For Your Failed Unrequited Love

The weekend was sunny and mild, as if cheering Lucy on her outing away from her studies for the first time in a while. It was the most pleasant weather to go to the botanical garden.

Today, Lucy took off her school uniform and wore a generous dress that came over her ankles. She also wore the most comfortable shoes.

She didn’t feel very happy when Noel offered to go out, but when she finished preparing to go, she was strangely excited. Perhaps the botanical garden was full of rare plants that Lucy had never seen before.

Noel was gentlemanly waiting for her in front of the girls’ dormitory. But Lucy frowned slightly as soon as she saw him.

Noel was wearing a white blouse full of frills and a jacket with embroidery. Compared to Lucy’s outfit, which focuses only on practical and comfortable things, it was so stylish that she thought it was a little excessive.

But it was also amazing that it matched well. Lucy saw other girls sneaking eyes at Noel as they were coming out of the dorm.

I think I’ll definitely look like a maid serving a young master.

Comparing herself to Noel’s outfit, Lucy thought. She’ll definitely look like that if Noel escorted her. 

The two headed to the carriage that Noel prepared beforehand. The carriage was waiting for them in front of the main gate. When the coachman opened the door, Lucy got into the carriage with Noel’s help. The coachman closed the door after Noel got in.

Tak!

Suddenly the door opened again.

Lucy and Noel turned their heads at the same time.

“Wow, I really didn’t expect you to come.”

Noel said to Felix, who was standing at the door with a surprised look on his face.

“I didn’t tell you the time, I just said it was the weekend, but how did you know…… What’s wrong with your clothes?”

Suddenly, Noel frowned at Felix’s outfit. Lucy was surprised too.

Where did Felix get it, he was wearing a yellow shirt and work pants worn by low-class men. In addition, the color of his hair, which was slightly revealed under the hunting cap, was not the brilliant blonde he always had.

“Did you dye your hair?”

Noel asked, looking at his darkened hair.

Felix stepped into the carriage ignoring his question and sat next to Lucy. But Lucy looked at his hair with an expression of astonishment.

“It’s a one-time dye. It’ll come back when I wash it.”

“Why are you disguising yourself all of a sudden?”

The question was also neatly ignored by Felix, but when he saw Lucy sitting next to him with curious eyes, he said.

“……I don’t like it when people recognize me.”

“Then just stay in your room… Argh!”

Noel, who was kicked in the ankle, couldn’t finish his words and screamed. His groan was drowned out by the rattling noise of the carriage. Soon the speeding carriage quickly ran down the road.

* * *

“Anyway, I didn’t give him permission. I’m sorry, Lucy sunbae.”

The carriage run stably on the flat road

Noel said, rubbing his still throbbing ankle. Lucy was just sitting awkwardly. She didn’t even think about turning her head to Felix’s side. It seemed the same to Felix. He glanced at Lucy a few times, as if to check her mood, and kept looking out the window.

Noel smiled significantly as he watched the quiet Felix throughout.

“By the way, if you show up like that for disguise, you’re willing to be a servant today, right?”

Felix opened his eyes with a face asking what nonsense he was talking about.

“You have to do it perfectly. We’ll act accordingly. Right, Lucy?”

Noel, who asked the question added “Look, we need some adjustments.” Even before Lucy could answer his question he gave Felix an alias. 

“I’ll call you Phil. Not Felix but Phil. And since it’s strange for the master to use honorifics to his servants, I’ll speak informally today, Phil.”

Noel, who was ironically scratching Felix’s insides, suddenly stopped talking and looked wary. This is because Felix was closing his mouth and staring with a ferocious look. Only then did Noel hurriedly put his feet on the chair and wrapped it with his hands as if defending it.

Felix, who alternately looked at Noel and the scenery outside the window, spoke soon.

“Hey.”

“W, why?”

“You can get off here right now, can you?”

“What?”

