Episode 45. Tea Party (3)
While he kissed me without any particular emotion, is it necessary for me to only engage in physical contact with someone I’ve explicitly permitted in my heart?
So, does him saying “fall for me now” in such a twisted manner mean that?
‘Is his personality twisted to the point of making things unnecessarily complicated?’
I chuckled while crossing my arms. Knowing that his convoluted words ultimately boiled down to possessiveness, laughter just naturally escaped me.
“You, you’re a bad guy. You won’t allow your heart to be taken, yet you try to steal others’. That’s not fair.”
“I’m naturally greedy.”
I chuckled and reached out towards him. He had touched my face several times before, but this was the first time I brushed his face away.
“Just admit it. You like me.”
His eyes, sparkling like candles, didn’t seem as intimidating as before.
“A greedy person and a villain. Don’t they make a perfect match?”
Percy stared at me with a stiffened expression at my words. As we exchanged conversation, there was a moment when our gazes met.
“Haha.”
Percy burst into a subdued laughter. Then, with his own hand, he enveloped the back of my hand and caressed his cheek.
“This side of you is quite amusing. Bold and challenging, yet timid.”
Only then did I realize that, contrary to my provocative words, my fingertips were trembling.
Belatedly embarrassed, I pulled away, my face flushing red as I withdrew my hand.
“T-This, it’s because I’ve been in the sun too much!”
Even my own excuse sounded ridiculous to my ears. If I’ve been in the sun, I should feel energized, not have trembling hands.
As I stepped back, Percy embraced my waist with both hands, lifting me up lightly and seating me on his thigh like a child.
Fortunately, I had the blanket ready. My heart thudded loudly at the sudden proximity.
With a gentle smile on his face, Percy tucked my tousled hair behind my ear and asked, “Have you had any other lovers? Excluding Daniel Bohan, of course.”
“Well, that man wasn’t exactly a lover.”
Where’s the dryness in such a relationship? That person reluctantly maintained an engagement, nothing more.
At my response, Percy’s handsome eyebrows curved.
“So, you’re saying you had unrequited love? That’s even worse, isn’t it?”
“Well, that’s…”
To have a crush on such a womanizer. That’s something that would never happen in my life. But what made it hard to deny was the fact that it conflicted with the original Sienna’s feelings.
‘Anyway, there was never such a sweet presence like a lover in my life!’
I was about to give such an appropriate response when the system controlled me with a beep.
※ It’s common for villains to have numerous lovers.
No, what kind of nonsense is this?
‘Whether it’s common or not, Sienna didn’t have such a target! Or were there plenty of slaves that I didn’t know about?’
If that’s really the case, what should I do? It sent shivers down my spine. It was when I was silently glaring at the system window that Percy, whose arms were wrapped around my waist, made him turn around.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
Why can’t I! Because the system is controlling me, that’s why!
That was the moment. Two choices popped up.
▶ What a boring man. How long do I have to answer everything one by one?
▶ Aren’t you the one with a dirty past?
Ah! Why is the choice state like this at this moment!
‘I understand now why digging into the past is the worst in a romantic relationship. It’s so frustrating to be interrogated like this.’
I can’t do anything about what happened before I became Sienna.
I didn’t have any desire to dig into Percy’s past either. I chose the first one.
“You’re such a boring man.”
When I answered like that, sparks seemed to fly in Percy’s eyes. Unlike the fluffy smile earlier, he stared at me with a dangerous smile.
“If you’re trying to provoke me, I want to say it’s the wrong choice… but.”
But his expression wasn’t as menacing as before.
“Honestly, you’re the one being dishonest.”
I lightly hugged his neck and smiled with my eyes.
“You like it when I answer like this.”
He’s like a little frog. When I said that with a light crinkle of my nose, his handsome face approached, and his even lips gently touched mine.
At first, I was caught off guard when our lips met, but now, it was the second time. His movements felt more deliberate.
Like the breath coming in slightly between my parted lips or the touch of his hand exploring the hollow of my waist over the blanket.
‘This man, he seems to be good at kissing, doesn’t he?’
