“Haa… Haa…”
After running for a long time, Lize finally came to a halt and let go of Anne’s hand. She leaned on the wall and panted for air. She was too focused on peeping that she didn’t realize Anne was sneaking up on her. Lize could feel her heart pounding so hard that it almost jumped out of her throat. Her mind was in complete chaos. Lize had already known about Canary and Rhode’s close relationship for a long time, so she didn’t have the rights to grumble. If she weren’t discovered, perhaps she might simply find a lonely spot to cry it out. Although she didn’t know why she felt heartbroken, she knew she could face Rhode and Canary normally the next day after letting out her frustrations. But the situation was different now. Rhode and Canary had seen her and they surely knew that she had been peeping, so what would they think about her? Would they hate her? Or think that she went overboard? Lize was unsure and she hoped to maintain a friendly relationship with them. But she had destroyed it…
What should I do?
“What’s wrong, Lize? Why did you drag Anne here?” Anne gazed curiously and turned to the direction where they came from. “What were Leader and Sister Canary doing just now? They seem to be having fun. Anne also wants to try!”
Anne turned around and decided to head back while Lize lunged forward to grab her hand. “Wait wait wait wait! Anne, don’t go! Don’t go!”
“Eh?” Anne came to a halt and stared at Lize with her emerald-green eyes curiously. “Why? Anne feels that Leader and Sister Canary are having a lot of fun. Anne also wants to have fun too.”
“This… This isn’t for you to have fun!” Lize flushed.
She felt that she couldn’t handle the situation at all. The current problem hadn’t been resolved and she had to educate Anne’s mindset. This innocent little rascal had always been unaffected and she didn’t have any common sense regarding such matters. Rhode and Canary might be in an awkward situation after their intimate secret was discovered and it would surely make matters worse if Anne rushed right back now. Lize could only try and explain to Anne helplessly at this point in time. “That isn’t a game, Anne. It is something that you should do with a man that you like!”
“As long as you do it with a man that you like?” Anne spun her eyes around. “So… as long as Anne finds a man that Anne likes, Anne can play such interesting games?”
“No, no, it’s not like that!” Lize shook her head in panic.
She knew that Anne’s definition of ‘like’ was different from most people—wrong. From everyone would be most appropriate. If Lize didn’t explain it properly, who knew what Anne might do next. Perhaps this young lady might find some mercenaries to play that ‘interesting game’. Lize didn’t wish to see her innocent, close companion being taken advantage of due to the lack of knowledge. Therefore, she pulled over Anne’s shoulder and corrected her mindset.
“Listen carefully, Anne. Only a pair of man and woman who likes each other can do such a thing. Besides, it must only be with the person who they like the most! In other words, you can only do it with the man that you like the most, understand?”
“Only with the man that Anne likes the most and not anyone else?” Anne gazed at Lize with dubious, round eyes.
Lize let out a long sigh because it was as she had expected. Anne’s understanding of such matters was truly peculiar. If she didn’t explain herself clearly, no one knew what Anne would be up to. Lize nodded with might. “That’s right, only with a man that you like the most and not anyone else. Understand?”
“Hmm…” Anne puckered her brows and pondered for a while. Then, she nodded. “Anne understands. Anne likes Leader the most, so there’s no problem! Thanks, Lize!”
Anne tried to turn away and Lize quickly pulled her hand back. “Wait wait wait wait wait! You can’t go now, Anne! It isn’t a game! You can’t just do it in front of anyone! You didn’t see anyone doing it in the wild, right?”
“Hmm…” Anne knitted her brows and tried to recall for a moment. She nodded with some hesitations. “… Anne hasn’t seen anyone playing such an amusing game…”
“Phew…” Lize heaved a sigh of relief.
She felt exhausted from her head to toes as though she had just experienced an intense battle. She wished that she could find a peaceful place for a rest. However, she didn’t feel at ease because she wasn’t sure if Anne would come up with some strange thoughts. As Anne’s close friend, it was only natural that Lize worried about her. But at the same time, Lize vaguely had some other thoughts deep down in her heart. She didn’t want Anne to do ‘it’ with Rhode… This left Lize concerned and a little moody. “Besides, Anne, both parties must like each other before you can do such things. Understand?”
“What does that mean, Lize?”
“To put it simply, you like him and he must like you too. If not, you can’t do it. I know you like Mr. Rhode and Mr. Rhode likes you too, but this is different. Such a ‘liking’ is different from that kind of ‘liking’. Understand?”
“Anne doesn’t get it at all,” Anne shook her head firmly.
Lize let out a helpless sigh. “In other words, it shouldn’t just be a normal ‘like’. It must be a ‘like’ that feels different from the usual. Anne, it is something that you can do when you feel that your fondness for Mr. Rhode and your fondness for others is different. Do you understand? It wouldn’t work if your fondness for Mr. Rhode is the same as the fondness you have for others.”
“Hmm…” Anne frowned and thought for a long time before forcing a nod. “Anne understands now. As long as Anne’s feelings for Leader is different from others, right? Anne can’t show it to others and Anne must make Leader like Anne… Yes, Anne understands now. Don’t worry, Lize. Anne likes Leader, so there are no problems. Besides, Leader also likes Anne. By the way, Lize, what about you? Anne sees that Leader likes you a lot. Do you like Leader?”
“…” A reddish blush smeared across Lize’s face.
She stood blankly on the spot and loosened Anne’s hand subconsciously. Anne’s last sentence had struck her inner heart entirely. This was when Lize finally discovered her true feelings.
I like Mr. Rhode, and this is completely different from normal affection.
Lize felt her heart pumping fiercely. When did it begin? Was it from the day he protected me on the Floating Boat? When he escorted me out of the forest? Or was it the day he decided to rebuild the mercenary group with me from scratch? Perhaps, it was during this period? Is this my true feelings for him? Am I jealous of Canary? Which is why I became heartbroken and furious…
“Eh?” Anne tilted her head suddenly as though something came up in her mind. “But Lize, didn’t you say that such things shouldn’t be seen by others? So, why did you look at them?”
“It is because we shouldn’t see and that is why I peeped!” Lize exploded in anger and screamed at the top of her lungs.
Anne jumped in shock and her emerald-green eyes scanned Lize from top to bottom in bewilderment. Both of them exchanged looks and Lize let out a long, painful groan like an injured wild animal. She hugged her head and squatted to her feet slowly, curling up like a caterpillar.
“Lize?” Anne approached her carefully and looked with worried eyes. “Are you okay? Is your head or stomach aching?”
But now, Lize no longer had the mood to answer Anne’s concerns.
