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I can’t believe this.
After the opening ceremony wrapped up, Oriana retreated alone to the library. She spread her books out over a desk and pretended to read, but the words never actually made it into her head.
This is simply awful. I can’t believe, of all people, I fell for Vincent Tanzine.
Oriana had always thought she had good self-control. That was why she naively assumed that she would never fall for someone when she knew she wasn’t permitted to get that close to them in the first place. She knew he would never reciprocate her feelings. Firstly, she wasn’t a noble, and secondly, Vincent wasn’t the deplorable type that would mess around with women for fun.
I knew this already, so why did I let myself think I was the only one special to him? No. It was more like she hoped for it to be true. I wish…I really was the only one.
After listening to Sharon and Vincent’s friendly banter for a while longer after that, Oriana became convinced Sharon was the recipient of Vincent’s affections. Their engagement had been broken off once in the past. She was cute, and he was trying to figure out the appropriate distance between them.
I never dreamed I was such a fool that I would fall for someone who already had their heart set on someone else, she thought.
Vincent had left her after that, dragged off by Sharon to the boys’ dormitory. Once they were gone, Oriana had tottered along toward the cafeteria where Yana and the others had been waiting.
I feel so utterly miserable.
Today, Oriana had retreated to the library for some much-needed alone time, but unconsciously, perhaps she was hoping that Vincent might come find her. If that really was her motive—if she hoped he might come and offer her excuses for what transpired or some form of comfort—then she was more pitiful than she thought.
I think I’ll grab a little shut-eye.
Oriana hadn’t slept at all the night before. As the exhaustion swept over her, she willingly relinquished her consciousness to the darkness.
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“LET’S sneak a look at her face while she’s sleeping.”
Much to Vincent’s displeasure, a hushed voice drifted into his ears. He stood amongst the bookshelves of the library, a freshly picked tome in hand, as he glanced at the two male students grinning at one another. The two boys were pressed close, giddily whispering to one another. By the look of them, they were probably upperclassmen. Vincent gave up on perusing books and idly fixed his gaze on the noisemakers.
In a secluded, inconspicuous corner of the library, hidden away by the shelves, was the table where Oriana had drifted fast asleep. Her books were spread out around her as she rested her head on top of the desk. Her face was mostly hidden, buried in her arms which she was using as a pillow. That did nothing to hamper his ability to identify her, however. After all, just how many times had he dreamed of running his fingers through that sweet, milk tea-colored hair?
“That’s Elsha from year four, right? You’ve had your eye on her for a while now, haven’t ya?”
“Aw, stuff it. Make yourself useful and block people from seeing with your body.”
“And what’re you gonna do if she wakes up and causes a fuss?”
“No biggie. I’m just going to brush her hair out of her face. That’s all.”
“So, you actually mean to touch her.”
“Just a little, okay? Lay off.” The boy who snapped at his friend then reached his hand out toward Oriana.
Vincent hastily sped over to them. “Excuse me. Would you mind moving out of the way?”
Before the boy’s hand could so much as brush her bangs, Vincent interrupted him. The boy’s shoulders jumped, and he spun around to face Vincent. “Oh, it’s you, Mister Tanzine.”
“That’s my seat,” Vincent said with a smile, motioning to the chair beside Oriana.
Flustered, the boy moved his hand away from Oriana and to the chair beside her instead. “Oh, I didn’t realize. I was about to sit down.”
“Nothing to worry about. Those sorts of mistakes happen from time to time.” Vincent spoke politely, but the underlying meaning was clear: So? Move it already.
Sensing those unspoken words, the two boys mumbled their respects—if it could even be called that—before beating their retreat. They barely made it out of earshot before they started grumbling to one another.
“Crap. I didn’t think he’d be hanging around her today.”
“Knock it off, would ya? It’ll be all your fault if I get on his bad side, too.”
Vincent didn’t even bother glancing in their direction, instead opting to settle beside Oriana. He rested his elbow on the table and turned to face her. She was completely oblivious to the fact that another boy had tried to touch her just now, remaining blissfully trapped in sleep.
Feeling utterly miserable, Vincent sighed to himself.
