The Betrayal of the Guardians

~ (44) Shaded Feelings (Part II) ~

"What?" asked Arisa almost in a whisper.

Her grandmother rubbed Arisa's cheek, her smile not vanishing from her face.

"You're in love," she said, her tone sweet. "You've developed feelings deeper than friendship. That's why you're behaving so awkwardly in front of him. Love can turn us into awkward beings most of the times."

Arisa glanced at her grandmother, dumbfounded. A million questions flooded her mind as she wondered how she suddenly developed these feelings for Zen.

"Being in love is the most wonderful thing," her grandmother continued. "I was wondering when you would experience your first love; you sure took long. I was worried, thinking that spending too much time with Kazuya and Zen was the reason for you not to open your heart to see beyond friendship."

Arisa didn't reply, still not believing that she had fallen for her best friend.

"But how?" she asked.

"Our hearts are unpredictable," replied her grandmother. "Maybe something happened to make you empathize with him."

Arisa remembered the night Zen invited her to the Drageul Tower. She remembered his sweet words, telling her that he would risk their friendship to spend the last hours of her birthday with her. That night he opened up about himself and she saw something different in him.

Her heart skipped at the memory of that night.

So this is how it feels to like someone more than as a friend.

She remembered that sometimes, her girlfriends would ask her if she had ever liked someone more than as a friend. At that time, she didn't understand their curiosity as she liked all her friends equally. Each of her friends was dear to her. She had never thought that out of the many people around the worlds, Zen would be the one to awaken such deep feelings.

As she thought of him, she smiled.

Arisa touched her chest. "How can I stop behaving this way?"

Although she knew that positive feelings such as love were beautiful, Arisa didn't want to behave awkwardly forever. If she kept behaving like that, she was sure she would lose Zen's friendship.

"Tell him how you feel," said her grandmother cheerfully. "And if he feels the same, I might finally meet my grandson-in-law."

"Grandson-in-law," repeated Arisa.

A timid smile formed across her face as she tried to imagine her and Zen as a couple. She wondered how they would behave toward each other. Would they mock each other like they always do? Or would they act lovey-dovey?

Arisa let escape a quiet chuckle, she couldn't imagine both of them acting lovey-dovey. She wondered what would her grandparents think of them as a couple.

If you develop strong feelings for that boy, I will never forgive you, her grandfather's voice echoed in her mind.

Your grandfather is scared to lose you the same way he lost our daughter, her grandmother's words followed.

Arisa gazed at the floor, sudden confusion and sorrow crushing her chest.

"I-I can't tell him how I feel," said Arisa, her voice cracking.

Her grandmother frowned. "Why?"

Because I might lose Grandpa if I start dating Zen.

"Because he already has a girlfriend," Arisa lied, trying to hold back her tears. "I want both of them to be happy, so I won't ruin their relationship."