I Became the Villain’s Childhood Friend Chapter 45

 

In some ways, he’s a stubborn guy.

 

Reynold would know better that if such a rumor were to spread, it wouldn’t do either of us any good.

 

“…And everyone who knows us knows that neither of us has any rational interest in the other.”

 

As he said that, he glanced at me.

 

He didn’t say anything, but I responded in shock, as if I’d been stabbed somewhere.

 

“That’s f-for sure!”

 

“If we were interested in each other, something would have happened already.”

 

Reynold lightly shrugged his shoulders.

 

“We’ve been together for a while and nothing has happened, right?”

 

“…Right.”

 

“…”

 

“We’re family.”

 

Reynold paused for a moment at my words. We exchanged strange looks. Soon he changed his tone.

 

“…Anyway, what about your hands?”

 

I proudly showed him my hand.

 

“It’s fie.”

 

“…”

 

Reynold frowned slightly.

 

Although it was a slight difference, compared to his usual face, the difference was clear.

 

“I decided to go to Adele’s grandmother’s farm once my hands heal.”

 

He gritted his teeth.

 

“If it weren’t for jerk, you would have gone as soon as vacation started.”

 

“…Well, I can’t help it.”

 

“What about that girl Gloria? Didn’t she see what he did to your hands?”

 

I paused for a moment at his words. But soon I lightly shrugged my shoulders as if nothing had happened.

 

“She didn’t see it.”

 

“…”

 

Because humans are inherently relative.

 

Even though she was an endlessly selfish person to me, she could be a precious person to others.

 

Charis would clearly be that kind of person to Gloria, and that Gloria would probably be that kind of person to Reynold.

 

So I thought there was no need to say bad things about Gloria to Reynold.

 

“And she’s tender.”

 

In fact, I wanted to say, ‘She’s an idiot who was blinded by love.’

 

“…If you say so, then it’s probably like that.”

 

Reynold, who had been quietly listening to me, sighed.

 

“That’s just the way it is.”

 

I responded quietly.

 

Reynold let out a laugh as if he was dumbfounded. Then he played with the back of his head and muttered.

 

“…Now who do I play with if you’re not here?”

 

Again, he pretends he doesn’t have any friends again. Considering who doesn’t have any friends, there’s no one who can follow me, though.

 

Without realizing it, I blurted out the words in a blunt tone.

 

“I see you have a lot of friends, what is that.”

 

“What? You pretended not to be interested in me, but you observed me surprisingly well?”

 

Reynold burst into cheerful laughter. I said, glancing at him.

 

“…I didn’t mean to observe you, but there are always people around you.”

 

“Yes. That means you observed me.”

 

I don’t know why it has become like that.

 

But Reynold seemed to be in a pretty good mood when he said that, so I didn’t feel like retorting. Instead, I narrowed my eyes.

 

“So you admit that there are a lot of people around you?”

 

“I can’t deny it.”

 

“…Do you know that you really suck every time you do that?”

 

Reynold responded with a shameless face.

 

“It’s not always good to have a lot of people around. I like the quiet past better.”

 

“I’m sorry, but you couldn’t stay quiet because of me.”

 

Reynold heard me and burst into laughter. Seeing him laughing made me strangely angry, so I tapped his side with my elbow.

 

“Your life has been noisy enough with just me.”

 

Still, Reynold didn’t stop laughing. He chuckled for a while and then wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

 

“Anyway… You, too, have changed a lot since coming to Munit.”

 

“…Me?”

 

“Honestly, I’m amazed that the Crown Prince’s hair remains still.”

 

This is all because Charis’ status is the crown prince. No matter how reckless I was, I had no intention of harming Dad.

 

“Looking at things like that, I believe you when you said that Gloria really didn’t do anything.”

 

At the same time, I made eye contact with him. I didn’t avoid his gaze.

 

“Your personality has changed a lot, too. Honestly, I thought you were going to throw a table at Senior Charis.”

 

I looked at Reynold’s face as I spoke, yet heanswered indifferently.

 

“…Is that so?”

 

I could see the inn where I was staying in the distance.

 

Reynold must have seen the inn in his eyes as well, and his steps stopped abruptly.

 

He said with a small smile.

 

“Anyway, if you’re having a hard time, it’s right to quit. Good job.”

 

“…Is that what you think?”

 

“Yeah. Now forget what happened at the Academy. In the mean time, you’ve worked hard.”

 

Reynold said that and started ruffling my hair. I held out my hand with all my might to stop him from doing it, yet he was busy giggling and ruffling my hair even more.

 

***

 

The weather was good, cloudy and back again. As soon as the day came for my family to visit Munit, the day became as clear as a lie.

 

“Please, Reynold…!”

 

I urgently grabbed Reynold’s arm as he tried to leave me behind. He then flinched for a moment as I grabbed his arm and spoke calmly.

 

“Let me go first.”

 

“I think Dad will trust me if only you’re with me!”

 

I was anxious. Until my withdrawal was approved, Dad was never allowed to know that I had submitted a letter of withdrawal.

 

No matter what happens, never…!

