A crush

While I was just letting my head process through the stuff that Goldy told me, I didn't notice that we were walking at a rather unnatural pace. Because of the speed that we kept, I could see Guo Ning right before me. When he saw me, he would panic and then ran faster than he previously did. I felt bad for the guy. I wished to walk slowly, but the amount of stuff that went through my head was making me go faster.

This continued till Guo Ning actually ended up getting exhausted and fell into the ground.

"Miss Hua, I can't do this! Why are you so fast? I'm supposed to be the scouter, you know?" He cried.

"Ha, how is this my fault? This is what happens if you don't work out for a very long time and corrode your talent. Before I call for you the next time, I want you to follow the training routine that I follow every day to improve my stamina and stuff. I hope you'd do that." I spoke.

"Of course! If it's a training routine that Miss Hua uses, then I'm sure that it'll be one special routine!" His eyes were gleaming as he said that.

I'm sorry, my dude. But the routine that I'm talking about is the one pun—a rather normal routine. Don't get your hopes up on that.

"Anyway, are you gonna lay down in the ground like that? We're gonna be late, you know? We don't wanna be late or father will lead a freaking search group to find me." I replied.

"I know that. But-" His face said it all. He didn't want to step another foot from there. However, I can't allow that to happen.

"Hmm, if you're that tired, I can carry you to Noncho village, you know? That's the least I can do." I offered to carry him on my shoulders.

"Ha? I don't want—I mean, how can I?" Guo Ning was literally fidgeting. When I looked carefully, I could see him blush as well. This guy…

[Does he like you or something?]

Goldy took the words right out of my mouth. Anyway, for the first time, I noticed that the man had a rather innocent face for a freaking bandit. It's not hot or anything, but it was kinda cute. But that wasn't enough to sway me. What I want now is a sturdy supporter, not a fickle lover. If I accept his advances right now, it might hurt me in the long run. I mean, if we ever got into a relationship of sorts and we ended up breaking up, he'd just turn his back on me, right? I mean, a distance would be created then, right?

What the hell am I even thinking? Maybe I'm taking it entirely the wrong way. I don't wanna hurt the sentiments of the people.

[He's your subordinate, right? What's wrong with a bit of reprimanding? And even if you got the wrong idea, at least he won't foster an affection for you later.]

I got a sharp headache thinking about it. An event where I die like the cannon fodder that I am is approaching, and I didn't want to think about anything else. So even if this is a mistake on my part, I gotta do this.

"What about it? We're SIBLINGS, after all." I replied.

Guo Ning looked flustered. "Ah, yea." He said, all disappointed.

I sighed. "Look here. You like me?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"I asked you a question. Do you like me to the point that you wanna date me?" I asked.

"What's this all of a sudden?" He grew even more flustered.

"Just answer the question, my dude." I replied.

"Yea…" He mumbled.

"I see. What made you like me?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"Come on. Don't play dumb with me. Give me a proper answer now, will ya? What made you like me?" I asked.

"Ah, that-" I saw him pause for a second. He was clueless. He had no idea why he liked me in the first place.

"Seems like you're stumped, eh? Let me give you the answer. I believe that's because I'm the first woman you held a normal conversation with. Ain't that right?" I asked.

"That's right…" He nodded his head.

"See? This is just a passing crush. Don't meddle your head into it. It will pass right by you once you find a more beautiful and attractive girl unlike myself. And even then, if you still have that crush, remember this. I'm a fifteen-year-old girl and you're what—twenty-two?" I asked.

"Sixteen." He mumbled.

"What the-" I really got surprised by this revelation. How the hell is this guy sixteen? What's up with fictional tales and sixteen-year-olds? Literally everyone is taller than a normal sixteen-year-old!

Anyway, after the initial shock, I fumbled my way back into it. "So, you're sixteen… I see. Anyway, you know that I have the capability of beating the shite out of you, right?" I asked.

"Yes." He replied. This time around, his entire face was blushing.

That's when I realized. Guo Ning is a masochist. He liked me because I beat the crap out of him. If that's the case, I just have to hook him up with someone who can beat him up—wait, does that kinda person exist?

Now, I started having doubts about the original canon. Did he not exist in the main tale because he died, or did he become someone's male concubine after getting his arse kicked by him/ her? That is something that I'll never know and not willing to know either.

"Anyhow, etch this into your mind. I will not like you back in this life or the next. I'm not in the mood for romance and never will be in one. So it'd be better if you left the notion behind and move forward with your life." I suggested, to which he reluctantly nodded his head.

Finally, rather than carrying him on my shoulders, I dragged him by the ground to Noncho because I didn't want to get any "signs".

However, back then, I forgot two things. One, it's difficult to force a feeling in and out of a person. And two, he was a masochist, so he sorta liked it when I dragged him all the way. These two things came back as a pain in the arse for me later on.

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