INTO THE ROSE GARDEN

Vol. 4 Chapter 1.6 - Hey, you, beautiful Count. What’s your name? What’s your number?

The distant sound of thunder could be heard from outside. It seemed like it was going to rain. The rustling leaves brushing against each other sounded like the whispering of ghosts. Suddenly, Aeroc felt scared. He didn’t feel like going back to the study now. Without realizing it, he let go of the pillow he was holding and climbed onto the bed.

“What?”

The bed creaked, and Kloff, who had been sleeping, jolted up in surprise. Aeroc, who had quietly sneaked into the bed, was taken aback. Was Kloff not asleep? No, in the first place, he had wrongly assumed that he wouldn’t be noticed if he sneaked in.

“Angel? What’s happening at such a late hour?”

After confirming his identity, Kloff sighed in relief. He rubbed his eyes and sat up straight in his seat. Aeroc met dark eyes full of doubt. He forgot what he wanted to say. Distant thunder rumbled and howled like a beast.

He couldn’t say that he had snuck in because he felt lonely on this night, and even if he did tell so, it would be frustrating since Kloff wouldn’t understand his situation. His fear turned into sorrow. The person in front of Aeroc was Kloff, but he also wasn’t Kloff. Aeroc missed Kloff, even if he was looking at him right now, he missed him even more. He stayed silent as he felt like he would start crying. Instead, he sank back into bed, making Kloff even more confused.

“Out of nowhere…”

He huddled down on the bed, covering himself with the blanket. Even after Kloff called him out several times, he didn’t give any reply. Instead, Aeroc communicated through gestures by patting the pillow that Kloff had been using, as if telling him to lie down. In his own way, it was a declaration of his unwillingness to leave.

In response, Kloff remained silent for a moment. Sitting up, he ignored the signal and looked down at Aeroc. After a moment of silence, he went to sit on the edge of the bed, as if he was about to leave. That was expected. No alpha would want to be on the same bed with another alpha. Even though Aeroc was a pregnant omega, the amnesiac fool kept thinking Aeroc was an alpha. He pouted his lips. He glanced up at Kloff through the corner of his eyes and thought hard inside his head, ‘Don’t leave, I don’t want to sleep alone.’

After a moment of silence, Kloff asked quietly.

“I thought we were just an accountant and his client?”

It wasn’t wrong, so Aeroc nodded. There was a sound as his hair brushed against the pillow. Kloff tilted his chin. He’s really acting clueless. Why would a real accountant live in someone else’s estate? And simultaneously, Kloff wasn’t even a gardener with a hot body, so why would Aeroc slip into the bed of a dowdy cobbler at night? Of course, they are lovers.

Aeroc didn’t want to speak the truth out loud. It felt forced and childish. If Kloff really had imprinted him, Aeroc wished Kloff could remember it on his own. He wanted to confirm if his love remained even after losing his memory. He was also worried that if any bad memories resurfaced, what would he do? If so, Aeroc must be prepared to let go of everything. Since this had already happened, he had always prepared for it, over and over again. No, maybe he wasn’t prepared. Just the short imagination of sending Kloff away brought tears to his eyes.

As the silence deepened, Kloff found his own answer. He raised his head slightly and hesitated before opening his mouth. There seemed to be an immoral hesitation in his gaze. What was the essence of his hesitation? Did he really figure everything out? Was this their end? Ah, how to handle this sudden ending?

“Uh, in order to follow the contract, did I, hm…”

Aeroc didn’t want to hear any more of it. He covered his ears with both hands. And he hid his tears in the darkness. Finally, it was their end. He needed to gather his emotions. It wasn’t an easy task. His remorse for the unborn puppy blossomed like clouds.

Poor child. I wanted to give you a perfect home. But it seems that I’m not qualified for that. I’m sorry.

Kloff leaned closer, whispering softly in Aeroc’s ear. The hands covering his ears were trembling.

“Did I sell my body to you?”

Yes, we had a relationship like that of a cursed body selling… Huh?

“B-body… what?”

Aeroc stupidly blurted out. The tears that had been pricking his eyes disappeared. What did he just hear? What did Kloff say?

