Chapter 48.1

Yernia had danced so well.

She admitted she was a little clumsy when she just made her debut in society, but Cassian’s teasing had fired her up to do better.

When she heard from him that she couldn’t get any dance requests because she didn’t practice all the time, Yernia made it a point to prove the bastard wrong.

As a result, the way she danced gracefully stood out more than her peers.

Despite improving her dancing skills, she still hadn’t received requests for first dances from the males.

To be honest, it was quite a shock.

Yernia considered herself a bit popular with the opposite sex.

She wasn’t that bad…or so she thought.

She couldn’t believe she hadn’t received requests for first dances despite the hard work she put in!

It was ridiculous.

She became increasingly frustrated as the sad experience repeated a few times before she finally got used to it.

At that point, Yernia was so relieved to have a dancing partner that she didn’t care it was Cassian all the damn time.

“It’s been a while since I stepped on your foot.”

“I kind of missed it. I enjoyed it back then.”

“You were having fun at my expense? I shed a lot of bloody tears, Cassian.”

Cassian chuckled. “Why? Because of me?”

Yernia put her hand on Cassian’s shoulder and gently grabbed his arm with her other hand.

“I was so frustrated that I had to marry you if I couldn’t dance once I turned into an adult.”

“Your skills have improved because of me. You should thank me, Yernia.”

What kind of logic did he have?

Her own family knew Yernia had practiced dancing so hard because of Cassian’s challenge.

She hated his criticism so hard that she swore she would do better.

“I was already talented in my own right. But I can’t say it’s not thanks to you.”

A pleasant melody filled the space.

Yernia stared at Cassian as if he was the only person in the room, and he gave her a slight smile as he performed the dance steps.

It appeared like both of them had reminisced about their past.

“Why did you always dance with me, Cassian?”

Unlike her, who had to receive a male’s invitation to dance, Cassian did not dance with other females even if he had the freedom to ask for anyone he liked.

He had asked Yernia, who felt always left out in societal balls, for his first dances instead.

“You said you wanted to dance with someone.”

Yernia was moved by this offer when she had just made her social debut.

As she practiced dancing while weeping at her family’s threats to marry her childhood friend in the future, Cassian’s kindness secretly thrilled her too.

“If you kept doing that, I might have liked you.”

“What?”

“I used to like you when I was a kid.”

Cassian was Yernia’s first love.

He could be rude sometimes, but his rare sweetness got under her skin.

She also knew that her first love liked Seria, so she ultimately gave up.

The unrequited love she experienced in the far future forced Yernia to get rid of those emotions again when she was ten.

After all, Cassian would ruin her life.

As the days went by, Cassian became more mischievous in teasing Yernia, which made the task of unloving him less complicated.

“Oh, my.”

Yernia had stepped on Cassian’s foot.

It appeared like he had made a mistake.

He didn’t step away when he should have.

He just stopped.

“You should have stepped backward, Cassian. I stepped on your foot because you stopped out-of-the-blue.”

Yernia removed her gaze from Cassian’s feet to glance up at the wide eyes on his stern face.

He didn’t look like he was breathing.

Was it that shocking for him to find out he was her first love?

“Of course, I don’t like you anymore, so don’t worry.”

She had always liked him since she was a kid, but it would be too embarrassing to admit.

“You liked me?” Cassian clarified slowly as he stood there like he had been struck by lightning.

“I didn’t like you seriously when I was young. Well, I just liked you a little.”

Yernia said it without thinking because his reaction embarrassed her too much.

Should she have taken her secret to the grave?

“Why now, Yernia?”

“Why? You tease me all the time. Does it make you feel better? All of my feelings for you have disappeared.”

“Huh? Damn it!”

Why did he curse in front of her?

Yernia wondered if Cassian felt terrible that she liked him in the past.

Of course, she would also feel bad if someone she hated confessed to her.

Was Cassian feeling the same way right now?

“Hey, Cassian! I had a crush on you back when we were kids, but I don’t like you anymore. Why are you so upset? I’m still your best friend, though.”

“I didn’t curse at you. It’s just that I consider myself a colossal jerk.”

When Yernia guided him to move, he moved again.

Cassian glanced at Yernia as she focused on her dance steps to match the music.

Then, he asked. “What made you change your mind?”

“You liked her,” Yernia replied bluntly.

Cassian responded with a bitter laugh as if it had upset him.

“What on earth had caused this misunderstanding?”

Also, when Cassian halted his steps, Yena squashed the tip of his shoe again.

She had no idea why he kept dancing and stopping today.

It wasn’t like Cassian hadn’t memorized the dance steps.