For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 31 - Confession Gone Awry

#31. Confession Gone Awry

There wasn’t a separate place for meals within the palace. Eventually, they decided to get food from the dining hall and return to Kevin’s tent. Luckily, today’s fare was simple – just bread and oatmeal.

“Wasn’t the trout dish fantastic?”

“Well, I’m not sure. But it seemed like the palace chef put extra effort into it that day.”

Kevin was not someone who cared much about the taste of food. As long as he could fill his stomach, it didn’t matter what it was made of or how it tasted.

“The porridge seems a bit cold on its second round.”

“As long as it’s edible.”

They laid out the food on the table and began to eat. While lunch was a regular affair, having dinner in the tent was a first for both of them. Throughout the meal, Kevin was preoccupied with Lia, unsure of when to bring up the topic. As a result, he absentmindedly scraped the bottom of his bowl with his spoon several times, even though the oatmeal wasn’t particularly appetizing.

“Is it really that delicious?”

Lia didn’t find the oatmeal particularly tasty. If Kevin, who usually didn’t care about food, was eating it so eagerly, it must have suited his taste.

“It’s just okay.”

“You seem to be eating it quite enthusiastically for something that’s just okay.”

Originally, they were supposed to eat the bread alongside the porridge, but Kevin, lost in thought, finished all the porridge, leaving nothing to eat with the bread. Lia got up and made tea.

“If you have it with this, it won’t be so bland.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Having finished her meal first, Lia leisurely sipped her tea. It was made from dried flowers. During this season, they often made flower tea themselves at the mansion. This time, Lia had obtained flowers with the help of another department. It was rare for flowers to bloom in the climate-controlled plants of the Desert Climate Plant Management Department. However, they didn’t force them to bloom.

“How is it?”

“Um….”

It was a difficult question. Kevin, feeling tense, couldn’t perceive anything other than the fact that he was drinking tea. He didn’t even notice that the flowers prepared by Lia were blooming and swirling inside his teacup. At this point, Lia couldn’t help but notice. It was strange even for Kevin, who was usually indifferent to taste. He seemed to be somewhere else mentally.

“Do you have something on your mind?”

Lia cautiously asked. It had been strange from the start when he insisted on having dinner together. She couldn’t understand why he couldn’t bring himself to speak up and why he was hesitating. When Lia asked directly, Kevin couldn’t hesitate anymore. His mind, which had been struggling to find the right words, went blank. So the words that came out were unadorned and raw.

“I think I like you.”

Like? If you like someone, you like them. What does it mean to ‘think’ you like someone? Both Kevin, who said it and Lia, who heard it, were stunned and remained speechless for a while.

“Um….”

Lia, who was about to ask if it was a joke, sealed her lips. Despite the surprise and confusion in his eyes after saying it, it seemed genuine. Lia never expected Kevin to think of her that way. The unexpected confession left her at a loss for words.

“I’m not asking for an immediate answer. After all, we’re just introductions for each other this month anyway. So, I hope you’ll see me for who I am, not just someone with a name.”

“But Mr. Kevin, I…”

It was clear that Lia had already mentioned she wasn’t particularly interested in getting married. Lia seemed to have misunderstood Kevin’s confession as a serious consideration for marriage. Sensing this, Kevin vehemently denied it with both hands raised.

“I’m not asking for an immediate marriage either. I’m just suggesting… considering us as, well, a couple.”

As Kevin uttered the word ‘couple’, his ears turned bright red. His face followed suit, flushing more by the second. Kevin often felt embarrassed, but it was the first time he felt so ashamed. Whether his embarrassment transferred to Lia’s face or not, Lia’s cheeks also reddened.

“Well, then. I’ll… consider it.”

“Uh, yeah. Sure. Take… your time.”

Kevin’s response was awkward. It was hard to meet each other’s eyes. Eventually, Lia got up from her seat and hastily began clearing the table.

“I’ll do it.”

“…Okay. Please. I’ll go to the dormitory then!”

She fled from the tent as if escaping, covering her face and running at full speed to the dormitory. Normally, she would have offered to clean up, but she was too preoccupied. If anyone saw her face now, it would be obvious that something was wrong.

She chose only deserted paths to avoid encountering anyone. Soon, she reached her room. The door slammed shut with a loud noise due to her hurry, but Lia couldn’t care less. She immediately buried her face in the pillow and pulled the blanket over herself.

“Kevin likes me…?”

Setting aside who the other person was, it was her first confession ever. How could someone like her? Her heart raced even though it wasn’t something she particularly liked. Apart from the fact that he was her boss, Kevin was a good man. He could be a bit gruff at times, but he was also affectionate. But Lia had never considered Kevin in that way before. Suddenly receiving a confession left her bewildered. Even if he asked her to consider it, it would only make her feel awkward. 

