For Your Failed Unrequited Love

Lucy looked at Felix with a puzzled expression after hearing his request. “… Adrian-sunbae took Felix-sunbae’s medicine… Was it not enough?”

“No, I spilled it on the floor.” Felix replied right away. Of course, the allergy medication was piled on the desk in his dorm room.

Lucy, who had no idea that Felix was lying, nodded. “I’m still trying to make extra allergy medicine since Maram vines often bloom until November. When it’s done, I will deliver it through Adrian-sunbae.”

“No, I don’t want to receive it through Adrian.” Felix’s true feelings immediately popped out of his mouth.

He already knew what was on Lucy’s mind. Perhaps, him asking for medicine is bothersome to her. But…

Felix hesitated for a while and continued. “I want to receive it directly from you.”

Lucy widened her eyes as if a little startled by the request. Her head tilted slightly, contemplating the meaning of Felix’s words.

“Haa… sunbae-nim! Why are you so serious? Of course, Lucy will give it to you herself!” Colin stepped in, breaking the subtle silence between the two of them. “I told you earlier! Lucy is sorry for what happened yesterday.”

“Why do you have to bring that up?” Lucy’s face turned red in an instant. She hit Colin on the back, her hand clenched into a fist. She then turned to Felix, who was glaring at Colin. “Last night… I’m sorry for the inconvenience I have caused you, sunbae. I’ll make the medicine for you.”

Lucy couldn’t even look straight at Felix. What happened last night seemed quite embarrassing for her. After apologizing to Felix, she took the honey from the stone wall and left the garden without looking back.

“I apologize to you once again! I’ll do my best to help Lucy make medicine!” Colin said to Felix, who was staring blankly at Lucy’s back. 

Without warning, Felix grabbed Colin’s ear with a grim expression. It was the ear that was caught by Mr. Peter last night. “Don’t come here from now on.”

“Argh! What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

“You’ll die if you come.”

Colin Connor’s screams filled the backyard of the library.

* * *

Felix went to the library backyard the next day as well. It was just in case Lucy was there. But there was no one. Felix approached the garden, knelt down on one knee, and carefully looked at the herbs planted by Lucy.

From golden butterfly grass with delicate yellow-green leaves to flowers that Felix did not even know the name of. There were so many varieties that it would not be an exaggeration to say that if Mr. Estrid, who is in charge of herbal medicine, would rush to come here if he knew.

He could imagine Lucy crouching on the ground, tending her garden and carefully cultivating herbs.

Pitter-patter

Felix turned around at the sound of footsteps behind him. Lucy was standing there.

“Sunbae? What are you doing here?”

“… I came to see when the flowers would bloom. I want the medicine to be completed quickly,” Felix said as an excuse.

Lucy approached him with a worried face. “Are you itching a lot?” she asked. Stopping right in front of Felix, she took a closer look at his face. 

Felix suddenly stopped breathing. His face and neck turned red. He could feel heat rising from that area.

Seeing Felix’s reddened skin, Lucy’s face turned serious. Felix’s blushing face seemed to have been mistaken for allergies.

“It’s fine, it’s bearable,” Felix stuttered, taking a step back. “I came to check if the flowers have bloomed.” He looked into the air with an unsettling gaze, and then hurriedly left the backyard.

* * *

Felix vowed not to visit Lucy Keenan first, and to wait calmly until she brought the medicine she made. Despite such a promise, three days later, his steps were heading back to the backyard of the library. Now, he just laughed in vain at his own unpredictable behavior.

As he walked around the library and approached the backyard, he heard people chattering. And from time to time, laughter also came out.

Felix’s eyebrows twitched.

Is Colin Connor here again?

From the first time he saw him, he didn’t like him at all. He seemed to be close to Lucy, and it’s strangely annoying to see him as if he knows her family well.

I’m going to get rid of him today.

Felix swore and turned to the corner. As he expected, there was a male student next to Lucy. But he was not Colin Connor.

“Adrian.”

Adrian, who was sitting next to Lucy in front of the flower bed, looked back as he heard Felix’s voice. He found Felix and asked. “What brings you here?”