Oriana was extremely popular. Objectively speaking, she was adorable, considerate, and had dozens of friends and acquaintances. She was a delight to talk to, never giving heed to gender differences, and she had such an infectious smile that she offered to everyone regardless of whether they were older or younger than her, which made them all that more fond of her.
Oriana also had one of the most desirable traits for a potential bride: an impressive dowry. Since over half the student population were commoners, the money she would provide in marriage was highly appealing.
This wasn’t the first time Vincent had encountered male students showing an interest in her. Each time, he angrily bit his lip. Back before they were friends, he’d had to interfere from afar to keep potential suitors away, but now that they were close, he could shoo boys off directly, the same way he had a moment ago.
“The person I was in my past life never knew you to be this popular,” he muttered to himself.
No, it wasn’t that I didn’t know. It’s that I never tried to know.
He had taken for granted that Oriana was the one always pursuing him. Even had he known she was popular, it might have only given him a sense of superiority. But the real person Oriana had loved then was Vince, not Vincent.
Vincent wanted to lift her hair and tuck it behind her ears. He wanted to sneak a peek at her face. But in this timeline, he had no more right to her as she slept than the boys who had just been here plotting to do the same.
Vincent draped his arm across the table and rested his head on it, bringing him to the same eye level as Oriana.
When they met during her birthday at the opera house, he’d thanked all the gods in the world for that miracle. She looked cute enough in her robes, but she also looked adorable adorned in a dress.
Vincent had offered her the best birthday wishes he could, in consideration of the fact that he was doing his utmost to hide the true nature of their relationship, lest his father sniff out his intentions before they took their final exams in their last year at the Academy.
Hard to believe that in a sulky fit, I told Marcel to burn my promise with my father. It’s almost laughable now.
Vincent was extremely grateful to the butler for keeping the note safely tucked away. Even though he had yet to truly reach Oriana’s heart, he was still desperately clinging to the promise he’d made with his father.
Right now, this is the only means I have of sticking beside her.
Just the other day, when Sharon had gone off at the mouth about being his former betrothed, Vincent had panicked like never before. It gave off a completely different impression if someone else divulged the truth to Oriana rather than him doing it himself. That was likely why Vince had confessed the truth to her in their first timeline together, and why he had opted to do so as well in his previous timeline.
I told her those marriage talks were all in the past, but…if possible, I would have preferred for the conversation to come up more naturally, after we’d gotten closer.
Perhaps it wouldn’t matter to Oriana at all that he’d been engaged in the past. But he didn’t want her to see him as someone who’d already been promised to another—who, as the duke’s heir, might have more such candidates in the future. He didn’t want her to be overly conscious of the difference in their status. He’d hoped she might entertain a future together with him before completely dismissing the possibility of him being a romantic interest.
I never thought Sharon would have that kind of attitude, he thought. When Sharon introduced herself as his fiancée, Vincent took a stern approach with her, in order to remind her that their engagement was annulled and why that had happened. Since he had never spoken so coldly to her before, she’d obviously been shaken by it. He suspected she’d lay low for a while.
Alas, Vincent couldn’t be any more strict with her than he already had been, largely because he felt guilty.
I knew she had stolen my mother’s necklace and I didn’t stop her because it suited my plans better to leave things be. I had the means at my disposal to stop her beforehand, but…I wanted to establish ties with the Elshas, so I made use of Sharon’s naive, childish mistake.
That wasn’t to say her crime was his fault. Vincent knew that logically, but he still couldn’t erase the guilt. He at least wanted to offer her some respect, as a member of his extended family, and had done his best to maintain an amicable relationship.
I have no idea whether she actually knows why our engagement was annulled or not, but I never thought she was still expecting something more from our relationship. At least until that conversation.
From Vincent’s perspective, her actions were an attempt to keep him in check. She’d likely realized his feelings for Oriana.
She should know that, merely being my cousin, she had no right to do such a thing. The moment that thought popped into his head, he was chagrined; he’d been thinking the same thing to himself regarding Oriana—that he had no right to interfere.
“Oriana…” Vincent grabbed a fistful of his own hair. He was pouting and he knew it—could feel the way his expression contorted as he sulked childishly.
When will you finally fall for me? he wondered, burying his face in his arm. He couldn’t give the words a voice.