Chapter 83

Chapter 83

“I like you, Andra.”

Dustin spat out his confession.

He had denied and ignored this until now. He didn’t mean to say it in a situation like this, but it seemed like he wouldn’t be able to stand it without saying it. He was anxious about Andra, who constantly pretends not to know and agitates him as if he was nothing.

Dustin had to admit. He himself likes Andra Avellin. No, it may be more than just liking—he couldn’t fathom the extent of his feelings for Andra.

But one thing was certain. He needed Andra. He couldn’t go on without Andra. Just the thought that she wasn’t there suffocates him.

When did he start liking her? What was the cause, and for what reason, did he fall in love with a woman he despised and hated so much? Wasn’t he the one who wanted to get rid of her forever from his sight? He doesn’t want her to interfere in his life again. Such a person is now indispensable. It’s unbelievable.

Dustin stared into the woman’s blue eyes. Is it because of those sparkling eyes that seem to seduce people? Or that sharp nose? If not, her pink, soft lips? Maybe it was her slender waist, maybe it was her smooth skin, or maybe it was her golden, silky blonde hair.

Then, it may be the light dimple when she smiles, a clear pronunciation that gives strength to each letter, a clear voice like a bead rolling, a carefully dancing hand gesture, or a confident step.

Or her confident and unfailing appearance, her brilliantly shining brain in her field, her leisurely ability to draw attention to herself, her unhesitating attitude to express her opinions, and her honest and poignant response to his feelings. Maybe it’s because of that unexpected side.

It was like the force of nature.

It’s inevitable that Dustin Airak fell in love with Andra Avellin.

And he would never forget her or let her go.

Perhaps it was so. Since the day Andra warned him not to cross the line as they’re nothing, Dustin felt a backlash.

Nothing? Then, shouldn’t it be possible to change that ‘nothing’? Why is it that she and him are nothing? Even if it’s because of magic, they can’t be without each other right now.

Then the princess came to him and ordered him to follow her to the border of Morgennis. Dustin didn’t think long. He shouldn’t let them be separated.

He would rather have the magic on him and Andra continue for a long time. That way she’d stay with him, even if she hated it. He informed Her Majesty the Emperor that Andra was also an Awakened. In addition, he gave a slight exaggeration that she becomes stronger when she is with him.

Dustin was confident. He was confident that he’d win Andra’s heart once they go to the Morgennis border and get things done together. Although Andra hated him, she was content with their physical relationship, and although she seemed hesitant to use the Awakened’s power, she didn’t dislike it. So Dustin decided to aim for that.

‘Once she plays an active part in Morgennis, she will know how convenient her power is. I have to make Andra feel that there was more good than bad in her relationship with me.’

So Dustin brought Andra into the Morgennis matter.

But when he happened to see her with the prince because of that incident, it turned his stomach upside down without him knowing. In particular, Andra’s attitude of smiling at the prince and easily giving out her hand to him to accept the ring made Dustin lose his mind.

She never smiled at him, yet she smiled so easily at the prince. She hates and is reluctant to do everything he does yet she received the ring the prince gives her, and even stayed still when he kissed her on the forehead.

Dustin barely resisted the urge to jump out and shove a fist in the prince’s face. In such an accident, there was nothing that could have gone more wrong.

But when he stood in front of Andra and saw the ring on her fourth finger, it felt like something was welling up in him. At the same time, he felt as if one side of his chest had been ripped open.

Even though he knew that it was a simple ring given to her by the prince as a gift, he couldn’t help but laugh at it.

Andra has been rumored to be the future consort of the second prince for the longest time.

‘You’re going to leave me and marry the prince, pretending you’re nothing when you’ve been sleeping with me like this?’

At that point, Dustin thought he could never give up on Andra. She had to only be next to him.

Dustin spoke again.

“I mean it. I like you.”

“…….”

With Dustin’s sudden confession, Andra closed her mouth. This was really unexpected. She couldn’t believe that Dustin Airak confessed to her. She looked up at Dustin with her face slightly bewildered.

“…….”

A few more minutes passed after that. When Andra didn’t answer, Dustin became more anxious, and brought himself closer to her. Why is there no answer? Andra, on the other hand, faltered, backed away from him, but was blocked by the table, barely supporting her body by placing her palm on the table.

“Andra.”

Dustin stared at Andra, who was still silent. Her body was trembling under the pale, tired face like a sheet of paper. He hurriedly glanced at Andra’s complexion.

