Golden pupils quivered slightly, but the darkness that settled on the face concealed them.
Aslan held his breath.
He had hoped to see her face.
However, considering the day, he thought it couldn’t be helped if she didn’t come.
Aslan gazed at Hestia.
Even as the surroundings darkened, she was the girl who shone alone.
It almost felt like Hestia was the only one existing in this space.
So, Aslan just kept looking at the girl’s face. Like a fool, unable to utter a word.
Her appearance, always breathtaking, felt more real today than ever.
Because the corners of the girl’s eyes were reddish.
‘…Did she cry?’
He disliked seeing her trying to hide her sorrow, forcing a smile upon seeing him.
Hestia pulled up the corners of her drooping mouth several times, speaking again to Aslan.
“Sorry to disturb your reading. Just for a moment… I’ll take a walk.”
There was no response, but he didn’t expressly refuse either.
Hestia, once more lifting her lips forcefully, slowly turned around.
It was too hard to feign indifference and compose her emotions anymore.
She weakly stepped towards the garden bridge.
Aslan silently watched her back, then swallowed a deep sigh.
He thought of following her but realized he lacked the talent to comfort anyone.
It seemed better to give her some alone time.
Aslan, swallowing another deep sigh, reopened the book he had closed.
The page was completely unrelated to the place he had marked with a string.
The stone lantern right next to the bench illuminated the book, but just like before, he couldn’t focus on the words.
His eyes were fixed on the book, but all his attention was already on Hestia.
Thud, thud.
The sound of her steps brushing against her dress as she walked was audible.
Even though the distance between them was significant, catching that sound was nothing for Aslan.
It was quiet around, and if he concentrated, there was no sound he couldn’t hear.
Her pace, neither fast nor slow, continued a bit more before stopping completely.
As always, it would be in the middle of the garden bridge.
He could picture it without seeing it.
Like Aslan, Hestia was also a creature of habit.
This was a fact he had already figured out from their past few encounters.
But Aslan couldn’t shake off his concern.
There was an unsettling feeling in his heart.
‘What is this uneasiness?’
Was it because her face looked more precarious today than usual?
Despite deciding not to disturb Hestia’s time, he wanted to lift his head several times.
‘At this distance, in this darkness, she won’t notice that I’m watching.’
Eventually, Aslan couldn’t resist the urge and raised his gaze.
Finding Hestia’s figure through the leaves wasn’t difficult.
She was leaning on the bridge railing with her slender arms.
Her head slightly bowed as if observing something on the pond’s surface.
Until then, Aslan thought she was just admiring the fish or water lilies.
Then he noticed Hestia’s body slowly leaning forward.
“…What!”
Aslan threw his book aside and sprang up from his seat.
And in that brief moment, splash!
Hestia’s body disappeared into the cold pond as if being sucked in.
“Crazy…!”
A harsh curse burst from his lips.
Before he could think properly, Aslan’s legs were already moving.
“Why on earth!”
To his eyes, it appeared as though Hestia had thrown herself into the water.
‘It can’t be.’
It shouldn’t be.
Aslan quickly ran towards the pond.
If she had slipped or lost her balance momentarily, Hestia’s body should have surfaced by now.
But when Aslan reached the pond, her figure was nowhere to be seen.
Only large ripples indicated where she had fallen in.
“Damn it.”
Without further thought, Aslan plunged into the pond after Hestia.
Even in the south, winter was still winter.
The water was quite cold.
It wouldn’t be a problem for Aslan, but it could be a different story for that delicate woman.
Aslan exerted strength in his limbs.
Debris clouded his vision. Moreover, the moon was hidden behind clouds, making it difficult to see clearly.
Still, Aslan vigorously moved his arms and legs, turning his head this way and that, searching for Hestia.
He estimated the bridge’s location and headed towards the center of the pond.
‘…!’
And finally, he found Hestia.
She stood rigidly underwater, motionless.
And with her eyes open.
Her violet pupils were utterly empty.
From this, Aslan realized she must have deliberately thrown herself into the water.
He had dived in without hesitation to save her, but now he was motionless.
Or rather, he felt like he couldn’t move.
Hestia’s figure appeared sacred.
He had never believed in gods, but there it was, embarrassingly so.
Hestia didn’t move a finger. Her white dress fluttered in the water currents and buoyancy.
This fluttering only intensified her mystical aura.
It seemed as if white wings had sprouted from her back, gracefully flapping like a swan, or as if spring butterflies danced joyously around her.
Mesmerized, Aslan soon realized he was running out of breath.
‘…Cough.’
He frowned and looked again towards Hestia.
Her body was slowly sinking deeper into the water.
Regaining his senses, Aslan hurriedly opened his mouth to call her.
‘Princess!’
But his voice only bubbled away.
Realizing he couldn’t communicate, he grew more anxious.
Strangely, at that moment, Hestia’s previously lifeless gaze lifted.
Aslan held his breath again.
It was night, and they were underwater.
The visibility should have been poor.
But as Hestia lifted her head, a soft moonlight seemed to pour in from the water’s surface.
The moon, which had been hiding behind heavy clouds, finally revealed itself.
Aslan felt their gazes meet.
It was not a mistake.
He got goosebumps.
There was no trace of fear of death in Hestia’s violet eyes.
‘She did it herself…’
Realizing this, he clenched his teeth.
Then, Hestia, who had been motionless, slowly reached out her hand towards Aslan.
Everything he saw felt surreal to him.
He knew it wasn’t the right expression, but even years later, he hadn’t found a more accurate word.
Hestia, reaching out her hand towards him, was… fantastical.
It was as if time was moving slowly, enough to fall into that illusion.
Hestia, locking eyes with him, opened her mouth.
‘What is she saying?’
Narrowing his eyes to take a closer look, Aslan regained his senses only after seeing round bubbles burst from Hestia’s lips.
‘This is no time to think.’
Feeling urgency, Aslan spread his arms wide and moved towards Hestia.
Meanwhile, he too started to run out of breath, and several bubbles escaped from his lips.
He felt as if someone was forcefully squeezing his throat with both hands, but he didn’t give up till the end.
Just a little more.
Just a bit more.
Finally, his fingertips touched Hestia.
He grabbed her and pulled her into his embrace.
Her small body offered no resistance as he held her.
Thus, supporting her back, he swam out of the pond with one arm.
Splash!
The surface broke, and both of their faces emerged.
Simultaneously, they opened their mouths, desperately inhaling the needed air.
“Huff.”
“Cough, cough.”
The clear air filled their lungs.
Aslan, fearing he might lose her, tightened his embrace. Their skin in contact was ice cold.
Hestia seemed utterly powerless, not even able to twitch a finger, and Aslan swam desperately to the shore with her.
It seemed she had no strength left, quietly letting him lead.
Splash.
Water dripped from their clothes.
Their bodies, now subject to gravity, felt much heavier than in the water.
Aslan, though his voice was low, reprimanded her roughly.
“Are you crazy?”
“…”
“Why would you jump into the pond? Do you want to die?”
Despite his harsh words, Aslan’s actions were incredibly cautious.
He effortlessly carried the light Hestia and moved towards the inner palace.
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
