I Became The Childhood Friend of the Obsessive Second Male Lead

unedited

“Whose story is this?”

“It’s the story about the person who Princess Rieta next to me is always thinking about.”

“……”

Rieta was silent for a moment at the mysterious answer.

‘The person she was always thinking about’, does it mean that Rieta has someone else in mind?

‘I don’t have anyone like that…’

Strangely, however, there was a subject that kept coming to mind in the place of the ‘person’ that Hugh Mclean was talking about.

Even though she thought it couldn’t be, she couldn’t take her eyes off the image that had flowed into her head and finally became clearer.

‘…… Noel Mayer.’

Repeating his name, Rieta bit her lip.

For some reason, it was upsetting to think like this.

“I hope my words made Princess RIeta feel a little better.”

“Why…do you think so?”

“If you’re asking me to say that, you’re being a little cruel.”

Rieta lowered her head at his bitter words.

She usually talked about her relationship with Noel as ‘Childhood friends who had looked at each other’, but this time it wouldn’t work.

Maybe it wouldn’t work for Rieta.

Could it be that her heart for Noel has grown like this before she knew it?

So much so that it can’t be covered with good words like ‘childhood friend’…

“I’m sorry, Hugh Mclean.”

So Rieta ended up apologizing in a low voice.

He shook his head and finally told his story.

“And, I was no different.”

in a very cautious voice.

“I’ve been looking at you all along. Princess.”

He was looking at her with an unwavering gaze, proving his point.

‘….What to do?’

When he put the word ‘Princess’ on his lips, it felt like he was calling out to something very precious.

So it was not difficult to predict what he would say now.

Of course, Rieta’s answer was fixed.

Hugh Mclean probably knew that, but he didn’t show the slightest hesitation.

“Since I spent so much time staring at you, I’ve never misunderstood what my heart is like.”

After a while, she saw him clutching his knee.

At first glance, it seemed as if he was forcibly holding his trembling hand.

“Of course , this is.”

However, even under such circumstances, his voice did not tremble in the slightest.

“I’m talking about my love for Princess Rieta.”

A smile that would have been his best reached her.

Perhaps it was rude, but she couldn’t bear to look away.

“…I see.”

After a moment of silence, Rieta finally opened her mouth.

But Hugh Mclean shook his head first.

“I won’t ask for an answer. I know my place.”

The smile he had barely managed to make disappeared, and in Rieta’s eyes he looked like he was about to cry.

“I like you, Princess Rieta.”

He repeated his confession again. There was a little deeper sincerity in it.

“I think Princess Rieta already knew.”

“Vaguely…”

Rieta answered in a muffled voice, then shook her head and corrected it again.

She didn’t want to be impolite, to answer the truth vaguely.

“I thought it was like that.”

“Um, since when?”

He blushed a little and asked a specific question.

“Last time, at the hunting ground.”

However, the moment he heard Rieta’s answer, his expression became somewhat subtle.

He also seemed confused about something.

“The, hunting……ground. Yes.”

Did something go wrong? Rieta looked lost, and she fiddled with her hair.

“Uh, um. I kind of expected it… But, by any chance, can I say something to Princess Rieta? Just once.”

It was a rather strange request, but Rieta nodded her head for now.

“Oh, yes. What is only once?”

As she gave permission, he smiled rather mischievously.

It was a smile that somehow resembled Noel’s.

“Princess Rieta, you’re duller than I thought.”

“…..”

As Rieta didn’t answer, Hugh Mclean bowed his head.

“I was too rude. I had a one-sided love for a long time, and I was a little upset that you finally recognized it.”

“Well, we didn’t have much contact.”

“Yes. Even at the point of contact, Princess Rieta did not look at me.”

“Did I?”

“It was. Even though I kept staring at Princess Rieta, we didn’t see much eye contact.”

Was it? Rieta recalled the moments she was with him, but she didn’t notice anything special.

Maybe it’s because she didn’t care about him that much.

Should she apologize for this?

“It’s okay, you don’t have to apologize. There’s no helping it.”

“….”

“Thanks to that, I was able to realize it quickly. Words and thoughts contain lies, but actions always reveal the truth.”

“So you realized right away…?”

“I knew I would be raising this feeling alone for the rest of my life.”

He laughed self-deprecatingly.

“So, what I really want to say to Princess Rieta is this.”

“…..“

“If you’re confused, look at your actions. Where the princess’s eyes follow and what you hold. Maybe there’s an answer there.”

It sounded similar to the talk she had with Darrell the day before.