 

“Hmm? Just have a quick meal before you go. Then, I’ll grant you a wish later.”

 

Reynold’s eyes were slightly agitated, as if this seemed quite interesting. I didn’t let go of him and kept biting on him even more.

 

“There’s nothing to do if you go to the dorm anyway, right?”

 

“…”

 

“Just tell them I’m working hard at the Academy.”

 

As I looked up at Reynold with earnest eyes, his eyes began to shake slightly. He covered his face with his hands.

 

“I got it, so let me go.”

 

“Don’t wanna. You’re going to run away.”

 

“I’m not.”

 

Once Reynold starts running, I can’t keep up with him. It seemed like he might run away at any moment, so I shook my head.

 

When I didn’t let him go, Reynold widened the distance between me little by little.

 

“…Sister?”

 

At that time, a welcome voice penetrated my ears. I turned my head toward the sound and saw Sylvester looking at me with a puzzled look on his face.

 

“Sylvester?”

 

…He has grown taller again, right? Sylvester seemed to have grown up in a strange way.

 

At that moment, I felt Reynold trying to pull my hand away from me. When I looked at him with resentful eyes, he slightly avoided my eyes.

 

“What about other family members?”

 

I held on to Reynold and approached Sylvester. Then he smiled shyly and gestured towards the back of us.

 

No way.

 

When I looked back with a shocked expression on my face, I saw Dad staring at me with a completely frozen face.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

In the terrible silence, the clueless Rian asked earnestly.

 

“Are you two dating?”

 

… Is that person in his right mind saying this?

 

“Teuld yew wee uwen’t.” (Told you we aren’t).

 

After seeing my Dad’s attention for a moment, I gritted my teeth and spoke back to Rian.

 

He nonchalantly replied, ‘Then you’re not.’

 

Reynold let out an awkward laugh and pulled his arm away from me. Then he greeted his father politely.

 

“Long time no see.”

 

“…Yeah, you’ve grown a lot.”

 

Lotte looked at me and Reynold, frowned slightly, as if she was displeased, and turned back. And Rian followed her.

 

I urgently tapped Sylvester’s side and asked him.

 

“What about Edin?”

 

“Brother is very busy these days.”

 

“…Really?”

 

Sylvester nodded his head quietly and whispered loud enough for only me and Reynold to hear.

 

“I’ll let just the two of you know. He’s getting engaged soon.”

 

“Who?”

 

Sylvester asked in a serious voice, as if it was strange that I was asking this question.

 

“…Sister, who am I talking about?”

 

“Could it be Edin?”

 

I opened my mouth wide. Then Reynold naturally closed my mouth and said,

 

“It’s about time he does it.”

 

“That’s true, but…”

 

I was at an age where I could have already gotten engaged. But Edin, who has been with me since childhood, is already engaged…

 

I felt strangely uneasy.

 

Even Sylvester didn’t seem to know who exactly his fiancee was.

 

So we stopped in front of the restaurant, guessing Edin’s future fiancee.

 

At that time, Sylvester gently tugged on the hem of my clothes.

 

Do you have something to say? I had exactly that kind of face.

 

Reynold, who was about to enter the restaurant, turned to look at us curiously.

 

While I talked to Sylvester outside, Reynold had to go inside alone.

 

…He would feel really bewildered alone, though.

 

I asked Sylvester.

 

“Can’t Reynold listen too?”

 

“No, it’s fine. You two can talk and then come in later.”

 

Reynold lightly shrugged his shoulders as if it was okay. As if he was afraid I would held onto him,  he ran into the restaurant in an instant.

 

When it was only me and Sylvester in front of the restaurant, he cautiously opened his mouth.

 

“Sister, you know.”

 

“What?”

 

“…Are you still mad at Edin?”

 

I paused for a moment at his words. Sylvester quickly examined my face and spoke as if making an excuse.

 

“Of course, it’s something Sister would be angry about. Still, Brother blamed himself a lot…”

 

“I’m not angry.”

 

“…Really?”

 

I nodded slightly. Well, at that time, rather than being angry, I just knew that I was helpless.

 

“Let’s go in quickly.”

 

I was worried about Reynold, who was sitting there looking messy, so I hurried into the restaurant with Sylvester.

 

Fortunately, the seat next to Reynold was mine. I said sorry to him and sat down in the chair.

 

“…Are you two staying in the dorm together?”

 

Lotte asked as she watched me sit down next to Reynold.

 

I nodded. When I tapped Reynold’s side without answering, he just shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Brother, was there anything interesting that happened at the Academy?”

 

Sylvester asked Rian with sparkling eyes. Then Rian answered harshly.

 

“Nothing. It’s the same every day.”

 

“Maybe it’s because it’s pink, he has been grinning all day.”

 

How dare you say such horrible things about me dating Reynold?

 

It’s revenge for what happened just before.

 

When Rian heard what I said, the corners of his ears turned red in an instant. Just thinking about Gloria seemed to make him happy.

 

“W-When did I?!”

 

“Pink?”

 

Sylvester, who was listening to our conversation, tilted his head.