socalfunplaces Chapter 24 Dating
Chapter 24 Dating
The lights dimmed, and the female lead on stage gracefully walked from backstage to the front, her beautiful voice flowing as she sang, expressing the emotions stirring in her heart.
Chloe had to admit that she might not have much of an artistic talent. Even though everyone around her was completely absorbed in the emotions expressed by the water goddess Funyna, she felt nothing except that she thought Funyna sang very well.
This is probably why she never liked watching operas when she was young.
She let herself drift off into thought, leaning back in her chair and secretly glancing at the person next to her.
Like everyone else, Navelette was completely absorbed in appreciating everything on stage. Her profile was bathed in a halo of light under the stage lights, as if a soft filter had been applied, exuding an aura of sacredness and nobility.
Chloe was caught off guard by the man's handsome face and couldn't help but pull her hand away, but little did she know that this little movement would accidentally brush against the man's palm.
So the hand that had been loosely grasping hers suddenly tightened, and Villette's gaze, which had been fixed on the stage, shifted to her: "Ms. Chloe, what's wrong?"
Normally, one shouldn't speak at a time like this, but Chloe felt inexplicably jealous and wanted him to focus more on her, so she couldn't help but lean closer and whisper in his ear, "Does Lord Vilette enjoy watching opera?"
Navelette looked thoughtful. "...Perhaps. Ms. Chloe should know that I'm actually quite curious about how people interact, but after studying related books, I found that it doesn't seem to apply to me."
Chloe nodded.
Navelette had told her this on the day they met.
"Then, on someone's suggestion, I tried watching an opera. Art imitates life, and some of the plays depict the emotional connections between people in a truly authentic and captivating way. It seems that every line spoken by the actors contains another line, a line that originates from the writer of the play and also from the audience."
The drama on stage has reached its climax. The male and female leads are forced to separate due to the intervention of villains and are cursed with an evil spell that will prevent them from ever recognizing each other again, even if they meet again.
The lone female lead walks through thorns, desperately searching for her lover whose face has changed.
And so did his lover.
Thorns tore their hands, tears blurred their vision, and they enacted the tragedy of missing each other in their daily search.
Until the day when all suffering was overcome, they heard their lover's heartbeat.
I once heard your heartbeat; you said it was proof of your love for me. Now I hear it again. Though time flows and years pass, it has never ceased to express our feelings for each other.
As the last line of lyrics played, the red curtain on the stage fell.
In the darkness, Villette's voice sounded so clear—
"Ms. Chloe, did you hear that? She's asking me on your behalf. She's saying, 'Do you truly understand the meaning of a heartbeat?'"
What do you think my answer would be?
*
Chloe was somewhat confused as to why things had suddenly taken this turn.
Wait a minute, she was hoping that today's opera would enlighten Navigette, but isn't this a bit too effective? It's not just a one-step solution, it's a meteoric rise!
In fact, she didn't know that dragons have excellent hearing. Back when Aurelia and she first started plotting, Navelette had overheard everything they said.
This includes Chloe's secret crush on him, which began as early as their correspondence; it includes Chloe's lie that she didn't know why her heart was racing; and it includes today's drama.
At that time, he simply didn't understand what all of this really meant.
Funina's arrival gave him a few subtle hints about possessiveness.
He liked holding Chloe's hand, liked Chloe looking at him, only.
He wanted these to belong to him alone.
He thought he understood a little, but before promising anything, he hoped to get a more definite answer from Chloe first, to prove that all of this was not just his own self-deprecation.
Even though Aurelia had already hinted at some of it in her conversation with Chloe.
*
The lights came on again, and enthusiastic applause drowned out Chloe's mumbled response.
Perhaps she should be given some more time, Vilette thought.
So Navelette took the bouquet of flowers that the staff had prepared to present to the actors, giving Chloe, who was still dazed and unable to react, some time to think on her own, and slowly walked onto the stage.
Chloe's gaze unconsciously followed him, settling on his tall, straight back after he stopped.
Then, she gradually calmed down.
She had her answer.
*
After taking his bow with Furness, Navigette used the staff entrance. By the time he finally left the Opicclay Opera, Chloe had been waiting at the door for some time.
The girl was wearing a light-colored dress and his coat was draped over her shoulders. She was kicking pebbles at her feet, looking rather bored.
Violet felt a sense of unease for some reason, but she didn't show it on her face and walked closer step by step.
Hearing footsteps, Chloe immediately looked up, and after confirming that it was the person she had been thinking about, she immediately flashed a bright smile and greeted them: "Lady Villette!"
Navelette stopped a step away from her and asked, "Ms. Chloe, do you have an answer?"
Chloe approached step by step: "I have an answer, but I'm not sure if it's the answer Lord Vilette truly believes. I can't guess Lord Vilette's thoughts; after all, I'm just an ordinary person."
"But—" she said, mustering her courage, "If I had to choose one of the answers Lord Navelette would give, I would hope that you would say that you have come to understand the meaning of a heartbeat, and that every time I get close to you my heart beats like a thunderbolt because I like you, and that your heart beats like a pounding ball because you like me."
"Is that so, Lady Vilette?"
She gave her own answer.
Villette had already given herself the answer.
"Yes, Ms. Chloe, I like you." He smiled.
(End of this chapter)
The author says: Today's weather in Fontaine is sunny.
*
It seems to have happened a bit more suddenly than I expected (scratching my head, feeling bewildered).