'..Urgh.'
The moment his mind replayed the gentle, flushed expression on Ethea's face, the absolute determination in her eyes when she called him her husband, his entire system completely glitched.
He could still vividly recall the exact weight of the silence that followed, the frantic, loud hammering of his own ribs, and the sheer terror of not knowing how to look at her without giving himself away.
'I...'
'I'm completely hopeless...'
He rested his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands with a quiet, defeated groan.
He stayed like that for a long time, the cool air of the gardens brushing past him, doing absolutely nothing to put out the sudden heat flare in his face. It took a few deep, deliberate breaths to finally force his racing pulse back down to a manageable rhythm. Slowly lowering his hands, he looked back at the pond, his expression turning serious.
'...'
He couldn't deny it anymore.
