Marilyn Likes Lariensa Too Much! - Chapter 28

Emily opened a bag of candy and ate all the food that even today’s main character couldn’t eat.

“Don’t worry too much. They’ve don’t fight like that all the time.”

“It’s not like that…”

“My brother said he could even see it well from the rooftop of the main building.”

Lariensa then said something in a worried tone as she looked at Emily, who was opening a chocolate bar.

“If they split up like that, how do we know where’s the best spot then?”

Emily was about to put the chocolate in her mouth when she realized that what Lariensa said was actually true.

“……”

“……”

After a while, Emily opened her mouth.

“Oh no! What are we going to do with those fools?!”

I can’t believe Emily said those words. If Marilyn and the others were here, they would have smacked her on the head, but Lariensa couldn’t even refute her words as she lowkey agreed to it.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

Natalie and Violet… just wait and see. You fools don’t even recognize where’s the best of all the places!

I ran nonstop and climbed the tallest building in the academy, the clock tower. I was really out of breath, so I kept hearing myself gasping for air, but I couldn’t stop. I went up a couple more steps. Then I lay on the floor as I was falling.

“Huff… huff… you guys are the losers… Natalie, Violet…”

After taking a long breath and making a smile as if I were already the winner, I suddenly realized something wrong.

‘But how do we know who won the bet? How do we know where’s the best spot?’

…Did I go up the stairs for nothing? Is that it?

“I’m doomed…”

It’s at this moment that my friends can say I’m an idiot.

“I have to go back to them now…”

What’s the point of watching fireworks here alone? By this time, Natalie and Violet would have already gone back after realizing this loophole in our bet. I tried to move my legs, which were still shaking, down the stairs again.

Pew! Boom! Boom!

I would have continued to go down if I hadn’t heard those sounds coming from behind.

“It’s already starting…”

Natalie and Violet are already there with Lariensa and Emily, and it’s unnecessary for them to go all the way here…

I sat down quietly on the railing of the clock tower.

My life here was always so eventful that I felt that I needed time to be alone these days.

“It’s so pretty…”

My friends are probably watching this pretty thing by now, right?

On Marilyn’s birthday, the real Marilyn, I know that my friends would also take care of me and congratulate me like what we did to Lariensa.

However, it was a little sad that no one really knew my birthday.

Maybe only I will ever know my true birthday as it passes by.

Sigh, let’s just watch the fireworks.

I moved my body a little further forward, which was sitting on the railing.

“Oh…?”

I just moved a little bit, but my body is now gradually falling forward.

“EHHH?!”

How could I be such a dunce!

I should have just kept a safe distance from the railing!

I’m sorry, Lara! Of all the days I could’ve died, it was on your birthday!

I closed my eyes, imagining my upcoming death, falling down from a distant height.

However, I felt a firm force wrapped around my waist, and soon I was lifted up.

My body is now sitting again safely on the railing.

“T-thank you for saving me…”

I tried to turn around to thank the person who saved me, but I couldn’t because that person didn’t let go of his hands.

Then, that person placed his face on my shoulder.

“E-excuse me? Who are you? Why are you doing this?”

Hardly turning my head to the side, I found a silver-blue hair stained with the colorful fireworks and paused.

“Sibel?”

I was too complacent. I thought that it would be different this time because everything now doesn’t follow the original plotline.

Don’t tell me, even though Lariensa is not with him, he’s going to watch the fireworks here alone!

“U-uh, why don’t you let go of me first?”

“…This, hah… is this also considered molestation?”

…Why are you panting like that? Aren’t you breathing too heavily?

You pretended you weren’t interested, but now you wanted to touch me all over, right?

I shouldn’t have given you a little faith in your humanity!

If Sibel’s obsession is now that severe, I’m never going to see the daylight even if I’m alive.

I was about to jump down from here and free myself but then…

“…Are you hurt?”

I realized that Sibel’s breathing was not that of an animal huffing for food or a beast grappling for its prey.

Turning to the side, I could see a Sibel sweating a lot.

“Are you… sick?”

I’m really skeptical about him acting this way, but at the same time, I’m also surprised.

Although the original work was written from an omniscient point of view, it was mainly from Lariensa’s perspective. And in her eyes, Sibel was an absolute being, without a single weakness.

We’re not yet even on the second half of the original story, but surely, as I remember, he would become stronger later on… that’s why he’ll be able to take care of all the other crazy men from Lariensa.

But now, “that” Sibel is sick?

“I know this is a bad thing to ask, but you’re not pretending to be sick to get my attention, are you?”

Sibel’s shoulders were moving up and down as if he was giggling. My words seemed to be funny for him even as he’s sweating profusely now.

