Tilia felt an inexplicable sense of danger as she looked into his blue-gray eyes.
The man stood silently, as if waiting for something.
She knew. Now was the time to ask him why he sent flowers. But her instinctive sense of danger did not allow her to speak.
She had a terrible feeling. If she asks “why” right now, she will hear something irreversible. Her intuition told her it was best to leave it buried and walk away.
- What difference does it make if another rumor appears?
Sensing her hesitation, Ilex suddenly spoke with a grin.
- Just accept it. It won't hurt you. As you said, I am a top student, so I can be of great help to you in finishing your studies.
-...I can handle it without you.
- Don't let pride get in the way.
He answered sharply to Tilia's belated answer.
“You're desperate to get your degree, aren't you, Tilia Ambrose?” You want this to happen no matter what.
Ilex raised his hand, as if he could no longer contain his disappointment, and looked at her resolutely.
Startled, Tilia tried to step back, but her back hit the wall.
Without warning, his strong fingers touched her lips. Only when his hot fingers touched her lips did Tilia realize that she had been nervously biting them.
Ilex, stopping her bad habit with his fingers, sighed hotly and leaned closer.
Behind the building, in a deserted place, the bright sunset could not penetrate into the dim corner, where its shadow hung over her, making the space even darker.
- So just pretend you don't know anything.
Even without touching, his closeness radiated a warmth that she could clearly feel as he whispered softly.
- In any case...
Tilia's eyes widened at the man's next words.
But Ilex Davenport, oblivious to the expression on her face, simply turned and walked away as if his task was completed.
Only when his long strides finally faded into the distance did Tilia lean against the wall and sit down.
She covered her mouth with a trembling hand, her frightened eyes reflecting her inner turmoil.
"Anyway..."
His low, shrill voice rang in her ears again.
“Once you pass the Ontario consulate exam and leave this country, all of this will remain just meaningless rumors.”
***
- Um, Tilia. You know...
After the end of the first class, Judy circled Tilia in the dorm, looking for an opportunity before finally asking:
- So, um... can you tell me what your relationship is with Ilex Davenport?
Hearing her friend's question, Tilia swallowed the sigh that was about to escape and looked at her. Turning her head, she saw Judy's brown eyes sparkle with curiosity.
- There is nothing between us.
Hearing Tilia's straightforward answer, disappointment flashed in Judy's warm brown eyes.
Judy must have heard the rumors too - about Tilia and Ilex Davenport. About the flowers that the second son of the Davenport family sent, rumors that spread throughout the high society of Acansis.
Moreover, today Judy saw her hastily dragging him to a deserted place.
Judy must have reached her breaking point, unable to stop herself from asking what kind of relationship they had and how Tilia's attitude, who apparently didn't like him, had changed.
- I'm serious. I have no idea what he's thinking about, but I don't have any thoughts about him. So there's nothing between us.
That was all Tilia could say to Judy. This was the unvarnished truth. Although, admittedly, it was half the truth, hiding secrets that she did not want to reveal.
- …Fine.
After a moment's hesitation, Judy nodded, accepting Tilia's straightforward statement.
- If you say so, then I suppose it is so.
She replied cheerfully before collapsing on the bed and muttering:
“But anyway, does this mean that Ilex Davenport will actually join our study group?”
Judy seemed to deliberately change the subject, but Tilia couldn't answer right away and just stared out the window.
She wanted to say that she had decided to kick him out and leave the group of four, but she couldn't.
She could not thoughtlessly exclude from the study group a man who knew her secret.
To ensure his silence and find out his true intentions, she had to leave him in the group.
- Yes, I suppose.
- Wow.
In response to her deliberately nonchalant response, Judy exclaimed innocently.
- So now in our study group there is both the best and second-ranked student? Great! I'll definitely sell it!
Seeing her friend stamp her feet in joy, Tilia's hard expression softened a little.
- Yes, we will almost certainly pass. Although we still have to work.
Judy's joyful face instantly darkened at her words.
- Will Ilex Davenport... study as hard as you?
