Capítulo 14: A Day for Fun

The words that Calus said toward Herena wouldn't get off her mind. It made her look toward him. Herena thought that Calus would undoubtedly be mad at her brother. However, after gazing at him, she realized that he never glared at the two.

His gaze toward the people they were following was soft. It was calmer and gentler. Herena couldn't help but crease her tiny eyebrows. But then, she remembered Calus from the past. He was a person who would deeply hide his genuine emotions

When they got engaged, he would undoubtedly act sweet in front of her. Herena didn't know back then that it was all part of his plans. Calus would show how gentle he was with Herena towards the officials.

However, after those people leave, Calus would return to being cold to her. The Duke knew of it, but he just didn't care about it. In the first place, Duke Ferrer wasn't the type to become emotionally involved in a matter.

He would rather find his own benefits from using someone he knew would make him have those. That's why at the very end, Ismael's sacrifice never materialized when the Duke prevented anything that would disrupt his plans.

Herena never knew of those things. She only discovered the truth on her dying day when Calus killed her.

When she blinked again, she became aware that she was staring longer at Calus' face. Certainly, it was the face that Herena wouldn't forget. Even if she had traveled back in time

Calus was undoubtedly handsome. His crimson hair felt like flickering flames when met with the sun's rays. He had those golden irises that made Herena become drawn to him like a magnetic force. Most of all, he had that smile. Whenever she looked at him smiling in the past, she felt her heart beat faster than before, maybe because that's the thing Calus resembled from her late brother in her first life.

However, that smile was never meant to be hers from the start. She would always see Calus smile with Lady Arianne. Whenever Calus had time, she would always follow. She would hide between the trees and gaze at him from a distance. She was satisfied with that situation.

Though, whenever she does that, she ends up hurting herself even more. It was painful for her always to see the young man he loved smile and say words of endearment to another lady other than her. But who was she kidding? He was cold to her the moment that they got engaged.

Herena thought Calus was just angry that day when he didn't come to their engagement. Though he sincerely apologized to the officials and Herena's father for doing so. Calus was forgiven. He was the empire's crown prince, so he would undoubtedly be pardoned for his sudden actions.

Still, her thoughts betrayed her. Calus was cold to her, and he never bothered to correct his actions. Calus would always leave her with her hands hanging to mid-air only to clench them to her chest. For years they've been engaged. Herena didn't mind it at all. Perhaps she thought, as long as the man she loved was with her, as long as the papers bound him to her, they were still fiances of each other.

Though, she knew inside of her mind that she was living in hell. She might have Calus to be her fiance, but she never wanted to be in that kind of situation where love between them was only one-sided. Herena never liked that, but she endured. She doesn't know why maybe because she's keeping her promise to her brother

~Herena, if one day, you meet someone who loves you and you feel the same, cherish them. Don't ever let go. Remember, there were reasons why you two were brought together~

Herena remembered her brother's words. She promised that if she ever found someone she loved, she would genuinely cherish that person. However, she would never expect that it was never requited from the start.

Calus chuckled

That's when Herena became aware of her senses. She was already starting long enough to the young boy that she wasn't aware of her own actions. She shook her head and pretended to look somewhere else.

However, every time she does, her eyes would never leave Calus. He was happy, but why? Shouldn't he be angry that her brother stole the lady that he loves for one day? Shouldn't he feel the hatred that instead of her brother, he would have been the one enjoying his time with the lady?

Herena couldn't stop questioning herself. She didn't even know that her expression was already saying something to the young boy.

"If you keep staring at me, I might melt, little wildcat," Calus said. Then he chuckled. However, the young man didn't look at Herena while saying those. That's why Herena was shocked. It made her want to hit the young man for scaring her, but she couldn't. It's not that she was controlling herself, but she had enough.

She doesn't even want anything to do with Calus, but the young boy always wants to talk to her. Why? But then, Herena remembered, was she part of his plans? Is that why? She doesn't know, but she had no intention of being one.

