I didn’t realize how big his hands are…
Or how much taller he was than her, when she had always thought of him as slender and delicate. Or the fresh soapy smell he had. Or how surprisingly long his eyelashes were. And everything else.
“Were you holding your breath? Are you all right?”
Do I l-look all right…?
She wanted to scream, but she really was having trouble catching her breath. She couldn’t lift her head—and in the end, she said nothing at all.
I’ve been feeling so strange lately…
It was lunchtime in the cafeteria. Sitting at a four-person table, Brigitte gracefully lifted a forkful of pasta in cream sauce to her mouth. Next to her, Nival, who had ordered a sandwich, was saying something to her…but she was so lost in thought that she didn’t hear him.
Yes, something is off.
As soon as school lets out—no, if I’m honest, at all times of the day—Yuri is suddenly on my mind. His expression, his voice, his gestures, his words…every time she thought of them, her face instantly grew hot. To make matters worse, whenever she saw something dark blue or yellow, she instantly thought of his face.
Just yesterday, I made Sienna so worried, she asked me if I’d eaten something bad…
“They were blossoming so prettily, I asked Hans to give us some,” Sienna had said, showing Brigitte a vase of blue flowering milkweed. But the blue had reminded her of Yuri. She flushed so hot, Sienna had bundled her into bed then and there… Yes, she really was acting odd.
And the truth was, she knew why.
It was humiliating, but she had to admit it. Most likely…
I’m jealous! I’m jealous of Yuri!
Deciding that definitely must be the problem, she clenched her fists.
Yuri Aurealis. Although he was the fourth son of the Water Clan, he was an unparalleled genius contracted with two—two!—first-class spirits. She had always been aware of him. As the oldest child of the Fire Clan, she had not infrequently been compared to him. And now that they knew each other and talked often, she realized all over again how outstanding he was. Her competitive instinct had been provoked… That must be why she wanted to see him all the time, which only made her even more jealous… Yes, she most definitely had fallen into a downward spiral.
After all…
I heard he was amazing in spiritology class…
After the incident with Nival, students were temporarily forbidden from using the outdoor training grounds. Only yesterday, Yuri’s class had finally been able to demonstrate their communication with spirits. She had heard that he had not only engaged in a natural conversation with his undine, but even worse, the pair had unleashed a powerful water spell in midair as the other students looked on in amazement. Brigitte had heard about it from a girl in her class whom she had begun talking to recently.
I wish I could have seen that up close…!
Joseph and Lisa were in Yuri’s class—but that aside, she would have liked to be there.
“Blech. Yuri Aurealis…”
“!”
Just then, she heard Nival groan, and she jerked her head up. Yuri himself was standing next to them.
“Sir Yuri…”
“Hey,” he answered listlessly, then mumbled, “do you mind if I sit here?”
Nival scowled skeptically. “Of course I mind. Brigitte and I are trying to relax.”
“Please join us.”
“Miss Brigitte!”
She nodded, having no reason to turn him down, and Yuri sat across from her. She pretended to continue gracefully eating her pasta as if she couldn’t care less…
Why, why, why, why did he show up?!
She was secretly in a total panic.
If I’m not careful, I think my hand is going to start shaking the pasta off my fork…! Do not let that happen! He will think you are completely bizarre!
She couldn’t help remembering their encounter in the library a few days before. To hide from Nival, Yuri had held her hand. She had held her breath in the dim alley between the stacks where the light didn’t reach. Like they were the only two people in the world…
Afterward, she had been so embarrassed, she had rattled off some strange excuse and then escaped.
I swear…
It was like she could still feel the touch of his large hand covering her mouth. Whenever she thought about it, her heart started pounding thunderously and refused to calm down. This was happening daily now. It was becoming a problem.
“So did you want to say something to me?”
“What I’d like to know is why you think I’d have anything to say to you.”
As Brigitte looked on silently, Yuri and Nival were sparring curtly. She had to admit that Nival’s question made sense, since Yuri typically ate in one of the private booths.
Why had he chosen a table seat today—the very one where Brigitte and Nival were eating? She glanced around. There were plenty of other empty seats.
Could it be because I’m here?
…As she pondered this self-centered notion, she noticed something.
…What’s the matter with him?
Yuri seemed to be acting a bit different from usual. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something felt off. She decided to ask him about it while it was on her mind.
“Um, Sir Yuri? Have you been getting enough sleep?”
The dish the waiter brought him held only a small salad. He turned to her without touching it.
“I’m sleeping fine,” he said coldly. But his usual sharpness was missing.
If he’s not sleep-deprived…is it heatstroke?
She was worried, but she didn’t know how to convey her concern. As she fretted silently, he asked, “Why haven’t you been to the library since that day?”
She stiffened.
By “that day,” of course he meant the day she came with Nival. There was no way he could know she’d just been thinking about it, but as he gazed at her, she glimpsed something earnest in his eyes.
“…I…I’ve had some things to do,” she answered vaguely. To hide her shyness, she spread her fan and said, “Aha! Have you missed me, perchance?”
She meant it as a teasing joke, expecting him to reply with his usual outrageous rudeness. But instead, he said, “…I suppose I have.”