Chapter 178: Side Story 9: More Than Friends (IV)

Side Story 9: More Than Friends (IV)

To turn the doorknob, Noah laid his hand naturally over Esther’s.

His fingers slipped between hers, intertwining them.

He grinned involuntarily and turned the handle with force.

“…It’s really not opening.”

“I-I’ll try again.”

“No. I will do it, so you stay.”

Noah tightened his hand to keep Esther from pulling away.

Then he lowered his head slowly to examine the handle.

When Noah’s face came down just above Esther’s shoulder, they were level with each other.

Their faces were so close that if they moved sideways just a little, their cheeks would touch.

“Noah… Hey, can you step aside for a bit? You’re too close.”

Holding her breath, Esther spoke in a whisper.

However, she couldn’t bring herself to look at Noah, firmly turning her gaze to the other side.

“Wait a moment. I think I got it.”

Pretending not to hear, Noah moved closer to Esther.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Esther was now hard as a stone, trying to keep as still as possible.

She couldn’t move for fear that if she made the wrong move, her face would hit him.

Her breathing was shaky because she couldn’t quite breathe deeply, and her lips were suddenly very dry.

“Esther.”

Esther was enduring it with other thoughts as much as possible when Noah suddenly called her name.

Instead of answering, she slightly turned her face and glanced at him.

Noah, who had faced her when she wasn’t looking at him, was gazing at her intensely enough to pierce.

As their eyes met, Esther’s eyes wandered in every other direction but straight.

“I… I’ll try again.”

The stiff and flustered Esther turned the knob as hard as hard as she could.

Her only thought was that she had to get away from Noah somehow.

Otherwise she would either melt or say something strange.

Fortunately, the door opened this time.

Easily enough that she wondered why the doorknob didn’t turn just now.

“O-Oh, the door is open. Let’s go.”

Esther deliberately spoke in an exaggerated voice, went outside as if running away.

She let out the breath she had been holding back all along and fanned her burning face; it was as red as a carrot.

“Ah, it’s hot.”

As the cool breeze hit her face, her senses returned little by little.

“…Isn’t it just the time to confess?”

Back at the room, Noah, who was more or less fine except for his red ears, blinked in confusion, looking like a crazy person.

“Why is the door already open? It’s definitely stuck just now.”

He left the room belatedly, regretting that he had missed the opportunity.

Now, there was a somewhat awkward atmosphere when the two looked at each other.

“The weather is very nice today. Isn’t it?”

Esther hated awkwardness, thus she tried to change the subject as if nothing had happened.

However, Noah was determined to confess, so he tried to set the mood again.

Widening his strides, he blocked Esther’s way, turned around, looked straight at her, and earnestly said,

“Esther, I have something to say…”

“Noah, shall we go to the hill?”

“Huh? Hill?”

Esther pretended not to hear Noah’s words and pointed her finger at a small hill inside the temple.

“I want to go up there. Let’s go.”

Then, without a chance for Noah to refuse, she quickly walked towards the hill.

“Are you avoiding me?”

Judging Esther’s reaction to be a little different than usual, Noah tapped his chin.

“Well, the hill isn’t bad either.”

Noah quickly followed Esther, thinking that confessing at the hill would be better than the side of the road.

So the two of them talked casually as they vigorously climbed the hill.

Once they reached the highest point, their visions were filled with a field full of grass and a large tree.

“It’s very pretty here. A lot of flowers are blooming.”

Noah looked around as Esther said so. He suddenly remembered something and smiled meaningfully.

Then he ran to the little wildflowers, bent over, and plucked a few.

“What are you doing?”

Upon seeing Noah fiddling with his hands, Esther tilted her head and asked.

“Ta-da.”

Noah was proud of the ring he had completed in an instant by tying together flowers and presented it to Esther.

“Do you want to try it?”

“Wow, you know how to make something like this?”

Anyone would say the ring looked like it was made by a child, but like a child, Esther took in with delight and put the ring on her finger.

“Is it okay?”

“No. It’s a little loose.”

Noah diligently adjusted it so that the ring would fit Esther’s finger.

“It fits perfectly now.”

Esther stretched out her ring finger and spun around with a grin.

“Good. Give it back now.”

“What. This is not for me?”

“I’ll give you something better next time.”

Noah, now knowing the size of Esther’s finger, smiled and slipped the flower ring into his pocket.

“Why are you giving it then taking it away?”

“Anyway, come here. This is a perfect spot.”

Noah, who had taken a seat under the shade of a tree, patted the spot next to him.

Esther laughed incredulously, but eventually went to sit next to Noah.

