If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 71

Chapter 36.2

It felt like she could even smile while studying.

“Thank you, Senior. I’ll work hard.”

“Okay. Today is Tuesday, so go and come back tomorrow.”

“Yes, alright. See you tomorrow.”

Ariel bowed her head and stood up from the chair. Just as she was about to leave, Lexius opened his mouth again as if he had forgotten something.

“Oh, and you can drop the formalities.”

“…Is that okay?”

“Yeah. It makes the conversation longer, so don’t do it.”

“Ung. Got it, Senior.”

As she immediately switched to informal speech, Lexius’s eyes widened in surprise. Ariel paused for a moment at the change in his expression.

‘Was I too presumptuous?’

Although she accepted his permission right away, she felt that she might have been too informal. It seemed that calling him senior without much formality had made her feel more comfortable. In fact, the status gap between the two of them was too great for them to use informal speech.

“I’m sorry. I’ll just speak formally…”

“It’s fine. Just be impudent. It’s not bad.”

Lexius, who had been a bit dazed, soon found his composure and grinned.

Ariel smiled at him, mulling over his words.

‘He still thinks I’m being arrogant.’

Even that was surprisingly friendly of him. Perhaps it would be okay to act a little more friendly? She hesitated, then waved her hand awkwardly.

“Senior, see you tomorrow.”

It was a rather bold greeting for her quiet personality. However, Lexius’s response was lukewarm. He had a look that seemed to say, ‘Why are you bothering me?’

Embarrassed, Ariel slowly lowered her hand. She felt embarrassed under his gaze, and a stiff smile formed on her face as a defensive mechanism. The corners of Lexius’s mouth suddenly twitched up at the sight. He changed his previously monotonous expression into a bright one and raised his hand, waving lightly as if mimicking her gesture.

“Bye.”

For some reason, his belated response to her greeting was playful, as if he were teasing her. She floundered, feeling even more embarrassed.

“Goodbye, Senior. See you tomorrow!”

Ariel left an awkwardly cheerful farewell and hurriedly left as if something urgent had come up.

Lexius quietly watched her retreating figure. As her jet-black hair disappeared beyond the door, his upturned lips gradually lowered, returning to an expressionless line. The smile that had been on his face just moments ago vanished abruptly.

“Easy.”

It was a dry and monotonous voice.

̊ · : * ✧* : · ̊

After leaving the library, Ariel inadvertently entered the front door of the dormitory. She was feeling relief, feeling that she had proper contact with Lexius. Her guard was down, and she wasn’t paying close attention to her surroundings.

Unaware of who might be inside, she stepped through the door that the attendant had opened for her. Her thoughts were still focused on the awkward yet somewhat intimate farewell with Lexius and their future meetings. She walked confidently through the central entrance, down a short hallway, and into the lounge.

“….!”

And came face to face with Skylar.

Ariel stiffened when she saw him sitting on the sofa, and without realizing it, she took a step back. Skylar glared at her, who was retreating with a sullen expression.

“What’s with the look on your face? Did you see something you didn’t want to see?”

He spoke bluntly and gruffly.

His own expression wasn’t exactly pleasant either. Still, Ariel immediately shook her head. Knowing his personality, she tried not to provoke him.

“I wasn’t expecting… I was surprised. I didn’t expect to meet Your Highness here. Did you have a peaceful night?”

“If I say I didn’t have a peaceful night, are you going to comfort me?”

“…Do you need comfort?”

He just pouted his lips without saying a word. His face looked petulant, as though he were sulking. Eventually, Ariel hesitated before she cautiously moved to sit next to him. She sat down beside him on the white sofa, about a meter apart.

Skylar, looking slightly tense, clenched his fingertips and averted his gaze.

“Do you have to show how uncomfortable you are every time we meet?”

Even though he muttered as if he was talking to himself, it was clearly meant for her to hear. Indeed, despite his noble appearance, there was a childlike side to him that didn’t match him. How should she appease him?

“Although I might not be very personable and my expression reflects that, I’m happy and glad to meet Your Highness.”

After thinking about it, she ended up telling a little lie.

Skylar sneered at that.

“I can tell when I see you that you’re not really glad to see me or happy about it.”

“… I’m sorry.”

Realizing she had no way out, she apologized, and he sighed self-deprecatingly.

When the conversation stopped, only silence filled the circular longue space. She glanced at his face, noticing his neatly arranged eyebrows were furrowed. Despite the fact that he had scolded her about her expression, he was the one frowning. He always had such a prickly expression.

She had no memory of seeing him smile. At best, she had only seen him sneer.

Ariel, who had been glancing at Skylar, turned her body completely towards him. When he sensed her presence and cast a quick glance her way, she parted her lips.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile, Your Highness.”

When she said that, his eyes, which were angled towards hers, fluttered open.

“…Do you want to see me smile?”

Skylar’s voice trembled slightly, as if overwhelmed or perhaps hopeful. It was a burdensome response for Ariel.

‘Why does he keep asking for my opinion?’

Initially, he made decisions and gave orders unilaterally, but after coming to the academy, he began to act as if he was constantly gauging her. It wasn’t like his personality had changed at all. Was it really possible that a two-heart favorability could cause such a change in behavior?

Setting aside the questions that arose, Ariel focused on the man in front of her. She wondered what his comely face would look like if he were to smile.

‘…I can’t really imagine it.’

Even now, Skylar’s mouth was set in a firm line. She almost wanted to reach out and lift the corners of his mouth just to see him smile. She ultimately couldn’t quite picture his smiling face after all, so she asked.

“I want to see Your Highness smile.”

He bit his lip at her request.

When she asked him to smile, Skylar only blushed and averted his gaze. The blue eyes seemed to ripple like they held waves, wavered and reflected fluctuating emotions. Despite the expression, he looked pleased.

“Alright. I’ll… smile for you.”

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