“Rolling around when landing won’t hurt badly…”

As he said that, Felix looked out the window with serious eyes. Noel’s face turned pale at once. He closed his mouth and crept his hips close to the wall.

There was a momentary silence in the carriage. After that, Noel didn’t even smile until the carriage stopped.

* * *

Not long afterwards, the carriage arrived in central Bethel. The town close to the academy was also large, but it was not comparable to Bethel. There were a lot of people walking by.

Noel got out of the carriage first on the crowded road. He reached out to Lucy, who was about to follow him. But before Lucy could hold it, another hand popped out from behind. The big, tendon-like hand grabbed Noel’s smooth hand without hesitation.

Noel, who was suddenly escorting Felix, gave him a stern look.

“Oh, what is this? Ahhhhhhh”

Suddenly he screamed. As soon as Felix let go of his hand, he clasped his red hand and stamped his foot in his seat. Lucy saw Felix approaching Noel who’s in pain and whispering quietly in his ear. But despite his covert appearance, his growling voice was clearly audible to Lucy’s ears.

“Don’t mess with me.”

Felix, who turned around leaving a warning, hesitated for a moment. Then he approached the carriage and reached out to Lucy instead of Noel. Lucy stood at the door and looked down at the hand.

“Uh…….”

Lucy hesitated.

Although decorated like a servant, Felix Berg was Felix Berg. Someone who can leave her world at any time and return to his original world.

She hesitated to hold his hand. The moment she held that hand, it seemed like it would start again. That torture-like expectation that makes your heart flutter.

She thought she shouldn’t be swayed by him anymore.

Lucy drew her gaze from his hand and stepped down to the ground alone.

“……Noel and I will go separately to the botanical garden. We’d better say goodbye here.”

Felix looked hurt for a moment as if he didn’t expect Lucy to say that. He dropped his hand in disappointment.

He didn’t want to show it, but Lucy, who saw it, felt heartbroken. But soon she turned away from him, bracing herself. Even if he was offended, she had to cut it out coldly.

Otherwise, one day, he and she will both be badly hurt. It’s a huge scar that can’t be compared to the pain he just had.

“Let’s go, Noel.”

Lucy hurried to her feet and said, before she could get any weaker. Noel followed her with a surprised look.

“Oh, my sunbae. You must have had it hard. Indeed, there are many childish pride fights at the beginning of a relationship. You don’t want to fight anymore, but you don’t want to bend down first.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Anyway, you’re doing great.”

Noel laughed amusedly as he spewed out vague words.

After a while, looking back, he whispered to Lucy.

“He’s following us from behind. I thought he would take care of his pride first because he’s a precious young man. He’s a bit lame.”

Lucy looked back at his words and saw Felix following them from behind a few steps away.

“But don’t look at him. The person who pays attention first loses. You know that, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

Lucy thumbed aside Noel’s words and continued to walk ahead. However, she was very concerned about the presence of Felix, who was following them from behind.

It was fortunate that the Bethel Botanical Garden appeared after a short walk. Lucy, who had been walking all along caring about Felix, was distracted by the beautiful and huge architecture in an instant.

A huge greenhouse rose high as if supporting the sky. Unlike the colorful scenery on the street, there was a green world in the greenhouse like only midsummer vegetation.

“Wow, it’s like a different world here.”

“Right? You’re glad you came, right?”

Noel responded to Lucy’s bewitched remarks like a child who wanted to be praised.

They went to the ticket office located at the entrance of the botanical garden. As Lucy and Noel approached the staff to talk, suddenly a large shadow appeared. Felix’s back was blocking the front. Lucy realized he was paying the entrance fee for three people, so she tried to stop him but Noel stopped her.

“Well, let him pay. If he wants to come with us, he has to do that.”

Then he wrapped his arms around Lucy’s shoulder and took her inside.

“Wait…!”

“Pay for it, Phil!”

Noel dragged Lucy in and waved at Felix.

Felix glared at Noel, but soon paid the entrance fee without saying much.