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The Original Work Got Ruined After I Quit Being the Sub Male 57

57

We informed the resident manager of our visit and immediately placed our luggage in our respective rooms. When we came back down to the lobby, Riette, who had come out first, suggested with an excited face.

“Eddie, shall we go out for a bit?”

I approached her side while awkwardly glancing around for no reason. After hearing that Riette already knew about Cedric’s feelings for me, her past actions came to mind anew.

“Go out? Where do you want to go?”

Riette smiled brightly.

“The opera theater! There’s an incredibly large one nearby.”

Soon after, Cedric and the trading company men also came down the stairs. After discussing which orchestra was performing and what kind of music would be in the opera, we decided to all go see it together and left the mansion.

Many people were still walking around the city streets where the sunset was settling.

“Has the performance already started?”

“It’s about that time.”

“Ah, are the box seats rented?”

“Yeah, three people can fit. The men…”

“We’ll be in the pit seats on the first floor.”

Lionel answered promptly. He would know that box seats in theaters like this could only be used by nobles. When we arrived at the theater, we decided to split up as discussed.

“Young masters, miss, we’ll keep watching from below. If anything happens, we’ll rush right over, so don’t worry.”

“Yeah. See you in a bit.”

As Lionel and the other trading company men headed to the pit seats, the three of us, including myself, went up to sit in the box seats.

In the order of Riette, Cedric, and me.

The opera performance had already begun.

“Oh, you all came too?”

At that moment, another noble sitting nearby greeted us warmly. That face seemed quite familiar, so when I looked…

‘Ah.’

It was Miss Laura, who had briefly conversed with us at the New Year’s ball. She was also the young lady who had left with an awkward misunderstanding about Cedric and me at that time.

Riette was surprised and welcomed her.

“Miss Laura! How did we all meet here?”

“Hoho, I come here often normally.”

“Is that so?”

Cedric nodded casually in greeting without much thought, and I also awkwardly smiled and greeted her.

Suddenly Laura’s gaze shifted toward Cedric and me. She seemed to be closely examining the space between us in particular.

“You three are sticking together again today?”

…Though she clearly said “you three,” I couldn’t understand why it sounded like “you two.” My feelings became complex and subtle.

‘Even back then…’

I couldn’t have imagined that Cedric and I would become like this. But somehow, her misunderstanding about Cedric and me being in that kind of relationship had become reality.

Soon Riette continued talking with Laura. I sat quietly as if I were air, just appreciating the opera performance.

I naturally became conscious of Cedric sitting beside me, but since there were several people present, I felt more cautious than usual and deliberately tried not to look in his direction.

How long had I been watching the performance with that awkward feeling that others wouldn’t know? As the performance reached its climax and high notes shook the theater, the audience began pouring out applause and cheers.

Everyone’s attention was focused on the stage and the surroundings became chaotic. I was also concentrating on watching when suddenly I felt something cover the back of my hand that was placed on my knee.

When I glanced down, Cedric’s hand was there. While pretending to watch the performance, he covered my hand and briefly interlocked our fingers before letting go a moment later.

“…”

My mouth felt completely dry, so I only moistened my lips with my tongue.

His actions that popped out whenever I let my guard down, and the feelings contained in those actions, made my heart race wildly.

I didn’t dislike it. Then… did I like it?

How should I interpret my current emotions?

“As expected of a famous orchestra, it’s incredible.”

“Indeed.”

“You two over there… hm? Edgar, are you alright?”

“Huh, yes?”

“Your face looks a bit red.”

Laura, who had been excited and admiring the performance, looked at my face and asked worriedly. At those words, Riette also turned to look at me with wide, surprised eyes.

The situation was so embarrassing that my face became even hotter. At least it was fortunate that those two people seemed not to have seen anything.

“Ah… it’s not that, but it’s a bit hot.”

“Really? Do you have a lot of body heat?”

“Haha…”

That wasn’t really the case, but if I denied it, the conversation would drag on unnecessarily. And it was awkward to lie. So I showed a reaction that was neither affirmative nor negative and smiled awkwardly.

The main culprit who had created this situation played innocent and asked.

“Are you very hot? Shall we go outside together for a moment?”

How shameless.

“…No, it’s fine.”

I rejected Cedric’s suggestion and fixed my gaze on the stage. But after that, my concentration was completely broken and I couldn’t immerse myself in the performance at all.

