The Author's POV

'...You are making it really hard for me not to like you.'

Amanda's words echoed inside my mind like thunderbolts as my body stopped moving altogether.

Millions of different thoughts flashed inside of my mind as I struggled to speak.

This...

She knew that I knew all along?

A bitter smile soon spread across my face.

'...And here I thought I was doing a good job at trying to hide my feelings.'

As expected of Amanda, she was more perceptive than I thought.

I was unsure of what to say to her sudden confession as I stared at her. Although I knew that she liked me, I didn't take her for one to express her emotions so suddenly.

The Amanda I knew was supposed to be reserved and shy.

Not someone that would boldly confess like this.

'Just what happened during the time that I was in the demon world?'

Honestly, she had caught me off-guard.

"Ehm—"

"You don't have to answer me just yet."

Amanda let go of the railing before I could say anything else. As she turned away from me, she moved toward the balcony's sliding door.

"Sorry for dropping off something like that after you've just returned. I just...feel like I needed to say it. For my sake."

There was a short pause in her speech as she placed her hand on the slider door.

"...I guess I'm selfish in my own way, but if I never did this, I don't think you would've ever though about it."

In the midst of my racing mind, a strange feeling overpowered me.

"Once again, sorry fo—"

I didn't know when, but before I knew it, I had already taken a step forward and I found myself grasping her wrist.

"Wait."

"Huh?"

After my hand made contact with Amanda's, her body flinched and she turned to face me with a surprised expression.

Our faces weren't far.

About a few inches away from each other.

Gazing at her face which seemed to sparkle under the moonlight, I had a sudden thought.

'Was I always this indecisive?'

It didn't take long for me to come up with an answer to that question.

...Yeah.

I guess I was.

Thinking back, I really did have the tendency to overthink things.

But it couldn't be helped. I was someone that liked to have everything under control.

Just like in this case, were my emotions real, or were they a fruit of my other self's work?

To be honest, this was something that had been plaguing my mind for quite a while. I had long stopped thinking about it because I was busy with other stuff.

It only resurfaced recently when I went to the demon realm.

At the time, I didn't think about saving Amanda's father when I went to the demon world.

How could I have?

I had just come off from a fight against the demon king and found out about the secret of the entity residing inside of my body.

Edward was the last thing that was on my mind back then.

Demon Hunter Guild was complicated. It had to be noted that they were the ones protecting my parents, and if something bad happened to them,

wasn't really thinking too

just maybe, Amanda

But.

slowly opened my mouth to

"This weekend..."

of her wrist as I stared deeply into her obsidian

you free this

***

Clank—!

her, Amanda stood

as she tried to let

'…It really happened, right?'

She thought to herself.

had actually asked her out

became hot as her head

"It really did happen..."

Amanda knew that whatever happened back

It had actually happened.

Knock—! Knock—!

moment that Amanda heard a knocking

"Amanda? Are you okay?"

her father.

her hands on her cheeks, Amanda hastily turned

"…I'm okay."

in

"Is that so…"

Edward awkwardly said.

silence followed his voice

while, unable to bear the silence anymore,

can I come

"No."

more pressure on the doorside, Amanda shook her

"Don't come in."

sorry for her father, she did not want anyone to see her right now.

expression wasn't

you perhaps angry

words, Edward's

down, Amanda

"I'm not."

"Then why?"

I'm about to

"Oh…"

silence ensued as Edward seemed to

He eventually backed off.

still have a lot to discuss together. I'll see you tomorrow morning.

"Good night."

door, Amanda closely paid attention to the sound of his footsteps

was only after she could no longer hear them

her feet slid down and she

"…I'm sorry."

murmured as she thought back at

really couldn't

really couldn't bear to let anyone see her at

"This is hard…"

***

make a

I stared

the events that transpired not too long ago still seems a little hard to

hope she isn't too

agreed

mind,

explore my feelings and see

my feelings in order to create a

Amanda was strong.

Kevin. Not only that, she wasn't someone that I needed to look after

her responsibilities,

I thought of her as someone I

a moment's pause in my thoughts, I muttered silently to

this might be for

need something to distract me from the things

this was probably the best distraction

it really for

that moment, a voice echoed beside me. My reaction was nonexistent since

ceiling