I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend Chapter 207 - Side Story 7 - Friends or Lovers

Glancing over at Rudrick, directing the knight, I raised a brow.

 

The unexpected weather forced us back up north, and instead of going straight to the Duke’s estate, we stayed at an inn near the harbor.

 

Jeron’s insistence that it would be a waste of time to travel back and forth to the Duchy, even if we had a few days to spare. 

 

And that it would be best to stay in this part of the island. Leave as soon as the weather improves.

 

‘Then why was I so excited to see him again?’

 

Jeron looked at me with a peculiarly pathetic expression, and I gritted my teeth as I realized why.

 

When Rudrick heard our plan, he offered to stay with us until we left. 

 

When I protested that it wasn’t necessary, he said he didn’t mind, and that he was even going to inform the castle of the schedule change.

 

When he finally returned, I asked him anxiously, “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? We don’t know when the weather will improve… Isn’t this too much?”

 

“I’m fine, it’s not a busy time of year…”

 

He trailed off as he walked past me.

 

“I thought you wanted to talk to me?”

 

Oh, how I shuddered at the words.

 

Why was I so afraid, even though I’d already decided I’d tell him everything when I got off the boat, even though I’d asked Rudrick if I could talk to him for a minute? 

 

Trembling, I followed Rudrick ahead of me.

 

We walked into the largest and most private room in the inn that we had arranged… and before I knew it, we were holding an interrogation.

 

After watching me silently, Rudrick broke the silence.

 

“Now tell me.”

 

“What, what do you mean…”

 

“You said you had something to say.”

 

Yeah… I said I had something to say…

 

Although I could feel Rudrick’s eyes on me as I stammered, I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I hesitated for a while longer, then finally spoke.

 

“That, Rudrick, I, that I, that I was a…”

 

“A…?”

 

“…Uh, yeah, I didn’t mean it in that way…”

 

“Of course.”

 

Rudrick’s eyes flashed.

 

“What do you mean.”

 

For a moment, I was frustrated.

 

No, come to think of it, why should I fall like this? It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. 

 

What’s wrong with asking for something like that between lovers? Don’t be a prude, Dahlia. Be confident!

 

So I boldly said, “I want to have sleepX with you.”

 

“Cool. W-what?”

 

The way he looked embarrassed, like he hadn’t even thought of it, made me feel even worse. 

 

So now, embarrassed and exhausted, I started blabbering away.

 

“Why aren’t we doing it? Are you sure that isn’t your thing?”

 

“Wait, Dahlia.”

 

“You aren’t sleeping with me…”

 

“Dahlia!”

 

Rudrick hastily interrupted me. I turned to look at him blankly.

 

“Why.”

 

“You know what you’re saying…”

 

“I know,” I said with rare honesty.

 

“You, don’t you remember what I wore that night?”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t be silly. You didn’t even have a drink that night.”

 

“…”

 

“I just…”

 

And then, before I knew it, I was frowning. I didn’t mean to sound so judgmental, I was just… trying to calmly ask him what he was thinking and let him know what I was thinking.

 

I exhaled a small breath.

 

“It’s just that I’m frustrated that I can’t make progress with you.”

 

“…”

 

“That’s why I dressed like that the other night, that’s why I asked you if you were a…”

 

“…”

 

“If you think about it, we’ve never done more than kiss, and honestly, kissing is kind of boring. I mean, I don’t mind tongues, but kissing…”

 

“Dahlia…”

 

Rudrick called after me, but my mouth was already a dozen degrees from his. 

 

Rudrick was silent for a moment, swiping a hand across his face as if to collect his thoughts. 

 

Then he blurted out.

 

“What if…”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Is that what you’ve been thinking about all along?”

 

“Yeah,” I said brightly.

 

“That’s all you’ve been thinking about since the beginning?”

 

Rudrick buried his face in his hands. I twisted my hair into an embarrassed knot.

 

“Hehe… I walked a little weird when you first saw me, but that’s because I was… embarrassed. I was wearing naughty underwear.”

 

“…”

 

“That’s why I panicked so much when you offered to pick me up. Didn’t you feel anything? Oh, and by the way, the other day…”

 

I blurted out. After all, let’s be completely honest.

 

Everything that had happened in the few days we’d been together, from my unintentional flirtations to my random dizzy fits, to the time I’d pretended to take a nap and laid down on his thigh, rubbing my cheek against his.

 

His face grew paler as I spoke, and his hands shook as he recounted the time I leaned over to expose my cleavage during a game of cards.

 

“It was hot, you said…”

 

“Huh? It was hot, but why did you turn the fire up so high?”

 

Rudrick didn’t say anything. Not even after I finished speaking.

 

Sitting back in my seat, I stole a glance at Rudrick, wondering what was wrong with him. It wasn’t like I’d done anything wrong. Was my flirting so shocking?