My poor hand kept fidgeting…

It seemed like heat still remained in the hand that had been held.

Eventually, I spent time without knowing what music ended how, and when I came to my senses, the performance was already over.

‘Sigh.’

I got up along with the sound of people rising and went down from the box seat while internally swallowing a sigh.

While we were joining up with the trading company men, Laura, who had been chatting happily with Riette, also joined up with her servant who had come down from the gallery seats and asked.

“Did you all come to play together?”

“Ah, we’re currently on our way to the Leonhardt family villa, so our destination is a bit further west. We just stopped by Certin territory briefly on the way.”

“Ah! I see. Then are you leaving tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“It’s unfortunate, but I guess we’ll have to meet again next time.”

After Laura finished saying goodbye to Riette, she turned to look at Cedric and me. She covered her mouth with her fan and smiled, then approached my side with quick steps and whispered softly.

“Don’t worry. I haven’t told anyone.”

“…”

“It seems like you two are secretly dating. Hoho.”

“M-Miss Laura. That’s… it’s not dating.”

I tried to make some excuse. But Laura didn’t seem to want to listen and quickly left with her servant.

‘Oh no.’

I couldn’t clear up Laura’s misunderstanding in the end.

But thinking about it a bit more… I thought it might be okay not to correct her misunderstanding.

Stubbornly denying that misunderstanding felt like denying Cedric himself, and somehow I didn’t feel like doing that.

“Shall we head back now?”

Lionel started speaking and Riette and the trading company men who responded to him started walking first. Following slowly behind them, Cedric, who was walking beside me matching my pace, lightly touched my cheek.

“What did you talk about with Miss Laura earlier?”

“Huh? Uh… it was just nothing important.”

I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether I should tell him Laura’s misunderstanding directly, then brushed it off. Then Cedric started staring at me intently. Very openly too.

“…Why are you staring like that?”

“I was wondering if you heard something you need to hide from me.”

“It’s not like that.”

“But why are you hiding it if it’s nothing important?”

Cedric’s expression became sulky. I didn’t know why he was getting upset, but to improve his mood, I eventually confessed honestly.

“No, it really wasn’t important. Just… Miss Laura thinks we’re secretly dating. She said she hasn’t told anyone so don’t worry. That’s all.”

“…Did you explain?”

“She left before I could explain, so I couldn’t.”

“Do you want to explain?”

“…”

I glanced at Cedric from the corner of my eye.

I felt somehow embarrassed and lowered my head.

“Mm. Not particularly…”

“…”

“I thought there might not be a need to.”

“…”

A ticklish silence continued.

When I was strangely restless…

Cedric’s calm voice was heard.

“Eddie. I want to hold hands with you.”

“…We’re outside.”

“I want to hug you and kiss you until I’m sick of it.”

“…”

“I want to tell you I love you to my heart’s content.”

“…”

I was struggling, not knowing what answer to give to that, when suddenly Lionel, who had been walking ahead, stopped and turned toward us.

“Are you two following well?”

For a moment I was startled and quickly looked at Lionel. We had been talking quietly in very low voices, so the group ahead at a distance wouldn’t have heard what we were talking about, but I felt guilty.

Lionel tilted his head at my reaction.

“It’s dangerous, so don’t stay too far apart.”

“Oh, yeah. Got it.”

To calm my frantically beating heart, I quickly approached Lionel’s side and stood close to him. Then Cedric also mixed in with the front group and walked as if nothing had happened.

 

Hyacinthus B
Author: Hyacinthus B

Hyacinthus

The Original Work Got Ruined After I Quit Being the Sub Male

The Original Work Got Ruined After I Quit Being the Sub Male

I Quit Being the Sub and Now the Original Work is Ruined
Status: Completed Author: Released: 2025 Native Language: Korean
After regaining memories of his past life, he found himself reincarnated as the childhood friend of the omega female lead Riette from a novel. What's worse, he's a beta sub male lead who, in the not-so-distant future, will clash with another childhood friend and alpha male lead, Cedric, ultimately meeting an unfortunate end. Edgar decides to step out of this love triangle and support the two's love in order to change the predetermined ending, but— "Who decided you could just forget? You can't make something that already happened into something that never was." Somehow, Riette ends up falling for another man, and after going through a rut together, Cedric begins actively approaching Edgar. "We can't go back to being just 'friends' anymore." "......" "I can't do it. I... I can't do that." Edgar is just confused by this entire situation...

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