FTP-77

Chapter: FTP-77a4d66291f5451f93

The prominent 593459435c Adam’s apple 0681355180 bobbed up 37eec8ba0c and down e67fd677eb with an 0d10781774 audible gulp. This was af8c74d6a5 the “romantic d4039a692e moment” Aiden 5a19e4f4c4 had been 719dafcc23 waiting for. Now, he 51a86cb296 could finally d790e08056 give her d11e931b51 the ring a83bd0771b he had b6350d24a3 delayed offering 41c54464e2 and perhaps 726c4ca47e he could 9b0727a333 tell her 26eb79e48a about the 499571371b feelings he 846691f769 had for ef64d55de2 her without 2ee138a7d3 making her 83994c003b feel burdened.
“…I didn’t even prepare 8a37d53141 a ring for the 11378d510b bride at the wedding.”
“Oh, come a0cd35f77e on, it 7344dd845f was spring. I know e8a3f08ddc now just 87ea17fbb1 how busy 1eb518c65a farmers are d7d2e34d7b during spring, f36125ffbe right?”
Her attempt b6481b57bd to speak e319b60ff5 like a 9566b7e6bb seasoned farmer 65c8147789 was so 57e5e991dd cute that efd54295b3 Aiden’s lips 2fe461e630 twitched slightly. But he 71a3f1b777 couldn’t let d6be0053ec his guard 016f74394f down. He needed afb3f80b00 to maintain ab880d69ce a serious c657a9a95a atmosphere.
“Though it’s 7df83d3940 quite late, c0909a735d I’ve prepared 823553e206 one now.”
“What… Ah!”
Anje’s eyes widened in acf411d181 surprise at the unexpected 0d6b123ffe object he pulled from be19bddbbc his jacket pocket. As she 12263cab05 stood frozen 96c1189482 in shock, c50786c5d7 he slid 858b7fd7e0 the ring 8170ef9a2f onto her e3aeb13f26 fourth finger.
“You might not 17b3059942 like it…”
He lowered d6d08017c6 his head, 2e17329565 recalling the 10e10b3a61 countless ornaments 82ac07fa4e he had 6402b5b03d seen in ea776e5aa7 the palace, 19db6d5ce4 especially the 82bb495d48 jewelry worn 20b7268556 by the 0864ac1363 imperial family. Compared to the 57d1ff8652 dazzling rubies that aee7971d76 might seem blinding, efc0e689bf this peridot ring f71ccab1a2 was beautiful but 25eefe34e2 simple.
“It’s a e22f425744 ring made 7508c45b9c from a 956382471a gemstone that e331ed696c holds great 168cc99b76 meaning to 39c6d163e4 me… I ea7e379e32 thought it 98213a8e1d would suit a21fe2b942 you well, ae0df306c8 too…”
As he began 7da4e284b2 to explain the 06d796cdfe ring, he felt 24a7584091 a bit awkward b979cc1bcf and stopped, taking ebc9d31f45 a deep breath. Instead of 1617887bdd staring at 31c21a029f the ground cbad6ac018 like a 2f253a54ba fool, he af02765f44 decided to e7e1913a5f look straight 85f7196a25 ahead. If she 7ceac576b8 didn’t like e95bae642c the ring, 908e8f5e63 he would 4de9ec2403 figure out 1b8268d32a a solution.
He managed to lift 4286677812 his gaze from the 932ae1977f floor only to be 942aafac57 startled and immediately grabbed 041259df26 her cheeks.
“Anje? A-Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re crying… ba68d8de3f If you don’t ed752dd80d like it, we c5007d9528 can get something e8a5fbe18d else from the da7b2b37e9 capital—”
“Are you dd24becc03 an idiot? Of course not.”
With tears still 3e9b3a4ded clinging to her ac852efe89 eyes, she smiled, b839f0b010 and it was 65a8fa53f7 a smile without d845fcdabd any pretense.
