The moonlight caressed Adeline's face, casting a hazy veil over her already perfect features.

"At that time, did you know what I was thinking?"

She smiled, the curve of her lips attracting the wind from outside the window.

"At that time, I thought you liked me a lot. I thought you loved me."

"Not just then, but even earlier, probably around the time of Viloti's promotion banquet, I thought you liked me."

"This idea is ridiculous, isn't it? To think I would have such a shameless thought."

Felyn leaned against the desk, his arms crossed over his chest, and shook his head. "That only means my work was outstanding and provided you with emotional value. It's a very normal thing."

Because her back was to the window, Adeline's expression was lost in the shadows, but her grayish-blue eyes seemed exceptionally bright.

"Felyn, for me, this is no longer about the contract."

"After the contract ended last Wednesday and you left, my heart ached so much whenever I thought about a future without you. I have never hated that empty home so much."

"Adeline, people always have to part."

Felyn interrupted Adeline's words. He remembered saying this to Dorothy as well.

"During those days in the capital district, I even thought we were already together," Adeline continued on her own.

"We stayed up late together, lay on the lawn and looked at the stars together. And at Zervanie's concert, we even kissed." Adeline took two steps forward, getting closer to Felyn.

"But this was all a false fantasy that I created."

She lowered her head, her rose-colored hair slipping from her shoulders, her body trembling slightly.

The room was very quiet; Felyn could only hear Adeline's rapid breathing.

"After briefly experiencing the feeling of being lovers, I have to leave you completely. I just can't accept something like that."

She clutched her chest, took two more steps forward, and gently rested her head against Felyn's chest.

"My heart has already been dyed your color, Felyn."

If it weren't for that experience in the capital district, Adeline might not be in so much pain right now.

But she had tasted what it was like to be Felyn's lover, and she could never forget it.

Felyn sighed and reached out, wanting to pat Adeline's head, but his hand stopped in mid-air and never came down.

"Adeline, it's very painful now, but you just need to get through this phase. It will be better once you walk out of this false relationship."

Adeline shook her head, a hint of bitterness in her laughter.

"Impossible, Felyn. I won't forget you."

"You will. Time washes everything away," he paused, then said, "Several of my former clients have gotten through it this way."

Not mentioning other clients in front of a current one was originally Felyn's professional bottom line.

But now, Felyn had no choice. He could only keep telling Adeline that her dream was fake.

"Are there other clients like me?"

"Yes, there are."

"Then how did you treat them?"

Adeline looked up, desperate to know the answer to this question.

"I would choose to disappear directly, so they couldn't find me."

Felyn had always done this.

But now...

Recently, several of his former clients had not completely cut ties with him. Instead, there was a trend of them getting closer and closer.

Adeline reached out, her index finger and thumb gripping Felyn's sleeve. "I don't want to leave you."

"We still have two months left on our contract, Adeline. During these two months, if we try to keep our distance, it should be enough to slowly fade your feelings for me. That way, you won't be too sad after the contract ends."

The moonlight flowed down her almost perfect figure to the floor.

The wind blowing in from the window swept through her hair, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes for her.

"Is this the only way for us?"

"Yes, this is the only way. Adeline, I will not fall for you."

Adeline's figure swayed. She took a few steps back and leaned against the wall.

It started to rain.

The sky was doing for Adeline what she wanted to do.

"Felyn, do you know what I'm going to do next?"

Felyn smiled helplessly, watching the wind lift Adeline's hair.

"I know, Adeline. You won't listen to me. You will choose another path."

Felyn knew Adeline's personality very well.

She was not the type to give up easily after being thwarted.

Once she wanted something, a goal she wanted to achieve, she would persevere until she accomplished it.

"But Adeline, your final result won't be good. You will fail," Felyn tried to persuade her one more time.

"It's okay, Felyn." Adeline smiled at Felyn, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly, like a silver flower blooming only in the moonlight.

"I've already given you my first kiss. I don't mind giving you my first failure since I've become sensible, either."

The young girl was serious.

Felyn could feel Adeline's emotions.

This was trouble.

"Is it worth it, for someone like me?"

After saying this, Felyn felt a cool touch on his lips.

Adeline had come to Felyn's side and covered his mouth with her hand.

"Don't think I'll just fall for someone casually. Since I've fallen for you, it means you are the most amazing person in my heart."

Hearing this, Felyn was stunned for a moment.

Adeline's hand slowly moved away, then she straightened Felyn's collar. "If you say something like that again, I'll get angry."

Felyn scratched his head and grinned.

"What's so funny?" Adeline didn't understand what Felyn was laughing at.

"It's a little cheesy..."

"You!"

After locking the office door, Felyn and Adeline walked side by side down the hallway.

The rain was getting heavier, and the tree branches struggled in the wind, beating against the windows as if they too wanted to come inside for shelter.

Felyn knew the best way to deal with Adeline's advances was to avoid her.

As long as she couldn't find him, nothing could start.

But the trouble was, for at least these two months, until after the school festival, Felyn couldn't avoid Adeline.

On one hand, the contract wasn't over. On the other, he still had to work on the school festival planning committee.

I'm not taking any more student jobs in the future!

When he signed the contract, he never would have thought that Adeline from the school next door would now be practically living at Saint Andros Academy.

After returning to the classroom, Viloti moved her desk closer to Felyn's, bringing them even closer.

"Felyn, you were gone for a long time."

"Miss Viloti, I was just alone with Felyn for a little while. There's no need to be like this, is there?"

Adeline also moved her desk closer to Felyn's, getting very close as well.

The gazes of the two young ladies collided in mid-air, sparking.

Felyn, however, did not notice the contest between the two.

"That's strange, where's my umbrella?"

With the rain this heavy, there was no way he could get home without an umbrella.

Hearing Felyn's words, both young ladies raised their eyebrows.

(End of Chapter)