“Otherwise, there’s no reason for you to sneak into my bed secretly at night. In the first place, why would a perfect angel like you want to be with someone like me?”

The deflated alpha was unexpectedly unconfident in himself. Aeroc couldn’t close his mouth. It wasn’t about Kloff’s confidence or lack thereof. How did he hurt his head to think of such a scenario?

“I don’t think I have any good property. I’m not quite that handsome. My occupation is vague. I don’t even know if I have parents. I seem to have studied something, but I’m definitely still far from getting a title. In short, I’m like a wanderer, so why would such a noble person like an angel do such a thing for some reason? I’m not an Omega, but there’s no other answer than that.”

Kloff Bendyke, the one known throughout the realm, making such weak claims of himself? No one else could have expected to find that pitiful self-loathing in him. He looked so fragile, as if he could collapse any moment. There was no way he could even falter and fall into shock. He seemed so weak. He even yelled without realizing it, raising his voice.

“Even if you don’t have property, you’re more ruthless than a devil when it comes to collecting money. Even if you’re not very striking, you can make people fall for you like a weapon. What about your job? What about it! With the courage to go in yourself and make your own place, even though your parents aren’t here for you, you still have a powerful older brother who’s never lost a fight despite his cocky personality. Just that. Just because of that, until now, you’ve made fun of me, the Count Teiwind, who even the royal family can’t easily mess with. Why, why are you doing this? You don’t need to lose yourself just because you lost your memory!”

In despair, Aeroc clung to him. The look in Kloff’s eyes, clearly unable to understand his words, was frightening. He believed that nothing could be more terrifying than letting him go. That was a misunderstanding on his part. Nothing could be more agonizing than being erased from Kloff Bendyke’s memory. Even if it was hate, resentment, not love, friendship, or any kind of affection, it was fine. Remember that Aeroc Teiwind has the means to live because of you. His chest ached as if it was burning inside.

Not knowing that himself, Kloff awkwardly added a forced laugh.

“Is that so? Haha, I’m not sure if you’re cursing or complimenting me, but somehow I feel spirited. However, I’m still not convinced of the reason why you’re getting close to me like this. Someone like you wouldn’t find me suiting.”

Aeroc didn’t want to force anything on him. He felt pathetic for attaching selfish reasons. The person who was having the most hard time because of the memory loss was Kloff himself. The world collapsed on him, and he suddenly became an abandoned, helpless child. And to think that Aeroc was getting mad at such a person. He should be embracing him instead.

The doctor had advised not to force the memories back. But now wasn’t the time for that.

“Kloff.”

Aeroc took Kloff’s hand and placed it on his abdomen. When Aeroc pressed his slightly swollen lower belly, Kloff was surprised. Kloff’s awkward, hesitant gestures were too painful to witness. His eyes grew warm with tears.

“Do you feel it? Our puppy is here. Your child. A child born of our love. At least… that’s what I think.”

It was unbelievable even to his own ears. No one would believe a person who asked someone to grope their stomach and admitted they were pregnant. According to the doctor, his memories weren’t gone, they were just stuck somewhere. The slightest trigger might set them free. Aeroc hoped for their puppy to become the key to that. Just like how the mere existence of this one and only baby gave him the sign of his different worlds. He hoped the baby would have a big meaning to Kloff too.

As expected, Kloff went white as a sheet and couldn’t close his mouth. His eyes widened and he groped Aeroc’s lower belly again and again.

“How does an alpha get pregnant? No, wait, with my child?”

“Yeah.”

I have to explain in detail for this person who lost his memories. But it wasn’t easy to sound logical while choking back tears. Instead, the words just came out disorganized.

“Because I met you. Even though I’m an alpha. Kloff… because I met you… I changed. Everything changed.”

Of all things, Aeroc met Kloff and fell in love with him, thus everything had become twisted. He had spent such a horrible time undoing everything. It was impossible to explain it all from the beginning. To explain it all in its entirety was impossible. Just pulling out one small memory would take an entire day.

His anxiety hadn’t subsided, and when tears finally welled in his warm eyes, Kloff whispered quietly.

“Was I… a lout?”

***

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