The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

SIDE STORY 2

Darya woke up from her sleep, in another life after dying in an old age. She had somewhat a good life in her tenth life as she lived as an independent woman whose businesses are all over the world. She lived a life occupying her mind with ‘work’, but in the end, in her old age, she lingered and thought if those people she met in that life could have been reincarnated or transmigrated like her. What if Esteban is reincarnated? Would she find out?

This is now her eleventh life. She slowly got up from the soft bed where she was lying. The first thing that caught her eyes was the opened curtains and the view of a large city through the glass walls. Seeing that she is in the modern generation again, she looked around to see where she was. Just as she was about to turn around, something gripped her thigh. And there she realized that she was beside a man… a naked man. 

Darya does not know how to react in this situation so she remains silent while looking at the man who’s sleeping beside her. His dyed blue hair was messy and he looked comfortable in his lie-in-the-stomach position. 

Suddenly, the hand on her thigh caressed and squeezed it.

“Are you going to leave?” The man mumbled in a hoarse voice, clearly still sleepy.

“Yes.”

She saw the forming of a frown in the man’s forehead as he slowly opened his eyes to look at her. His piercing eyes met hers.

“Why do you always leave me when I want to be with you the most?”

She did not respond because the memories of this new body are still flashing in her mind.

“I have to go to school.” It naturally came out of her mouth as if she had gotten used to this usual response.

The man groaned as he squeezed her thigh harder.

“Stay,” he demanded. “Can you skip school for just a day? If you are with me, you have no reason to work to get money.”

Darya removed his hand on her thigh and got off the bed. The man also got up and became completely awake.

“Kizza.” His voice became firm with a hint of control when he called her name.

 Kizza stopped and turned around to look at him. “This is what I hate from you, Renald.” She started walking away, looking for her clothes.

“What? What do you hate about me?” Renald got off the bed to follow her.

When she was wearing her skirt, he walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist as he inhaled her smell. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry if I made you upset.” He caressed her abdomen until it ran to her breast.

“Stop,” Kizza warned and he stopped, worried that she might leave if he didn't. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. He kept his hands to himself as he sank his nose to her long hair. “You smell good,” he then kissed her head, “even after what I’ve done last night.”

Kizza moved away from him and just fixed the messy surroundings. The memories flashed in her mind and suddenly gave her a headache.

Kizza, the name of the body she is in. She is currently a senior art student majoring in painting. She is from a poor family but managed to be in a prestigious university because of multiple scholarships. She is also a working student which she is using to help her siblings’ tuition.

Renald, Kizza’s former high school classmate, is a famous actor who is obsessed with her. After graduating high school, they did not see each other for another three years. Kizza was a third year college student when the two met again, in a convenience store where she worked part time.