Felix, who was about to kick Colin Connor out at any moment, stopped at the unexpected appearance. A formidable foe that cannot be compared to Colin Connor. “I’m here to check if my allergy pills are doing well,” said Felix.

“Your allergy medicine?”

“Yes, my medicine.” Felix strode closer to the flower bed, and stood between Lucy and Adrian. They split on both sides, unsure what to say, and looked up at Felix with a puzzled expression. Felix pretended not to notice their gaze and look down on the flower bed.

“I decided to give it to Felix when the allergy medicine is completed,” Lucy explained to the confused Adrian.

“I was going to share it with you when I got it from Lucy. Lucy also made the medicine I gave you in the past.”

“I know,” Felix responded bluntly.

Lucy and Adrian continued to talk about allergy medicine, while Felix pretended to look at the flowerbed.

“I think the golden butterfly will bloom within two days,” said Lucy as she pointed to a small rising bud.

“I just need to get the mandragora root in town on the weekend and I will be able to make the medicine in no time.”

“I wish I could come with you,” Adrian sighed with an apologetic expression. “I don’t think it’s possible because I’m busy with the student council’s work even on weekends. I’m sorry.”

“No!” Lucy waved her hand. “You don’t have to worry about it!”

“Still, Lucy. It was originally made to give to your friend. I’m sorry for the trouble it caused you making them for us.”

That friend is you, brother. For Lucy Keenan, making the medicine for you will never be troublesome.

Felix let out a smirk inwardly at his ignorant little brother.

“It’s not that hard,” Lucy brazenly lied to ease Adrian’s burden.

The warm conversation between a senior who was sorry and a junior who was willing to handle the trouble continued without interruption.

“Then I will pay for the mandragora root.”

“You don’t have to do that!”

“But mandragora is quite expensive.”

“I know a place that sells it for cheap.”

“Then it would be better if I just go with you.”

“You’re busy. It’s really okay.”

It was a really warm atmosphere. Felix didn’t even have a chance to intervene.

“Then I’ll go,” said Felix suddenly. He had been quietly listening to their conversation. Lucy and Adrian raised their heads at the same time. Even though he thinks there is no room for him, he can’t shake the desire to interrupt the two. He spoke again with a clear voice. “’m talking about going to town on the weekend. I’ll come with you.”

“You?” Adrian was bewildered. He had a look on his face that was saying, ‘Did you like the medicine that much?’. But soon he shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head. “Well, it’s better than letting Lucy go alone.”

He then smiled at Lucy and said. “Take him and use him as a porter to your heart’s content.”

Lucy didn’t say a word of refusal, but she looked down at the golden butterfly grass with a look of utter discomfort. Felix saw her and secretly snorted.

She must be sad because I’m the one coming, not Adrian. I’ll make it an unforgettable weekend instead, Lucy Keenan!

* * *

The weekend came.

Felix was having a hectic morning. He put on the clothes he had prepared the day before and stared at the mirror several times. He had already had his perfect hair done flawlessly over and over again.

It was fortunate that Adrian left the dormitory early for the student council. He would have thought it strange if he had seen Felix acting nervously like this.

Felix had finished getting ready to go out, and after a long time wandering around the room, the sun finally rose to the highest point in the sky. Felix stood in front of the mirror one last time, checked his hair, and left the dormitory.

Lucy was already there, waiting for him, when Felix arrived in front of the main gate of the academy. She was not wearing her usual neat school uniform, but was wearing a plain dark brown dress. As always, her hair braided behind her, glistening in the midday sun.

As Felix approached, Lucy greeted with a stiff face. “Hello, sunbae.”

“Hi, Lucy,” Felix replied, keeping a casual expression on his face.

Going out with Lucy Keenan for lunch on the weekend.

Felix’s face twitched from holding back his cheekbones trying to rise again and again. They headed toward the front gate of Xenomium Academy, where the carriages lined up waiting for passengers who were going to town.

Felix and Lucy also lined up in the procession for the carriage. Felix realized that many of the students in the queue were men and women holding hands. It was clear that they were a couple out on a date over the weekend.

Come to think of it… Felix thought as he glanced at Lucy standing next to him.

Isn’t this like a date?