"Every bit of joy I felt just evaporated with that sentence."
"Pfft!!"
Arthur laughed, then shifted Nicole onto the bench beside him before standing up and pulling Layla into a hug.
"Don't worry, I missed you too."
"Get o—wait, why are you saying 'too'? Who said I missed you in the first place?!" Layla protested, squirming in his arms but not really trying to get away.
"Don't worry, I understand without you having to say it. You missed me that much, huh?"
"Again, why are you making that assumption?!"
Of course, contrary to her words, her arms were already wrapped around his back.
"It's certainly nice to see the real Layla," Arthur murmured.
When Layla heard that line, she immediately shoved him back, her expression suspicious.
"The heck do you mean 'real Layla'? Someone out there making fake versions of me or what?"
Even Nicole, still seated, and Edward and Esna, who had just walked in, looked like they wanted to know the answer to that.
