For Your Failed Unrequited Love

Time flew by, and soon it was noon. The sun rose higher, and the library was bathed in the warm golden light of the autumn sun.

Felix had been secretly writing in his notebook for quite some time. As he recalled his sophomore year, he wrote down all the exams he had taken. It was to hand it to Lucy when they parted ways today. He wanted to be of some help to her.

However, after sitting for a long time under the warm sun, he was getting more and more sleepy. His hand was getting slower, and he kept closing his eyes.

On the other hand, Lucy’s eyes were still bright. She has a really great concentration.

Yeah, that’s why she’s the top student… How amazing…

Felix internally praised Lucy and squinted his eyes, then closed them for a moment.

…

…

How much time has passed…

He was lying on his desk. He seemed to have fallen asleep. He could feel the soft texture of a fabric on his cheek that was on the desk. The scent of herbs from Lucy emanated at the tip of his nose.

Felix opened his eyes.

Before he knew it, he was sleeping on Lucy’s cardigan. And in front of him, two emerald-colored eyes were staring at him silently. When their eyes met, she hurriedly turned her head, cheeks red as she pretended to have never looked at him.

Felix was still lying on the desk, staring at her side profile.

Poke.

He lightly poked Lucy’s shoulder with his finger. She looked back. “Would you like to go out for a walk?” he asked.

Lucy, staring blankly at his sleepy, languid face, nodded slowly as if possessed.

They left the library and went to the garden. It was full of students who were out to enjoy the warm weather after so long. They sat together on benches, chatting or strolling beside the rose bushes.

As Felix and Lucy appeared side by side in the garden, several girls sitting on blankets on the grass turned to look at them.

“Today’s weather is nice.” Felix stretched as hard as he could.

“Yes. It’s warm after a long time.”

“Shall we sit over there?” Felix pointed to a fountain spouting a clear stream of water in the middle of the garden.

“Okay.”

Felix and Lucy walked across the grass, shoulder to shoulder.

“Does Adrian-sunbae go home every weekend?” Lucy asked, walking next to him.

“Yes. Unless something special happens.”

“Is it okay if you don’t go, Felix-sunbae?”

“I promised to study with you today, right?” Felix chuckled, and Lucy’s cheeks were dyed like roses. Soon a small smile appeared on her face.

“Ah!” Laughing shyly, she searched her pocket, remembering something. “Come to think of it, medicine.”

She took out a small medicine container and held it out to Felix. It was a complete Maram allergy medicine. “You’ve been very uncomfortable, right?”

“Huh… Well, I was,” Felix answered, thinking of the bottle of medicine he had left on his bedside table in his dorm. He lied to Lucy that he had spilled the entirety of her medicine when the bottle was still intact. There was no itching anywhere due to him taking it every day. “Thank you. How can I pay you back?” Felix asked as Lucy handed him the container.

“The hat is enough to pay me back.”

But Felix didn’t want to end it with a hat alone.

He had laid out a carefully crafted plan in his head. First, they would go to town together with the pretext of buying her a meal. Afterward, it would be nice to stop by a boutique and buy the dress she had tried on last time.

Suddenly, a happy and contented smile appeared on his face. Just then, he heard the footsteps of several people behind him.

“Adrian.”

Felix turned and saw a group of girls standing there. It was the same girls sitting on the grass with blankets earlier.

Claire Hamilton, a senior like him, had called Felix. She was a student council member like Adrian. They had greeted each other a few times, but they were not very close.

“Didn’t you say you were going to see your mother today?” Claire asked, placing her fine blonde hair behind her shoulder. Her softly smiling face had a neat and noble atmosphere, unlike Rosé, who boasted attractive features.

“I’m not Adrian.”

“Ah.” Claire sounded a little surprised by Felix’s answer. She looked at Lucy standing quietly next to Felix and said. “I thought you were Adrian since you’re with the junior from the book club.”

“Adrian hasn’t returned yet.”

“Really? I didn’t know.” Claire shrugged.

