Chapter 15
Why is he asking such a sudden question today?
“Yeah. I like you.”
I answered without even a second of hesitation, and Aiden’s eyes widened.
“As friends who are each other’s only one, why are you asking something so obvious like that?”
“…Ah.”
Huh? Was that not what he meant? I thought he would at least smile warmly, if not shed a tear of emotion…
Aiden’s shoulders sank slightly, as if it wasn’t the answer he wanted.
Hmm. He doesn’t seem in a good mood anyway. Maybe I should’ve exaggerated a bit more.
While I was thinking of a better response to lift his mood, Aiden broke the brief silence.
“So that means, right now, I’m the only one you like.”
That sounds a bit strange…
“Well. For now, I guess that’s true?”
As I slowly nodded, the corners of Aiden’s lips lifted.
Then, like usual, he casually patted my head.
“That’s enough. Let’s go in. You said you were thirsty.”
Honestly, I didn’t really understand what changed between my first answer and this one.
But still, if his mood got better, then that’s good enough.
When we returned to the banquet hall together, we found two unexpected people gathered.
“You’re back, Leticia?”
Felix greeted me with a slick, overly charming smile as if he had been waiting.
“Lady Astaire, your dress is so beautiful. And C-Crofton young lord is here too.”
Agnes, who blushed instantly the moment she saw Aiden, was also there.
What kind of combination is this?
Sunshine heroine, regretful male lead, puppy-like second male lead, and me—the extra.
Standing among the main characters made me feel like an uninvited guest.
Do I really belong here as an extra?
While I awkwardly looked between the three of them, Felix pulled my arm and made me stand beside him.
“You said you’d be right back. You kept me waiting for quite a while.”
He smiled sweetly, then leaned in and whispered sharply.
“Do you know how much I had to deal with while you were gone? People kept asking why my partner wasn’t here.”
“Honestly, I think I’ve done enough as your partner. Shouldn’t we just go our separate ways now?”
As I carefully pulled my arm away and suggested it, Felix shot me a displeased look.
“Really? Then do whatever you want.”
“Really?”
I was about to happily return to Aiden, but Felix stopped me with a single line.
“Didn’t Lady Brua say something?”
“…Seriously.”
In the end, I had no choice but to return to Felix’s side.
“Oh my. Have you already become close enough to share such sweet little secrets?”
Agnes looked at us with envy.
Hah. It wasn’t a sweet secret—it was dirty blackmail.
While I awkwardly smiled, Agnes continued asking questions.
“How did you two meet? Both of you are quite difficult to see, so I’m surprised you came as partners.”
“It’s nothing. We just met at the library—”
“Oh, right.”
As I was about to explain honestly, Felix suddenly cut me off and, without being asked, looked at Aiden and continued speaking.
“I’m sure you’re curious as well, young lord. Lady Leticia and I first met…”
This time, Aiden interrupted Felix.
“There’s no need for you to explain to me. I already heard everything from Leticia.”
At Aiden’s response, Felix smiled awkwardly and nodded.
After that, their conversation never became smooth.
It was like they were competing over who could make the other more uncomfortable.
Agnes and I could only watch carefully as the atmosphere grew heavier and heavier.
We hadn’t even started the love triangle over Agnes yet, so why did these two seem like they wanted to kill each other?
Sigh. I don’t care about being a love-cupid or anything anymore—I just want to go home.
Just as I let out a tired sigh, slow waltz music filled the hall, and couples began moving toward the center.
This is it…!
The scene I had been waiting for in the original story was finally starting, and my motivation flared back up.
“U-um…”
Agnes nervously stepped in front of Aiden.
And just like in the original story, she carefully asked him:
“Would you dance the first dance with me?”
Alright. Now it’s my turn.
Before Aiden could say something cruel and make her cry, I needed to step in—
But suddenly, Aiden turned his head toward me.
“Hm?”
Why is he looking at me when she’s the one who asked?
As I blinked at him, Aiden softly called my name.
“Leticia.”
“Huh?”
“What should I do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is it okay if I dance with Lady Carnarvon?”
Agnes looked shocked, her eyes shaking.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
“Huh? Why are you asking me? Just follow your feelings…”
No—that’s not right.
If I told him to “follow his feelings” when he hasn’t realized his feelings for Agnes yet, the story would go exactly like the original.
I quickly swallowed my words and corrected myself.
“Of course you should dance with her! She gathered the courage to ask you first—it would be rude to refuse, right?”
Aiden raised one eyebrow with a strange expression.
“Is that so?”
Then he grabbed Agnes’s hand.
“You told me to.”
His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge hidden in it.
He really is strange today.
Depressed, then smiling, then angry again. What did I even do?
As I was thinking this over, someone clicked their tongue beside me.
“Tch. You really are something.”
Felix looked at me with a pitiful expression.
“What did I do wrong now?”
“I don’t really feel like helping you.”
And just like that, he left, saying he didn’t need to be my partner anymore.
So much for forcing me into being his partner earlier through blackmail…
Left alone, I sipped wine while watching Aiden and Agnes.
Come to think of it… they actually look good together.
Cold black cat male lead and cute rabbit female lead—classic romance pairing.
Under the chandelier, they looked like a scene from a movie.
Agnes’s small feet moving perfectly in sync with Aiden’s steps.
Strange.
When I first danced with Aiden, I stepped on his feet dozens of times before one song even ended…
It was her first dance with him too, so how are they so perfectly in sync?
Is this what it means to be the main characters?
As I stared at them blankly, Aiden’s last words echoed in my mind.
“You told me to.”
Yeah. I did tell him.
But still…
Watching them dance hand in hand made me feel something strange.
Was it loneliness, standing alone in the middle of this huge hall?
Or something like a parent watching their child grow independent?
I swallowed a faint bitterness and kept watching them.
Even while holding hands and dancing, Aiden never once looked at Agnes.
His attention was entirely focused on Leticia, who was casually looking around while sipping wine.
“Um…”
Agnes carefully tried to speak, but his gaze still didn’t leave Leticia.
To get his attention, she deliberately stumbled.
“Ah!”
Aiden frowned and immediately tightened his arm around her waist to steady her.
Finally getting his attention, Agnes blushed and spoke softly.
“T-thank you…”
“I just didn’t want to become a laughingstock. That’s all. Don’t misunderstand.”
It was a cold, blunt answer.
Even so, Agnes still smiled shyly.
If anything, that blunt attitude made him even more attractive.
‘Ah… this won’t be easy.’
Since her debut, she had received endless attention and admiration.
Except from one man—Aiden Crofton.
For Agnes, who had never been rejected before, being ignored like she was invisible felt like humiliation.
For the first time in her life, she felt pride crushed—and it sparked her competitive spirit.
She intended to win him over no matter what.
And that determination was slowly turning into obsession.
She looked up at Aiden with a soft smile.
“This too, and the fact that you accepted my dance request so easily…”
“Let me make something clear.”
Aiden cut her off coldly.
“I didn’t dance with you because of you.”
“…What?”
Agnes stammered, shocked.
“If I didn’t answer, you already knew the answer. You just chose to ask in front of Leticia on purpose.”
“No, that’s not it, I—”
“Oh, it’s over.”
As the final note ended, Aiden immediately let go of her hand.
He stepped back and shook his hand off as if dismissing her.
“Please stop now.”
His gaze was colder than ever.
Agnes flinched.
“Excuse me…?”
“Stop using Leticia to approach me.”
“….”
Agnes bit her lip and silently watched Aiden walk back toward Leticia.
