CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER: 37, LIFE ON EARTH (PENELOPE AND KIERAN)

On a sunny morning, a voice rang loudly in front of a door saying "Hey Penny! Wake up you lazy cow!" The owner of the voice was a youth with pure white hair and light blue eyes.

Kieran knocked at the door with clear irritation. It was their first day at high school and he obviously expected her to be late just like all the time she was in middle school. He was about to knock again when the door suddenly opened, catching him off guard.

In front of him stood a pale white haired girl with milky white eyes. Her hair was perfectly combed and her uniform was neatly styled. Kieran was shocked to see this different version of his normally dazed sister. She was currently in her best appearance.

He wondered for a second if the sun rose from the west today but quickly cleared his mind. He inquired with confusion, "What is special today that could get you ready so quickly?"

Penelope gave him a rare sweet smile and said in a shy tone, "H-He w-will be in our class today."

Kieran looked at her in silence, "Pfft! Hahaha!" He laughed and teased her, "So, Dainsleif will be in our class today? That’s why your love meter forced you out of bed so early!"

Penelope pouted angrily and kicked at his ankle, hard. Kieran fell to his knees and hissed in pain. "Okay, Okay. You don’t have to be like this. Go downstairs quickly, mom would definitely be surprised to see you up so early."

"Hmph!" She quickly went down ignoring his pain. Kieran had known about his sister’s feelings from the very start of middle school. It was shocking to him but not unexpected.

He had known Dain just as long as Penelope and the other two. He literally has no objection in this relation and nor do their parents. Dain was well mannered, charming and perfect in their parents’ eyes. The day they might confirm their relationship would be the day their parents throw a party to finally give her responsibility to someone suitable.

Penelope greeted her parents in the dining room. Her mother was still preparing the plates and utensils when she suddenly heard her daughter’s voice. A look of shock appeared in her eyes as it was the first time in many years since she had seen Penny up so early.

"Penny dear, something special today?" Her father asked from the couch as he was also intrigued by her early rising.

"N-nothing special father, I just thought it might be productive to wake early."

"Nonsense! Dainsleif will be in our class today, which is why Penny is so neat and overly prepared." Kieran shouted from the stairwell, earning a deathly glare from Penelope.

"At least I have someone real, not like some fictional characters."

"At least I can confess directly when they get real. What is the meaning of a crush when you have to be a coward?" he retorted, making her turn silent. She can never win with words against him.

Both of their parents chuckled at the sibling’s cute exchange. Her mother also added from the side, "That’s right. When are you going to propose anyway? Don’t wait until graduation or someone else might steal him away.

Remember, I will not accept anyone but Dain as my son-in-law."

"Mom!"

"Heheh. She’s right; you should confess your feelings before it’s too late." He father added.

"Hmph! I’ll eat with Hestia at the cafeteria, Bye!" She said and ran away, slamming the door behind her. Her parents shook their heads, hoping she would realize and act quick.

**

Penelope walked quickly with her cheeks slightly red with embarrassment. Her feelings for Dainsleif were not just some childhood feeling that intensified over time.

She had deliberately forced herself to love him that way. It sounds unfair to Dain but it truly wasn’t.

At first, her desires were to be treated horribly by Dain. Things like him beating her, forcing her, humiliating her intruded in her fantasies. Just imagining them made her excited to the point of truly wanting them for real.

She treated him rudely for a few months at that time expecting Dain to fulfill her fantasies. But the expected hits never came. Instead of them, gentle, sweet and comforting words were the ones assaulting her heart.

Instead of hurtful beating came gentle head-pats. Instead of verbal abuse came comforting words and instead of humiliation came the misunderstood support for nothing.

But they were enough, enough to melt her heart. The forcefully developed feelings became real. The masochistic desires were suppressed by the happiness of being ambiguous with him.

She found herself being much happier than her fantasies, and it was enough to make her stop thinking about the twisted and violent version of love she thought of and find joy within the warm sensation of her heart while being with him.

While reminiscing about the event four years ago, she reached near Hestia’s family house. They were living in a rich neighbor-hood with their houses being close to each other. She saw Hestia standing in front of her villa gate. She quickly rushed over and greeted her.

"Good morning." She looked around before asking, "Azaria still isn’t here? She was the most excited for today in the group chat and now she is the one being late."

"Good morning. She messages me saying she has already reached the school. Let’s go." Hestia replied, her eyes still having that calm but expectant look as if she can’t wait for something.

They both walked together in silence towards the school. As for why they both didn’t just use vehicles despite having one each. Simple, the school only took 10 minutes by foot, no need to show off their family’s wealth when they won’t even be competing for the family fortune.

Kieran would be the one inheriting Penelope’s family business and Hestia’s family business would be handed to her younger brother and male cousins. Not because they were not allowed to, but because they didn’t have any desire for those.

Soon they reached the academy, and following Azaria’s message, they reached the school library. They both were in a daze as the familiar face of that childhood fantasy came into their view.

"You..."

To be continued...

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