Jasper must have witnessed some unpleasant things while searching for him.

Just that alone made Rose feel both sorry and grateful to Jasper. Jasper had nothing to do with George, yet he had stepped in and endured hardships on her behalf.

‘Father behaving himself… I doubt it.’

He probably would have uttered harsh words before knowing Jasper’s true identity. She tilted her head slightly and spoke in a subdued voice.

“Thank you for helping.”

“Just a moment ago, you were ready to scold me, and now you’re suddenly sulking? Worried about George Bell being held by the gang? If you’re curious, find out how he’s doing.”

While Rose was indeed curious about what had happened to George, she didn’t intentionally want to go looking for him. Nothing good ever came from being associated with George.

Rose shook her head slightly and replied.

“It’s not like that. You went through a lot for me in many ways, and I’m concerned and sorry…”

“Sorry?” 

Jasper, looking at Rose’s gloomy face, smiled slightly.

“It must feel like you owe me a big debt. Don’t apologize, just think of a way to repay it. It’s simple.”

“What way…?”

“Try loving me.”

Jasper’s low voice resonated through the air, and Rose felt a slight shiver run down her body. Taking a breath, the air felt sweet.

“If you fall in love with me, everything will be solved. All your debts will be canceled, that’s all.”

Rose’s lips trembled for a moment. Was there anything left to say? As usual, Jasper shamelessly wore a seductive smile.

‘Oblivious to boundaries.’

Rose pushed her lower lip out and playfully poked the hotel’s tatami mat with her toe.

‘I’m already in love.’

Seeing Jasper here due to worry seemed like a straightforward matter. However, she couldn’t blame Jasper for being oblivious, as she had herself been oblivious to his feelings for a long time.

Jasper observed Rose, who was making subtle expressions, then reached out and gently cupped her cheek. Rose’s skin felt warm and firm under his touch, and she widened her eyes in surprise.

“Rose Bell, you really care about me. Even if I got shot, I worry about you more.”

Rose’s heart began to beat rapidly. Even though Jasper seemed neglectful of his well-being, his affection was unmistakably present.

Rose squeezed out an awkward response.

“You, you’re a fool?”

It was the harshest thing that came to mind immediately. Jasper chuckled.

“You care about me a lot. Did you come to Valloch just for me? Nothing else on your plate?”

“It’s because of you that I came.”

“If that’s the case… Rose Bell, it seems like you like me quite a bit too, don’t you?”

Rose remembered the letters they had exchanged before Jasper left. Similar words were written on the letter.

[So, the Rose Bell reading this sentence right now…

I think she might like me quite a bit. What do you think, Rose?]

She couldn’t deny that statement. Even now, facing Jasper, her mind went blank as she tried to decide what to say.

Jasper’s presence overwhelmed her with gratitude and joy. She wondered how it would have felt if the bullet had pierced Jasper’s heart instead of his shoulder. Leaving her without ever answering his feelings would have been unbearable.

If that had happened… the thought alone filled her with horror and misery. She might have regretted it for a very long time, possibly even for the rest of her life.

Rose cautiously held onto Jasper’s hand that was cupping her cheek. Her fingertips were trembling, but she spoke while keeping a firm hold on Jasper’s hand.

“Yes.”

“…What?”

“I like you.”

Jasper’s arm lost its strength as Rose’s confession slipped out. His previous audacious and seductive demeanor disappeared, and Jasper looked stunned.

Then, he asked in a bewildered tone.

“What did you say?”

“I like you.”

“Huh?”

Jasper had never looked so dumbfounded before. 

Rose, too, was taken aback. She had expected him to brush it off confidently, but this reaction was unexpected.

“You… you wrote those words in the letter, and now you don’t believe it?”

“I find it hard to believe. Well… are you sure?”

It was odd for someone who had been urging her to like him quickly to be so taken aback. Rose felt a surge of emotion.

‘You made it impossible not to like you…’

During the vacation, Rose had read Jasper’s letters countless times, and her thoughts had been consumed by him. The fact that the very person who stirred her heart didn’t believe her confession was perplexing. It was exasperating, too.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Rose blurted out many things that had been bottled up inside her.

“Why don’t you believe me? I’m sure! I’ve rechecked it several times. I keep thinking about you, missing you, worrying about you… Isn’t that what liking someone means? Jasper, it’s all your fault. I didn’t want to like you… Why are you being so affectionate? You don’t act this way with others but with me…”

Jasper sat in silence, listening as Rose rambled on. The longer she spoke, the redder her face became.

Quietly, Jasper reached for Rose’s hand and pulled it towards himself. Rose, who had been speaking rapidly, suddenly fell silent and stiffened.

Jasper’s blue eyes had more life than usual. He raised his head slightly and gently kissed the back of Rose’s hand. His rough lips pressed softly against her skin before pulling away.

“What are you…!”

Rose was taken aback, frozen in place. She couldn’t even think of retracting her hand from Jasper.

As Jasper’s lips touched the back of her hand, her mind was filled with the fact. Then, Jasper sat up and gazed directly at Rose.

“Rose, will you marry me?”

“…Huh?”

For a moment, Rose thought she had misheard.