There’s no comparison, so I can’t say for sure, but isn’t it unusual to feel this good? Aren’t you the one who should be asking about the past?
It was when I turned my head slightly while clinging to his neck, adjusting the angle. Through half-opened eyes, I caught sight of the maidservants eagerly watching our kiss. I screamed and quickly pushed away from Percy.
“Yikes!!”
“Yikes?”
Percy furrowed his brows, echoing my scream. Then, a beep sounded, and the system window appeared.
※ Warning: Villains do not scream weirdly. (1/3)
‘How can I not scream weirdly in this situation?’
I wanted to retort, but I felt like if I did, the warning would pop up again, saying that villains don’t care about other people’s gazes.
Clearing my throat, I turned my back to Percy, who seemed like he was about to kiss me again.
“Um, please ask for permission before getting close to me in the future!”
“Huh?”
Percy tilted his head. A shiver ran down my spine as his hand rose up my spine.
“You were the one who hugged my neck first.”
“But I’m not okay with it!”
“Haha.”
Ignoring my stubbornness, Percy let out a subdued laugh. Then, he lightly kissed my cheek and replied.
“Of course, my queen.”
He’s so composed and irritatingly good with words. As I rolled my eyes lightly, Percy loosened his grip on my waist and moved slightly away from me.
“So, what did you talk about with Lady Grania?”
“She invited me to a tea party.”
But can Lady Grania be trusted?
I glanced at Percy with that meaning in mind, and he blinked before asking.
“Why are you looking at me like that again?”
“I’m asking if I can go. How long do I have to keep explaining everything to you?”
“It seems challenging.”
Percy, smiling lightly at my nonsensical behavior, twirled my hair around his finger and replied.
“Lady Grania is a good person. She would never invite you to an uncomfortable situation.”
‘Good to know.’
He seemed trustworthy even to me. But perhaps due to various experiences, it wasn’t until Percy’s assurance that I felt relieved.
As Percy toyed with my hair, he asked, “Have you decided what attire to wear for the tea party?”
“I’ve just received the invitation.”
“Hmm.”
He made a thoughtful sound for a moment, then chuckled and kissed the end of my hair.
“I thought you weren’t interested in playing with dolls. Perhaps there wasn’t a doll you liked.”
“…?”
What is he talking about?
‘He’s unpredictable. He seemed quite upset earlier, but now he looks happy.’
Percy, playing with my hair, seemed unusually cheerful for some reason. I couldn’t pinpoint when his mood had changed.
Anyway, my hair won’t wear out just because he’s touching it. As I let Percy fuss over me, a sudden thought occurred to me.
‘I want to hear Percy’s childhood stories.’
Honestly, I was a bit surprised. Even though Lady Grania referred to herself as a nanny, Percy clearly knew where to draw the line, yet he called her “nanny” so calmly. And he said he wanted to introduce her to his family first.
Surely his childhood couldn’t have been entirely pleasant.
‘I wonder what kind of childhood he had and if he’s okay now.’
With that in mind, I was silently staring at his face when, out of the blue, he pressed his lips against mine.
-Smooch!
It was a childish kiss, like one you’d give to a child.
“Huh?”
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, I froze with my mouth open. Forgetting the warning, I screamed, my face turning beet red.
“Wha…?!”
I wanted to shut my lips tight and escape from him immediately, but I was sitting on his lap. Percy, who had leaned down to me, holding my waist to prevent me from escaping, grinned mischievously and replied, “I read your mind just as you said. Didn’t you think I wanted to kiss you badly?”
“No way?!”
I was curious about your childhood!
-Thump, thump.
My heart pounded as if it were being hit. Was it because I was startled by the sudden kiss or because I enjoyed the contact with him? I couldn’t tell.
And as I sat there, blushing like a crescent moon, Percy looked at me with red eyes, as if he knew my heart as well as his own.
‘This guy definitely knows he’s handsome.’
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so composed. I held onto his shoulders, my face still flushed, and replied in a coy tone.
“I, I’m not sure after just one try. Let’s try it again.”
“If that’s your command.”
He chuckled and pulled me close again.
T/N: Gaaaahhhhhh!!!!
