Chapter 0010

I paced in my room, fiddling with my fingers. Stomping and kicking at the air in one second and blushing hard in the other second, I couldn't decide what I should do as the next step. It was confusing how a lot of things happened within one day. The person whom I thought I would never see again suddenly came and got the confession he wanted right through my lips. And now...

For number one, I wanted to go downstairs screaming about how Bright stole my heart without warning me. But I knew it would only create chaos, and I would make myself a fool, especially in front of the kids, aka my siblings.

For number two, I wanted to man up and tell everyone that he and I were finally something. That we are seeing each other.. as.. cough cough lovers... But I knew those words wouldn't pass my lips as regular words. It wouldn't pass without me blushing like a lovesick person or acting like a weirdo from space. Both options weren't good.

I shook my head as if it would shake my brain and give me some ideas on how to come out to my family about this. It wasn't as if I did something illegal. The marriage was arranged to begin with.. but I couldn't help but hesitate again and again. I doubted the decision I took.

It didn't take long for the door of my room to slam open. My whole family barged inside, including my little siblings. I jumped from where I was standing because of the sudden invasion. Suddenly I thought I was in the wrong place.

"Am... I in trouble?" I asked, pointing at myself.

"You are so in trouble, young man. You are grounded." Mama said in a serious voice yet, trying to keep a straight face. But it didn't take her long to laugh it off and grab me for a hug.

"We are so proud of you~" she added, hugging me more tightly.

I felt as if I had announced my pregnancy to my family.. or my PhD... According to my memory, I didn't do anything for them to be proud of.

"Guys, what happened?" I asked, fully confused about the whole thing. Then my mind decided I was about to die of some deadly disease, and my family was trying to make me feel okay. Because I was living at my last minute.

"My oldest son is finally getting married," Papa added, pushing Mama away and hugging me. I squinted my eyes in confusion. The oldest son happened to be me, and even I didn't know who I was going to marry. OR I was going to marry...

"Wait, wait, wait," I said, pushing him away lightly. "I am getting married? When am I getting married? And who? Who is going to be my mate?! I never promised anyone I am marrying them!" I stated.

Everyone looked at me as if I landed from Saturn. I looked at them as if they landed from Pluto!

"Seriously, Win? Quit hiding. Bright already told us." Mesa said.

"W-what?" I was confused. Bright had told them we were going to get married instead of start dating.. he was moving too fast. Oh, what a disaster!

"Hold on a second. No one's getting married." I broke the news.

"What?" everyone asked in unison.

"I mean.. we are seeing each other as in dating.. but I am not ready to get married now. I am still in my early twenties. And he knows that." I said, keeping a periodt in the end. The conversation was over. Everyone looked at me, speechless.

"Win.." Mama started. "I know you are young for your age. But Bright is not. Don't you think you have to think about him, too?" she asked seriously.

Did I accidentally say 'yes' to a grandpa? I thought.

"H-how old is he? Is he like sixty?" I joked.

"He's twenty-nine," Papa said.

I raised my eyebrows upon hearing his age. It didn't matter how old he was.. but it did matter that... I didn't know his age until Papa told me about it. We shared each other's names and a few facts about each other.. but it all felt unreal and stuck. I didn't even know his age.. moreover what he liked and disliked. I didn't even know if he had any siblings... I didn't know anything.

He didn't know about me. Maybe a few things my parents revealed to him but.. nothing more, nothing less... and the big secret. The biggest and dirtiest secret of all-

I was an omega. And he didn't know.

He loved me all this time, unknown of that sickening fact.

I found myself as a villain, a cruel person who used another person.. but everything was unintentional. But I knew... up there, someone was looking at me, playing with other people's feelings, lying to my loved ones just to live happily.

I was a sinner.

"..oh. I-I'll talk with him about it," I mumbled.

"Give him a quick word, will you? He too wanted to slow things up.. but with what happened to him in his relationship before, his parents are more concerned about him." Mama explained the situation to me.

H-his relationship before?

I could remember once he told me how he had never liked anyone the way he liked me... Did he lie to me too? And I never heard him say anything about his relationship before...

I thought he didn't lie to me. We were both liars..? But-

I patiently sat in the café waiting for Bright. My mind was creating endless stories about what would've happened to him with his relationship before and what would happen after our conversation. I didn't want to believe he lied to me all this time neither did I hope he lied to me.

I wanted him as he was.. but I knew I was being so damn selfish and unfair, hoping for the best from Bright when I was the real dirty person in our relationship. Even I couldn't decide who I was and what was happening to me. How many lies I've made up?

Knowing that one day the secret might go out ate me inside...

So I finally decided... I decided to tell him the truth right there. Right inside the café in public. I wished for a good reaction. At least a bit. I was scared. In my imagination, he would throw his coffee at my face and leave, telling me all sorts of bad things to me. Again in my imagination, he would hold my hand and accept me for who I was...

On the other hand, I didn't want to find out he had lied to me all this time.

"Hey." Bright's voice said before taking a seat in front of me in a hurry.

"Are you in a hurry?" I asked.

"Nope. Well... I am nervous." he blabbered out, and I couldn't help but release a chuckle. He was sometimes too open-minded.

"About what?" I asked.

"Well... you said you have to talk about some things, so I was nervous if you were going to reject me again? Are you?"

