Reawakening Mishaps

t w e n t y o n e

"Listen, Enki." You cupped his cheeks with your hands before heaving out a breath of air that you didn't even know you held in. "My relationship with Takuma is nothing but a fraud," and as you said that, Enki's eyes lightened up considerably, and thus, you questioned yourself if you should follow what your mind was dictating you to say.

"But,"

Rule number one when it comes to receiving a confession:

Never just shrug off the feelings of the confessor. Never say that what they are feeling isn't love, because that is just undermining their emotions.

"While I do appreciate that someone as sweet as you has taken a liking towards me..."

Rule number seven when it comes to dating:

Never enter a relationship unless you're ready because in the end, both parties will only end up getting hurt.

"I have no plans on getting an actual boyfriend right now." There, you said it. You didn't want to say the magical three-lettered word to someone whom you didn't fancy in that kind of sense. And granted the fact that you did love Enki and you'd do whatever you could just to make him happy, that still didn't change the notion that this was the lattermost point of your relationship with him. Keyword, friendship.

You braced yourself for whatever might come next after your sort-of blunt statement, yet when there was none, you didn't know whether you should sag your shoulders in relief or be engulfed with the jitters because of Enki's lack of reaction.

"It's..."

You closed your eyes shut when he started talking- a coping mechanism, if you might.

"It's... all right."

Huh?

Slowly opening your eyes, you were awestricken when you saw Enki sending a smile towards you, so warm that it made you even more on guard than necessary. "I actually appreciate that you didn't answer my confession right away because of pity." His hand was laid flat on the left side of his chest, right exactly where his heart was located.

"I don't want you to be forced into something you don't want because of your desire to sympathize with me."

This was not what you envisioned to happen. You awaited for a tantrum, a hissy fit because of your rejection. Yet seeing him acting like an adult at the moment, properly responding rather than going into a frenzy as he did earlier, like years of maturement suddenly was injected in his brain, you were, more or less, a proud mom.

Aw, sorry Enki for being son-zoned.

Making a choice of not touching on the topic any further because even if Enki didn't appear to be hurt at all because of you turning him down, you knew that deep inside, there must still be an ache somewhere and you wouldn't want to add anything to that.

"And you did say 'right now', so in the future, there may be a chance of you allowing me to court you. In the meantime, I'll use this time to prove myself worthy of your affection."

With the sides of your lips tugging upwards due to the determination he was exuding, you rumpled his hair with affection.

"I'll be waiting for that day, Mr. Charmer. For now, let's get you to the infirmary."

—

"I saw it," Takuma blurted out of nowhere as you enjoyed the taste of free lunch. Just... why did food taste better when it's free?

"What d'ya mean?' You made sure to swallow your food before speaking. For in this day and age, etiquette matters the most, alongside with status and looks. And as a daughter of a ducal house, you acting like a proper lady with elegance in her blood was a must- even if you didn't seem like it most of the time.