Chapter 29
It was a sunny day.
On that bright day, Lopez was walking down the stairs when she slipped and rolled down.
Suddenly, Lopez appeared lying in the hallway. Chester, Klein, and Arden looked down at her with surprised faces.
Lopez ignored the pain in her body and stood up slowly, pretending to be calm.
She felt embarrassed because she kept showing such careless behavior.
So she said something random.
“I get too excited when I’m happy. I slide down the stairs like a slide. I didn’t fall. It was intentional.”
The three boys were speechless at such a ridiculous excuse.
“….”
“….”
“….”
Lopez felt nervous because of their silence.
Chester was the first to recover and turned his back toward her.
“…Get on my back.”
“No, I will do it!”
When Klein tried to step forward, Lopez shook her head.
“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt.”
Only her hand was slightly aching.
“Then go to the infirmary.”
When Arden held out his hand, she quickly grabbed it and went to the infirmary.
She wanted to avoid getting more involved with the male leads of .
But Chester and Klein followed her to the infirmary anyway.
Gail carefully examined her palm and asked Lopez.
“You rolled down the stairs?”
“Other places are fine. Only my wrist hurts.”
“Hmm.”
After looking around, Gail wrapped Lopez’s hand with a compression bandage.
“It’s not broken, but you need to be careful. Try to use your right hand as little as possible for a while.”
“Yes, teacher.”
Anyway, she couldn’t move her hand much because she had no strength.
“Can’t you even walk properly?”
Klein rushed toward her.
“If you think about something else while walking on stairs, this happens. You all should be careful too.”
Lopez warned them and stood up from the chair.
Chester tried to support her arm, but Lopez refused.
“It’s okay.”
“So what were you thinking about?”
Chester asked while pulling back the hand she rejected.
“I just thought I might not get scolded in the future.”
Lopez answered vaguely and pulled Arden closer.
Compared to the male leads, Arden was better.
Meanwhile, at her careless mumbling, the three boys kept their lips tightly closed.
Especially Klein felt a heavy stone pressing on his chest.
‘Even if she acts like nothing happened, she was still afraid of the training room.’
He clenched his small fist.
‘That bastard Carrington who pushed her must have caused trauma.’
Maybe it became a trauma.
But I…
‘I didn’t even apologize until now.’
Klein sighed painfully and closed his eyes.
Only after hearing Lopez’s calm words did he realize what he did wrong.
It was too pathetic that he tried to stay silent after receiving so much help.
‘I should tell Medina.’
That the one who made you look like a thief by using Lopez was actually me.
If he confessed honestly…
‘Maybe Lopez would like me a little.’
Klein smiled slightly, then was startled by his own behavior.
He shook his head violently.
‘Lopez is strange. Strange, but…’
She was not simply strange.
Even Klein himself did not fully understand his own feelings.
After hesitating for a while, Klein touched Lopez lightly with a guilty, yet determined face.
“…Hey, Lopez. Let’s talk.”
“Can we do it later?”
“Ah, just come!”
“Okay.”
Klein scratched his head hard and bit his lip.
Then he took Lopez to the back of the orphanage building.
Lopez trembled like a rabbit, trapped between Klein’s arms.
“Um, if you could tell me why you called me…”
Seeing her already scared, Klein got irritated for no reason.
“Who is bullying you?!”
I didn’t call you to bully you, so why are you shaking like that?
Just as he felt a little hurt, Lopez tilted her head like she stopped acting.
“Then what is it?”
“W-wait.”
Klein was very restless.
He kept wiping his sweaty palms on his pants, held his head, and groaned.
Then he took out a chick-shaped pin badge from his pocket and silently gave it to Lopez.
“Cute.”
What is this?
So cute!
Lopez liked it.
Klein’s shoulders rose proudly.
The chick pin badge was one of Klein’s favorite things. He did not tell others, but he liked cute things.
“Cute, right? It’s my treasured thing.”
“Oh.”
When Lopez tried to return it, Klein pressed her hand down.
“You keep it. I give it to you.”
“Why?”
“……”
Finally, the moment had come.
Klein swallowed dryly.
Lopez’s clear face showed pure curiosity.
Looking directly at her shining purple eyes made his face feel hot.
‘Was… was she always this cute?’
Her well-shaped blue hair and big eyes were like shining jewels.
Klein forced himself to meet Lopez’s gaze and spoke while stuttering.
“Th-the teacher said before. If you make a mistake, you should apologize.”
“Yes.”
“I, I mi, mi…”
“Crazy?”
“No! I’m sorry!”
Klein shouted loudly, his face burning red.
His silver hair made his red face stand out even more.
Lopez gently patted his shoulder.
“I will accept your apology well.”
“….”
“If I think about it, it’s not only your fault. I also lost my memory, but I can vaguely remember. Anyway, I made the choice, right? So don’t feel too sorry.”
The more he listened to Lopez’s gentle words, the more Klein wanted something more.
He wanted her to say that everything was okay.
A desire to make her feel more pity for him slowly rose.
“…And? Is there anything more?”
“Don’t do that to Medina.”
At the moment, Lopez mentioned Medina, and Klein felt his stomach turn.
“Why are you suddenly talking about Medina?”
Klein protested irritably, but she continued anyway.
“You tried to attract Medina’s attention by doing that. No matter how much you like Medina, that method is wrong. If Medina finds out later, he will be disappointed. Then you will feel depressed too.”
“…What if I am depressed?”
“Huh?”
“If I am depressed, will you comfort me?”
“Who?”
“You.”
Lopez answered reluctantly.
“…If you feel depressed in front of me, probably. But don’t do that, okay? Be depressed in front of other kids, not me.”
Klein pretended not to hear her earnest request and nodded.
“I did wrong to Medina.”
“I will keep this a secret this time.”
“Just between us?”
“Yes.”
A secret between two people.
Klein couldn’t stop smiling because of the ticklish feeling.
Lopez, watching him, slowly distanced herself because of rising anxiety.
She didn’t know what he was planning, but Klein’s gaze was dangerously flickering.
In the morning, Lopez felt drained of energy.
This was all because of little Bill.
For some reason, Bill had been glancing sideways at her all day and smiling meaningfully.
Lopez stayed on guard, feeling nervous.
‘Every time he does that, I feel like he’s going to cause trouble.’
Until evening, Bill stayed silent and just looked at her.
Finally, Bill called her loudly.
“Big sister!”
“You finally talk to me. If you have something to say, say it quickly.”
But instead of answering, Bill just smiled happily.
“Hehe. I’m satisfied today too!”
Is he driving me into a corner with just his eyes…?
Tired and worn out, Lopez went to the cafeteria. It was dinner time.
Arden and the twins naturally followed behind her.
Then Rodney came closer and messed up her hair.
“Lopez! Since your hand is hurt now, I’ll carry your tray!”
“Really? Thanks.”
Lopez praised the thoughtful Rodney and sat down first.
Soon, Bill and Arden brought trays full of food and sat on both sides of her.
Miles and Rodney appeared together holding trays.
Rodney placed the tray in front of her, and Miles gently put down a fork and spoon.
“Thank you, Rodney, Miles.”
They are really good kids.
