When History Repeats || Leona Kingscholar

Chapter 9

"I'll be going now, your grace. Have a pleasant day ahead."

Emma bowed as gracefully as possible, before leaving the room with a gentle click on the doorknob. She sighed, before walking towards the kitchen to grab herself a cup of fresh tea and spend the weekend alone.

Peace and quiet was all she needed right now, after all.

Well, she didn't even manage to place her tea bag in her tea kettle when she was suddenly dragged by this hyena boy she has unfortunately fallen for.

"Ruggie, what are you--!"

"I'll explain later!"

Without much thinking, she was being dragged by the boy all over the place until they, well, Ruggie shuts the two of them inside of a storage room. And, may I just say that, that room was so tight and cramped?!

They didn't get to say anything as much when they first found themselves stuck inside of the room. While the hyena was looking around outside, trying to find something, the girl who was squashed between his figure and the wall behind her was biting her lip.

WHATTHEHELLISHAPPENINGRIGHTNOW.

Breath, Emma. Breath.

All she wanted was some cookies and tea, and this is what happened?

Is she dreaming still?

"Ruggie, explain what--!"

"Shush."

A hand immediately went to cover the lady's mouth, which made the whole atmosphere go silent and tense at the same time. His hands were so calloused, maybe due to working and all that.

No. Stop thinking about that, Emma.

Then, not couple minutes later, she heard a pair of shoes pass by them. They were heavy as the person walks, and for a moment, they stopped walking.

It felt like a whole game of hide and seek, and it was scaring the hell out of her.

However, it didn't take a long time for them to move once more, like a chess piece that was moved by the player. Once the both of them didn't hear anything anymore, the hyena quietly sighed in relief.

"Sorry for hiding you all of a sudden, heh." Ruggie laughed, before removing his hand that was on her lips a moment ago.

She held her breath, trying to find some kind of answer to that. A simply hum will always be alright, but she didn't want to sound nonchalant. A straightforward answer would sound weird, too.

So, she asked a question instead.

"What exactly happened?" Finally, those words came out of her mouth as she tried asking ever since they went inside of this room.

"To simply put it, I didn't get Leona what he wanted."

"Which was?"

"Ms. Dorothea." He replied shortly, before sighing. "I reminded him many times that today, she would be out and finish a research project with someone, but he didn't listen and became all grumpy."

Ah, so that was all that.

No wonder her grace wanted to leave as quietly as possible, as to not awake some kind of beast that was wandering around the halls of the dorm. Emma, who was tired of all this, could only huff a breath.

"Then, why was I dragged in here, as well?"

"Because if he's in that state, anything and anyone he sees will end up being turned into sand."

"Aw, you care enough about me?" She teased, which made him scoff. "I don't want the person who gives me free donuts be gone just like that. It'll be a waste."

Her breath hitched for a moment, before she tried to compose herself.

"I'm sorry, but I need to leave." Said Emma, biting her lip. "I need to finish my tasks, and be quick about it."

Before she could even open the door of the storage room, he held onto her hand.

"You can't leave yet." Ruggie replied. "I'm sure Leona is still looking for me, or hell, even you."

"But I--!"

"Wait. You're claustrophobic, aren't you?"

Silence was between them before she immediately scoffed.

"If you're well aware, then let me leave." She said, backing up the wall.

That idea didn't even went into the boy's head as he smirked his signature one, leaning just a little bit closer to her figure.

"I've never realized you have long eyelashes before. It's cute."

"Excuse you?" She was, well, flattered, but also embarrassed.

He can't just say something like that out of the blue, without her consent?!

Saying that her whole being was flustered, was an understatement. This boy really does think that he can just go around telling people weird and random things in order to get something in return, huh.

And the fact that he was so close that he could probably feel her flustered form was killing her inside. Without much thinking, she just decided to end the whole 'staring into each other's soul' by covering her face using her hands.

"Don't hide your face. I wanna see."

Emma wanted to curse him when he removed her hands, and continued to study her shaking eyes and trembling lips. She couldn't grip on her skirt because he was holding on to her hands, either.

"Do you think I can?"

She knows that he knows, and yet his smug grin was making her feel even more flushed.

"Unfortunately."

"Thank you for the tea, Emma. It's amazing as always." Dorothea praised, placing the cup of freshly made tea down and smiled.

Emma smiled back, mirroring her expression before undoing her hair that was styled the whole day. After all, it was tiring and rather difficult to always put up a front, especially with people you barely know.

"How did the research go?" She asked, to which the princess smiled once more about. "It was alright, finished it before afternoon ended and I was immediately pulled into that lion's den."

It was cute that the young woman was trying hard not to sound all happy about it, considering how stupid it must be to fall in love with the arrogant second prince of Sunset Savanna.

But hey, you can't underestimate feelings, truly.

Especially if it's from a beastman that's too.. possessive, let's say.

Emma hummed in response, before brushing the lady's locks with the hairbrush that was sitting on the vanity a moment ago.

Dorothea's hair was always so smooth, so satisfying to brush and touch with your hands as its strands was relaxing to your fingers. It was so quiet, so peaceful.

This was the peace she wanted just earlier this morning.

"Also," Dorothea takes the cup of tea and sips on it once more. "I like your new tattoo."

Emma's breath hitched, before trying to cover her arms using her sleeve with flushed cheeks.