I Wish You Well In Your Next Love, My Love

Gerard turned at the sudden sound of someone approaching and frowned.

“What are you doing dressed like that…”

“Please accept that, Ca— um. Carril.”

“Alright, so go back to your room.”

Gerard hurriedly signed the paper the deliveryman held out and shut the door. There was something ominous about his back as he turned around. Just as I was about to retreat into the bathroom again, an arm that had approached before I knew it wrapped around my stomach.

Thud. My back struck his solid body.

“I don’t even know where to begin.”

The voice above my head was sinister.

“From now on, come out properly dressed. Nothing is urgent enough for you to run out half-naked except welcoming me.”

“That doesn’t seem particularly urgent either… Ah!”

Gerard suddenly bit my shoulder. It didn’t hurt, but a cry escaped me from the surprise. I hurriedly added an explanation to placate him as he continued nibbling at it.

“I was afraid you might send the deliveryman away.”

“When did you become so close to Theor Kamel without my knowledge?”

I could feel my wet hair soaking Gerard’s shirt. I pulled down the arm coiled around me like a snake.

“Aside from the practicum, I’ve only happened to meet him once.”

“That one meeting must have been quite intense?”

For him to send you something like that. His voice was far too cold to be called sulking. Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, my body flinched involuntarily.

“I… needed something, so I bought it from him.”

I shrugged him off my shoulder and completely freed myself. When I fled into the bathroom as though hiding, I heard a low sigh behind me. I stood near the door and listened to the sounds outside for a moment, but Gerard didn’t force the door open and come inside.

I quickly dried my wet hair with a towel and changed my clothes. Ugh, I nearly froze to death.

When I returned to the living room, vigorously rubbing my frozen hands together, he was glaring at the box with his arms crossed.

“…You can open it. It’s nothing special.”

“I would gladly open it if that bastard’s head were inside, but if it isn’t, it all looks the same to me. It’ll either be shitty or even shittier.”

It was bulky, but it was only a box. I hadn’t received a confession, so why was he making such a fuss? Besides, we weren’t even dating now.

Before some absurd impulse filled his head, I decided to open it and show him what was inside. It happened the moment I undid the clasp and opened the box.

“……”

“Hah.”

A bouquet of roses wrapped in black paper sat prominently inside. A small silver card was even tucked into the end of the bouquet.

It was a gift anyone could easily misunderstand. I hadn’t expected anything like this, so my mouth fell open.

While I remained frozen, Gerard turned his head and looked at me. His eyes slowly traveled up toward me, cold and lifeless.

“It’s even more fucking disgusting than I expected.”

Even though the air was cold, clammy sweat formed along my spine.

“Wh-What is this, why? Ah, wait, Gerard. Stop whatever thought just entered your head.”

Despite my attempt to stop him, he snatched the card from the bouquet as though he was done showing mercy. His gaze grew even colder as he scanned it.

What on earth had he written? I edged closer and sat pressed against Gerard’s side. Stretching my neck, I checked the contents.

[ To Miss Louize Harper.

The season when you will begin to miss the fragrance of flowers is approaching.

Before spring arrives, I am sending flowers that suit you so you may enjoy them, if only for a little while.

-Theor Kamel- ]

“…Why did he write something so embarrassingly sentimental?”

Flick. The tip of Gerard’s long finger struck the card. I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up after it fell to the floor, so I left it there. It felt as though something truly disastrous would happen if I bent over even slightly.

“I didn’t have a dress to wear to the banquet, so Sir Theor only sent me one his younger sister no longer wears.”

Gerard didn’t answer. In the heavy silence, I pulled the box toward me and examined the dress.