The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind - Chapter 119

Chapter 119

The beautiful spring had finally arrived.

At the beginning of spring, Citrina and Desian started to put their heads together: they wanted to decide who to invite to their engagement.
As they made a simple checklist for their engagement, Citrina had a lot of questions for Desian.
One breezy day, they sat side by side on a small couch, her head resting on his shoulder.
Citrina started asking him one small question after another.
Like, for example, this one.

“Did you get the Senate’s consent?”
“Yes, Rina, it was unanimous.”
Matters related to Duke Pietro’s marriage were not his own to make. The duke’s marriage required the permission of the Senate.
Desian had gotten the Senate’s approval after only one day. Looking at the written notice lying flat on the table in front of the couch, Citrina nodded nervously.

“Then let’s make it a beautiful engagement, shall we?”
“What do you want for our engagement?”
Desian’s warm eyes dropped to the top of her head, around her eyes, at the tip of her nose, and down to her lips like a spring sun. Citrina pondered, then replied.
“After all, I’d like it to be a small ceremony, since it’s an engagement, people will know about it, but I’d like to have only good people there.”
“Then let’s do that. I don’t like complicated things either.”
Citrina nodded, listening to Desian’s gravelly voice.
Desian is not good with people, and he doesn’t like other people. Even if Citrina thawed his frozen heart, it wouldn’t change his basic disposition.
Citrina slowly raised her hand and ruffled his hair.
Like petting, soothing, something you love.

“Yeah. So I’d like to have a few guests, but it’s more like a commitment ceremony than a wedding, so I think it’ll be okay.”
“Who do you want to invite, Rina?”
“Well, for starters I’d like…Gemma, Adilac, Lita, and Her Highness the Princess!”
Actually, Citrina wondered briefly if she should invite Princess Iana. After all, she and Desian had been in marriage talks, and she briefly wondered if she would feel uncomfortable.
But then Citrina remembered the sparkle in her eyes whenever she saw Desian and herself together.
…Iana seemed like she should be invited. Somehow, it felt like she should, like she had to.

“Okay.”
As she listened to his answer, Citrina asked herself. She wondered if Desian had someone he wanted to invite as well.
“What about you?”
“…”
“You, who would you like to invite, Del?”
Desian was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed slightly.
There was a pause in the conversation. Desian hadn’t spoken in a while.
‘What’s on his mind?’
Citrina looked at him and shook her head. And the words that came out of Desian’s mouth were familiar and subtle.

“…I was thinking of inviting Aaron, Rina.”
“Isn’t that a little too obvious?”
Citrina smirked.
‘I can’t believe he struggled to say Aaron’s name.’
Desian’s behavior toward Aaron lately had been cute and endearing.
Citrina was proud. Desian and Aaron’s brotherly relationship was a little better than before. It was certainly different from the original plot, where Citrina had died and Desian had become the villain.
“Of course we should invite Aaron. We’re family, all three of us.”
Family was a word Aaron used to sing every day. This is what he’d been talking about when he mentioned this word.
Desian’s throat lumped. He answered slowly as if he’d been thinking about it for a long time.

“Yeah, that’s right.”
“I would like you to invite Oslo-nim as well.”
“…I suppose.”
“Yeah. He’s my teacher, but there’s another important reason.”
“And what is that?”
“He’s the one who made our engagement rings.”
Desian’s gaze fell hard on her. Citrina looked up at him and smiled sheepishly.
“That’s-“
Desian had just opened his mouth when Citrina placed her finger over his lips.
“You don’t have to say anything. Sincerely, thank you.”
The sensation of her hand on his full lips was numbing, so he pulled it away.
‘I didn’t think you would make such a detailed plan.’
After the proposal, she read Oslo’s signature on the inside of the ring.
Desian, it seemed, asked him to make a meaningful engagement ring. Citrina liked that he was so attentive.
It made her feel loved.

“Um, Del…I’d also like to have a pretty cake then.”
“A cake?”
“Yeah. I want to have an outdoor wedding, wear pretty clothes, gather only people I like, cut the cake, and talk about interesting things.”
“…With people you like, people I like.”
“Yeah. That’s enough for me.”
Citrina leaned a little closer to his shoulder, speaking quietly.
“I’ll always be with you.”
“I’ll be with you every day, Rina.”
Desian’s arm wrapped around her shoulders a little tighter. Citrina closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his arm.
‘I guess we need to start planning the engagement a little more specifically.’
As she talked to Desian, the engagement that had only been in her head slowly began to take shape.

“But I still can’t believe it’s real.”
To Citrina, who was still speaking with her eyes closed, Desian whispered in a languid, lullaby-like voice.
“Do you want me to make it real, Rina?”
Citrina nodded, her eyes still closed. Then Desian’s lips were on her forehead.
She smiled faintly as she received a small peck on the lips.
They started to sketch out their ideas as if drawing out their plan for the engagement.
Piece by piece, the plan for their love was coming together.
Together, Citrina and Desian gazed out the window into the darkening night sky.
The day had gone by so quickly for the lovers.