Why? Why would he like her? Kevin hated noblewomen, and she had always stuttered around him. Moreover, she was someone forced into the prince’s palace, a place he despised. Lia couldn’t understand it at all and found herself tearing her hair out. It was a romantic dilemma she had never experienced before. Tortured, Lia let out a deep sigh.

“I’m done sleeping today….”

* * *

In the end, dark circles formed under her eyes. It seemed like she was telling everyone, ‘I’ve been thinking all night.’ Inevitably, Lia had to bring out something she had never mentioned since entering the palace.

Even at work, Lia desperately avoided meeting Kevin’s eyes. While they talked about work matters, if any personal conversation came up, she made up any excuse and fled. She even skipped lunch, claiming she had a stomach ache.

Every time she spoke, only to run away afterward, Kevin had no choice but to accept it. He had roughly anticipated something like this might happen. Yet, when it did, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The day passed in a blur, without him even realizing it. As it approached closing time, Lia once again made a swift escape.

“Good work! I’ll take off now!”

“Lia!”

Kevin tried to say something more after work, but it was futile. Seeing her disappearing figure, Kevin let out a sigh.

“There’s nothing I can do for now….”

Of course, he hadn’t expected an immediate response from the start. Feeling slightly embarrassed now was evidence that he had started to become aware of himself as a man. He had prepared himself for a long battle anyway. Kevin decided not to rush things.

As Lia ran, she stole a glance behind her. Fortunately, Kevin wasn’t following. She worried about what might happen if he caught up and brought up yesterday’s events.

“It’s dangerous!”

“Ah!”

Lost in thought, Lia was about to hit a tree head-on. Just as she realized it, a strong hand pulled her back with force.

“Are you okay?”

“Mr. P-Perth.”

Perth pulled Lia back and hugged her to prevent her from crashing into the tree. Lia felt relieved but also felt her heart racing at an incredible speed. When she looked up, she saw Perth’s worried expression. Catching her while she was running—it wasn’t just a reflex action. Moreover, she felt his hand tightly holding her waist. He was a man too. As she began to realize this, her face flushed.

“Thank you. P-Please let go.”

“Oh, sorry. I was in a hurry.”

He released the grip on her waist. Quickly, Lia slipped out of his arms.

“Be careful where you’re going.”

His tone sounded both concerned and reproachful, which made Lia chuckle.

“It seems like I’m always bumping into you, Mr. Perth.”

“At least you’re aware now, right?”

“What are you talking about? That’s too much!”

Although she responded to Perth’s playful answer with a serious tone, Lia was secretly pleased. She couldn’t laugh properly all day long in front of Kevin. Engaging in a trivial conversation with Perth finally made her feel like she was returning to normalcy.

“By the way, is something bothering you?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Your under-eyes… look a bit… dark.”

Suddenly, Perth’s face came closer. Lia avoided his gaze and covered her under-eye area.

“Did you have trouble sleeping last night?”

“Uh, kind of….”

Feeling uneasy under Perth’s penetrating gaze, Lia felt burdened. Why did he show up at this moment of all time?

“Do you have something on your mind?”

Lia hesitated at his question. Should she tell him about Kevin’s confession? Somehow, she felt like he should know. She even felt a surge of anger towards him. If she hadn’t recommended Kevin as her second introduction, she might have had fewer worries.

Everything seemed to revolve around that. Suddenly, when Lia looked at him, Perth couldn’t understand a thing. What exactly was happening in that small head in front of him? Just by seeing her inner thoughts, he felt a surge of wanting to see them again.

“If you have any worries!”

And the curt response came back. What did he do wrong again? Perth felt a pang of regret. Lia knew well that this was petulance. However, somehow looking at him, she felt a strange urge to push him into something unreasonable. There was a strange feeling that he might accept it since there might be something he felt sorry for her about.

He couldn’t hide his surprise. He, who had always been composed, lost his composure when he replied curtly. The fact peculiarly amused Lia.

“Even if I don’t know what the problem is, I’ll listen. It might be something I can solve.”

“What if it’s something unsolvable?”

“At least it might make you feel better just by saying it, right? Sharing those moments is what friends… do, according to books, anyway.”

As Perth extended the word ‘friends’, Lia’s expression softened. He, who had only considered her as a business partner, was now using the word ‘friend’ first. Moreover, he was offering to listen to her worries as a friend. Perhaps he didn’t even realize that he now considered her a true friend.

“…Okay.”

Upon hearing the affirmative answer, Perth’s expression brightened. He, who was often described as cold by others, was now so honest in front of her. Lia found this quite adorable.

“Then shall we have dinner together?”

Upon reflection, Lia realized she had skipped lunch and was quite hungry. Without hesitation, she nodded and followed Perth.