“Andra, your body…”

Slap! Andra violently slapped Dustin’s hand away, which was holding her wrist. Dustin looked at her with a momentarily surprised face. Andra’s face darkened. So do her eyes. She couldn’t believe it, and she looked at him with astonishment. Compared to her trembling body, her eyes had long since stiffened.

“You… you like me?”

“Andra, I—”

“Say it again. Who likes whom?”

Andra stared at Dustin with a colder face than ever. Dustin felt her breath suffocate at the sight. Why does she look like that?

Andra was like someone who heard something she shouldn’t have heard of. And that fact seemed to have made him very angry. Why? Wasn’t it something she had guessed to some extent before? That he liked her?

“Crazy…”

Meanwhile, Andra muttered to herself. Her trembling got worse. Andra tried to control her unbearable anger and she seemed to be struggling with it. Dustin reached out his hand and tried to look at her. But what came was Andra’s sharp cry.

“Don’t touch me!”

“…….”

“You like me? Ha, like…”

Andra, who repeats the word ‘like’ several times, looked unstable. Cold sweat started running down her forehead. Frightened that something was wrong with Andra, Dustin had no choice but to reach out to look at her again. Then Andra leaped to the side and screamed at him.

“I told you not to touch me!”

Disgusting. Andra, who had moved away from Dustin, muttered as she wrapped her hands around her body, which was almost touching Dustin.

Dustin’s heart pounded at those words. Andra’s reaction was very serious. The contempt, which had faded for a while, filled her eyes. Andra was terrified of Dustin like a disease.

Dustin asked with a shocked face.

“Is it that terrible… that I like you?”

“Then what else should it be if not terrible?”

“You…”

“How, how can you say that you like me?”

“It’s just, I…”

“Of course nothing makes sense.”

Andra shot back colder than ever.

“Enough, I want to get out of this nonsense.”

Andra passed Dustin and tried to get out. Before she could grab the doorknob, Dustin grabbed her wrist. Andra let out a small groan at her caught hand. It, it hurts! Still, Dustin did not let her go. He just couldn’t accept this situation.

“Is it so crazy that I like you?”

“Let go! If you don’t let go in a count to three, I won’t stand still!”

“Tell me! So I can understand!”

As Dustin cried, Andra stopped struggling and looked up at him. Dustin’s body was shaking slightly with agitation. Andra thought that he was shameless. Was he asking because he really doesn’t know?

“Think about it with common sense. Why do you like me? No matter how crazy you are, this doesn’t make sense.”

“It makes sense. I like you—”

“Shut up!”

Andra cut off Dustin’s words and yelled at him.

“How can you… How could you say you like me? Dustin Airak, how could you! Even now, you’re doing everything your way! Say that one more time and I’ll kill you!”

Andra shouted in succession, contorting her face without mercy.

“You like me? Don’t make me laugh! How can you like me? Where the hell are you looking! And you have no right to say that.”

“Why?”

“Are you asking me to tell you that?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know!”

Dustin shouted. Even though he knew he wasn’t supposed to do this, his insecurity and fear moved his mouth first. Andra answered, pointing her index finger at him.

“Because you’re an Airak!”

“…….”

“Because you’re that damn Dustin Airak!”

Andra also pointed to her wrist, which had been caught by Dustin several times.

“Look at this. You say you like me right now, but you’re acting your way. Forcing me up, forcing me down, you forced yourself on me. Without even considering my intentions! Is this the behavior of someone who likes me? It’s just a crazy bastard who forces his feelings onto someone else!”

“…….”

“You can’t do that. How can you say you like me, how! Don’t you remember what you did to me up until now? If you forget all that and just push your feelings, that’s it? Do the things that happened between us disappear as if nothing happened? Are you saying you like me after all that happened?”

Andra had a lot to say. She could have done it if she was told to blame Dustin all day. But the more she spoke to him, the more strangely she realized that it was getting more and more difficult.

Is it because Dustin, who confessed to her without thinking about his actions so far, is so absurd? Or is it funny that she has to get angry and tell him all these things?

“Dustin Airak, if you say that, do I have to accept you? Don’t make me laugh. Because it’s insanely disgusting and terrifying! I hate you for being able to say things like that! You know?”

“…….”

“How dare you say something like that. You don’t like me. It’s just a bastard’s actions. Only your feelings matter!”

“…….”

“If you really liked me, you should have just shut up and said nothing. Because that’s all for me. Don’t give me things like this.”

Andra shrugged off Dustin’s hand once more. This time, Dustin was pushed aside. Andra looked away from her throbbing wrist and slammed the door open.

“Don’t ever show yourself in front of me again.”

Andra walked out.

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