It doesn’t seem like he’s faking it though.

“Move. I’ll take care of you for now.”

“…I’m alright.”

“The weather’s not that cold. Is it flu?”

Although I said that, I speculated that his sickness might be related to his ability.

“I’ll get better in a little while.”

“Really?”

“…Yes.”

“Then can you stay away from me?”

I know I’m not supposed to say this to a sick person, but your ability is a little scary for me either.

“No.”

But Sibel shook his head in protest.

Why? WHY?!

This time, I tried to detach his arms from hugging me.

Thank you for saving me, and I feel bad that I’m doing this to you when you’re sick, but your ability is…

However, Sibel’s subsequent words kept me silent.

“If not for this sickness, I won’t be able to hug you like this.”

…Why are you painting me as the bad guy in this situation, huh?

“Hah…”

However, after hearing him pant heavily, I decided to leave him as is.

You’re not gonna use your powers on me, right?

In the original story, it was when his relationship with Lara was at its worst that he directly used his abilities on her. Although there’s nothing good about our relationship right now, there’s also nothing bad about it!

Sibel embraced me even more, knowing that I had allowed him to do so.

Now, I was trapped in Sibel’s arms as I watched the fireworks.

How many minutes have passed? I could feel Sibel’s breathing gradually becoming stable.

“…Sibel.”

“…Ughh.”

“I think you’re alright now though?”

“Is it obvious?”

If you’re already better, you should have said so! Why do you keep hugging me?

“Seems that I can’t deceive your eyes.”

As he had said, he looked much better after a while. I then leaned against the wall on the wide railing, sat with my knees together while staring at him.

Every time a firework lit up the sky, his silver-blue hair and white face were tinged in red, yellow, and blue, alternatively.

No matter what color it was, he was still handsome.

“Are you going now?”

Sibel, who looked better now, suddenly brought it up while looking at me.

“Huh?”

“I said are you going now?”

“I don’t know yet. Why?

“You said you don’t like being with me.”

I know, right? Normally in the past, whether he’s sick or not, I would just ignore him.

However, since he had helped me once, I can’t help but do the same.

But I think I should get going now…

“You said you wouldn’t even open your mouth if I forced you to stay by my side.”

“…I did, didn’t I?”

Why are you talking about that all of a sudden?

“But if I don’t hold you, you won’t stay here with me.”

“……”

“What should I do then?”

You’re not threatening me, are you?

Now that his attention has been transferred to me, I don’t want to be like Lariensa in the original story.

I don’t think Sibel is as mean as in the novel now, but I still don’t know when that would change.

“I’m not leaving though? I plan to stay longer here and watch the fireworks.”

“Even if I’m around?”

“Uh… yes.”

Fortunately, I think he liked my response.

See, look at him smile that much.

Sibel sat on the railing with his back against the wall, just like what I was doing.

“They say it takes a proper whip and carrot to tame horses. Other animals would also be normally tamed that way.”

Your point is?

“For a guy like me, I think carrots are more effective than being whipped.”

So the bottom line is you’re threatening me to be nice to you.

“What you think is not up to me.”

Do you really need to be intimidating when you’re just asking for attention?

Take a look at Lara.

If ever she wants attention or she’s upset, she would just say it out loud! And that by itself is pretty and cute.

“If you give me a carrot, I might just ask for it nicely.”

“People aren’t animals, what carrots and whips? Don’t you usually just ask for it?”

“I don’t know how people usually do that.”

“What kind of life have you been living?”

“Are you curious?”

…No, it’s unnecessary for me to get closer to him by knowing his past here.

I turned my head away.

“Not at all!”

“That’s a pity. I’m curious about you though.”

Poof!

Sibel’s face was tinged with a hint of yellow.

Poof!

This time, in blue.

“Then ask.”

The fireworks were so pretty, and Sibel looked so handsome, but today, he’s just like any other ordinary person you’d see on a daily basis. He no longer seems to be that character that he was while I was reading the novel. Although he still had an awful personality as I see it, at least he seemed to be a person whom I can relate to when it comes to emotions.

“If I ask, will you answer me? Whatever it is?”

“Just don’t ask strange questions.”

“I don’t know what’s strange for you though?”

“Then why don’t we just forget about this?”

“…Don’t be in a hurry.”

I said I would answer whatever he asks, but he still ponders on it.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“After that much thinking, that’s all you’re going to ask me?”

“The first question is important.”

“…Yellow or maybe white.”

That’s why I envied Lara. She has brilliant blonde hair, that’s why the color white really suited her.

“Then, do you have any plans to change your favorite color from now on?”