"No," I said a quick 'No', gaining attention from the people around us. Bright laughed it off, and I pushed the coffee I got for him, which was next to my one. I ordered one for him before he came.

"Oh, I am sorry, but... I am allergic to coffee," he said.

My mouth went dry hearing it.. it was bad. So so bad. I didn't know about it. I didn't know anything. So I clenched my hands into fists and nodded. Then I called the waiter over to our table.

"Any kind of fruit juice." Bright quickly said, looking at me with concern. The waiter nodded and went to the cashier area, and I looked down at my fingers.

"Did something happen? Something bad?" Bright asked me, worry visible in his voice.

I absentmindedly nodded, "I realized... you and I don't know anything about each other.. and you lied... I mean the- the relationship you were in before we met... you didn't tell me about it." I said the last words in a nearly inaudible voice.

"W-who told you about it?" he asked.

"Mama told me when we had a conversation about you last night," I told him the truth.

"It's nothing important-" he started hesitantly, but I cut him off.

"But I want to know!" I suddenly raised my voice. "I-I mean, if you want to tell.. but I want to know... about it. About you. More."

I looked at Bright when he was silent for a few seconds. His eyes widened a bit, and his face flushed red. His ears were like someone put on blush on them. He covered his mouth with one hand.

"A-are you okay?" I asked.

"Umm, yeah. You suddenly caught me off guard. You've never said something like that before." he said, trying his best to hide his blush. Oh, I made him feel shy.

"It's over. Now don't change the topic." I hmphed.

The waiter from before excused and kept a fruit juice in front of Bright, which ceased the tension between us. I sighed in relief, thanking him in my mind. Bright's tensed shoulders also slumped in relief.

I leaned on the chair I was sitting in and folded my arms on my chest, examining him head to chest, and stopped there since I could not see his legs. I wasn't examining his physical appearance, but I was observing his actions. He took his time sipping at the drink. The Bright I knew would usually blabber off whatever was in his mind and was hyperactive... I knew he didn't want to talk about the topic at that moment, but I had no choice.

"She.." he started slowly, his eyes doing quick movements. My nails dug into my palm as he mentioned his lover before. "..was the first person I liked," he said with a sigh.

"..but you told me it was me," I mentioned, pissed over the situation. I liked it when he said that. And I wanted to be the one and only.

"Umm, I said I've never liked anyone the way I like you... but I did like someone before you." I nodded, embarrassed about the whole thing. I sounded like a jealous person. Deep inside, I was jealous of his previous lover.

"We dated, we engaged, and she died," Bright said calmly, drinking the orange juice.

"She.. died?" I asked, confused. Bright spoke in a calm voice. But I knew he was feeling sad though he didn't express it to me.

"Yes.. it happened eleven years ago. I was eighteen, and she was seventeen when we met. After one year, she died due to an accident. However, I recovered from it. Time healed."

I knew it was a sensitive topic for him. Even though he looked calm and collected, without even a hint of sadness expressed, I saw something in his eyes that I'd never seen before. It was something like slight pain, and it didn't last long.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you about it before," he said, recovering from his trance.

"No, no. It's okay... I am sorry too. I dug in."

"It's fine.. my parents got worried about me. You know, most people get their mates and get married in their very early twenties, and I was single, and I never went around with anyone. So they thought I would never overcome the past, but I already have. I was just.. so worried.." he trailed off.

His eyes shone slightly with tears. I panicked and thought he was going to cry. But he didn't. He raised his head and blinked. He didn't let a single tear pour down. He blinked them in.

"What is wrong with me?" he groaned, controlling his tears and not letting them out.

"You are still connected with the incident Bright. It's nothing to be ashamed of." I stated, regardless of the tightness inside my chest.

He shook his head, denying, "No. I am not. It's just.. I-I I am worried.. what if... I- I don't want history to repeat."

His eyes locked with mine as he whispered the last words. My breathing stopped, and a pang of guilt grew inside me. He looked sad. It pained me when he looked like that. I was used to the cheerful Bright all along.. but when he looked at me with tears shining eyes, I couldn't hold it up anymore.

I wanted him to cry and let it out.

I brought my hand up and touched his hand, which was on the table in front of me. Slowly ghosting my fingers over his, I slipped my hand to his, holding it ever so lightly. His hands were cold because of holding the cold drink. They wrapped around my warm one, gripping tightly.

"I will never leave you, Bright.. never unless you want me to," I muttered with an assuring smile and voice. I did find myself a bit romantic, though.

He pursed his lips, nodding, and then his usual smile appeared on his face. It looked as if he was planning something mischievous in his mind.

"You know~ Even though I don't like to ruin this mood... your face looks like an orange under a cartwheel now," he said, laughing aloud.

I was taken aback. The usual, nutty Bright was back. So quick!

"Oh, you!" I complained, trying to take my hand back, but he had it all well planned before. He held my hand on the place. Tighter than before.

Looking into my eyes with a mischievous grin, he slowly brought my hand up along with his face coming closer to our intertwined hands. He pressed a warm, butterfly kiss on my knuckles.

I gasped, my whole body on fire because of the simple, lovely kiss. Even when his lips detached from my knuckles, my hand felt as if it was marked, and the kiss lingered there as well as in my mind.

I knew by then I turned into a red tomato. I was biting my lips, eyes shining, and too shy to even look at him.

I didn't know, but that day I fell hard for him.

But little did I know someone was looking at us with clenched fists and pure hatred~