Seeing that expression, Allen felt his courage shrink. He gripped his trousers under the table, his body trembling with fear.
However, the reality inside Arvin's heart was 180 degrees different.
Inside his heart, Arvin was doing somersaults of joy. His soul was cheering like a spectator watching their favorite team score the winning goal.
HE LIKES ME! BY THE GODS! HE REALLY LIKES ME! Arvin's inner self screamed hysterically. So, all this time my feelings weren't unrequited? I'm happy! So happy! I feel like I want to jump on the table and dance right now!
Arvin cleared his throat loudly to cover the smile that was about to bloom on his lips. He had to stay in character.
"What is your reason for liking me?" Arvin asked with a feigned cold tone. "Many people hate me because of my personality and refuse to even greet me."
Allen was still looking down, but his voice sounded sincere and soft. "Besides the fact that you're handsome... to me, you are my hero."
Arvin was stunned. "Hero?"
"Yes, my hero!" Allen continued, his courage slowly returning. "Since you came to the academy, all the noble students who usually bullied me haven't dared to bother me. You never helped me directly, but your intimidating presence indirectly protected me. And today... seeing you help those poor people... I became even more convinced that you are a very good person."
Arvin fell silent. He hadn't expected Allen to notice things in such detail. His heart warmed.
"So, you met me just to confess these feelings?" Arvin asked again, making sure.
Allen nodded slightly. His shoulders looked fragile. "If... if you reject me, please don't hate me! Please don't push me away..."
Allen's voice sounded hoarse, implying a terrifying fear that his confession might make Arvin hate him.
Hearing such a pitiful plea, Arvin felt a little guilty for acting too cold.
"Raise your face!" Arvin ordered firmly. "Are you going to be a coward who talks to the floor for the rest of your life?"
Slowly, hesitantly, Allen lifted his face. His pink eyes, now glassy with tears, looked straight at Arvin. His flushed face, his slightly trembling lips, and the 'abandoned puppy' expression he was showing were truly lethal weapons against Arvin's defenses.
Wow! Arvin thought, almost having a heart attack. He's so cute! Oh my... Gods, give me strength! Can I stay strong looking at this cute face any longer without hugging him?
Arvin felt incredibly happy seeing Allen's expression, so sincere, nervous, and afraid of losing him. It was tangible proof of how great Allen's feelings were for him.
Arvin smirked, a smile that was hard to interpret.
"Why would I hate you, you fool?" Arvin said, his tone softening slightly though still sounding arrogant. "I actually praise your courage for daring to confess your feelings to me. Not many people have the guts like you do."
That answer, completely outside of his predictions, truly left Allen dumbfounded. His eyes went wide, and his mouth parted slightly in shock. He had expected to be cursed at, laughed at, or even kicked out.
Arvin leaned his body forward slightly, staring deeply into Allen's eyes. This time, he let a little honesty seep out.
"Do you know, Allen? Actually... I like you too."
Allen's world seemed to stop spinning. His breath hitched.
"Even..." Arvin continued, his voice dropping to a whisper full of restrained desire, "I really want to make you mine. Make you my partner, my wife, my life companion."
Allen's face lit up instantly. An unstoppable expression of joy bloomed on his face. The hope that had died moments ago was now resurrected with full force. He felt as if he had just been lifted to the seventh heaven.
However, before Allen could say a single word to celebrate that happiness, Arvin sat up straight again. His face transformed back into a mask of ice, cold and untouchable. His gaze became sharp and piercing.
"But..." Arvin said firmly, cutting off all the euphoria that had just sprouted a second ago. "I must reject you!"
Allen was stunned. He stared at the figure in front of him with his mouth slightly parted, as if his brain refused to process the last sentence it had just heard.
"I must reject you."
The words rang in his ears, contrasting sharply with the sweet confession the man had uttered just seconds before. Allen's feelings, which had just been lifted to the seventh heaven, were now crashed back down to ground in a brutal fashion.
Allen shook his head slowly, his eyes conveying immense confusion. He felt that Arvin's words sounded far-fetched, as if the man were looking for an excuse to avoid him after giving him false hope.
"You... you said you liked me?" Allen's voice trembled, demanding an explanation. "You even said you wanted me to be your wife. But why, at the same time, are you rejecting me? Is this some kind of rich person's joke?"
Allen looked down, crumpling the fabric of his trousers. The sense of inferiority that had haunted him all this time resurfaced. "Is... is it because I'm a poor orphan from a common background? Does my social status make you ashamed to be seen with me?"
Arvin sighed heavily. He looked at Allen's face, which was starting to turn red from holding back tears.
"It's not that, you fool!" Arvin denied quickly. His tone was firm but not hurtful. "I've never even cared about your background. In my eyes, there is no difference between the status of a noble or a commoner."
"Then, why are you rejecting me?" Allen pressed, his wet eyes now staring sharply at Arvin. He needed a logical reason, not just a game of tug-of-war with his feelings.
Arvin looked at Allen's disappointed and frustrated face after his rejection. Damn! thought Arvin, realizing his fatal mistake. It looks like I have to tell him everything. But hopefully he won't ask any unnecessary questions, especially about me.
Arvin sighed softly. I don't want Allen to know that I come from another world and live as Arvin Vedegra in this world.