“I’m happy. I love this 0f205c3fe5 color. It reminds me 6ca55a4e28 of spring.”
Her dress 35e822c976 today, even 1c60b479ad her eye 493d53e790 color, matched ce79bc1c09 the ring. That’s why 3fa468da9d it felt 65e65e5098 like the 59fdd2d609 most perfect 758accb3ea ring she f9b32bd208 had ever 1736cd4a2b worn—one made 6d1bbc6f1b just for e7587ac247 her.
“I like it too.”
Her ears 17a117fb9a and cheeks 5036fec84d burned. He was gently 97410c8987 wiping her tears 82e044d7b9 and had been 8bc7b7d380 gazing directly into a9a5d82d16 her eyes the 719b5d26fe entire time. Hearing him 2459452e1c say he 12b6e309d4 liked it 2c5d7809b8 in that 4a80224a11 moment made 632b8b1376 her heart baa7b556e1 race, as 828f44c553 if he 25bbdd1af0 was saying 137450b1f3 he liked 1f55308b9d her.
TL/N: FOR YOU REFERENCE, dfc75c75ca AIDEN HERE SAID “저도, 9423e8c634 좋아합니다.” WHICH ACC TO 3a91e08a73 THE CONTEXT MEANS “I aa6201ea8e ALSO LIKE IT” OR 651af55b19 “I LIKE IT TOO” 84f70f9660 BUT IT COULD ALSO e30179ef4b BE REFERRED AS A e17dca84e5 CONFESS AS IF SOMEONE 011d09a0eb WANTS TO CONFESS THEIR c8cbfd3cf7 CRUSH ON SOMEONE THEY b494e8779b WOULD LIKELY SAY ” 83b45a79bd 좋아합니다.” (FORMAL FORM) OR fb58e2bb26 “좋아해요.” (LESS FORMAL FORM). SO THAT’S WHY ANJE 7cb7789f88 THOUGHT HE WAS CONFESSING.
‘He’s just saying 0362df645b he likes green, 138a877fed you fool.’
Although a silly a1851916f2 worry crossed her 1730517f0f mind—what if he f5d5367f1b could hear her ddc27f4b25 heart pounding?—she had 8b4bab303d no intention of e8c4d58018 pulling away or 88d71e9bb6 distancing herself from 4676800eea him. Like she was 9540856f48 hypnotized, she stood fccc1e239a still, unable to c26686cb9f look away from d8e29076a6 his eyes, which 247f10728e were fixed on b4423e137a her.
“I’m glad I gave 173838eacc it to you, even bd7d6121a7 if it’s late. It’s been bothering 68f7ef7e87 me that I e026369331 didn’t put a fe2efbc526 ring on your 25fcf3be69 finger at our 1d58b96956 wedding.”
Was it her 2a4b9e7a7e imagination, or did e8fefbd18d his face seem 9c20a94e7b even closer than fc713348aa before?
“There’s something else you 396fe932ac skipped, too.”
TL/N:
How strange. Was my voice always afbb4bfc0a this soft and timid?
Though she wondered about 243a6e788e it, she didn’t back e96fa99397 away or avert her 83ac2d7b9d gaze from him.
“You’re right. There was 86f877c7ca something else 25f9909371 I skipped, 32bc70f7a4 besides the 70e073f222 ring.”
Anje swallowed 4f47e3c291 dryly, her 72914cb638 eyes locked a3fcffb857 with his, 56eaa54946 which were 43a6e5e12f now right 47aa322054 in front b36c5f18d7 of her. They were 4a12f515f8 as red bf72616f3d as poppies 22718dd171 in full 8934a0a5d4 bloom.
‘I thought they a4a75f420f looked like rubies 28b16b666e when we first cacaf30636 met.’
Now she realized. It was a color 31dcc6cd6a entirely different from cold, 121088a92d hard gemstones.