“I will lie down for a while.”

Noah found this place nice and he laid down on the grass.

“This reminds me of the old days. Do you remember digging for diamonds in the mine and lying down together?”

“Of course. That day was a lot of fun.”

Thinking of that day of long ago, Esther also smiled with eyes immersed in memories.

Noah’s eyes twinkled as he saw Esther’s smile, then he lifted his torso and took off his outer garment.

He placed it on Esther’s back so that she could lie comfortably.

“Lie on it.”

“Thank you.”

A little moved by Noah’s consideration, Esther also slowly lay down on the floor.

The two looked up at the cloud-filled sky, feeling nostalgic as if they had gone back to their childhood.

The scene of them lying down under a large tree and among the green grass was as pretty as an illustration in a fairy tale.

“Do you want to go to the sanctuary together next time?”

“Sure. Come to think of it, I never went there again.”

The sanctuary where Noah and Esther first met and knew each other.

It was a place of great significance, but after Noah left the sanctuary, he never went there again.

The two of them promised to do so, and then gazed at the sky again in silence.

A satisfied smile appeared on Esther’s lips before she knew it.

Happiness was achieved just by lying down with Noah in this place full of warm sunlight.

Feeling drowsy and almost falling asleep, Esther turned towards Noah.

Noah’s attention was now on Esther.

Sleep escaped Esther the instant Noah’s pitch-black eyes met her pink ones.

Flustered, Esther blinked and lowered her hands to the ground.

And that led to her pinky touching Noah’s fingers.

A tingling sensation spread from her fingertip to her entire body.

“Oh. Sorry.”

Startled, Esther bit her lips and quickly tried to put her hand aside.

But Noah reacted first and held her hand tightly.

Esther looked at Noah with widened eyes, feeling her heart pound and squeeze.

“We hold hands often. Let’s hold for a while.”

“Yes, we did…”

As Noah said, there were countless times the two of them walked hand in hand.

But today Esther was too shy.

Badump, badump.

Esther was worried that her fast-beating heart was so loud that it would be transmitted to Noah through their joined hands.

Still, she slowly regained her composure as she focused on the clear chirping of birds and buzzing of insects.

Esther and Noah, lying next to each other, stared at each other endlessly, unaware of how time passed.

Just like how it was like in their childhood, their eyes gazing at each other were full of affection.

“Esther, I have something to tell you.”

Noah smiled and parted his lips.

“Sure. I am listening.”

“I like you.”

Esther’s eyes widened when she heard the confession without any mental preparation.

Noah spoke sincerely, looking into Esther’s eyes, which were trembling wildly in bewilderment.

“I like you very much. Not just as a friend.”

“So suddenly?”

“It’s not all of a sudden. You know how long I’ve loved you. Ever since I met you, I’ve always felt the same way.”

Noah reached out and carefully tucked Esther’s flowing hair behind her ear.

From childhood when he was trapped in the sanctuary and lost the reason for living until now.

Noah loved Esther every single day.

“Noah, I…”

Esther couldn’t look at Noah anymore. She closed her eyes at Noah’s pure and straightforward confession.

She desperately tried to calm her beating heart.

“Why are your eyes closed?”

“I can’t look.”

“Why?”

“I am so nervous. Can, can you hear my heart beating right now?”

“That’s impossible.”

Esther’s cute question made Noah laugh.

He couldn’t bear it because Esther, who didn’t know what to do, was so lovely.

“I like you. I want to always be by your side. Can’t we just be both friends and lovers now?”

Noah slowly approached Esther, who still had her eyes closed tightly.

“Well…”

Esther thought about how to answer.

It was a moment she had imagined many times, but when he confessed, her mind went white and she couldn’t think of anything.

“Are you going to keep it closed? I know what I can do.”

Noah teased Esther when she still refused to open her eyes.

“I’ll count to three. If you don’t open your eyes, I’ll take it as you’ve given permission.”

Noah’s lips were about to touch Esther’s forehead.

Esther fidgeted and clenched her fists tightly.

To open her eyes or keep it close? She couldn’t brave the heat she felt on her forehead.

“One, two… … three.”

The moment Noah grinned and was about to kiss Esther’s forehead,

“Esther!!!!”

“We are here!”

Two very urgent voices came from under the hill.

As soon as she heard it, Esther, recognizing that it was her brothers’ voices, opened her eyes and pushed Noah away.

“How did my brothers get here?”

Noah was confused as well.

The two stared blankly at the twins approaching them from a distance.

Ame: Heheheheheh this is so fun! More trouble, more chaos! The only kind of pandemonium I like!