"Have a good time."
Ximena sent Lara off with a smile on her face. She whispered to Demian about the location of the back door and even told them to quickly get out of there. Because if they got caught by Eunice they would need to hang out with her all night.
They came out to the garden through the back door that Ximena informed them about.
Demian's hand was cold. Lara's hand was hot, making her wonder what he had been doing outside that made his big hands cold.
Demian did not say anything. And Lara had nothing to say, so she just stayed quiet.
They crossed the garden, holding hands without saying anything. As they moved away from the magical lightings that were focused on the party hall, the darkness of the dawn was surrounding them. Lara looked at the back of Demian's head as he walked ahead of her. His black hair was scattered in the night breeze.
Why did he come?
She also wanted to ask him what was going on. But at the same time, she did not want to.
Lara realized that Demian was walking aimlessly, without a clear destination. After walking across the garden, and when Demian stood in front of his horse, Lara began to talk.
"But I came with the carriage."
"Just tell him to go."
"Why?"
"Because you wear pants."
Is he saying that since I wear pants, I should ride the horse instead of the carriage?
Lara couldn't understand Demian's logic at all. But she did not want to decline his offer.
"Do you want to ride at the front?"
"Are you out of your mind?"
"Get on the back."
Only then did Demian laugh. He smiled lightly and climbed the horse first. Then, Lara took his hand and climbed on the back of the horse.
"Hold on tight."
"There's no need for me to hold tight as long as you ride slowly…"
Lara could not finish her sentence. The horse suddenly started to move. Lara hurriedly hugged Demian's waist. He increased the speed and ran through the lonely night streets.
"Demian!"
He did not answer.
Lara put her face close to Demian's back, trying hard to avoid the wind. Before she knew it, her loose hair flew all over the place.
The horse that was carrying two people ran fast down the quiet street.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Demian took Lara to the inn outside the capital, the one he used as the place to communicate with the Crown Prince.
When Demian, who left at sunset, came back again at dawn, the innkeeper did not even bother to hide his crumpled face. Meanwhile, he relaxed his expression and smiled kindly at Lara.
"Welcome."
"Don't pretend to be kind."
"Hello."
Lara hesitated into the store. As Demian kicked the door when he came in, a precarious sound came from the old hinge. Her gaze stayed on the old hinge, all while the innkeeper stared at her.
"Who is she?"
"My owner."
"What? You crazy…"
The innkeeper pointed at Lara and asked who she was. After answering his question, the innkeeper looked at Demian and swore at him. Seeing as how Demian had never given a proper explanation, Lara let out a sigh and sat down at the bar.
"I'm his employer. I'm paying his salary and he's escorting me."
"Why this crazy bastard?"
"He's good."
"But still."
Demian smirked. He sat next to Lara and looked at the innkeeper. He suggested to Lara to eat there because the innkeeper was a good cook.
"I'm sorry for coming at this late time."
Lara apologized on behalf of Demian. It's time for all the other stores to close their businesses and take a break. No matter how close they were, Lara still thought that she needed to apologize.
"It's fine. I'm usually awake at night and sleep during the day."
He's like Valentine.
Lara nodded. The innkeeper went into the kitchen and started cooking, not even bothering to ask them what they were going to eat. As if he did not need to take orders. Demian looked in the direction of the kitchen and said to Lara.
"You have to eat what you're given."
"Yes."
"It's going to be good."
"Yes."
"Why are you dressed as a man?"
"Why aren't you looking at me?"
Demian squinted his eyebrows. He was stubbornly looking straight ahead. Even when Lara looked at him, she could only see his side profile.
"Are you mad at me?"
Lara asked him.
Demian did not answer immediately. He closed his mouth for a moment and thought about something. Then, he leaned on his chair, looked at the ceiling, and let out a heavy sigh. After that, he broke the silence.
"I'm angry."
"Yes."
"But I can't get angry."
"I will apologize to you, so can you look at me?"
"No."
Is it because he will get mad if he looks at me?
Lara guessed so. She assumed that, since Demian was unexpectedly considerate, he purposely avoided eye contact with her because he was afraid he would get angry when looking at her face.
"I'm sorry. For not putting myself in your shoes and just pouring out my feelings. It was a matter of course that you think my story is just a dream."
Lara kept talking and looking at Demian while he kept looking elsewhere.
"I won't talk about that anymore. But… I hope you won't decline the sword from the royal family, since it's a reward for you from the Princess."
Demian let out a sigh again. Lara's voice got smaller.
"The same goes for the money that my mother is giving you. Because you're my escort…"
Without looking at each other, there was no way to know if he was listening properly. Lara approached Demian in frustration, getting a little closer to him. She shoved her face towards him and said.
"Look at me."
"I don't want to."
"But… Why?"
She was angry, beyond frustrated. Lara reached out and pulled Demian's arm. He flinched.
"Demian."
Demian's persistent gaze returned to Lara very slowly.
His eyes were a shining blue. He seemed like he was really angry. Lara unconsciously let go of his arm that she had grabbed. It was still summer and was not even cold, and yet she got goosebumps. Lara, who was intensely anxious, was about to ask him why he looked at her like that.
Then, Demian said.
"Look elsewhere."
"Why?"
"Because I feel like kissing you."
"…What?"
What is he saying now?
Her heart throbbed. Lara did not know how to answer and just looked at him with her mouth slightly open.
"Don't regret it."
Demian said as if giving her a warning. He could have looked somewhere else, just like what he had done before, but instead, he kept telling Lara to look away. Not only did he not know how to smile properly, but he also did not even know how to speak kindly.
"No."
Lara muttered.
"I won't look away."
Demian got up from his chair. The sound of the chair dragging away was loud. It was a sound that did not ring in the ears, but, rather, the body.
Lara stared silently at him approaching. She raised her cat-like eyes and did not shy away. Demian laughed savagely at her challenging gaze.
"You're driving me crazy."
Crash.
The chair fell and made a loud sound. But this time, the sound did not bother her very much. In just an instant, Demian's face came in front of her and their lips were pressed against each other.
Demian pulled Lara's face towards his with both hands, turning his head and digging into her lips.
He was out of breath.
Lara's head was tilted back. She instinctively grasped his wrist, trying not to fall over. Demian bit her lips with his and dug up the inside of her mouth with his tongue. Every time he stimulated her mouth, it drenched itself sweetly. Throbbing pain and pleasure came at the same time. Lara's body temperature was rising from her lower abdomen. A low moan came from the inside of her neck.
Demian had no thought of stopping. He swallowed all the saliva in Lara's mouth, turned his head the other way, and dug deeper into her.
Now it was hard to even breathe. Lara gave strength in her hand that was holding Demian's wrist and pushed him away. Then, she quickly took a short breath. Her heart was beating so fast that she could not pull herself together.
"Haa…"
He was smiling. He looked at Lara's eyes, with a face that looked terribly satisfied.
"I told you not to regret it."
Then, their lips were pressed together again.