Another Life, Another Me

91. Day to Night

For a moment, there was a deep, heavy void of silence.

"Sometimes, you act strange, Grey...as if you're constantly trying really hard to not act suspicious. I know that you've told me before...how you've never kept a secret from me...but..." I murmured as I stared at the ground by my feet.

"...Do you not trust me, milady?"

I widened my eyes and immediately looked up to see Grey with his expression dark.

"No...! That's not it! It's just—"

"It's just what?" Grey said as he started to move toward me.

I choked on my own words as I watched him stop so close to me that I could feel his breath tickle the tops of my head.

"...It's just...I was w-worried...about y-you..." I whispered.

"..."

Grey didn't say another word for a very long time and I was starting to wonder if I had maybe broken him somehow.

"I know...I'm not as reliable or capable as you are, Grey, but...I just wanted to let you know that, if there is anything weighing on your mind from now on, you'll always be free to talk to me..."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

To be honest, I knew exactly how much of a hypocrite I sounded right now.

Especially since I've never once spoken to any of the boys about my secrets...unless it was against my will, of course.

"...I appreciate the sentiment, milady, but...I would prefer it if you wouldn't pry."

His words were sharp as if he were drawing a line between me and him that I could never cross even if I tried.

He felt strangely...

...lonely.

For a tiny second, I was unsure of how to answer him but, before I knew it, I had already reached out and gripped his hands in mine.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to," I said as a faint, reassuring smile appeared on my face, "I'll wait until the day you confide in me yourself, okay?"

"..."

"I trust you, Grey," I finally added as I gave his large hands a light squeeze.

He was silent for a while before suddenly giving a long, heavy sigh.

He muttered something under his breath and shook away his hands from mine.

"Ah...sorry..." I was about to say before Grey took his free hands and wrapped them around mine instead.

"Milady, you truly are a hopeless woman. I'm starting to think I didn't raise you properly," Grey said with another sigh.

Then, he sighed again.

And again.

"Hey, wait a minute— Aren't you sighing a little too much here—?" I said before Grey cut me off once more.

"Milady."

"...Yes?"

"You're too defenseless."

"E-Eh? Excuse me?"

"It looks like..."

"...Looks like...what?"

"...I'll have to retrain you all over again."

I froze.

No...

No.

No.