Chapter 219: Ch 219: If you hesitate, you’ll lose your chance
"Reina, check up on Rin right now."
Shelly broke into Reina’s lab while she was having lunch. Her worried tone almost made Reina choke on her food before she realized that Shelly was not alone.
She held an unconscious Rin in her arms, and Reina had a bad feeling as soon as she looked at the unconscious body in them.
"What happened? Before that, bring Rin over here. I’ll check him thoroughly."
Reina patted the bed, and Shelly wasted no time in putting Rin down. But she did not move away from him once he was settled.
"Shelly, I need you to step away from Rin if I’m going to be able to examine him."
The doctor reminded Shelly, but her words did not seem to reach her. The pink-haired girl tightened her hold on Rin and refused to step away.
It made Reina sigh, and she knew she would have to work around her this time.
[Would the user like to scan the target’s information?]
Her screen asked, and Reina accepted the request.
The scan began, and Reina purposely avoided the areas where Shelly was touching Rin’s body. Otherwise, the results would become contaminated, and the whole process would need to be started over.
It took four times longer than a normal scan would have if Shelly had not been holding Rin, but the worry in her eyes made Reina feel bad for her.
"Rin is just exhausted. My scans show that he has a low-grade fever, but it should get better soon. There is nothing life-threatening here."
Reina reassured her as she kept an eye on Shelly. She was not sure what Shelly would do even after being reassured that there was nothing seriously wrong with Rin.
But Shelly did nothing except sit by Rin’s side.
It almost looked as though she was reflecting on her actions and regretting her decisions.
Reina was not close to Shelly, and she was certainly not someone who could comfort her at times like this. But she still found herself reaching out and placing a hand on Shelly’s shoulder.
"I know things look tough right now, but Rin is strong. I’m sure he’ll pull through somehow."
Shelly did not say anything. She did not even snap at Reina, which was an indication of how bad her mental state was at the moment.
"Get some sleep as well. If you need me, I’m right here."
Reina continued awkwardly, but Shelly still did not pay attention to her.
In the end, Reina decided to give up and sit beside the pair. They sat in silence until Collin decided to visit them. He looked a little worried about them, but concern was not the main reason he was there.
"Is Young Master Rin still not awake? Then I will inform our guests that he is unavailable right now."
"Guests?"
Shelly asked in a low voice, and Collin hesitated to answer.
Even Reina could sense Shelly’s foul mood, and she knew that something bad might happen if Shelly decided to take action.
Because Collin knew it as well, he decided to steer the conversation in another direction.
"Hmm, those guests are nothing important. You don’t need to worry about them, Miss Shelly. Please focus on Young Master Rin’s recovery. I will deal with our guests—"
"No. I want to see what these ’guests’ of ours want as well. I have a feeling we have some debts to settle. Reina, what about you? Are you coming with me, or are you staying with Rin?"
Although Shelly phrased it as a question, her tone made it clear that it was an order.
Reina knew she could refuse Shelly, but something about her tone—and the fact that Shelly wanted her there—made Reina want to accompany her.
’I have a feeling these ’guests’ have something to do with Rin’s condition. Now I’m even more curious. I should go with Shelly and find out what’s happening.’
"Alright, I’ll come with you. Let me give Rin some potions to help him relax first."
Reina told Shelly, but Shelly grabbed the potions from her hand and decided to administer them herself.
Her grip on Rin was possessive and unwavering. She was staking a claim on the unconscious man, which made Reina twitch with jealousy.
’I’m the doctor! It’s my job to give these potions to Rin. I should be the one touching him.’
And yet, she could not take her eyes off Shelly’s soft expression. It was a rare one that she only showed when she was with Rin.
That expression made Reina unable to act, and she remained rooted in place beside the chair.
"Miss Reina, I know that you are a passive person and believe in giving others a second chance. But you are going to lose your opportunity if you allow others to walk all over you. Miss Shelly has no intention of giving up anytime soon."
Collin reminded Reina, and she felt as though the butler had seen right through her. She had no words to say in response.
But her heart told her that she needed to take the butler more seriously. He was right in saying that she was wasting her chance.
"I... want to get closer to Rin as well, but the opportunity never comes—"
"You have to create those opportunities yourself, Miss Reina. Look at Miss Shelly. She is fighting tooth and nail to remain by Sir Rin’s side. Her effort is genuine, and it touches one’s heart. But what about you?"
That hit Reina hard.
She had thought she was working hard as well. But in reality, she had never done anything specifically to get closer to Rin.
’Do I... even like him?’
Her heart fluttered painfully before a sinking feeling washed over her. It mixed with her jealousy, and her heart told her she was a fool for questioning her feelings for Rin.
Reina was a coward. She liked Rin, but she could not bring herself to do anything about it.
"I don’t know what is going on in your life, Miss Reina. But what I do know is that you will lose Young Master Rin if you remain so passive. So please put some effort into pursuing him."
