Chapter 34 Being Together

"Let's pretend last night never happened?" Chaerin bit on her trembling lip as she asked. It was something that she didn't want to end–but after hearing Lukas' declaration that he met with Lily's family changed things.

"What–?" Lukas looked at her askance.

A part of him was upset because after what happened with Lily, he couldn't bear the idea of losing Chaerin too, but that was a very selfish side of him. The more concerned one saw the way that Chaerin's shoulder shook.

Lukas grabbed her hand and pulled her to a seat. It didn't feel right to let her sit in the lap during a serious conversation.

"Chaerin… can you breathe for me?" Lukas smiled reassuringly. "Inhale. Exhale."

"O-okay." Chaerin followed suit and clutched her chest tightly, heaving slightly as she calmed herself down. It was so easy to just listen to Lukas' voice and that was why it worked.

"I'm sorry." Lukas said.

"Sorry for what?" Chaerin braced herself for his words, but the next line would be something else completely from what she expected.

"I shouldn't have taken advantage of you during a weak moment–you deserve to be with someone who can be with you fully instead of doing something like not seeing you for a month–"

"But it was me who didn't come see you!" Chaerin protested.

"Well, there's that… but you know what I mean, right?" Lukas said.

"It can't be helped that you care about this Lily person more than me…" Chaerin averted her gaze. "I… I don't mind being second place."

Lukas' eyes widened. "Wait. Nonono, that's not how it works–I care for the two of you in my own way. There's no favorites, alright? Each of you is special to me and I want you to understand that very clearly."

"Okay…" Chaerin nodded slowly.

"You don't believe me?"

"It… it doesn't really change the fact that she's your girlfriend and I'm–"

"Well, we aren't exactly together anymore."

"What?!"

"I… I may have told the truth about what happened last night. I'm sorry–I didn't want to drag your name, but it's kind of hard to cheat on someone by yourself." Lukas weakly laughed.

Chaerin's chest fluttered as she listened to his words. A fervent flame of hope flickered within her–somehow not caring of the process and just the results. Lukas was free again.

"But I want to try my best to be with her again and apologize properly if I can." Lukas said.

Those words dampened Chaerin's enthusiasm but she nodded. "I see."

"But… the thing is, I want to be with you as well, Chaerin." Lukas stared at her seriously, running his fingers through his hair. "It's crazy, maybe selfish, but I want you as well–but the choice is entirely up to you."

Chaerin hesitated.

It was true that she said she didn't mind being second place, but a part of her had wished to have him all for herself and this was a new situation that she wasn't used to.

Most would probably drop everything just to be with her–she could fulfill a guy's fantasies by changing and transforming into the woman of their dreams if they so desired it.

It was strange, but Chaerin was willing to do it for Lukas.

And yet her heart beat wildly around him and she knew she wanted him, so Chaerin slowly nodded her head. "Yes, I want to be with you as well."

"Hah… really?" Lukas looked at her in surprise. He had been prepared for the rejection.

It was hard to ask this out of someone, he knew that if she wanted to–she could easily find someone else and yet she chose to be with him.

The fact that Chaerin chose to be with him was entirely crazy, and yet a smile now adorned Lukas' face as he reached out to hold her hand. "Thank you. This time, I'll make you the happiest woman in the world."

"You don't have to promise me the moon and stars," Chaerin said. "I just want to be by your side and that would be enough."

"You–come here for a sec and let me hug you." Lukas asked.

Chaerin sat in Lukas' lap, arms wrapping around his neck as their foreheads soon pressed together. A blush crawled through Chaerin's cheeks at the immense intimacy of the moment, and yet Lukas didn't quite turn or shy away at all.

"I want you to get it out of your mind that being by my side is enough–you deserve so much more, and I'll try my absolute best to make you happy, okay? Got it?" Lukas asked.

"Got it."

"Good."

Lukas gently cupped her face and then pulled her into a warm and soft kiss. It was much different than last night's lust-fueled kisses, and yet it felt quite right to him as well.

It was absolutely lovely and the two shared a minute or two of just kissing each other in VitaBlood. Stacy, who had been in the storage room, looked out and caught the scenario, and chose to retreat back into the room.

There was a bit of longing in her face that she tried to snap herself out from.

Because compared to the idiots who were in love and who felt like probably everything was right in the world at this moment–Stacy couldn't quite say the same for herself.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror and for a second didn't quite see herself, but the shadow of a dark phantom.

The same red eyes shared with hers, and a powerful aura that was both domineering and terrifying at the same time. A shadowy figment of her mind that continued to torment her even in her waking hours.

Stacy's breathing became a little shallow and she started to wheeze a little as she pressed her hands against the wall for balance. She could barely keep herself upright as the emotions flooded through her chest.

The sight of Lukas and Chaerin kissing made her long so much for someone of her own and yet it was impossible for someone like her.

Her ancestor made it hard for Stacy to truly connect with anyone.

Anastasia dis Vardoke knew that her forefather's sins would follow her everywhere and that there was no hope of her ever actually connecting with someone once they actually knew who she was.