Chapter 44
“As expected….”
Indeed, making a blinded eye see again was something even a divine healer couldn’t do.
No matter how great a dragon’s power is, it would be hard to perform a miracle.
Reina felt bad, thinking she had asked him an unnecessary question.
Meanwhile, Kaiden was flustered by Reina’s visibly disappointed expression.
‘Does she have a close acquaintance who’s blind?’
According to Ben’s report, there were no people she was close to.
Even her relatives couldn’t approach her, so how much more so.
In fact, there was a way.
But since it could only be done with one person in a lifetime, it was no different from saying it was impossible.
At that moment, the clock announced midnight.
Ding- Ding-
At the clock ringing 12 times, Reina made a dazed expression as if waking from a dream.
She felt like she was being chased by time.
There was still a long time before the fever would start, but her body was already stiffening.
It was when Reina tried to pretend to be calm and turned around.
Kaiden, who had approached her closely without her noticing, whispered affectionately.
“Happy birthday, Reina.”
“Ah.”
At the close distance of a handspan, the flustered Reina involuntarily stepped back.
As she staggered with the railing behind her, Kaiden grabbed her waist and pulled her toward him.
It was a reflexive action in case she fell.
“……”
“……”
An awkward silence followed, but neither stepped back.
More precisely, it was closer to being frozen like ice and unable to do anything.
Kaiden thought his heart had completely broken.
If not, it wouldn’t be racing like crazy like this.
His heart, which was calm even when facing mutant monsters, would jump wildly just seeing Reina.
At that moment, he recalled what Aiden had said before his marriage.
“Brother, I’m so nervous I could die. Amy becoming my wife. I still can’t believe it. What if Amy suddenly says she doesn’t want to marry me?”
“You’re completely crazy. Be careful not to make a dazed face looking at the bride. It’s embarrassing.”
“Hmph. When you get someone you like, you’ll act just as foolishly as me, if not more.”
“That will never happen.”
“You never know. Maybe even more than me.”
Kaiden gripped Reina’s slim waist tightly.
As the person he had wanted to touch all along came right in front of him, he felt like he was losing his mind.
He even thought it would be good if time stopped like this, and a laugh escaped.
If Aiden saw him now, he would surely laugh and say, ‘See, I told you so?’
“Kaiden?”
At that moment, Reina poked her head out and called him.
And the moment she met his violet eyes head-on.
The reason he had been holding onto snapped, and him lowering his head to kiss her cheek was inevitable.
* * *
That day, the moon was particularly bright. Reina was excited throughout the banquet.
A birthday banquet just for her. All the time dancing, laughing, and chatting with Kaiden there was enjoyable.
It felt like she was dreaming. So she didn’t even realize time was passing so quickly.
The moment the clock announced 12 o’clock, Reina thought it was time to wake from the dream.
All this dazzling scenery would soon disappear.
She would have to live in darkness again.
Still, unlike the past, she was glad to be with Kaiden.
It was the first future she changed after regressing.
Saying she would repay his kindness was actually just an excuse.
Because his kindness before she died was so warm.
It was an action knowing he would accept her in the end.
So, in one corner of her heart, she felt guilty for using him.
That’s why she might be trying even harder to prove her usefulness.
She hoped not to become a burden to Kaiden.
She didn’t want to be hated by him.
However, she was still very scared.
She couldn’t imagine what reaction he would show if she told him she became unable to see in exchange for gaining power.
She was afraid of being rejected by him. She had no other place to go besides his side, nor any place she wanted to go.
Because of such thoughts, she couldn’t say it rashly.
But now she had to explain her condition. She couldn’t delay it anymore.
For his sake, who would worry about her suffering from fever without knowing the reason.
The moment she gathered courage and turned to him, he happened to step closer.
Her gaze was stolen by his violet eyes, which were unusually deep in color unlike usual.
“Happy birthday, Reina.”
As congratulatory words came from his mouth, her words got stuck.
It wasn’t something to celebrate.
Because from this time, Reina was scheduled to lose her eyes in exchange for being granted unwanted power.
Reina knew how miserable life after gaining the power was.
Yet, strangely, receiving the congratulations made her happy.
There was a time when she cursed being born itself.
When she spent her birthday alone in the basement, she always resented God.
Why she had to be born with this power and suffer this pain.
That it would have been better not to be born.
It was cold and lonely.
The her who was like that was now receiving someone’s congratulations.
It was the moment Reina stepped back due to an inexplicable tickling rising from within.
Her balance shook due to the alcohol.
When she came to her senses, she was in Kaiden’s arms.
“!”
As soon as their flustered gazes met, Reina hurriedly avoided it.
For some reason, she couldn’t look at him properly.
So she waited for him to let go, but he had no intention of releasing her anytime soon.
Rather, feeling the grip on her waist strengthening, Reina lifted her head.
“Kaiden?”
When she gathered courage and called him.
She met his eyes again.
Precisely, his gaze hadn’t left her at all.
Because of that fact, Reina couldn’t avoid his eyes anymore.
At that moment, it felt like time in this world had stopped abruptly.
When looking into those eyes, she strangely felt a sense of stability.
Unlike the past, an honest gaze without a hint of loneliness. That gaze embedded deeply in her heart.
Because he demanded nothing. At the same time, because he seemed willing to do anything.
Reina didn’t know how to treat Kaiden.
As they stared into each other’s eyes for a while like that.
Suddenly, his lips touched her cheek.
“!”
At that moment, the stopped time began to resume quickly.
Startled, she tightly closed her eyes.
The sensation of the lips on her cheek was unfamiliar.
Her face heated up, and it became awkward as if she forgot how to breathe.
The lips pressed firmly like stamping trembled slightly.
His lips touched plainly and then parted.
A light kiss to the point where she unconsciously thought it was regrettable.
Reina stayed still without daring to open her eyes.
While thinking how this happened, he stepped back in surprise on his own.
As Reina opened her eyes at the suddenly distant warmth, she met Kaiden head-on.
“!”
He quickly avoided her gaze, ruffled his hair, and muttered incomprehensible soliloquy.
At a glance, he had a very confused face.
His earlobes, reddened unbecoming of his size, caught her attention.
“Kaiden?”
At Reina’s low call, his broad shoulders flinched.
He stepped back one more step and rambled.
“Sorry, this is, I mean….”
Kaiden, who was about to say it was a momentary mistake, firmly closed his mouth.
It wasn’t a mistake.
He had intentionally kissed her.
Because the her in front of him looked so beautiful.
And because he wanted to touch….
Realizing he was about to cowardly mention a mistake after doing that, self-loathing surged.
Kaiden rubbed his face dryly without daring to look at Reina.
When awkward silence filled the terrace.
Knock knock.
With a concise knock sound, a savior appeared.
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By Anna 💓
