For Your Failed Unrequited Love

His face was so close that Lucy turned her head forward again.

“W, what about Noel?”

“Outside.”

Felix answered briefly. Then he sighed shallowly. His warm breath touched her neck once again.

“It’s really hard to talk to you alone.”

She heard him brush his hair once and then fix his hat. There was an awkward silence. Felix seemed to want a situation where he could be alone with her, but he couldn’t bring it up easily. 

Finally, breaking the silence, he asked.

“How have you been?”

A little funny question to ask now.

“Yes…….”

“Did you get home safely that day? Did nothing else happen?”

Lucy realized that he was talking about the day of the birthday party.

“Yes…….”

Replying in a creeping voice, she remembered the gifts she had received from the Duke of Berg last week.

“Oh, the Duke’s gift is…… Thank you, but I decided not to take it. I thought I should tell you.”

At Lucy’s words, Felix flinched.

“Gift?”

There was a sense of surprise in his voice as he asked. He seemed to have no idea that his father had sent her a gift large enough to fill a table.

“Did my father send you a gift?”

“Yes…… he said it was a commemoration of the signing of the sponsorship agreement.”

Felix suddenly became silent.

Does he think it’s shameless to receive the gifts since I already receive a sponsorship?

Lucy was embarrassed by his reaction and informed him of her decision again.

“I, I’ll give it back to you. It’s too much.….”

“No, don’t send it back.”

Felix said immediately.

“If you send it back… it’ll just be a pain in the neck. You better just keep it… yes. that’s better.”

His voice trembled slightly as he mumbled words she didn’t understand. Silence came again.

“Then… Shall we go out now?”

“Wait a minute.”

Felix said with a serious look.

“I have something to tell you.”

He coughed as if he had cleared his throat. After some hesitation, he opened his mouth.

“I…”

“Customer!”

Then a head suddenly appeared from outside the hole. It was an employee who guided them in front of the tree. He said to Felix, who was standing right in front of him with an expression of great regret.

“I’m sorry, but there are a lot of customers waiting in line in the back. This wish-making tree cave is only available for one minute.”

It means to come out because it’s been a long time. Felix looked back at Lucy with a regretful expression and left the cave as if he could not help it.

When Lucy came out of the cave afterwards, she saw Noel standing with his arms folded with a sullen expression.

One side of his head was in a mess as if he had been rolling on the floor.

“You finally came out.”

He said to Felix with a sullen look.

“Sunbae, you can’t go in there to make a wish and throw someone on the floor. If you do such a bad thing, the spirit will be angry and won’t grant your wish.”

“Really? Then please go in and make a wish to forgive me. We’re leaving.”

This time, Felix pushed Lucy toward the exit and took her. Noel came huffing after him.

* * *

Lucy only realized that this huge botanical garden can’t be looked around in a day after her feet hurt like they were going to crack after a long walk.

There are so many species of plants in the world

It was a natural fact, but it was a moment when she realized it once again.

Fortunately, seeing her unusual walk, Noel said to leave now. The rest of us say we’re looking forward to our next visit.

On the way to the exit, the staff was handing out pretty cute souvenirs. It was seeds planted directly in the pot so that they could be carried away. The pot, smaller than Lucy’s palm, was cute to look at.

Lucy, Felix, and Noel also received small pots and seeds from the staff, respectively. They didn’t tell them what kind of seed it was. The staff explained that they will be able to tell after they bloom. 

“Strange things won’t grow, right?”

Noel put the seeds he received from the employee on his palm and looked at them and murmured.

“Flowers with eyes…… or a flower that opens its mouth…….”

He trembled as if he had thought of the cannibal flower he saw earlier.

“Don’t worry! It’s just a regular flower.”

The staff, who heard Noel muttering, kindly explained.

“It’s fun to wait for a flower to bloom. You can plant the seeds and give them to your friends.”

