102 Chapter 102: I love you

"Wait"

Usui paused in his steps even though he didn't want to. He couldn't leave her alone when her voice sounded so hollow. He refused to glance at her and kept urging his disobedient feet to move.

"Prince Usui –"

He cut her off by stating, "Why are you using titles now? Did we revert to strangers?"

"Turn around"

Her soft voice almost compelled him to follow her instructions.

Usui mumbled, "Only if you promise that you wouldn't reject me."

Hearing the silence behind him, Usui closed his eyes in pain as his heart throbbed painfully.

"Please, Usui."

Usui closed his eyes as he listened to her pleading voice. His body tensed as he turned to face her stiffly. He widened his eyes in shock when he saw Freya standing before him.

A wry smile formed on her face as she asked, "Is it that shocking?"

He stuttered, "H-How?"

She pointed at her mask which was enchanted with a little illusion making her eyes blue. 

"You didn't expect me to throw away my mask, right?"

She chuckled but when she noticed him watching her with a grim expression. Her smile faded as she gazed at him.

"I thought Freya should be the one who should give you an answer. After all, you fell in love because of Freya."

Usui snapped out of his stupor when he heard her words. He frowned before he began to take huge strides towards her. Stunned, Hazel moved backward to only to be stopped by a tree behind her.

Usui slapped the tree, caging her as he snarled, "I love you. Not Freya, not Hazel. You. It's all you, you just preferred showing two identities." 

Hazel widened her eyes when she heard his unexpected confession. She felt her heart thump fast as she heard his confession. Her facial features scrunched up as she was in pain.

Usui caressed her cheeks before kissing her forehead as he said, "I don't want to hear anything, Hazel. Please don't say anything, okay?"

Hazel looked into his golden eyes as she smiled sadly, "I'm sorry."

His heart lurched when he heard her words. His hands fell on his sides as he took a step back.

"Didn't I say I would wait? Isn't that fine?"

Hazel closed her eyes as she shook her head. She murmured, "Do you think it's still fine if I say that I love someone else? That my heart has no space for anyone else?"

He could feel the color drain from his face as shock coursed through his body. He gasped, "What?"

His face changed yet again as anger took over. He snarled, "Don't lie, Hazel."

Hazel ignored him as she continued asking him looking into those deep eyes, "Would you be really okay if I say that I would never fall in love with you?"

Usui staggered back as he looked at her pained. 

He mumbled, "Stop it"

"That someone stole my heart from way back before you?"

Hazel trembled as she looked away from him. She couldn't...

She could feel his world shattering with her every word. His pained expression, those red-rimmed eyes was difficult for her to take in but she hardened her heart as she had to stop him.

Stop him from fruitless actions. It's better this way. It's better to reject him completely leaving him no chance to have hope.

Usui looked at her as if his entire world crumbled to dust.

'What? She loves someone else?'

'She doesn't have space for him?'

Usui could feel his heart stop beating as he processed her words. His heart had turned completely cold by this point. The one time he loved someone, that person had to shatter his entire world.

He looked at her and asked, "Who is it?"

Her heart wavered hearing his soulless voice but she still resolved to do this.

There was no turning back now.

She looked at him as she said, "There's no need for you to know that."

Usui laughed crazily as he said, "After breaking my heart, you think you can say that? I have the right to know who lives in my woman's.... your heart."

He clenched his fist when he had to change his words from his woman to someone else's. 

He looked resolutely into those blue eyes which mesmerized him from his first sight. 

"If you don't tell me who, I would assume you are lying, Princess."

She looked at him and said coldly, "The only thing you need to get into your head is that I, Hazel, would never fall in love with you. Even if you are the last living person in this world, I would never love you."

Usui closed his eyes and gulped painfully. He couldn't help but mock his pitiful state.

Each word of hers managed to pierce his already broken heart crumbling it further into nothing. 

'I would never love you.'

Those words rung in his ears repeatedly that he had to punch the tree nearest to him to make the voice stop. He heard a gasp but ignored it as he rubbed his fist into the tree, banging it again and again. 

He glanced at her and saw worry flash in her eyes for a second. But it must be an illusion, right? It must be after all she wouldn't love me so why would she care about me.

A bitter smile formed in his face as he asked her softly, "Tell me who and I will leave you alone."

"Tell me who the person is and I will let you go Freya."

" I promise."

Hazel gripped her dress as she hardened her heart once more to hand out the last blow. She wiped her sweaty hands on her dress as she prepared herself.

She thought, 'After this, he would hate me.'

He yelled achingly, "TELL ME"

She looked at him coldly which made him wonder, 'Ah, was her eyes always this emotionless?'

She gathered enough strength to spat those words. Even if it was a lie that could break him. This was much better than giving him hope.

After all, love is for fools. It was something that would only cause pain and suffering. It wasn't reliable.

"Jinha... I love Jinha."