[Music Recommendation: "Winter Bear" by Kim Taehyung (BTS - V) available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

[Please note: We're still in Callan's POV - when he finally confessed to Crystal]

Badump! Badump! Badump!

'Damn it. I'm getting nervous. Whatever. I'm ready to be rejected anyway. And this is not about me. This is for Crystal. This stupid girl needs to stop degrading herself.'

Despite my nervousness, I continued. I already started anyway. There's no turning back. If she rejected me, that's fine.

"It's true," I continued after a sigh, trying to calm myself. "Actually, it started when we were children but I just thought of it as a simple crush until three years ago. Besides, we were still young so—"

Suddenly, Crystal looked like someone just died. What the heck! I'm confessing here with all my might and she just—

"Ack! What's that look?"

"Waaaaaaaaahu-hu-hu-hu…" she wailed like a baby.

"Hey! I didn't say it to make you cry."

"You… you love me? All this time?"

I averted my eyes and scratched the back of my neck. The heck, I'm suddenly feeling all shy. Damn it. What's with me today?

"Well… Y-Yeah," I admitted shyly. Ugh. My face was probably so red by now.

"W-Why me?" she asked with trembling lips. What a dumb question.

"HUH?! Why not you?"

"Callan, I—"

"It's alright," I hushed her. "Now don't go feeling guilty or responsible, okay? I don't want you to force yourself to love me back or anything. I'm just… I'm just confessing right now because you're being stupid, saying no one favours you. I've always favoured you. You're just too blind. Tsk! Tsk! Stupid Crystal."

"Sniff… What? I'm the stupid one, now?"

"Yes, you are. Now stop crying, okay. I hate seeing you cry, geesh!"

Getting the handkerchief in my pocket, I wiped her face that was filled with tears. Haaah… such a crybaby. As I did, I noticed how her face turned red. Was it because I confessed?

"Pft! Ha-ha-ha!" I burst out laughing. "Why are you all red? Are you finally noticing my charm?" Wanting to tease her more, I drew my face closer to her—so close that we were just a breath away.

"S-Stop it!" Crystal shouted and leaned back, moving away from me.

'Oho! This is new. She normally runs towards me but now she's running away.'

"What? You suddenly feel I'm dangerous? Or that I'm a man?"

"Huh? N-No!"

"Really?" I crawled towards her. "Then, why are you running away?"

"S-Shut up!"

"Eeehh? Why should I?"

Ha-ha-ha! Her face and neck were turning pink. Her flawless skin would always easily show if she's embarrassed or angry. Teasing her had always been fun.

"Crystal."

"W-What now?"

"I love you."

"A-a-ah… I get it. Y-you don't have to repeat it."

She turned redder and lowered her eyes.

"I love you," I said it again.

"Y-Yes, I know."

"I love you."

"I get it so stop it!" she yelled in her embarrassment.

"HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

Crystal was so cute. Verrill was stupid. I never understood how he didn't fall for her when she's this lovely. He must be blind—that, or he just had a different preference. Well, whatever it was, it's his loss.

In Crystal's embarrassment, she kept on hitting my chest and I just kept on laughing at her. Once she ran out of energy, I embraced her and patted her back.

"Crystal, don't feel sad anymore, okay? And don't worry, I'll keep on loving you everyday so you don't feel that you're not special. You're really stupid for thinking that. You're a queen! And a really kind and caring friend, daughter, sister, everything! You're blind for not seeing how great you are."

"Sniff… Thank you so much, Callan."

"Ahhh… And here I just said not to be sad anymore."

"Sniff… I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? There's nothing for you to be sorry for."

"Really, thank you very much."

"It's nothing," I said, as I released her from my embrace and wiped her tears again. Such a crybaby. "Anyway, you have to be ready from now on."

"Hm? Ready for what?"

"Because I'll be flirting with you daily now. I already confessed so I might as well do my best, right?"

"W-w-what?! You don't have to flirt with me!"

"But I want you to fall for me," I pouted. "Not in a forced way of course. I'll just keep on flirting with you until you tell me to stop and reject me, or you actually fall in love with me and be my girlfriend. Sounds good?"

"N-No! D-don't even think of starting it."

"Eeehhh? So does that mean you're rejecting me? I'll stop if you reject me."

"What? N-No! That's not…"

"So you're not rejecting me?"

"Callan! Don't play with my words!"

"Ha-ha-ha! I'll give you time to decide. You can take as long as you need. Meanwhile, I'll just keep on trying to woo you."

"I didn't agree with this."

"But you didn't reject me, either. What do you want me to do?"

"J-just keep being Callan."

"Being Callan means loving you."

"Waaaaaa…"

Oh boy. Her face was a mess. Ha-ha-ha! But I'm serious though. I wouldn't hold back anymore. I'd love her with all my might.

After that, we squabbled a bit more until Crystal couldn't take it anymore and locked herself in the bedroom. I kept knocking on her door but she sulked for hours.

Once done sulking, she welcomed me back with a cute pouting face—still red—and I offered my peace offering which was food. It was her favourite—spinach and ricotta ravioli, and crème brûlée for dessert. When she saw it, her eyes sparkled and all her hate was gone in an instant. Ha-ha! Of course I knew her weakness. She wanted to be a model but she's a foodie. Good thing she had great metabolism.

Crystal ate my cooking happily. At last, her smile was back to her face… just as how I always wanted her to be.

'Just keep being happy, Crystal. Your happiness is my happiness.'