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Chapter 18
‘Bianca should be fine, right?’
It had only been barely a month since Lucia got to know her, but the Bianca she knew was not someone who would carelessly spread another person’s secret.
In the end, Lucia decided to trust Bianca and finally opened her mouth.
“…Sorry for hiding it. The truth is, I like Herwin.”
Gasp—
A sharp intake of breath was heard.
Well, of course. Everyone probably thought they were just childhood friends, but in reality, one side had been secretly in love with the other.
“Pretty shocking, huh?”
“Uh? Yeah, kind of… no, honestly, I’m very shocked. You never showed a hint of it until now.”
“I worked hard not to get caught.”
Bianca stayed quiet for a moment. No—she looked like she had a lot she wanted to say, but couldn’t figure out where to start.
Seeing her lips keep twitching, Lucia let out a weak chuckle.
“You must have a lot of questions. Ask whatever you’re curious about.”
“Really? What if it makes you uncomfortable…”
“I think it’s fine with you. I mean, it’s not like I can do anything about it now that you’ve found out. And you’re not going to spread it, right?”
“Oh, come on! Why would I tell anyone else about this!”
Bianca waved her hand furiously, even going so far as to swear she would never tell another soul.
When Lucia gestured for her to ask away, Bianca finally spoke.
“Why did you hide liking Herwin all this time? Even today, some girls begged you to introduce them to him. If they knew you liked him, they wouldn’t have asked that.”
“Well… nothing good would come from people knowing. You know how it is—people gossip about me and Herwin all the time. Even now, rumors are going around, so imagine if they found out I had a crush on him.”
“Ah… true.”
“I just like him, that’s all. But even for that, people judge me however they want and belittle me. I hate that. That’s part of why I kept it a secret. And also… I made a promise with Herwin.”
“A promise?”
Lucia hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.
“Bianca, can you promise me something first?”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Promise you’ll never tell anyone what I’m about to say.”
“I said I wouldn’t—”
Bianca answered lightly with a laugh, but froze when she saw Lucia’s serious expression.
“…Okay. I promise. I’ll never tell anyone.”
Her green eyes carried a solemn weight. It was a look that inspired trust, and Lucia felt some of her tension ease.
Then she poured out her story.
That she had liked Herwin since she was eight, all the way until now at sixteen. That she had confessed nearly sixty times and been rejected every single time.
And that, aside from her unrequited feelings, they had promised to stay friends as usual.
Of course, she left out certain details—like Herwin’s traumas and other private matters.
After nearly an hour of listening in silence, Bianca finally nodded with a grave expression.
“So that’s how it is. Haha, a little strange, right?”
“Mm. Very strange.” Bianca said plainly.
“How can you do that? You’ve liked him for eight years, but still manage to hide it and act like a normal friend. It’s incredible.”
“Is it? I’ve just been doing it for so long that it feels natural to act differently when I’m confessing versus when I’m just being a friend.”
“Still, if one person’s secretly in love, things should turn awkward. Yet somehow your relationship never broke down?”
“That’s thanks to Herwin’s consideration. Even if I wanted to stay friends, it would all fall apart if he avoided me. But every time I confess, he just goes back to treating me normally. I’m really grateful for that.”
“…But doesn’t it hurt? You’ve been rejected sixty times. Wouldn’t you get angry or fed up? Sorry—I mean, anyone would feel hurt never being accepted even once.”
“I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t hurt. But it’s okay. It’s better than him forcing himself to accept me.”
“Really? Wouldn’t it be better if he at least tried dating you? Maybe he’d grow to truly like you.”
“…But the opposite could also happen. He might never like me. If his feelings aren’t the same as mine, then it doesn’t work. Besides, it’s not like he brushes off my confessions—he answers seriously each time.”
“And how do you know he takes you seriously?”
“Gut feeling. I confess a lot, so yeah, sometimes he gets annoyed, but he never disregards me.”
“You two really trust each other, huh.” Bianca was impressed.
Lucia, lost in deep thought, snapped back.
“Was that too serious? Sorry. You’re the first person I’ve ever told about this.”
“It’s fine. It’s refreshing, actually. I always thought you seemed like someone who shows everything openly, but at the same time always carries secrets.”
“…Was I really like that?”
“Yeah. That’s why even though people approach you easily, they don’t treat you carelessly. You give off… I don’t know, an aura that keeps people in check.”
“Eh, no way. Don’t exaggerate.”
“I’m not! Really. Honestly, I think I was drawn to you because of that side of you.”
“…Really?”
Lucia felt awkward. Aura? She had no idea what that was supposed to mean.
“But what will you do if Herwin ever gets a girlfriend or starts liking someone?”
“…Hmm. I don’t know. He’s never dated anyone before, and I’ve never even seen him like someone.”
“Still, someday he will.” Bianca asked seriously.
Lucia laughed it off, but she knew Bianca was right—someday that day would come.
‘When that happens, what will I do?’
Truthfully, she had no idea. She’d never experienced it, so she couldn’t predict. But if he did like someone else…
“I think I’ll just stay put.”
“What? You should interfere right away! What do you mean stay put?”
