“I’m his girlfriend.”
“W-what?”
Rayton’s voice broke the silence that had suddenly settled over the office.
“I said, I’m his girlfriend.”
Dana repeated herself clearly and firmly, looking straight at Rayton.
“Oh my goodness!”
Kira covered her mouth with both hands, though she couldn’t suppress the giggles slipping out.
Her eyes, along with the rest of their coworkers’, sparkled with excitement.
It was the most entertaining thing they had witnessed since joining the company.
Even Edwin stared blankly at Dana, stunned by her sudden declaration.
Any hint of hostility he had toward Toni vanished in an instant.
Dana began walking toward Edwin.
The closer she got, the louder Edwin’s heart pounded, like a hammer in his chest.
Her delicate fingers lightly brushed against his hand.
The hesitant touch sent a ticklish shiver through him.
Her tiny fingers traced the lines of his knuckles.
The vivid sensation scrambled his thoughts.
And then, Dana firmly took his hand in hers.
Edwin flinched, a shudder running through him.
An indescribable jolt shot through his entire body.
Dana had reached out and held his hand on her own.
Just as Edwin felt himself swept away by the electrifying moment—
A grating interruption broke in.
“Th-that’s a lie!”
The voice, trembling and on the verge of tears, belonged to Toni.
“Mutual feelings? That can’t be true…!”
“What’s so hard to believe? I don’t like you, so stop it already.”
“You’re just saying that because of his looks, aren’t you? You fell for his pretty face!”
Rayton, who had been quietly watching, now jumped in to support Toni.
“It’s not about looks! A man’s worth is in his heart! So what if Toni’s a little ugly and smells weird—he’s got a great personality!”
Toni’s eyes filled with hurt at Rayton’s words.
Realizing his slip, Rayton hurried to change the subject.
“And dating at work? What if you break up? It’ll just make things awkward for everyone!”
Apparently giving up on pushing Toni, he decided to try a different tactic.
“Don’t worry about that.”
Dana’s voice rang out even more clearly.
“We’re getting married soon.”
With that follow-up—on top of revealing their relationship—the office went absolutely still.
Especially Rayton and Toni, whose expressions were priceless.
Toni’s lips trembled uncontrollably.
“Dana… marriage… with the newbie…!”
His voice cracked and failed to form full sentences.
Kira had to fight the urge to break into applause.
Dana gently took the documents from Edwin’s hands.
“Give me that.”
She then placed them neatly on Rayton’s desk.
“It’s the report from the business trip. I’ll be heading out now.”
Rayton pointed a trembling finger at her, his voice shaking.
“You… you…!”
“See you tomorrow.”
Without looking back, Dana walked out of the office—
Her hand still tightly holding Edwin’s.
They walked down the hallway.
Out of the Ministry of Magic.
Past the fountain.
Neither of them spoke a word.
Dana didn’t let go of Edwin’s hand the whole way.
To Edwin, this moment felt like a dream.
From the very first time he met Dana, this had been his deepest wish.
To be with her for the rest of his life.
To wake up beside her, meet each other’s eyes in the morning light, sip tea under the sun, and share laughter-filled conversations.
He had always dreamed of sharing those little pieces of happiness with her.
And now, Dana had granted him that wish.
When they reached the center of the fountain plaza, Dana came to a stop.
“………”
“………”
For a few seconds, she didn’t turn to face him.
She just stood there, back still turned—just as she had walked ahead.
Edwin stared at her, puzzled.
Suddenly, an ominous thought crept into his mind like fog.
Was this just said in the heat of the moment? Just to push Toni away?
Now that he thought of it, her expression the last time he saw her in the north was quite serious.
Almost like she was about to say goodbye.
The sparkle in Edwin’s eyes began to fade.
That long-suppressed longing he’d had for Dana started rising again.
What if she turned around and said she didn’t mean it?
He couldn’t let that happen.
Edwin softly smiled, his eyes narrowing tenderly.
