Chapter 338: An unexpected Reunion Interlude



“I-I’m really s-sorry, Junior!!!”

Alice’s frantic voice rang through the room, a mixture of frustration, worry, and

overwhelming embarrassment.

Her face was practically glowing scarlet, the blush running all the way to the tips of her ears as she fidgeted restlessly on the edge of the bed.

Riley, still standing a few feet away, raised his hands in an attempt to calm her down.

“I told you, it’s fine, Senior-“

Unfortunately, that only seemed to make things worse.

Alice let out a tiny whimper, shaking her head furiously.

Her pink hair swayed messily, her teary golden eyes glistening with guilt as she continued bowing over and over in front of him.

“I-I-! I can’t believe I did that-! A-And in your room-! J-Junior-! I—I—”

The apologizing had been going on for several minutes now.

She showed no signs of stopping.

At this rate, she looked like she was ready to apologize until she died from sheer embarrassment.

Riley sighed, glancing at her form.

Alice was clutching a large pillow to her chest as if her life depended on it, burying half of her face into it.

Her entire body curled up defensively, making her seem much smaller than usual, her usual composed demeanor utterly shattered.

It was almost like watching a tortoise retreat into its shell.

Her heart was probably pounding out of her chest, considering how tight she was hugging that pillow.

Every time she peeked at Riley from behind it, her blush deepened, as if just acknowledging his presence was too much for her.

The sheer mortification she felt was obvious.

Because he had seen her.

Wet.

Exposed.

Fresh out of the bath.

Alice groaned, hiding her face deeper into the pillow as the memory hit her again.

Just thinking about it was enough to make her want to curl up and disappear forever. Riley, on the other hand, felt a little bad.

Sure, it wasn’t his fault this whole situation happened-but it wasn’t entirely hers either. “E-Even though this is J-Junior’s room, I-I ended up doing that to you…!” Alice choked out, her voice quivering. “O-Once again, I-I’m truly sorry!!!”

Her bow was so deep, Riley was actually worried she might hit her head on the floor at this rate.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Senior, I told you, it’s fine.”

He patted his chest lightly, offering a small smile.

“See? I’m not even hurt. And besides, it was my fault for startling you, so why don’t you calm down for now, okay?”

Alice hesitated, gripping the pillow even tighter.

“B-But….”

Her voice was barely above a whisper, her fingers trembling slightly as she held onto her last remaining shreds of dignity.

Even though Riley was saying it was fine-

That didn’t change the fact that she had blasted him straight off the balcony.

That didn’t change the fact that he had seen way too much of her.

And most importantly-

That didn’t change the fact that she had just screamed like a maiden in distress in front of the very person she wanted to appear composed and dignified in front of.

It was clearly her fault.

Alice knew that.

Even though what Riley said was technically true, and even though she had witnessed him doing something pretty absurd with her undergarments, in the end-

She was the one who had trespassed into his room.

His room, which had somehow become so familiar to her over time that she treated it like a second home.

And despite that-

She had blasted him straight out onto the balcony.

Alice internally screamed.

‘How shameful!’

‘You idiot, Alice!’

‘It’s been so long since you’ve seen him and yet-!

‘Yet, you showed him such an embarrassing side of yourself!!!’

She wanted to crawl into a hole and never return.

And as if that wasn’t bad enough-

Her favorite underwear.

He saw it.

He held it.

He even stretched it in the air and examined it like some kind of fashion critic-!!!

‘He must think I’m a lecherous woman….’

Her face, already scarlet, darkened even further.

She could still see the image of Riley standing there, holding up her delicate, lacy lingerie, muttering to himself about how ‘erotic’ it was-

Alice let out a strangled sound, grabbing the pillow and burying her entire face into it to

muffle her suffering.

‘AHHH!!! I WANT TO DIE!!!!

Her mind kept replaying it again and again and again like some kind of cruel joke.

Her fingers dug into the fabric of the pillow as she squirmed uncontrollably, her golden eyes

swirling with emotions too chaotic to name.

Meanwhile, Riley, watching her very obvious unease, sighed to himself.

She wasn’t calming down.

If anything, she was spiraling even further.

At this rate, there was no way Alice would even be able to look him in the eye.

‘… Yeah, I need to do something before she actually explodes from embarrassment,’ Riley

thought, rubbing his temple.

How was he supposed to properly fix this mess…?

“Senior, like I told you, I really don’t mind being blasted like that. I mean, I didn’t take any damage whatsoever,” Riley reassured her, casually waving off the issue. “And besides, it’s not like I didn’t take anything out of that situation, so let’s just call it even, yeah?”

Alice blinked, confused.

“What…?”

Riley sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I did end up touching your undergarments

without permission and all…” he admitted, his voice trailing off slightly. “So if you think

about it, your reaction was only fair.”

Alice’s ears twitched, and her posture snapped upright as she processed his words.

“T-That’s right!” she blurted out, as if desperately clinging to a lifeline.