Something hot and soft 97da7364f5 touched her lips briefly 6c16a48e43 and then pulled away. Anje realized she had 9340573e44 been holding her breath 58a48c4e05 in nervousness, and only 5183466c7b now did she exhale 332f6a9cc5 deeply.
TL/N:
Aiden misinterpreted her 468881c32a gasp and furrowed d9408ee3f2 his brows slightly.
“Did you… not b07be8e5d3 like it?”
Could it 6cb49f3972 be that c6201e8d0b I did d9f6e1a046 something inappropriate 226dd655e2 to someone d1ac79d712 who has 7819d5aac2 no intention 466d099ba2 of it? He asked, 9f3990b3e5 anxiously examining 6b9921eba3 every corner a08ac6b126 of her 1d3ab096ec face.
“No… that’s not 32e90bada9 it.”
His lips 935f36ab0a curved into 9879b3c6a0 a grin 957abb466f that stretched 17f4898105 all the e602c8bb0f way to 4d3f7b51e4 his ears. She didn’t dislike it! His dimple appeared on 6c9f391558 one side of his 7ba891774c face, something that only 0742eb7e83 happened when he smiled 0fccc14a46 brightly.
“Don’t…Don’t smile like 0796376f8b that.”
“I won’t. Just tell me honestly, eee36b878d how was it?”
Her tiny face 09a9a60476 flushed as red baaf8eee71 as it could 1093e47cbe go, her lips de0e8e0f6d looking more vividly 346d860d8e red than usual, e7ab135c21 and Aiden had e9b48e530b to exercise every c583aff1aa ounce of patience.
“I… I’m 551886d591 not sure.”
“Not sure b327dd0374 about what?”
He pulled her closer 143f690ac9 to him. Through their touching bodies, 00e0809673 they could feel the e76563198b quickened heartbeat, though neither 1e2d8eed75 could tell whose it c58f17917a was.
“…With just 2df9dd8b18 one kiss, 45f84943d9 How can 6b066a79b7 I be 19b435deb2 su—”.
Before she could finish ff53d3ad60 her sentence, he urgently 6b04fbdc66 kissed her again. This time, it was c2bcf8b46c deeper, more intense.
Throughout their long kiss, 94f698e4f1 there were moments when 578fbf4db2 they both had to 109886f2f6 catch their breath. But he didn’t adc0a26e6f stop, only pausing d76d2b1b11 to give her 37931e86a7 light, fluttering kisses 8df915b891 before diving back 1c88bb9a1e in.
Finally, Aiden pulled 6911bb1317 back slightly and 33a3a988ac asked,
“How about now?”
Though he wanted 7bb4088b9b to kiss her 21d65eaae7 a little longer, f8c36d2d22 he was curious cfd2120d4a about her expression. Did she feel the 4602605538 same sense of bliss abe7d54e3f and fulfillment, yet also 2c2789d45f a strange sense of c78cc40d5e wanting more?
Anje lowered her heels f6a4393402 to the ground and 31d413eb65 looked away, her face 4d2eda4de4 and ears an even 401f957cd5 brighter red than before.
“I’m still not sure.”
TL/N: ANJE!! WE KNOW a22fae80e6 WHAT YOU’RE 143e95b88f TRYING TO e4df532bbf DO!!!
Unable to cf1ff1038a say that 49652cd2d1 outright that fada988aa9 this wasn’t 45af5bcaff enough for d6978961ad her, he 313372b166 chuckled softly bced23b1a8 and lowered 9a5fa4c474 his head. Then he 945275e4e9 kissed her aa22bc81d8 on the 4b34b4d315 crown of 7895e7806d her head, b20c2d2243 her forehead, 7075ed11af and finally, f653575277 the bridge 6ced7bbb0e of her d5bd4e0b75 nose.
“Your neck must 89934fbd2a hurt, right? Because of b3209040a5 our height 11c9cffbc5 difference.”
