I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend - Chapter 72

‘Whoa!‘

Indeed, it was only then that I realized what it meant to faint while standing. I was just glad I didn’t scream on the spot.

A handsome man who came out of nowhere suddenly called my name sadly and hugged me, and my heart couldn’t stand it.

And my heart was right on the verge of exploding.

My heart, which had been calm until now, was pounding like crazy, but I was worried that the handsome man holding me might hear it.

But instead of falling right away, I couldn’t move.

It was because I was so surprised and hardened, but the man’s power was stronger than expected, that I had no choice but to be crushed by his hard chest.

I didn’t intend to, but the chest of the man I hugged for the first time was warmer and cozier than I thought, so I want to keep holding him like this…

‘Are you crazy?’

When the reason reappeared, I was startled and pushed the man away.

Compared to holding me so tight that I couldn’t even breathe, the man was pushed away surprisingly easily.

Then he looked at me half-heartedly, his face was so handsome that I couldn’t even make eye contact and only shed a cold sweat.

‘Who are you, Why are you doing this…?

Instead of asking such a question because I was afraid of the answer, I began to scramble through my memories.

That’s weird. I’ve never seen anyone like that before.

And no one would call my name in a friendly way, even so enthusiastically…

But what is this strange feeling of incompatibility that keeps popping up?

If you think about it rationally, he’s a nobleman. Even if I haven’t seen him, shouldn’t I have heard of him before?

Okay! Just remember the name the gatekeeper just said…

But I had no choice but to harden. It was because a certain name that the gatekeeper had called out a while ago sounded like hallucinations.

‘Rudrick Bouser is here! The little Duke Bouser is welcome!’

Rudrick Bouser…

‘…!’

Slowly, my mouth began to open. I couldn’t even speak a word, and I spit out that name like a scream.

“Rudrick!?”

And it was the man in front of me who responded to my muttering-like self-talk.

I wonder if his eyes, which were looking at me, sparkled for a moment.

It was pretty, so I smiled at him without realizing it, but I belatedly came to my senses and tried to fix my expression.

But I couldn’t possibly fix it. What does this mean? In my memory, Rudrick was a cute, soft-spoken baby, and the man standing in front of me…

“The male protagonist?”

Yeah, that’s exactly what he looked like.

There was a man like a Black Leopard with a languid, sexy, cold but strangely provocative look that had been described in dozens of drooling lines in the original.

No, of course, I knew Rudrick was going to be that big, but I’ve even imagined him sometimes!

However, seeing him, in reality, was even more shocking.

Beyond the awkwardness, it feels like he’s a stranger.

I glanced at him and thought a hundred more times about whether I should ask this again, and finally opened my mouth.

“Ru, Rudrick… Bouser…?”

“···”

“Right?”

The man looking down at me answered immediately.

“Yes.”

“It’s real!”

I felt dizzy in front of the reality that I had no choice but to admit right now. I stumbled unconsciously in dizziness, and he reached for me.

Surprised by the big hand I saw for the first time, I avoided it at the moment, and it caused more irreversible results.

Rudrick, who was more surprised than I was, had reached out in the air and hardened.

Soon there was a breathtaking silence between us.

“…”

I felt like I wanted to cry.

‘I’m doomed.’

When I was young, I was so confident that I wrote things like, “We can get close again even if we meet after a long time.”

Of course, at that time, I didn’t know that it would take more than 10 years until we meet again, and I didn’t know how awkward the situation would be when we met after a long time.

Most of all, I didn’t know he would come back when he grew up this much. Who would have known?

I never thought that a kitten would become such a big beast.

Still, there were things I didn’t know and talked about in the past, so I tried my best to put them into words.

It might be different if we talk again.

“Uh, um… well, how have you been…? Oh, it’s been a while…”

But he didn’t seem to understand my desperation.

“Speak…”

“I didn’t recognize you. What?”

“Say it.”

So, if we translate it directly, it means ‘talk freely.’

How could you say that one word so coldly and cruelly? I thought secretly, admiring the way he spoke, which had changed to the exact opposite of his appearance.

“I can’t do this.”

Just! It’s not just an escape, it’s an operational retreat to give them time to adjust.

After self-justification, I began to spit out quickly, saying, “Let’s end the conversation quickly.”

“Uh. Ah, okay… uh! Ah… Anyway, nice to meet you… and you look healthy… I’m glad… And then, and again…”

“…”

“Ah! There was someone I had an important conversation with a while ago, so I guess I’ll have to leave, but if I see you again later, I’ll say hello…”

Having said that, I quickly looked around looking for someone to save me.

But from the moment Rudrick hugged me, there was a strange stillness, as if cold water had been poured around us.

My parents were away from me in the first place, so even if I made an exception, I trembled with betrayal when I saw Jeron, who was joking with me, was far away.

But more than that was a disappointment.

It was because Rudrick, who looked around at my words, asked me as if he was curious.

“With whom?”

“···”

Just let me go. When I was looking up at Rudrick with my eyebrows drooping as I saw on a portal site.

The savior appeared from an unexpected place.

“Your Majesty the Emperor!”

✿

“Our great Empire is protected by the first founding King.”

Hearing the tedious speech of the Emperor, Rudrick looked at Dahlia next to him.

Dahlia’s white profile, with her gaze fixed on the Emperor, seemed both unfamiliar and familiar, so Rudrick tickled his chest and felt as if his hand would slip out without him realizing it.

But he took her hand and held it tight.

A little while ago, he couldn’t bear to see what had just happened to him.

‘I’m afraid… I think I’m…’

He hates to admit it, but Dahlia has been unfamiliar with him ever since he suddenly hugged her.

But then he had no choice. In fact, before entering the Imperial Palace, Rudrick wasn’t that emotional.

It was just a nuisance.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to the capital, and aside from the fact that I have a lot of work to do, I have to participate in such an annoying ball in the meantime.

“I wouldn’t have come as usual.”

He has more sensitive senses than other people, and he doesn’t like crowded and noisy places.

So, no matter how much the Crown Prince asked me to come, I had ignored it until now.

Nevertheless, the reason why I came all the way here dressed up in a stuffy suit is that I heard the news that “The Duke of Averine will participate on the first day of the ball.”

However, even as he came this far, Rudrick was in conflict. I wonder if the news is something to endure this annoyance, but I didn’t understand it myself.

However, such complex minds disappeared as soon as they entered the hall.

All of a sudden, there was only one person in his eyes.

The reason he went to the negotiating place himself, and the person he wanted to meet while deliberately participating in an uncomfortable ball.

“Dahlia.”

I don’t remember after that. He was still in the place when he realized what was going on.

Rudrick, who only came to his senses belatedly, was surprised.

Aside from the unexpected behavior that he had never done, Dahlia in his arms was smaller and softer than he thought.

And I like the warmth that I feel in my arms, and I want to keep holding it…

Rudrick gave strength without realizing it. Then Dahlia was surprised and fell, and only then came to her senses and let go.

Even then, he had no regrets.

Although he knew it would be uncomfortable enough for her, he would do the same if it happened again.

Just to make sure that the person in front of him is not an illusion.

However, it was when Dahlia fled, startled by his touch.

After that, Dahlia seemed to have avoided it unconsciously, seeing that she was also surprised, but the fact made Rudrick’s heart sink.