HIFH | Chapter 35

Episode 35

Oh, dear God.

For the first time in my life, I sought divine intervention.

That was how dire my situation was.

‘No, this isn’t just dire.’

Leaving the house in the middle of the night without a word was more than enough to raise suspicion—no, it was practically an invitation for it.

‘What excuse should I make?’

No matter what I said, it would be difficult to dispel any doubts. What should I do?

My mind went completely blank for the first time in a long while, leaving me unable to think or speak.

And then—

“Charles.”

Lu slowly rose to his feet.

He took one step toward me. Then another.

Finally, he stopped just a mere span away from my face.

Bathed in moonlight, his face was more striking than ever, and his deep, shadowy blue eyes glowed like a tranquil lake reflecting the night.

A faint breath slipped between his lips, curled in a smile of unreadable meaning. For some reason, I felt a strange sense of embarrassment and reflexively squeezed my eyes shut.

“Where have you been?”

As expected. I knew he would ask that.

With my mind still blank, I had no words to offer.

And so, without thinking, I blurted out the dumbest answer possible.

“A… night walk?”

I immediately regretted it.

Who on earth takes a night walk through a window? I hurriedly added,

“I didn’t want to wake the servants by using the front door, so… I climbed through the window. Hahaha.”

Lu didn’t respond.

Instead, he simply looked down at me with those clear, piercing eyes, as if he were seeing right through me.

“I believe,”

he finally spoke after a long silence,

“That there must be a reason for everything you do.”

Then, he gently gathered my loose hair and tucked it behind my ear.

“I just hope that reason isn’t something bad.”

A sharp pang pierced my chest.

Because I was already deceiving him.

Because I was a spy, bringing harm to the entire Guardian organization.

In other words, I was already acting for a ‘bad reason.’

My throat tightened, and bitterness welled up, leaving my mouth dry and acrid.

“The night air is still chilly. How could you go out dressed so lightly?”

Lu grasped my arm and led me to the sofa. Then, he draped a blanket over my shoulders.

“I’ll bring you some tea.”

With the situation somewhat settled and warmth seeping in, my mind finally started working again.

‘I should’ve said I was scouting the area!’

Tsk. Too late to regret it now.

Regardless, Lu wasn’t pressing further and seemed willing to let it go. I had no room to add anything else.

So I simply clutched the edge of the blanket and muttered to myself, hoping this moment would pass without further incident.

“Drink this while it’s warm.”

Before I knew it, Lu had returned, handing me a teacup.

“If you catch a cold, Mardi will be sad. Ah, and of course, so will I.”

That made me pause.

Because our last conversation was still vivid in my mind.

— I hate you, Charles.
— I hate you so much it’s driving me crazy.

After saying that, he was suddenly acting concerned…?

What was his motive?

As I narrowed my eyes and shrank back slightly, Lu’s expression stiffened just a bit.

He reached out a hand but hesitated, leaving it suspended in the air before curling it into a fist.

“A while ago,”

he spoke slowly,

“I said some harsh things.”

Then, he bowed his head. I was so startled that I tossed aside the blanket and grabbed his shoulders.

“No, no, you don’t need to apologize like that. Get up.”

I quickly straightened him up. In the dim light, his expression looked far more somber than usual.

“But my words hurt you.”

“No, I wasn’t that upset.”

I pulled him to sit beside me on the sofa.

“I already knew you hated me, so it wasn’t exactly surprising.”

Lu’s large eyes quivered slightly.

But only for a moment.

He swiftly lowered his gaze, then curved his lips into his usual playful smile and said,

“So, you’ve ignored all the affection I’ve shown you until now?”

“It was just teasing.”

I answered firmly.

“Why would someone as remarkable as you like me?”

It was just a joke, like the ones he often made.

But Lu’s expression looked… off.

He stared at me, eyes trembling slightly, just like before.

“Why…”

Tilting his head slightly, he leaned in closer.

“…would you say something like that?”

His expression carried a hint of disbelief, as if he had just heard something completely absurd.

“Charles, you are an incredible person.”

His deep blue eyes locked onto mine, unwavering.

“You never crumble, no matter the circumstances. Even when your life is on the line, you don’t show fear.”

“……”

“And even after everything, you still step forward to help others.”

The weight of his words made me bite my lip without realizing it.

A strange awkwardness settled over me, a self-conscious heat rushing through my body.

So I forced a playful smile.

“That’s just… enduring. It’s nothing special.”

“Enduring is the hardest thing of all.”

But Lu’s voice remained firm.

“Not just anyone can live the way you do.”

He reached out. His fingers wrapped around mine, which had been fidgeting in embarrassment.

“Some people crumble under their circumstances. Others simply run away. But you, Charles, have endured it all—and you’re still smiling.”

Warmth.

A warmth deeper than the blanket draped over me.

“If that isn’t extraordinary, then what is?”

I opened my mouth to reply, but for some reason, no words came out.

I had always lived like this. I had always thought it was normal.

I had never considered it ‘remarkable.’

No one had ever told me it was.

“So,”

Lu narrowed his eyes slightly and exhaled a soft breath.

“Don’t ever say something like that again. You are far greater than you think.”

A brief silence fell between us.

But I couldn’t calm down at all.

My heart was racing. My cheeks felt unbearably warm.

I… am remarkable?

Somehow, I felt like smiling.

Somehow, I felt like crying.

My chest tightened with an overwhelming emotion I couldn’t name.

“Well, even if I say all this, you’ll probably forget by tomorrow.”

Then, Lu continued,

“Which means I’ll just have to remind you every day.”

When I lifted my gaze, I found him smiling at me. He leaned in ever so slightly and whispered,

“You are extraordinary, and you always will be.”

I stared at him.

Lu’s face was the same as always.

But I… I wasn’t the same.

My heart pounded relentlessly.

This heat in my face… felt different.

‘Why?’

Why was my heart racing like this?

I couldn’t understand myself at all.