(BL) Rejected by daughter's second male lead-Chapter 57

"Yuan...?"

When Yuan didn’t answer, Gillon carefully placed the back of his hand on Yuan’s forehead. He was checking to see if he had a fever.

Yuan hastily pushed the hand away and shook his head.

"I am fine. I feel better now. There’s no need to go outside."

If they went outside, they would be alone, and in his current strange and restless state of mind, Yuan didn’t know what he might do.

"Are you really okay?"

It was just as Gillon was checking once more.

"His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Cecilia Blake are entering!"

The doorkeeper’s booming voice echoed off the high dome ceiling of the banquet hall. All the nobles stopped what they were saying and turned toward the entrance. Then, they showed their respect to the royal family.

Gillon was no different. He grabbed the arm of Yuan, who was standing there blankly staring at the entrance.

’Follow my lead.’

After mouthing the words, Gillon placed his right hand over his left breast and bowed. Yuan, with a displeased expression, roughly copied Gillon.

The one silver lining was that they didn’t have to bow for long. The nobles soon stood up and began to watch the beautiful couple, who were essentially the stars of today’s party.

"I can’t see Cecil well because of the crowd. You rest here for a moment. I’ll go greet His Highness the Crown Prince and have a brief chat with Cecil."

Gillon had Yuan lean against the wall and gently patted his shoulder.

"I’ll be right back, okay?"

"...I will go with you."

Yuan said, standing up straight.

"Will you be alright? It’s crowded over there—"

"How many times do I have to say I am fine? You told me to greet the royals properly."

Yuan snapped irritably for no reason and then strode ahead. From behind, he could hear Gillon calling out, "Yuan! Let’s go together, Yuan!" as he followed. Thinking that the sound was somehow pleasant, Yuan slowed his pace slightly.

The two men headed toward the center of the banquet hall. Belying his excuse that it was stuffy due to the crowd, when Yuan and Gillon moved, the other nobles cleared a path for them on their own.

"Dad!"

Cecilia saw Gillon first and called out happily. Gillon smiled at Cecilia, then greeted Hexion.

"I am honored to see Your Highness the Crown Prince, the star of the Empire. You look very handsome and dashing today. Hahaha!"

Just as expected of the male lead. A character worthy of barely touching the tip of my daughter’s toe. Gillon praised him inwardly, meeting Hexion’s gaze with a pleased expression. However, upon seeing this, Yuan suddenly started coughing beside him.

"Ahem, cough! Cough... cooough!"

Hexion and Cecilia whipped their heads around to stare at Yuan with strange looks. It was the first time they had ever heard such an artificial and awkward-sounding cough.

But it didn’t seem to sound that way to Gillon’s ears. He looked to his side in surprise.

"Yuan, what’s wrong? Are you still feeling a bit stuffy?"

"Um, cough, cooough! Well, a little...."

Yuan mumbled.

"Pay it no mind. I am also honored to see the ’handsome and dashing’ Crown Prince, the star of the Empire."

He greeted him, putting emphasis on ’handsome and dashing.’ Only then did Cecilia seem to realize what was going on, her eyes darting around. She didn’t know the reason, but Yuan was now being childishly jealous. The awkward coughing from a moment ago was exactly the kind of thing a child would do to get attention, wanting to monopolize a parent’s affection.

However, the unperceptive Hexion simply accepted the greeting, and Gillon, who only thought Yuan was sick, was still examining him with worried eyes.

"Both the Duke and the Marquis are handsome enough to light up the banquet hall today. Though of course, you cannot beat the lily of the valley of high society."

Hexion smiled brightly and looked down at his partner, Cecilia. Affection as sweet as honey dripped from his eyes. Cecilia covered the side of her face with her fan.

"Oh, my... let us move further inside, Your Highness."

At Cecilia’s words, Hexion gave a small laugh and led her into the banquet hall. As soon as they reached the center of the hall, the orchestra changed the music. It was a waltz often played at parties, signaling that the time for dancing with one’s partner had arrived.

An empty circle formed around Hexion and Cecilia. They naturally faced each other and lightly placed their hands on each other’s hands, shoulders, and waists. Soon, the dance of the romance-fantasy protagonists began.

Gillon watched Cecilia from a distance, then whispered in Yuan’s ear.

"We have to join the dancing around them from the second verse. Will you be okay? If you’re not feeling well, we can sneak away."

