Chapter 45

From then on, we entered a nearby restaurant, sat across from each other at a good view seat on the second floor, and had lunch.

"It's delicious."

"Yeah."

Despite the conversation being as uneventful as ever, it was strangely enjoyable, and I realized I had been smiling all the time.

"Hey, look, Rufus. There's a flower field."

I found a particularly eye-catching flower field in the view from the window and couldn't help but get excited.

I was worried that I might seem childish, but Rufus quickly asked, "Shall we go see it?" Before I knew it, I was nodding repeatedly.

"Wow, it's beautiful...!"

We walked slowly and eventually reached the flower field, where peach, sky blue, and yellow flowers bloomed in competition. It was so beautiful that I couldn't help but sigh.

I have always loved flowers and have memories of often visiting flower fields as a child. However, since returning to my original body, this was the first time I had come here.

I gently touched the peach-colored flowers I had always liked.

"You know, I've always liked these flowers."

"...I know."

Then Rufus made a face as if he was about to cry. Recalling my childhood, I remembered playing in the flower fields near his mansion with Rufus.

Suddenly, I wondered if things would have been different if I hadn't gone through that ordeal.

– If my body hadn't been taken that day, would I be closer to Rufus now?

"..."

Before I knew it, I was thinking such things and quickly shook my head. It would be a waste to ruin such a pleasant day by thinking dark thoughts.

Thinking this, I raised my head with a smile, and our gazes met as Rufus looked at me straight.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's beautiful."

"Yeah, it really is beautiful, isn't it?"

I wondered if Rufus also liked flowers, but he whispered, "That's not it."

"I thought you were beautiful."

My heart leaped at his words.

I felt happy but also wanted to cry, and my chest felt constricted. I didn't know this feeling, this emotion.

Rufus, blushing and lowering his long eyelashes, seemed even more flustered.

"Oh, thank you. I'm so happy."

"...Yeah."

"I'm really happy that we could go out today."

"That's good. If I was useful as a bodyguard, I'm glad."

"Huh?"

It seemed he thought I had invited him as a bodyguard. Tim had said the same thing, and I did feel safe with him, but that was just an excuse.

So, I immediately denied it.

"I just wanted to go out with Rufus."

He opened his eyes wide in surprise and then smiled like a child. I couldn't help but smile back, feeling happy that he was smiling.

"...I can't do it well."

After that, we chatted idly and tried to make a flower ring like we used to, but I couldn't do it well. He gently took the flowers from my hands and quickly made a perfect ring.

He put the ring on my finger that wasn't wearing the one he had given me.

– I've seen this scene before.

"Hey, didn't we do something like this before?"

"...I've always..."

But Rufus stopped speaking there.

In the vague memory I recalled, he was smiling happily, but now he had a smile that seemed like he was about to cry. I hesitated to ask him to continue.

◇◇◇

The next day, Gerald visited my house with a lot of my favorite sweets and flowers. Even though I said I couldn't accept so many, he gave them all to the servants nearby.

"I came to see you yesterday, but you weren't home."

"I was out for a bit."

"...Oh, I see."

An awkward silence fell. Eventually, Gerald smiled and said, "I just came to deliver them today, so I'll come again," and I hurriedly stopped him.

After gripping my hands tightly and taking a deep breath, I opened my mouth.

"I can't marry Gerald. ...I'm sorry."

I had been helped by him many times and loved him as a friend, but I couldn't imagine marrying him.

After parting with Rufus last night, I felt this strongly. So, I decided to tell him the next time we met.

I tensed a little, remembering the incident where he had pinned me down, but Gerald just said, "I see," and smiled in a troubled way.

"I understand. I'm sorry for pushing it."

"No, thank you. I really appreciated your feelings."

"That's good. Thank you, Sadey. I hope we can still be good friends in the future."

Indeed, Gerald was still the kind Gerald I knew, despite his odd behavior the other day.

I felt relieved inside at his words.

"Of course, let's stay friends."

– Even though I didn't know anything about him.