"I wonder where the next book is for this series..."
I had some time, so I went to Icarus for a change.
"The next issue does not appear until the beginning of the next month," someone answered for me.
I looked to me left and saw a pair of beautiful emerald green eyes slightly being hidden under a pair of lenses. The man's long beautiful black hair softly fell down his shoulder as he bent closer to me and moved his face beside me.
"Garett?" I gasped.
"It's been awhile, Arielle," he said with a smile.
We had tea at a nearby tea shop.
"You are a difficult person to get a hold of."
"Kind of..."
He casually drank his tea.
I was not really mad at him before, but his nonchalant attitude is starting to get on my nerves.
"Garett..."
"You have become beautiful," he said.
My heart thudded so loudly that I forgot everything I had wanted to say to him.
"Pardon?"
"It seems that compliments do ease women's anger."
I tried stepping on his foot only to be swiftly avoided.
"I was not that angry before...Now, I am," I said.
"My mistake then," he said as he added a sugar cube to my drink without asking me.
I wanted more sugar anyways...
He is exactly the same as the older version of the first cycle, a bit overbearing and arrogant. I almost miss his younger days when he would blush at almost everything.
"Prince Erik seems to have confessed his feelings for me," I said as I mixed the sugar cube in my drink.
"...He did? Congratulations," he said as he sipped his drink.
"I said that I was in love with you..."
He spurted his drink out to his left.
It was the first time I had ever seen him act so unrefined before.
"Cough! Cough!"
"Are you alright?" I asked as I handed him a napkin.
"Come again?"
"I apologize for using you...I used you as an excuse to get out of Prince Erik's confession as wrong as it sounds," I said.
"...Aren't you in love with him?" he asked.
I was in love with the memories of my first life with him...
"...It just so happens that I do not see a future between the two of us."
"You were engaged to him at one point. I find it a bit strange for you to not see a future with him."
"H-How do you know about that?" I asked nervously.
"...I have my connections," he answered vaguely.
Right...
This person is Prince Erik's cousin.
"Our engagement was something decided upon by our parents. Surely, Prince Erik would act kind to me and force himself to love me out of obligation. When I saw that he had the same feelings for me despite everything makes me believe that some people were meant to fall in love with each other. However, that love is a burden...I do not intend to be a liability to him."
"...A liability?"
"I do not want to be the one who holds him back."
"I don't think that Prince is that weak..."
"That may be so, but I am," I said with an awkward smile. "No matter how strong I make myself or how much I pretty myself up, I do not have confidence or willpower to stay by that person's side...That is why I can only watch him from afar with these troublesome feelings."
My eyes began tearing up.
I was sad that I lost Erik in my first life because of my weaknesses. He had protected me several times because I was incompetent.
I was sad that I was not able to respond my true feelings to him.
I was even more sad that I had to lie to him in order to cover everything up...
"Arielle..."
I do not have the confidence to become Queen again or stand by his side.
I already failed once before...
The thought of failing to save Erik again was scary...The thought of it being my fault a second time was even scarier.
"Surely, he will change his mind if he thinks my heart belongs to someone else."
"...Arielle, let's become a couple," Garett suggested.
"A couple?"
"...His Highness may not give up if it is one sided love. We can become pretend lovers if you do not mind...just holding hands or eating together, or do you dislike the thought of being with me?
I already told him that we were lovers, so this is convenient.
"...Won't it be difficult for you to find a lover?" I asked him worriedly.
"You don't have to worry about that. I am not interested in anyone at the moment."
When he said that, I felt a bit relieved and troubled at the same time.
...It is a false relationship, so why do I feel excited about it?
The next day, Garett and I sat across from each other with an open book in the library.
"This is all kinds of wrong!" Charlotte said.
"What is?" I asked her as I placed a bookmark in my book.
"We are finally all together again, and it seems that you two have finally become a couple," Charlotte answered.
"A false couple," Garett corrected.
I told Charlotte about Prince Erik's confession and about my false relationship with Garett yesterday. She nodded in acceptance, but also called me a big idiot, so I am unsure if she really accepts this rash decision of mine.
"The strange thing about you two is that all you two do is read. Nothing has changed. Well, I expected this..." Charlotte said as she twiddled with her fingers.
"Couples are to spend time with each other in person and write letters to each other once in awhile, right?" Garett said. "We are already spending time together by reading in front of each other by ourselves."
Charlotte presses a finger in Garett's face.
"Wrong!" she said strongly.
Garett put up a troubled face.
"I hardly think that we could possibly act like a couple in front of you, Charlotte," I said.
Charlotte moved out of Garett's personal space and grabbed his book.
Garett failed multiple times to take his book back from her.
"There is no couple that just casually reads in front of each other. There is no interaction! Nothing emotional! Nothing physical!" Charlotte said.
When I was with Erik, we would read in our respective spots as well. Everything else was intense physical acts that I cannot possibly do with Garett...
"Even if you say that, we are a false couple. I do not think Garett would be comfortable with doing anything too physical or emotional," I reasoned.
"I am a male, so it is not as important for me. As a girl, don't first experiences carry special meanings to you?" Garett asked me.
First experiences?
I had already experienced almost everything with Erik in my first life.
I suppose that it has all been negated by this second life.
"Humph! This is the modern age! One or two kisses and hugs does not equate marriage," Charlotte said.
"Have you experienced those things yet, Charlotte?" I asked her.
Her face soon flamed up.
"I...I haven't, but I have read many romance novels," Charlotte said as she puffed up her chest.
"What do you suggest we do?" Garett said as he grabbed his book from Charlotte's hands.
Ah, he took advantage of her weakened state and gained the upper hand...
"One date," Charlotte said as she held up one finger.
"Date?" Garett and I said in unison.
"No bookstores...No reading...I want the two of you to dress up semi-casual and go into town to have fun," Charlotte ordered. "There must be some form of shopping, walking, and eating. Most importantly, there will be physical contact!"
The hurdle is too high!
"How much is physical contact?" Garett asked.
"I will write a plan for you two to be super lovey dove-y," Charlotte said as she made a heart with her hands.
I have never felt more nervous in my life before.