Herena shook her head again. Even though she wanted to say some words, she chose to be quiet. She had had enough, but that didn't mean she never wanted to be happy. She just doesn't want to be in trouble or in danger. But she knew she couldn't avoid it. Though at the current, she could because everyone thought she was just a baby

Herena looked at the place where Calus had been looking earlier. The familiar back of her brother, with the lady he had invited, faded. They disappeared in their sight. Herena couldn't know where the two might have been. So she thinned her eyes, trying to search around, but she couldn't find them. There were too many people surrounding them.

Calus, on the other hand, had long forgone his current plans. He knew from the start that Ismael had his reasons why he invited Lady Arianne, the lady whom he currently loves. It's what Servous had said to him.

Ismael wouldn't do anything without any justification. He was just hiding the truth he wanted to tell them. Since that was the case, Calus was contemplating in his mind

He was thinking if he should leave the market and bring the baby to her home or tour her around the market. It was a day where people would enjoy because it was the empire's summer festival. Calus, in his life, never had the time to go to the festival.

It wasn't what an imperial family member would do. Instead, he would be stuck in his room trying to get things done by the officials' and his tutors' words. As a young boy, he was being well-groomed by them to become a ruler. But that was only for show. They wanted to groom him to be their puppet instead.

Calus' grip on the baby tightened. Herena realized that. Then she discovered something. From the time that the two of them were looking at Ismael with Lady Arianne, Calus had never said anything bad to her brother.

Calus didn't do even worse to them. He was just following them with Herena in his arms. Herena even heard the words Calus spoke earlier. It doesn't contain an angry tone. It wasn't even anxious. The tone doesn't even contain hatred. It was just soft and gentle that it made Herena's heart palpitate unusually.

At the very end, Herena was still denying her feelings. She's still in love with Calus, but she denies it. She couldn't make the same mistakes twice.

Since it had already come to the point where Calus had the little one in his arms, he knew he couldn't go back. The day was meant to be fun. After all, it was a festival. They were already within the market. That's why Calus had finally decided

"I know Ismael wouldn't do anything bad to Arianne. He wouldn't do something without reason. After all, he's indeed Ismael, right, little wildcat?" Calus said. He smiled genuinely at the baby in his arms. Then chuckled at the end.

Herena, on the other hand, was significantly shocked. He should be angry with them, but then, Calus found another thought, and Herena knew that as well. Her brother wouldn't do anything without reason. That's why his death in her first life was suspicious, but she never bothered investigating. It was all because her parents would constantly meddle in her life

But then, the words she had forgotten from the past were brought up by the young boy who had killed her in her first life. How ironic that the situation ever since she was given another chance to relive her life changed slowly.

One thing was certain for Herena, Calus had significantly changed. He wasn't the young man in the future whom she would always see as harsh, cold, and pretentious. The young boy in front of her is innocent but hides a lot of secrets.

"Come to think of it, my promise to call you little cub had greatly changed to wildcat. Don't worry. I'll still stick to calling you little cub from now on. You also know what? You do have those smooth and plump cheeks, little cub. I think it's only appropriate to pinch them sometimes," Calus said. Herena saw how genuine his smile was. The voice was still soft and gentle. When she realized that Calus was changing, did it mean the future might also change?

She was uncertain about that thought. However, Herena knew that Calus would only use that voice whenever he was with Lady Arianne. Herena never experienced such gentle gestures from Calus in the past until her rebirth.

Perhaps Calus was speaking like that to her because she was still a baby? She doesn't know, and she never intended to know another thing. She doesn't want to presume things. So she would leave her feelings behind and seek her happiness this time.

Though, the moment that Calus indeed pinched her cheeks, Herena saw how he resembled her late brother in the past. Ismael would always pinch her cheeks and laugh genuinely. Maybe because Ismael loves teasing Herena because she was his sister

But then, when Herena thought of it, what was her to Calus? She wasn't his sister in the first place, then why he was happy to be with her?

Calus, on the other hand, after pinching Herena's cheeks, laughed again. It was heart-felt laughter. Instead of crying, the baby only massaged her cheeks. That's when Calus realized that the baby he was holding was lightweight and smart.