Edwin gently called her name.
Or rather, he tried to—
“…Edwin!”
Dana suddenly spun around.
Her swift movement startled even the ever-vigilant Edwin.
She raised her chin and looked him straight in the eyes.
Her clear blue gaze locked with his, framed by a face flushed pink.
“Senior… I think you have a fever.”
Her pale cheeks were burning red, all the way to the tips of her ears.
Even before Edwin could reach out, Dana shook her head quickly.
“No, no… just pretend you didn’t notice.”
She shut her eyes tightly and let out a deep breath.
“It’s just… I’m embarrassed. So just ignore it.”
Ah… finally, Edwin understood everything.
Why she had walked ahead without turning around…
Why she hadn’t shown him her face for those few seconds.
It was all because she was shy.
The sharp tension in Edwin’s heart melted.
“What are you embarrassed about?”
“…Everything. Yelling in front of everyone… saying we’re getting married without even asking you…”
She was embarrassed—over something so small.
She had no idea how deeply she moved him with just a single word.
Then, Dana opened her eyes and looked at him with quiet determination.
“So… do you still want to marry me?”
“…Yes. I do.”
‘Want to’ was an understatement. He could wait a lifetime just to get her answer.
Relief softened Dana’s features.
Then, she whispered with her small lips—
“I want to marry you. As soon as possible.”
Her slightly trembling voice grew steadier with each word.
“This isn’t just about escaping my family.”
She needed to make that crystal clear to Edwin.
He’s not a way out.
“I’ve been thinking about it all morning… trying to put into words what I wanted to say.”
So that serious look she had earlier…
It was all because she was preparing herself to confess.
Realizing that, Edwin’s heart pounded all over again.
Then Dana finally laid her heart bare—
“…Being with you made me feel warm.”
“………”
“It was the first time. That constant emptiness I’d grown used to… it just disappeared.”
It was true.
The cold hollow inside her was gone.
She just wanted to melt into the sunlight he endlessly poured over her.
How could anyone forget warmth that came without condition?
Dana continued speaking.
“I realized it when you went out to fight the monsters.”
Her trembling hands clasped tightly in front of her chest.
“I couldn’t think of anything. Just the thought that I might never see you again…”
“………”
“I love you.”
Dana lifted her eyes to him once more.
Her deep blue gaze held unwavering certainty.
“I love you, Edwin.”
For a moment, Edwin couldn’t speak.
Then, the fountain behind them erupted skyward.
The cherub statue blew its trumpet, while the other angel sculptures smiled brightly, spraying arcs of water into the air.
Droplets misted over them gently.
Spring sunlight drifted through the air, casting a faint rainbow.
A warm breeze and the fresh scent of spring surrounded them.
And for the first time in his life, Edwin understood the true meaning of the word overwhelmed.
Happiness surged over him like a tidal wave—almost too much to handle.
It felt like standing beneath a sky full of stars ready to spill over.
Like the moment a rainbow appears after an endless rainy season.
A dizzying, euphoric kind of joy.
“…Senior.”
“Yeah.”
He exhaled deeply, trying to calm his racing heart.
“…Can I hug you?”
“What…?”
“I want to hold you. So badly it hurts.”
Dana blinked in surprise at his honest words.
Then, slightly awkwardly, she opened her arms just a bit.
That tiny gesture was all the permission Edwin needed.
He pulled her into a tight embrace.
Dana inhaled sharply at the sudden closeness.
His arms were broader, and his chest firmer than she expected.
Unsure what to do, Dana stood frozen in his arms—
While Edwin smiled, holding her close.
It was a more genuine smile than he’d ever shown.
“Thank you… Senior.”
My Dana.
Now, she was truly his.
Edwin held her tightly, not letting go for a long time.
Plans for their future kept bubbling up in his mind—
Plans to keep her by his side forever.
Just then, Dana peeked up from his chest.
“Edwin, come with me. There’s somewhere we need to go—right now.”