Even after realizing that the Prince of Berg standing in front of her was not Adrian, Claire did not leave her position. The girls standing behind her continued to glance at Felix and Lucy alternately.

“Do you have anything else to say?” Felix asked.

“Oh, that’s…” Claire blurted out but stopped in hesitation, and then she exchanged glances with her friends.

Her friends smiled strangely and whispered, “Ask him quickly.”

Overwhelmed by the pressure of her friends, Claire finally opened her mouth. “It’s not a big deal, just the two of you….” She licked her lips as if trying to get herself to speak. But she soon shook her head and looked away from Felix. “… never mind. It’s absurd.”

“What? If you have something to say, say it.”

“No, nothing. I’m sorry I took your time.”

Claire, who had sweetly spoken her words, pushed her friends on the back. Nudging at them to leave the place. He could see her friends brushing up on Claire with words like “I’m curious!” and “Ask him!”

At last, their figures disappeared around the rose bush. However, chattering noise from beyond the bushes came over and flew into Felix and Lucy’s ears.

“Who is she?”

“You know, the kid who organizes books in the library. I don’t know her name either.”

“Really? But why is she with Felix?”

“Renee will cry if she sees this.”

“What! Felix doesn’t seem to be interested in Renee.”

The voices of female students who were chirping like sparrows gradually became distant. When they disappeared, the surrounding area became quiet again. It was as if a brief gust of wind blew past the peaceful garden.

When Felix turned around, Lucy was staring at the grass, her eyebrows droopy. He didn’t hear anything that criticized or ridiculed him, but he was shocked that he was the subject of their conversation.

And the way they looked at them both. As if asking why the Prince of Berg was in the garden alone with a commoner girl who was not even a noble, their lips curved up in a strange smirk, almost in ridicule.

“Lucy.”

Lucy raised her head when Felix called her quietly. He became upset when he noticed her downcasted expression.

Because of me…

Felix grabbed Lucy’s hand. “Let’s go to a place where there are no people.” With that, he led Lucy into the depths of the garden.

* * *

The sound of people talking and laughing became distant. They were also far away from any prying eyes.

They came to an abandoned vacant lot at the end of the garden. The ground was overgrown with weeds instead of ornamental plants, and tall trees were located in several places.

All they could hear was the chirping of birds and the trickling sound of a small stream.

It was then that Felix felt something wriggling in his hand, belatedly realizing that he was still holding Lucy’s hand tightly. He hastily released her hand.

“Oh, sorry. Did it hurt?”

“It’s okay.”

Lucy approached a fallen log nearby and sat down. She kept her head bowed, concealing her expression.

“Thank you for making the allergy medicine. Your grandmother runs a pharmacy, right?” Felix asked, trying to change the mood. “Did you learn how to make medicine from your grandmother?”

“…Yes. I learned how to distinguish medicinal herbs and their efficacy when I was young. I might take over the pharmacy one day.”

Felix could imagine Lucy Keenan working at a pharmacy. She would be in a small room filled with the bitter smell of medicinal herbs, and he remembered the sight of her fair, delicate hands pruning herbs. The profession seemed to fit her.

“My father wants me to become a doctor in the capital after graduating from the Academy, but… I’m not sure.” She smiled faintly. “I still prefer to search for herbs in the forest….”

Lucy got up from her seat and plucked a grass flower near the log. It was a yellow flower smaller than her little fingernail, which he didn’t know existed before she touched it.

“It’s a chick grass.” She showed Felix the flower stalk she was holding.

“It’s a cute flower.”

“Right? The flowers have no effect, but the stems can be dried up and brewed for tea in the winter. It’s good for a cold.”

Lucy, who was looking around, picked another grass flower. This time, it was a flower that was not very noticeable.

However, she showed Felix the flowers and explained their use. Her despondent feelings just now seemed to have been relieved.

Felix didn’t care what was on the ground, but he listened intently to her words. Surprisingly, if the explanations came from Lucy, he felt that talking about the world’s insignificant grass was very important.