Chapter 247 Forever (1/2)
CHAPTER 247
FOREVER
The wind blew silent and chilly, yet not cold; it swayed the thin branches of the tall trees, and cluttered grass and shrubbery, and stray pebbles and stones scattered about the massive floor. Save for its occasional whizz, there was temporary silence that had triumphed over the world, as two pairs of eyes settled onto one another.
Lino stared at Hannah's expression with a faint smile of amusement, his hand still gently caressing her cheek. Meanwhile, Hannah's expression seemed to have frozen halfway between shock, joy and embarrassment, unable to settle on any one particular feeling.
”... you alright?” though very much content with seeing that expression of hers, Lino decided to check in with her after solid five minutes of silence.
”A-a-alright, of-of course I'm alright,” she mumbled with an awkward chuckle. ”I, I mean, I just accidentally misheard something there--”
”I'm fairly certain you didn't.”
”...”
”... what?”
”... you gotta give me a warning dude!” she cried out. ”Like, you know, drop a hint or two prior to just outright saying it! I could have died!”
”How?!”
”Because my heart literally stopped beating for like three minutes there!”
”... yeah, there's something really wrong with you.” Lino said.
”No, no, don't pin this on me! How can you just, you know, so casually drop it into the conversation like it's not a big deal?!”
”... because it's not a big deal?” Lino said. ”It's not like you didn't know.”
”... delicacy, Lino. Delicacy! You know? You build up the moment! Maybe, maybe fix me a fine dinner, pop open the best bottle of wine you have--”
”I did that, though. Well, the wine thing at least.”
”And you lead into it!” Hannah sighed, doing her best to steer forth despite knowing she had gone too far already.
”Oh, like your first time telling me that you love me was so romantic.” Lino rolled his eyes at her.
”What? I never said that!” she exclaimed hurriedly.
”Oh, come on! Do you know how much you talk in your sleep?!”
”That doesn't count! I wasn't of sound mind!”
”... you wanna drop it?” Lino asked, smiling faintly.
”Yes... please...” she sighed, nudging her head into his chest. ”Oh. Your heart is beating really quickly.”
”... of course it is,” he said, gently kissing her head. ”I've just said something really important, and the girl I've said it to had the most major freak-out of her life. Kinda hurt, actually.”
”... I'm sorry,” she mumbled. ”You... you just caught me by surprise, you know? I mean, I already sort of, kind of, maybe, probably knew that it was perhaps, most-likely, generally implied... but those are two completely different things, you know?”
”Oh, I know plenty things,” Lino said. ”Just happen not to know one more.”
”What's that?”
”Do you plan on saying it back or just stuffing that whole moment into the awkward drawer?”
”... you really have no delicacy, you know?” Hannah said, sighing and looking up.
”Delicacy? Are you sure you're the one to talk about 'delicacy'?” Lino scoffed. ”I don't even dare imagine the unspeakable things you've done to my chump, let alone share them with anyone. And then there's you who goes into the battle; you're like this cold, calculating sociopath that's always thinking of the most evil ways to either humiliate or kill someone. You're as delicate as a mountain of iron is.”
”Ugh, fine! You want to hear it, huh?!” she shot up on her feet.
”Yes!”
”Are you sure?! 'Cause you can't un-hear stuff like this!”