Chapter 61: Chapter 32.1

“Why do you want to know, Cassian? I heard everything from the start until she confessed and you rejected her.”

Cassian became silent as he recalled the previous conversation and his usual countenance returned after a minute.

That was when Yernia realized that she had nothing to worry about.

His current expression and the face he made as he looked at the stranger woman from earlier were so different.

‘Don’t tell me  that Cassian had a doppelganger.’ Yernia thought.

“I heard that she has liked me since our academy days. That’s all.”

“Oh, I see.”

Yernia couldn’t understand how Cassian could be popular.

Ah.

Maybe it was because of his unique appearance.

Cassian was so handsome that one of his female admirers had to come and check if the news of his marriage was true.

“You don’t have to be jealous.” He stared at Yernia. “There is nothing to worry about.”

“Do you think I’m jealous of her, Cassian?”

“No. I mean…I thought you might be afraid of losing me. I’m your only friend, after all.”

It’s just that Yernia would be sad if Cassian became closer to someone else other than her.

Cassian’s statement might be true.

She might get jealous but perhaps, it wasn’t in this particular situation.

It wasn’t enough that Cassian was her only friend.

She didn’t even expect that the two of them would eventually get married.

Yernia had no right to feel jealous.

“I’d never thought that I’d marry you, either. I  guess I just had to live with it for a long time.”

“But you said you felt lucky because it’s me!”

“That’s true. I think it’s also kind of sad that I had to keep looking at you.”

“You don’t like my face?”

“No. It’s your attitude that I had a problem with, Cassian. You tease me too much. You constantly make fun of me and I’m not sure how much I can take it.”

“I won’t tease you,” Cassian uttered seriously and it was quite a rare moment. “I want to promise that I won’t tease you, but I’m not that confident when you act so cute. Perhaps, I can tease you a little bit.”

“Do as you please.”

Yernia got desperate.

She and Cassian had lived like this and so far, there was nothing new between their interactions.

It was so easy for him to make her feel angry but it wasn’t enough to hate him forever.

Yernia always released the resentment she had for Cassian because she knew his childhood friend well.

Cassian might be annoying but he never forgot to be kind to her.

He would never harm her on purpose.

Suddenly, Cassian moved his hand to lock his fingers between hers.

“Yernia.” Her body was already close to him from the start but he still pulled her even closer.

“There’s one thing you don’t know about us.”

“What do I not know? What is it?”

‘–—and do you have to tell me this up close and personal?’ Yernia thought as she looked into his dark blue eyes in anticipation.

“It’s about being a guide. There’s a better way of guiding instead of just merely holding hands.”

Yernia knew how-to guide!

It’s very simple.

Both of them just needed to hold hands.

Not to mention——

Wait.

Was there another way?

A more definite way?

“How?”

Cassian’s hands cradled Yernia’s cheek while one of his thumbs caressed her lips.

Yernia sensed that something was about to go wrong.

“The more intimate the contact….” Cassian’s voice dropped into a deep baritone and the shift in his mood became strange. “The guiding becomes more effective.”

“…….”

“A kiss on the back of a hand is better than just holding hands.” Yernia found his intense gaze suspicious especially when he glanced at her lips. “Brushing one’s lips against another is infinitely better than kissing each other’s hands.” Then, Cassian peered into Yernia’s eyes beneath his long lashes. “However, embracing is the best in my opinion.”

For a moment, Yernia couldn’t understand what Cassian was talking about until it dawned on her.

Embracing, huh?

Cassian’s definition of ‘embracing’ seemed different from what her innocent mind could comprehend.

No way!

“You’re lying, Cassian!”

She had never been told to guide like that.

Cassian tilted his head at her and brought his face closer.

A dangerous scent seemed to permeate from Cassian’s skin.

Maybe, it was because he just came out of the shower.

“Do you want to check then?”

Cassian knew what and how to check it without asking Yernia’s permission.

She was smart enough not to know about kissing or whatever.

The wedding kiss was nothing more but a peck.

Well, he couldn’t really call it a kiss if he only smacked his lips on her mouth and took them off.

Somehow, this strange atmosphere wouldn’t seem to end with just a simple kiss.

An ominous thought made goosebumps run up and down her spine.

“I don’t think we need to check, Cassian.”

‘Didn’t she know how to be a proper guide?’ Cassian wondered.

Meanwhile, Yernia didn’t want to check because she wanted to appear mature.

Curiosity might kill the cat.

Yernia didn’t want to ruin her relationship with him since she had to be friends with him until his real guide showed up.

The minute they crossed the boundary of their friendship, everything would crumble down.