Her golden eyes darted back and forth as she scrambled to regain her composure, her mind

moving at a million miles per second to justify what had happened.

“R-Right! Y-You’re absolutely right, Junior!” she continued, her voice rising in pitch. “I-I only reacted that way because you were being a lech- No, a lecherous pervert!”

Riley raised a brow, amused.

“Uh-huh.”

Alice nodded rapidly, as if convincing herself more than him.

“Y-Yes! I-If you hadn’t touched my-m-my p-panties like that…!”

Her face instantly combusted into a shade of red so intense it could rival molten lava.

“I-It wouldn’t have happened!” she finished, nearly tripping over her own words.

It wasn’t entirely a lie.

It was a valid excuse.

…Right?

…No, deep down, she knew it was a stretch- a massive stretch-but at this point, she was too

far gone to backtrack.

Her dignity depended on it.

Riley, watching her desperate attempt to rationalize the situation, couldn’t help but grin.

Seeing her slowly regain some semblance of confidence-even if it was flimsy at best-was

honestly pretty entertaining.

With a chuckle, he leaned back slightly.

“That’s right,” he said playfully. “This Junior of yours is a shameless pervert. That’s why it’s

only natural for him to get hit.”

Alice, still frazzled beyond belief, instinctively nodded before realizing the tone in his voice.

“Y-Yes, that’s-“

Her brain suddenly caught up.

She looked at him.

His smug smile.

That lighthearted chuckle.

The way his eyes glimmered with amusement.

Her face somehow turned even redder.

“W-Wait a second…!” she stammered. “You’re not taking this seriously, are you?! I-I’m being

serious, Junior-!”

“Hahaha,” Riley laughed, crossing his arms behind his head.

Alice puffed her cheeks in frustration, but her flustered demeanor made her protests feel

anything but threatening.

As much as she wanted to argue-

She could tell.

Riley wasn’t mad at her.

If anything, he was just enjoying her suffering.

And that-

That infuriated her even more, in a weirdly comfortable sense.

The mood in the room had shifted-the air felt lighter, the tension that once gripped Alice’s

heart slowly unwinding.

Her racing heartbeat steadied, though not entirely.

For the first time since their chaotic reunion, she allowed herself to really look at him.

Riley sat before her, his face now clearer, no longer obscured by panic or embarrassment.

And he was looking right back at her.

His expression was gentle, patient-as if none of what had just happened mattered to him in

the slightest.

As if he didn’t mind her outbursts, her flustered apologies, or even her embarrassing display moments ago.

Somewhere deep inside her, Alice felt a wave of relief.

She had expected him to tease her more-or worse, to be annoyed.

But he wasn’t.

He was simply here, facing her with that same unshaken warmth she hadn’t realized she had

missed so much.

Her chest tightened.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Had it always been like this between them?

Had she always felt this… drawn to him?

It was then, in that quiet moment of realization, that the words slipped out before she could

even think.

“I really missed you, Junior…”

The second the words left her lips, her mind froze.

Her eyes widened in pure horror, her hands shooting up to cover her mouth as though she

could physically shove the words back in.

Her face burned.

Her whole body tensed.

And worst of all-

He heard it.

Riley, watching her reaction, let out a quiet chuckle. Not a teasing one.

But something… softer.

So genuine.

And when Alice saw the way he smiled at her-so sincere, so utterly unaffected by her embarrassment—her heart betrayed her again, hammering wildly against her ribs.

Then-

“Yes,” he said, his voice smooth and warm. “I missed you as well, Senior.”

Alice’s breath caught.

Her mind blanked.

Her body froze as the weight of those words sank in.

“W-What…?” she barely managed to whisper, her voice shaky. Riley tilted his head slightly.

“What do you mean, ‘what’?” he asked, amused.

His gaze didn’t waver.

“I mean it exactly as what you’re thinking right now, Senior.”

Alice’s entire brain short-circuited. What was that supposed to mean?! “Y-You’re acting very strange right now junior…”

She was already struggling to get her thoughts straight, and now he was throwing words like

that at her so casually?!

‘Is this really junior?’

Before she could fully process his words, Riley moved.

Slowly.

Purposefully.

He got up from where he sat and approached her, his every step making her heart beat in

rapid-fire succession.

The closer he got, the harder it became to breathe.

‘H-He’s too close…!’

Her instincts screamed at her to retreat, to hide, to bury herself under the pillow like before-

But before she could react, his hand gently landed on her head.

Alice froze completely.

His fingers were light, barely there, but firm enough to send a jolt down her spine.

Then, with that same calm, unbothered expression, Riley began fixing her hair.

She felt it.

The way his fingers brushed against her scalp.

The way he carefully pushed aside the slightly damp strands of her hair, fixing what had come

loose from her earlier flustered thrashing.

He didn’t say anything at first. And neither did she.

Because she couldn’t.

Her entire mind was in absolute chaos.

