Chapter 117 - How Embarrassing! (1/2)

[Music Recommendation: ”Usui Takumi” theme (Kaichou wa Maid-sama OST)-available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

”Hey, Sena. What's happening?” Hora whispered to my ears, being careful so she wouldn't be heard by Kaiden.

”If you don't want me to accompany you, that's fine,” Kaiden said with a worried expression.

”N-No! That's not what I… It's just that…”

Should I tell him or not? But wouldn't that upset him? And he might feel guilty, too. Or… I'm not even sure anymore.

My heart kept on stinging. Emotions were just flooding inside me again—negative emotions. But how could I not doubt myself if that was the case? Did I even get this movie adaptation by cheating? By connection? Come to think of it, Kaiden easily agreed on adapting one of my future books into a movie as well. Maybe that was the reason I'm working with a screenwriter. Because I'm not that good and a screenwriter needed to fix the story for me.

If that was the case… then wouldn't that mean that I'm just a big fraud?

Tears started to form in the corner of my eyes… but I couldn't show them to Kaiden. I had to get out of there.

”I… I'll just go to the bathroom for a sec—” I excused myself and quickly stood up.

Kaiden's face was horrified. He must be thinking what he did wrong. Actually, he didn't do anything wrong. It was just me… deluding myself I had real talent. Mother was right before… I really didn't have them. I was just lucky because I met Kaiden.

”Sena, what's wrong?”

”Senara, wait!” Kaiden pulled my arms gently to stop me.

”I'm sorry,” I apologized under my breath. For some reason, I felt the need to apologize. I'm causing such a ruckus again, disturbing their peaceful lunch time.

'Why am I such a troublesome person? Why do I keep on making people around me worry? I should handle things like this on my own. I should learn to control my emotions and not cry over little things! But… this is no little thing, right? Ugh. I don't know anymore.'

”Please tell us what's wrong,” Kaiden pleaded.

Right. I should tell them. It's weird to just burst out crying for no reason.

”B-because… I just realized that… you're the one who submitted my story… and you're the heir of Red Dragon Holdings. There's no way they would refuse the story you submitted, right? So I—it's not because of my talent that I earned that movie adaptation,” I confessed, smiling bitterly.

”Huh?” Kaiden looked perplexed. ”What are you saying? I did submit your story but I submitted it anonymously so they wouldn't know I'm the one who did it.”

”Huh? You submitted it anonymously? Y-you're only saying that so I won't be upset.”

”It's true though. I can show you the email I used to submit your story.”

”But I had no experience, not even an education about writing. I'm only getting my education now. It's impossible that I'm—”

Kaiden started tapping on his phone. After a few seconds, he showed me the email he was pertaining to.

” was the email used. It contained a query letter, an introduction, and the copy of my manuscript. So he was telling the truth.

'Arrghhhh!!! Damn it. Sena, you're so stupid! You easily jump to conclusions! Now, go and apologize for ruining such a peaceful lunch time!'

After seeing that, I couldn't paint what face I made trying to apologize to Kaiden and Hora. But they just ended up laughing at me.

”Ha-ha-ha-ha! You're so cute, Senara. And still a crybaby,” Kaiden teased me. ”Don't worry. Once I accompany you today, even Ms. Qian Yu will be surprised I'm there. That will show you they had NO idea it was me who sent it. And that should be enough proof of your talent, right?”

”Y-yes! I'm really, really sorry!”

”Tsk! Tsk! Seriously, Sena. Why do you doubt yourself so easily? As if everyone else can be so great and you can only be the loser,” Hora shook her head and sighed. Her facial expression was screaming ”this-stupid-friend-of-mine”.

”I'm so sorry, Hora. Yeah, I'm being pessimistic again. Sniff… I'm really sorry.”

”It's fine. Now stop apologizing and let's eat. I'm starving.”