TPCF 11

Chapter 11

“Why are you doing this?”

The man spread his arms wide like a guard protecting a vault, blocking Anita’s path of escape. At this point, Anita figured she wouldn’t be able to get away from him easily.

Well, she had expected he’d come find her eventually—especially after getting humiliated and cursed at by Rutger in the middle of a confession.

“He threatened you, didn’t he?”

“What?”

“That bastard. He threatened you to drive a wedge between us.”

What wedge? There had never been anything between them to begin with. Anita narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down. The tiny eyes brimming with confidence, the victorious smirk on his lips, and the arms spread wide as if about to embrace her—all of it was just… pitiful.

It was like looking at her past self.

If the other person shows even the slightest reluctance, you should have the sense to back off. Just because you like someone doesn’t mean you get to have them. People aren’t toys you can buy with money. If your feelings aren’t returned, the loser has to accept that and walk away. Not throw a tantrum.

Anita had learned that far too late. She had believed that if she stayed by his side like a tree rooted firmly in place, he would come to appreciate her one day.

And even if he did?

Just because someone understands your feelings, does that mean they have to accept them?

“Senpai.”

She didn’t actually know the guy’s name, but calling him that felt safer—he seemed like the type who’d get angry if she admitted she didn’t know it.

“I really do like someone else. And I’ll apologize on behalf of my friend for what happened that day. He’s a bit hot-tempered and impulsive.”

“Hot-tempered… Yeah, he certainly was.”

He nodded like he’d come to some understanding. Anita hoped that meant he’d cool off and leave. The pedestrians were casting unpleasant glances at the man hogging the sidewalk with his arms out. Anita just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

“That guy’s dangerous. Only I can protect you.”

You ran away in fear when Rutger got mad, remember? Anita swallowed that thought and looked at the man with a hint of pity.

“Then… this means you accept my love, right?”

My love? Goosebumps prickled up Anita’s back. Whether he loved her or hated her didn’t really matter—but hearing him say it out loud was an entirely different thing.

“No. Like I said, I have someone I like, and you’re not my type. Whether a hundred or two hundred years pass, my feelings won’t change.”

Anita blurted it all out and darted left before the man could even respond. The street, already bustling with carriages and cars, erupted into chaos as a woman suddenly ran into traffic. Amid the blaring horns and shouting coachmen, Anita kept running straight ahead until she reached the other side.

She glanced back—he was just standing there, dumbfounded. Surely that would make him give up. As Anita turned to head back to school, he blew her a kiss.

“Unbelievable…”

Anita didn’t have the ability to read minds, but it was obvious he hadn’t given up.

She’d seen men like him before. Like Rutger’s friend who had suddenly confessed and stroked her hand, or the creepy guy who started planning a wedding just because she showed him some basic kindness.

The type who ignores everything others say and is consumed only by their own feelings.

“Oh no…”

As she stood there for a while, the guy seemed to think she was waiting for him. He even looked like he was about to run toward her. For the first time in her life, Anita found herself wishing someone would get hurt. She even had the inhumane thought that maybe it’d be better if he got hit by a carriage. And with that, she took off running.

If he caught her, it’d be over.

Not physically, but psychologically. It was a horrifying thought, but Anita had a gut feeling that if he caught her, he’d think it meant she had accepted him. This wasn’t some playful game of tag between lovers—it was a desperate sprint for survival.

Anita wasn’t a fast runner. She didn’t even like exercise. But today, she ran fast enough to feel her breath catching in her throat as she passed through the school’s front gate.

Panting, she brushed back the hair stuck to her sweaty face. Just then, a shadow fell over her.

No way—had he already caught up?

Her face drained of color. A handkerchief appeared in front of her.

“Wipe yourself. You hate running, so why did you…”

Anita squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want to believe this was real. As if shutting her eyes would somehow make it all disappear.

“Why… why is it you again?”

The breath that had been caught in her chest finally burst out. It felt so unfair she could scream. She used to work so hard just to run into him. Did everything she could to get even a little closer. And now, just when she was finally starting to move on, he was back again.

“Please. Just leave me alone.”

She snatched the handkerchief from his hand and threw it to the ground. Watching the calm expression on his face twist in pain gave her a strange sense of satisfaction.

“What? Not fun anymore? Now that I’m doing to you what you did to me every day, is it finally bothering you?”

Her voice trembled from her erratic breathing. Her chest rose and fell wildly from the earlier chase. Her heart was still pounding.

“Do you remember kissing me while you were dating Allison? What—are you going to hit on me again while you’re dating Lilliana now? Just stop.”

Rutger looked at her with shaken eyes.

“Anita. Calm down. You’re too worked up right now. Just take a breath—”

It felt like there was a hole in her lungs. No matter how hard she breathed in, the air just leaked right back out. Rutger’s figure started to blur.

“Calm down… I… right now…”

As she clutched her head and stumbled, Rutger reached out to steady her. Unconsciously, she grabbed his arm for support. But then—

“Anita, there you are!”

The voice from behind startled her, and she immediately let go of Rutger’s arm and staggered away. Of all people, she didn’t want him to see her like this.

Suddenly, she felt pathetic. Like an idiot who couldn’t even properly reject the guy chasing after her. Like a weakling collapsing just from a bit of running.

And above all—

What Anita feared most was seeing herself—her past self—in that man who was chasing her now.

“What’s he doing here? Anita, you…”

Everything suddenly pissed her off. She’d run all the way here to escape, and yet she still had to keep tabs on Rutger, still had to keep running. The persistent man whose name she still didn’t know. And Rutger, who still hadn’t changed—still chasing after multiple women like always.

“Get lost.”

“What?”

“I said, get lost!”

Even though she’d only shouted once, the breath she’d finally gotten under control became ragged again. But despite her yelling, neither man moved an inch.

“I said, get lost!”