Lucia shook her head.
“No. That would only make him hate me. I’ll just stay by his side as always and keep confessing.”
“…You really are something.”
Lucia laughed sheepishly, and Bianca sighed in exasperation.
“Well, it’s your business. Who am I to tell you what to do.”
Bianca, who had been sitting on the window sill, hopped down.
“If you ever need to talk about Herwin again, just come to me. You’ll want to vent sometimes.”
“Ah…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll never tell anyone else.”
Lucia couldn’t help but smile warmly at Bianca’s kindness.
“Okay, I will.”
“Now, let’s get going. Lights-out is soon.”
After parting with Bianca and returning to her room, Lucia flopped onto her bed.
For some reason, she felt lighter, as if a burden had been lifted.
She hadn’t realized how comforting it could be to share her feelings with someone else.
She felt lucky that it was Bianca who found out, and quietly drifted to sleep.
From the day Bianca learned everything, Lucia grew closer to her—sharing more, opening her heart, and finding support.
Bianca eagerly cheered on her love, and sometimes even shooed away girls who tried approaching Herwin.
At times, Bianca’s overprotectiveness felt overwhelming, but aside from that, she was a precious friend who knew her secret.
“These days, Lady Lydia seems suspicious.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
When Christine briefly stepped away, leaving the two alone, Bianca frowned and glared across the way at Arista.
Lucia tilted her head at the sudden remark.
“What do you mean? You don’t see it?”
Bianca smacked her chest in frustration, pointing at Arista. Herwin, Ethan, Brian, and some other boys stood nearby.
It was the usual sight during swordsmanship class.
“They’re just talking.”
“Not just talking! Look closer—she keeps touching Herwin.”
Sure enough, Arista was laughing and playfully bumping into Herwin and the others.
“I’ve noticed for a while. Lady Lydia definitely has feelings for Herwin.”
“No way.”
“Oh my god, are you serious? You like him and still can’t tell? Anyone can see she’s into him—that’s why she’s so touchy!”
Bianca lowered her voice, but her conviction made Lucia start doubting herself.
So she watched more closely. But honestly, she couldn’t see Bianca’s point.
If someone liked Herwin, she’d know. She could always sense the girls who admired him from afar—so how could she miss it with Arista?
Arista was laughing and chatting not only with Herwin, but with Ethan and Brian too.
“See? It’s not like that. She’s just friendly. She’s teasing Ethan and Brian too, not just Herwin.”
“Ugh, so frustrating. Fine, think what you want. But aren’t you worried at all? Lady Lydia is popular with everyone—boys and girls alike! What if Herwin falls for her?”
“…Hmm, I don’t know.”
Lucia answered vaguely, making Bianca gape in disbelief.
“…‘Don’t know’? That’s your answer right now?”
“I don’t think it’s worth getting upset over. Honestly, I just can’t imagine Herwin liking anyone.”
“…You do like him, right?”
“It’s not about that. Herwin’s not the type to suddenly like someone. I just can’t picture it.”
Was she being refreshingly honest, or just hopelessly naïve? Bianca was at a loss for words.
“Ugh, fine. Forget it.”
“…Are you mad?”
“I’m not mad! Why would I be mad?”
“You totally sound mad.”
Lucia clung to Bianca’s arm with playful aegyo, and Bianca pouted, glaring at her before giving her shoulder a little pinch.
“You think I’ll forgive you just because you’re cute?”
“Ow! That hurts!”
Despite saying so, Lucia’s face was bright with laughter.
While they teased each other, Christine returned, and the swordsmanship class came to an end.
“Ugh, I can’t believe the practical exam is next week.”
“They said we’ll be moving locations. Where could it be?”
“I heard from some seniors—it’s a mountain trail. We’ll have to reach the target point and come back.”
As the boys regrouped with their friends after class, they discussed the sudden announcement.
“A practical exam? What happened?”
“Yeah, apparently it’s an emergency evaluation next week.”
“Guess they’ll use this to decide mid-term rankings. It’s May already, so it’s time for a check-in.”
Brian and Ethan explained.
Since swordsmanship was such a practical subject, it wasn’t unusual for classes to take place outside for half or even a whole day.
This seemed to be one of those cases.
“Think the rankings will change this time?” Ethan asked.
“Jeremy’s gotten a lot stronger lately. I bet he’ll climb the ranks,” Herwin replied.
“Hmm, I’d be happy with just a middle spot,” Brian said, clearly uninterested.
“You don’t even care about swords. Why are you in this class?”
“Not my choice. My father insisted.”
Leaving the sighing Brian behind, Herwin approached.
“Lucia, where’s my jacket?”
“Oh, I was chilly, so I wore it for a bit. Here, I’ll give it back.”
Right before class, Herwin had asked her to hold onto his blazer.
Even though it was early May, the weather was quite chilly, so Lucia had draped it over her shoulders.
As she hurried to return it, Herwin waved his hand.
“Keep it. Just give me some water.”
“Of course, I filled some in advance.”
He gulped down the water she handed him.
The sight looked so natural—like a married couple of ten years—that their friends couldn’t help but stare.
