Vol 7 Chapter 9 (1/2)
Chapter 9: Even now, I feel the same
“Th-then…” Meg stas you two did… Seron was all correct?”
“That’s right, pigtails”
Bridget did not waste a second in giving her an answer Seron and the others could hear Meg gasp
“Not one nasty detail out of place And digging up all these secrets we’ve been so desperately trying to hide—you’re all disgusting Seron, and all of you in this club”
“A, thanks,” Natalia replied
“That’s not a compliment, Lia!”
“Larry, don’t butt in We’re having a moment here”
Larry could not respond
“That’s a good boy,” Natalia cooed
Seron also was silent He did not seem happy at all about the fact that his hypothesis was proven correct
“If, as president, I may be frank,” Jenny said, “we’re not exactly happy that you lied to us and used us for your suicidal plot So please don’t bla our job”
One of the two sixth-years replied
“Looks like all of you need to learn some tact Especially you, Seron”
“Th-that is not true! For you, Seron did all these things!” Meg retorted
“For us?”
However, all she got in exchange was an icy glare
“If he wanted to do anything for us, he should have let us carry out our plans in peace”
“But it will be et showed no mercy
“I told you, I don’t care Stop sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong, pigtails”
“Why…?”
“You don’t know anything”
“Pardon me?”
“I said you don’t know anything I’? Hoould you kno sad and painful it is to have been engaged to sotails What’s your favorite food?”
“Pardon?”
“Your favorite food Don’t tell me you don’t have one”
“I-I do have my favorite foods In Roxche and Sou Be-Il, I love cheese dishes”
“You’re not allowed to have any cheese For the rest of your life”
“Pardon?”
“What else do you like?”
“Chocolate cake…”
“You can’t have that anymore, either”
“…”
“I bet you also like chicken noodle soup But that’s off-limits forever too”
“…”
Slowly, Meg’s expression changed from one of confusion to one of utter horror as the iet’s restrictions dawned on her
“You finally get it That’s how I grew up My parents always said I was only allowed to have one food for the rest of my life The food that they had decided for me”
“…”
“They told le day of my life That I didn’t have a choice That I couldn’t choose the person I would love and spend the rest of my life with They said all that with a smile They said it was all for my sake”
“That is…painful, I think…” Meg whispered, finally understanding
“Of course Although ‘painful’ doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Bridget said with a snort “Seron called our plan suicidal And he’s right We’re putting our lives on the line But don’t worry, we’re not really killing ourselves Better to be sha myself to make a point to et pushed back her long hair with an elegant motion “So now you all know Both Kenneth and I have been struggling for years You said you orried about us? Don’t h I don’t need your pity All I need is that evidence you’ve collected for us Give et all this ever happened That will solve everything”
No one froet’s voice alone filled the quiet room
“What’s wrong? You found the truth Your job’s done Or were you planning to tell our parents about all this to ‘rescue’ us? Sure, that ht make them happy No one would lose face But re us”
Bridget picked up her teacup, pausing briefly That hen Seron finally spoke
“We want neither of those outcomes I want to help you”
“Pfft!” Bridget almost spilled her tea She put down her cup “Please, Seron, I almost stained my uniform”
“Uniforms can be washed, but you can’t cleanse a stained reputation”
“This is none of your business You already knoe want—the plan you called suicidal”
“Are you sure about that?”
“What?”
“Are you sure? Are you absolutely certain that both of you want things to coic end?”
“Oh, now you’re going to resort to tears? This is ridiculous,” Bridget said, turning “Let’s grab the tape and go, Kenneth We can’t waste tiy here—he have work to do”
Kenneth aze He took a deep breath
“Let’s stop this”
“What?”
“We should stop this”
Seron breathed a long sigh of relief But only Meg noticed
She turned Seron noticed her gaze and locked eyes with her For a split second his grey eyes looked gently into hers
“We should stop this plan, Bridget I can’t take it anymore…”
Though Bridget understood theof the words, she did not understand Kenneth’s intent
“What are you talking about? We can’t back out now Are you too scared to face your parents?”
“No…I’m not”
“Then are you scared of your reputation being destroyed? Is that it?”
“No, I’ve neverto go up against ht as dirty as I can”
“Then explain to me why you want to stop”
“I…I can’t let your reputation be destroyed, Bridget…”
“…Are you joking?”
“No”
“Did you hit your head, Kenneth? Newspaper club, did you poison his tea?” Bridget accused, but no one replied
However, Seron addressed Kenneth directly
“Why didn’t you take the photos yourself?”
“What?”
Bridget raised an eyebrow
Kenneth grimaced
“The photos to use as evidence against SC Bridget,” Seron explained, “there is nothing suspicious about coraphy, as the club—Iphotos in secret But setting the recording aside, photographing SC Bridget kissing other boys should have been easy as you were both in cahoots That’s not all I’ve been told that you are a hobbyist photographer yourself, SC Kenneth”
“To get evidence on their own selves…now that I think, that sounds to be right,” Meg said with a nod
“It would have been siet came to the club with her request alone And yet both of you caht only fulfill one request, dee one person more useful than the other It’s a minor risk, but a risk nonetheless”
“What does that et spat, uninterested
“That’s right, you probably haven’t thought toothat SC Kenneth was the one who ca?”
“So what?” Bridget did not understand Seron’s line of questioning
“SC Bridget,” Seron said, “SC Kenneth just couldn’t bring hi someone else That’s why his plan involved the both of you co to us”
“What?”
“You can’t take a photograph without being there in person In other words, SC Kenneth couldn’t take a photo of you cheating on him unless he watched you kiss someone else He couldn’t bear it”
“Ah! Aaaaah!” Meg exclaimed
Bridget flinched
“Yes! I understand! Ohto dinner plates “Oh, I cannot believe it!”
Everyone but Seron and Kenneth reacted with looks of confusion
“I understand Seron’s words now! Yes! SC Kenneth never wanted to see SC Bridget kiss someone! He did not want to see with his eyes! Because—”
Seron did not stop Meg
“Because! SC Kenneth is in love with SC Bridget! He loves SC Bridget with the whole of his heart!”
“Whoa!” “My, my!” Natalia and Nick exclaimed
And Jenny and Larry—whoed to reach the answer
“What’s this now?” Bridget uttered, incredulous “Kenneth, what are they talking about?”
Kenneth slowly turned
“…They’re right”
“What?”
“I said they’re right, Bridget I love you More than anyone else”
“What?”
“I’ve loved you for a long tih I never told you”
“This is ridiculous”
“I’ you the truth”
“Then ere you helping me?”
Though the question was directed at Kenneth, Meg responded for him
“It is an obvious answer! SC Kenneth wants your happiness, SC Bridget! He wants the happiness of the person he loves! Even if he is not the person to be beside her for always!”
“You said soet,” Seron said cooly, “that if anted to do so for you, we should have let you carry out your plans in peace That’s exactly what SC Kenneth has been doing He wasn’t acting for both of you—he was doing all this for you alone He did everything he could to help because you wanted to break off your engageard for himself”
Seron shot Bridget a glare
“But remember what SC Kenneth said before He wanted to stop this plan He didn’t want you to be dragged through the et He wants you to be happy So please stop this plan Think of another way”
“Yes! You do not really have to use these ways!”
Bridget looked at Kenneth
And with a gentle smile she asked him a question
“Kenneth I tried to run away from you But you cooperated with me because you loved me?”
“Yes”
“You could have married me if you’d just sat back and waited”