After thinking for a moment, Tilia remembered the topics he had marked for her and nodded slowly.
- He may not do much, but when he does something, he does it carefully.
- Ugh.
Judy moaned, burying her face in the pillow, causing Tilia to laugh.
After muttering to herself that “graduation is never without pain,” Judy finally stood up and, grabbing a towel, spoke again casually.
- Tilia, do you know? You are my dearest friend.
Hearing the unexpected comment, Tilia, who was sitting at her desk preparing materials for tomorrow, turned her head.
Judy fiddled with the towel, glancing at Tilia as if gauging her reaction, and then added:
“No matter what anyone says, I’m always on your side, Tilia.”
Hearing these words, Tilia blinked briefly at her friend, and then a smile bloomed on her face, like a snowflake melting in the palm of her hand.
- Thank you, Judy. I feel the same way.
- Really?
- Yes. I don’t know how I would have coped with this difficult life at the academy without you.
Hearing the heartfelt words that Tilia, who often had difficulty expressing her feelings, was able to express, Judy seemed touched, her shoulders trembling slightly.
- That's exactly what I wanted to say!
Judy rushed to Tilia and hugged her tightly.
- Tilia, even after we graduate from the academy, let's remain close friends.
Judy had a soft and warm scent, a scent that Tilia could never possess.
For a moment, Tilia wanted to confess everything to her sunny friend, but she managed to suppress her weakness, burying it deep inside.
-...Yes, let's do that.
Judy didn't notice the hesitation in Tilia's guilt-filled voice and spoke cheerfully.
- Promise me, okay?
She hugged her friend again, shyly rubbed her nose, announced that she was going to wash, and ran out of the room.
It was only after her roommate had left, leaving her alone in the room, that Tilia finally let out the breath she'd been holding and clutched at the throbbing pain in her head.
“How does he know?”
The fact that Ilex Davenport had mentioned the Ontario Consulate was a secret she hadn't even told Judy about.
It wasn't that she didn't trust her closest friend. If she told Judy, Judy would undoubtedly support her more sincerely than anyone else, and would diligently keep her secret.
But despite the fact that she knew that she would receive support and understanding, and despite the acute feeling of guilt, Tilia had one reason to keep this secret, even from her only friend.
The dream of a consulate position was too dear to her to share with anyone else.
She had a dream of becoming an employee of a foreign consulate since her father first saw in her a product that could be sold.
From that day on, Tilia could no longer imagine a life in which she would not go to Ontario. Or rather, she simply couldn't imagine it.
This thought alone made her choke, as if she had fallen into hell.
It was such a difficult dream, such a cherished desire that she could not calmly tell even her only friend about it.
She was afraid that her heart would weaken. She was afraid that her heart, supported by loving support, might crumble even a little.
“But how did he know, Ilex Davenport...”
Unable to suppress her anxiety, Tilia bit her lip again.
Her lips, already sore from the sharp teeth, began to bleed, but despite the metallic taste, she could not stop her bad habit. Instead, she stood up and began pacing.
Maybe it was a mistake to reveal to him your interest in learning the Ontario language?
But even if he knew that she was interested in language, this in itself would not have a direct connection with her desire to take a position at the consulate.
Suddenly she remembered the official document that George had stolen from her room.
Could he have told Ilex that he found that consular document in her room?
"…No."
Tilia quickly dismissed the thought.
Can't be. If George had known Ilex Davenport, he would have bragged about it to her without hesitation.
“How then could he know...”
Tilia nervously walked around the narrow room, constantly biting her lips.
No matter how much she racked her brains, she could not understand.
How did Ilex Davenport find out the secret she kept so well?
Why did he insist on joining her study group despite knowing her secret?
All this remained shrouded in the fog of uncertainty.
The only thing she knew for sure was one thing.
He knew her much better than she could have imagined.
Asparagus, breakfast on the table - perhaps none of this was a coincidence.
With this thought, Tilia finally collapsed on the bed.
Even though she was in her room, where she should have been most comfortable, she felt uneasy, making it difficult to breathe, and she had to take several deep breaths.