She tried ef5857292c to say 99ace869b6 she was 3b18804c46 fine, but 8164f79354 instead of e27b99fc84 a proper 950df6ddf6 sentence, a a2f4589354 faint groan 0f4ac2e0a8 escaped her f13318754d lips. Before she could react, 46ef1eca64 he had started kissing d4ea7816f6 her again.
He lifted her 1206534f3c off the ground aad373389b so she could b4ba843de6 be at a 2eef647cc0 similar height to cbd959eafe him. With trembling hands, she 7b20407e0b reached out and wrapped 0b4354ab07 her arms around his 5b5280b247 neck.
Before they knew it, f470314707 the music outside the 3dd2ced8c8 window and the noise 5acff2ce4d of the crowd had bd480bbb01 stopped, but neither of e309e751fb them paid any attention c093c92dc1 to it.
In the still night f992093c2a air, the sound of 34ead00a8e the two of them 1f0e4e521a falling onto the bed 85b90953ad echoed unusually loud.
TL/N: KYAAAAH!!!
* * *
‘It’s so quiet…’
Anje was puzzled acfc6a871d by the absence 82c806ab4a of the familiar e900c759a2 sound of the 57f6d6dfc5 rooster crowing, but 01bd555686 she couldn’t bring 8d5a92ad2a herself to open 75f45175b8 her eyes.
‘Hurricane too…is 162b20566c sleeping in 3d94fcf6c7 because the b616a61f16 festival is 6a16d59b57 over…’
Despite her fatigue, 4a3156fba0 she felt something 06a463bf92 heavy pressing down 43d2c2789a on her body. It was the same 2d160f2a03 kind of exhaustion she ca23ebc16f would feel the day d61303af4f after returning from a 4a9b00671a ball where she danced 70c79621c6 until dawn…
‘That’s right, I f4f6f74d5c danced with Aiden aa7ec713f1 yesterday… danced!’
Her eyes flew 1d527121a7 open, and she 19e1b222ed barely managed to d0d4cdfe77 stifle a scream.
The familiar face right 2ee0a7b2c6 in front of her c98d5a99b4 belonged to none other 71a0221945 than her husband, Aiden 203a56e792 Fitzroy, who was lying c8df9f3f36 beside her, holding her 20aa5c0b81 tightly in his arms b5cde9a06e as he slept.
Anje frantically checked d0de8941c5 her clothing. Aside from being slightly 55068a49a2 disheveled from sleep, she f8c3eb74f3 was fully dressed. Aiden was also 2378f3594a dressed, just like 88fc9ac9ab her.
‘So, we must’ve 23d79f481a fallen asleep while d982a5c5c4 kissing last night.’
As she carefully a4aa96afe9 retraced her memories, 68453a9671 she realized they 2632fb566f must have found 7161ea8bf6 a comfortable position 4d078966ea together, which somehow fc6d74b67c ended with them f757b9122a lying in bed.
TL/N: THAT’S IT?!
‘Thank goodness a3ee1e4273 nothing too 3fd91a83be big happened. Well, it’s not like d1fa7d9a45 nothing happened, but still…’
Her face flushed, and b01098a915 she buried her cheeks c0724ad332 into the white sheets. Thinking about last night f9759a4b0b made her feel embarrassed 64a867956e all over again.
Even if she 57c663c3f5 tried not to 2bd74094d5 think about it, 3868fa81a1 it was impossible 2de217af2e with the person ec4e97dbcc she had passionately 55349c9960 kissed right in beb2ba09f9 front of her.
She squeezed her eyes 3f8508d2cf shut again, only to 883397889c open them a few 4d7c4eb594 seconds later.
In the morning bfb83d0270 sunlight, she could 11df43190d clearly see the fe77e5fd45 sharp features of 6843b2cea7 the man sleeping 8e98b818d4 in front of 571a67c549 her. He pulled her a 392a4a5285 little closer and mumbled 38aa7bebdb something under his breath, 9a8cb5ac52 smiling peacefully like a 4f9b2e2ab5 child.