Then, after a moment, he finally spoke.

“I know it’s a bit weird to say this now…” he started, his voice gentle, “but I’m back, Senior Alice.”

Alice swallowed.

Riley continued, his hand lingering for just a second longer before pulling away. “I’m glad you’re doing well,” he said. “I was actually a bit worried about you. You looked like

you had a few problems when I left… and there was also the issue of what I said to you that day

but that can be talked about later, right now I’m just really, really glad you’re safe and sound senior….”

Alice’s breath was still uneven. Her body still felt warm.

She barely heard his last sentence.

Because her mind was still stuck on everything that had just happened.

The way he touched her so casually.

The way he smiled at her like that.

The way he said, ‘I missed you as well.’

Her face burned anew.

At this point, she wasn’t sure if she was dying from embarrassment or something far, far

worse.

Alice looked up her heart still unsteady, her mind still reeling from everything that had just

happened.

And then, she saw him.

Riley was still smiling at her.

That same gentle expression.

That same subtle warmth.

But this time, there was something more.

A quiet enthusiasm in his eyes.

A kind of genuine care that was always present in the way he treated her-but now, with

something deeper, something that sent a soft tremor through her chest.

It was undeniable.

She had always possessed the ability to see beyond the surface.

To see through the essence of a person, their emotions and truths manifesting in colors only

she could perceive.

That ability had once felt like a burden-seeing the unspoken intentions of others, the hidden

threads of deceit, the fleeting shades of false kindness.

But as she gazed at Riley now-

Her gift blossomed anew.

And what she saw stunned her.

A deep, resonant pink.

A color she had always associated with him-a steady, thumping warmth that had remained

within him for as long as she had known him.

But now-

Now, that pink was shifting.

Darkening, deepening, turning into new shades she had never seen before.

It wasn’t just warmth.

It wasn’t just fondness.

It was something stronger.

Something undeniable.

It was the color her mother once told her about.

The color of trust.

A color that indicated a person she could rely on-one who would never betray her.

A color that signified the one she was destined to be with.

And yet-

It wasn’t just his colors that had changed.

Alice’s breath caught in her throat as she felt her own colors shift-as if responding to him, as

if something within her had recognized what was happening.

The soft pink hues that had always dwelled within her those quiet, unspoken feelings she

had always been hesitant to name- They stretched outward. Reaching for him.

Intertwining.

Melding with his in a way that felt so right, so natural, so inevitable.

And suddenly-

She understood.

What she had been feeling all this time.

What had been growing between them, without her even realizing it.

The color of deep affection.

The color of Love.

Not just within Riley-

But within herself as well.

A wave of warmth flooded her chest, and she clenched her fingers against the fabric of her

sleeves, trying to steady herself.

Alice always half denied her feelings due to suspicion but now…

For the first time-

Alice truly understood how much she loved him.

-Thump!

-Thump!

-Thump!

Alice’s heartbeat pounded violently against her chest, so loud she swore Riley could hear it.

She clenched her chest, trying to steady herself, but the warmth that had bloomed inside her

was overwhelming too much, too fast, too real.

Her emotions swelled, rising like a tide that she couldn’t control.

Was this

happiness?

Or was it something more?

Her fingers trembled slightly as she exhaled, struggling to regain control over her racing

heart.

“S-Senior… are you okay?”

Riley’s voice pulled her back to reality.

She blinked up at him, his blue eyes filled with genuine concern.

His brows furrowed slightly, and the way he tilted his head-a soft, almost instinctive

gesture-made it painfully clear that he only half-believed her.

She must have looked like she was in pain.

Alice hesitated, then forced a small, shaky smile.

“Y-Yes… I’m fine…”

She swallowed, gripping the fabric of her sleeve.

“I’m just… really happy right now.”

Riley’s concern didn’t fade entirely, but he nodded, though the look in his eyes remained

uncertain.

And then, before she could think twice about it-

She stepped forward.

Closing the space between them in an instant, she wrapped her arms around him, tightly.

“I’m glad you’re back, Junior…” she whispered, her voice gentle, raw, and filled with emotion.

For a moment, Riley stiffened-just slightly-caught off guard by the sudden embrace.

But it only took a second before his expression softened.

His arms lifted—slowly, hesitantly at first-and then, with a quiet exhale, he hugged her

back.

A deep warmth spread between them, neither of them speaking, neither of them pulling

away.

They stood there, locked in each other’s arms, as if the moment itself had stretched into

eternity.

The world outside seemed distant, unimportant-like a blurry, forgotten dream.

Right now, there was only this. Only each other.

Neither of them knew why-

Why this warmth felt so familiar. Why this embrace felt so undeniably right.

Why they didn’t want to let go.

And so, they didn’t.

For minutes, they simply stayed like that-sharing each other’s warmth, their emotions,

their quiet understanding.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither of them needed to.

Because, in this moment-

Words were unnecessary.

They had already said everything they needed to say.

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