At the end of the staff’s words, there was a subtle war of nerves between Felix and Noel. They wriggled their hands straight away and planted seeds clumsily in the pot. And they handed Lucy their pots at the same time.

“Uh…… Thank you.”

Lucy answered, taking the two pots. The problem was that she had only one pot. In front of them, the two men were staring at each other and waiting for her to hand over the flowerpot.

“Give it to me, me!”

Noel said grudgingly, reaching out to Lucy.

“I’ll take good care of it. Yes?”

Noel’s eyes shone.

“Phil has a cranky personality. You saw him grab the flowers before, right? He’ll kill these little plants in no time.”

He did not hesitate to slander his opponent. Felix raised his hand as if he would grab Noel’s back any minute, but lowered it again as if he was conscious of the eyes around him.

Instead, he began to send Lucy a desperate look. He, too, was blinding with a desire to get the pot.

Lucy is in a bind. She looked back at the staff to see if she could get another pot, but he was refusing all the requests from people who asked for one with a friendly but determined face.

Of course, her head was telling her to give it to Noel. However, she was shaken to see Felix staring at her next to Noel.

Whew. 

Lucy closed her eyes tightly and held out the pot to Felix.

“What? Are you serious?”

Noel asked with an expression of astonishment.

“Since he paid for the entrance fee when we came in…….”

Lucy blushed and made an excuse. She wasn’t lying, but she knew she’d want to give him the pot even if he didn’t pay the entrance fee.

Felix took the pot with a bright look on his face. He then gave Noel a triumphant look.

Noel clicked his tongue and whispered in Lucy’s ear.

“You’re so soft-hearted. What should I do?”

“What, what?”

“Look at the look on your face. If you’re being so soft, he’ll think you’re ridiculous. It’s not time to forgive him yet.”

Then he murmured, “Ugh. I have wasted my time worrying…….”

Lucy couldn’t understand what Noel was saying all day today, but she agreed that she was being soft. She was acting spineless, even in her own mind.

I just decided to cut him off firmly but I gave it to him so easily. 

However, in the corner of her mind, another Lucy refuted the remark.

Then what can I do! Looking at him with those eyes right in front of me…… I couldn’t help but give it to him.

Felix’s eyes weakened her mind. Lucy has vowed not to look him in the eye as much as possible.

* * *

After leaving the Bethel Botanical Garden, Noel took Lucy to a fancy restaurant near the square. Of course, Felix was also following with an annoyed face.

As they entered the restaurant, the staff approached them and responded kindly. He led Lucy and Noel to the table by the window, and when he saw Felix, he grabbed her shoulder hurriedly.

“The servants are waiting over there.”

He pointed to a long backless wooden chair next to the entrance of the restaurant. There were already people who seemed to be horsemen sitting and smoking while waiting for their owners to come out after dinner.

Felix’s expression was crumpled when he checked the direction pointed by the employee.

“He’s going to eat with us!”

Lucy pulled Felix’s arm in surprise. The employee looked up and down at Felix in shabby clothes and tilted his head. The employee looked as if he had never seen a servant sitting at the same table with their owner.

Noel, who was standing as if he was about to burst in laughter, stepped forward. He said to the staff with a strange smile.

“Our Lady has a big heart. She tends to take care of the meals of our humble servant.”

Then he nodded as if to say he would take Felix to the table with him. Only then did the staff release Felix’s shoulder.

Suddenly treated as a servant, Felix turned to the window with a grim look on his face, but Noel blocked him and spoke.

“Phil, you’re rude. What should you say to the lady who willingly gave you permission?”

Lucy looked at Noel with a look of astonishment.

What are you doing?

But Noel even smiled as if the situation was just funny. Felix stood with a face that seemed to pick Noel and put him on the ground.

You shouldn’t get angry here……!

Lucy looked at the two nervously, Felix closed his eyes tightly with a face of holding back his anger and opened it. Not only the staff but also other customers entering the restaurant were watching the situation.

Then Felix murmured softly with a red face.

“T, thank you, my lady…….”