Chapter 22: How Fake
Chapter 22: How Fake
I couldn't help but smile, quickly averting my eyes. His comment caught me off guard. "Why are you smiling? You better eat it, Lyka," he said, urging me to finish the soup. I obliged, pushing aside my earlier thoughts. After I finished the soup, he handed me some medicine, claiming it would help with dizziness and the effects of alcohol. We then left the maid's quarter together. As we walked through the living room, Miss Linda noticed our presence and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh Lyka! Why are you out? I told Sir to inform you that you don't have to work today." I saw Joday and Doday, both busy with their tasks, but they managed to shoot us disapproving looks. Feeling uncomfortable, I avoided their gaze, especially Joday's. "I'm fine,Miss... It's just embarrassing for me to rest all day," I replied, trying to dismiss any suspicions. "By the way, Miss Linda, thank you for the soup and medicine!" I expressed my gratitude, smiling genuinely. Miss Linda was about to respond but then looked at Kiro with a smile. "Oh, Lyka, the soup wasn't from me... It was Sir Kiro's. Actually, he made it." I was taken aback when Miss Linda revealed that it was actually Kiro who had made the soup for me. Just moments ago, he had claimed that it was Miss Linda who sent it. Why did he lie? "I'll just go to my room. Take care, everyone," Kiro swiftly interjected, racing up the stairs before Miss Linda could say more. I couldn't help but wonder about the sudden change in his mood. What happened? I pondered briefly before shrugging it off. I turned to Miss Linda, only to be met with mischievous looks and teasing. "Um, Miss Linda, what's with the look?" I asked, feeling a bit flustered. "You thought I wouldn't notice?" she playfully remarked. I swallowed nervously.
Did Miss Linda know about what happened between Kiro and me in the garden last night? Was she aware? Did she witness our encounter? "W-what are you talking about, Miss? If you're referring to what happened last night in the garden, then let me expl—" "I noticed you two are becoming best friends! That's a good start for Kiro since he just came out of his room!" Miss Linda interrupted, teasingly. "He has been confined to his room for months, so it's great that he found a best friend so quickly... It seems like he feels comfortable around you," she continued. I took a deep breath, trying to play along. "Yes!" I smiled, pretending to go with the flow. A wave of relief washed over me as Miss Linda explained her suspicions about Kiro and me becoming best friends. I had feared she would assume that our connection was romantic in nature. However, her words reassured me that she viewed our bond purely as a friendship, a positive development given the circumstances. – Just like any other day in the mansion, I went about my usual tasks. Cleaning and fixing furniture that needed repairs occupied my time. Afterward, I headed out to the back garden to water the plants, particularly the ones I personally cared for. Memories of the previous night's conversation and, well, kissing, flushed my cheeks, causing me to wince. Unpleasant sights greeted my eyes, reminding me of the mess I made by vomiting on the grass. I cringed at the thought of how disgusted I must have looked. "Dodong!" I exclaimed, addressing the daisy in frustration. "Maybe you saw what happened between Kiro and me last night, huh?" I turned to Datdat, another plant, who seemed upset. "You too, Datdat? Did you witness it?" I touched my lips, still feeling the lingering sensation of his kiss from the previous night. "But why did he kiss me?" That question lingered in my mind without a satisfactory answer. I wondered aloud, seeking answers from the plants as if they could respond. NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.
Did Kiro also have too much to drink? But all he had was mineral water... Could it be intoxicating? Oh, Lyka, don't be foolish. "Why am I even thinking about that? Maybe he was also drunk last night and accidentally kissed me..." I tried to convince myself, seeking a plausible explanation. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I knew it!" Doday's voice suddenly exclaimed from behind me. My eyes widened in surprise. Wait, she knew something? What in the world did she know? "I knew it!" I quickly turned around, grabbing my chest in shock at her outburst. I saw Doday standing there. "D-Doday..." "Were you there? Did you overhear everything?" I asked anxiously, worried that she heard all the foolish questions I had asked earlier. I felt doomed. Before she could answer, a sudden emotion flickered in her eyes. I sensed an unfamiliar vibe from her. "Yes," she replied, and I swallowed nervously. "You heard it all? Every single word?" I silently prayed that she didn't. There was another fleeting emotion in her eyes before she responded, and I couldn't quite decipher it. "Y-yes, I heard it all... Really? He kissed you?" Her voice trembled, and her emotions seemed to shift suddenly. What was happening? What was going on with her? I averted my gaze from her, but she firmly grasped my shoulders, forcing me to face her. I saw an emotion I couldn't comprehend in her eyes. What was truly happening with Doday? "Doday? Why? Why are you acting this way? What's wrong?" I bombarded her with questions as I noticed her tear-stained red eyes. She was crying. "T-Tell me, Lyka... Did he really kiss you last night? What else happened, Lyka?" Her words felt like a weight pressing down on me. There was something different about her. She knew something. "H-huh? What do you mean by 'what else happened,' Doday?" I asked directly, feeling confused by her cryptic behavior. She seemed to snap out of it, wiping away her tears. I couldn't quite understand it, but I sensed a different reason behind her tears and her unusual behavior. "Ah! So, nothing else happened, Lyka?" Her question piqued my curiosity. She now spoke with an
intense tone, as if she wanted to interrogate a criminal. I stared at her intently. Doday, what do you know? I wanted to shout the question at her, but I couldn't. "Yeah, t-there's nothing else, Doday..." I stammered, trying to assure her. She forced a smile. “There was nothing that happened or ‘you like what happened’, Lyka?” She put an emphasis on her words. Before I could answer her, she immediately continued. In a weird way, I get her point with how she emphasized her words and that made me want to slap her straight in the face, but I did not. "Just as I thought, Kiro likes you..." she declared, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. "H-huh?" "Don't pretend to be innocent, Lyka," she said sharply, her eyes piercing. "Don't play dumb, you know and you've noticed that he likes you, haven't you?" she questioned. The Doday I used to work with seemed different from the one standing in front of me now. Earlier, I was concerned about seeing tears streaming down her face, but now she seemed to adopt Joday's habit of intriguing me. Suddenly, I felt a nervousness I couldn't explain. "Doday, I don't understand what you mean... What are you trying to say?" I asked, feeling confused. Her response was a sarcastic look that made me swallow hard. Did she know? Did she know that Sir had touched me when I entered his room? Was she aware that Kiro had crossed boundaries due to his illness? My heart raced, and I turned around, ready to ask her again, but she interrupted with a smile. "Well..." "Let me tell you this, Ly—" Her words were cut off as we suddenly heard Joday's voice approaching us. "Doday! Lyka!" "So, you two are just here! I'm amazed, are you housekeepers or the bosses? We still have plenty to do inside, girls!" She scolded us. I noticed how Doday swiftly changed her reaction. While earlier she resembled an amazon with her confession, now a sweet smile adorned her face.
Figuratively speaking, she was wearing a mask. She’s been faking it all.