Chapter: 22
“So, you’re really dating?”
“What… what?”
After Leighton’s shocked reaction, silence fell over the office.
“We really are dating.”
Dana repeated herself clearly to him.
“Oh my goodness!”
Kira covered her mouth with both hands.
But she could not stop the laughter escaping her.
The eyes of their coworkers, including Kira, sparkled brightly.
Since joining the company, this was the most interesting scene they had ever witnessed.
Even Edwin stared blankly at Dana after her sudden declaration.
The killing intent he had been directing at Tony disappeared in an instant.
Dana slowly walked toward Edwin.
The closer she got to him, the more wildly his heartbeat pounded like a hammer.
Dana’s slender fingers touched his hand.
The hesitant little taps tickled him.
Her small fingers slid over his knuckles.
That tiny but vivid sensation completely stirred his mind.
Finally, Dana tightly held Edwin’s hand.
Edwin flinched.
An indescribable electric feeling spread through his entire body.
Dana had grabbed his hand on her own.
Just as his mind was becoming dizzy from the overwhelming sensation—
An unwelcome interruption broke in.
“T-That’s a lie!”
The tearful voice belonged to Tony.
“It’s mutual? No way…!”
“What do you mean no way? I don’t like you, sunbae. Please stop already.”
“You only like that bastard because of his face, don’t you? You got fooled because he’s handsome!”
Leighton, who had been watching the situation, immediately started taking Tony’s side.
“A man’s value isn’t his face, it’s his heart! Even if Tony’s ugly and smells bad, his personality is amazing!”
Tony’s eyes instantly filled with shock after hearing that.
Realizing his mistake, Leighton hurriedly changed the subject.
“And dating in the workplace? What are you going to do if you break up? The atmosphere will just become awkward.”
It seemed he had decided to attack from a different angle instead of pushing Tony forward.
“Don’t worry.”
Dana’s voice rang out even more clearly.
“We’re getting married soon.”
After publicly announcing their relationship and then marriage right after, the entire office froze.
Especially the expressions on Leighton and Tony’s faces were priceless.
Tony’s lips trembled.
“Dana… marriage… the new recruit…!”
His words broke apart and failed to continue.
Kira had to struggle to stop herself from clapping right then and there.
Dana took the documents from Edwin’s hand.
“Give them here.”
Then she placed them on Leighton’s desk.
“These are the business trip reports. I’ll be leaving now.”
Leighton pointed at her with trembling hands.
“Y-You…!”
“See you tomorrow.”
Without looking back once, Dana left the office.
Still firmly holding Edwin’s hand.
They walked through the hallway.
Out of the Ministry of Magic.
All the way to the fountain.
Neither of them said a single word.
Without letting go of Edwin’s hand, Dana kept walking forward.
To Edwin, this moment of being led around by Dana felt like a dream.
Ever since the moment he met her, he had always dreamed of it.
Spending his entire life with her.
Waking up together in the morning, meeting each other’s eyes, drinking tea beneath the sunlight, sharing conversations filled with laughter…
He wanted to share all those small, ordinary happinesses with Dana.
And now, Dana had allowed his long-cherished wish.
When they reached the center of the fountain, Dana finally stopped walking.
“……”
“……”
For several seconds, Dana did not turn around to face him.
She only showed him her back exactly as before.
Edwin looked at her in confusion.
At that moment, an ominous thought rose in his mind like fog.
Did she say all that in the heat of the moment? Just to get Tony off her back?
Come to think of it, the last expression she showed him in the North had looked quite serious.
Almost like someone saying goodbye.
The sparkle in Edwin’s eyes slowly faded.
The longing he had constantly suppressed toward Dana rose once more.
Maybe rejection would come from Dana’s tiny lips.
That could not happen.
Edwin gently curved his eyes.
Then softly called out to her.
No—he was about to.
“……Edwin!”
Dana suddenly spun around.
Even Edwin, who was usually quick to react, was startled by the sudden movement.
She lifted her head and met his gaze.
Her blue eyes shone clearly.
As did her flushed pink face.
“Sunbae, you have a fever.”
Even the tips of his ears had turned red against his pale skin.
Before Edwin could even touch her, Dana quickly shook her head.
“No, no… Just pretend you didn’t notice.”
Dana tightly shut her eyes and let out a deep breath.
“It’s because I’m embarrassed. So just pretend you don’t know.”
Ah.
Only then did Edwin finally understand everything.
The reason she kept walking while looking straight ahead.
The reason she did not show him her face for several seconds.
It was all because Dana herself had been too embarrassed.
The sharp tension surrounding Edwin softened completely.
“What are you embarrassed about?”
“……Everything. Yelling like that in front of everyone, talking about marriage without even asking you first…”
So that was all she was embarrassed about.
Completely unaware of how much a single word from her controlled him.
Dana reopened her eyes and spoke with determination.
“Do you still mean it? Wanting to marry me?”
“……Yes. I still mean it.”
More than just meaning it, he could wait his entire life if it meant gaining Dana’s permission.
At Edwin’s answer, Dana’s face relaxed considerably.
Then she slowly opened her small lips.
“I want to marry you too. As soon as possible.”
Her trembling voice gradually became steadier.
“This isn’t just because I want to escape from my family.”
She wanted to make this clear to Edwin.
You are not merely a means for me to run away.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking about what to say to you since this morning.”
So that was why she had looked so serious earlier.
The reason her expression remained stiff the whole time—
was because she had been preparing herself to accept him.
The moment Edwin realized that, his heart began pounding fiercely again.
Dana finally confessed the feelings she had spent so long organizing.
“……I felt warm whenever I was with you.”
“……”
“It was my first time. That familiar emptiness I always felt… completely disappeared.”
It was true.
The cold emptiness no longer existed.
She wanted to melt into the sunlight he endlessly poured over her.
How could she ever forget warmth given without conditions?
Dana continued speaking.
“I realized it when you went to hunt monsters.”
She clasped her trembling hands together.
“I really couldn’t think about anything else. When I thought I might never see you again.”
“……”
“I like you.”
Dana looked back up at him.
Her confident blue eyes stared straight at him.
“I like you, Edwin.”
For a moment, Edwin could not say anything.
At that instant, the fountain shot high into the air.
The baby angel statue blew its trumpet, while the other angels smiled brightly as streams of water sprayed around them.
Droplets of water dampened the two of them.
The spring sunlight approached and created a faint rainbow.
The fresh scent of spring and the gentle breeze surrounded them.
For the first time in his life, Edwin finally understood what it meant to feel overwhelmed.
Happiness flooded into him like rushing waves until he could barely endure it.
Like gazing at a night sky overflowing with stars.
Like seeing a rainbow after a long rainy season finally ends.
It was happiness so intense it made his mind go blank.
“……Sunbae.”
“Yeah.”
Haa…
Edwin let out a deep breath.
As if trying to calm his excitement.
“Can I hug you?”
“What…?”
“I really want to hug you right now. So much I can barely stand it.”
Dana blinked at Edwin’s straightforward words.
Awkwardly, she opened her arms slightly.
Receiving her permission, Edwin embraced her tightly.
Dana inhaled sharply at the strength of the hug.
And his embrace was much broader and firmer than she expected.
Holding the flustered Dana in his arms, Edwin smiled.
It was a more genuine smile than ever before.
“Thank you, sunbae.”
My Dana…
Now Dana belonged to him.
Edwin held her in his arms for a long time.
Plans for the future continuously filled his mind.
Plans to keep her by his side forever.
At that moment, Dana peeked her face out from against his chest.
“Edwin, there’s somewhere I need you to come with me right now.”
