I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend – Chapter 205 – Side Story 5 – Friends or Lovers

Author: Nikss

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It’s weird.

“Rudrick, do you want to have a drink with me?”

‘Dahlia is being weird.’

Rudrick frowned at Dahlia, who was red-faced in his bedroom doorway and holding a bottle.

‘What’s wrong with her?’

I had already realized that Dahlia was in a bad way when she arrived.

No wonder, something was wrong from the start.

‘What’s happening?’

Rudrick still remembers. She was walking towards him. The way she was hobbling, half-cowering, and staggering, she looked like she was sick.

Sometimes she stopped and looked around quickly, and Rudrick’s face grew serious.

‘…Are you sick?’

Maybe she got seasick on the way back. Or maybe she’s caught a cold from the sudden climate change.

If not that…

“Ru, Rudrick…!”

Rudrick felt a tingling in his chest as he looked at Dahlia, who was frowning at him, so he couldn’t help but ask.

“Are you sick?”

But Dahlia shook her head. Then, desperately trying to reassure him, she smiled awkwardly, saying she was fine. Seeing her desperate attempts made Rudrick feel even worse.

‘…You could have been honest.’

Maybe that’s why. Dahlia had deliberately asked him to help her up.

Dahlia fidgeted, saying she didn’t need to, that she could walk on her own, but when her aide insisted, she couldn’t help but climb onto his back.

His heart dropped at the touch of Dahlia’s skin, but he pushed it out of his head and continued walking.

‘Is this the time to think about such things, you animal?’

Dahlia had dragged her sick body all the way here to think of him, and now he was thinking such filthy thoughts…

And maybe that was why she was sick.

He’d thought it was two or three times a year at most, but her visits had been increasing, and he could count them on ten fingers.

He’d been quiet lately, but it wasn’t until he eavesdropped on Dahlia and her secretary’s conversation that he realized that wasn’t the case.

— “Wow, you’re really pushing your schedule.”

— “It’s okay, I just need to get some sleep…”

— “Oh, come on, cut the crap. You just need to travel less.”

In the past, Dahlia has just arrived. Rudrick stops by her room to discuss her schedule, but unintentionally overhears the conversation.

Dahlia lay sick on the couch.

— “Hmph… This is why I’ve never been in a relationship…”

‘What?!’

— “You should find someone you like. Even if everything is hard, just looking at a lover’s face will relieve your fatigue.”

‘Is that why you’re stretched out like this?’

Dahlia didn’t show any signs of fatigue then, or ever again. She may have been sick behind his back, but in front of Rudrick she smiled like she was fine.

Does she know how much it hurt him every time she did that?

In truth, the solution was simple. He could tell her that she could visit less often. Or he could let her know that he’s busy and doesn’t want her to come.

But each time Rudrick hesitated before he spoke, and his hesitation inadvertently caused Dahlia’s body to suffer.

What a misery it was to see her whimpering as soon as he picked her up and put her on his back, and all he could do was order the stove in her room to be set on fire.

‘I guess it’s time to make a decision.’

He loves seeing Dahlia, but he hates seeing her suffer because of it.

And the fact that Dahlia’s condition was getting worse also played a part.

She laughed pitifully, not as brightly as before, her eyes blinked and fluttered, and she leaned into him with uncontrollable dizziness.

And the last time they played cards, she’d complained of a fever and couldn’t contain herself. I almost cursed myself for letting my eyes drift to her chest.

It was getting closer to the day when she would return. Rudrick finally made up his mind.

‘Let’s talk.’

But before he could make an appointment, Dahlia came to him.

In his bedroom.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a drink, hasn’t it?”

With a drink in hand.

Rudrick stared at her in disbelief.

This wasn’t the first time she’d come to his bedroom, of course, but most of the time she’d come in broad daylight, fully clothed.

But this one…

‘Have you just washed?’

Dahlia looked strangely languid in her nightgown, especially since she’d just gotten out of the bath, and the faint scent of her perfume tantalized his senses.

Rudrick clenched and uncurled his fists at the unnecessary severity of his thoughts.

“Do you remember when you were drunk? I’ve never seen you drunk after a bottle of wine before~.”

All the while, Dahlia continued to chatter away. Rudrick leaned toward her, trying to focus on what she was saying.

Suddenly, he realized something was wrong.

‘What’s wrong with her?’

Or, more precisely, why she was sitting there.

Usually, when Dahlia talked to him, she sat on the couch across from him. To have a face-to-face conversation. She was still sitting on the opposite couch, but…

Now she was sitting on his side, facing away from him.