 

If not that, then…

 

‘So… that’s it…’ 

 

Shocked as I was, I could not compare to Rudrick’s. I watched him flounder more and more and forced myself to speak.

 

“It’s okay, Rudrick. I can accept you for whoever you are, so just be honest with me.”

 

“…”

 

“Are you looking for a spiritual love, or is there something wrong with that too?”

 

“Ha…”

 

“Ah! Don’t worry. I still love you, even if you have some problems. But there’s our public stance, for example, that we should have an heir…”

 

“Please…”

 

“What should I do? Should I get a child from the other side of the family? Or maybe we should think about adopting…”

 

Rudrick finally burst out.

 

“I’m fine, it’s fine, I told you how many times that night…!”

 

He covered his mouth in a panic.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

I was momentarily at a loss for words. 

 

Rudrick was at a loss as well. Rudrick’s voice echoed and rang out in the suffocating silence.

 

How many times that night had I…

 

So many times that night…

 

Many times…

 

What did I do?

 

Suddenly, I heard something snap in my head.

 

“Ah~”

 

Looking blankly into space, I rolled my eyes. Seeing my expression, Rudrick’s face instantly paled.

 

“You did. How many times… how many times? No, not this one. Yes, thank goodness. You’re okay. I’m so glad… how many times?”

 

“I’ll leave.”

 

“No, no, it’s good to be healthy. Okay?”

 

Quickly, I grabbed his hand, or, if that wasn’t enough, scooted over so that I was sitting on my back next to Rudrick. 

 

Rudrick’s eyes fluttered uncontrollably at my sudden distance.

 

And I looked at my cutie as warmly as the sun on a spring day. 

 

At the same time, I spoke softly, “Rudrick, do you remember that?”

 

“…”

 

“When we were kids.”

 

I said wistfully, with a reminiscing tone.

 

“You were supposed to come along after we first made up.”

 

“…”

 

“That we’d experience different things together, find out what we liked, and then we’d keep up with each other and become true friends…”

 

“…And we did.”

 

“Yeah, we’re going to talk to each other enough this time to figure it out.”

 

“…”

 

“What’s your favorite play?”

 

Rudrick gave me an incredulous look. I spoke unperturbed.

 

“I actually like to get stepped on by stocking feet.”

 

“Let’s part ways.”

 

Rudrick immediately tried to pull his hand away. 

 

But I didn’t let go, either. I grabbed his hand with both of mine and squeezed, laughing heartily.

 

“Haha, kidding, I was just trying to humor you.”

 

Actually, I meant it.

 

“…”

 

Rudrick also looked at me with disbelief, but when he saw my deadly serious expression, he quickly pulled away.

 

This is my chance.

 

“Actually, the reason I brought this up… is because there’s something I wanted to ask you, and I really need your opinion.”

 

“You need my opinion?”

 

“Yeah. I want you to like it.”

 

Rudrick didn’t know what to make of that. At best, he thought it was a gift.

 

Of course, it was a gift.

 

‘Here’s a gift from my heart to you for being so fit!’

 

But instead of telling him, I jumped to my feet and returned to the room, carefully carrying the bag that I had tucked away in the corner since I entered.

 

The bag that I had to move myself because ‘it’ was there…!

 

As I set the suitcase down in front of him as if it were a gift box. I looked at Rudrick’s face and slowly opened the clasp. 

 

With a pop, the clasp released, and the bag opened wide to the sides.

 

“Voilà.”

 

As he started to run out the door, I grabbed him like I knew he would. 

 

Or rather, I grabbed him around the waist with both arms, hanging on for dear life, and pulled him toward the bag.

 

“Where are you going, Rudrick? You said you’d give me your opinion!”

 

“When did I…!”

 

“I just said, your opinion matters, obviously!”

 

Feeling like I was going to get pushed around, I quickly grabbed the top item of underwear, opened it wide, and thrust it in front of Rudrick’s eyes. 

 

It was the burgundy lace underwear I’d worn on my very first day.

 

“Rudrick, I’m serious, I have to wear them when I do it with you.”

 

“You don’t have to.”

 

“Do you think it’s sexy without them? Do you still like to take them off?”

 

“Not that…!”

 

“Then…”

 

I said, rolling my eyes.

 

“You want to wear it?”

 

Rudrick squealed.

 

“Dahlia!”

 

I giggled and picked up several other pairs of underwear.

 

“How about this one? It’s see-through in the middle. Is this one okay? It comes off in one tug of a string. You’ve seen this one before. It’s a full-body netting…”

 

Rudrick’s face turned blue in front of the underwear, which was more offensive than any other piece of equipment. 

 

The more I talked, the more he looked like he was about to collapse on the ground.

 

“These are fishnet stockings, but they’re stretchy, so maybe you can wear them too? If you put them on and step on them… Ouch!”

 

In the moment, Rudrick finally had enough and covered my mouth.

 

Grabbing him by the neck, I let out a muffled scream as I fell backward.

 

‘Kyaah!♥’