For a moment, Calus looked at Herena and thought that whenever he was with her, he would be happy. He would smile, he would laugh, and certainly, he would never avoid thinking of her. He didn't know it back then, but perhaps, the baby was his happy pill.

"Alright, we should--" Before Calus could finish his words, Herena's tiny stomach grumbled. At that point on, Herena's tiny face became red. She was embarrassed by the sound. Though Calus made it more cringe to her after he laughed

"It seemed as if you were truly hungry. Don't worry. There are different stools and food here. We'll have to eat some food here then. But you're still a baby though I have an idea for it. I know what to do about it," Calus said. Herena's eyes and face snuggled closer to Calus' shoulder because she didn't want Calus to see her embarrassed face

Then the two of them went off to different stools.

"....and here," Calus said. His gentle voice makes the baby aware of where she is. Then as a reflexive action, she went to hold what Calus put on her hair. It was a clip. Then the baby glared at the young boy

"You don't like it? Alright, then, let's see more," Calus said. His eyes search for a better one. It was a heart shape yellow clip. Before putting it on Herena, he looked at it only to smile.

Calus could have brought the baby to any jewelry shop within the market. However, they were in their disguise. Since he was the crown prince, he knew that rumors would eventually come.

Being the crown prince, he shouldn't be in the market and enjoying the festival. He should be within his household and do what the officials and his tutor would tell him to do. After all, his job was to become their puppet one day.

His unexpected actions brought him toward the market. Perhaps, it wasn't because of the lady and Ismael. Perhaps there was even more. One explanation was his eagerness to claim Herena from the Ferrer household and bring her to him.

Then like a sudden thought, he realized that whenever he was with the baby, he would feel warm. That's when he acknowledged that she was indeed his happy pill.

Calus ended up buying the heart-shaped yellow clip. Then they went to where they should be since Herena was hungry.

Calus felt that everything happens for a reason, and maybe the little cub within his arms was a good reason for him to enjoy the day without worries. With Herena, he felt he had an escape where he could be himself. It was a different feeling whenever he was with Lady Arianne.

***

"I'm glad you came with me today, Lady Arianne," Ismael said. He had a soft and gentle tone of voice. He was smiling at the lady. However, Arianne knew that it wasn't the same smile as before.

The young man smiled at the lady, but whenever Arianne saw it, his smile resembled that of her own. She felt that behind that gesture that Ismael was making, it hid a lot of secrets.

Arianne smiled back at Ismael. However, it was a different and sad one. Then she halted her moves. Ismael did the same

"I know, Ismael. I know that, but I also came with you because I wanted to tell you something," Arianne paused. She cried in front of him. Then she said some words that Ismael never thought he to hear from her

"Ismael, I'm sorry about that day. Please believe me. I'm truly sorry," Arianne said. Her tone contains pain. That's when Ismael hugged her.

What should he do now? Would he turn his back on his plans and act as if nothing had happened? But then, he knew he couldn't deceive himself. It's already too late to return now.

"I know, Arianne. I've already forgiven you because I know you have your reasons. Tonight, won't you want to come with me to the lake?" Ismael asked. Arianne knew of that place. It was where the people would wish from the lantern and float it in the air

Arianne blushed. She had finally calmed down. Then she faced Ismael while nodding. Though she knew she couldn't control her palpitating heart.

Ismael finally said her name

"Yes, Ismael, we should wish on a lantern at the place for our dreams and hopes," Arianne said. Still, her face was blushing while she smiled at Ismael

"...and for our friendship," Arianne added. She averted her eyes from Ismael, but then, Ismael gently pulled her into a hug

"For our friendship," Ismael repeated. Arianne returned Ismael's hug. She was happy. Her heart was still beating for Ismael. Though Ismael was in agony for the words, he couldn't tell Arianne.

It's too late to back down now that his father already has a grasp of his only hope. If he didn't do as Duke Ivian said, certainly, Herena would be in danger. Ismael thought of his sister's smiling face before a silent tear escaped his eyes. Ahh, he better proceed to his plans. After all, he was great at deceiving those he loved.

Arianne was feeling great again. But Ismael was in grief.

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