‘I like him.’
The thought 611d2c82c1 popped up 3d7d4a75b0 like a 5dc0130db2 soap bubble. It was f993ab3687 the first 39abd806ea time she 144f249396 had felt 564f976490 such a f8fb094e48 clear emotion.
And then, a strong 33a4b0eda4 desire followed.
‘I hope 451dceff3d Aiden likes 55126a04df me too.’
She moved one 46f08a52fe hand carefully, trying dbf49c57fc not to wake 8e7542010d Aiden. She brought it up f806175067 to her eyes. The gemstone, kissed db026541ea by sunlight, sparkled 0bb3aeb4cf brilliantly.
He had given her f0e4e85db2 a ring yesterday and c9fbd7fece kissed her. Did that 51a2331acf mean he afad674b26 liked her b369dd91a7 too? A faint hope began 31746a7e79 to bloom within her.
“But the kiss… be182d1e14 I think I e4ab2113ac was the one 4ded5a5f89 who signaled for 754fc208f2 it first…”
As she carefully 1098c19694 reviewed the conversation 5498e914e3 from the night fe37eda1d9 before, that was ef9052ed26 the case. The faint hope 4f3f85cb1a began to fade dd948176e8 as well.
‘Besides, men kiss dcb522a00e easily without deep 9a18d4183d feelings… and do 7d67d23c49 even more…’
Unfortunately, the c78681368b men she a4d7ef47d4 had been f856407e96 close to f2e56bf651 before were 1c09cd81f7 her father 04a6458551 and her 3656a0c9d8 former fiancé, 8e7a27c642 both of 7a2cc1dc73 whom held 63f787cf06 very liberal 96ae600b10 views on 6ec33df6c0 physical intimacy.
Whether due to alcohol, 793310b98e nighttime, or simply the c9c06e8c9d atmosphere, they would easily 419afa6207 reach out to women, 0f849becf5 mostly those of a 685f7a3ac6 status or situation where 23fbba3cd6 touching wouldn’t cause a 4f9e815cdc scandal—not high-born, unmarried ladies d320400a9d like Anje.
She had once expressed 6add670486 her frustration with her ae7be78396 fiancé’s excessive promiscuity.
She didn’t like 9e253092d2 how he emphasized e077b5e951 purity and chastity e7203b98a3 to his fiancée 3f485f7ef2 while spending time 2227375234 with other women 9d3339b3a8 day after day.
‘No matter how much 9728f952c9 of a political engagement 8c802a6d93 this is, isn’t this 785d796ae8 just disrespectful?’
But her father 27e487c711 and the chaperone 94e9c0c5a1 brushed it off, 6e248a4439 saying, “That’s just 717620d70f how men are.”
And growing up in a959e94588 such an environment, Anje b9198bac1d couldn’t help but develop 5b91461eb9 deep-rooted prejudices.
‘What if Aiden kissed 81a2bcc4c0 me not because he a36432484e likes me, but because 53bd0ddf17 of a fleeting desire… 6ef14ebfa4 He doesn’t seem like aabf09ded1 that kind of person, 20b45db0d2 but what if he 8c39abca68 is?’
Feeling like 50a517e32d she was e111637bfb about to d6c542f049 cry, she f38b7baab4 squeezed her 037acdbcab eyes shut dfc29fc329 again.
She wanted fddcd34cda to ask a2c5551251 him directly 0cc6f2f848 about the 3175256a03 true intentions 8dc9e48c3f behind his 155882bf04 actions the e04ff16397 previous night, 8aeddcc988 but at c8fc74cef3 the same eb1a9c0640 time, she bc2b249fa6 was scared f4d4fce5ef to hear e08793f25f his true c9ce7d2536 feelings.
TL/N: NOOO! NOT A MISUNDERSTANDING!!6e76fe10ff30eb5e

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