It occurred to him that they’d been looking at each other at an angle the whole time.

‘Isn’t it uncomfortable to sit there?’

It wasn’t just the seat, but also her posture. Dahlia was sitting with one hand on her chest and one hand up, playing with her hair.

I had my doubts, but they didn’t last long. Suddenly, Dahlia’s eyes locked with mine.

After a few moments of silence.

“Pft…”

Dahlia smiled shyly and turned her head, and not just turned it, but turned it around in a half-turn, exposing the nape of her neck, and Rudrick suddenly felt a cold sweat break out.

“Are you not feeling well?”

Maybe she’s just dizzy, he thought. As if to confirm his suspicions, Dahlia muttered to herself.

“Oh… I’m drunk, I’m a little dizzy…”

Drunk? On one drink?

“If you’re drowsy, you should go get some rest…”

“Rudrick.”

Rudrick looked at Dahlia with fear in his eyes. Dahlia squinted and smiled.

“Can I come with you?”

When did she ask that?

Rudrick nervously replied, “Sure.”

After that, Dahlia was still being weird.

No, to be honest, even more so than before. It was as if she’d collected all the ways she’d been off her game.

For example, when she sat down next to him, she didn’t sit normally. She sat closer to him than usual, and suddenly her legs were drawn together at an angle, her hands clasped nervously in her lap.

Then, when she meets Rudrick’s trembling eyes, she smiles her customary chilling grin and turns her neck halfway around.

No, this time, she’s tilting her neck at an angle, as if she’s evolved from there. Like a newborn baby who couldn’t hold its head up. Her long, loose hair was tucked behind her ears.

For the first time, Rudrick felt fear instead of lust at the bare nape of her neck, and the sight of her tongue darting out to lick her lips sent goosebumps down his spine.

“Dahlia, why…”

“Rudrick…”

Their eyes locked again. Dahlia’s sheepish eyes made Rudrick turn his head away.

“Why? Why do you call me that?”

What’s with your tongue again?

“Oh, no, it’s nothing, just tell me first.”

“Huh? Heehee, what…”

Rudrick, who was now breaking out in a cold sweat, and his back was getting damp, came to an afterthought. It seems that she’s in a very bad state today, so I should send her back to her room…

“Today I… Return to your room…”

Thud—

Rudrick’s body went rigid.

He rolled his eyes and looked down at Dahlia, not daring to turn his head.

Before he knew it, her tiny head had landed on his shoulder. It wasn’t until she looked up at him, lips slightly pressed together, provocatively, that he realized.

‘I must send her back.’

“I want to stay here tonight…”

“Dahlia, that’s enough.”

He hastily grabs her shoulders and tries to pull her to her feet.

Tuck—

“…”

For a moment, Rudrick didn’t know if the small sound was his waistband coming undone or the sound of his sanity breaking.

Dahlia’s eyes widened, as if she hadn’t expected it or was completely sober. Looking at her face with wide eyes, Rudrick’s gaze slowly lowered.

‘…’

He could see Dahlia’s pure white skin. Her smooth flesh was covered in black silk underwear.

A small piece of cloth that barely covers half of her breasts… but it’s not actually black, it’s translucent, so it shows through…

And underneath…

Poof!

“Oh my!”

Dahlia stepped back, gasping. Rudrick, who had slapped himself admittedly, took a moment to breathe deeply. His eyes closed and opened slowly, a cold glint in them.

Calmly, Rudrick dressed Dahlia in her flowing robe. When that wasn’t enough, he grabbed a cloak from the wall and wrapped her up tightly.

When he saw her bundled up to her neck, he said softly.

“You must be cold.”

“…”

“Let’s go change into something warmer.”

He scooped Dahlia up in one arm like she was a piece of luggage and carried her to the door in one step.

Gently setting Dahlia down outside the door, who was as frozen as his earlier self, Rudrick said.

“Good night.”

He closed the door behind him.

BANG—!

“Huh, ha…”

Standing against the door, Rudrick let out the breath he had been holding. With one hand covering his face to hide his confusion, he struggled to comprehend what had happened.

Suddenly, he looked down. He looked down, and another sigh escaped his lips.

“Ha…”

Maybe it wasn’t his day.

Rudrick banged his head against the wall.

“Did you have a frightful dream.”

“No.”

“Did you dream a sad dream?”

“No, I dreamed that I was in harmony with my prince.”

“Then why are you so sad?”

I said, wiping away the tears that were flowing.

“Because it is a dream that cannot be fulfilled.”

After my crushing defeat in the Color War against Rudrick.