SRC 34

As I linked arms with my sister and spoke aloud, everyone around us went quiet for a moment.

The first to come to her senses from the stunned crowd was my sister.

“Olivia…? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

But I carried out the plan without hesitation.

“I really like you, sis. Being by your side always makes me happy.”

I pressed my face against her arm.

Wasn’t this the perfect image of a close, loving younger sister?

This was a zone no one else could invade.

I glanced at Lucas, thinking he’d be jealous—but he just looked dumbfounded.

Looking at Aiden, I saw him making a small “X” with his fingers.

“No? This isn’t it?”

“You’re not doing anything I dislike, but it’s a bit sudden.”

My sister reflexively patted my head, yet her expression showed her surprise.

The plan had already started; even if I had mistakenly drawn a dull sword instead of a sharp one, I had to follow through.

Pretending to be unaware, I rubbed my head against hers again.

“You like me too, right?”

“Of course. Olivia, you’re the best in the world. Next to our parents, of course.”

My sister returned the hug willingly.

I leaned into her embrace and glanced again at Lucas.

His reaction remained the same.

Even after hearing this, he still didn’t react?

It seemed the plan to make Lucas jealous by showing closeness to my sister had completely failed.

Following Aiden’s signal, I straightened up from my sister’s embrace.

“You two sisters really are close.”

Aiden tried to salvage the situation.

“Yes, even if someone caused you to be apart.”

My sister also showed a slightly hostile attitude toward Aiden.

It seemed she wasn’t pleased that Aiden and I kept teaming up.

“Don’t be so sharp. My little heart hurts like a tiny bird.”

Aiden held his chest, looking pained, as if his heart were actually wounded.

“When did your heart start being compared to such a small animal?”

My sister remained cold.

Aiden smacked his lips and looked at me with a firm gaze, as if resolving something.

I guessed what was about to happen.

“It’s fine with anyone else, but hearing that from you is too much of a blow to my heart.”

“What do you mean?”

Aiden moved closer, positioning himself between my sister and Lucas.

Then, he casually took a strand of her hair—and kissed it.

“Because you’re someone special to me.”

He even winked. I shivered all over without realizing it.

But Aiden was sacrificing himself for me!

He was executing the jealousy plan I couldn’t pull off, helping me.

“What’s going on?”

Unfortunately, Aiden’s performance didn’t work on my sister.

She removed the hair from his lips and even grabbed a handkerchief to wipe it off, as if it had annoyed her.

So that’s how she viewed Aiden.

Even so, he didn’t back down.

“I’ve always thought… you’re the only one who could ever accept me like this.”

“You mean I would accept you, senior? Are you feeling unwell?”

“You’re the first to treat me so coldly. And you even speak so rationally. How could I not fall for you?”

“You really sound like you’ve lost it.”

“Yes. I’m suffering from lovesickness for you. The only cure is for you to accept me.”

Aiden was quick-witted.

To come up with such lines on the spot, truly worthy of a male protagonist candidate.

It almost seemed like he was confessing his hidden feelings.

Even his eyes looked like they were dripping honey when looking at my sister.

Anyone who didn’t know would easily misunderstand that Aiden liked her.

“Some kind of new punishment?”

“Call it punishment if you like. You’ve made me suffer without knowing who you truly were. But from now on, I’ll be different. I’ll live only for you, and die only for you.”

Strangely, the sweeter Aiden’s words became, the more suspicious my sister grew.

This wasn’t due to her typical heroine obliviousness—it was that she simply couldn’t accept Aiden’s feelings as genuine.

Aiden should’ve behaved properly beforehand.

I began to regret choosing him as my partner for the jealousy plan.

“Then are you really going to die?”

“I can’t show you such cruelty. But if you wish, I can pretend to die.”

“Your words change so fast.”

“I must live to do anything for you.”

Aiden skillfully dodged her words.

“Please, give me the chance to be by your side.”

He even knelt on one knee while saying this.

I covered my mouth, gasping, trying to act shocked at his actions.

Because my sister still seemed suspicious, I felt the need to assist Aiden further.

“Sis, it seems Senior Aiden has had feelings for you for a long time.”

“Really? Why doesn’t it look that way to me?”

“How could you see someone’s heart with your eyes? You just hadn’t realized it until now.”

Right. Lucas hadn’t realized his feelings for my sister either.

I glanced at Lucas and continued.

“The reason Aiden and I have been together for a while was partly for romance counseling about you. At first, he just saw you as a junior, but his feelings grew deeper.”

Aiden immediately added a line to support me.

“That’s right. At first, I was confused about my feelings. But after talking with Olivia, I realized them clearly. I finally understood how much I care about you.”

He seemed unable to say directly that he liked or loved her.

He tried only to convey his feelings indirectly.

But his eyes were serious enough that it didn’t seem fake.

My sister seemed to start wavering at my words.

“Is this really true?”

“Yes. Aiden thought about it for a long time, reached a conclusion, and before his courage faded, he came to confess to you.”

With our acting combined, my sister finally lowered her suspicion.

But soon, she furrowed her brows and spoke sharply.

“Senior, I appreciate your feelings, but…”

“Before refusing, please think a little more about me, Emma.”

Just as a sharp response was about to come, Aiden raised his hand, stopping her.

If this ended easily, the plan would fail.

We needed to draw Lucas’ attention to my sister.

“…Alright. But thinking about it doesn’t guarantee a different result.”

“Just take time to consider me. I won’t ask for more than that.”

Aiden’s performance ended.

We glanced at Lucas.

He was staring blankly, watching the scene unfold.

I couldn’t tell if he was realizing something or feeling despair.

“Since I’ll feel awkward now, Olivia, walk back with me. I’ll go with Lucas.”

Aiden naturally volunteered to partner with Lucas.

My confused sister didn’t even notice that our positions had switched.

Lucas seemed equally passive, just letting Aiden put an arm on his shoulder and following along.

I briefly glanced at the direction they left, then turned back to my sister.

“Aiden…?”

My sister looked distressed, firmly misunderstanding.

I felt sorry.

I wanted to protect her oblivious heroine nature, but I might have added unnecessary worry.

“Think carefully, sis. Consider who Senior Aiden really is to you.”

And I hoped the conclusion wouldn’t be what I feared.

I held onto my sister, swaying in confusion, silently praying.