“To what?”

“Silver blue? or maybe turquoise?”

Quite a shameless fellow, aren’t you? Isn’t that the color of your hair and eyes?!

“Pass. Next question.”

“What kind of animals do you like?”

“I like small animals. I like rabbits, puppies, and I also like cats.”

“And which animals do you hate?”

“Rats and snakes. They’re disgusting.”

Sibel’s questions were surprisingly trivial.

Before I knew it, I began to gradually answer his questions without feeling any discomfort towards him.

“Then one last question.”

Sibel asked me the last question while I stared blankly at the fireworks.

“When is your birthday?”

I was a bit flustered.

Just like when my friends asked me this question, I couldn’t give an answer easily this time also.

Whose birthday shall I say? The real Marilyn Launer’s? Or mine?

“I think you already know about it.”

“I want to hear you say it directly from your mouth.”

“I…”

Certainly, Sibel knows when Marilyn’s birthday is. One visit to the faculty room, and he could get a hold of every student’s personal information because he has enough ability to sneak in.

I bet he already looked at my personal information right after he became interested in me.

So it would be better to just tell him Marilyn Launer’s birthday.

I was about to say it when he stopped me from doing so.

“No lies.”

“……”

What would happen if I lie to him?

And even if I tell him my real birthday, he would think it’s a lie right away.

“You said you would answer whatever I asked.”

At Sibel’s urging, I, who was in a very short mess, became flustered and uttered my real birthday when I was still Song Yi-seul.

“…It’s tomorrow.”

I’m sure he’ll ask. Why did I lie? Surely, what I said and the date written in my personal information sheet were completely different.

But Sibel said nothing.

And soon, the bell rang.

It was now exactly 12 o’clock.

Finally, a big white-colored firework lit up the sky as the finale.

Poof!

“Happy birthday.”

Then it went out.

After the fireworks show, the calm moonlight shone on us as we sat on the clock tower. The world became silent as if the fireworks didn’t lit up the sky before.

Sibel smiled at me.

“Happy birthday, Marilyn.”

Although I sincerely congratulated Lara on her birthday, it was actually also something I wanted to hear for myself.

The words, “happy birthday.”

I lowered my head.

I’ve always thought Sibel was just some handsome-looking guy, but now…

I felt something strange within me…

“I think… I really have to go now.”

Sibel is the first person in this world to greet me on my actual birthday.

That’s why I don’t know how to face him all of a sudden.

Besides, since when did we get so close?

“I’ll take you home.”

“No, I’ll just be tired if ever those Sisamo girls would see us.”

I escaped from Sibel as if I were running away from a crime scene.

I couldn’t bring myself to look back to the clock tower. I might get a glimpse of his stupid face again.

＊ ＊ ＊

 

“Marin? Marin!”

Instead of getting ready, I was still daydreaming about what happened last night. Only when Lariensa had repeatedly called my name, that I returned to reality.

“Uh… oh! Lara, what’s wrong?”

“You’ve been spacing out since earlier.”

“Maybe I’m just a little tired because I climbed up the clock tower yesterday.”

“If you’re tired, just lie down and rest.”

“No, it’s my first festival, so I would like to make the most out of it.”

So I got up from my seat.

Knock knock–

However, someone knocked on the door.

“Who is this?”

As soon as I asked, I saw the dorm manager standing outside when I opened the door.

“Are you Marilyn Launer?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“It’d be better if you come outside.”

The dorm manager spoke with a serious face, so I thought I did something wrong without my knowledge. It wasn’t until I went down the stairs that I realized what she meant by it.

On the first floor, there were so many boxes that even the porters couldn’t count.

“What the hell… are these?”

The dorm manager shrugged her shoulders.

“That’s what I want to ask.”

The sender was unknown. When I unpacked some of the boxes, there were dolls of many sizes, flowers, and various other gifts.

“Here’s a card too.”

One of the people who was moving those boxes gave me the card sent by the sender.

 

[Birthday gifts.]

 

Clearly, it was Sibel.

These are birthday presents that he prepared for me.

There were too many gifts for them to fit in our room. Also, some of them are too big.

But it was also the first time I received gifts as ‘Song Yi-seul’ since I came to this world.

“Marin, who sent all these gifts?”

Lara asked. Soon after, Emily, Natalie, and Violet also went down. Everyone looked surprised by the scene that they were seeing.

“Marilyn, are you dating someone behind our backs? Do you have a boyfriend you’re hiding from us?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then who sent all these gifts?”

“I don’t know. Maybe an animal?”

According to him, he likes carrots more than being whipped…

A handsome blue animal.