Capítulo 10: Yes, she says yes

"As for your confession of love, I will retract the no, which I once gave you. In its place, I give you the yes."

That statement made Ilia freeze, again. He heard every word that came out of her mouth clearly but his brain failed him. A moment later he was still confused by it, so he asked, "What did you just say?"

Jeanne's eyebrows made an arc while her mouth voiced a resentful tone, which was slightly threatening. "You want me to repeat my words!?"

She was a little upset? Yes, however, she was upset not because she hated him or his request. Her annoyance was a form to hide her shame.

After all, Jeanne is a girl. Her heart would skip a beat, her face would heat up, and there was an itch that couldn't be scratched when she admitted that she liked someone.

"I'm sorry," said Ilia who then lowered his head.

"Okay! I'll say it again, more shortly and clearly so that your little brain can understand it." Her voice was filled with insults but her heart filled with happiness. She looked at his eyes again. Red began to dye her cheeks. "I said, I accept your love, I'm willing to be your girlfriend. Do you understand now?"

Ilia didn't believe it of course. He feels like he's in a dream or all of this was just an illusion. There's no way a girl as beautiful as Jeanne would accept his love. But, he still nodded, even though he was still half dazed.

Jeanne was embarrassed. But, after seeing Ilia's ridiculous, lack of reaction, her shame disappeared. Her cheeks were still red and hot but her eyebrows were now made a deeper arc.

Annoyed, she turned her face away.

Jeanne expects Ilia's response to be more pleased or something like that but, the boy freezes continues to look at her, and doesn't say or do anything else.

Her frustration increased. She also began to think, did she choose the wrong person again? She's made a mistake for once and there's a chance she'll do it again, unconsciously.

"You don't like being my boyfriend? You don't want me? Or, everything you said about you love me was a lie?!" Jeanne's raw animosity came out with a loud, threatening voice.

Ilia's body trembled after being exposed to those raw emotions. In a hurry, he said, "I'm glad you became my girlfriend, I wanted you, and all the things I said before weren't lies. It's just..."

A boy named Roman appears inside Ilia's head.

Jeanne was silent, waiting for his words.

"I'm glad you want to be my girlfriend but..." Ilia's sentence was trailed off. Reluctance was visible from his expression as he was unsure and not brave enough to express his thoughts about Roman.

"But?!" Jeanne's voice was still high.

Panic came to Ilia's heart as he felt Jeanne's anger once again. He had just realized that from earlier, he had accidentally made her angry.

Afraid of the possibility of Jeanne changing her mind, a possibility she will say she didn't want to be his girlfriend, he braves himself and said, "but, what about Roman?"

The anger in Jeanne's eyes shone brighter.

As for Ilia, he thought, oh! Fuck! I stepped on the land mine!

"Why are you asking about him?"

Ilia gets a question and he hesitates to answer it. He didn't say, "never mind, it's just a slip of tongue," Because he knew from his experience talking to girls, such an answer would only make her even angrier.

So, hesitantly and a little afraid, he revealed his thoughts. "Well... Aren't you guys dating? It's going to be ugly if we're dating, right?"

Jeanne snorted with annoyance. "You need to know, we're not dating. I indeed made a promise to date him. However, I did it not because I loved him. I did it to confirm his character and mindset. If he's good, I'll obey my parents' orders to marry him. But now I know he's not good."

"Married?!" The word made Ilia's eyes wide open. His voice trembled slightly as he voiced, "are you sure Roman is not good?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Jeanne's voice went up. She then glared at Ilia. "If he was good, I wouldn't be here to cry! Never say his name or talk about him again!"

Under the immense pressure emitted by Jeanne, Ilia nodded quickly.

Then, silence enveloped them.

"We made bad memories after we agree to become lovers, huh?" Jeanne complained.

Ilia, who heard it, bowed his head. "I'm sorry." Out of his mouth.

Once again, silence enveloped them.

They didn't know what to say. Their brains work to find something.

Time passed but Ilia still hadn't found anything to be voiced.

As for Jeanne, she wants to ensure Ilia's kindness and wants to feel it again. Out of nowhere, the idea of having Ilia stroke her head tempted her.

Jeanne hesitated but at the same time wanted it so much. So, she took a breath to collect her courage. A moment later, after she amassed her courage. She intends to say her wish but...

"Young lady-"

"Kya!"

The sudden sound accompanied by a pat on the shoulder made Jeanne surprised and jump. A cute scream out of her lips.

Looking back, Jeanne could see her maid.

The maid was named Maiya. She was a woman in her early twenties. She has a beautiful face, short brown hair, black eyes, and a fairly sexy body wrapped in a black and white maid uniform.

"Maiya! Can you stop surprising me like that!?" Jeanne snapped but Maiya ignored her anger.

"Young lady, it's time for you to go home," said Maiya. Her eyes then moved to look at Ilia. "Excuse me, boy, I'll bring the young lady home."

"Yes, of course." Ilia nodded.

"Should I go now?" Jeanne asked with reluctance.

"Yes, you have to. There are a lot of things you have to do. Seeing you get better, you don't have to delay the promises you made. Don't you hate those who break promises?"

"All right!" Jeanne cried out.

A moment later, she packed her belongings, left the bench, and approached Maiya. As for Ilia, he also left the bench.

"Oh! Before I leave!" Jeanne exclaimed as reminded of one important thing. She approached Ilia then extended her hand to the boy. In a commanding tone, she said, "give me your smartphone."

Ilia became confused again and made a strange sound, "huh?"

"I said, give me your smartphone!" Jeanne repeated her words. This time she used a furious tone.

Ilia who finally understood the meaning of Jeanne's words, rush to retrieve his smartphone from his bag. He didn't forget to unlock the screen to avoid angering the girl more than he have.

Jeanne played with Ilia's smartphone for a while before returning it.

There, on his smartphone screen, there is a foreign phone number he didn't know. He looked at the girl, a question coming out of his mouth instantly. "This?"

"My phone number," Jeanne replied. The heat back invaded her cheeks again but she could hold it.

"Thank you," said Ilia with a smile.

The heat on Jeanne's cheeks went awry but, "Ehem!" She manages to control it, again. "Send me a message at seven pm, don't be late and..." Jeanne's eyes moved to observe the Ilia from the tip of his toe to the tip of his head.

"Yes," he replied. Seconds later, he move his head to look at his body. He tries to find something strange in him.

"I'll still like you if you can't do it but, can you react faster in our conversation. These five seconds lag of your bothers me."

Ilia's eyes were wide open but a second later he nodded. "Of course, I'll respond to you quickly. I still don't believe any of this so, me right now was not my usual self."

Jeanne breathed a sigh of relief. "Good and you better be true to it! Never forget me or this day! See you tomorrow."

"Yes, see you tomorrow."

Jeanne waved her hand and Ilia did the same. The girl walked away followed by her maid while the boy was glued to his place, still waving to the girl.