Our Summer Isn't Over Yet - Chapter 64

As the dim light slowly illuminated the train’s interior, Mia’s eyes fluttered open. She blinked slowly, trying to shake off the grogginess.

For some reason, Dylan had pushed her harder than usual, and Mia had helplessly surrendered to him. Throughout their entwined bodies, fleeting doubts arose, but they were momentary.

She was exhausted from Dylan’s relentless attention all night. Too tired to string together complex thoughts.

‘Later, I’ll think about it when we arrive.’

Mia sighed softly and shifted slightly. Only then did she realize Dylan was holding her. His large, broad arms enveloped her completely.

The skin-to-skin contact radiated warmth. She felt soft fabric, and a thick blanket covered them. Dylan must have cleaned up everything while she slept soundly.

Mia looked up at him.

Since the accident, Dylan had been going to bed later and waking up earlier than Mia while they were at the mansion. So, seeing him asleep felt strangely unfamiliar. Her gaze swept over his face, and she slowly raised her hand to caress it.

Her fingers traced the space between his eyebrows, down his nose. Eventually, they reached his lips. The lips that had kissed and suckled her for so long were now tightly closed.

The slow, ticklish movements continued.

Meanwhile, the sunlight intensely filled the train’s interior. Dylan’s hair, bathed in light, sparkled exceptionally. Mia looked at him and parted her lips.

Dylan, who was only resentful, Dylan, who was enigmatic, Dylan, whose inner thoughts were unreadable.

Was it a mistake from the start to try to read the inner thoughts of a man she should only hate from head to toe? Dylan Rihart had filled Mia Blair’s mind to the point where she couldn’t think of anything else.

“…Ha.”

She tried to nurture her hatred for Dylan, who had broken his promise to find her parents’ remains, who had broken his promise to send her back to her hometown.

If she didn’t even do that, she feared the day she would forgive and understand Dylan Rihart. Afraid she would do so without hesitation.

Just as she was struggling to fuel her anger towards Dylan, Morgan’s words before leaving the royal palace flashed through her mind.

“You seem to be the only one who doesn’t know why the two dukes are protecting you.”

Why did his words come to mind now of all times?

Mia clenched and unclenched her fist repeatedly, then carefully rolled her tongue.

“Dylan.”

When she called his name, her tongue tapped against her upper teeth. The sensation was even more vivid when she said it slowly.

“…Dylan.”

He remained silent, unresponsive. The slow, thumping heartbeat was hard to distinguish as his or her own.

Her unrefined feelings continued endlessly. The feelings that should be cut with scissors were only expanding without end. Mia couldn’t define those feelings and gave up on reaching a conclusion.

Mia closed her eyes tightly and embraced Dylan. The warmth enveloping her was simply comforting. She struggled to push away the surging thoughts.

Hoping that her chilling heart would warm up even a little, Mia hugged Dylan even tighter. As if sensing her movement in his sleep, he hugged her back a little more firmly than before.

Strangely, a sense of peace settled over her as she was held tightly.

With her face buried in his chest, Mia felt the warmth slowly spreading. And so, she gradually fell asleep, breathing evenly.

At that moment, Dylan’s still, bright blue eyes opened. He looked down at Mia in his arms for a moment. He pulled up the blanket that had slipped down and carefully covered her.

Amidst the rattling noise and the light filling the room, Dylan unfurled Mia’s tightly clenched hand. He gently touched her tense hand and held her even tighter than before. Tight enough that she wouldn’t come loose even if she didn’t hug him back.

Then, he patted her back at a steady pace. He sighed slowly and continued to move. With the hope that the small being in his arms would sleep peacefully.

The rattling train sounds, the sounds of the crew preparing breakfast beyond the door, the sounds of birds chirping outside the window, Mia’s even breathing. And Dylan’s patting.

It was a peaceful morning, filled with the scent of human life.

“Mia, how are you feeling?”

Mia looked at Dylan kneeling in front of her, putting on her shoes. Her small feet fit perfectly in his hands. Even after being entangled so intimately, new things came into view.

The fact that Dylan’s hands were particularly beautiful, or that his hands, which seemed rough, were softer than expected…

All were just useless thoughts. Mia swallowed a sigh and replied.

“I don’t think that’s a question to ask someone you’ve been working to death until dawn.”

“Are you angry?”

Mia, who had been tormented by Dylan for four days straight, didn’t even have the strength to smile faintly. There was a reason why he made sure she ate properly when it was mealtime.

But she couldn’t blame him alone.

But she couldn’t blame him alone.

Because when he, who was usually so blunt, smiled loosely and asked if he should stop, it was she who ultimately shook her head. Recalling her actions over the past four days, Mia swallowed a sigh inwardly and continued to rationalize.

‘…I’m just complying because I have to deceive Dylan.’

She knew better than anyone else how ridiculous her excuse was.

It seemed like even Mia could see her feelings growing longer and longer.

‘Would it have been better if I had a nightmare?’

Since there were no nightmares chasing her when she was with Dylan, she seemed to be loosening up even more.

To push away the useless thoughts even a little, Mia dug her nails into her palm, clenching her fist painfully. Then, she slid her gaze away and replied.

“There’s no way I could be angry with you.”

“Is that so?”

She felt his intense gaze, but she didn’t meet Dylan’s eyes. Through the large window, she could see the platform slowly approaching.

Mia stared at it and muttered.

“We’re here.”

At her words, Dylan turned his head and gazed outside.

“Let’s rest at the prepared mansion today.”

“Okay.”

“The south is sunnier than the capital.”

He placed the bonnet he had set aside on Mia’s head. The blue color stood out, as if it were a set with the sky-blue dress she was wearing.

Unlike the indifferent Dylan, Mia was surprised. That’s because she usually disliked being in the shade, so she didn’t use anything that could block the sun. As if noticing her slight reluctance, Dylan reassured her not to worry.

At his firm and confident words, Mia finally relaxed her body. Dylan casually tied the ribbon on Mia’s bonnet.

“It suits you very well, as expected.”

The sensation of the ribbon fluttering at the tip of her chin was ticklish.

Dylan’s fresh scent was particularly strong in the bonnet. Dylan, who slowly helped Mia up as she blinked blankly, led her to the mirror.

‘He always tries to make me check.’

Mia slowly followed him. She didn’t particularly like checking her face and appearance every time.

A sigh she couldn’t swallow escaped softly.

What would change even if she checked her dull hair and lifeless face? She had been worked to death for four days straight, so she was bound to look quite haggard.

“Mia, look.”

Dylan, who grabbed Mia’s shoulders, whispered in her ear.

Mia, who had been looking down, slowly raised her head and met her own eyes in the mirror. The sunlight tangled in her hair sparkled exceptionally. The things that always looked dark were somehow holding light.

“Doesn’t it suit you?”

The pupils she thought had lost their vitality contained a faint light. The subtly trembling pupils were definitely hers.

They were definitely her own.

Nothing had changed from usual. It was the same appearance completed by Dylan’s hands as in the mansion, so why.

“Beautiful.”

Dylan’s sleeve, which was holding her shoulders, came into view. There was a green cufflink, similar to the color of her eyes, attached to it.

Mia momentarily stopped breathing and stared stiffly at him. The slow vibration of the car then slowly stopped. The train, which had been moving at a slow speed, had finally stopped.

Dylan lightly kissed Mia’s cheek. Just as he was about to call her name aloud, Mia turned her head.

“I should get off now. We’re here.”

“……”

“I feel nauseous, so I’ll get off first. Come out slowly.”

Uncharacteristically, Mia flusteredly avoided her seat.

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