"...I feel fine now."

Who knew how many times he had gone from fine to not fine today. Yet Gillon never once doubted him and checked on his health. It was the same this time. He let out a sigh of relief and rubbed Yuan’s back.

"If you are in pain, don’t hide it and tell me anytime. Enduring it will only make it worse."

At those words, Yuan slowly looked at Gillon.

"Has that happened to you, Duke?"

"Hmm?"

Yuan and Gillon’s gazes locked in midair. They looked at each other quietly. It felt as if the music floating in the air had mass and was densely filling the space between them.

"...Well, of course it has. Doesn’t everyone experience that at least once in their lives? Saying you’re fine even when you’re in pain, enduring it, letting it pass, pretending nothing is wrong."

Gillon answered with a grin, as if it were nothing. But Yuan did not smile back. He said coolly.

"Then from now on, you must not do that either, Duke. Do not let it get worse."

"Right. I will. I know that well now, too. Isn’t that why I said so to you?"

Gillon’s tone was lighthearted from start to finish. It was an everyday way of speaking and a topic that carried no particular weight.

But strangely, Yuan did not want to take his words lightly. He was also irritated. It felt bad to think that this man had once endured pain alone, suffering until it got worse. He wanted to curse him for being a fool, and he also wanted to use the forbidden ancient time magic to go back to when Gillon had been in pain.

"...Anyway, you should also speak up immediately if you are in pain, Duke. Don’t just lecture me like an old man, telling me what to do."

"When did I ever lecture you? A man tries to show some concern, and you—"

"Anyway! You must have understood what I meant."

"Hahaha! Right, right. I understand. Then let’s make a promise. That neither of us will endure pain and will tell each other right away."

Gillon laughed and held out his pinky finger. Yuan stared at the finger. Suddenly, he remembered what Cecilia had said.

’You just have to hook your pinky on that finger, Ivy. That’s my dad’s special signal. It means he will definitely keep his promise to you.’

It means he will definitely keep his promise to me.

Yuan mulled over the sentence inwardly and slowly raised his pinky. The two men’s pinky fingers fit perfectly together and intertwined. For a moment, a violent impulse to break this pinky finger right then and there surged within Yuan. What on earth was this feeling?

After a few seconds, Gillon released his finger. Only then did Yuan realize the name of that impulse. Possessiveness. Longing. Obsession. Satisfaction. It could be called any of those things.

What... what is wrong with me?

All day long, he had been acting childishly. He was jealous of the pink-haired noble girl, pretended to be sick, and constantly stuck by Gillon’s side, trying to draw his attention. He did all this even though he didn’t like Gillon, nor did he want to marry Gillon.

Should I just teleport home?

Yuan did not like this situation. He hated this uncontrolled version of himself, and he hated this magnificent banquet hall filled with the smell of powder and perfume. The clinging gazes and voices, and even Gillon, who kept paying attention to him—he hated it all.

Just then, Gillon turned toward Yuan. And he held up both his hands in the air.

"It’s almost the second verse. Get ready."

He was asking him to dance. Yuan was about to say no. No, he was about to disappear without even saying a word. Acting on a whim was his specialty, after all.

But surprisingly, Yuan’s right hand automatically wrapped around Gillon’s waist, and his left hand took Gillon’s of its own accord. Their chests pressed together. They were so close that they could hear each other’s breathing.

What am I doing?

Yuan, flustered, tried to pull his hands away, but it stopped at a thought. It seemed his body and mind were steadfastly determined to remain attached to Gillon.

"Uh... Yuan?"

Seeing Yuan’s face scrunch up as he tensed and relaxed his grip, Gillon narrowed his eyes and pulled his neck back.

Look at that. Just look at him pulling his neck back because his eyes are getting old! But why don’t I want to let go of this hand? Have you lost your mind, Yuan Hampton? You’re the most amazing man in this world. Why on earth would you want to dance with some old man like this....

"It’s really starting now, Yuan."

Gillon said, gripping Yuan’s shoulder tightly. Yuan, who had been experiencing a fierce internal conflict until that moment, felt the strength of that grip and opened his mouth.

"Yes...."

Answering with extreme obedience, Yuan wrapped his arm around Gillon’s waist and twirled. And so, the two men’s dance began. Yuan’s internal conflict scattered within the dance as if it had never existed.